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Post by Nelly on Mar 1, 2024 10:51:40 GMT
I saw the show twice at the National and loved it but the one part I did have a problem with the first time I saw it was the resolution of {Spoiler - click to view}Poppy and Nikki's relationship.
However, the second time I'd seen it Maimuna had softened her portrayal slightly and it made it seem a bit more understandable that {Spoiler - click to view}
Nikki would take her back.
So I am looking forward to two new portrayals of these characters to compare.
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Post by capybara on Mar 1, 2024 14:22:40 GMT
First and foremost, I love the premise of Chris Bush’s book. Three generations, three families, all in the same single-set tower block flat, with the years and narratives running alongside each other. Although, for me, the cast doesn’t reach the same heights as previous iterations, they still combine to create something meaningful and special.
I also really like Richard Hawley’s score. But I don’t always love it when both aspects of this musical combine. In many ways, I would possibly find more enjoyment in this show as just a play. It certainly has the feel more of a play with music, than a traditional musical but there is absolutely room for different methods of storytelling in theatreland right now.
Standing at the Sky’s Edge is a powerful reminder that, although times change, it is love and human connections that bind us across generations. Rob Hastie’s direction creates a tense, tinderbox atmosphere that builds and builds. However, the score can at times feel a little one-note and there are some bizarre moments in Lynne Page’s choreography, as mentioned on here.
But this show will transcend the world of musical theatre, if people give it a chance. It is unique and the likes of Laura Pitt-Pulford, Elizabeth Ayodele and Joel Harper-Jackson have you genuinely feeling for their characters as the show reaches its electric crescendo.
There is one story arc that’s ending infuriates me though. I think you can guess which…
Four stars.
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Post by midge on Mar 1, 2024 14:49:23 GMT
I am surprised more isn’t being said about the problematic nature/resolution of the lesbian relationship. Up until the last two minutes I was impressed by the way it was going, only for it to be completely undone for what? I even heard some ‘awwwws’ from folk around me. Baffling. This was my biggest disappointment when I saw it last year. Really annoyed me. How empowering would it have been for the woman who relocated to be SINGLE and OK with that? I agree that it would have been a bolder move {Spoiler - click to view}
to leave Poppy single. But we've also just experienced two relationships end with death. I think it's nice to end on a positive note of a relationship being able to thrive in that apartment again. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Mar 1, 2024 19:33:58 GMT
I dont see it as a positive i thought she was trapped in a toxic relationship. My heart sank but its real life
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Post by TallPaul on Mar 1, 2024 19:52:37 GMT
If the TV adaption goes ahead, which Baz thinks the BBC are interested in, perhaps we'll learn what more of what happened between Nikki and Poppy in the past and, trying not to give anything away, what happens to their relationship in the future.
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Post by chicagocomedian on Mar 1, 2024 20:39:10 GMT
I went to the show this past Tuesday and I went in blind. I loved it. The music was gorgeous, the staging was gorgeous, was interested in the characters. And I didn't mind the ending for the lesbian couple - whose voices were just gorgeous. It was sold out on a Tuesday, so I don't think there's any doubt it'll run through August.
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Mar 2, 2024 7:23:10 GMT
I consoled myself with the fact that {Spoiler - click to view}
they got back together right at the start of 2020 and so probably spent lockdown driving each other crazy and broke up again |
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Post by normasturban on Mar 2, 2024 12:28:15 GMT
The book seemed to suggest near the end that Poppy as a bit of a cold fish and her behaviour was toxic in itself which helped lead to the break up. The problem is they didn’t really hammer that home at all.
So the resolution feels like she just took back her toxic ex. It’s not at all earned. The one part of the show I didn’t enjoy.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Mar 2, 2024 13:09:30 GMT
There’s a £10 ticket on the Noticeboard for tonight’s show.
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Post by darreno on Mar 2, 2024 23:04:20 GMT
Caught this tonight, having had it on my list for ages. Avoided any reviews or info s much as I could and I'm glad I did.
First half was good, but not great. Ended brilliantly though, genuinely fantastic theatre at the end.
Second half is where it really kicks into gear though, pacing is perfect.
The Joy and Jimmy relationship is the one I found most emotional investment in. Nicki and Poppy just weren't likeable characters for me, at all. The actors playing them were both great, but I didn't invest in the characters at all.
