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Post by highonahill on Mar 19, 2022 12:35:59 GMT
Public booking now open for this and the rest of the 2022 Chichester season. First time for me at the Minerva. The £47 price hurt a bit when similar seats for Crazy For You in the Festival Theatre cost me £10 but happy to get Saturday matinees booked for both. Oof. I've just done the same, top price for Local Hero and Murder on the Orient Express (latter for hubby's birthday), but £10 tickets for everything else I wanted to see. |
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Post by jgblunners on Mar 19, 2022 17:03:26 GMT
Well I know nothing about the musical or the movie on which it’s based, but the CFT Prologue scheme is doing a ‘buy 3, get 1 free’ scheme at the moment so I’ve taken a punt on this as my free show - will be interesting to see what I make of it!
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Post by ceebee on Mar 19, 2022 22:33:32 GMT
Well I know nothing about the musical or the movie on which it’s based, but the CFT Prologue scheme is doing a ‘buy 3, get 1 free’ scheme at the moment so I’ve taken a punt on this as my free show - will be interesting to see what I make of it! I'm biased and love the film and the musical. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do! Watch the film - the musical will make more sense if you do. |
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Post by ceebee on Jun 27, 2022 0:22:23 GMT
So what are the chances of Denis Lawson playing Gordon (or Ben, perhaps) in the forthcoming Chichester production of "Local Hero"? Surely worth considering...
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Post by talkingheads on Aug 23, 2022 15:18:23 GMT
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Post by ceebee on Aug 23, 2022 18:14:19 GMT
Looks like this is being prepped for potential transfer to London or even US. |
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Post by distantcousin on Aug 23, 2022 18:18:47 GMT
...I'll only quietly say that I was bored rigid at it in Edinburgh then 😂 I liked the film, but what's the general vibe of the show? How are they doing it, tonally?
Is it a bit of a Come From Away style show?
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Post by ceebee on Aug 23, 2022 19:01:58 GMT
...I'll only quietly say that I was bored rigid at it in Edinburgh then 😂 I liked the film, but what's the general vibe of the show? How are they doing it, tonally?
Is it a bit of a Come From Away style show?
In Edinburgh it was a simple set (a few fishing crates, the phone box, a miniature model village) with a curved half-dome backdrop which had projections of skyscapes. The music is by Mark Knopfler - if you're familiar with his solo work, it is largely folk and Americana, with quite a bit of the soundtrack from the movie carried through. It is an ensemble piece similar to Come From Away, in that the ensemble provide the momentum. Like the film, some people get it, some people don't. I know people who are bored silly by the film (and the musical), and others - like myself - who absolutely love the film and the musical in equal measure. If you like the film, book for the show. It'll warm your heart. Daniel Evans will do a brilliant job directing it, and I can see this show being the unexpected hit of the Chichester season, especially with the cast announced. Come From Away is about unexpected bonds driven by circumstance. Local Hero is about unexpected circumstances driven by bonds. Where CFA leaves you feeling lifted and buoyant, Local Hero poses existential questions. How much sand can one man hold in his hand and how do you measure that in dollars when it comes to selling a whole beach load of the stuff? And what is the point of millions of dollars if you trade in the very priceless beauty that keeps you sane and grounded? Local Hero the musical, like the film, is a "thinkers" show. It has that unique Scots quirkiness and humour that some people don't like, because it is gritty and grounded. E.g. In a song entitled "Cheerio, Away Ye Go", Ben (the wise and withered old beach tramp who is holding up the sale of the land to Knox oil and gas) sings "As we say up here in Scotland, cheerio... cheerio - away ye go"; to which the more cynical, streetwise yet sensitive Stella says: "It's Gaelic for fu*k off!"... Hard show to explain - my Scots blood leaves me biased, but I recommend you book to see it. Please message me if you'd like to hear a couple of tracks from the Edinburgh production if you'd like to get a feel for the show. |
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Post by distantcousin on Aug 23, 2022 20:18:31 GMT
I liked the film, but what's the general vibe of the show? How are they doing it, tonally?
Is it a bit of a Come From Away style show?
