Leave to Remain, Lyric Hammersmith

[partytentdown]

Sorry if there is already a thread about this, I couldn't see one.

Has anyone seen this yet? Would love to hear reviews.

[QueerTheatre]

Jan 28, 2019 22:54:02 GMT partytentdown said:

Sorry if there is already a thread about this, I couldn't see one.

Has anyone seen this yet? Would love to hear reviews.

I’m going Friday!

[n1david]

I’m not going until later in the run but it got 4* from Guardian and Times, and 2* from The Stage and WOS.

The only person I know who’s seen it really liked it, although concedes it needs a bit of editing (it’s close to 2 hours without interval)

[ali973]

Is this a musical? I thought it was a play.

[n1david]

It’s “Told through a mix of music, movement and drama” featuring new songs from Kele Okereke.

So it’s either a musical or a play with songs. The Lyric website doesn’t define it.

[showgirl]

Several theatre review sites have now covered this opening.

[Someone in a tree]

I looked on the website on Friday as I was unsure if I liked the idea of it. No pics, films and sound bites and as I am still curious I can take my dosh elsewhere

[miz]

I took my two daughters, aged 13 and 16, to see it and we all enjoyed the show very much. The story telling was very clever. However, I must admit that I did not think too much of the arias although liked the presence of a live guitarist.

We were originally going to see Violet at the Charing Cross and bought tickets but after seeing the trailer, unanimously decided to see something else (I know we should have watched the trailer before buying tickets). So the opening of this new show in Hammersmith was very handy for us since tickets for WE musicals for three could easily cost more than £200 these days.

I hope many more people will go to see this refreshing show.

[Rukaya]

For those who have seen this, does it have an interval?

[manu]

No interval

[Rukaya]

Feb 10, 2019 12:12:37 GMT manu said:

No interval

thank you! Thought so but wanted to check 😊

[robertb213]

It runs about 1 hr 50 straight through 😀

[n1david]

I was there last night, and while its heart is obviously in the right place, and there are some decent performances, it really wasn't for me.

The fundamental problem for me was that I didn't believe in the central relationship - the initial setup was all a bit rushed and then when the relationship hit trouble I wasn't invested in the story. Tyrone Huntley as Obi is good and has the much meatier of the two lead roles; Billy Cullum as Alex comes across as a spoiled brat without many redeeming features. I thought the music was effective in scene-setting, but poor in driving the story forward. And I really don't need another portrayal of a drug high through the means of interpretive dance.

Glad I saw it but it felt like a first draft; it's way too long (it ran about 2 hours last night, oddly the programme says the running time is 1h30 so they obviously expected cuts).

Oh, and my first visit to the Hammersmith Lyric - what a horrible mean-spirited little entrance at street level, corridors and narrow staircases - Matcham would have a fit at the building where his auditorium now sits.

[kasper]

I saw this Saturday afternoon. I just loved it. A very beautiful story, beautifully acted and especially beautifully staged. If I had not planned anything else, I could have seen it again Saturday night.
One minus: too bad that not all music was live.
But apart from that, this was already one highlight of 2019.

[QueerTheatre]

I Surprisingly agree with all of these reports. The show isn't great - but i loved it. Probably because we (still) have so few queer stories with a happy ending, especially on major stages. So... whilst the script is bad and full of queer cliches and the songs are middling to good it's saved by great performances and a big heart.

I do wish they'd collaborated with a theatre writer or dramaturg, as it was painfully obviously neither of the writers understood theatricality - but then the director/choreographer seems to have tried to make up for the lack of theatrics in the script by adding in far too many flourishes and dance breaks that just made me laugh at inappropriate moments.

All that said - 10/10 would go back just to stare at Tyrone in skinny jeans.

[zephyrus]

Saw this last week, and wasn't very keen on it. It was strangely unengaging, and I didn't really care much about any of the characters or their situation. The music - although occasionally effective - was instantly forgettable, and some of the choreography provoked snorts of mirth and eye-rolling from the two women sitting in front of me. That said, the older man sitting next to me seemed to enjoy the evening a great deal; he laughed heartily, and gave a standing ovation at the end.

Tyrone Huntley has an excellent singing voice, but I'm not convinced he can act.

The best I can say is that the director attacks the piece as if it has some substance (which I'm not sure it does.)

[paddy72]

I’m on the positive side for this one. I’m not sure ‘loved it’ would be the right sort of expression for such a dour piece. It has many negatives like a left over story from the bad old drugs and gay coming out days and the lyrics are trite or often worse. However the music is thumpingly brilliant. Fresh and the most original of all the new musicals currently opening. The hooks have stayed with me.

The whole show moves almost like a ballet which makes it fluid and contemporary. One scene - a family dinner around a table - stands out as a real gem as it is choreographed to capture the energy and vacuousity of social media. It was so fresh and memorable. A little work of art. Like wise a coming down (off of crack) scene which felt tragic and despondent. Performances were universally great and I felt engaged and empathetic.

The lyric theatre is a bit off my beat but I’m really pleased I got to see this. Certainly I’ll be watching out for the next piece from the same team. Especially the composer. If you fancy a night out that has a bit less saccharine and sweet sentiment then this will appeal. It has a morose atmosphere all of its own and one that genuinely captures the spirit of Londons clubland sub culture.

[jgblunners]

I thought this was decent but could've done with more workshopping - too many side plot lines that don't really add anything and lyrics that do nothing to advance character or plot. I agree that the family dinner scene was excellent and easily the highlight of the piece. I think if they trimmed it down to the originally advertised 1hr 30mins by excising the extra plot lines and focussed on the family relationships it would be a much better show. The music was good though, and the choreographed movement more effective than I expected it to be. I do seem to be in the minority with my reservations though - it received rapturous applause on the night I went and almost everyone I walked past as I was leaving was talking about how good they thought it was.

[Phantom of London]

Tyrone Huntley is the draw here, then again Tyrone will be a draw, whatever he is in - one of the finest young British actors, he will win an Olivier sometimes, plays a star crossed lover with Billy Cullum who is also very enjoyable, a musical or play or maybe a play with music, that talks about drug addiction and mental health and acceptance of a same sex relationship, despite a god fearing Nigerian Family, now you can see the wallpaper begin to peel. An enjoyable whatever it is, but at time it was laid on a bit too thick, than subtle.

Nothing about Brexit, but I did enjoy the show, so I would be a remainer, but poor directional choices will only limit this show to 3 Stars.

[dlevi]

I caught this this afternoon and basically loved it. Some of the book scenes (while brief) are very heavy-handed and some stuff w might be more effective if musicalized ; however, the performances were so engaging and the staging so fluid that I didn't mind. And frankly it's a story we haven't seen before - the participation of families in a gay marriage. The central immigration problem is rarely addressed, but its such a good title that I forgive them . It's not perfect and could profit from some revision but it's damn good and entirely worthwhile.

On a side note though when is the Lyric Hammersmith going to have Box Office staff who are considerate and engaged in their jobs, over the years they've always been condescending or apathetic and today's gentleman was leaning back in his chair and could barely be bothered to reach into the box and retrieve my ticket. I felt like saying: Sorry to have disturbed you. ( I didn't but what a sour way to enter a theatre.)