3,426 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Nov 10, 2023 0:20:36 GMT
I went this evening. {Spoiler - click to view}Was the phone in the audience part of the show or not? Tricky - I think so but can't be 100% sure. |
|
1,379 posts
|
Post by BVM on Nov 10, 2023 11:30:10 GMT
It's a good first preview. Very funny and well written, some iffy accents, but not one memorable tune for me yet...(EDIT: I cursed it, it went pearshaped after the interval... yet curiously I preferred the second half...) I can't help but feel slightly annoyed by this! Not because of this show, but because (to my musical taste) with every year that goes by it seems more and more acceptable for new MUSICALS to have utterly forgettable MUSIC. So many conversations with friends who liked things I've been indifferent to. - You enjoyed it then? - Yeah it was amazing - How was the music? - Yeah good, well ok I think, can't really remember. - Would you stream it/buy the CD? - Nah! Like, come on everyone, bring bangers back into musicals FFS! Where on earth are our amazing new composers? |
|
3,426 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Nov 10, 2023 12:12:49 GMT
It's a good first preview. Very funny and well written, some iffy accents, but not one memorable tune for me yet...(EDIT: I cursed it, it went pearshaped after the interval... yet curiously I preferred the second half...) I can't help but feel slightly annoyed by this! Not because of this show, but because (to my musical taste) with every year that goes by it seems more and more acceptable for new MUSICALS to have utterly forgettable MUSIC. So many conversations with friends who liked things I've been indifferent to. - You enjoyed it then? - Yeah it was amazing - How was the music? - Yeah good, well ok I think, can't really remember. - Would you stream it/buy the CD? - Nah! Like, come on everyone, bring bangers back into musicals FFS! Where on earth are our amazing new composers? Well, I would urge people to go and see and make up their own minds. Even if the "Get Up" song hadn't been trailed so heavily online and on EP on Sunday, I possibly might have remembered the chorus tune and the words "get up". However, the lyrics simply aren't memorable - I couldn't tell you any of the rest. But then I am pretty poor at lyrical recall. But music? I literally have a photographic memory for music - play it once, it sticks, and I can play it back half-decently on a piano. None of the tunes in this have tthe "stickiness" you look for - the most obvious example is "Matilda" - there are several memorable tunes in that show. What I DID like about The Witches is that the comedy writing was pretty good - soem genuinely fresh laugh out loud lines and moments; a couple fell flat, and a couple of jokes were cliched variations of old jokes which I think might get cut as previews go on, as they didn't raise the obvious laughs you might expect. My biggest issue though is that the set before the show starts promises so much - visually you think you are about to enter something like "Wonderland", with creepy tree branches, and a few traps and tricks built in to the floor, but I found the show to be visually underwhelming and far too reliant on the revolve to move things along. In fairness to the cast, it wasn't the best first preview and this is what previews are for. I see the makings of a potentially good show, and some of the acting talent - well, wow - some of them are fantastic. But at times I was watching thinking: "Why are they on stage? What are they doing? What is the point? Who are these characters?" I didn't feel invested in any of them except for Bruno bizarrely, but I think that is because the child who played him was outstanding, and he outshone pretty much everybody. I'm going back in a couple of weeks where I feel more comfortable reviewing something that is closer to what they want it to be. However, what can't be changed is the stickiness of the songs (and the orchestrations). Some of it sounds too Minchinesque to be considered original, with one second half song strongly echoing the "Discipline" patter section from Matilda's "Smell of Rebellion". I guess the genius of Roald Dahl's writing lends itself to this kind of treatment. |
|
|
|
Post by greatauntedna on Nov 10, 2023 12:21:57 GMT
Bruno was so good! I’m loving Get Up, but it did feel like a step up from all the other songs. I think there’s a few that will grow on me.
|
|
1,052 posts
|
Post by David J on Nov 10, 2023 14:40:19 GMT
The Witches is certainly one of my favourite Roald Dahl stories and I've watched the Angelica Houston film many times.
I'm not expecting this musical to be like the film. If it's not as cringy as the 2020 film then that's a plus. But Roald Dahl was not afraid to write stories that were appealing to children but also scary and didn't talk down to them. The Witches themselves need to be threatening and have that stranger-danger vibe. So I take them seriously and feel helpless for the Boy when he's trapped in the conference.
