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Post by danb on Sept 6, 2018 12:52:42 GMT
The first 10 or so minutes of The One Show on Wednesday 5 September are worth a watch on iPlayer for more on the Liverpool concert. Yesterday? |
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 6, 2018 13:43:45 GMT
Love was such an easy game to play. Yes. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 6, 2018 13:47:31 GMT
The first 10 or so minutes of The One Show on Wednesday 5 September are worth a watch on iPlayer for more on the Liverpool concert. Yesterday? Yes it was on Wednesday's show. I love the first Kids From Fame album. Desdamona, I Still Believe. I even like Lori Singer trying to sing note in tune in Its Gonna Be A Long Night. |
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Post by danb on Sept 6, 2018 14:59:36 GMT
Yes it was on Wednesday's show. I love the first Kids From Fame album. Desdamona, I Still Believe. I even like Lori Singer trying to sing note in tune in Its Gonna Be A Long Night. Yes, there is probably a single cd’s worth of decent KFF songs across the albums. Do you think they would let me compile one? Promise to slip in ‘Dream Street’ by Janet Jackson and ‘Shoshoshoshoshoshorovsky’! ‘Body Language’, ‘Friday Night’... Might have to go and make a playlist. 😂 |
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Post by danb on Sept 7, 2018 10:59:55 GMT
Phew, just the conference centre, not the ginormo arena. Was a bit worried...good luck to them!
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Post by Rozzi Rainbow on Sept 16, 2018 19:33:49 GMT
I saw this a couple of weeks ago in Bradford and really enjoyed it. I thought all the cast were great. Jorgie was off injured but her u/s was really good and I loved her ballet routines. Hopefully I'll get to see Jorgie another time. Much as I enjoyed the more modern recent tour, it was nice to see this back being set in the 80s, especially the rewinding the cassette tape and the screech it made! The toy cars at the end are very strange though! I sat on the front row, which was a great view, but I was a bit distracted by the headshots at the back of the set, as I kept finding various cast members in there, which of course made me focus more on that trying to find them all! I found all but Serena. I'm looking forward to seeing this again, hopefully in a few different places.
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Post by cheesy116 on Sept 17, 2018 11:15:45 GMT
This has announced a run in London following the tour, playing at the Peacock Theatre. Tickets on general sale from October.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 17, 2018 15:26:09 GMT
West End run to celebrate the 30th Anniversary from September 11, 2019 to October 19, 2019.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 17, 2018 16:34:56 GMT
I think that is a bit of stretch to call it a West End run. The Peacock is not what most people would consider to be a West End theatre.
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Post by QueerTheatre on Sept 17, 2018 16:53:30 GMT
I think that is a bit of stretch to call it a West End run. The Peacock is not what most people would consider to be a West End theatre. Realistically i think it is exactly what most people would expect from a west end theatre, its just us theatre people who would be aware of its dance history & general lack of upkeep. |
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Post by cheesy116 on Sept 17, 2018 22:32:49 GMT
I had never heard of the Peacock Theatre until today but after googling it, it seems to be in the West End and is a decent size.
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Post by Deleted on Oct 1, 2018 11:25:49 GMT
Jorgie, Mica and Keith will continue their roles into the London production next year.
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Post by itsemily on Oct 8, 2018 21:03:03 GMT
Saw this on Thursday night in Woking, last minute booking as my boss managed to find some tickets for £12.50 for the centre of row E in the stalls so I went with her and her two grown up daughters. Went in not really expecting to enjoy it much (I really don't like the film), however I actually had a really good time! Great young cast, particular stand out for me was Stephanie Rojas! Jorgie Porter was an excellent ballet dancer although she does pull some strange faces at times! Mica Paris voice absolutely stunning! Not a show I would immediately rush back to see again but I am so glad I got to see it!
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Post by lou105 on Feb 13, 2019 8:11:53 GMT
This has cancelled its week in York in early March due to "circumstances beyond the control of the producers and the theatre" but says other venues are going ahead..strange.
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 20, 2019 8:54:54 GMT
I saw the tour last night in Wimbledon. Also my first ever time seeing the musical.
Seemed full on all three levels, or very close to full.
I had a good front row seat, but strangely a family group had decided to split four young girls to sit at one side of the front row and the rest of the family at the other. One of the younger ones was rather bored, running across to mum several times and there was a bit of phone checking and the inevitable choosing to eat crisps immediately after the interval instead of during. There were also two long and loud phones going off in the second half (elsewhere in the audience) and some very loud talking from the back. Thankfully, I was far enough away I could drown a lot of this out and have sat through far worse, but it is something about this type of show that brings that type of audience with it.
Things weren't helped by the show starting 20 minutes late and then choosing to have a 25 minute interval, so we weren't out until nearly 10:30pm.
As for the musical itself, I got the idea it was trying to be edgy but never got there. Maybe it's a product of its time?
The set is very simple, largely just a row of photos of the High School members, which I think included former movie and TV show stars, as well as the current cast. These lit up at different times and in different colours to signify things, although I couldn't work out the pattern. There are a few double sided items that are rolled in and out, such as lockers. That's about it. Simple, but it worked.
The cast mostly look about 20 years out of high school, but they brought some energy to the roles. Several are actor-musicians (although there is a band hidden away under the stage as well). Not knowing the show, I expected Keith Jack to be in a major role, but he isn't on stage a lot. The standout has to be Stephanie Rojas, who commands the stage when she's on.
One of the main problems with the musical is I didn't really like any of the characters or find anyone I wanted to do well. That's unusual, as there's normally at least someone who it's possible to sympathise with.
I also notice the plot is changed around a lot from the description on Wikipedia. Things certainly take place at different points, the close of act one is different, the Tyrone reveal is different, the Carmen descent storyline is different etc. Is that something fresh for this tour?