In Edinburgh it was a simple set (a few fishing crates, the phone box, a miniature model village) with a curved half-dome backdrop which had projections of skyscapes. The music is by Mark Knopfler - if you're familiar with his solo work, it is largely folk and Americana, with quite a bit of the soundtrack from the movie carried through. It is an ensemble piece similar to Come From Away, in that the ensemble provide the momentum. Like the film, some people get it, some people don't. I know people who are bored silly by the film (and the musical), and others - like myself - who absolutely love the film and the musical in equal measure. If you like the film, book for the show. It'll warm your heart. Daniel Evans will do a brilliant job directing it, and I can see this show being the unexpected hit of the Chichester season, especially with the cast announced. Come From Away is about unexpected bonds driven by circumstance. Local Hero is about unexpected circumstances driven by bonds. Where CFA leaves you feeling lifted and buoyant, Local Hero poses existential questions. How much sand can one man hold in his hand and how do you measure that in dollars when it comes to selling a whole beach load of the stuff? And what is the point of millions of dollars if you trade in the very priceless beauty that keeps you sane and grounded? Local Hero the musical, like the film, is a "thinkers" show. It has that unique Scots quirkiness and humour that some people don't like, because it is gritty and grounded. E.g. In a song entitled "Cheerio, Away Ye Go", Ben (the wise and withered old beach tramp who is holding up the sale of the land to Knox oil and gas) sings "As we say up here in Scotland, cheerio... cheerio - away ye go"; to which the more cynical, streetwise yet sensitive Stella says: "It's Gaelic for fu*k off!"... Hard show to explain - my Scots blood leaves me biased, but I recommend you book to see it. Please message me if you'd like to hear a couple of tracks from the Edinburgh production if you'd like to get a feel for the show.
Thank you. you are stimulating my interest more and more!! And I would be happy to hear a couple of the tracks. Thank you!
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Post by TallPaul on Aug 24, 2022 10:05:01 GMT
I know people who are bored silly by the film Such people exist? How bizarre! |
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Post by sprampster on Oct 8, 2022 16:37:16 GMT
Looking forward to seeing the first preview tonight !! Know absolutely nothing about the show or plot or film just going to sit back and let it happen !!
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 8, 2022 19:50:10 GMT
Not a lot happens so expect that 😂
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Post by ceebee on Oct 8, 2022 23:48:56 GMT
Excellent first preview with a strong cast, great band and a very cool set. Metallic shimmering panels with a curved 'wave-like' backdrop and some slick projections give way to the Ferness beach, the hotel bar, and of course the phone box. I'm not going to give away the treats of the set - go and see it to find out! Some really good performances for a first preview and some welcome changes to some of the music and lyrics since Edinburgh. The story flies much better now and I'd say it is part play / part musical now. A couple of songs have gone, several have been rewritten, and the focus is much more on Mac and the ending much truer to the film. I missed the final ensemble piece from Edinburgh that has been dropped as it is a fine song, but I get why they've done it. In Edinburgh the plot kept pivoting between Mac and Stella, whereas in this version, the second half locks on to Mac's personal journey and Gordon and Stella's open relationship, which makes the return to normality at the end much more believable. The rewrites and additional music are very welcome and the newly elongated "Welcome to Glasgow" section is a revelation (go and see it to find out why).
I'm back again later in the week so will do a more detailed write-up when the show has had a few more run-throughs.
Mark Knopfler and Guy Fletcher were both in tonight, which was a geeky bonus if you're a fan of MK's solo work or Dire Straits.
