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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 15, 2019 20:06:15 GMT
Not strictly on topic but to any Dave Malloy fans out there the Octet cast recording is finally out.
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 15, 2019 20:41:06 GMT
Not strictly on topic but to any Dave Malloy fans out there the Octet cast recording is finally out. I'm on track 7. What in all things holy is going on? It's great. |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 16:18:43 GMT
Just saw this this afternoon.
I’ve been a massive fan of Dave Malloy for a few years now and have only been able to listen to his works at home.
What an absolutely stunning production that treats Malloy’s creation so respectfully, but building upon it to make a wholesome yet intimate experience.
Can’t lie, I was an emotional wreck by Starchild - so beautiful.
Definitely going to come back before it closes in January.
Thank you Boulevard for putting this on, and thank you Mr Malloy.
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Post by geraldine64 on Nov 16, 2019 17:05:04 GMT
A dissenting voice! I was so looking forward to this, loved the venue, absolutely gorgeous, but, despite the great performances, found the show pretentious, baffling and incomprehensible, with completely unmemorable music. I guess Dave Malloy isn't for me. Can't be just me surely...?
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Post by david on Nov 16, 2019 17:12:02 GMT
Just saw this this afternoon. I’ve been a massive fan of Dave Malloy for a few years now and have only been able to listen to his works at home. What an absolutely stunning production that treats Malloy’s creation so respectfully, but building upon it to make a wholesome yet intimate experience. Can’t lie, I was an emotional wreck by Starchild - so beautiful. Definitely going to come back before it closes in January. Thank you Boulevard for putting this on, and thank you Mr Malloy. Did you have the opportunity to join in with the audience participation bits? |
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460 posts
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 17:39:57 GMT
Just saw this this afternoon. I’ve been a massive fan of Dave Malloy for a few years now and have only been able to listen to his works at home. What an absolutely stunning production that treats Malloy’s creation so respectfully, but building upon it to make a wholesome yet intimate experience. Can’t lie, I was an emotional wreck by Starchild - so beautiful. Definitely going to come back before it closes in January. Thank you Boulevard for putting this on, and thank you Mr Malloy. Did you have the opportunity to join in with the audience participation bits? I participated in the “Any Kind of Dead Person” shaker part, being in the front row of the stalls. Wasn’t offered for the final number. Quite relieved actually, really wanted to remain seated and take it all in. |
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Post by david on Nov 16, 2019 17:46:38 GMT
Did you have the opportunity to join in with the audience participation bits? I participated in the “Any Kind of Dead Person” shaker part, being in the front row of the stalls. Wasn’t offered for the final number. Quite relieved actually, really wanted to remain seated and take it all in. The first shaker part was fun, though when I did the last song along with the cast and the other participants, that was something really special for me. Helping to create that music on stage was just great. |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 17:57:10 GMT
I participated in the “Any Kind of Dead Person” shaker part, being in the front row of the stalls. Wasn’t offered for the final number. Quite relieved actually, really wanted to remain seated and take it all in. The first shaker part was fun, though when I did the last song along with the cast and the other participants, that was something really special for me. Helping to create that music on stage was just great. Sure. I’m not really one for audience participation generally, so, I was fine in my seat  |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 17:57:35 GMT
A dissenting voice! I was so looking forward to this, loved the venue, absolutely gorgeous, but, despite the great performances, found the show pretentious, baffling and incomprehensible, with completely unmemorable music. I guess Dave Malloy isn't for me. Can't be just me surely...? Were you there this afternoon? |
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Post by geraldine64 on Nov 16, 2019 18:48:22 GMT
A dissenting voice! I was so looking forward to this, loved the venue, absolutely gorgeous, but, despite the great performances, found the show pretentious, baffling and incomprehensible, with completely unmemorable music. I guess Dave Malloy isn't for me. Can't be just me surely...? Were you there this afternoon? No, a few nights ago. |
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Post by dlevi on Nov 16, 2019 19:29:05 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row.
