Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Sheffield Crucible/Apollo

[Deleted]

After watching the cinema release, I must say I liked it better than first time.

I agree the camera work could have been much better. Btw I had never seen a cast sweat so much. John McCrea and the guy playing Hugo were sweating buckets.

Luke Baker gets hotter and hotter lol. I would loooove him to cover Jamie at some point, the bully playing the drag queen.

[james1969]

Would anyone be going to the show in the near future and be prepared to buy me one of the new t shirts and post it to me ?

Private Message me please.

Thanks

[Someone in a tree]

I finally got to see this after a few years of loving the music. I’m sad to say that despite some great performances and choreography I found the whole thing to be inert. I really wanted to like it but for me it dragged.

[manu]

John McCrea will leave the show in January

[showtoones]

Aug 16, 2018 19:44:06 GMT manu said:

John McCrea will leave the show in January

Do we know which shows John will be taking off after October 6th?

[priorwalter]

Aug 16, 2018 19:44:06 GMT manu said:

John McCrea will leave the show in January

Happy to hear, hope he performs Thursday nights.

[musicalmarge]

Aug 6, 2018 12:00:57 GMT @theatremonkey said:

Several people on here have just been discussing the appearance of a bootleg recording of a cinema showing. This is a reminder that the material is copyright of the show's producers and creators, and that any recording posted anywhere without authorisation is illegal and stealing from the show.

You wouldn't walk into a store and help yourself to a DVD from the shelf, walking out without paying. This is exactly the same thing. Please bear that in mind. Thanks.

Just to clarify. I didn’t watch a bootleg and I thought I made this clear in my post. It came from the producers! That I believe is allowed. I agree illegal bootleg discussion should be banned.

[viserys]

And bragging about having something that's not available to virtually everyone else is better how?

[showtoones]

When is John Mccrea leaving the show? I really want to catch him before he departs....

Also - does he have any holiday dates scheduled?

[giuseppe]

Aug 21, 2018 18:16:00 GMT showtoones said:

When is John Mccrea leaving the show? I really want to catch him before he departs....

Also - does he have any holiday dates scheduled?

No one knows exactly other than early next year for some sort of TV work
I wonder when the full cast change is for this?

[ensembleswings]

Luke’s confirmed his upcoming Jamie dates.

[Dr Tom]

Melissa Jacques is making her debut as Margaret tonight. Will be good to hear how it goes from anyone who makes it along.

[Dr Tom]

There's not a lot been said about the new cast yet, so here are some thoughts from last night (or, at least, on some of the new cast, as there were quite a few covers on).

I also notice that some of the ensemble have quietly left and new ensemble come in, although as it happens, I think all of them last night were the long serving members, with several swings on. It was one of those shows where they didn't have the right distribution of cast to use all the normal names, so there were a few alternatives used (e.g. with the right ethnicity and gender).

John McCrea was on as Jamie. As good as ever, although I'm sure he was mortified when he realised he'd gone through a whole scene with a bogey hanging out (peril of the job).

Rebecca McKinnis was on as Margaret New (replacement). She is good, sang really well at the appropriate times. But I did really miss Josie Walker.

Melissa Jacques was on as Ray (cover). Very good, very funny, but it seemed odd having a non-Asian actress here.

Lee Ross was on as Hugo (replacement). I think he nailed the role.

Cherelle Jay was on as Pritti (cover). She was also covering the role last time I attended. Plays it very well.

It's very much one of those shows where you can get a totally random mix of cast every night, which also keeps it fresh.

I got a "second chance" seat from TodayTix, after failing to win the lottery, which turned out to second row Stalls. A much better view than the front row, as being just slightly further back means you can see so much more of the stage. I did miss the front row legroom though, as the seat is rather cramped, particularly with big people at either side.

A good audience. Well-behaved and a lot of cheering at different points in the show.

[singularsensation10]

Hi guys - has anyone had any experience with the £35 seats at the end of rows A&B in the dress? I’m taking a friend next month and three seem to be the most logical and affordable option considering I’m paying for both! However if they’re not great, I’ll pay for the band up from this.

