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Post by forevercolours on Nov 26, 2021 7:46:09 GMT
Okay so I saw this last night on opening and I was blown away by this cast!
Ailsa is a really fantastic Veronica and will only continue to grow as the run progresses. Her accent is the most convincing I have heard and her voice is phenomenal. Only one minor missed line during the DGW reprise but other than that, she really sold it to me. I am excited to go back and see how she improves. She even got a well deserved ovation after I Say No. She is Veronica in my eyes.
Freddie as JD is a real treat and, as above, he is just going to get better. slightly less psychotic than Jamie and Jordan were during Meant to Be Yours but he also had a few mic issues which didn’t help. His voice is so lovely to listen to and he plays JD really well.
My God, the Heathers. I am in awe of all three of them. Emma Kingston is really something special as Chandler. I didn’t think anyone could top Jodie but they are on par. Her voice is like butter and is so nice to listen to. She is less shouty than Jodie which I quite liked. Inez is so so good as Duke and really nailed NSUA which I find never blows me away on stage. Her presence is wonderful and she has a killer voice, I see big things for her going forward. Teleri as Mac is just a delight, her lifeboat was heartbreaking and she is just gorgeous.
LIZZIE BEA!!! She was a real treat. I teared up as she sang Kindergarten Boyfriend. She really nailed the balance of comedy and tragedy and I loved every moment she was on stage.
In general, the ensemble are very strong. Hannah Lowther seems lovely and I am excited for when she gets to cover Chandler snd Mac.
For opening night and a lot of debuts, it ran very smoothly (except for a pig getting stuck in the set during Big Fun)
I was sat front row and felt so immersed in the show. It is in really good form and I can not wait to return to see how much better it gets!!
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 26, 2021 23:39:36 GMT
Is Ailsa directed the same way Christina was towards the end of the most recent West End run, or is this watchable?
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Post by forevercolours on Nov 27, 2021 8:02:41 GMT
She is definitely less giddy and full on than Christina. Her accent is also the best one I have heard and doesn’t negatively impact her singing as it has with some previous cast members who struggled to keep it up while singing. She genuinely is fantastic. The best Veronica I have seen.
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Post by christya on Nov 27, 2021 12:21:32 GMT
Looks like Jodie is back on as Heather Chandler tomorrow:
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Post by forevercolours on Dec 3, 2021 10:44:10 GMT
Saw this again last night because the cast is just THAT good and I couldn’t stay away. I saw Jacob Fowler coved JD as Freddie has been off sick since the interval on Wednesday’s matinee.
For only his second show as JD with such a quick turn around, Jacob was truly fantastic and had brilliant chemistry with Ailsa.
Comedic timing has definitely improved over the last week but a quieter crowd meant that some didn’t land for those other than the few people in the room who knew the show.
They are still going from strength to strength. I think Ailsa will be a big star in the theatre world after this. She is a fantastic actor and her voice is just beautiful. The Heathers still slayed and Inez’s NSUA is still the best one I have heard.
As I said before, the show is in a really good state and if previous performers have put you off, I highly recommend seeing this cast as they are, in my opinion, the best that the show has ever had.
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 3, 2021 11:33:57 GMT
I also attended last night. A great rush seat in the third row, which is the perfect level to view the show from. I was to the side and some of the staging is difficult from that angle, but I've seen the show a few times this year so I know it well.
This is always a fun uplifting show and a good way to improve my mood.
My first time seeing this since it has come back to the Other Palace. Heathers is really designed for a small venue so the Other Palace is the perfect place for it. The set fits properly on the stage (unlike the tour) and everything feels so much more intimate.
I liked Jacob as JD a lot. I also like the way they've toned the acting back down for the small venue (probably because the audience are up close, unlike at the West End or on tour). Only minor gripe would be the sound balance at times, but a lot of that is due to the position of the orchestra.
Thankfully, they've also toned down the picking on "Steve" to make this more playful again, rather than the way it had started to come across as vindictive recently. A hint for male audience members, I suspect those people who complete ignore the announcement at the start that masks are required in the venue are more likely to be chosen for the audience participation element.
It is a little strange seeing the show with only two male ensemble and lines reallocated, but it held together well. Great to see Jordan Cunningham on stage again in the ensemble. I can see he's been working out too, presumably for when he goes on in his cover role for Kurt, which I'd like to see (not that there is anything for the audience to complain about when George Maddison and Tom Scanlon parade around in their 80s underwear).