Alastair Natkiel and Samuel Jordan (incredible) in particular stood out from the very committed cast as genuine superstars.
This is well worth seeing, it feels more like theatre with songs, than a musical, although I appreciate that styles, terms and tastes are very much up for debate and ever evolving.
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Post by greatauntedna on Mar 5, 2024 23:21:18 GMT
I didn't see this at NT. Musically, it is one of the most exciting things I've seen in a while. Songs are gorgeous. That said, choreo looks like a Gap commercial. The older performers look like they're taking a movement workshop at a community centre. The wigs look like they unpacked their Amazon box and put them on. Some of the acting needs serious grounding, especially from the lesbian couple - do they need to shake like that everytime they act upset? The choreo comment 🤣😭 one scene in particular that stands out in my mind, I think act two, one older actress is placed at the ‘door’ of the flat, and just walks left, then up, then down, then right, over and over. It was so hilarious to watch It was meant to be ridiculous, they’re meant to be stuck. |
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Post by Oobi on Mar 7, 2024 19:44:59 GMT
This was pretty great! I'm not normally a fan of jukebox musicals, honestly to the extent that I probably wouldn't have seen this show if I'd known ahead of time. Thankfully, despite a slow start, the songs really grew on me throughout the first act. "Coles Corner", "There’s a Storm A-Comin'" and the title song were all excellent numbers. And "For Your Lover Give Some Time" brought me close to tears - which, trust me, is a major accomplishment for any show! A part of me still wonders whether this material could've been elevated by a more theatrical songwriter, but as far as jukebox musicals go, this is one of the most effective I've seen. And besides, the real MVP here is the book. The decision to tell all three stories concurrently isn't some lazy gimmick; it's a diegetic storytelling technique to draw the audience's attention to the ways history both repeats itself while never staying the same. {Spoiler - click to view}
Joy and Poppy both move into the flat to "escape", though from very different places; Harry and Jimmy are faced with the decision between their pride and supporting their families, though in the end only one makes the sacrifice; Rose and Joy both leave the flat as single mothers, though their husbands' deaths had different causes. It's evocative stuff, and never over-sentimental.
The characters were all likeable and sympathetic (except Nikki - f*ck Nikki, more on her later) and well performed. I especially liked Samuel Jordan and Elizabeth Ayodele together. Initially I wasn't really sure what the "point" of the modern plotline was; it felt more directionless than the other two. It wasn't until the party scene near the end, when the estate agent tore into Nikki for accusing Poppy of gentrification or something (again - f*ck Nikki) that it fell into place for me: no one community "owns" a building. What once served as a source of middle-class financial stability for Harry and then served as a safe haven for Joy and her immigrant family is now serving as a means of escape for a depressed London professional, and that's okay! Areas change; it's neither good nor bad, it's just life.
Which is why the conclusion to Poppy's story felt so bizarre. Nikki was an awful, emotionally manipulative POS, and it was reassuring that the framing gave her zero leeway in her bullsh*t. When Poppy turned around in the final scene and said "f*ck it", I was like 90% sure she was about to kiss the estate agent, which would've been a great ending; a new resident demonstrating her readiness to finally move on with her life by starting a relationship with an ex-resident. It's like poetry, it rhymes!
Instead, Nikki gets her girlfriend back, despite making it abundantly clear that she's still essentially the same person who lost said girlfriend. It turns a story about change and moving on into a story about... not postponing your wedding? I'm all for redemption stories, even with cheaters - but Jesus, this would be like if Hamilton walked up to Eliza in "It's Quiet Uptown" and sang "Sorry, I guess, but the way you kept asking me to take a break was super triggering. Also, I'm insecure about our class difference, so really, there's fault on both sides. Take me back?"
Thankfully, one of the advantages of the "concurrent narratives" structure is that we have two really great conclusions to dilute the bad taste of the third. The final scene between Joy and Jimmy's ghost was f*cking heartbreaking. I'm not really sure how I feel about the graffitied message overall, but its usage there was beautiful.
