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Post by Deleted on May 8, 2018 8:26:11 GMT
Anyone interested in 2x premium stalls Row G (aisle seat +1) for tonight?
£40 for the pair.
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Post by Paul on May 30, 2018 17:21:43 GMT
I'm thinking about going to see this in Bristol tomorrow evening. Are there any last minute offers available?
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Post by ensembleswings on May 30, 2018 17:44:27 GMT
I saw this on Monday evening, upper circle was closed, grand and stalls were only around half full. Great performance just a shame to see the theatre so empty. I couldn't see any offers for that performance (or any others this week) other than a free glass of prosecco with some price bands. Unusually for Bristol they'd closed the upper circle earlier in the week and repriced the back of the grand to the lower price bands (normally they leave the upper open for booking and just upgrade tickets once in the theatre), they didn't offer any other discounts though, even with the ATG card. Shame as I feel had there been a few last minute offers around that performance probably would have sold better, obviously they feel that a half full at best theatre is enough for them and it's not worth offering any discounts.
It was the first time I'd ever seen the show and it didn't disappoint at all, that helicopter scene was worth the ticket price alone! Cast felt tight and worked well together, it was a mainly the full lead cast except we had the alternate for the Engineer and an understudy for Gigi.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 9:04:24 GMT
I saw this in Bristol (my hometown!) last night. Another fabulous performance and remains the best thing IMO currently on tour by a mile.
Got a cheaper ticket (when I logged on with my ATG card they had an option for "engineer offer - £35" for top price non premium. They clearly haven't advertised this though!) Upper Circle closed but stalls full pretty much. Grand Circle maybe half full.
I was on a Stalls side aisle row P, further back than I normally sit. The sound seemed quiet at first but I got used to it. I did also think, though the lighting looked gorgeous as ever, overall it was very dark and was often hard to see people's faces! Is this me getting older or could it be a bit brighter?
Have seen the old cast so much that I missed them a bit - that's not a criticism of the new ensemble who were wonderful, I just have a soft spot through familiarity for the old guys.
One thing I will say though as that Christian Rey Marbella I really don't think is right for Engineer. No doubt he is an accomplished MT performer with a great voice but he really doesn't have the presence and character that the Engineer needs - he carries the show and should be such a larger than life character. Maybe it's just after Jon Jon and Red and it's a tough act to follow, but it doesn't work for me.
Anyway, an amazing time once again. Wondering if to go to the last night of the tour in Sunderland. It's a long way from home though and not a place I have ever wanted to visit!!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 9:43:02 GMT
I was on a Stalls side aisle row P, further back than I normally sit. The sound seemed quiet at first but I got used to it. I did also think, though the lighting looked gorgeous as ever, overall it was very dark and was often hard to see people's faces! Is this me getting older or could it be a bit brighter? Interesting point. The show is lit very well and deliberately very dark in places with a very tight focus on certain cast. Sat in the circle and stalls in Manchester, from the circle the show almost appeared too bright at times. Don't know if this was possibly a result of reflected light from the deck, it did seem darker from the stalls, but appropriately so - imo. |
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Post by phantz on Jun 12, 2018 12:41:09 GMT
Saw Monday night in Bristol. Everyone moved to the stalls, maybe 500 in the audience. Looked to be understudy Kim and Engineer, possibly Gigi.
The production was pretty flawless. Lights and effects, choreo and costumes etc. Absolutely spectacular stuff.
I felt let down by the sound which seemed pretty quiet throughout. This affected all of the principals which often lessened the impact of their vocals as they got lost in the orchestra.
Engineer was electric. Some parts were a little understated but it was always unique.
Kim did well, shocked to read she was only 17. A definite Lea clone - one gets the impression she grew up singing this and only this. Still needs some vocal polishing but really sold it in the action scenes.
Unfortunately I found our Americans to be less than inspiring. Chris seemed unimpressed by anything throughout the show. No love, no despair and a distinct lack of urgency and shock when he is finally reunited with Kim. Likewise his bromance with John was not convincing who lacked intensity and conviction. Vocally these two had all the notes, but none of the soul. Ellen seemed to be badly directed. She was extraordinarily cavalier when first confronted by Kim and had little chemistry with her husband. Whether this is reflective of a somber cast facing disappointing houses is anyone's guess.
But, backed by a committed and energetic company, it is certainly an unforgettable theatrical event.
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Post by Oleanna on Jun 12, 2018 14:24:04 GMT
Sad to read that this tour is not selling so well. Could the public have had enough of Miss Saigon after 2 previous tours?
Has everybody who wanted to see this show now seen it...?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 12, 2018 17:45:27 GMT
I don’t think it has the recognition factor. You don’t hear songs from MS performed in reality talent shows and yes, sadly, that’s what you need to get a show into peoples field of vision. Also I think people may not actually know what it’s about and what to expect. Is it about a beauty pageant? What is Saigon anyway? What’s the helicopter in the poster for?