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 0:43:44 GMT
I’m seeing Tuesday so excited now! No spoilers from me (you'll need to wait and see), but I guarantee you'll love it. All the charm of the film, the music, and (in my view) even better than the original Edinburgh Lyceum production. You might want to book another ticket. |
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 0:47:42 GMT
I’m seeing Tuesday so excited now! P.S. Do not rush to leave after the cast take their bow at the end as you'll get a full rendition of "Going Home" at full blast through one of the finest sound set ups I've ever heard in a theatre. |
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Post by sprampster on Oct 9, 2022 7:55:49 GMT
Each to their own . We left at the interval just couldn’t connect with the show at all. For me thought the design was clunky and restrictive. Plus a musical where at least two of the male leads actually can’t sing  I was surprised at just how much I wanted to enjoy it walking in and how that feeling rapidly changed. But that’s theatre ! |
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 9:03:16 GMT
Each to their own . We left at the interval just couldn’t connect with the show at all. For me thought the design was clunky and restrictive. Plus a musical where at least two of the male leads actually can’t sing I was surprised at just how much I wanted to enjoy it walking in and how that feeling rapidly changed. But that’s theatre ! It was pretty obvious that (Tony award winning) Gabriel Ebert had a sore throat - I was actually very impressed by his vocal technique used to overcome this issue. This production is not a full-blown musical - they've brought more dialogue in, and these are strong characters from an iconic film. The casting clearly favoured strong actors over strong singers, though there are some very strong female performers who can act and sing to a high standard in this show. Plus, it was the first preview in front of an audience. It's a shame you couldn't stick it out as you missed out on an excellent second half. Not sure if you're familiar with the film, but if you were expecting jazz hands and dancing girls then you were always going to be disappointed. |
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 9, 2022 10:43:31 GMT
Your committment to this musical is nothing short of inspiring ceebee |
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 11:46:54 GMT
Your committment to this musical is nothing short of inspiring ceebeeThank you. I'm horribly biased. :-) |
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Post by mkb on Oct 9, 2022 11:47:08 GMT
As someone who had tickets for this at the Old Vic and who can't squeeze in a trip to Chichester, I do hope a transfer or tour is on the cards. I never understood why the OV cancelled rather than postponed, but they've form for dangling carrots only to snatch them away (Into the Woods).
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 13:17:36 GMT
As someone who had tickets for this at the Old Vic and who can't squeeze in a trip to Chichester, I do hope a transfer or tour is on the cards. I never understood why the OV cancelled rather than postponed, but they've form for dangling carrots only to snatch them away (Into the Woods). It'll be interesting to see the reviews - although I'm a fan of the film and show, so am openly biased - this version is better than the Edinburgh Lyceum version (which received very good reviews). The writers seem to have taken an honest look at some of the clunkier bits and either edited them or taken them out. What makes this show though is the way the music, scenes, lighting all blend - the direction from Daniel Evans has been really sympathetic to the feel of the original film, where time passed effortlessly. There were one or two loose ends last night, but it was a preview so I chose not to point them out. I hope that it transfers and that you get to see it. Due to the set, this production would really suit the Pit at the Barbican (but I don't imagine it ever going in there as I doubt it would be a success so far out of town). It would also suit the Wyndhams, and possibly could work in the Other Palace. This production needs an intimate theatre. |
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Post by ceebee on Oct 9, 2022 14:03:32 GMT
Longer thoughts on first preview - please bear in mind that it was the first time this show had been performed to an audience, so my views are subjective and I will avoid spoilers as I don't think it is fair on future audience or cast, suffice to say the way some effects are achieved and the set transforms is really very good indeed.
Song list:
A Barrel of Oil (Mac and Company)
Houston, We Have A Problem (Mac)
Welcome to Ferness (The Band) - used to be called "Welcome to Glasgow"
We're Going To Make A Killing (Company)
What A Life (Ben)
Filthy Dirty Rich (Gordon and Company)
Rocks and Water (Stella)
That'd Do Me (Company)
Big Mac and Gordon (Company) - used to be called "Big Mac"
Unlisted in programme: Ceilidh scene playing ceilidh music from the film soundtrack
I Wonder if I Can Go Home Again (Mistress Fraser and Company)
Unlisted in programme: Northern Lights scene played out to Mist Covered Mountains refrain switching to Whistle Theme (Local Hero)
INTERVAL
Never Felt Better (Company)
Cheerio Away Ye Go (Ben and Stella)
Filthy Dirty Rich - reprise (Company)
Numbers (Stella and Mac)
In An Ideal World (mac and Gordon)
Rocks and Water - reprise (Stella)
I Wonder If I can Go Home Again - reprise (Mac)
Houston We Have A Problem - reprise (Mac)
Going Home (theme) (Band)