Joy and Poppy both move into the flat to "escape", though from very different places; Harry and Jimmy are faced with the decision between their pride and supporting their families, though in the end only one makes the sacrifice; Rose and Joy both leave the flat as single mothers, though their husbands' deaths had different causes. It's evocative stuff, and never over-sentimental.
The characters were all likeable and sympathetic (except Nikki - f*ck Nikki, more on her later) and well performed. I especially liked Samuel Jordan and Elizabeth Ayodele together. Initially I wasn't really sure what the "point" of the modern plotline was; it felt more directionless than the other two. It wasn't until the party scene near the end, when the estate agent tore into Nikki for accusing Poppy of gentrification or something (again - f*ck Nikki) that it fell into place for me: no one community "owns" a building. What once served as a source of middle-class financial stability for Harry and then served as a safe haven for Joy and her immigrant family is now serving as a means of escape for a depressed London professional, and that's okay! Areas change; it's neither good nor bad, it's just life.
Which is why the conclusion to Poppy's story felt so bizarre. Nikki was an awful, emotionally manipulative POS, and it was reassuring that the framing gave her zero leeway in her bullsh*t. When Poppy turned around in the final scene and said "f*ck it", I was like 90% sure she was about to kiss the estate agent, which would've been a great ending; a new resident demonstrating her readiness to finally move on with her life by starting a relationship with an ex-resident. It's like poetry, it rhymes!
Instead, Nikki gets her girlfriend back, despite making it abundantly clear that she's still essentially the same person who lost said girlfriend. It turns a story about change and moving on into a story about... not postponing your wedding? I'm all for redemption stories, even with cheaters - but Jesus, this would be like if Hamilton walked up to Eliza in "It's Quiet Uptown" and sang "Sorry, I guess, but the way you kept asking me to take a break was super triggering. Also, I'm insecure about our class difference, so really, there's fault on both sides. Take me back?"
Thankfully, one of the advantages of the "concurrent narratives" structure is that we have two really great conclusions to dilute the bad taste of the third. The final scene between Joy and Jimmy's ghost was f*cking heartbreaking. I'm not really sure how I feel about the graffitied message overall, but its usage there was beautiful.
Set and lighting were perfect. Choreography was sh*tty. All in all, 8/10. Would recommend! |
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Post by darreno on Mar 8, 2024 11:26:25 GMT
This was pretty great! All in all, 8/10. Would recommend! Great review, you summed it up so well. Since seeing it last weekend, it's been burrowing into my mind a little bit so I'm going to catch it again. Always a sign that there's more there to be explored! |
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Post by Jonnyboy on Mar 8, 2024 12:01:36 GMT
How are the £20 side stalls tickets? Is the view really restricted?
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Post by jaqs on Mar 8, 2024 15:22:19 GMT
The sides are fine, you don’t see all of the neon sign, but can check that out in the interval.
Most of the action is central.
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Post by blobble84 on Mar 8, 2024 18:35:21 GMT
How are the £20 side stalls tickets? Is the view really restricted? LW have added view from (available) seats. |
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Post by max on Mar 8, 2024 22:07:20 GMT
How are the £20 side stalls tickets? Is the view really restricted? If you have time to spare on a Friday, you can buy a £10 ticket on the National Theatre website, under their Friday Rush process. The link goes up between 12.30pm and 1pm, so it's worth getting online at 12.30pm and joining the queue as soon as you see the link to click. Then from 1pm you'll be let in when it's your turn and you may get a better seat than the side seats. Friday Rush is for the upcoming Monday to Saturday. However it's good to hear reports that the side seats are decent at the ordinary price of £20 - I've just looked at the 'seat view' on the LWTheatres sound and it looks more than fine. |
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Post by fiyero on Mar 9, 2024 8:41:05 GMT
How are the £20 side stalls tickets? Is the view really restricted? If you have time to spare on a Friday, you can buy a £10 ticket on the National Theatre website, under their Friday Rush process. The link goes up between 12.30pm and 1pm, so it's worth getting online at 12.30pm and joining the queue as soon as you see the link to click. Then from 1pm you'll be let in when it's your turn and you may get a better seat than the side seats. Friday Rush is for the upcoming Monday to Saturday. However it's good to hear reports that the side seats are decent at the ordinary price of £20 - I've just looked at the 'seat view' on the LWTheatres sound and it looks more than fine. I got row H in the central block through this. Queue took quite a while and a warning popped up saying all the seats at the main NT shows were sold out so I guess more go for those or more are offered for this? I only looked at the performance I wanted but a few seats to pick from too. |
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Post by Jon on Mar 10, 2024 0:44:30 GMT
Saw this tonight and have to say, I'm kicking myself for not seeing this last year at the National because it's a great show.
