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Post by Deleted on Jan 17, 2020 23:34:45 GMT
and maybe it speaks more to those who have struggled with that (or are struggling). I think it probably depends on your particular struggles - my mental health struggles and how I and people around me have dealt with them over the years are the reason I found this show so repulsive and really quite offensive. |
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Post by xanady on Jan 18, 2020 9:51:11 GMT
robertb213,totally agree with every word of your review.Sam is astounding in his portrayal and the show is amazing.Long may it run!
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Post by vickyg on Jan 21, 2020 9:31:58 GMT
I saw this last night for the first time since previews and the night I saw it was one of the times Sam was really struggling. This time was obviously much improved. Sam was in fine voice and the other characters, particularly the parents, felt much more real. YWBF is such a highlight and the amazing volume of the harmonies gave me all the goosebumps but I don't have the same feeling during the rest of the show. I still have huge issues with the story and find it very difficult to have sympathy for Evan; I can't stand Alana. I think this is one of the rare occasions when I would rather listen to the OBC than see the show which is a shame because I really want to love it.
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Post by robertb213 on Jan 21, 2020 12:29:42 GMT
I've just finished reading the novel - I'd definitely recommend giving it a read as you get a lot more of what's going on in his head, and also more backstory for Connor.
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Post by katykate on Jan 26, 2020 11:25:14 GMT
Saw the matinee of this yesterday and it really surpassed expectations for me. I’m very familiar with the cast recording and have always enjoyed the music but I think within the context of the show as a whole the emotion of the songs really come alive. We saw Marcus the alternate Evan who was superb. He played Evan’s anxious awkwardness brilliantly but not too over the top. Lovely voice which was reminiscent of Ben platt at times I thought.
All of the small cast were really suited to their roles and stand outs for me were zoe and Heidi. I was in absolute bits at “so big so small”.
The simple set was really effective and the whole thing had “curious incident” vibes. The lighting was also really well thought out and impactful. Loved the band being visible onstage. Dreamy dreamy strings!
I think there is something in this show for everyone to relate to and really left an impact on both me and my other half. It’s essentially about everyone’s need for connection in a superficial world and I loved it.
Hoping it will tour in the future and come to Cardiff as my next london trip will have to be done from away!!
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Post by Deleted on Jan 29, 2020 19:41:41 GMT
It will win the Tony and will definately come here. Natasha Pierre and the great Comet has already booked its theatre. Sorry to drag up an old quote but I stumbled across this again today. Do you know what happened to Great Comet in the end? Is a London run dead in the water now? |
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 29, 2020 22:07:01 GMT
It will win the Tony and will definately come here. Natasha Pierre and the great Comet has already booked its theatre. Sorry to drag up an old quote but I stumbled across this again today. Do you know what happened to Great Comet in the end? Is a London run dead in the water now? I saw one of the producers being interviewed at BroadwayCon last year and they said they were waiting on Groban to become free so he could open it over here. Dunno how that'd work though, is he even that well known enough over here to guarantee bums on seats? I think it's solely up to the producers now, it sounds like it is out of Malloy's hands from what he said at the Preludes Q&A. |
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Post by Stephen on Jan 30, 2020 1:59:34 GMT
Having waited a long time for this one it left me a little flat. I felt that the cast were a little lacking in energy this afternoon (Marcus as Evan really suited the part though and had energy aplenty)
I did enjoy Waving Through a Window and You Will Be Found but Marcus was pushing hard to hit the high notes and had a fairly weak falsetto. This said, as indicated above, I did enjoy his performance overall as he hit the right levels of comedy and awkwardness.
This is a rare occasion when I would say I enjoy listening to the cast recording more than seeing the show. The small band make a healthy sound and it's nice to have a few live strings visible on stage too!
Grand Circle AA13 didn't help the situation as I'm not great with heights and the view is fairly restricted (I missed most action on the nearside of the stage) At the interval I politely asked the house manager if I could take a standing position at the rear of the Grand Circle which then provided a much better view and wasn't on the edge!
I do get the feeling that this musical appeals more to American audiences.
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Post by andyspeare94 on Jan 30, 2020 10:48:27 GMT
Where have you got this information from? I'm friends with Lucy playing Zoe and no auditions have taken place yet so it's impossible it has been recast. |
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Post by WEGuy93 on Jan 30, 2020 10:56:45 GMT
Overall I didn't really enjoy this. The music is fab and I thought Sam playing Evan was fantastic (ability wise) but all in all I just don't agree with a lot of what's happening.
