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Post by londonmzfitz on Mar 10, 2016 17:11:34 GMT
OK, so I'll be wearing jeans and a tee shirt, and fully encourage people to approach me with jazz hands and air kisses.
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 10, 2016 17:32:39 GMT
Well everybody knows what I look like (see my profile pic) so if you see me, say hello.
Trust me, there's more of a chance you'll see me before I see you.
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 11, 2016 17:17:29 GMT
Am here now (yay) very excited! Level 3 Circle D6
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 11, 2016 19:05:34 GMT
Brilliant! Alas too short
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Post by couldileaveyou on Mar 11, 2016 20:13:22 GMT
I really enjoyed, I love the man and it was a great chance. He didn't say anything that he hasn't already said or written somewhere else, but it was really cool
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2016 20:21:51 GMT
Incredible to see him and how down to earth was he? Nothing about All Together Now apart from the fact that he's currently struggling with a character who wouldn't sing, a la Do I Hear A Waltz, but what a treat.
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 11, 2016 21:26:27 GMT
Mr Sondheim, we are not worthy
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Post by Flim Flam on Mar 11, 2016 22:45:14 GMT
That's exactly how I felt.
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Post by littlesally on Mar 11, 2016 23:09:40 GMT
Am here now (yay) very excited! Level 3 Circle D6 I was D4 and my daughter D5! |
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Post by Squire Sullen on Mar 11, 2016 23:56:39 GMT
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Post by Nicholas on Mar 12, 2016 2:04:09 GMT
Would LOVE to know what he was thinking when watching Wonderland tonight as well.
I was this close to going to the box office and buying another ticket, in the hope that I could sit next to him, pretend not to know him, ask him what he thought and revel in the inevitable answer. I decided I couldn’t see the show again unless very very drunk. I decided I didn’t want Sondheim to see me very very drunk. I went home instead. Wonderful though the evening was, a part of me feels sick that Sondheim – the man who wrote Gee Officer Krupkee, Not Getting Married, A Little Priest, We’re Gonna Be Alright, Move On and all those other glorious lyrics – spent the evening on the same stage as Everyone Loves Charlie, Everyone Loves Charlie, and Not Alone/Like A Toenail All Ingrown.
Shame I didn’t see any of you – I did look, but no luck! I was fourth row stalls in blue, if anyone saw me. I did see Mike Leigh later, though (I think going to see Waste), so that’s something.
Sondheim might not have said anything not said or written down elsewhere, but there was plenty that I didn’t recognise (although the speed with which he gave some of the answers suggested they were answers he’d given before), from what he listens to, to how he develops a voice for each character and sometimes, as now, struggles to do so, to a long and effusive answer saying so much about Jonathan Tunick. Incidentally, nothing wrong with getting the same answers given context: when the inevitable “Musical-to-film” question was asked, he gave the same answer about West Side Story being a terrible movie as it’s too stagey, whilst Sweeney Todd’s a great movie because it’s conceived as a movie (I know that movie has haters on here, but I broadly agree that it’s a bad Sondheim movie but a tremendous Tim Burton movie and I think it’s wonderful cinema) – but he made no qualification about Into The Woods, indeed no mention of it whatsoever, and I might be looking for answers where none occur, but does that not suggest that he thinks it inferior to Sweeney? I just found that exclusion very interesting.
Regardless, I keep remembering moments (that write up, Squire Sullen, is so complete I envy your memory, but more importantly is a lovely and superb piece of writing), questions he answered, lines he said, and just smiling; the man’s an indisputable genius with a brain the size of a planet and an encyclopaedic knowledge and great human understanding of musical theatre, and having him, even just for 45 minutes, telling even a fragment of what he knows, even a fragment of what he’s written, was wonderful. Last year I had the privilege of seeing Peter Brook in conversation, and it’s a worthy comparison – two genii in their golden years who’ve lost nothing of their youthful passion for their medium but gained a lifetime of insight they’re able to share at the drop of a hat. I really am a lucky bugger, we all are.
More importantly, though, what we got was the man in all his fast-witted, down-to-earth, intense glory. When he said (to one of The Stage’s own journalists, no less!) “That’s a meaningless question” before qualifying it himself and giving a prescient as always answer; when he answered the question about form and content (the revue form for Assassins against the revue form by way of character story for Company) with such precision; that he took none of us for fools and explained nothing, expecting, nay demanding, us to have the knowledge of not only his oeuvre but the extensive oeuvre of Hammerstein and movie musicals; when he said “Don’t take a photo” to someone just behind me with such intensity that he rendered the Olivier silent as few actors are able to; when off the cuff he made the joke about the ushers knowing Jujitsu, or wonderfully answered the question “What do you listen to when relaxing on a Sunday evening?” with “RELAXING?”... Smug alert (as always): this was my third Sondheim sighting, but more than the other two times, I felt that we really saw the man behind the shows, the wonderful, warm man, but also the genius who takes no fools. It was an absolute privilege to see a mind like his in full flow, but an even greater privilege to see a man like him in full flow.