Someone earlier in the thread discussed if they sing Fame. They do, midway through Act One and again at the end, where the crowd are told to stand up (there was no attempt at a standing ovation otherwise). There was a few snatches of the music elsewhere as well. Don't know if that was changed for the tour.
All in all, Selladoor have done a good job of touring this on a budget. This is a show that will always be hampered by the book and the music and they've worked around this as best they can. It's obviously selling well too, so well done to them.
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Post by jgblunners on Feb 21, 2019 23:53:50 GMT
I saw this in Wimbledon tonight - also my first time seeing the show - and thought it was decent.
The material is definitely the main source of flaws here - none of the musical numbers really compare to the title number, although there are a couple of decent moments in there musically, and the book is pretty good but never really feels ground-breaking. The characters could be fleshed out a little more, it sometimes felt like we were just going round in circles.
The cast was a bit of a mixed bag - the ensemble are uniformly excellent and unusually for me I really enjoyed having the actor-musicians in there. They played incredibly well. The supporting principles should also be commended - Simon Anthony as Schlomo very good indeed - and the whole show really belongs to Stephanie Rojas as Carmen. She's sensational and her performance(s) of the title number are thrilling. The show was, however, let down by its 'top billed' cast. Keith Jack's acting was mediocre and his singing left quite a bit to be desired - he seemed to go flat at the end of every phrase and had that annoying long/slow vibrato. Jorgie Porter acts well as Iris, as does Jamal Kane Crawford as Tyrone (although his mannerisms are a little cliche at times), but neither of them were skilled enough dancers to really convince me that they had the potential the dance instructor saw in them. I couldn't help but imagine how breathtaking their dances could be if performed by, for example, members of the McOnie Company. Mica Paris was fine - a good voice, if a bit too affected at times in her big solo, but she could've brought more nuance to the character.
I liked the set design - simple but gave us everything we needed without feeling cluttered. Lighting could've been less in-your-face but was fine. Sound design was excellent - the mix of band and actor-musicians was seamless, and the vocals were mixed very well on top.
I'd give it three stars, but I reckon with some truly stunning performers in it and a director who can hide the imperfections of the book a little better, I could be raving about it.
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Feb 22, 2019 0:03:48 GMT
Whoever cast a Schlomo with a receding hairline needs to be sacked
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Post by Deleted on Feb 22, 2019 8:21:11 GMT
Whoever cast a Schlomo with a receding hairline needs to be sacked If we really wanted to go full metal mental, we could start an diversion along the topic that a receding hairline is just as unavoidable biologically as being overweight (if not moreso) and should not have any impact on suitability to a role. However, lets keep it merry. |
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Post by horton on Feb 23, 2019 17:03:27 GMT
Given the current casting of Curious Incident and Fame, I'm expecting the company of Dear Evan Hansen to all be 30 plus!!!
There are a hell of a lot of students being held back- maybe Stockard Channing is in with a shout?
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Post by ampersand on Mar 15, 2019 20:18:35 GMT
Saw this last night in Liverpool. I've never seen the show before and thought the music was pretty good if a bit forgettable and the book was just okay, a little boring in places. Jorgie Porter, Stephanie Rojas and Mica Paris were all standout performances for me. I must say I really liked the choreography and the performances of the dance numbers were top notch. Also must echo jgblunners in saying the sound design was very good indeed. 3 stars for me overall I would say.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 15, 2019 20:55:01 GMT
Saw it with my dancer daughter in Birmingham at the Alex on a Friday night and then got persuaded to return the next day.We both loved it especially ‘Bring On Tomorrow’ and Stephanie Rojas as Carmen in ‘There She Goes/Fame’.Was hoping for a cast recording from Mica and company.
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Post by djp on Mar 23, 2019 0:18:19 GMT
Caught the show this afternoon at Wimbledon. Solid 4 stars. Jorgie Porter is a revelation. She can dance, and I do mean dance. The rest of it was a credit to the dance captain for keeping the big numbers high energy and tight, and there are some excellent performances. I enjoyed the quite adult storyline and the fact it was more like the original movie than later TV series. Will hopefully see it again when it comes to the Peacock. Jorgie can dance - she showcased many of the same moves on skates on dancing on ice. Its a shame the book doesn't give her more to sing- she seems to be able to do that too from youtube.
I thoughts the singing in this was excellent - helped by some talent from Titanic.
The problems with the musical are the classic ones - things start happening off stage as the allocated time runs out story, and Rent does the downside and declien bits better. Needs a rewrite of act two.
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Post by stevej678 on Jul 16, 2019 8:36:45 GMT
Saw this again last night in New Brighton and it's still just as sharp and slick as it was a year ago in Manchester. The dance captain is certainly doing a great job in keeping Nick Winston's choreography so tight while the cast continue to give every number their all. No sign of fatigue setting in after twelve months on the road.
Jorgie Porter's dancing was exquisite right back at the start of the tour but she's more assured in other aspects of her performance now too (though it's a shame she doesn't get a solo number to sing). It's still Jamal Kane Crawford, Molly McGuire and Stephanie Rojas who steal the show for me as Tyrone, Serena and Carmen respectively, though there's really not a weak link in the entire company.
Great to see the Floral Pavilion packed to the rafters on a Monday night. The standing ovation at the end is contrived but I was more than happy to get to my feet. Definitely plan to catch this one last time during its London run at the Peacock.
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Post by xanady on Jul 16, 2019 17:36:32 GMT
^Agree that it is a winner...saw it two nights running in Brum and will be seeing it at the Peacock soon...a wonderful score...well worth seeing imo.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 16, 2019 18:16:05 GMT
Really miffed that I passed this over in Manc now 😐
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