Yes, sadly some people are a bit thick sometimes. But in the era of Fat Friends and The Band you have to ram it down people’s throats.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2018 6:30:38 GMT
Sad to read that this tour is not selling so well. Could the public have had enough of Miss Saigon after 2 previous tours? Has everybody who wanted to see this show now seen it...? Given theres been a 12 year gap since the last MSG tour, I don't think its a case of the public having 'had enough'. That 12 years is a period for a whole new generation to grow up and emerge into of theatre fans having not yet seen the show (granted said generation are more interesting in fangirl/boying the Wicked stage door and flooding the Victoria Palace with salty ham tears). With it being a refreshed production, its not the same show it was touring 12 years ago either, the marketing materials have reflected this so its not a case of the same old show back on the road. It's interesting to see how vastly the Palace in Manchester has sold in advance for Les Mis, by the same composers and producers. I just think this show is a little bit more niche in its appeal. Boubil & Schönberg's MSG seems to be the equivalent to Les Mis as Webber's Sunset is to Phantom. Whats strange is |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 13, 2018 6:40:32 GMT
Yes, sadly some people are a bit thick sometimes. But in the era of Fat Friends and The Band you have to ram it down people’s throats. Unfortunately agree. The alarming thought occurred to me that if this is the era we have transgressed to, what comes next? Where will we be in 20-30 years looking at where we've descended from in the same period of time? 20-30 years ago lush, big spectacle, romanticism and intelligence all had broad mass appeal. Now people need shovel feeding with obtuse content. Where will we end up? It's perturbing. |
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Post by LaLuPone on Jun 13, 2018 6:48:03 GMT
I’m 17 (and I’m new here today) and I LOVE Miss Saigon. Quite a few of my theatre friends like the show too but granted they’re not as obsessed as me. Some went with their families to the show when it came to Cardiff but I think a few were put off by the high ticket prices. I know they’re fairly justified because it’s literally the West End/Broadway set being dragged around but people probably don’t realise that and don’t want to spend lots of money on a show they won’t know of as much as Les Mis from the film.
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Post by undeuxtrois on Jun 19, 2018 15:26:28 GMT
Full average cast list for a Saturday matinee?
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Post by LaLuPone on Jun 21, 2018 10:52:48 GMT
Was just wondering out of curiosity, what happens if Sooha is suddenly ill on a Saturday night? Does Joreen do the evening show as well as the matinee or do they put the 1st u/s on? And if the producers know that Sooha’s going to be off in advance do they put the 1st u/s on for the matinee and Joreen for the evening? Or does Joreen just do a 2-show day in both instances?
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Post by daniel on Jun 21, 2018 11:43:56 GMT
In advance, they'll juggle so Joreen does Sooha's show, and the u/s does Joreen's. Depending on how last minute the illness is, I'd imagine they would offer it to Joreen, but apply no pressure if she didn't feel up to a two show day.
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Post by cheesy116 on Jun 21, 2018 12:31:17 GMT
For anyone who's interested, Thao Therese Nguyen went on as Kim for the 1st time the other day, she is the 2nd cover or 4th in line for the role if you include Joreen.
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Post by tsxmitw on Jun 23, 2018 7:35:06 GMT
Saw this again last night - packed house at the Bristol Hippodrome. It was excellent, just as good as when I saw it in September and December last year.
I’ve seen all the casts since the 2014 London revival and I have to say, Elana Martin is the best Ellen I’ve watched. Great actress and powerful vocals.
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Post by LaLuPone on Jun 24, 2018 7:00:22 GMT
Saw closing night in Bristol, the grand and upper circles were probably both only about half-full but there was still a good atmosphere. The show’s still in amazing shape and it’s really upsetting that this may be the last time I see the show for a while if it takes 10 years for another production to emerge like last time. We thought basically all of the cast had improved since we last saw the show in Cardiff.
Red has developed into a really great Engineer to be fair, and it was his American Dream right at the end that fully sold it for me. He got a mid-song applause which I could tell he really appreciated. I think my problem with Red is that my first and only other Engineer was Jon Jon who sets such a ridiculously high standarad and such a definitive mold for the Engineer that anyone else is going to be hard to compare. But Red makes the part his own and he does it well.
Sooha is still brilliant vocals and acting-wise but I think Eva nails the acting a bit more. Like I said Sooha is anazing though and her accent adds another layer of authenticity to Kim plus she hits all Kim’s “optional” high notes that Eva didn’t do when I saw her on Broadway.
Ashley was great too and has definitely improved since December, a really believable portrayal with a fantastic voice, but again probably not quite as good as Alistair.
Ryan’s got an amazing voice as I knew from the Rent tour but watching last night I just realised how small a role John really is, in some ways he does less than Ellen.