Now, what did he think of wonder.land?
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 12, 2016 6:30:19 GMT
Am here now (yay) very excited! Level 3 Circle D6 I was D4 and my daughter D5! Ah, right next to me. I was the guy to your daughter's left wit the glasses and moustache |
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Post by Squire Sullen on Mar 12, 2016 10:48:43 GMT
Would LOVE to know what he was thinking when watching Wonderland tonight as well. Regardless, I keep remembering moments (that write up, Squire Sullen, is so complete I envy your memory, but more importantly is a lovely and superb piece of writing), questions he answered, lines he said, and just smiling; the man’s an indisputable genius with a brain the size of a planet and an encyclopaedic knowledge and great human understanding of musical theatre, and having him, even just for 45 minutes, telling even a fragment of what he knows, even a fragment of what he’s written, was wonderful. Last year I had the privilege of seeing Peter Brook in conversation, and it’s a worthy comparison – two genii in their golden years who’ve lost nothing of their youthful passion for their medium but gained a lifetime of insight they’re able to share at the drop of a hat. I really am a lucky bugger, we all are. Thank you Nicholas, your posts (like the one above) are always brilliant so that means a lot coming from you. You are so right, we really are lucky, I spent much of yesterday evening just beaming. And on the misty walk home from the station I listened to Send in the Clowns and Losing My Mind and I remembered all over again what this great man is capable of - complete genius. |
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Post by MrBunbury on Mar 12, 2016 11:32:00 GMT
Would LOVE to know what he was thinking when watching Wonderland tonight as well.
I was this close to going to the box office and buying another ticket, in the hope that I could sit next to him, pretend not to know him, ask him what he thought and revel in the inevitable answer. I decided I couldn’t see the show again unless very very drunk. I decided I didn’t want Sondheim to see me very very drunk. I went home instead. Wonderful though the evening was, a part of me feels sick that Sondheim – the man who wrote Gee Officer Krupkee, Not Getting Married, A Little Priest, We’re Gonna Be Alright, Move On and all those other glorious lyrics – spent the evening on the same stage as Everyone Loves Charlie, Everyone Loves Charlie, and Not Alone/Like A Toenail All Ingrown.
Shame I didn’t see any of you – I did look, but no luck! I was fourth row stalls in blue, if anyone saw me. I did see Mike Leigh later, though (I think going to see Waste), so that’s something.
Sondheim might not have said anything not said or written down elsewhere, but there was plenty that I didn’t recognise (although the speed with which he gave some of the answers suggested they were answers he’d given before), from what he listens to, to how he develops a voice for each character and sometimes, as now, struggles to do so, to a long and effusive answer saying so much about Jonathan Tunick. Incidentally, nothing wrong with getting the same answers given context: when the inevitable “Musical-to-film” question was asked, he gave the same answer about West Side Story being a terrible movie as it’s too stagey, whilst Sweeney Todd’s a great movie because it’s conceived as a movie (I know that movie has haters on here, but I broadly agree that it’s a bad Sondheim movie but a tremendous Tim Burton movie and I think it’s wonderful cinema) – but he made no qualification about Into The Woods, indeed no mention of it whatsoever, and I might be looking for answers where none occur, but does that not suggest that he thinks it inferior to Sweeney? I just found that exclusion very interesting.
Regardless, I keep remembering moments (that write up, Squire Sullen, is so complete I envy your memory, but more importantly is a lovely and superb piece of writing), questions he answered, lines he said, and just smiling; the man’s an indisputable genius with a brain the size of a planet and an encyclopaedic knowledge and great human understanding of musical theatre, and having him, even just for 45 minutes, telling even a fragment of what he knows, even a fragment of what he’s written, was wonderful. Last year I had the privilege of seeing Peter Brook in conversation, and it’s a worthy comparison – two genii in their golden years who’ve lost nothing of their youthful passion for their medium but gained a lifetime of insight they’re able to share at the drop of a hat. I really am a lucky bugger, we all are.