I would describe this production as part play/part musical - there are some great tunes, but also some great scenes where the acting is doing the business. Gabriel Ebert cuts a tall, suave, lanky alpha male as Mac who flies into Scotland from Houston to buy a village called Ferness so it can be developed into an oil refinery. Turning up with an injured rabbit and electric briefcase, he stays at the hotel run by hotelier, accountant, lawyer, and general fixer called Gordon, played by Paul Higgins, and his partner Stella, who works with him in the hotel and is a "blow-in" from Glasgow. Mac's boss Happer (played by Jay Villiers) tells him to do the deal and to keep watching the sky. He has everything but craves immortality and wants to buy a comet. He's heard the skies are good in Scotland so sends Mac on a double mission. The villagers of Ferness all smell money and start dreaming of the highlife, corralled by Gordon and Reverend Murdo (Rodney Earl Clarke) and urged on and advised by Viktor, a Russian trawlerman who comes bearing gifts, Wodka, and caviar. Viktor Vladimirovich Popov is played superbly by Joshua Manning. He made a relatively small role really stand out. Mac falls for Stella, mistaking her for a mermaid (in the film Stella and Marina are two separate characters - in this they are the same person). Mac gets distracted by the scenery and landscape; Stella and Gordon are not happy but they're not unhappy. Stella is wistful and attuned to nature (played beautifully by Lillie Flynn who has the most gorgeous voice), and she takes a dislike to Mac's determination to trash the landscape for oil. Meanwhile, the big hurdle to securing the deal is a beachcomber called Ben, who lives in a shack on the beach and has charted the skies along with his family for over two hundred years. Hilton McRae as Ben is simply superb. He has absolutely captured the nuance and beauty of this character, and he cuts a simple but wise figure as things happen around him. He doesn't seek material goods and is happy with a pair of fresh socks and some sandwiches (oh and his whisky which fell off a rich man's yacht). The plot moves forward with lots of wheeling and dealing, before it stalls at securing a deal for Ben's beach. Happer flies in on a helicopter, meets Ben and then decides it would be better to build an observatory (Miss Saigon in Sheffield might want to take notes on how to stage a helicopter without a prop). After telling Mac to return to Houston (and get a shave), he sits with Ben and they chart the night skies. The villagers meanwhile are down the pub drinking on the house, following a twist that is unique to this show and not a part of the film. But it works. Mac returns to Houston (plane effects for take off and landing are really well executed, particularly in the first half through some fantastic use of projections and lights), Stella and Gordon return to their normal life, and then the phone rings...
Standouts for me were Hilton McRae and Joshua Manning - really refined characterisations for a first preview. The rest of the cast is very strong, with some stunningly beautiful voices (Lillie Flynn, Jackie Morrison). The direction is absolutely spot on, bringing to life a sleepy Scots'village from the hectic hubub of Houston with seamless style, wit and perfect pace. The lighting, sound and projections are absolutely top drawer - on a par with Life of Pi and Back To The Future - and the set is simple yet versatile. This is a busy show so be prepared not to re-snter the auditorium if you leave mid-show and if you're late, you might have to wait until the interval, so arrive on time!
The band is absolutely superb - I can't imagine the nerves they must have had with both Mark Knopfler and Guy Fletcher in the audience. I know both have been hands-on with the show, but it is still a daunting task to play such iconic music back to the writers.
On this first performance, it was clear (to me anyway) that Gabriel Ebert seemed to have a cold or a sore throat. He was having to work hard on technique to perform the role, so I'm not going to judge the singing - I'm sure he will sound superb once it passes. His characterisation of Mac is excellent - going from being the sleek alpha male to a slightly awkward and gangly smitten regular guy, and his portrayal is charming and honest. The ending when he is back in Houston was particularly powerful and he made my daughter on the left cry and my daughter on the right laugh with the same piece of acting involving his coat pockets. That kind of sums this show up for me - it makes you laugh and cry at the same time. I had a permagrin on my face most of the way through, yet many times my eyes were full at the sheer beauty of the music and acting in front of me. That, if for no other reason, is why this show will hopefully be a big success for Chichester Festival Theatre. Daniel Evans has captured the paradoxical elements of the film on stage, so as an audience your emotions swing from happiness and elation, to being sucked in by the aurora borealis and musical themes that run throughout, wringing your heart and soul as it goes, like the waves that lap the shoreline and the ever-predictable yet ever-volatile tidal swells that punctuate these tiny, beautiful villages in the highlands and islands of Scotland.
I'm biased, I spend a lot of my time on Skye, and whilst these characters are quirky and a little odd, they are also very reflective of many small communities. This could be Dunvegan, Portree, Arisaig, Pennan. THAT is why this version has nailed it so perfectly. The characters are relatable.
Please do go and get a ticket if you can - I'm confident you will enjoy this show. It doesn't need to be theatrical perfection or super-slick, because as we find with our relationships with fellow humans (and rabbits perhaps), it is often the slightly odd idiosyncracies and unconventional things that attract people to each other.
