Jersey Boys

[TallPaul]

"...specially designed comfortable seats." If only someone had thought of that before! 🙂

[mrbarnaby]

I think it looks Fugly. It’s a horrible theatre anyway and it doesn’t look like they’ve done much except put ugly seats in and some Art Deco details.

Also are all those photos filtered? Is it all really grayscale except the seats? Weird.

[Deleted]

If the Death Star had a theatre...

I agree that its ugly. And the seat material might be the original design, but thats no reason to bring it back.

There is a video included here, but it really does look as had as it does in the pictures.

www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/first-look-restored-trafalgar-venue_54256.html

I can't imagine being there and being excited for a show to start. Its so depressing.

[barrowside]

I think it looks well and its great to see it return to a single auditorium. It's a pity though they didn't put more elegant Art Deco signage on the facade.

[Deleted]

I have only been there once before, back in 1996, before it got converted into 2 separate spaces. It didn't look like this then, and definitely needed work done, but I find the black and grey's very depressing.

[mrbarnaby]

Jun 14, 2021 13:36:00 GMT kit66 said:

How can a 630 seater theatre play to social distancing rules and make money?If you think the new decor is depressing imagine sitting in it with a half empty auditorium.

I think the point is it’s opening WITHOUT social distancing? Or that’s the plan

[marob]

I really don’t like the dark grey. The theatre looks drab enough in those photos, but it’ll be like a black hole in the usual gloomy lighting conditions.

[Jon]

Jun 14, 2021 16:35:41 GMT kit66 said:

I hope they have got rid of what I can only describe as 1970 Dr Who's Tardis walls on the staircase ceiling reminiscent of Austin Powers' funky bedroom.Looking at old photos of the Whitehall Theatre the 3 troughs at the front of the stage were lighting panels that lit up the proscenium arch and made the Art Deco panel above look absolutely stunning. The whole place looked very similar to today's Savoy Theatre.But I suppose we should be just grateful there are people still investing in theatres at these unsettling times.

Theatre is still huge business as evident by Trafalgar agreeing to operate the 1500 seat Olympia Theatre which is opening in 2025 and Nimax's new theatre which is opening next year 

[itsemily]

I love this decor reminds me of Slytherin in Harry Potter 😂

[FairyGodmother]

I have a setting on my camera where you can take pictures in black and white, other than a specific colour that you choose (so it's greyscale with red bits for example), and I honestly thought that was what they'd done at first.

I much prefer this art deco restoration (from a bingo hall at one point!). stockportplaza.co.uk/about-the-plaza/360-degree-tour.

[danb]

I remember going to the Davenport theatre in Stockport for pantos as a child. Is that still there?

[djdan14]

[jamesxxx]

THAT restoration is cheap cheap CHEAP. If youre gonna do it, do it properly. Just look at what Cameron has done. Some of his theatres were flea pits, now look at them. That fabric on the seats is nasty and oh yes lets paint the walls black. Really! And I bet they use them red seats from the Trafager at the playhouse rejig for Cabaret. With the booking fees they charge the theatres should be stunning. Have you been to the Fortune theatre, dont, you'll catch something, vile, disgusting..... Looking forward to Drury Lane relaunch, it looks amazing.

[marob]

I don’t know, I think the seats in Cameron’s theatres are awful, too firm and far too near the ground. Though it may be be heresy to say it, part of me wishes they’d ditch a lot of these old theatres and build somewhere that’s actually fit for a modern audience. No one should have to sit behind a bloody pillar in this day and age.

[Jon]

Jun 17, 2021 22:59:17 GMT marob said:

I don’t know, I think the seats in Cameron’s theatres are awful, too firm and far too near the ground. Though it may be be heresy to say it, part of me wishes they’d ditch a lot of these old theatres and build somewhere that’s actually fit for a modern audience. No one should have to sit behind a bloody pillar in this day and age.

Howard Panter said years ago that if he had his way, he'd demolish a lot of theatres but replace them with modern ones in their place. I do love the old theatres but I do wonder if there is a point where refurbishment can only go so far and it might be cheaper long term just to rebuild the theatres from scratch. 

[mrbarnaby]

Jun 17, 2021 22:43:59 GMT jamesxxx said:

THAT restoration is cheap cheap CHEAP. If youre gonna do it, do it properly. Just look at what Cameron has done. Some of his theatres were flea pits, now look at them. That fabric on the seats is nasty and oh yes lets paint the walls black. Really! And I bet they use them red seats from the Trafager at the playhouse rejig for Cabaret. With the booking fees they charge the theatres should be stunning. Have you been to the Fortune theatre, dont, you'll catch something, vile, disgusting..... Looking forward to Drury Lane relaunch, it looks amazing.

I’m all for them using the old seats for Cabaret.. perfect sustainable use for them if they are a bit tired and no longer needed.