Evan is a bad person. What he does is wrong. I appreciate he has mental health issues but that doesn't excuse you from doing something so awful to a family in pain. It almost seems like he gets off scott free at the end as well....Nah.
Won't be seeing it again and really do not see what all the fuss is about. It'll be interesting to see how well it does after the advance ticket sales die down which is probably 80% hardcore fans.
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Post by theatreviewer126 on Jan 30, 2020 19:08:59 GMT
Where have you got this information from? I'm friends with Lucy playing Zoe and no auditions have taken place yet so it's impossible it has been recast. There’s been a casting open on the stage castings since November but that might be for vacation understudies etc |
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Post by latefortheoverture on Jan 30, 2020 19:09:59 GMT
Caught this last night. Went to the box office around 6:50pm and got row K stalls off centre for £32.50! Amazing seat.
This show has a lot of hype, and leading up to it I had to prepare to be underwhelmed. If I had went in with all of the hype it would've fell completely flat, I was able to enjoy it but don't really see why it's such a life-changing story!
It has some great songs, the sets and the lighting are really nice, but I think my issue led with the story. I went in blind apart from a few songs. Essentially Evan gets carried away with a lie, carried away might be an understatement here, but I didn't like how it all got glossed over and wrapped up within the last 5 minutes. We spend the whole show following the characters, and I kept thinking it would lead to something more.... but the ending was just so quick, essentially one last song to wrap it up!
I get that it touches some great and very current topics, especially in a younger crowd like myself, but I did't see what was so extraordinary about this particular story?! I was enjoying the story, and didn't know where it would lead. It lets every character have a big moment which is nice, but with such a big 'catastrophic' act, of which Evan partaken in, I just felt it was a wasted opportunity to jump ahead and gloss over the ending very quick. We could've seen more of his struggles with the aftermath, potentially seeing his mental health journey. I didn't get why people behind me were full on sobbing, I didn't find it heartbreakingly emotional. A weird one!
There's no denying it has a nice score, the 2hr 30mins flew by and I got goosebumps in some numbers. The cast are really the standout here. There wasn't really a weak link in there. Sam Tutty was a revelation as Evan, I can't imagine how gruelling it is doing that everyday! Lauren Ward as Cynthia, again was so good! We had an understudy for Zoe, Natalie Kassanga, she sounded great and did a nice job playing the part. Rebecca McKinnis as Heidi was also great, she playing the struggling single mum very well!
It would be a travesty for Sam not to win something for this. Straight out of drama school to this calibre is just amazing, regardless of the story, he was phenomenal.
I think I need to let the dust settle on this one, and potentially return to make up my mind fully. I'm still on the fence! A good score, but the story seemed to end abruptly and seemed that it could've went deeper!
Would be interesting to hear if anyone else thought this, or if it's just me?
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Post by amp09 on Jan 31, 2020 1:04:09 GMT
Had one of the creatives sitting beside me at the matinee yesterday. No idea who he was. It was rather annoying as he kept checking the screens and making notes on an iPad. All very distracting. However, really enjoyed Marcus’ performance as Evan. I much preferred his acting of the part and also his voice.
