|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 27, 2017 13:51:09 GMT
Nice to see it announce an extension!
|
|
5,149 posts
|
Post by Being Alive on Apr 27, 2017 14:06:42 GMT
Has anyone sat front row for this? I'm desperate to see it, and sat front row for WWRY back in the day, and it was a little close, but found it ok. How is it for this? Appreciate you'll miss some footwork but there are second row at the same price (£30)...
|
|
1,103 posts
|
Post by mallardo on Apr 27, 2017 14:14:01 GMT
Front row is excellent, the orchestra pit is between you and the stage. You don't miss any of the footwork.
|
|
270 posts
|
Post by stageyninja83 on Apr 27, 2017 14:38:19 GMT
Has anyone sat front row for this? I'm desperate to see it, and sat front row for WWRY back in the day, and it was a little close, but found it ok. How is it for this? Appreciate you'll miss some footwork but there are second row at the same price (£30)... It's a great view, I'm 5ft 10 and could see the feet of the dancers due to the orchestra pit. Maybe go slightly off centre so the view isn't so affected by the conductor (he was very enthusiastic the day I went) |
|
225 posts
|
Post by madsonmelo on Apr 27, 2017 16:59:38 GMT
From the shows that I saw this was the one that I liked the least, but it was still a great (and different!) night of theater.
Maybe it was just my ''not love so much'' kinda of thing with jukebox musical or because even though they tried (and got it right with the changes in the story), in the middle of the musical there's something lacking to connect both parts, feels.. lost.
Aside from this, the production is fairly great as the orchestra was sensational, both leads are just beyond (Fairchild is the definition of dreamy and Cope is pure charisma) and I've never seen ballett dancing incorporated so beautiful in a musical before, so kudos for Mr. Wheedon for this. Mr. Oakley was good, but could be great, sometimes felt really off with the performance overall (accent included), but his last number was a winner, as for Seadon-Young it was a win for start, really ''in'' with Adam and really commanding presence.
It's a very estilized musical, that maybe some will found almost ''sterile'', but at the end of the day really hits you in the heart and it was a lovely night.
|
|
1,349 posts
|
Post by CG on the loose on Apr 27, 2017 18:23:43 GMT
Has anyone sat front row for this? I'm desperate to see it, and sat front row for WWRY back in the day, and it was a little close, but found it ok. How is it for this? Appreciate you'll miss some footwork but there are second row at the same price (£30)... Yes and it's wonderful  |
|
364 posts
|
Post by dazzerlump on Apr 28, 2017 18:45:36 GMT
Does anyone know which performances Ashley day does as Jerry?
|
|
2,775 posts
|
Post by daniel on Apr 28, 2017 19:12:18 GMT
Does anyone know which performances Ashley day does as Jerry? I think it's Tuesdays, and he takes over the role full time from 19 June. EDIT - I was wrong, he does Monday night and midweek matineeRobert Fairchild is scheduled to perform at all performances until Saturday 25 March 2017 (with the exception of the matinee on Saturday 25 March). From Monday 27 March 2017, he is scheduled to perform at all Tuesday to Saturday evening performances and Saturday matinees until 17 June 2017. At all other performances, and from 19 June 2017 onwards, the role of Jerry Mulligan is scheduled to be played by Ashley Day. Leanne Cope is scheduled to perform at all performances until Saturday 22 April 2017. From week commencing 24 April 2017 onwards, she is scheduled to appear at all performances except Wednesday evenings, when the role of Lise Dassin is scheduled to be played by Daniela Norman. Cast Holidays: Robert Fairchild will be on holiday from Monday 17 to Wednesday 19 April 2017 inclusive and from Monday 8 to Wednesday 10 May 2017 inclusive. Leanne Cope will be on holiday for 2 weeks from 31 July 2017. |
|
1,346 posts
|
Post by tmesis on May 2, 2017 11:48:42 GMT
Saw Ashley Day last night as Jerry. He was really good and had a great rapport with Leanne Cope. What a talented guy he is; great singer, dancer and actor and so handsome.
The whole production is very enjoyable and worth it's extravagant reviews.