Thanks for reading and apologies for the length.
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Post by ceebee on Oct 12, 2022 7:03:27 GMT
Well this was phenomenal! I loved it, I wasn’t expecting that tonight but what a beautiful and heartwarming story. I can’t understand how you could walk out half way through but I can see that this is not the musical for those who like the big jazz hands musicals. It’s gentle and mellifluous but also rocks out. Seems like Ebert is back to full voice and can confirm he can sing, I thought he played the role of a Mac really well giving me a Tom Hanks romantic comedy feeling. I was surprised at how funny the show is, I haven’t seen the film so didn’t have a reference point to the comedy. The set is beautiful and the lighting and projected screens were some of the best I’ve seen, lots of surprises in a small space. Music wise so many catchy tunes, I still have filthy dirty rich in my head. I love how it does not sound or feel too stereotypically Scottish without taking you out of the story or where it is based. I was sat near someone taking notes so clearly things will change and maybe there cut be a few cuts but I will be highly recommending this, and I’m sure it will go on but to see it such an intimate is a treat. 5 stars from me but my only issue is that the starting time is so late! 7:45 is too late to start a show like this, I only had 15 minutes to make it to my train (the last of the night) luckily a friend I was seeing it with had a car but if you are walking to the train station she didn’t think you would make it. Glad you liked it catw! I can confirm they've already cut chunks of it. Saturday first preview ran very long and Monday's second preview saw cuts to some of the dialogue plus a much zippier pace both in spoken scenes, some songs, and the Local Hero theme tune was used for the bows as well as playout. They made the same change in Edinburgh. I must admit, I miss a couple of the songs from the original, but this version flows much better, and I quite like the mix of songs and dialogue. They've honed the storyline in this version so it is clearer - Edinburgh version got distracted by the Minch View old people's home angle which compromised the impact of Happer's decision on the future use of the beach. Interestingly, this version leaves you guessing as to who the Local Hero is... Is it Ben, Mac or Stella? I like this aspect, as in the film it could be either Ben, Danny or even Marina (but Danny and Marina don't exist in the stage version). If you loved the music, then watch the film. Many of the themes you heard last night derive from the film soundtrack, and many consider the film to be a classic. It's Nark Kermode's all time favourite film (and he has seen a few!). So glad you enjoyed it! |
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Post by ceebee on Oct 12, 2022 7:28:12 GMT
AUDIENCE NOTE TO PRODUCTION TEAM:
If anybody from the show is reading this, you really need Gordon to sing the line "We'll get rid of the f**king hotel, and be filthy rich as well." Saying the first part and singing the second part diminishes the impact of the line.
Similarly, "Cheerio away ye go" works much better sung through - alternating between spoken and sung devalues the rich lyrical narrative of what was originally a beautiful folk song. I've seen two of the three previews so far and this directorial decision is resulting in a lag between the tune and the spoken lines, plus you've sacrificed one of the most beautiful but funny moments in the show. Ben already has a lot of dialogue, so you can afford him to sing one complete song.
Finally, end of first half with Mac in the phone box - some of the critical lines of his revelation at the aurora borealis are being lost switching between inside and outside the phone box. This could be fixed by having him deliver the lines with the door half open throughout, and dropping the handset for the "red all over" section. The phone pips could then cut in and he could exit the phone box with the handset hanging (instead of trying to replace the handset - after all, he has just had five or six double whiskys, so I doubt he's going to be too bothered about hanging the handset back on the hook).
I hope somebody from the production is reading and considers these suggestions.
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Post by NeilVHughes on Oct 15, 2022 22:04:27 GMT
Most excellent.
The piece hangs together much better than what I remember from Edinburgh, really catches the essence of the film, the Stella/Marina mash up and the absence of Danny was jarring at first but by the end it almost made the denouement even better.
As a film I watch regularly at first I was initially discombobulated as the characters and the actors who played them in the film are indistinguishable but by the end this was dispelled, Mac was Mac, Gordon was Gordon, Stella was Stella……. high praise.
Not sure if there are any classic musical tunes that will stand the test of time but as a whole stands together well, do hope it gets a transfer to London as definitely want to see it again, have already looked at some matinees later in the run just in case.
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I was surprised at just how much I wanted to enjoy it walking in and how that feeling rapidly changed. But that’s theatre ! 
