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Post by BVM on Apr 5, 2023 16:58:46 GMT
Is that the future of the Dominion then? Basically just an additional tour stop for every show going? It's not a terrible shout in fairness. It's such a big venue that unless it gets a show like Wicked or Lion King, nothing can sustain a long run there. Just gladly it isn't the third return of Dirty Dancing this time. Couldn't agree more - I think we all should be relieved it's not Dirty Dancing again! No doubt the poor ushers will be too.... |
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Post by kyvai on Apr 8, 2023 18:59:59 GMT
Saw this on Friday at Dartford - really very good all round. Helen George sings beautifully, very suited to the classic style of R&H. Darren Lee is fab as the king, great timing. Also very impressive is Marinella Phillips as Tuptim, she basically upstages Anna vocally!
Definitely recommend, it’s really nice to see a more traditional musical performed. I might see it again at the Dominion, I enjoyed it that much.
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Post by craig on Apr 9, 2023 9:29:58 GMT
Saw this in Wycombe recently. Helen George was out and Maria Coyne was on as Anna. She was excellent.
Cezarah Bonner and Marienella Phillips were excellent too. I thought Darren Lee was a bit shouty and one note as the King.
It was enjoyable enough but looked terribly cheap. I don’t have a connection to it, though I think I probably saw the film as a child. It’s one of those stories that just seems a bit problematic coming to it in 2023 for the first time.
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Post by kyvai on Apr 9, 2023 11:14:55 GMT
Saw this in Wycombe recently. Helen George was out and Maria Coyne was on as Anna. She was excellent. Cezarah Bonner and Marienella Phillips were excellent too. I thought Darren Lee was a bit shouty and one note as the King. It was enjoyable enough but looked terribly cheap. I don’t have a connection to it, though I think I probably saw the film as a child. It’s one of those stories that just seems a bit problematic coming to it in 2023 for the first time. I agree with you on the cheap appearance of the set, honestly being personally spoiled by usually only seeing things in London, I just kinda accepted that as it being a touring production. I personally did feel a lot of connection to to the show, but I grew up watching the film on repeat on VHS (I’m not that old but my mum loved musical theatre too, so things like King & I, Sound of Music, South Pacific, Hello Dolly are “home” for me). I definitely felt a lot of nostalgia during “Hello Young Lovers” and when they finally twirl around together during “Shall We Dance”. Also loved the “why is your head higher than mine” bits. Problematic? As much as any white Western mid-century depiction of any other culture, you do need to accept it for what it is, it was written 80 years ago, but personally I don’t find it horrendously offensive overall. The King is portrayed as forward thinking (in some ways - misogyny is just unfortunately a given), and resistant to colonialism - there is an issue that entertainment is derived from caricaturing differences between Thai and British cultures, although seeing as it was written 90 years after the events it depicts, and by Americans, it kinda lampoons Victorian British culture as much as Thai culture. It’s not clear that Anna’s way is always “right” and the kings way is always “wrong”, but the conflict between the two is presented. The current production seems to respect Thai culture to a reasonable degree, and seems to have taken care to cast actors with at least East Asian heritage in appropriate roles, I haven’t exhaustively checked every cast member but it seemed like it. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 2, 2023 14:00:50 GMT
Annalene Beechey is doing the Manchester dates instead of Helen George.
Is the tour vastly different to the Palladium run then? I don’t necessarily expect the ship but is the production cut down beyond that?
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Post by sph on May 3, 2023 0:49:02 GMT
Not vastly exactly, but not quite as full as the Palladium production. Statues are now just painted flats etc and the ship is... well not a ship!
But it's more than just that really - the production doesn't feel quite as sensitively directed, like maybe Bartlett Sher had a lot less to do with this incarnation.
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Post by mrbarnaby on May 4, 2023 7:08:23 GMT
Not vastly exactly, but not quite as full as the Palladium production. Statues are now just painted flats etc and the ship is... well not a ship! But it's more than just that really - the production doesn't feel quite as sensitively directed, like maybe Bartlett Sher had a lot less to do with this incarnation. He wouldn’t have been around for this at all, not at all surprising as it’s the second tour. |
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Post by theatrefan62 on May 4, 2023 8:44:05 GMT
Not vastly exactly, but not quite as full as the Palladium production. Statues are now just painted flats etc and the ship is... well not a ship! But it's more than just that really - the production doesn't feel quite as sensitively directed, like maybe Bartlett Sher had a lot less to do with this incarnation. He wouldn’t have been around for this at all, not at all surprising as it’s the second tour. In fairness its more like continuing the first tour as it was cut short due to covid beginning. Many venues never got to have it that were originally scheduled. |
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Post by jj9692 on May 4, 2023 11:26:59 GMT
Annalene Beachey also announced to be doing the Belfast dates.
