2,452 posts
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Post by theatremadness on Jun 16, 2018 14:54:29 GMT
As both of these date were announced by the RUG as closing dates for the show I will be a far from happy bunny if the actual closing date turns out to be something else, which is looking like a distinct possibility right now! Out of interest, were those dates actually, explicitly, officially announced by RUG and/or 42nd Street as being the closing dates for the show, or just the final date of that current booking period? I only ask, because as far as I'm aware, no closing date has ever been officially posted for this show, it's just that they keep extending the booking periods as normal. Booking on the website still only goes up to October 20th 2018 - either way, I very much hope you get to attend the final performance whenever it may be! |
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Post by tonyloco on Jun 16, 2018 15:00:38 GMT
As both of these date were announced by the RUG as closing dates for the show I will be a far from happy bunny if the actual closing date turns out to be something else, which is looking like a distinct possibility right now! Out of interest, were those dates actually, explicitly, officially announced by RUG and/or 42nd Street as being the closing dates for the show, or just the final date of that current booking period? I only ask, because as far as I'm aware, no closing date has ever been officially posted for this show, it's just that they keep extending the booking periods as normal. Either way, I very much hope you get to attend the final performance whenever it may be! Good question. No, to be honest I think I was just probably going by what people were saying on TheatreBoard and whether either of the dates was ever announced by the RUG as closing dates I really don't know. I just had it in my mind that they had been announced but perhaps not by the RUG! Sorry for my inaccurate statement! |
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Post by theatre-turtle on Jun 17, 2018 14:22:37 GMT
Saw this last night for the 3rd time and it's still a fabulous evening of entertainment.
First time seeing Lulu. She's... not as bad as I was expecting, but not of the same vocal quality and charisma as Sheena Easton.
Ashley Day is a great piece of casting. Not only is he gorgeous (he pretty much looks like a Sean Cody performer) and charming, he is vocally very strong.
Clare Halse has improved in my opinion - she was dazzling.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2018 14:41:45 GMT
^ I’d certainly go along with the praise for Ashley Day...   |
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Post by anthem on Jun 17, 2018 14:48:38 GMT
I saw this recently. It’s wonderfully staged and there are some amazing set pieces- the stair case dance sequence is incredible. Overall though, as a piece of musical theatre, I don’t think it’s all that strong. The story is so threadbare and there are only a smattering of memorable songs.
Lulu was fine as Dorothy Brock- she played the part quite well but her vocals didn’t always cut the mustard.
The rest of the cast were decent but nothing really grabbed me other than the big dance numbers.
Still, it’s fabulously shiny, colorful, loud and uplifting and I can see why it appeals to so many.
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3,348 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 17, 2018 16:41:29 GMT
The story is so threadbare and there are only a smattering of memorable songs. I agree there's no real plot, but surely all the songs are classics? That's the benefit of being able to pick and choose songs for a jukebox musical like this. |
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Post by Brian on Jun 17, 2018 18:01:46 GMT
The story is so threadbare and there are only a smattering of memorable songs. I agree there's no real plot, but surely all the songs are classics? That's the benefit of being able to pick and choose songs for a jukebox musical like this. Maybe I need to listen again. I liked ‘We’re in the Money’ and ‘Lullaby of Broadway’ but I didn’t love the rest. It’s all very pleasant but for me, nothing amazing. I might give the show another try before it closes though! |
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Post by dippy on Jun 17, 2018 18:56:54 GMT
I didn't enjoy the show the first time I saw it, I think that's because of the lack of plot. I went back a second time (to see Norman as Julian) and loved it, I think that's because I knew there was nothing else to gain from the story and I should just enjoy the singing and dancing.
I have also now managed to see the new cast and I'm in the liking Lulu camp, I have no problems with her in the show and I think she makes Dorothy a nicer person than Sheena did. I loved "A Quarter to Nine" such a lovely scene now. In terms of the other new people, I much prefer Ashley to Stuart, very glad there's nothing over the top about him, possibly not my favourite Billy but I'd happily watch him play the role again, which I am sure I will. Matthew was fine as Pat but there's so little to that role that there's not much to say. Enjoyed seeing the new ensemble but I did miss some of the cast that have left. It was fun seeing people in different places to before though.
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Post by ensembleswings on Jun 17, 2018 19:22:12 GMT
I feel the reason I enjoyed this show so much the first time I went was because I purely went for the tap dancing and that allowed me to be completely swept up by it all, no the plot isn't strong (it's pretty weak in fairness) but I don't find that matters to me with this show. My enjoyment of the show has definitely grown with subsequent visits though.
