410 posts
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Post by maggiem on Feb 18, 2016 16:12:00 GMT
The classic case is Les Mis. Panned by the critics all those years ago, yet still going strong. What about the reverse? The original West End "City of Angels" got fantastic reviews all round, but couldn't sell enough seats and had to close much earlier than expected. |
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270 posts
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Post by littlesally on Feb 18, 2016 17:52:02 GMT
I'm just as likely to be swayed but the reviews of some of the people on here! Not all though!!
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4,046 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 18, 2016 19:44:35 GMT
I think Dawnstar raises a good point there-sometimes reviews tell us the type of production we're getting, particularly pertinent with opera where the 'vision' of the creative team may well influence enjoyment of a piece (WNO I'm looking at you with your giant spiders...) That was of the Donizetti Tudor Queens, wasn't it? I booked for those 3 then chickened out at the last minute because I decided I couldn't take the productions - references in reviews to heads on spikes, etc. I saw everything WNO did in the 3 years I was at uni in Bristol then went back for most of the seasons for several years afterwards but unfortunately since David Poutney took over I have stopped going because his taste in productions is not what I want to see. |
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5,119 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 18, 2016 19:47:13 GMT
All the reviewers are generally out of the same mould, by which I mean Public Schooled and Oxbridge educated, the only one that weren't was the late Jack Tinkler.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2016 11:19:40 GMT
I think Dawnstar raises a good point there-sometimes reviews tell us the type of production we're getting, particularly pertinent with opera where the 'vision' of the creative team may well influence enjoyment of a piece (WNO I'm looking at you with your giant spiders...) That was of the Donizetti Tudor Queens, wasn't it? I booked for those 3 then chickened out at the last minute because I decided I couldn't take the productions - references in reviews to heads on spikes, etc. I saw everything WNO did in the 3 years I was at uni in Bristol then went back for most of the seasons for several years afterwards but unfortunately since David Poutney took over I have stopped going because his taste in productions is not what I want to see. It was indeed! Not a season that many warmed to really. Though one night one of the smaller giant spiders they used broke which entertained me no end... Manon was another one that got mixed (extreme) reviews, and if I'd been a casual audience member the description would have put me off (she dies of thirst in a train station...and there were ahem incidents with a golf club) |
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4,046 posts
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Post by Dawnstar on Feb 19, 2016 20:46:34 GMT
It was indeed! Not a season that many warmed to really. Though one night one of the smaller giant spiders they used broke which entertained me no end... Manon was another one that got mixed (extreme) reviews, and if I'd been a casual audience member the description would have put me off (she dies of thirst in a train station...and there were ahem incidents with a golf club) I do hope they checked none of the cast suffered from arachnophobia before hiring them! Manon seems to be cursed with ugly productions at the moment, the Met one that opened last week got pretty poor reviews too & looks horrible for the prod pics. I wish updating everything wasn't so popular in opera. |
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5,030 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 20, 2016 17:16:52 GMT
90% of the time I book before it opens and I never read reviews or comments until I've seen it - HATE spoilers
Last show booked based on word of mouth / reviews was the Clockmakers Daughter and that I truly loved
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