Tim Minchin at least understood that with Matilda and Miss Trunchball. And the songs were memorable to top it off.
That video of 'Get up' hasn't given me confidence. Some bland, 'empowering', b-version of When I've Grown Up. Where does that even fit in the story if someone can explain? They should have gone with a creepy song to set up the Witches.
Does the Grandma tell the girl trapped in the painting story in this musical? How's Katherine Kingsley as the Grand High Witch. Does she quickly put on a mask in the reveal?
|
|
3,426 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Nov 10, 2023 14:58:01 GMT
I wouldn't describe any of it as cringey - at times it feels quite accomplished, and you can see the work that has gone into this show. It has definitely undergone extensive writing and fine-tuning. One of the things that made me chuckle was that the programme has an activity book section for kids, yet the look and feel of the show is not particularly "childish". It has less of the saccharine stageyness of Matilda (though it dares to go there with the children in the second half). There is definite stranger-danger vibes going on in the conference and the witches are sinister at times. The switches to "witch mode" is through some effecive lighting and projections - the first time made me feel motion sickness for the first time since I was a child! The issue I have with "Get Up" is that it threatens to knock on the door of very current empowerment / victim messaging which might feel relatable but it extinguishes the threat and menace somewhat that has gone before. It jars with the underlying narrative which is a bit of a problem as it is the best / only memorable song. There are however a couple of creepy songs, so I think you'll find it to your taste. The storytelling is done through an animated intro on a smaller screen, similar to the technique used in Totoro but without the Japanese stylisation. Katherine Kingsley is excellent - as for the detail of how reveals etc happen throughout, I'd recommend going along to see.
This show leans towards and borrows from the book rather than the film. If it had better lyrics and music, it would be a hit - and that is a major thing to have to change about a show that has been in development for a while. That said, I look forward to going back in a couple of weeks. I think the cast were quite nervous in the first half; less so in the second as issues were happening beyond their control which i think relaxed them. Despite the disruption and long show stop, I enjoyed the second half more than the first.
|
|
1,052 posts
|
Post by David J on Nov 10, 2023 15:23:12 GMT
The issue I have with "Get Up" is that it threatens to knock on the door of very current empowerment / victim messaging which might feel relatable but it extinguishes the threat and menace somewhat that has gone before. It jars with the underlying narrative which is a bit of a problem as it is the best / only memorable song. This show leans towards and borrows from the book rather than the film. Does the musical use the book ending then? I mean the Boy accepting his fate is touching that he's making that choice if sad, but does that and 'Get up' give mixed messages? I mean the 2020 film touched on the ending but then goes "oh well lets have some fun" and show a lot of other child turned mice preparing to fight witches. I'd go just to see conference scene and the transformations, but I'd wait to hear others' thoughts |
|
3,426 posts
|
Post by ceebee on Nov 10, 2023 15:32:00 GMT
I don't want to give too much away as it risks "spoiling" it for others. I would call the end a hybrid of two themes.
I would 100% definitely go and see it - it errs on the dark side, though I think the ending might get reworked through the previews as another reprise of "Get Up" albeit interwoven with other musical themes started to jar with me. "Get Up" lacks the spring and vitality of something like "When I Grow Up".
|
|
|
|
Post by Boob on Nov 10, 2023 15:35:44 GMT
I just don’t get the pre-requisite for music in musicals to be “memorable”. Don’t get me wrong, I want good music, I want the songs to enlighten character and move the story along or do something interesting - but I don’t go to see musicals to come out humming the tunes, even if sometimes it’s lovely when I do.
Cautiously looking forward to seeing this on Monday.
