4,177 posts
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Post by HereForTheatre on Jan 6, 2018 18:13:57 GMT
Saw this again today. We had the understudy on for the mum. She was good but not as great as the lead actress who normally plays her who's voice and acting performance was really something.With her she seemed real, it seemed real, whereas with this women, as talented as she was, it was just a performance.Also I think I have a major issue because I think I may have fallen in love with the guy playing Dean. It was a funny crush. Now it's a bit sad.
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Post by drowseychap on Jan 7, 2018 2:00:26 GMT
Saw this again today. We had the understudy on for the mum. She was good but not as great as the lead actress who normally plays her who's voice and acting performance was really something.With her she seemed real, it seemed real, whereas with this women, as talented as she was, it was just a performance.Also I think I have a major issue because I think I may have fallen in love with the guy playing Dean. It was a funny crush. Now it's a bit sad. We saw the understudy for Jamie’s mum on NYE and agree we felt the same very talented and carried the role well but yep didn’t quite reach the heights in the money notes. Still enjoyed her portrayal though ..... i love priti great performance all round And I don’t think you are the only one with a crush on dean lol OMG seems like quite a few of us are strangely. Drawn |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2018 11:27:32 GMT
I really enjoyed this last night. As others have pointed out it’s by no means perfect but still a successful show.
Some of the music was really wonderful, particularly in the first half. Full house it seemed, too. I hope this continues along a decent run and we get the cast recording sooner rather than later.
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Post by loureviews on Jan 7, 2018 21:46:58 GMT
My review:
Before I put together this review of the musical which started in Sheffield and which now has a new life in the West End, I tracked down the original documentary on which it is based – Jamie: a drag queen at 16 – and watched the basic story of how gay teenager Jamie Campbell was supported by his mother, family friend Lee, best friend Sam(antha), and drag queen Simon to achieve his dream of having a drag show and of taking that character to the school prom.
Three years in the making, the musical version takes Jamie (now with the surname New) and his mother Margaret, and the basic plot, as jumping-off points to present a narrative filled with pulsating dance beats, big ballads, and racially diverse characters (Lee, a white woman, is now Ray, an Asian woman, and Sam has become the hijab-wearing Pritti (Lucie Shorthouse, who gives what could be a stereotypical character an interesting slant)).
After watching the documentary it feels a bit of a shame that stage Jamie’s final prom dress is so understated, and you only ever see the famous make-up from the posters just once, as ‘Mimi Me’ struts her stuff on the Legs Eleven stage.
John McCrea (who I saw last some years ago in The Sound of Music as the eldest Von Trapp boy) totally convinces as the teen who is working through both confusion and confidence, and when his doting mum purchases a dazzling pair of red high heels for his birthday, he walks in them as if he’s been wearing them all his life.
The big production numbers are all set in the schoolroom (‘And You Don’t Even Know It’; ‘Work of Art’; ‘Out of the Darkness’), while the slower songs – Jamie’s ‘The Wall in My Head’ and ‘Ugly in This Ugly World’; and Margaret’s ‘If I Met Myself Again’ and ‘He’s My Boy’ are in the home or elsewhere (maybe in a single spotlight).
At the performance I saw, Rebecca McKinnis was on as Margaret, and both her acting and singing were superb. I also enjoyed the lovely and understated performance of Phil Nichol as Hugo/Lolo Chanelle and the ‘out there’ shenanigans of real-life drag queens Alex Anstey and Daniel Jacobs, who perform as Vileda Moppe and Vinegar Strokes respectively out there, and as Laika Virgin and Sandra Bollock here; they are joined by James Gillan, a former Marilyn in the Boy George musical Taboo, and who doesn’t feel out of place.
This is a truly life-affirming musical, with memorable tunes and lyrics by Dan Gillespie Sells and Tom MacRae, and if it is a little corny, and extremely camp, it doesn’t care. I would have snipped out the bigoted dad, and toned down the pantomime queen teacher, and made Jamie really put himself out there, but these are small quibbles.
The musical is about the importance of being yourself rather than hiding behind what others might want you to be, and that message comes out loud and clear, with the audience accomplices in the claps, cheers and whoops that the cast, the fabulous band, and the book (both funny and tragic) deserve.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 15:59:23 GMT
Um, interval thought: this show is overrated. Sorry! I mean, I'm not hating it, but it's not as entertaining as I thought it was going to be.
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520 posts
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Post by anthony on Jan 10, 2018 16:56:18 GMT
For anyone interested, they had a 'full house' sign out last night when I walked past about 17:30.
Is it really selling this well? or are they just closing off one of the circles and upgrading people? I've listened to some of the songs and I just don't get it.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 17:41:49 GMT
For anyone interested, they had a 'full house' sign out last night when I walked past about 17:30. Is it really selling this well? or are they just closing off one of the circles and upgrading people? I've listened to some of the songs and I just don't get it. I can't speak for now, but I had a friend who went a month or two into the run and said the Upper was closed and the Dress was half full. But that could obviously be a one off to that extent. When I went I was at the back of the Stalls and it was packed out, but I couldn't see the Circles. |
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Post by Jon on Jan 10, 2018 17:48:50 GMT
For anyone interested, they had a 'full house' sign out last night when I walked past about 17:30. Is it really selling this well? or are they just closing off one of the circles and upgrading people? I've listened to some of the songs and I just don't get it. I can't speak for now, but I had a friend who went a month or two into the run and said the Upper was closed and the Dress was half full. But that could obviously be a one off to that extent. When I went I was at the back of the Stalls and it was packed out, but I couldn't see the Circles. I was upgraded when I saw it back in December but that was a Friday matinee so I'm guessing it's selling okay on weekdays but better on Saturdays. Given it's in a 658 seater theatre, it'd be worrying if it was only half full. |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 17:51:43 GMT
They had the "House full" sign out today.