Elana Martin was a very belty Ellen and I think I probably preferred her to Zoë Doano but for me the best Ellen is Katie Rose Clarke.
Gerald Santos, still great acting and vocals.
Aishelle Santos was a pretty standard Gigi, she was good but it’s pretty impossible to beat the vocals and chills you get from Rachelle singing The Movie In My Mind and I think Na-Young Jeon from earlier in the tour acted the tiny role better.
I thought the ensemble girls sounded a bit out of tune in The Wedding Ceremony but maybe I’m wrong. Really is still a brilliant production overall though and it seemed the audience agreed.
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Post by sf on Jun 24, 2018 13:56:39 GMT
Sooha is anazing though and her accent adds another layer of authenticity to Kim
Her Korean accent adds another layer of authenticity to her performance as a Vietnamese woman?
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Post by LaLuPone on Jun 24, 2018 14:24:31 GMT
Sooha is anazing though and her accent adds another layer of authenticity to Kim
Her Korean accent adds another layer of authenticity to her performance as a Vietnamese woman?
Well I think it’s fair to say that it adds more authenticity than Eva’s American accent! I did know that Sooha is South Korean and not Vietnamese. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 24, 2018 19:30:20 GMT
So I went to both shows in Bristol yesterday (and saw both equally sensational Kims!). Looked and sounded glorious as ever.
God I love this show - best thing on tour by a mile IMO.
Trying to decided if to go to the last day of the tour in Sunderland. Erring towards it as I think will be a very long time before we see Saigon in the UK again sadly. Is a very long way from my home in Brighton though!
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Post by undeuxtrois on Jun 24, 2018 23:11:59 GMT
You could go to see it in Bradford, which is still far from Brighton but a bit closer than Sunderland |
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Post by Dave25 on Jun 25, 2018 11:04:24 GMT
...plus she hits all Kim’s “optional” high notes that Eva didn’t do when I saw her on Broadway. I really don't think these notes are optional. These soft, angelic high notes are essential for the part, it gives Kim an angelic quality as a beautiful contrast to all her louder scenes where she is fighting and belting. What makes this show an artistic masterpiece to me, is that every word written exactly matches the melody and notes in terms of emotion and conviction. If you would hear one line instrumentally (any line in the show), the notes and pacing and dynamic of the music will make you feel the exact right emotion for the moment already, and the words fill in in perfectly. Miss Saigon does this better than any show I have ever heard or seen. I could dissect the whole show in this post to give you examples, but that would make a very long post. But one scene worth mentioning is between Kim and Thuy, where he sings "I knew in time...", his lines are hopeful yet dejected, and almost urbane with pride, yet a little pushy. The dynamics of the melody are exactly that. Which is stunning. Then Kim replies to him in the exact same manner. "My father's vow, I can't honor today...." When he treats her with this subdued respect, this is how she replies to him too. As an audience, we respect Kim's standpoint a little more over his, so the melody rises a bit, as if what she says overrules what he says without showing any disrespect. Which makes his ego snap, which is then perfectly portrayed in the music too. I don't think most people realize what kind of masterpiece this show really is. Also, because this show is written in such a refined way, they have to be really careful with overemoting. There is no need for putting an extra, 3rd. layer on top of it by acting out every syllable too. I call this the Hugh Jackman approach. He always makes the material very insincere by overemoting. Speaking 3 words and then use a long vibrato on the 4th. This does not only make the first 3 words insincere by disrespecting the notes, but the disconnect by switching between speaking and singing in 1 line makes people wonder why he is singing the last syllable. Basically apologizing for the artform. Acting in spite of song instead of acting through song. I see this happening in Miss Saigon lately too. Katie Rose Clarke could be a fantastic Ellen, but she overemotes and separates the acting from singing too much. Which makes the singing feel out if place and insincere. What Eva does in the scenes mentioned above, is the same thing. The scenes don't really make sense anymore. Which really is a pity. This show is more written like an opera, apologizing for it by making it soap-opera is not really the way to an emotional experience for the audience. |
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Post by undeuxtrois on Jul 29, 2018 17:32:57 GMT
Is Red doing the UK tour? I saw a post on Instagram wishing him luck in the US, but I think the post has been deleted. What are the other engineers in the UK tour like
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2018 18:15:38 GMT
Is Red doing the UK tour? I saw a post on Instagram wishing him luck in the US, but I think the post has been deleted. What are the other engineers in the UK tour like Very weak compared to Red - I really hope he isn't leaving! |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 29, 2018 18:22:06 GMT
I dunno why he’d leave now- the tour only has until December before it probably ends. I can’t see it returning to the UK any time soon. Wil they hire a new Engineer for the final few months if he’s gone?
(I hope he’s staying because I was looking forward to seeing him on Sunderland closing night!)
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