The only downside was Jane Asher. I've always thought she was a rather limited actress, but she was even worse than anticipated - absolutely terrible French accent.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 11:52:54 GMT
The only downside was Jane Asher. I've always thought she was a rather limited actress, but she was even worse than anticipated - absolutely terrible French accent. Didn't you appreciate the dramatic point of her character's accent? |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 2, 2017 20:36:23 GMT
The only downside was Jane Asher. I've always thought she was a rather limited actress, but she was even worse than anticipated - absolutely terrible French accent. Didn't you appreciate the dramatic point of her character's accent? If there was one then it's not well made - it just comes across as an utterly dreadful, bordering on embarrassing attempt at a French accent. And she's not the only one of the cast who is at fault. |
|
904 posts
|
Post by lonlad on May 2, 2017 23:45:28 GMT
Jane's French accent is at least better than Mr Seadon-Young's embarrassing Noo Yawk one .....
|
|
449 posts
|
Post by SageStageMgr on May 3, 2017 17:26:58 GMT
Saw today's matinee.
Impossible show to rave about. Loved some of the staging and slickness, the set designs and beauty of the show.
Very, very underwhelmed by the material and some of the performances. Difficult to root for anyone, lots of meandering twenty minute blocks of (very pretty looking) nothing going on. Huge lull towards the end of act one, exaggerated by elderly chap fast asleep behind me, being nudged awake to a jolt by his embarrassed spouse. I wasn't bored to that extent, but it was hardly riveting.
Starts off as a very promising near speech-free dance piece - and I wish it had stayed that way. Would've worked as a ballet. IF anyone actually danced en pointe. Was shocked to see Michael Billington's Guardian review advertising the show on a sandwich board outside at the interval, playing up the dance credentials of the stars. Leanne Cope's dancing was passable at best. Hardly the jaw dropping "star turn" the part requires to carry the show. Her dancing was loose as f***; no pointe, even out of time at points. Injured? Not good enough.
Ashley Day, alternate, who I previously liked in The Drowsy Chaperone and The Wizard of Oz -and LOVED as cover Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, is passable in this. His dancing is decent but the character is so bland. In the previous roles he was the same, all big white teeth and limbs, but in this I found him grating. He actually reminded me of Barrowman. So contrived and picture perfect with no hint of true personality.
Haydn Oakley was fine as Henri and I thought Zoe Rainey as Milo made a far nicer and kindlier character than was probably intended. I liked her character... Jane Asher's accent was terrible. Truly awful. Out of her depth and embarrassing. Luckily her small supporting part was insignificant so it didn't draw too much focus. The dancing from the ensemble was fine, not outstanding.
There are some magical moments but they all come from the imaginative staging. I love the "hand drawn" projection effect, the use of set pieces and the general aesthetic, which is honestly the one major thing I took from the show.
Amazed it got all the rave reviews it did; it's almost a homage to old fashioned Broadway musicals with some beautiful staging thrown in. The theatre is an absolute barn and the show fills it nicely in terms of set; but it could've done with adding to the ensemble by 8-10 bodies.
Got a £20 rush seat (stalls, row R 23) which was fantastic value (TodayTix app), but I wouldn't go back even at that price. The staging is gorgeous, but the material, story and performances are far from extraordinary.
|
|
4,021 posts
|
Post by Dawnstar on May 3, 2017 18:46:18 GMT
I thought Zoe Rainey as Milo made a far nicer and kindlier character than was probably intended. I liked her character... I think she was my favourite character when I saw it. Which was kind of a problem as I was sitting there wishing Jerry would get together with Milo at the end rather than Lise. I'm trying to decide whether to see this again or not. I'd quite like to see Robert Fairchild again before he leaves & to see Hayden Oakyley, who was off when I saw it the first time, but I'm not sure I want to sit through some of the dacning again, especially the primary-colour-costumed seemingly-endless final ballet. |
|
449 posts
|
Post by SageStageMgr on May 3, 2017 20:06:08 GMT
Don't bother going for Haydn Oakley - he was fine, but you shouldn't pay anything to see him particularly. Can't comment on the principal lead, but don't see how he could change the whole show. Agree about wanting them to hook up. Was that intentional?