|
|
4,171 posts
|
Post by anthony40 on Nov 10, 2023 15:40:32 GMT
The Witches is certainly one of my favourite Roald Dahl stories and I've watched the Angelica Houston film many times. I'm not expecting this musical to be like the film. If it's not as cringy as the 2020 film then that's a plus. But Roald Dahl was not afraid to write stories that were appealing to children but also scary and didn't talk down to them. The Witches themselves need to be threatening and have that stranger-danger vibe. So I take them seriously and feel helpless for the Boy when he's trapped in the conference. Tim Minchin at least understood that with Matilda and Miss Trunchball. And the songs were memorable to top it off. That video of 'Get up' hasn't given me confidence. Some bland, 'empowering', b-version of When I've Grown Up. Where does that even fit in the story if someone can explain? They should have gone with a creepy song to set up the Witches. Does the Grandma tell the girl trapped in the painting story in this musical? How's Katherine Kingsley as the Grand High Witch. Does she quickly put on a mask in the reveal? I have never read the book and only seen the Angelica film once. I have not seen the recent Ann Hathaway remake. Despite seeing it only the once, I never forgot it- that The Witches live amongst us, wear wigs to hide itchy scalps and have no toes so wear squared off shoes, not shoes with a point. And the girl in the painting. I NEVER forgot the girl in the painting who, as the years went by, appeared in different parts of the painting, in different positions, growing older until she eventually faded away. |
|
|
|
Post by theoracle on Nov 10, 2023 15:58:08 GMT
The Witches is certainly one of my favourite Roald Dahl stories and I've watched the Angelica Houston film many times. I'm not expecting this musical to be like the film. If it's not as cringy as the 2020 film then that's a plus. But Roald Dahl was not afraid to write stories that were appealing to children but also scary and didn't talk down to them. The Witches themselves need to be threatening and have that stranger-danger vibe. So I take them seriously and feel helpless for the Boy when he's trapped in the conference. Tim Minchin at least understood that with Matilda and Miss Trunchball. And the songs were memorable to top it off. That video of 'Get up' hasn't given me confidence. Some bland, 'empowering', b-version of When I've Grown Up. Where does that even fit in the story if someone can explain? They should have gone with a creepy song to set up the Witches. Does the Grandma tell the girl trapped in the painting story in this musical? How's Katherine Kingsley as the Grand High Witch. Does she quickly put on a mask in the reveal? I have never read the book and only seen the Angelica film once. I have not seen the recent Ann Hathaway remake. Despite seeing it only the once, I never forgot it- that The Witches live amongst us, wear wigs to hide itchy scalps and have no toes so wear squared off shoes, not shoes with a point. And the girl in the painting. I NEVER forgot the girl in the painting who, as the years went by, appeared in different parts of the painting, in different positions, growing older until she eventually faded away. Omg that girl in the painting scared me more than any other part of the film. Seeing the father’s reaction to seeing her daughter there freaked me out, much more so than the peeling of the skin or the wigs being ripped off. Even the snake in the handbag didn’t traumatise me as much but thinking back to it, this was a DARK children’s film. |
|
1,379 posts
|
Post by BVM on Nov 10, 2023 15:58:26 GMT
I just don’t get the pre-requisite for music in musicals to be “memorable”. Don’t get me wrong, I want good music, I want the songs to enlighten character and move the story along or do something interesting - but I don’t go to see musicals to come out humming the tunes, even if sometimes it’s lovely when I do. Cautiously looking forward to seeing this on Monday. Because ultimately, surely in the very best musicals, it would be both? I don't see it as an either/or. Music in musicals should do all you say AND be memorable! Anyway, it's a topic I find very interesting. Might start a separate thread as I really meant it in general. Haven't seen The Witches. |
|
8,095 posts
|
Post by alece10 on Nov 10, 2023 16:45:25 GMT
Random bit of info.
The hotel in the film is the same hotel my niece had her wedding reception. Its in Newquay, Cornwall.
|
|
4,171 posts
|
Post by anthony40 on Nov 10, 2023 16:50:51 GMT
Any mice running around Alec?
|
|
|
|
Post by benj on Nov 10, 2023 18:11:59 GMT
I just don’t get the pre-requisite for music in musicals to be “memorable”. Don’t get me wrong, I want good music, I want the songs to enlighten character and move the story along or do something interesting - but I don’t go to see musicals to come out humming the tunes, even if sometimes it’s lovely when I do. Cautiously looking forward to seeing this on Monday. Because ultimately, surely in the very best musicals, it would be both? I don't see it as an either/or. Music in musicals should do all you say AND be memorable! Anyway, it's a topic I find very interesting. Might start a separate thread as I really meant it in general. Haven't seen The Witches. Of course you need memorable music. Whether it’s ‘Skimbleshanks The Railway Cat’ or ‘Brahms Piano Concerto no2’, they have memorable musical themes/melodies running throughout that create a satisfying effect. Without that you just have noise! |
|
287 posts
|
Post by singingbird on Nov 10, 2023 22:34:43 GMT
What I'm wondering is, how distinctly Dave Malloy-esque is this? He has such a recognisable and unusual approach to musical theatre which would seem at odds with a big family musical. I'm not seeing this until January and I want to make sure I manage my expectations so I'm not disappointed. I can hardly expect it to be another Ghost Quartet, but is it evidently by the same songwriter? Are there any elements of that approach here?
