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Post by Mark on Jul 26, 2021 18:12:02 GMT
I’ve also been rebooked after sending an email on Saturday. Very happy that they’ve kept me in the front stalls seats despite being much more expensive for that date. Very impressed.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 26, 2021 21:00:36 GMT
Good to hear they're letting people keep front stalls tickets! I have hope!! And if they try to change mine to the circle, now I have testimonials proving precedent :')
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336 posts
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Post by Roxie on Jul 26, 2021 22:55:29 GMT
Does anyone know what the runtime of this is please? I'm coming down on Aug 28th to see Linzi in Joseph (again!) and I was hoping to come on the fri 27th and see it then, but I can't get the afternoon off as its bank hol weekend and everyone beat me to it! Would this be doable for the matinee and would i have time to change and eat and get to the palladium for joseph in the evening? Around 2 hrs 40, so yes plenty time to have a bite to eat and I guess to change if you’re staying between the two. Maybe a 20 minute walk between the two theatres Ahh thanks! I’m staying with a mate near Paddington and I don’t imagine I’ll have time to get to his and back between shows so I might do the old change of top and shoes in an oversized handbag! I’ve done it before a few times! Though not done a 2 show day in a long while!! |
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Post by Mark on Jul 26, 2021 23:00:51 GMT
Around 2 hrs 40, so yes plenty time to have a bite to eat and I guess to change if you’re staying between the two. Maybe a 20 minute walk between the two theatres Ahh thanks! I’m staying with a mate near Paddington and I don’t imagine I’ll have time to get to his and back between shows so I might do the old change of top and shoes in an oversized handbag! I’ve done it before a few times! It done a 2 show day in a long while!! Aah yes, I wouldn't go back to Paddington in between might be a bit of a rush. |
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Post by amuseical on Jul 27, 2021 1:41:39 GMT
Official London Theatre has put out a mini-documentary looking at the production process.
Interesting to hear the creative team talk about technical elements, and see the theatre at different points in the process. I'll also note that at 20.38 and 23.10 you can see the full cast on stage rehearsing, with what appears to be Bonnie Langford playing the role of The Queen. |
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Post by showtoones on Jul 27, 2021 5:36:25 GMT
There is also the thing where Letts may be trying to help the theater by giving it a good review after the horrendous year and a half we have all had. After 9/11 Mamma Mia opened up to raves on Broadway as it was of its time and people needed to have fun after 9/11 and the reviewers wanted to bring people back to the theater. And like it or don't like it, the show employs a lot of people who depend on audiences coming to pay their bills. That's not the job of a critic. He should give his honest opinion. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with him review as I haven’t seen the show yet. I’m just giving a possible explanation…A critic should wait until the show officially opens, so Letts definitely broke this unwritten rule. He’s been around for a while so he knows how these things are supposed to go. |
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Post by Oliver on Jul 27, 2021 8:17:14 GMT
That's not the job of a critic. He should give his honest opinion. I’m not saying I agree or disagree with him review as I haven’t seen the show yet. I’m just giving a possible explanation…A critic should wait until the show officially opens, so Letts definitely broke this unwritten rule. He’s been around for a while so he knows how these things are supposed to go. Yes, I realised you were just raising a possible explanation and I suspect you are right. Either that or he's doing it as a favour for a friend of his who happens to be in the creative team. I found his review wholly unconvincing. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2021 8:47:21 GMT
Now that musicalmarge has been put back in their armchair I go back to my question. Are prerecorded tracks being used rather than just lots of synthesisers? I would have thought the musicians union would have kicked off in a massive way about pre recorded music for a major new West End show. I think it's a bit of both. I was lucky enough to see one of the previews before the "break" and this is what the programme lists: - MD/Keyboard 1 - Asst MD/Guitars/Keyboard 2 There are then 5 strings, flute/clarinet and horn. So 9 musicians. No drummer! Then it says "original keyboards played and programmed by David Andrew Wilson" who is the musical supervisor and worked on this through lockdown. From where I was sitting you could clearly see the MD playing keyboard solos for certain sections when he wasn't conducting. So although given there is no live drumming and it is more automated than most, the keys are live (but I assume heavily pre-programmed). I also assume some synthesised keys are pre-recorded and come with the drumming/rhythm click track. Quick question about click tracks in general, for those in the "know." Who presses "play/go?" Is it the MD or the soundboard? |