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1,256 posts
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Post by theatrelover123 on Jan 10, 2018 18:36:27 GMT
According to a friend who works for a theatre producer it's not going to be open past April. Things might change if it picks up more awards but unlikely, apparently.
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19,692 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 10, 2018 18:42:53 GMT
Who is the understudy for Jamie and has he been on yet?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 19:02:11 GMT
According to a friend who works for a theatre producer it's not going to be open past April. Things might change if it picks up more awards but unlikely, apparently. Well the issue with awards is that (don't anyone get pissed at me), but really in terms of the Oliviers, yes it will get nominated for Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Musical, as well as an outside chance for Supporting Actress in a Musical but that is a stacked catagory (all deservedly so!). But baring those catagories, it hasn't really got anything particularly outstanding enough to really get nominated for in my opinion anyway. Its all good, but its not exactly outstanding. Hamilton, Follies, 42nd Street are bound to dominate with nominations, and other shows will get a few nods each. I can see Jamie sadly being one of those shows that gets one or two nominations, but being pushed aside for the bigger, splashier shows. Also the Oliviers aren't like the Tonys in terms of impact. Remember when Top Hat won for Best New Musical... it won in the Spring and closed by the Autumn.  I'd like to see Jamie stay around personally, I enjoyed it!  |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 19:44:41 GMT
They should have a new category: Best Transfer from the North of England.
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1,563 posts
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Post by showtoones on Jan 10, 2018 19:57:32 GMT
When is the cast recording going to be released? I need it ASAP...
I cant Get “Wall in my Head” out of my head!
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Post by Dan213 on Jan 10, 2018 20:45:52 GMT
Who is the understudy for Jamie and has he been on yet? Luke Bayer I believe. He made his swing debut as Levi the other day, but is yet to make his Jamie debut |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 10, 2018 21:16:36 GMT
According to a friend who works for a theatre producer it's not going to be open past April. Things might change if it picks up more awards but unlikely, apparently. Well the issue with awards is that (don't anyone get pissed at me), but really in terms of the Oliviers, yes it will get nominated for Best New Musical and Best Actor in a Musical, as well as an outside chance for Supporting Actress in a Musical but that is a stacked catagory (all deservedly so!). But baring those catagories, it hasn't really got anything particularly outstanding enough to really get nominated for in my opinion anyway. Its all good, but its not exactly outstanding. Hamilton, Follies, 42nd Street are bound to dominate with nominations, and other shows will get a few nods each. I can see Jamie sadly being one of those shows that gets one or two nominations, but being pushed aside for the bigger, splashier shows. Also the Oliviers aren't like the Tonys in terms of impact. Remember when Top Hat won for Best New Musical... it won in the Spring and closed by the Autumn. I'd like to see Jamie stay around personally, I enjoyed it! I'd say Josie Walker could be up for Best Actress in a Musical. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 11, 2018 12:21:18 GMT
I wonder if Jamie has a tour in it after the WE run. I can see it doing well in the usual big cities and I bet Sheffield would take it back at the Lyceum.
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542 posts
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Post by drowseychap on Jan 11, 2018 15:33:57 GMT
Maybe in small midsize theatres .... I’m very hopeful it would it’s much better than a lot of more recent tours ... (cough cough )the wedding singer .... if I hadn’t paid the discounted price I’d have walked out and demanded Money back lol
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19,692 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 11, 2018 19:01:36 GMT
Maybe in small midsize theatres .... I’m very hopeful it would it’s much better than a lot of more recent tours ... (cough cough )the wedding singer .... if I hadn’t paid the discounted price I’d have walked out and demanded Money back lol Didn’t see it thank god, but I did have the misfortune to see Thoroughly Modern Millie and The Addams Family both of which were up for Dud Of The Year in my book. Jamie beats both into a cocked hat. |
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Post by geweena on Jan 11, 2018 21:14:04 GMT
At the show tonight and seems pretty full. All levels open and can’t see any spare seats in the stalls at all.
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Post by showtoones on Jan 11, 2018 21:51:45 GMT
It seems to me that attendance is picking up and I wouldnt be surprised if it extends until the end of 2018. It's in one if Nica's theaters so there isn't a theater rental fee and it seems to be building momentum. Personally I am thrilled as it's my fav show of the year!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 11, 2018 23:03:46 GMT
Now extended through Oct 06, 2018!
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Post by Dan213 on Jan 11, 2018 23:07:01 GMT
Now extended through Oct 06, 2018! Fantastic news! |
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Post by Mark on Jan 11, 2018 23:08:26 GMT
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Post by showtoones on Jan 11, 2018 23:25:51 GMT
Fabulous news...this just shows that people love Jamie and again, I reiterate that this will extend further through the end of the year as the word of mouth spreads...
Thank you Nica Burns for being brave enough to bring this show to the West End - one with a message we all can use right now!
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