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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 16, 2019 19:22:08 GMT
Cancelled after 1000 stars.
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Post by songbird on Aug 16, 2019 21:51:33 GMT
Cancelled after 1000 stars. Fully cancelled or just stopped? |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 16, 2019 22:16:28 GMT
Cancelled.
So, curtain up was about 8pm after extensive mopping and the stage manager telling us they would try to present the show for us (setting expectations I imagine ). It was quite light rain but by the time 1000 Stars started it was coming down fast. Stage manager came back on and said they would need to stop the show, suggested we take shelter in the bar area and wait for further info. We decided to stay seated as we were all poncho ‘d up and quite comfy and didn’t want our seats to get wet.
Then I noticed that the orchestra were leaving and no one was making any attempt to dry the stage. I realised they were probably getting whatever authorisation they needed to cancel. And after about 10 mins the stage manager came back out to say the met office were saying sustained rain for the rest of the evening so finito.
Of course as soon as we left the auditorium it stopped and stayed dry for about an hour from what I could tell but there you go. I know it was inevitable really, but I’m glad we went. If we had bailed and then found it had played I’d have been really annoyed.
Here’s hoping for a transfer.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 16, 2019 22:30:21 GMT
Gee sorry to hear that, your first visit wasn’t a good one.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Aug 17, 2019 4:35:42 GMT
I won't say it's the show of the year for me but I enjoyed it last night. It's not for purists, that's for sure. It's Evita stripped bare and that, I think, makes the story more dramatic. This Eva Peron is not a good mother of the nation, not a heroine with a tragic fate, she's not "Santa Evita" - she's a young woman with too much ambition and not that much to offer. The real Eva was (in today's terms) more a popculture star than the first lady and I think this production depicts it pretty well. It's not a story about the myth of Eva Peron. It's a story of a woman who became Eva Peron. So yes, Eva in this production is... not that likeable (to say the least) but the final scenes, when she realizes she is dying, the end, finito, the fairytale is over - they're pretty moving. After all, leaving this world aged only 33 is something nobody wants. It's scary, sad and unfair. No spoilers but there is one moment when you can tell how mad she is because of what is going to happen. The only thing I hated was a lady next to me, constantly trying to film/take photos. Urrrgghhh. Why. You really should have told her off if she was doing it throughout! That’s not on at all. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 17, 2019 17:10:03 GMT
Can’t take the risk to be honest. I know it’s highly unlikely to happen again but the cost of it with travel and the whole bit just means it’s not viable. It’s fine, these things happen. If it transfers I’ll definitely see it.
Loved the theatre. Pretty much as I’d imagined but definitely unique.
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Post by apubleed on Aug 18, 2019 7:37:56 GMT
I can’t tell if I loved this or hated it. Was it a revolutionary staging or a cringeworthy university drama school final project?
I will say that even if I’m not 100% convinced it always worked, I do appreciate it when someone tries to do things differently and break the rules.
The performance that had the biggest impact on me might have been the incredible dancing during ‘The Art of the Possible’.
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Post by frosty on Aug 19, 2019 14:52:32 GMT
Cancelled after 1000 stars. Oh what a shame, sorry to hear you didn't get to see it. We didn't chance it, went to Peter Gynt instead. Popped outside in the intervals and thought 'it doesn't look that bad, I bet it's going ahead', so was surprised to hear it was cancelled. We're going to try again in Sept sometime...hopefully the weather will pick up. |
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Post by richey on Aug 20, 2019 12:41:34 GMT
Anyone there last night to witness La Paige's visit? Wonder what she thought of it!
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Post by theatrefan77 on Aug 20, 2019 14:25:12 GMT
Rumour has it she wasn't impressed but was polite. But then again she didn't sound crazy about the Grandage production either.
I was working at the Adelphi at the time and remember her being asked on the opening night what she thought of the 2006 production. She replied something like: 'It's very different. When I was in the original production I blah blah blah...' She went on and on about the original production and said hardly nothing about the new one. It was hilarious. Never got to see the interview when it was shown on TV, but I imagined they shortened it.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2019 15:20:12 GMT
Tune in on Sunday to hear her skirt around her thoughts!
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Post by richey on Aug 20, 2019 16:44:11 GMT
Well that smile looks genuine doesn't it....
Scroll through to see the comments from the person who had the misfortune to sit in front of her!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Aug 20, 2019 17:05:49 GMT
“Sang up a storm” gives the impression of a sing-song on a coach trip to Cleethorpes.
She’s good. Very good.
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Post by lolli on Aug 20, 2019 22:25:23 GMT
This is stunning. And Samantha Pauly is superb. Hopefully this production will have a further life, it makes a brilliant case for it as a contemporary piece.
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Post by firstwetakemanhattan on Aug 20, 2019 23:00:13 GMT
Wasnt blown away by this, 25 quid seat on the grass bank, cramped, uncomfy, wouldnt recommend it at all, but I know, you gets what you pay for(in fact it was more a case of no tickets for dates I was looking at, save the matinee which would obviously miss the sunsetting and dark which makes it more special, so I went for the grass bank which seemed loads of availability. Your not allowed to sit beyond row E, level with, so all a bit squashed. This place always seems to get chilly at night too, plenty of people with hoodys and beanies on, mid August. It grew on me, I admit I knew very little about the story beforehand, and reading about it after, would now make more sense and maybe lean me to enjoying to more. Samantha Pauley got better as the show went on I thought, but I dont know, there were some nice moments, but nothing that really stands out.