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Post by latefortheoverture on Jan 31, 2020 2:07:12 GMT
Had one of the creatives sitting beside me at the matinee yesterday. No idea who he was. It was rather annoying as he kept checking the screens and making notes on an iPad. All very distracting. However, really enjoyed Marcus’ performance as Evan. I much preferred his acting of the part and also his voice. Had the same at &Juliet on Tuesday! Awfully distracting, he didn't make no effort to be discrete nor was he sat up at the back! At one point a FOH staff came down, and walked away a bit embarrassed. I imagine after realising he was some part of the creative team. Highly distracting, ought to be taken elsewhere! |
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 31, 2020 2:14:53 GMT
Had one of the creatives sitting beside me at the matinee yesterday. No idea who he was. It was rather annoying as he kept checking the screens and making notes on an iPad. All very distracting. However, really enjoyed Marcus’ performance as Evan. I much preferred his acting of the part and also his voice. I reported someone at intermission who was repeatedly on their phone in a box seat the first time I saw The Book of Mormon in Philadelphia. Turns out it was a member of the creative team! But they certainly didn't cause a disturbance in act 2. |
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Post by MrBraithwaite on Jan 31, 2020 9:05:48 GMT
I was able to enjoy it but don't really see why it's such a life-changing story! I am always wary if someone tells me: this show will change your life. Happened with RENT I remember. Found Next to Normal quite underwhelming and full of wasted chances, my friend (who works with mental health patients) found it quite annoying and wrong - we left at intermission. The only thing I took from Dear Evan Hansen was: you can't believe anything on the internet - something I already knew before the show. So life-changing shows are not for me...people may get a different look on life, but a real change - I doubt it. |
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 31, 2020 9:55:10 GMT
I was able to enjoy it but don't really see why it's such a life-changing story! I am always wary if someone tells me: this show will change your life. Happened with RENT I remember. Found Next to Normal quite underwhelming and full of wasted chances, my friend (who works with mental health patients) found it quite annoying and wrong - we left at intermission. The only thing I took from Dear Evan Hansen was: you can't believe anything on the internet - something I already knew before the show. So life-changing shows are not for me...people may get a different look on life, but a real change - I doubt it. lolwut? |
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Post by intoanewlife on Jan 31, 2020 9:58:49 GMT
Had one of the creatives sitting beside me at the matinee yesterday. No idea who he was. It was rather annoying as he kept checking the screens and making notes on an iPad. All very distracting. However, really enjoyed Marcus’ performance as Evan. I much preferred his acting of the part and also his voice. Had the same at &Juliet on Tuesday! Awfully distracting, he didn't make no effort to be discrete nor was he sat up at the back! At one point a FOH staff came down, and walked away a bit embarrassed. I imagine after realising he was some part of the creative team. Highly distracting, ought to be taken elsewhere! This is REALLY out of line and shouldn't be allowed to happen to paying customers. These people can sit anywhere they like in the whole theatre, if they want to do this stuff they should sit in seats where they won't disrupt people or stand up the back out of sight. Theatres have wings for a reason x |
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Post by 49thand8th on Jan 31, 2020 15:04:39 GMT
I was able to enjoy it but don't really see why it's such a life-changing story! I am always wary if someone tells me: this show will change your life. Happened with RENT I remember. Found Next to Normal quite underwhelming and full of wasted chances, my friend (who works with mental health patients) found it quite annoying and wrong - we left at intermission. The only thing I took from Dear Evan Hansen was: you can't believe anything on the internet - something I already knew before the show. So life-changing shows are not for me...people may get a different look on life, but a real change - I doubt it. Any show can change anyone's life for any reason. Just because it didn't work for you doesn't mean it won't for anyone else. However, anyone who tells someone else how a show will affect someone else's life is similarly misguided. |
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Post by theatreliker on Feb 8, 2020 18:28:40 GMT
Even though she doesn't fancy you
Even if she doesn't notice you
Pretend you knew her brother and helped him through
And you will get laid.
How did THIS beat Come From Away and Groundhog Day?
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Post by Jonnyboy on Feb 8, 2020 21:20:38 GMT
Oh come on, it’s more complex than about getting laid. Okay it has its flaws when it comes to mental illness but to reduce it to sex with a girl is just stupid.
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Post by cheesy116 on Feb 9, 2020 0:14:53 GMT
That’s not even close to what the story is but ok.
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Post by theatreliker on Feb 9, 2020 8:06:16 GMT
I see Theatreboard hasn't lost its sense of humour.
5 star show btw...
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Post by Jonnyboy on Feb 9, 2020 15:13:14 GMT
There needs to be something humorous first.
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Post by theatreliker on Feb 9, 2020 16:48:12 GMT
Saw the matinee yesterday. There are some good songs and excellent bits of staging but felt it was disappointing overall, with the songs not adding much to the story. There is a good show in there about mental health and social media as an echo chamber but felt it didn't really reconcile all of the plot issues it raised.
Unfortunately act 2 is weaker which doesn't help, and I thought some of the characters were under developed - I'm not sure where his mum's storyline came from but I didn't particularly care.
There's a Curious Incident vibe about it but the overall aesthetic is unappealing. I imagine I would've liked the show much more about ten years ago. Will be interesting to see how it ages. The leads were very good though.
Enjoy your arguments.
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