[zak97]

Sept 9, 2018 9:16:12 GMT singularsensation10 said:

Hi guys - has anyone had any experience with the £35 seats at the end of rows A&B in the dress? I’m taking a friend next month and three seem to be the most logical and affordable option considering I’m paying for both! However if they’re not great, I’ll pay for the band up from this.

I sat row A for Nell Gwynn and had no problems. Obviously a different production but would highly recommend.

[Nicholas]

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is a wonderful wonderful wonderful piece of work, an absolute celebration of all its characters from sensitively putting its bullies in their place, to true family, to making Jamie the superstar he really is. It’s also the best British Musical since The Grinning Man Girl from the North Country The Clockmaker’s Daughter American Psycho London Road Matilda OK actually the British musical is in pretty rude health but Jamie is bloody wonderful – and the best musical about being British I think I’ve ever seen. Definitely the best mainstream British musical in yonks, mind (since Made in Dagenham?), and that’s worth celebrating. Saw this at a cinema abroad and the experience of sharing this celebration of Britain’s tolerance and wit and working-class life with the world was one I’ll treasure.

There are two things I particularly loved about this. The first is its rounding out of its main character, and willingness to make him even, occasionally, a wee bit annoying – bit of an ego, bit of a show-off – and DEFINITELY teenage, whilst also celebrating him totally – makes him more angsty, more real, more loveable. It doesn’t wear its politics on its sleeve, though I’d argue it’s quite political – it just uses them as background to Jamie’s life. Its closest precedent is Billy Elliot, obvs, which also keep class a background element but an all-important one, makes society its villain and not people, and celebrates being yourself – but Gillespie-Sell’s musical style is far more unique and developed, and represents Jamie and Jamie’s school better than John’s music does Billy and his family. On paper there’s not much to the plot, so it relies on characters alone – and what great characters Margaret, Pritti and Jamie are!

Personally, I also think it’s fab to have a musical so celebrate the English school – full of the high melodrama teenagers make of everything. You can tell the people making this know modern schools well and feel that awful nostalgia for those idiotic years (although is ‘minger’ still an insult? I swear that was old when I was at school). Especially, the last musical I saw set in an English school wasn’t Everybody’s Talking About Jamie but everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie everyone loves Charlie.

But this is symptomatic of why the show works – it’s immersed in its characters’ lives, in their reality. For a real boy in Jamie’s (fabulous) shoes, school won’t be cliquey but familiar, home is comforting, and attitudes the problem. Jamie’s mum’s songs had a lovely different calibre, a little bit Carpenters, as if songs from her musical not his, and this style vs the more pulsing younger songs shows how deeply Gillespie-Sells cares about reflecting the reality of these characters – slightly wistful for her, but the teenage songs have teenage energy, passion, optimism and full steam ahead. Because of this sensitivity and exuberance of ESPECIALLY the wonderful lead actor, the minor issues are papered over (couple of scenes too long/repetitive, older drag queens didn’t quite ring true, not quite enough plot for two hours thirty), and whilst Margaret’s songs are unlistenably poignant (I cannot get to the end of My Man Your Boy in one piece), for the most part you feel like the best parts of being a teenager again.

But what I really loved most about this was the absence of an ‘antagonist’ per se – a boo-hiss baddie to make life simple. Yes there were the bullies, the teacher, the father, but who had the big villain song? There wasn’t one. What made this richer and truer was that, instead, the ‘antagonist’ was the ease with which homophobic opinions could be spoken and shared and accepted, divided amongst everyone but just there in this society. Dramatically, having villains as ciphers for the hate is easy, but unrealistic – having everyone from bullies to strangers to teachers to family expressing bigotry, and Jamie’s subsequent own self-doubt, all mean that at the end the ‘antagonist’ (normalised homophobia and bigotry) is far from beaten, but the battle is totally won. "Out Of The Darkness" is such a great song.

Jamie takes a documentary which celebrates English school and northern culture and the freedom to be yourself, and doesn’t soften the hard edges, but changes them into something more mainstream and sing-a-long-able – it’s a great celebration of being gay, of being yourself, of standing up to those who aren’t willing or able to love you, and of being in a loving family and making family yourself. A bit like the hugely underrated mini-masterpiece Mermaid a few years ago, this spoke up to teenagers not down, elevated teenage hormonal melodrama into high drama and high art. Especially, of course, because of the brilliant brilliant brilliant John Mcrae who – God love Hamilton – was robbed at the Oliviers. It’s a celebration of just how to be a teenager, and the most fabulous teenager you can be.