More importantly, though, what we got was the man in all his fast-witted, down-to-earth, intense glory. When he said (to one of The Stage’s own journalists, no less!) “That’s a meaningless question” before qualifying it himself and giving a prescient as always answer; when he answered the question about form and content (the revue form for Assassins against the revue form by way of character story for Company) with such precision; that he took none of us for fools and explained nothing, expecting, nay demanding, us to have the knowledge of not only his oeuvre but the extensive oeuvre of Hammerstein and movie musicals; when he said “Don’t take a photo” to someone just behind me with such intensity that he rendered the Olivier silent as few actors are able to; when off the cuff he made the joke about the ushers knowing Jujitsu, or wonderfully answered the question “What do you listen to when relaxing on a Sunday evening?” with “RELAXING?”... Smug alert (as always): this was my third Sondheim sighting, but more than the other two times, I felt that we really saw the man behind the shows, the wonderful, warm man, but also the genius who takes no fools. It was an absolute privilege to see a mind like his in full flow, but an even greater privilege to see a man like him in full flow.
Now, what did he think of wonder.land?
Where were you sitting Nicholas? I was in row D in the stalls so I wonder if I saw you. |
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Post by littlesally on Mar 12, 2016 12:39:54 GMT
I was D4 and my daughter D5! Ah, right next to me. I was the guy to your daughter's left wit the glasses and moustache I recognise you now. Would have said Hello. Because of my user name I suppose everyone expects me to be a woman. Wonder whether I ought to change it? |
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 12, 2016 13:50:22 GMT
Ah, right next to me. I was the guy to your daughter's left wit the glasses and moustache I recognise you now. Would have said Hello. Because of my user name I suppose everyone expects me to be a woman. Wonder whether I ought to change it? Hmm possibly. The difference is that I at leat had a profile pic so you could have recognised me; however I can see that you've now updated it so we at least know you're a male. In terms of the username, I guess there's a reason why you chose it and I think it's only natural that people would assume you're a female- but from the new profile pic, clearly you're not. |
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Post by theatremadness on Mar 12, 2016 14:38:18 GMT
I was in Row L of the stalls - still hasn't really sunk in that we were allowed to spend time in the same room as Stephen Sondheim. What a glorious 45 minutes.
To answer the question: once I heard that he was planning to stay on to see wonder.land, me and my best mate who I was with decided to go down and see what we could get (best available for £15 for students) and the man himself was sat 4 rows in front of us. He didn't return after the interval but that's not to say he didn't enjoy it (unless he really didn't enjoy it) - was probably quite a long day and maybe he had a flight to catch, it is quite a long show! And I'm sure everyone is dying to know what *I* thought of wonder.land: it was possibly the weirdest thing I have ever seen, I don't know how to explain it and it made me fear for my sanity - but I actually quite enjoyed it.....so shoot me! But I certainly wouldn't have complained to have had another 2 hours 40 of Sondheim....
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Post by n1david on Mar 12, 2016 14:45:12 GMT
I was right at the end of row E, stalls - fantastic view! Very engaging talk and like many, I was sorry it wasn't longer.
Special thanks to the lady sitting behind coughing for England who I think is probably responsible for my sore throat and sneezing today.
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Post by theatremadness on Mar 12, 2016 14:57:35 GMT
Do we think/know if a podcast/vodcast of this will become available at any point??
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Post by n1david on Mar 12, 2016 15:06:09 GMT
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Post by littlesally on Mar 12, 2016 17:00:56 GMT
Ah, right next to me. I was the guy to your daughter's left wit the glasses and moustache I recognise you now. Would have said Hello. Because of my user name I suppose everyone expects me to be a woman. Wonder whether I ought to change it? Little Sally is one of my favourite characters. (Urinetown) |
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Post by anthony40 on Mar 12, 2016 17:28:21 GMT
I recognise you now. Would have said Hello. Because of my user name I suppose everyone expects me to be a woman. Wonder whether I ought to change it? Little Sally is one of my favourite characters. (Urinetown) It's okay mate. No need to justify yourself to me. Next time if I'm there and you see me, feel free to say hello. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 12, 2016 17:32:57 GMT
I recognise you now. Would have said Hello. Because of my user name I suppose everyone expects me to be a woman. Wonder whether I ought to change it? Little Sally is one of my favourite characters. (Urinetown) Well, one of the good things about this forum is that you can change your name as much as you like, and change it back again if you change your mind. If you fancy a change just go to profile>edit profile and update the display name. |
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Post by londonmzfitz on Mar 14, 2016 13:11:54 GMT
Late to this but what a lovely, funny man! Comic timing! I know very little about him so the stories are all new to me. Am off to research his Mother!
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Post by n1david on Apr 6, 2016 10:33:43 GMT
Available on YouTube for two weeks only, apparently:
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