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Nov 10, 2023 23:52:54 GMT
why did Tim Minchin not do it? so confused
|
|
|
|
Post by matildaswinton on Nov 11, 2023 13:43:24 GMT
They are selling a new front row, AA, so I went ahead and traded in my row A tickets for January, and I’ll be there tonight…. But the new tickets say “bench restricted view”……. Did they have these the other night? We’ll see how this goes…
|
|
3,325 posts
|
Post by Dr Tom on Nov 11, 2023 14:12:10 GMT
They are selling a new front row, AA, so I went ahead and traded in my row A tickets for January, and I’ll be there tonight…. But the new tickets say “bench restricted view”……. Did they have these the other night? We’ll see how this goes… I imagine it's a high angle and fairly tight seating. But let us know. Enjoy! This is clearly selling well, so I'm not surprised that the National Theatre are looking for ways to squeeze in a few extra people. |
|
|
|
Post by greatauntedna on Nov 11, 2023 14:58:27 GMT
They are selling a new front row, AA, so I went ahead and traded in my row A tickets for January, and I’ll be there tonight…. But the new tickets say “bench restricted view”……. Did they have these the other night? We’ll see how this goes… They did yes, they look pretty comfortable and I don’t think the view will be too bad. |
|
86 posts
|
Post by abitoftap on Nov 11, 2023 15:39:25 GMT
What I'm wondering is, how distinctly Dave Malloy-esque is this? He has such a recognisable and unusual approach to musical theatre which would seem at odds with a big family musical. I'm not seeing this until January and I want to make sure I manage my expectations so I'm not disappointed. I can hardly expect it to be another Ghost Quartet, but is it evidently by the same songwriter? Are there any elements of that approach here? Me too. I was lucky enough to see Natasha etc a couple of times, once in the tent (superb) and on Broadway (great but not as enjoyable). Distinctive composer with an ability to write different genres..and some great tunes. So I've been a little surprised that some people who've seen the show have commented on a lack of memorable songs. We're going on my birthday in January,so fingers crossed! |
|
7,051 posts
|
Post by Jon on Nov 11, 2023 15:50:24 GMT
why did Tim Minchin not do it? so confused Because he either wasn't asked or he didn't fancy it. Doing another Roald Dahl musical draws comparison to Matilda. Even Charlie and the Chocolate Factory which was developed separately because WB had the rights with Shaiman and Wittman was compared to Matilda and they're very different shows. |
|
|
|
Post by theatre2023 on Nov 11, 2023 18:47:41 GMT
The new front row bench seating looks terrible. Going to get a seriously stiff neck. Unless these are significantly discounted - would be well advised to book further back They are selling a new front row, AA, so I went ahead and traded in my row A tickets for January, and I’ll be there tonight…. But the new tickets say “bench restricted view”……. Did they have these the other night? We’ll see how this goes… They did yes, they look pretty comfortable and I don’t think the view will be too bad. |
|
|
|
Post by theatre2023 on Nov 11, 2023 22:04:38 GMT
Short show stop in tonight’s performance.
Overall - the show is a lot of fun and kids will have a ball. Act two needs work though. The one scene more closely resembles a primary school production complete with cardboard cutouts. Think a budget version of Cogsworth from Beauty and the Beast. Very out of keeping with the rest of the shows aesthetic.
Hopefully they continue to work on it as there’s definitely something there ( and pretty impressive considering it’s still early previews )
|
|
|
|
Post by greatauntedna on Nov 11, 2023 22:20:09 GMT
The new front row bench seating looks terrible. Going to get a seriously stiff neck. Unless these are significantly discounted - would be well advised to book further back They did yes, they look pretty comfortable and I don’t think the view will be too bad. Well I would disagree, they look the same as other front row seats I’ve sat in. Awkward but worth it. |
|