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Post by Seriously on Jul 27, 2021 12:38:29 GMT
Quick question about click tracks in general, for those in the "know." Who presses "play/go?" Is it the MD or the soundboard? It's usually the MD, but sometimes the sound desk will take a cue from either a visual of the stage, or from the DSM. On some shows (Mamma Mia before it moved) it was the drummer who started them. Nowadays it's Keyboard 4. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 27, 2021 13:02:08 GMT
Quick question about click tracks in general, for those in the "know." Who presses "play/go?" Is it the MD or the soundboard? It's usually the MD, but sometimes the sound desk will take a cue from either a visual of the stage, or from the DSM. On some shows (Mamma Mia before it moved) it was the drummer who started them. Nowadays it's Keyboard 4. Thanks. I find this stuff really interesting. Would love to know what the exact arrangements are at Cinderella. I am no expert but I think it's quite unusual for a 9 piece band to have a percussion click track for the entire musical! (I can't think of any other examples). It must have been a creative choice with the orchestration. I guess it was a solution in lockdown/the way they went with the album, and they then liked it enough to go with it for the 'live show' version. |
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Post by Seriously on Jul 27, 2021 15:42:28 GMT
ALW is renowned for being a control freak, and he gets very angry when "the feel" is wrong. Having the percussion and rhythm section on track means it's always going to stay the same. The Mamma Mia! world tour does the same. What you'll also have is a lot of pre-programmed "phrases" on the keyboards, where they hit a note and it plays an entire phrase. That's because even keyboards have their limitations, and this way you can have consistent violin re-bowing, sax bends, and harp glissandi. Technically the keyboard players are still "playing" them, by hitting the note at the right time, at the right volume etc. but at the same time they're playing piano parts or "larger stuff". They call it "bells and smells".
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Post by bubblesmcgee on Jul 27, 2021 15:44:44 GMT
Performances on 18th August have been cancelled - more tech rehearsal time required. Got my email about an hour ago. Wonder if it means changes…
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1,351 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 27, 2021 16:22:24 GMT
Performances on 18th August have been cancelled - more tech rehearsal time required. Got my email about an hour ago. Wonder if it means changes… Hmmm, that makes my rescheduled show on 19 August the first show... really hoping it doesn't get bumped again, was going to spin a little theatre holiday around that and three shows on the following weekend! |
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Post by stagebyte on Jul 27, 2021 16:27:26 GMT
ALW is renowned for being a control freak, and he gets very angry when "the feel" is wrong. Having the percussion and rhythm section on track means it's always going to stay the same. The Mamma Mia! world tour does the same. What you'll also have is a lot of pre-programmed "phrases" on the keyboards, where they hit a note and it plays an entire phrase. That's because even keyboards have their limitations, and this way you can have consistent violin re-bowing, sax bends, and harp glissandi. Technically the keyboard players are still "playing" them, by hitting the note at the right time, at the right volume etc. but at the same time they're playing piano parts or "larger stuff". They call it "bells and smells". This is really interesting insight. Makes me a bit sad though. It’s my son’s ambition to one day play drums/percussion in a west end show. I’ve seen a lot more reliance on keyboards in recent years seems the drums are gradually being erased. :-( |
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Post by bubblesmcgee on Jul 27, 2021 16:34:27 GMT
Performances on 18th August have been cancelled - more tech rehearsal time required. Got my email about an hour ago. Wonder if it means changes… Hmmm, that makes my rescheduled show on 19 August the first show... really hoping it doesn't get bumped again, was going to spin a little theatre holiday around that and three shows on the following weekend! I’ve asked to switch my ticket to 19th so also hoping it’s not bumped (though slim chance they’ll be able to honour that, I imagine loads of us from 18th will be asking for the same!). |
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Post by westendcub on Jul 27, 2021 16:46:52 GMT
Still awaiting to get my rescheduled date for September, fingers crossed o hear soon (I know it must be very busy for the LW team) but just means I can have noted on the calendar & make plans!!
