19,674 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 16, 2020 21:37:52 GMT
The band is on stage for this then, right?
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642 posts
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Post by Stasia on Jan 17, 2020 8:11:13 GMT
The band is on stage for this then, right? There is no band. Actors are playing the instruments, just as it was in WE version |
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Post by hels on Jan 21, 2020 0:06:18 GMT
Ooooo Liverpool tomorrow night!!! Can’t wait 😁
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3,306 posts
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Post by david on Jan 21, 2020 0:24:09 GMT
I wasn’t too sure whether I’d be able to attend tonight’s opening night at the Liverpool Empire having been off work and stuck sat on my sofa over the last few days with flu and only returning today so it was see how the day went and how the body coped. Having had a tough first day back and needing cheating up I decided to take the plunge and use my ticket. This show is definitely what I needed as a pick me up. A fantastic book that through the on stage performances made me care and invest some emotion into the characters and their journeys. I’ll happily admit, I shed a tear by the end.
Having never watched the original WE run after rave reviews on here, I used my ATG card to get a £20 central row F stalls seat. An absolute bargain for a really great night out. The preshow was top class and really got the audience in the mood for the rest of the evening. The show itself I thought was just a beautifully crafted piece of theatre. Daniel Healy and Emma Lucia were perfectly cast as the leads with great on stage chemistry. Vocally, both were stunning in their individual numbers (Emma’s solo in Act 2 was just sheer joy to listen to), but combined, their voices just raised the show to another level entirely.
The brilliant ensemble actor-musicians just added even more depth to an already fantastic show. I really can’t fault the casting with this show. The producers really have struck gold with this cast.
Great pub set that I didn’t feel got swallowed up by the massive Empire stage.
Coming straight after watching the Old Vic’s fantastic Christmas Carol, tonight’s viewing is another 5⭐️ production. A production with a lot of heart and warmth with some great Irish humour thrown in.
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625 posts
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Post by andrew on Jan 21, 2020 0:33:02 GMT
Can anyone who has seen both productions (and has time) elaborate on the differences between the West End (or Broadway) version and the UK tour? I have seen West End production 25 times (+5 times in Dublin where it was technically the same production and even the same set travelled from London) and touring production 6 times (in Hornchurch and Croydon). And I always have time to talk about Once! The differences are: Set - the current one looks much more like a pub, the "pre-Sleeping" moment has a huge moon painted ove the characters heads. Costumes - different but same style Onstage swings added - they are actively participating in preshow and in some of the numbers. This makes the sound richer as there are more strings playing. Preshow songs: only 3 or 4 now instead of 6, Irish only (no Czech ones) Texts are the same, except for Billy is not a "big" but a "tall" man. Musically they added a few bars of "North Strand" at the end of it to make the scene change to the Da's shop, they slightly lengthened the start of Sleeping. Also first Falling slowly now does not intercept with the dialogue. Choreo is different but has lots of things that look as they were in WE, probably due to remarks on how to stage the If You Want me or Pada Pada dance. Flamenko scene is slightly longer. Staging is quite different. At some moments it works better, but I still miss the people moving while Say It To Me Now and Sleeping. The Bank Manager and Billy relationship does not differ - as I've seen loads of actors playing the parts, I can say they were allowed to tone the friendship down or make it look as bromance even depending on who is playing with who. I might come up smth else later! Thanks so much for that! |
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Post by xanady on Feb 3, 2020 21:22:52 GMT
Just booked 2FOR1 in June at the Brum Alex for this show with ATG...front row works out at £19 per ticket.Got an e-mail from the Alex and the code is LOVE as it’s a Valentine’s deal.Shame they can’t offer the same for singles.
Buddy -The Buddy Holly Musical also in the deal and some tribute nights etc.
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3,333 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 3, 2020 23:46:41 GMT
Just booked 2FOR1 in June at the Brum Alex for this show with ATG...front row works out at £19 per ticket.Got an e-mail from the Alex and the code is LOVE as it’s a Valentine’s deal.Shame they can’t offer the same for singles. Buddy -The Buddy Holly Musical also in the deal and some tribute nights etc. Just tried and, as you said, alas no good for us singles. I have, however, already booked for Coventry, where the prices are cheaper than Birmingham without needing a discount code. |
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Post by xanady on Feb 4, 2020 16:11:59 GMT
Yes,we couldn’t make the Coventry dates,Sir,but you are absolutely right about the prices at the Belgrade.Always good value at that theatre.
Really looking forward to this show after some really positive comments on the thread.
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3,333 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 11, 2020 8:04:21 GMT
Nipped over to Woking last night to see this. For once, my front row seat remained in the front row, so had an excellent view with lots of legroom (the downside being a continual stream of people using the front row to get across to their seats during the pre-show).
The pre-show didn't start until 7:24pm.
This is in fine form, probably more polished since I saw it in Croydon. All of the leads were on. A good appreciative audience too, pretty full.
One hint for travelling to Woking. You can save money by using Oyster to Clapham Junction, then getting a paid ticket from there.
Anyway, I shall see this again in a few weeks. I definitely like this production much more than I ever did the version that played in the West End.
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Post by hels on Mar 3, 2020 17:55:35 GMT
So, since I last posted in January, I have seen the show in Liverpool and York, and tomorrow night I see it in Bath. I still love it, so am also seeing it in Oxford, Cardiff and Newcastle! My husband and I love the show and are making the most of the tour dates and visiting cities that we haven’t been to before.