The three stories are quite effective and while it starts off standalone it become more and more connected with various characters and though the central characters Rose, Joy and Poppy don't interact with each other, their stories resonate.
Rachael Wooding as Rose is the standout but it's a great cast. In terms of the songs, they're really good, my favourites were the title song, After the Rain and Tonight the Streets are Ours.
I had a Friday Rush ticket in the side stalls and it's a great seat for the price because they're no restrictions other than a side view.
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Post by mattnyc on Mar 10, 2024 19:15:44 GMT
I went to the show yesterday and Elizabeth was off as Joy which really made me sad - I had hoped to see all three main ladies in this transfer. The show was still, I was happy to discover, one of my favorite musicals in years but it did reaffirm my belief that Faith Omole was the heart and soul of the show and now that she’s gone that seems to have shifted to the fabulous Rachel Wooding’s Rose.
I had planned to see “Jamie” today but when I got there and saw Ivano was out I left - I really had just wanted to see him and since he was out, I ended up back over by the Gillian Lynne where they informed me everyone was in for todays show, so I was more than happy to see “Sky’s Edge” for a second time in 24 hours. Afterwards, I actually ran into Maimuna Memon, who had seen the show today and seemed surprised I recognized her, so that was an added thrill. But was able to chat a bit to some of the cast who just could t be nicer. They really all do deserve the love they get after every performance.
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Post by punxsutawney on Mar 14, 2024 23:22:32 GMT
So so glad this is able to run in the West End, I am sure it will struggle commercially but it is a show that deserves to be seen by as many eyes as possible. A jukebox musical that doesn't feel like a jukebox musical is a mean feat but the music of Richard Hawley works perfectly, especially when incorporated non-diegetically as it was here. Laura Pitt-Pulford is just wonderful and joyous to listen to, which goes a long way to making up for the loss of Maimuna Memon. {Spoiler - click to view}
I understand the unhappiness a lot have shown with the Nikki/Poppy storyline's resolution, but for me it's not a problem. I think it's not intended as a happy ending, per se, there's no happy ending in this story just like there was no happy ending for the other two narratives. It's a human story, an imperfect one, not a fairytale. Five stars from me. |
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Post by matildaswinton on Mar 17, 2024 19:02:12 GMT
Just got out.
Well done but boring. Britain’s wannabe Clybourne Park with sleepy music. An easy evening that becomes taxing as the second act lets the problems of the first overtake it.
I am so sick of forced semi-poetic narrator monologues in current theatre.
I am so sick of book scenes which merely *approach* drama leading into sad lackluster songs (hi MJ!).
A thought that solidified for me during this show: theatre is not special because the creatives want it to be special (or because the audience is hungry for it to be special)… theatre is special when something special happens.
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Post by shownut on Mar 17, 2024 20:24:15 GMT
Just got out. Well done but boring. Britain’s wannabe Clybourne Park with sleepy music. An easy evening that becomes taxing as the second act lets the problems of the first overtake it. I am so sick of forced semi-poetic narrator monologues in current theatre. I am so sick of book scenes which merely *approach* drama leading into sad lackluster songs (hi MJ!). A thought that solidified for me during this show: theatre is not special because the creatives want it to be special (or because the audience is hungry for it to be special)… theatre is special when something special happens. I could not agree with you more. Spot on. |
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Post by punxsutawney on Mar 18, 2024 9:29:31 GMT
A thought that solidified for me during this show: theatre is not special because the creatives want it to be special (or because the audience is hungry for it to be special)… theatre is special when something special happens. It is subjective. What is not special to you can be special to others without there being some sort of vested interest in it. This show is acclaimed by many, it's okay to not like it but there's no reason to make out that nobody else should! |
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Post by drfootlights on Mar 19, 2024 0:30:54 GMT
Sad this isn’t extending. A summer filler for the GL to be announced any day now.
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