Seems to be a very quiet takeover. Just noticed on the shows website that Helen George was only appearing until the end of April (I'm assuming due to midwife duties)
So so we think that's her done now until the show reaches the Dominion?
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Post by fiyero on May 5, 2023 9:29:46 GMT
Annalene Beachey also announced to be doing the Belfast dates. Seems to be a very quiet takeover. Just noticed on the shows website that Helen George was only appearing until the end of April (I'm assuming due to midwife duties) So so we think that's her done now until the show reaches the Dominion? It certainly was quiet. My friend thought we would be seeing Helen at The Mayflower. I'm excited to see Annalene again as I've heard of her (and seen her) and hadn't heard of Helen! |
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Post by princeton on May 5, 2023 14:47:18 GMT
Helen George was only ever supposed to appear until the end of April as Call the Midwife filming stars at the beginning of May. However the words 'until Cardiff' were buried in the press release and very few reports picked it up. Also I doubt (though I don't know) that Helen George was ever mentioned on the websites of the venues after Cardiff - and a generic picture of the previous tour was probably used. However it's disingenuous and discourteous of Trafalgar Entertainment to be so opaque in their communications especially on the production website and social media - which still indicate that HG is playing the part with no mention of the estimable Annalene Beachey who has taken over from this week. If I was her agent I'd be reading the riot act - or demanding more money!
It's such a stupid strategy. Disrepectful to the audience, to Annalene Beechey and to Helen George who will, I'm sure, get some negative comments from people who were expecting to see her. It's not enough to say that she was never 'announced' for this particular venue even if that is true - because all of the PR has focused on her. Of course it's the local theatre stuff who will have to deal with the immediate fall out. Hopefully any audience dissatisfaction will allayed when they see and hear the glorious Beechey.
Call the Midwife tends to film for about six months with a brief break in the summer so I don't imagine Helen George will do the autumn leg of the tour either - though don't rely on the producers to be open about who is appearing.
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Post by Dawnstar on May 7, 2023 18:06:26 GMT
I hope it is announced at some point if Annalene Beechey is going to do the rest of the tour. If she is then I'd like to see her again, having seen her as alternate at the Palladium and in the 2020 tour just before it was cancelled. I'm not interested in seeing Helen George. I can't get to any of the spring/summer venues but could get to some of the autumn ones.
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Post by marob on May 15, 2023 13:06:43 GMT
I imagine any Mancunians who booked this to see Helen George, and turned up last week to find her a no-show, will be rather miffed to find that she’ll be starring in the show at the Lowry in January.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 15, 2023 13:45:26 GMT
No idea what Helen George is like in it but I thought Annalene Beechey was superior to Kelli OHara when I saw her last week.
Seems a bit of a stretch to present this at the Lowry 8 months after a week at the Palace.
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Post by marob on May 15, 2023 13:59:39 GMT
I think she can carry a tune, but her voice was lacking in power a bit, especially compared to the king’s two wives. Not sure if that’s how the songs were written, or if she was saving her voice a bit because there were three two-show days.
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Post by Distant Dreamer... on Jun 5, 2023 18:59:24 GMT
Does anyone know what days Maria Coyne performs?
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Post by theatremiss on Jul 19, 2023 17:08:06 GMT
Has anyone sat front row at the Dominion? I’m short so worry about how high the stage is.
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Post by marob on Jul 19, 2023 17:17:52 GMT
Has anyone sat front row at the Dominion? I’m short so worry about how high the stage is. I sat there for An American in Paris, which was a good few years ago now, but if I remember correctly I think there’s a really wide aisle between the front row and the stage. |
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Post by marob on Jul 19, 2023 19:38:28 GMT
Has anyone sat front row at the Dominion? I’m short so worry about how high the stage is. Actually, I’ve looked on theatremonkey and he notes that the stage can be high. There’s lots of photos and reviews here: seatplan.com/london/dominion-theatre/seating-plan/One of the reviews on there that stood out specifically mentioned they were 5ft7 and could see everything, but that someone shorter might not. |
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Post by theatremiss on Jul 20, 2023 23:22:55 GMT
Thank you Marob
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Post by ladidah on Jan 16, 2024 11:50:50 GMT
I love the show and want to see this, but I hate the Dominion. It's not selling well either.
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Post by capybara on Jan 16, 2024 12:30:38 GMT
I will go to see this but waiting for rush tickets, which will surely become available if they hope to start filling this barn of a theatre…
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Post by ladidah on Jan 16, 2024 13:06:15 GMT
Looked for tonight, it's easily half empty.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 16, 2024 13:51:02 GMT
This is going to die a death there. Helen George isn’t any kind of draw.
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Post by danb on Jan 16, 2024 14:03:22 GMT
…the state of the ticket prices I’m surprised anyone can afford to go! It will inevitably become more available ‘centrally’ for all but the matinees.
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