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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2019 11:06:37 GMT
I went last night, and mostly enjoyed it. Lots better than Kiss Me Kate and Showboat, both of which I absolutely hated (for the story, not the performances).
I do think the Crucible seems to have abandoned trying to play properly to all sides of the stage - I used to say there wasn't a bad seat there, but the last few times I've been to things, they're mostly played to the front. I was at the very side for this and couldn't see the band or anything at the back, and it made the band much too loud. I found many of the songs impossible to hear the lyrics, so it took away a lot of the impact. I didn't know the musical at all, so I felt it really didn't help me.
I thought Natalie Casey was hilarious, and her two big numbers were fab. Alex Young was the only one who I could consistently hear and understand absolutely throughout. I really liked Nathan Detroit, but I thought the Sky bloke was a bit lacking in charisma. He had good chemistry with Alex Young, but otherwise i wasn't particularly taken with him. I liked that they had some fatter dancers too, hurrah.
The first half felt very long to me. In fact I'd have trimmed some of the dancing as I thought some of the choreography was a but repetitive and derivative, especially the men's group numbers (the leaning back, head down, hand on hat stuff for example) which reminded me a lot of the West Side Story film choreography.
Overall, far better than Showboat and Kiss Me Kate, nowhere near as good as Annie Get Your Gun or Anything Goes.
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Post by learfan on Dec 21, 2019 12:35:54 GMT
I’ve got tickets booked for the week after New Year as it’s a nightmare getting into Sheffield the last couple of weeks before Christmas. A friend went the first week and said it was terrible, but he didn’t like Kinky Boots, so say no more. 🥴🤣 Im going on 11 January. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 21, 2019 17:32:15 GMT
Also, what was with the really weird accent for the cop? Was he just being Herr Flick?
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 21, 2019 18:17:16 GMT
Also, what was with the really weird accent for the cop? Was he just being Herr Flick? Isn't that your boy, BurlyBeaR? And no charisma from your other favourite, either! 😕 |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 21, 2019 21:22:37 GMT
Also, what was with the really weird accent for the cop? Was he just being Herr Flick? Isn't that your boy, BurlyBeaR ? And no charisma from your other favourite, either! 😕 Horses for courses! |
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Post by frontrowcentre on Dec 22, 2019 9:45:17 GMT
This looks absolutely amazing!
Chances for a tour/transfer...?
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 22, 2019 9:48:54 GMT
Isn't that your boy, BurlyBeaR ? And no charisma from your other favourite, either! 😕 Horses for courses! Now I'm confused! I thought Jacob Fisher was playing Harry the Horse? 🐴 😉 |
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 23, 2019 14:38:03 GMT
New trailer...
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 23, 2019 21:52:13 GMT
The production is fabulous, slick, lavish and grand but I found the dialogue doesn't land (but for me it never does) and I just long for the next song or camp dance number.
Alex Young was great as Sarah. She's not naive and knows a lot.
Natalie Casey was brilliant. Can we cast in her everything now?
And as @burlybear says Kaddiff Kirwan is very appealing unfortunately not the strongest voice but...
Great songs but I just wished I enjoyed the book and dialogue.
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 23, 2019 22:46:12 GMT
This is the third production of Guys And Dolls I’ve seen this year and it’s strong, just not quite up there with the Paris production.
The highlights were the two female leads, Natalie Casey for comedy and Alex Young for overall performance. The male leads were good but not as memorable.
The main complaint, as others have said, the poor sound quality and balancing. I don’t know if this was because I was sat at the side but the band was really overpowering. Some of the mics were turned too low even when the band wasn’t playing.
The big dance numbers were performed with gusto and this show benefited from the large cast and stage area. Front row seat was great and I got to hold a shawl for a while. I was happy with the side view, most of the performance considered all the audience angles and there were interesting views a lot of the time including one cast member (who shall remain nameless but may have been in 42nd Street) getting a fit of the giggles.
I do think some of this played a bit slow, hence the three hour running time, but from my point of view I’d have been quite content to watch this for another hour. It was pretty full tonight too so this is a deservedly popular show.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 24, 2019 9:24:27 GMT
Sound was fine for my visit, i was front row just off centre.
I thought the costumes were gorgeous, especially Adelaide’s, and the colour palette reminded me of the Dick Tracy movie with Madonna. I’m thinking of going again in January.
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 24, 2019 12:44:37 GMT
I was talking to the Crucible's resident sound engineer a couple of open days ago, so that would be October 2018. He even let me play with his equipment right there in the world-famous theatre's auditorium! 😉
He told me that for Kiss Me, Kate, the sound designer had insisted that their own engineer worked the desk. Obviously there was a limit to what he could say in public to a complete stranger, but I got the distinct impression that he had reservations about the arrangement. Not because he would lose out financially (he was working the sound desk over in the Lyceum instead), but because of the Crucible's rather idiosyncratic shape.
I don't know if that arrangement has continued this year, and shouldn't be an excuse anyway, but it may explain any balance issues. I'll find out for myself in a few days!
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Post by learfan on Jan 11, 2020 17:43:44 GMT
Saw today's matinee. Excellent, Natalie Casey a revelation, Alex Young superb as always. I echo some of the comments re the sound, the band did on occasion overwhelm the actors. This is such a brilliant show. Hope we can start to see some of Loesser's other work in GB soon.