As others have said, Ailsa Davidson is excellent as Veronica and I think we'll hear a lot more from her in the future. This is a strong cast all around, even if you do have to suspect disbelief more than for many shows for them to pass as 17 year olds.
Last night's audience was very polite and appreciative, with just the right amount of whooping. A standard ovation for the full ensemble, which is always good to see. It is a shame the theatre was only a little over half full, but the pricing for this one is rather on the high side and they aren't making many Rush tickets available.
So far this year, I've seen four different JDs and four different Veronicas (across five visits to different versions of the production). Hopefully I can fit in one more of each before this closes.
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Post by apwl on Dec 15, 2021 9:19:18 GMT
TodayTix have a £15 offer today with some very decent stalls ticket available in Jan.
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Post by edi on Dec 18, 2021 9:11:07 GMT
Got one of those £15 tickets and last night i was checking twitter the whole day fully expecting a covid closure. Despite having a large cast it seems covid is kind to this show, all cast was there.
I can see why this has a teen fan base, i felt extremely old, everyone seemed young and beautiful compared to us.
Anyway, i enjoyed it, after all it's a dynamic show with, good music , all cast members are strong singers, etc.
I wish it would be a bit darker. Too much comedy somewhat makes it less strong.
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 22, 2021 12:19:17 GMT
Nipped to see this last night with a rush ticket (great third row side seat). Even got the full cast, including Freddie King as JD (who really hasn't been on all that much). He's certainly the cutest person I've seen in this role by a mile.
A lot of fun as always and Vicki Lee Taylor was so sweet to the mortified looking gentleman who got picked out to be Steve (almost by default when they need someone front centre due to audience being 90% female).
Good that this one has survived the Covid-19 outbreaks so far and that I got in again before the possibility of theatre shutting down for a few weeks. But this is one of those shows I can see doing a winter season at the Other Palace for years to come.
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Post by cezbear on Dec 22, 2021 17:36:16 GMT
I also caught this yesterday and loved it. All the Heathers were phenomenal, though all cast were excellent, Ailsa's Veronica took me a little time to warm to but her voice is fantastic and I was sold on her by the end. Definitely less goofy than many others.
Surprised to not have a single cover on given the situation with others shows, and that stage is so close to the front rows. No covid pass was asked for which also surprised me. I hope I get the chance to go back before the run ends - anyone know who covers Veronica?
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Post by laserenvy on Dec 23, 2021 13:14:31 GMT
I also caught this yesterday and loved it. All the Heathers were phenomenal, though all cast were excellent, Ailsa's Veronica took me a little time to warm to but her voice is fantastic and I was sold on her by the end. Definitely less goofy than many others. Surprised to not have a single cover on given the situation with others shows, and that stage is so close to the front rows. No covid pass was asked for which also surprised me. I hope I get the chance to go back before the run ends - anyone know who covers Veronica? It's Kayleigh McKnight. She plays Drama Queen in the ensemble. I really like the current cast. The day I went, the matinee was cancelled at the interval because Freddie King (JD) went off mid-show. I transferred my tickets to the evening performance which went ahead with Jacob Fowler playing JD, despite press night only being the day before. Despite next to no rehearsal time, Jacob was absolutely cracking in the role and it was a great atmosphere in the theatre as the audience and cast rallied for him. (It seems like he performed as JD for nearly two weeks after that?) Ailsa Davidson is probably the most understated Veronica I have seen but I loved her performance. Emma Kingston also plays a more toned down, yet still terrifying, Heather Chandler. I've seen three runs of Heathers now -- the Haymarket in 2021, this current Other Palace run and the UK tour -- and I think this run is my favourite overall. If you can nab a decent Rush ticket, it's definitely worth a look before it closes, especially if you had walked away from a previous run thinking that certain performances were a bit too hammed up. |
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Post by forevercolours on Dec 23, 2021 13:45:17 GMT
I have seen this run four times already and I saw Jacob as JD three of those times and he really was fantastic! Freddie was off for quite some time but seems he is back swinging so I cannot wait to return in the new year to see him again. This cast is the strongest the show has had. I even managed to catch Hannah Lowther as Heather Chandler which was a real treat. I am still hopelessly in love with Ailsa’s Veronica. I have three more dates booked already but that may increase if more cover dates get announced!
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Post by andrew on Dec 26, 2021 15:36:34 GMT
Was meant to be going today but I just got an email from TodayTix that it's been cancelled.