If you haven’t seen it, ready all the reviews online and you’ll be straight on the phone to book tickets!
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544 posts
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Post by amp09 on Mar 3, 2020 22:43:01 GMT
So, since I last posted in January, I have seen the show in Liverpool and York, and tomorrow night I see it in Bath. I still love it, so am also seeing it in Oxford, Cardiff and Newcastle! My husband and I love the show and are making the most of the tour dates and visiting cities that we haven’t been to before. If you haven’t seen it, ready all the reviews online and you’ll be straight on the phone to book tickets! Hope you enjoy Bath, such a beautiful city. I’m seeing it here tomorrow night also 😆 |
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3,333 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Mar 15, 2020 15:37:10 GMT
Saw this again on Friday in Coventry, from the very end of the front row. As good as ever. All the leads were on.
Overheard the people next to me saying they were trying to get seats to come again on Saturday, but it was sold out. Also sold out on Friday, so the Coventry leg did well.
My train was late and the pre-show started on time, with a long queue to pick up tickets, so I arrived during Athen Rye. Not sure how much I missed, but it was a really long pre-show, running at least 20 minutes (that I saw), with the show starting about 20:10. It also ended up late and meant I missed my train and subsequent connection, which was a bit of a pain, but I did get back.
Also a lot of commotion during the pre-show as a group arrived to find their tickets in the row behind me were taken. The people in the seats took a lot of convincing before they would agree their tickets were actually for the Dress Circle. They got replaced by a frequent cougher, obviously not taking the PM's requirement of self-isolation too seriously.
Anyway, great audience, great show. I can see this doing very well with a continued tour hitting second tier venues like the Belgrade Theatre.
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511 posts
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Post by Deal J on Mar 15, 2020 16:33:16 GMT
Yes I was at the Belgrade on Wednesday evening and it was pretty much sold out, very impressive and hopefully means we’ll get more of this sort of thing going forward rather than the seemingly endless tribute act concerts. Looking forward to seeing SIX there on 06/06!
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 15, 2020 22:22:43 GMT
Yes I was at the Belgrade on Wednesday evening and it was pretty much sold out, very impressive and hopefully means we’ll get more of this sort of thing going forward rather than the seemingly endless tribute act concerts. Looking forward to seeing SIX there on 06/06! Saw this last night. Sold out. Standing ovation. Terrific show. Have been pleasantly surprised at this season at the Belgrade - is there someone new in charge of programming? I haven’t been for years due to the stale productions they book but such a good programme this year! If they’re reading here. We need more shows like Once, Six, A monster calls etc - sold out runs speak for themselves. |
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Post by stagebyte on Mar 15, 2020 22:23:37 GMT
Yes I was at the Belgrade on Wednesday evening and it was pretty much sold out, very impressive and hopefully means we’ll get more of this sort of thing going forward rather than the seemingly endless tribute act concerts. Looking forward to seeing SIX there on 06/06! Saw this last night. Sold out. Standing ovation. Terrific show. Have been pleasantly surprised at this season at the Belgrade - is there someone new in charge of programming? I haven’t been for years due to the stale productions they book and travel to the Curve or the Alex instead but such a good programme this year! If they’re reading here. We need more shows like Once, Six, A monster calls etc - sold out runs speak for themselves. |
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Mar 16, 2020 10:41:03 GMT
I've loved this show since its opening at Hornchurch Queens Theatre and saw it recently at Croydon and Woking, both venues being barely a third full.
So glad that it's now attracting a decent audience. Every performance at every venue deserves to be a sell out. Two further visits planned.
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526 posts
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Post by danielwhit on Jun 27, 2020 16:51:17 GMT
Reviving a thread somewhat...
As glad as I was to see Once back out on the road again, this production doesn't rise to the level of the original in my opinion.
The tour is more colourful/flashy in terms of costume/lighting, which isn't a problem in itself however feels as if it tries to detract from the score/book. The on stage musicians tend to be more visible than they were in the original production. Whereas before they sat in the "wings" of the bar, now they are there and also on a raised platform at the back of the stage (where the bar was).
Then there are some sequences which again add to a sense that someone thought the music wasn't strong enough in itself - Falling Slowly particularly suffers from this. Whereas before Guy and Girl were on the main stage by themselves and the ensemble swelled the music from the sidelines (which focused the audience on those two and their future relationship), in this production the entire ensemble finish the number distributed across the stage with lighting on all of them. Completely loses focus.
The final moments of Act One also suffer - now after the dance sequence within Gold, there's a delay while Guy goes back onto the "stage" to deliver the final two lines of the act "and I love her so, I wouldn't change her for gold" - before a very slow fade while he is looking straight at Girl. It hammers the point home a little too strongly and feels like the production doesn't believe by this point we've figured out that he is singing about her. The original production doesn't have that delay (partially as Guy stays away from the ensemble and watches them dancing) and the much quicker fade out after a brief glimpse towards Girl feels more realistic.
Admittedly there are huge sections which run well and are really strong, usually when the show allows the core cast to do their thing by themselves and not try to make it more visually interesting! It's cast well and everyone on stage is good, however I couldn't help but feel this production tries to fix a problem which wasn't there in the first place.
If this cast were lifted and dropped into the original production, it would have been a very good performance indeed.
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