730 posts
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Post by sophie92 on Jul 14, 2021 21:49:31 GMT
It’s now week two of previews and the Sebastian understudy appears to be still doing the role. Has anyone considered the possibility that the creative team might be planning to make the understudy the permanent replacement for Turco, who sounded like his acting chops were lacking on the concept recording. A stronger performer in that key role might help the show’s prospects. I am writing from the U.S. and have not seen the show. So I’m counting on the feedback from what are obviously some very savvy observers writing reports on this site. Opening night is now less than a week away. With regards to his acting on the concept recording, it seems he started recording just a week after auditioning (from the show’s Twitter) so I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt there (plus I don’t think anyone’s acting on the recording, particularly with the dialogue, is anything to write home about) |
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3,347 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Jul 14, 2021 22:00:24 GMT
Yes, today was press night. Completely off sale to the general public too. |
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315 posts
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Post by westended on Jul 14, 2021 22:34:58 GMT
Yes, today was press night. Completely off sale to the general public too. They were filming the EPK today |
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Post by adeliciaboy on Jul 14, 2021 23:10:32 GMT
But has there been no mention of Ivano’s medical issues in the press lead-up to tonight’s opening?? Sounds very odd indeed. If this was in fact his first night back, I can’t imagine ALW would have greenlighted a press night with his having been absent from the stage for so long!? With regards to the performances on the concept album, I agree the acting is pretty dreadful across the boards. But CHF certainly is the strongest of the lot, such as her performance is. But I think the confusing tone of the material probably made it difficult for actors to know how to effectively read their lines during the recording of the show.
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315 posts
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Post by westended on Jul 14, 2021 23:47:05 GMT
I believe Press Night is the same as the Gala Night on Tuesday 20th July 2021
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Post by FairyGodmother on Jul 14, 2021 23:56:14 GMT
So is that review from LTR a proper "invited" review or not then?
I thought we'd have had some mention of it if it had been press night, which we haven't, but then that's been released today? So either Ivano's been on for the first time in a while, or they saw it early on in previews and have released that today (presumably timed to coincide with press night).
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 15, 2021 0:25:02 GMT
Today was the original press night, I believe. So it's possible someone didn't realise there had been a change and released a review early - based on a pretty early preview, if they saw Ivano. He was back in the theatre today but I don't know if they were rehearsing or had some kind of invited press performance.
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904 posts
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Post by lonlad on Jul 15, 2021 1:12:12 GMT
Today was definitely NOT press night, of which three have been announced so far: the first one was indeed tonight (back in the mists of time), then that was moved forward to the 8th (which was ludicrous) and now it's pushed back as expected to the 20th, with loads of press also going on the 19th aka "freedom night," so the entire theatre press corps can all catch COVID at the same time LOL! Reviews will be out on the 21st
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Post by newyorkcityboy on Jul 15, 2021 4:22:57 GMT
But has there been no mention of Ivano’s medical issues in the press lead-up to tonight’s opening?? Sounds very odd indeed. If this was in fact his first night back, I can’t imagine ALW would have greenlighted a press night with his having been absent from the stage for so long!? With regards to the performances on the concept album, I agree the acting is pretty dreadful across the boards. But CHF certainly is the strongest of the lot, such as her performance is. But I think the confusing tone of the material probably made it difficult for actors to know how to effectively read their lines during the recording of the show. This is why it’s madness to record a show before it’s even gone into rehearsals! Why set performances and material in stone before they have a chance to evolve and gel?! Another good example is the Chess album - great to have a huge orchestra etc and fine as a marketing tool but worlds apart from what ended up on stage. (Not that there haven’t been many, many fine recordings of that show since - I must have spent a small fortune on that show! - but we never got a proper OLC.) |
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Post by newyorkcityboy on Jul 15, 2021 5:50:06 GMT
Thought the first phrase of Only You Lonely You sounded familiar - it’s practically the same as the opening to ‘Benedictus from The Armed Man’ by Karl Jenkins. (ALW just adds in one extra note, going up to the 8th before falling to the 7th; Jenkins goes straight to the 7th.)
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350 posts
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Post by properjob on Jul 15, 2021 7:01:44 GMT
Today was definitely NOT press night, of which three have been announced so far: the first one was indeed tonight (back in the mists of time), then that was moved forward to the 8th (which was ludicrous) and now it's pushed back as expected to the 20th, with loads of press also going on the 19th aka "freedom night," so the entire theatre press corps can all catch COVID at the same time LOL! Reviews will be out on the 21st Was it actually ever on the 8th or was that just a rumour here? |
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350 posts
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Post by properjob on Jul 15, 2021 7:03:58 GMT
But has there been no mention of Ivano’s medical issues in the press lead-up to tonight’s opening?? Sounds very odd indeed. If this was in fact his first night back, I can’t imagine ALW would have greenlighted a press night with his having been absent from the stage for so long!? With regards to the performances on the concept album, I agree the acting is pretty dreadful across the boards. But CHF certainly is the strongest of the lot, such as her performance is. But I think the confusing tone of the material probably made it difficult for actors to know how to effectively read their lines during the recording of the show. This is why it’s madness to record a show before it’s even gone into rehearsals! Why set performances and material in stone before they have a chance to evolve and gel?! Another good example is the Chess album - great to have a huge orchestra etc and fine as a marketing tool but worlds apart from what ended up on stage. (Not that there haven’t been many, many fine recordings of that show since - I must have spent a small fortune on that show! - but we never got a proper OLC.) Doing an album and drip releasing the "singles" was the only thing that could be done during the pandemic to try and keep some momentum behind the project. |
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8,143 posts
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Post by alece10 on Jul 15, 2021 7:11:54 GMT
I don't know if the have now changed the marquee but when I was there in Friday it said (in huge writing) World premiere 14th July.