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Post by emj892 on Nov 16, 2019 20:59:52 GMT
If anyone has already tried roulette tickets, please share your experiences! I got roulette tickets! I was in the second row with a sea of empty seats both sides. I actually found it took me longer to get into the performance as I felt quite self conscious in such an intimate space. |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 21:12:37 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row. I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story  |
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Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 22:11:19 GMT
I was there this afternoon and while I found the show often incomprehensible , I also found the cast terrific and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago). I thought the staging was smart and I think the venue is great. Truly a happy surprise. I did a "roulette" seat and ended up in the first row. I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs. |
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Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 22:35:25 GMT
and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago) Think about it, what was Preludes about... |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 22:45:35 GMT
I’d be surprised if Dave himself understood the story The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs. Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End. |
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Post by intoanewlife on Nov 16, 2019 23:07:02 GMT
The big clue is in when and where the songs appear within the different sides of the album being played...it is a song 'cycle' so the various chapters of each of the 4 stories plays out in the same position within each cycle of songs. Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End. It is understandable, but it's ridiculous lol It's meant to mimic people sitting around a campfire telling scary tales. They each tell a chapter of their story and then it moves onto the next person etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_Quartet |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 16, 2019 23:13:30 GMT
Sure. But it's safe to stay that the story isn't exactly easily understandable. Especially compared to that of other shows in the West End. It is understandable, but it's ridiculous lol It's meant to mimic people sitting around a campfire telling scary tales. They each tell a chapter of their story and then it moves onto the next person etc en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ghost_QuartetYeah, I see. Had I have not done reading, I wouldn’t have understood the plot. I think it’s unlikely to be understood after a single listen if it’s the first time seeing the show and hearing the music, which is a point that has been stated previously on the thread. |
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Post by dlevi on Nov 17, 2019 10:41:53 GMT
and enjoyed Molloy's gift for melody ( something which wasn't always apparent in Preludes a few months ago) Think about it, what was Preludes about... Well yeah, but I had a hard time with Preludes because so many aspects of it remained elusive ( plot, character, melody etc.) and here whatever the elusiveness of the plot or obscurity of the lyrics, there was at least a flood of melody. |
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 17, 2019 12:15:46 GMT
Think about it, what was Preludes about... Well yeah, but I had a hard time with Preludes because so many aspects of it remained elusive ( plot, character, melody etc.) and here whatever the elusiveness of the plot or obscurity of the lyrics, there was at least a flood of melody. Indeed. When the melody from the opening track “Let me read you a story, let me read you a romance, let me read you will listen, and this terrible night will pass”, is then re-used in a later track. Literal goosebumps. A genius, Mr Malloy. |
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Post by schuttep on Nov 20, 2019 9:51:10 GMT
I did no pre-reading and didn't understand it at all. Some of the songs were great as songs and the performances were wonderful.
But, IMHO, if it doesn't work as presented then it's not doing its job.
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Post by andrew on Nov 20, 2019 11:24:34 GMT
I did no pre-reading and didn't understand it at all. Some of the songs were great as songs and the performances were wonderful. But, IMHO, if it doesn't work as presented then it's not doing its job. I completely agree with you. Nothing justifies that mess of a plot, and it’s a shame for the wonderful music and performances. And btw I did all the pre-reading and I still didn’t understand it at all. 😂 |
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 20, 2019 11:36:15 GMT
I just don't think it's really meant to be understood? As the characters say, it's a circular story. The characters are all reincarnations of each other and things that happen to future incarnations affect past ones and there's no logical understanding of how that can work but I think that's the point since it adds to the strange atmosphere and plays into the supernaturalism of it all. I think of it much like David Lynch's work in that I'm sure Lynch knows what's going on but for the average audience member you're only going to pick up on themes and the film is just meant to be experienced and felt, not really understood in terms of narrative and I don't think there's anything wrong with that, it just isn't for everybody.
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Post by pianowithsam on Nov 20, 2019 17:04:52 GMT
I just don't think it's really meant to be understood? As the characters say, it's a circular story. The characters are all reincarnations of each other and things that happen to future incarnations affect past ones and there's no logical understanding of how that can work but I think that's the point since it adds to the strange atmosphere and plays into the supernaturalism of it all. I think of it much like David Lynch's work in that I'm sure Lynch knows what's going on but for the average audience member you're only going to pick up on themes and the film is just meant to be experienced and felt, not really understood in terms of narrative and I don't think there's anything wrong with that, it just isn't for everybody. Dave puts it very nicely in the programme. “It’s very much a puzzle; the piece is deliberately confusing, but there is a plot that weaves its way through four interconnected stories that you can unravel if you want to.” |
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Post by xanady on Nov 20, 2019 17:20:24 GMT
Anybody heading to see this will hopefully have researched the structure of the piece via Theatreboard and other sources and therefore have picked up on the fact that this work is a conundrum wrapped in a puzzle.
Not always necessary to have every plot point spelt out in an obvious way.Sometimes it is nice to decipher a piece and let it speak to you personally.
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