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Post by Rozzi Rainbow on Jun 17, 2018 20:13:39 GMT
I had a rubbish day yesterday. It was my birthday on Thursday so I decided I wanted to go down to London to see this again yesterday as I loved it when I saw it earlier this year. So I set off on the train but only got half an hour down the line (out of a two and a half hour journey) before turning round and going back home! We were an hour and a half late by that point as we got stuck behind a broken down train (why we couldn't get round it by going on another line was beyond us) and I knew I wasn't going to get there in time for the start of the show (I was going to the matinee) and there didn't seem much point in travelling another 2 hours to not see a show.
On the upside I hadn't already bought my theatre ticket (I was hoping to get a dayseat or TKTS when I got there) and I got all my train fare refunded when I got back to the station so I've only lost out on my parking ticket (and cost of a bottle of wine I was in dire need of when I got home). I'm trying to work up the courage to try again this coming Saturday.
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Post by showtoones on Jun 17, 2018 21:13:31 GMT
I had a rubbish day yesterday. It was my birthday on Thursday so I decided I wanted to go down to London to see this again yesterday as I loved it when I saw it earlier this year. So I set off on the train but only got half an hour down the line (out of a two and a half hour journey) before turning round and going back home! We were an hour and a half late by that point as we got stuck behind a broken down train (why we couldn't get round it by going on another line was beyond us) and I knew I wasn't going to get there in time for the start of the show (I was going to the matinee) and there didn't seem much point in travelling another 2 hours to not see a show. On the upside I hadn't already bought my theatre ticket (I was hoping to get a dayseat or TKTS when I got there) and I got all my train fare refunded when I got back to the station so I've only lost out on my parking ticket (and cost of a bottle of wine I was in dire need of when I got home). I'm trying to work up the courage to try again this coming Saturday. Do it! You deserve it and it will be your birthday present to yourself. |
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Post by tonyloco on Jun 17, 2018 23:49:51 GMT
I saw this recently. It’s wonderfully staged and there are some amazing set pieces- the stair case dance sequence is incredible. Overall though, as a piece of musical theatre, I don’t think it’s all that strong. The story is so threadbare and there are only a smattering of memorable songs. I would like to make the point (again) that although this show has to stand on its own feet as a musical in its own right in 2018, it is actually an homage to a very famous movie of 1933 which in itself spawned a genre of several more similar films where a couple of strong songs and some elaborate dance routines devised by Busby Berkeley formed the reasons that American audiences flocked to see them to escape the rigours of life in the depression. And I would also argue that the songs are particularly skilfully written, not only full of melodic hooks that stay in the mind, but almost all of them have a forward rhythmic pulse that makes them ideal for the kind of tap dancing with which the show is filled, not only the biggest numbers like "42nd Street" and "Lullaby of Broadway" but "We're in the Money", "With Plenty of Money and You", "Go Into Your Dance", "Keep Young and Beautiful", "Dames" and "Young and Healthy" – and that's before we mention several of the most evocative of the 1930s pop songs "I Only Have Eyes For You", "About a Quarter to Nine" and "Boulevard of Broken Dreams". I think this is why people have been getting so much pleasure returning to see the show again and again, namely because they are becoming familiar with all those songs and so are getting more and more pleasure out of the brilliant dance routines that ride on those great songs. It's called 'entertainment'! |
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Post by tmesis on Jun 18, 2018 12:08:49 GMT
'...only a smattering of memorable songs.'
What!!!!!
It's absolutely stuffed with memorable songs - in fact there's not a single naff song in it.
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Post by ensembleswings on Jun 18, 2018 12:48:07 GMT
I enjoy the songs whilst I'm in the theatre watching the show as a whole but I can't say the music is a highlight for me. For instance I never listen to the cast recording like I do for other shows
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 13:42:45 GMT
'...only a smattering of memorable songs.' What!!!!! It's absolutely stuffed with memorable songs - in fact there's not a single naff song in it. Oh there is - Shuffle on to Buffalo must be one of the worst songs in musical theatre! There are some fabulous songs, particularly the title track and Lullaby of Broadway, but some of the others are not classics in the slightest! |
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Post by tonyloco on Jun 18, 2018 14:11:24 GMT
Oh there is - Shuffle on to Buffalo must be one of the worst songs in musical theatre! There are some fabulous songs, particularly the title track and Lullaby of Broadway, but some of the others are not classics in the slightest! "Shuffle Off to Buffalo" is meant to be a corny song, of the kind that were popular in the 1920s and 30s. And just to confirm this, it has its own parody in the show: "Matrimony is baloney, she'll be wanting alimony in a year or so. Still they go and shuffle, shuffle off to Buffalo. When she knows as much as we know, she'll be on her way to Reno while he still has dough. She'll give him the shuffle, when they're back from Buffalo." Well I like it, as I do all the others I quoted. I see them as classics of the film musicals of the 1930s to which, as I said before, "42nd Street" is an homage – but each to his own. For me the music of Stephen Schwarz does absolutely nothing – should I resign from Theatre Board right now before the lynching party arrives? |
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Post by tonyloco on Jun 18, 2018 14:37:41 GMT
There are some fabulous songs, particularly the title track and Lullaby of Broadway, but some of the others are not classics in the slightest! Further to my previous rant, it has just occurred to me that those glorious dance routines that people love so much depend heavily on the songs to which they are performed. For example, the routine to "We're in the money" is based entirely on the words and music of the song, and the glorious extended production number on 'Dames' is inspired specifically by that particular song. That's my justification for saying the songs are classics. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 18, 2018 20:37:42 GMT
So now that Lulu is gone, I can take my friend to a 42nd street matinee. I’d love your help to think about tickets.