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Post by newyorkcityboy on Jul 15, 2021 9:41:12 GMT
This is why it’s madness to record a show before it’s even gone into rehearsals! Why set performances and material in stone before they have a chance to evolve and gel?! Another good example is the Chess album - great to have a huge orchestra etc and fine as a marketing tool but worlds apart from what ended up on stage. (Not that there haven’t been many, many fine recordings of that show since - I must have spent a small fortune on that show! - but we never got a proper OLC.) Doing an album and drip releasing the "singles" was the only thing that could be done during the pandemic to try and keep some momentum behind the project. Granted, but 'concept recordings' are not a new phenomenon and have long been used as marketing tools to 'dip a toe in the water'. (Think Jesus Christ Superstar, EVITA, Love Never Dies, Whistle Down The Wind, CHESS, TIME, RAGTIME, Jekyll & Hyde, Starmania, Wuthering Heights.....even that Imelda Marcos 'dance' musical, the name of which escapes me.) It's just a personal thing - I prefer proper cast recordings. |
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Post by TheOneOnTheLeft on Jul 15, 2021 10:29:46 GMT
Doing an album and drip releasing the "singles" was the only thing that could be done during the pandemic to try and keep some momentum behind the project. Granted, but 'concept recordings' are not a new phenomenon and have long been used as marketing tools to 'dip a toe in the water'. (Think Jesus Christ Superstar, EVITA, Love Never Dies, Whistle Down The Wind, CHESS, TIME, RAGTIME, Jekyll & Hyde, Starmania, Wuthering Heights.....even that Imelda Marcos 'dance' musical, the name of which escapes me.) It's just a personal thing - I prefer proper cast recordings. I think concept recordings can actually make sense when released a longer time prior a show’s opening (not when it is already in previews...). Also, I would put more focus on perfecting the orchestrations / arrangements for a concept recording (this one sounds as put together with two keyboards and a computer programme from the late eighties). (Here Lies Love was the title of that show you mentioned.) |
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Post by stagebyte on Jul 15, 2021 11:00:15 GMT
So if it was press night last night when should we expect the reviews?
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Post by FairyGodmother on Jul 15, 2021 11:12:44 GMT
I got the impression it was supposed to be the Cast Recording, which was why they didn't just release it when planned. But then Helen George was pregnant, they made big changes in the rehearsals/previews etc. so just changed the name to concept album and pretended it was that all along.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 15, 2021 11:22:29 GMT
I got the impression it was supposed to be the Cast Recording, which was why they didn't just release it when planned. But then Helen George was pregnant, they made big changes in the rehearsals/previews etc. so just changed the name to concept album and pretended it was that all along. I think 'big changes' is a little generous :') They cut a song, slowed another down, and changed a small number of lines. Nothing feels substantially different. |
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Post by Oliver on Jul 15, 2021 12:59:54 GMT
Thought the first phrase of Only You Lonely You sounded familiar - it’s practically the same as the opening to ‘Benedictus from The Armed Man’ by Karl Jenkins. (ALW just adds in one extra note, going up to the 8th before falling to the 7th; Jenkins goes straight to the 7th.) A phrase is not a composition, a sentence is not a paragraph. Are you suggesting that before Karl Jenkins wrote Benedictus from the Armed Man, there had never been a similar phrase in the history of Western music? |
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Post by magnificentdonkey on Jul 15, 2021 13:07:27 GMT
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Post by fiyerorocher on Jul 15, 2021 13:15:56 GMT
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Post by newyorkcityboy on Jul 15, 2021 16:17:42 GMT
Thought the first phrase of Only You Lonely You sounded familiar - it’s practically the same as the opening to ‘Benedictus from The Armed Man’ by Karl Jenkins. (ALW just adds in one extra note, going up to the 8th before falling to the 7th; Jenkins goes straight to the 7th.) A phrase is not a composition, a sentence is not a paragraph. Are you suggesting that before Karl Jenkins wrote Benedictus from the Armed Man, there had never been a similar phrase in the history of Western music? Nope, just pointing out the similarity. As a musician these things interest me. |
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1,088 posts
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Post by andrew on Jul 15, 2021 16:21:15 GMT
I don't know if the have now changed the marquee but when I was there in Friday it said (in huge writing) World premiere 14th July. That marquee was still up on the 13th. I get the feeling they're just hoping nobody will notice... |
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5,155 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Jul 15, 2021 16:30:45 GMT
So most of the really old West End theatres now have digital marquees, but the youngest is still analogue?
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Post by Oliver on Jul 15, 2021 16:47:32 GMT
A phrase is not a composition, a sentence is not a paragraph. Are you suggesting that before Karl Jenkins wrote Benedictus from the Armed Man, there had never been a similar phrase in the history of Western music? Nope, just pointing out the similarity. As a musician these things interest me. Ah, I see. Apologies, I misunderstood. |
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