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Post by TallPaul on Sept 6, 2017 12:43:35 GMT
They're going to be performing in black and white. How clever!!
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Post by richey on Sept 6, 2017 13:22:48 GMT
They're going to be performing in black and white. How clever!! "Want you black, want you black, want you black for good.." |
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2,242 posts
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Post by richey on Sept 6, 2017 17:22:07 GMT
Just seen a giant advertising board for this being driven around Manchester Ring road. Things must be getting desperate
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 15:12:27 GMT
It's opening night and this thread is on page two!
Anyone else going?
Not looking forward to the late, half eight, start. I may be asleep by the interval.
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19,659 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Sept 8, 2017 15:43:58 GMT
It's opening night and this thread is on page two! Anyone else going? Not looking forward to the late, half eight, start. I may be asleep by the interval. You don't half get about shady23 are you a truck driver or something?  |
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 15:45:03 GMT
It's opening night and this thread is on page two! Anyone else going? Not looking forward to the late, half eight, start. I may be asleep by the interval. Yup. I'll be there. Excitement and dread in equal measure. |
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 15:48:19 GMT
It's opening night and this thread is on page two! Anyone else going? Not looking forward to the late, half eight, start. I may be asleep by the interval. You don't half get about shady23 are you a truck driver or something? Newcastle to Manchester, £3.50 on the Megabus. The glamorous life of a theatre fan  |
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 19:29:21 GMT
Never seen the Opera House so busy (*cough* rowdy *cough*)
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 20:38:44 GMT
Well.
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Post by infofreako on Sept 8, 2017 20:40:52 GMT
Is it interval thoughts time yet?
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 20:43:36 GMT
Is it interval thoughts time yet? Yep Crowd largely dreadful and it's sort of ruining it for me The whole thing seems a bit under rehearsed and there seems to be a lot of problem moving it/crew coming on to shift things and open doors quickly There are some nice narrative elements and i was genuinely moved at one point (avoiding spoilers) ome funny moments (there may be more if I could hear over the audience). The young girls on the whole are really good. |
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 20:44:08 GMT
Oh and I do like the set on the whole even if it is falling apart
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 20:47:12 GMT
Some interval notes.
First act was just over an hour.
I'm going to start smashing people's phones up. So much photo taking throughout the performance. Unbelievably rude. You are not at a concert!
Some bits good.
Some bits not so good but so there is lots of potential here.
Will post full thoughts at the end.
Lots of scenery glitches. It's a glitch-y set that keeps being moved about. Not sure why it needs to be moved around quite so much.
Take That are here. FAINT!
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 20:49:11 GMT
I don't think the music make much sense to the narrative. It is good and in some parts really good. Potential but needs a lot of tidying up.
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 20:52:40 GMT
Yes often the links to songs are flimsy at best but the emotional one you mentioned was glorious and sung beautifully.
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 20:53:31 GMT
I knew I should've brought my theatre etiquette leaflets to hand out at the door. It's spoiling it for me.
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2,051 posts
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Post by infofreako on Sept 8, 2017 21:14:24 GMT
I knew I should've brought my theatre etiquette leaflets to hand out at the door. It's spoiling it for me. They sound a great idea. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 8, 2017 22:14:09 GMT
Was my prediction right, is there a wedding in the show?? Theres a wedding ring in the logo!
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 22:23:15 GMT
Ah you are eagle eyed. I'd not noticed that until now. That's pretty clever. Well done design team.
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 22:39:10 GMT
First show over.
I am the target audience. I have probably watched Take That 50 times in concert never mind all the extra solo shows, TV appearances, general stalking... 🙈 etc
My verdict... OK but potential to be so much more. Worth a watch though.
I thought Five to Five would be the weak link but they turned out to be the strong link. They were perfect. When not singing they're having to lug the whole set around and there were lots of problems with that tonight, not their fault. Lots of random men walking on who shouldn't have been walking on. I think they've made the set far too complicated. It's not needed.
Too many scenes of "boys" stand and sing at back while women stand at front and talk about the past. Though because of the singing at the same time it went from we couldn't hear what the women were actually saying to lots of shouting.
Lull in the dialogue? "let's put another "f***" in for the hen party crowd"
Great costumes and lots of little references to Take That things that the fangirls will love.
Intro is fab. Great big TV set at the beginning with ceefax and TOTP. Perfect.
Wish it had stayed that good. A bit much of a cliché.
I found the young girls annoying and they couldn't sing. These are not really kids, they're theatre graduates. It was very high school show standard. The older versions of them were straight out of the Mamma Mia stereotypical woman of a certain age mould.
The band and music in general were superb.
Crowd were shouting out "witty" comments, screaming constantly and taking photos throughout. The theatre staff just gave up after a while and didn't stop them. Hopefully it will calm down on other nights.
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 22:45:05 GMT
Well. This was my first ever proper 'opening night'. I've been to press nights and first nights of runs...but never proper premiere open nights. I was sceptical about it and honestly thought the whole thing was going to be dire. I don't know why; I love Take That, I love reality telly and I LOVE musicals so the whole process should've worked for me but I was left feeling a bit MEH in the run up to it all.
My negativity going in probably did impact on the first half for me. That and the awful 'audience' who thought they were at a Take That concert (standing up MID show, waving camera phone lights, singing, shouting, waving). I'm all for a bit of clapping along but it really did put a dampener on the whole thing for me because other than that, I actually thought the whole thing was a joy.
Sure there are a lot of improvements to make but it was the first night and there's a lot of potential. I've never seen a set quite like it, it seems to transform but stay exactly the same at the same time...I really liked it. The projections and some cool tricks really made it. However, this was obviously a problem for them and the moving of the set failed numerous times resulting in crew running on and a delay or two. But I'm sure this can be ironed out.
I really did like the story, the play on the past and present and the numerous Take That references for the fans (of which there were a plenty). I don't want to give away any spoilers but there are some really really moving moments and some really funny ones too.
Music - we know the music, it's nothing new. There's a few different arrangements of TT number as expected but other than that just standard. They didn't really fit the narrative and the link between the song and the book were very dodgy at times but nevertheless, the songs just seemed to 'work'. I admit to having a little cry during 'Back For Good'. Very lovely moments there.
Both sets of leads worked together really well together and there is some real talent in the younger set of girls. I also really liked 'Every Dave' which added some humour throughout.
Not sure what else to add without giving spoilers but it is a really really nice show with great potential. I'd probably like to go and see it again when I can hear the dialogue properly though.
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 22:46:43 GMT
I found the young girls annoying and they couldn't sing. I sort of thought that was the point? I get it's a musical but they were passable and at times I thought stronger than Five to Five. Might just be me. |
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 22:48:34 GMT
Also, I would've liked a souvenir brochure and am quite surprised there wasn't one considering the TT fans seem to buy anything.
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4,361 posts
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Post by shady23 on Sept 8, 2017 22:50:14 GMT
There was an A5 programme.
The rest of the merchandise was a bit boring.
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183 posts
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Post by sirdaniel on Sept 8, 2017 22:51:39 GMT
There was an A5 programme. The rest of the merchandise was a bit boring. Yup I got one. Only four bits of merch which surprised me. |
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