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Post by alece10 on Dec 26, 2021 15:53:12 GMT
Was meant to be going today but I just got an email from TodayTix that it's been cancelled. Freddie King posted on Insta that he has tested positive for Covid. Presume other cast members too. I get a feeling we will see a lot more in the next few days with other shows. Actors travelled home for Christmas, pick up Covid from family members or other people they came into contact with whilst travelling. |
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Post by laserenvy on Dec 28, 2021 10:33:44 GMT
Was meant to be going today but I just got an email from TodayTix that it's been cancelled. Freddie King posted on Insta that he has tested positive for Covid. Presume other cast members too. I get a feeling we will see a lot more in the next few days with other shows. Actors travelled home for Christmas, pick up Covid from family members or other people they came into contact with whilst travelling. Looks like Veronica, Veronica cover and Heather Mac/Heather Chandler cover all have Covid too. |
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Post by candela on Dec 29, 2021 14:15:18 GMT
Freddie King posted on Insta that he has tested positive for Covid. Presume other cast members too. I get a feeling we will see a lot more in the next few days with other shows. Actors travelled home for Christmas, pick up Covid from family members or other people they came into contact with whilst travelling. Looks like Veronica, Veronica cover and Heather Mac/Heather Chandler cover all have Covid too. Emma Kingston & Kieran Brown have posted they also tested positive |
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Post by danb on Dec 29, 2021 15:51:48 GMT
Bless. There’s someone in full Veronica cosplay here at ‘Dear Evan Hansen’. At least they’ve found somewhere else to go.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jan 6, 2022 22:58:20 GMT
Saw this tonight and was thrilled to see Veronica being played as a human and not a marionette puppet. After the disastrous direction Christina got towards the end of the last Haymarket run (to be clear: I do NOT blame her for how dreadful it was because I saw her first show and it was great. I assume she received abysmal notes), I thought that was how Veronica was going to be played from now on. Thankfully Ailsa provided a much more relatable portrayal, and a gorgeous voice.
Some of the rest of the show is still suffering directorially, though. At times it feels very amateur. The cast themselves are, for the most part, very talented, but there are moments where they do things that seem very unnatural or awkward. The cheerleaders' costumes have also inexplicably had a major downgrade? It just felt a little like a school production at times. But I was too overjoyed by the 180 in Veronica direction that I let most of it slide. It's nice to once again be able to watch Heathers and not feel like self-combusting from how dreadful the portrayal the main character is.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jan 7, 2022 0:43:35 GMT
Additionally - why does this show not have a cast board?? they have multiple digital screens in the lobby, which were displaying a Christmas show schedule that expired on the 5th, yet they couldn't put up the cast list for the performance??? odd.
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Post by cezbear on Jan 7, 2022 10:01:32 GMT
Is this a definite fixed run or is there a chance of it extending?
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 7, 2022 11:38:54 GMT
Is this a definite fixed run or is there a chance of it extending? I thought someone else announced that Be More Chill was going back in after the current run of Heathers. But I wouldn't be surprised if Heathers went back again. It draws an audience and works perfectly in the space available at The Other Palace. |
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Post by forevercolours on Jan 11, 2022 7:57:04 GMT
Okay so I made another few trips to this show last week and my God, the show on Sunday truly was something special. Kayleigh McKnight made her Veronica debut and she was amazing. The crowd was electric and she got a well deserved standing ovation after I Say No. They also made Heathers history with both of the leads being played by their understudies for the first time ever. Jacob Fowler as JD really is a treat. I have watched him quite a few times in this run as Freddie has sadly been absent a lot and it has been really nice to see him grow into the role as his take on it is probably my favourite that I have ever seen. This cast truly is just fantastic and it will be a shame if this doesn’t get a transfer as it is too sad to think about it ending next month. This cast definitely deserves a much longer run. If you haven’t seen it yet and weren’t convinced by the previous Haymarket run, definitely go see this run. No matter who you have on, you are in for a fantastic show.
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Post by danb on Jan 11, 2022 9:10:39 GMT
Going in a few weeks and I can’t wait. Quality young casts with everyone giving their all are always exciting, whatever the show. After the criticisms levelled at the last few V’s It’ll be interesting to see a new interpretation.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 11, 2022 9:24:47 GMT
Christina Bennington got good feedback didn’t she?
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Post by danb on Jan 11, 2022 9:28:42 GMT
I really liked her take on the role; the beginnings of giddiness. But the tour V overdid it with constant chipmunk guffawing which was assumed to be directed in.
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