We have a huge amount of flexibility on date but we’d like (like everyone else) best seats for the best price. My friend has to sit by an aisle. Are any of the day seats aisle seats? How much choice do we get? What do you think my best strategy for getting good seats is?
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Post by crabtree on Jun 18, 2018 21:17:14 GMT
I'm glad that someone just mentioned Busby Berkeley and this stage production being a homage to the film of 42nd street and a good few others. it has cleverly taken all the tropes from that collection of films (and there's a brilliant box set with eight films and a ninth disc of just the musical numbers) and seamlessly woven them together (Mamma Mia was way behind this- actually the Beggar's Opera got there as the first Jukebox show). Like the ballet of Pineapple Poll you can sit there and tick off the films. I do wish there had, in the design sense, been a bit more difference between backstage, real life and 'Pretty Lady'. The design is big and flashy but doesn't really have a style. But heck, that staircase number. If you watch By a Waterfall, there's a tiny moment when one of the girls in one of the complex patterns suddenly turns the wrong way. I wonder what had happened in her day that made her lose her concentration. There's a one act play waiting.
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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 18, 2018 21:53:50 GMT
So now that Lulu is gone, I can take my friend to a 42nd street matinee. I’d love your help to think about tickets. We have a huge amount of flexibility on date but we’d like (like everyone else) best seats for the best price. My friend has to sit by an aisle. Are any of the day seats aisle seats? How much choice do we get? What do you think my best strategy for getting good seats is? To guarantee an aisle seat, I think you'll need to book in advance.
You're definitely not guaranteed one with rush tickets. For day seats, I'm sure the box office would try and help, but all depends what they have available.
If you can book ahead, the official website has a very good offer now:
10% off in June and July 20% off in August 30% off in September
(using the codes on the website)
edit - just seen the offer is Monday to Friday evening performances only, so won't help with the matinees, sorry.
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Post by Tibidabo on Jun 19, 2018 13:33:34 GMT
We saw this for the third time at the weekend. (I don't normally return to shows, but we have a hoofer in the family.)
This is the first time we have seen it with all the intended cast actually on stage and it was fab-u-lous.
Firstly Lulu. What's with all the moaning? I thought whoever cast her actually played a blinder. Dorothy is meant to be past her prime. This is referred to. Sheena's wonderful, powerful voice was just too good and Lulu, for me, was perfect in the role. She played the diva to perfection and the only song I thought a bit off was "I Only Have Eyes for You."
Clare was wonderful - we really felt a difference last time we saw the show when she was off. She's much more polished than when we saw her early in the run - not her dancing - that's always been impeccable. But her acting and comic timing have evolved beautifully.
We liked Ashley Day and also Christopher Howell as Bert. But the next day, the two who had stuck in the mind the most (after Clare) were Jasna Ivir and Tom Lister, who we thought were absolutely outstanding.
The ensemble did not quite have that wide-eyed feel of excitement of the early days and they definitely weren't as tight - the occasional adjustment as they landed and the odd bit out of time (especially amongst the boys.) But I have no doubt that anyone seeing it for the first time wouldn't have noticed. There was a full standing ovation as Clare was doing her bit at the end. The audience loved it and loads of people were to be heard singing along The Strand afterwards.
Is is just me, or does anyone else wish they'd leave that curtain suspended for 30 seconds longer at the start?
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Post by ruby on Jun 19, 2018 19:16:47 GMT
Booked my 5th visit for end of July. Can't wait to see this again, makes me so happy.
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Post by bengal73 on Jun 19, 2018 21:03:17 GMT
Any recent matinee dayseat experiences?
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Post by musicalmarge on Jun 19, 2018 21:13:00 GMT
Is this closing March 2019 for renovation then Frozen May 2020? That’s what I heard at The Ivy restaurant today.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2018 21:20:43 GMT
^ I reckon the gossip could differ drastically there depending on whether you’re dining or waiting...  |
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