[boq1984]

Sept 9, 2018 9:16:12 GMT singularsensation10 said:

Hi guys - has anyone had any experience with the £35 seats at the end of rows A&B in the dress? I’m taking a friend next month and three seem to be the most logical and affordable option considering I’m paying for both! However if they’re not great, I’ll pay for the band up from this.

I sat in the last seat in row b a few weeks ago. I put a review and picture on seatplan but overall I think they are good value for money. You do miss a bit of the stage but nothing major is missed. You are also in front of a wall so can lean forward without upsetting anyone behind you. Leg room is pretty tight though the end seat has space next to it which is ideal for bags etc.

[jamb0r]

I've also noticed the last few weeks those seats on the front sides of the dress circle are dynamically priced down to £20, particularly on Mondays (they are £20 for tonight for example).

[emilytemple]

Hi What's situation looks like today with the daily seat? "wild crowds" or rather quietly these days? i Can safely show up at box office around 8.30/ 9
And to what I read I should wait when they will offer in Dress circle seats or 25 Stalls. right?

my plans is to go on Monday

[emilytemple]

Thanks . So i will be early then . ( i see cheap one in next week so maybe i will check website as well)

[westendcub]

Won today’s lottery for matinee...will be my 2nd visit to this show!!

[Deleted]

I won too, second time also seeing the show this afternoon!

[Deleted]

So yesterday was the first time seeing the show since November last year. Whilst I enjoyed it the last time, I was sat in the back row of the Stalls where I didn't feel things translated, and also I had issues with the show itself in terms of content. Well yesterday, I was central front row and my worries were blown away.

I absolutely loved it. I found it so emotional yesterday, and I think in part its due to some personal stuff but also just the performances being that strong. I cried pretty much from It Mean's Beautiful through to He's My Boy, as well as during If I Met Myself Again in Act 1. The cast and their timing feel tighter, so the comedy goes off better, and everyone is giving much stronger performances.

John was, of course, amazing. He really should of won the Olivier. Lucie Shorthouse was phenomenal, what a talent vocally, she sounded amazing! Also, Luke Baker was fantastic as Dean, he has really developed his performance into something special. Shobna and Lee were both fantastic, and stronger than their previous players.

We were also treated to two amazing understudy turns. Kirstie Skivington as Miss Hedge. She was fabulous, played the hard faced teacher very well. She stumbled on her lines once, but it worked in the scene. But now, we need to talk about Melissa Jacques. She was on for Margaret and, what can I say, she blew Josie Walker right outta the park! She was absoluetely phenomenal! Her emotions, her vocals, her acting, she was just sensational! I couldn't believe I was watching the understudy, she was just fantastic. Her version of He's My Boy was just stunning. If you get the chance, go see what she does on that stage, its just incredible. It was also lovely to see Luke Bayer cover in the Ensemble. Such a dynamic performer I couldn't take my eyes off him whenever the Ensemble numbers were going on. I must catch him as Jamie!

So yeah, I loved it. I was the first one up on their feet at the end, and the full house soon followed. I can't wait to go back, and I'm so glad I finally "get" this show. Long may it run, and in truth, I can see that being a long time in the future and rightly so!

[westendcub]

I echo this comments from Daniel!

My 2nd time also (I had seen last December & loved it) I was a lottery winner then & yes I was again. The high stage will not be for everyone but I really don’t find it too bad (aside from I’ve lucked out twice to being Central as o wouldn’t want to be on the end of the aisle in this row!) and whist you have a bit of stage in the eyeline, you are up close and personal with the characters and they stage it with the front row in mind.

All the performances were incredible & yes Melissa as the understudy as Jamie’s Mum ‘Margaret New’ was a revelation and very glad I got to see her perform the role.

I truly think this the best contemporary musical on the West-End & it goes from strength to strength with a fan base forming and the matinee very much felt like it was a near full house!!

Simply wonderful, can’t wait to see this again!!

[Raven]

Rumours are flying around that John McCrea's contract ends sometime in January for Jamie. I wonder if there will be a cast change around then?