On the plus side I'm at Carousel interval and it's a train wreck, so at least I relatively got some quality from An American in Paris
|
|
120 posts
|
Post by aine on May 10, 2017 6:48:52 GMT
Saw Ashley Day last night as Jerry. He was really good and had a great rapport with Leanne Cope. What a talented guy he is; great singer, dancer and actor and so handsome. The whole production is very enjoyable and worth it's extravagant reviews. The only downside was Jane Asher. I've always thought she was a rather limited actress, but she was even worse than anticipated - absolutely terrible French accent. I saw this for the first time last night and loved it, but her accent was the only major downside for me. I was in the queue for the bar during the interval and the couple behind me were talking about her, "I don't think she's been on yet, maybe she makes a cameo at the end?". I was tempted to turn around and say she was the one 'with the accent'. Ashley Day was playing Jerry last night, and I thought he was great :] |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 12:00:27 GMT
So should I try and see Robert Fairchild in this or is Ashley Day just as good?
|
|
270 posts
|
Post by stageyninja83 on May 10, 2017 12:49:24 GMT
So should I try and see Robert Fairchild in this or is Ashley Day just as good? Personally I'd say try and catch Robert. I love watching him and Leanne dance together, they have great chemistry & Robert edges Ashley on the dancing overall. |
|
840 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by Steffi on May 10, 2017 13:10:44 GMT
So should I try and see Robert Fairchild in this or is Ashley Day just as good? I haven't seen Ashley Day so can't compare but Robert and Leanne are (in my opinion) wonderful together. I'd try and catch them both if you can. |
|
120 posts
|
Post by aine on May 10, 2017 13:44:57 GMT
So should I try and see Robert Fairchild in this or is Ashley Day just as good? I've only seen Ashley, so can't comment on Robert, but I didn't even catch on that he was the alternate until I was home again; so I certainly wouldn't not go and see it, just because it's Ashely and not Robert |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 16:32:09 GMT
Anyone interested, Leanne Cope has new holiday dates: Monday 6 to Saturday 11 November 2017 inclusive and Monday 29 January - Monday 3 February 2018 inclusive.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 16:51:35 GMT
Interesting to note the show is currently only booking until January 28, 2018 but Leanne Cope has the week after booked off for holiday, so evidently Leanne will be staying on for another contract I assume? And that the show plans to extend once again.
|
|
270 posts
|
Post by stageyninja83 on May 10, 2017 18:23:46 GMT
Interesting to note the show is currently only booking until January 28, 2018 but Leanne Cope has the week after booked off for holiday, so evidently Leanne will be staying on for another contract I assume? And that the show plans to extend once again. Why does that mean she'll be staying for another contract? It opened in March, if contract is 12 months that could still be this contract. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on May 10, 2017 18:36:36 GMT
Interesting to note the show is currently only booking until January 28, 2018 but Leanne Cope has the week after booked off for holiday, so evidently Leanne will be staying on for another contract I assume? And that the show plans to extend once again. Why does that mean she'll be staying for another contract? It opened in March, if contract is 12 months that could still be this contract. Ah that's true, I forgot it opened in March.  |
|
|
|
Post by Mr Snow on May 14, 2017 6:49:55 GMT
I think they were lucky opening just before 42nd St. This is the second best dance musical in London, though most years it would be the best.
Great cast although I agree on some of the accents, worst offender Miss Asher who was dreadful.
Re the 3 men falling for her, well who wouldn't? But the constant running away didn’t work as well as I recall it from the film?
I realise this is a jukebox musical version of a juke box film, but the songs were crowbarred into the plot and if the Gershwin's don’t have 50 songs better than Lisa and Itchy Feet, I'll eat my first edition Ella Fitzgerald Songbooks. Still it may now be my favourite Gershwin musical. Time has not been kind to their work. Same goes for Jerome Kern but at least he has Showboat.
The undoubted star of the evening was a new name to me, Zoe Rainey. Her resume doesn't seem that long but she had real star quality. Her part Milo Davenport, was clearly based on Vera Simpson a character in Pal Joey who gets to sing one of the great Theatre songs Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered. (Rita Hayworth was miscast in the film).
So My plan to stage Pal Joey in the west end in 2019 nears completion
1 Stunning singing/actress/comedienne to play Vera Simpson. Check
2 Stunning singing/dancing/actor like the young Sinatra to play Joey. TBC
3 Win many millions on lottery. TBC
|
|