Will be await till end of week & only contact if not heard early next week!
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Post by inthenose on Jul 27, 2021 17:48:56 GMT
Quick question about click tracks in general, for those in the "know." Who presses "play/go?" Is it the MD or the soundboard? It's usually the MD, but sometimes the sound desk will take a cue from either a visual of the stage, or from the DSM. On some shows (Mamma Mia before it moved) it was the drummer who started them. Nowadays it's Keyboard 4. Absolutely this. As a DSM I never had to Q clicks as a sound cue, that came from the MD. But I know some productions do. Even smaller plays with live music use click sometimes, like several Kneehigh productions. It was keys who "called" it in another West End production I did. It's worth adding, I don't know if your experiences match mine Seriously but often these decisions are made in tech without much forethought, and regularly based on individual's abilities and stress levels at the time those decisions are made. It's funny how one little decision made in one tired evening of tech can shape a show's operations for decades to come. A few times I've asked "why do we do this?" and the answer is always "it's always been done like this". |
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Post by Seriously on Jul 27, 2021 17:59:31 GMT
It's usually the MD, but sometimes the sound desk will take a cue from either a visual of the stage, or from the DSM. On some shows (Mamma Mia before it moved) it was the drummer who started them. Nowadays it's Keyboard 4. Absolutely this. As a DSM I never had to Q clicks as a sound cue, that came from the MD. But I know some productions do. Even smaller plays with live music use click sometimes, like several Kneehigh productions. It was keys who "called" it in another West End production I did. It's worth adding, I don't know if your experiences match mine Seriously but often these decisions are made in tech without much forethought, and regularly based on individual's abilities and stress levels at the time those decisions are made. It's funny how one little decision made in one tired evening of tech can shape a show's operations for decades to come. A few times I've asked "why do we do this?" and the answer is always "it's always been done like this". Absolutely. It usually comes down to who has a free hand to press it, and even that is based on advice from the arranger. Or (more often) the MD doesn't want the added stress, so passes it on to someone else. I've always preferred the drummer firing them myself. But yes, "it's always been done like this" is often the mantra of the West End. |
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Post by Gregor on Jul 27, 2021 21:12:32 GMT
Hmmm, that makes my rescheduled show on 19 August the first show... really hoping it doesn't get bumped again, was going to spin a little theatre holiday around that and three shows on the following weekend! I’ve asked to switch my ticket to 19th so also hoping it’s not bumped (though slim chance they’ll be able to honour that, I imagine loads of us from 18th will be asking for the same!). I've now submitted a refund request for 18th and placed a new booking for 19th. Of course, it may slip again .... |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 28, 2021 6:13:23 GMT
Performances on 18th August have been cancelled - more tech rehearsal time required. Got my email about an hour ago. Wonder if it means changes… Don't we think this seems a bit odd? |
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Post by Roxie on Jul 28, 2021 8:05:24 GMT
Booked my ticket! Got a circle seat for £25! So going Cinderella matinee then Joseph evening - gonna be a busy but amazing day!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 28, 2021 8:53:33 GMT
Performances on 18th August have been cancelled - more tech rehearsal time required. Got my email about an hour ago. Wonder if it means changes… Don't we think this seems a bit odd? It does seem strange to cancel just 1 show, 3 weeks away (think was just a matinee on that day). Who knows! |
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Post by danb on Jul 28, 2021 10:57:09 GMT
Hopefully they’ve hired Adam Lambert and are putting Charmings’ Sea Witch song in!
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19,752 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 28, 2021 11:06:22 GMT
Don't we think this seems a bit odd? It does seem strange to cancel just 1 show, 3 weeks away (think was just a matinee on that day). Who knows! Exactly what I meant. Surely they could have sucked up one days worth of tech work over 21 days. As if the box office haven’t had enough to deal with already, someone insists they need an extra day and it all goes back again? Something fishy about it. Either that or whoever is running things is running them really badly. |
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Post by scarpia on Jul 28, 2021 11:09:02 GMT
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