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 18, 2020 14:07:45 GMT
Last night tonight, which I specifically booked for my second visit in the hope of watching an extra special performance. Maybe I'll even be able to hear some of the singing this time! On my first visit, on New Year's Eve, something very sweet happened during 'Take Back Your Mink'. The couple sitting to my right didn't return, thankfully, after the interval*, so there were two empty seats next to me. After first throwing me her pink stole, one of the ensemble jumped down off the stage, sat next to me, slipped her arm into mine and rested her head on my shoulder. It probably wasn't, but it felt like she stayed there for minutes, before jumping back onto the stage and picking up the choreography mid-number. That's what separates the david's of this world from mere mortals! 😉 Although it's oft said that men can't multitask, and I don't even remember doing it, I'd folded her stole while watching the rest of the routine, so it was all neat and tidy when she came to collect it. "Have you folded it for me?" she asked without breaking character. I nodded shyly, before reluctantly handing it back. "He's such a sweetheart," she said, looking at the young woman on my left. And then, with a little wave, she was gone, and my moment in the limelight was over. I'll never wash my very stylish jumper again. 🙂 *They couldn't keep their hands off each other, so I assume they *did* get a room. It couldn't have been me; I always have a bath on New Year's Eve, whether I need one or not!!! |
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Post by david on Jan 19, 2020 12:32:06 GMT
Last night tonight, which I specifically booked for my second visit in the hope of watching an extra special performance. Maybe I'll even be able to hear some of the singing this time! On my first visit, on New Year's Eve, something very sweet happened during 'Take Back Your Mink'. The couple sitting to my right didn't return, thankfully, after the interval*, so there were two empty seats next to me. After first throwing me her pink stole, one of the ensemble jumped down off the stage, sat next to me, slipped her arm into mine and rested her head on my shoulder. It probably wasn't, but it felt like she stayed there for minutes, before jumping back onto the stage and picking up the choreography mid-number. That's what separates the david 's of this world from mere mortals! 😉 Although it's oft said that men can't multitask, and I don't even remember doing it, I'd folded her stole while watching the rest of the routine, so it was all neat and tidy when she came to collect it. "Have you folded it for me?" she asked without breaking character. I nodded shyly, before reluctantly handing it back. "He's such a sweetheart," she said, looking at the young woman on my left. And then, with a little wave, she was gone, and my moment in the limelight was over. I'll never wash my very stylish jumper again. 🙂 *They couldn't keep their hands off each other, so I assume they *did* get a room. It couldn't have been me; I always have a bath on New Year's Eve, whether I need one or not!!! Thanks! I’m currently rehearsing a nifty flamenco dance ready for Zorro at Hope Mill (that reminds me, I still need to find a supplier for my cloak and mask) as well as sorting out my disco routine ready for Brewester’s Millions at the Chester Storyhouse. 🕺 |
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 20, 2020 11:03:40 GMT
I still need to find a supplier for my cloak and mask Exciting news, BurlyBeaR . It seems Tall & Burly Theatrical Costumiers has secured its first customer. As a senior member of TheatreBoard, I'm sure we can offer david 'mates rates'. Maybe, once we're more established, we can launch a subsidiary specialising in one-stop sound services to world-famous theatres. After a six week run, it was still frustratingly bad on Saturday night.  |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 20, 2020 12:13:07 GMT
I think you mean Burly & Tall Theatrical Costumers TallPaul? Perhaps you could fit out david with the cloak you nicked off me, and then give me the money for it? Better late than never! |
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Post by david on Jan 20, 2020 13:58:30 GMT
I still need to find a supplier for my cloak and mask Exciting news, BurlyBeaR . It seems Tall & Burly Theatrical Costumiers has secured its first customer. As a senior member of TheatreBoard, I'm sure we can offer david 'mates rates'. Maybe, once we're more established, we can launch a subsidiary specialising in one-stop sound services to world-famous theatres. After a six week run, it was still frustratingly bad on Saturday night. That would much appreciated TallPaul. This could be the start of TheatreBoards spin off venture! |
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Post by TallPaul on Jan 20, 2020 14:27:46 GMT
I think you mean Burly & Tall Theatrical Costumers I was simply following the same order as MCR based High & Mighty, but if you want to put age before beauty, that's something we would obviously need to discuss.  Maybe we need a TheatreBoard poll? And ' nicked' is a very strong word to be using, without foundation, on Blue Monday. This isn't the Harry & Meghan thread!  |
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Post by cherokee on Jan 22, 2020 8:35:37 GMT
I quite enjoyed this without being overwhelmed. I love the show but this production lacked a certain exuberance: maybe it was post-Christmas fatigue.
Kadiff Kirwan is a very beautiful man but I thought he was miscast here: his singing was OK but tentative and lacked confidence, and there was zero chemistry between him and Alex Young (whom I'm sad to say looked old enough to be his mother.)
I liked Natalie Casey and thought her numbers were fun, and it was interesting to see the changes they'd made to the score (i.e. bringing the 2 men on stage to sing the final line of 'Marry the Man today'.) "Sit down you're rocking the boat' was great and brought the house down as it should do, but I think overall a 3 star show from me. If you can't believe in the central romance of the musical, that's a bit of a problem...
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 22, 2020 12:23:33 GMT
I've never believed the romatic aspect of either couple. Neither of those men will change.
Great songs though
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Post by Deleted on Jan 22, 2020 13:24:59 GMT
I really wanted the two women to say 'you know what, they're both useless, let's run off together instead.' The two women had more chemistry than either of the other couples.
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Maybe we need a TheatreBoard poll?