I feel like this refurbishment was designed by someone with ZERO TASTE. And maybe a job lot of that nasty fabric.

[FairyGodmother]

Jun 15, 2021 10:24:45 GMT danb said:

I remember going to the Davenport theatre in Stockport for pantos as a child. Is that still there?

Sadly not: cinematreasures.org/theaters/1832

[Dr Tom]

Back from the first preview at the Trafalgar Theatre.

The rake in the theatre is horrible! You won't see much during the ovations (of which there were two partial ones during the show, although one only had a single person take part, as well as a full audience one at the end). You also may not see much if you're behind a taller person. Thankfully there is still a two level set, so some of the action takes place at the top level.

Tonight was (I presume) the singalong performance, with very few people having their vocals restricted by pesky masks. No Covid-19 passport checking for entry either. So if the show is closed down within days and we're all forced into isolation, that's why.

If you remember the old London production, this is greatly cut down. It reminded me of the New World Stages version. I expect this has the youngest cast out of any Jersey Boys production (with the possible exception of the cruise ship version). Lots of baby faces. It must be hard for Ben Joyce, freshly graduated, to play the lead here having to portray such a range of emotions across a long career. Hopefully he will develop into the role.

My main concern was how heavily processed and sweetened the sound was throughout. This has always happened, but it was so obvious tonight, particularly in the first half and for the lead singer's high notes. Quite an echo effect too. Just very out of place.

I've always enjoyed this show, but this version isn't there yet. It is understandable it's been cut back. A lot of the audience made sure they enjoyed it anyway and the drinks were free flowing to aid the singing (although not all of them returned for the second half). The great songs will always be there. You may even hear the cast sing them.

We did get free T-Shirts, so what more could you ask for? As the T-Shirt says "The Boys Are Back!"

[Deleted]

What does the theatre look like inside? Is it as dark as it appeared in the photos after the refit?

[mrbarnaby]

It looks very sad from the photos I’ve seen of the set. And as you say- the cast are so young. Too young perhaps.

Hopefully the plan is for this to run a few months only and send out on a tour.

[Dr Tom]

Yes, it is dark. And it feels cramped as there’s no central aisle.

[danielwhit]

Can't quite get over how much of a mess they've made of this theatre. Flows for audience members are horrendous - who's bright idea was it to have a main bar in the foyer? I get there's limited space but even so..

Plus, was it past all wit of man to put 'seats number..' this way signs? Dress Circle 1/2/3 means zero to most audience members.

Show wise so far - the core is good (because its a replica production) but at the moment not a patch on what it used to be. Audio mix is off whack totally (even when the audience aren't being the Fifth through Ninth Season) and there's a awful lot of comic potential just being glossed over.

[mrbarnaby]

Jul 31, 2021 19:54:59 GMT danielwhit said:

Can't quite get over how much of a mess they've made of this theatre. Flows for audience members are horrendous - who's bright idea was it to have a main bar in the foyer? I get there's limited space but even so..

Plus, was it past all wit of man to put 'seats number..' this way signs? Dress Circle 1/2/3 means zero to most audience members.

Show wise so far - the core is good (because its a replica production) but at the moment not a patch on what it used to be. Audio mix is off whack totally (even when the audience aren't being the Fifth through Ninth Season) and there's a awful lot of comic potential just being glossed over.

It’s just the worst theatre in the west end. I can’t believe they haven’t sorted out the foyer/bar area.

[max]

I was a big fan of Des McAnuff's work directing 'Tommy', though I didn't get the same buzz of his ideas here. Saw it way back at the Prince Edward, and I've forgotten: is there a frame at the beginning and then we're looking back? I found it so distracting that the onstage graphic sign is done with some form of LEDs (?), and not aesthetically right for the time period of most of the action. Projection work for 'Tommy' was a work of art.

[danielwhit]

Jul 31, 2021 21:29:20 GMT max said:

I was a big fan of Des McAnuff's work directing 'Tommy', though I didn't get the same buzz of his ideas here. Saw it way back at the Prince Edward, and I've forgotten: is there a frame at the beginning and then we're looking back? I found it so distracting that the onstage graphic sign is done with some form of LEDs (?), and not aesthetically right for the time period of most of the action. Projection work for 'Tommy' was a work of art.

Yeah, framed as "modern day" (Well, 2005ish modern anyway), then "you ask four guys and you get four different stories, but they all start..." sets us back to the start of the story.

Yeah, the LED stuff never grated on me in the Prince Edward etc, but with it now being front and centre rather than to the wings, it's much more distracting now. Plus a lot of the signs have been moved to be LED rather than real props, so it is used more too.

Plus, was the original cast just 11 plus band (of 7)? Or have a few more roles been doubled now?