{Spoiler - click to view}
Poor Trent Saunders who plays Che, must have been freezing cold having to lay on the stage for what, almost a half hour or so covered in paint and wearing just boxers, how he must welcome the really mild nights(which of course we rarely have!). |
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Post by showtoones on Aug 21, 2019 0:21:44 GMT
Is there a theatre avail to transfer immediately?
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Post by chernjam on Aug 21, 2019 3:51:13 GMT
Rumour has it she wasn't impressed but was polite. But then again she didn't sound crazy about the Grandage production either. I was working at the Adelphi at the time and remember her being asked on the opening night what she thought of the 2006 production. She replied something like: 'It's very different. When I was in the original production I blah blah blah...' She went on and on about the original production and said hardly nothing about the new one. It was hilarious. Never got to see the interview when it was shown on TV, but I imagined they shortened it. It must be something with the original Evitas - LuPone is just as, shall we say, creative in giving faint praise while highlighting how great she was in the original and no one does it the same (or could anymore) blah blah blah… |
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Post by ctas on Aug 21, 2019 9:26:26 GMT
Going to be returning a ticket for the sold out matinee today (hopefully) once the box office opens at 11, if anyone is looking for a last-minute seat.
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Post by ctas on Aug 21, 2019 19:50:54 GMT
Saw the matinee today. I think some of the effects use was a bit over the top (so much confetti, ugh), but it was well-sung and well-acted. Cannot believe Marsha Songcome performing such a demanding role while six months pregnant, her debut was amazing and she brought so much to the painful ending of the story and moved me in a way I’ve not experienced with this show. Nice use of the staging too, and a beautiful day to be out in the sunshine.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 21, 2019 19:58:32 GMT
“Sang up a storm” gives the impression of a sing-song on a coach trip to Cleethorpes. She’s good. Very good. Sounds like she was at the same performance as you Burly. |
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Post by winonaforever on Aug 21, 2019 20:45:33 GMT
Saw the matinee today. I think some of the effects use was a bit over the top (so much confetti, ugh), but it was well-sung and well-acted. Cannot believe Marsha Songcome performing such a demanding role while six months pregnant, her debut was amazing and she brought so much to the painful ending of the story and moved me in a way I’ve not experienced with this show. Nice use of the staging too, and a beautiful day to be out in the sunshine. I was there too and loved the confetti (I was in the front row, so got the full effect) Actually there wasn't anything I didn't love about the show. |
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Post by joem on Aug 22, 2019 9:38:41 GMT
Flashy production which certainly entertains but the casting and costumes let this down badly. I know it's how the director wants to interpret it but it doesn't work for me. Evita, the character let alone the historical personage, is not a Britney Spears wannabe dancing about. Peron's relationship to her is meant to be of an older experienced man who needs glamming up (I remember Joss Ackland being convincing in the role), as has been mentioned on this thread Ektor Rivera is simply too young. He looks younger than his much-younger spouse. Samantha Pauly is, vocally, a good Evita and captures the strength and vulnerability of the role well. She is not helped by not being made to look like Evita until the last moment. It is a powerful tableau but comes at the expense of the rest of the evening, Evita did not become Evita just before she died, she grew into the role much as Elizabeth I gradually morphed into Gloriana. Trent Saunders started off with a quavery voice but he picked up and gave a high-energy performance before he was Jesus Christ Superstarred at the end. Che is, to me, an annoying character because even as conceived he is Che and not Che ie the visual trappings of the character but not much more. I suppose at the time the musical was written (this was before Maradona and Galtieri) Rice reckoned that apart from the Perons there was only one Argentinian recognisable by many in UK and that was Che. Maybe that's how he came to be "selected" for the role. |
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Post by profquatermass on Aug 22, 2019 12:26:18 GMT
I thought Che being Guevara was a Harold Prince addition and he's just Everyman on the original album (and in the film)
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 22, 2019 18:09:01 GMT
A new Argentina
The same old Regent's Park
However the Open Air theatre must be the most atmospheric theatres in the country and can elevate most revivals, the award winning Jesus Christ Superstar isn't the same now it has been tamed and put back in his box at the Barbican. The Open Air Is certainly a one of a kind theatre.
So a line from Tim Rice's Evita is "you have to adore her, Christian Dior her
," however this Evita was more Primark and felt located in Basildon than Buenos Aries, who Samantha Pauly played eloquently, she sung very well and really did look majestic in the final. I felt that a couple in the cast that seemed to be miscast, which was a disappointment.
This production had flares, balloons, confetti canons and flames, but didn't have that great defining moment a shame.
3 stars
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Post by ceebee on Aug 22, 2019 20:06:10 GMT
Half time this evening. It's largely good but an underpowered band and a few odd directorial decisions. Fab choreography. Pyrotechnics are overdone and unnecessary in my view. I like the modern approach though.
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