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Post by mattnyc on Dec 8, 2021 23:23:51 GMT
The show got out tonight around 10.
What an absolutely glorious revival this is. I say this as someone who worked with the original Broadway production and Im very particular about changes to this show and different direction etc. But I have zero complaints here. I think some of the cast will grow into their roles as time goes by but they all seem pretty much perfect as of second preview. I walked out of the theatre with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face.
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Post by sophie92 on Dec 9, 2021 0:01:35 GMT
The show got out tonight around 10. What an absolutely glorious revival this is. I say this as someone who worked with the original Broadway production and Im very particular about changes to this show and different direction etc. But I have zero complaints here. I think some of the cast will grow into their roles as time goes by but they all seem pretty much perfect as of second preview. I walked out of the theatre with tears in my eyes and a smile on my face. We seem to be following each other around London - Hex last night and Spring Awakening tonight! No question which one I preferred. This is an incredible production. Honestly I don’t have the words to sum it up and I also don’t want to spoil the experience of seeing it for the first time for anyone. There was a brief show-stop tonight to deal with a piece of misbehaving set but it was handled very well. |
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Post by jamb0r on Dec 9, 2021 0:42:40 GMT
I was there tonight too and absolutely loved it (second row stalls, the older gent in front of me left after ‘The Bitch of Living’ so my view was totally clear). Knew nothing about the show in advance and had never heard any of the music, and I haven’t stopped listening to the OBC recording since I left the theatre - the music is gorgeous.
The entire cast were incredible (and all so beautiful!). Also loved the very simple but clever staging and lighting. Will definitely be going back for another visit, and I could easily see this transferring for a short run somewhere.
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Post by n1david on Dec 9, 2021 9:40:03 GMT
Haven't seen this yet myself but it seems like there is some grumbling about this production already:
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 9:53:27 GMT
HUH??
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Post by jamb0r on Dec 9, 2021 9:57:49 GMT
I didn't make that connection at all! Comedia dell'arte style masks are used throughout the show and it looks like people are commenting on the mask used with the large nose?
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 10:03:26 GMT
Oh, come on! Commedia dell'arte offends people now?? As a Jew, (unless something just went COMPLETELY over my head), I didn’t notice anything offensive in the show.
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Post by dlevi on Dec 9, 2021 10:50:07 GMT
Haven't seen this yet myself but it seems like there is some grumbling about this production already: I think Adam should see the show for himself before kicking up a fuss. |
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Post by Dr Tom on Dec 9, 2021 10:56:14 GMT
I was one of the many TB members who was there last night. Thankfully not in the front row, where there are opportunities for audience interaction.
I liked it, but also thought it was over-stylised. Vocally, everything was performed very well, but as a production I preferred the Hope Mill version.
This is the first performance of this I've seen that has actually had a gunshot (thankfully a recording, but I wish theatres would say this in advance to save those of who get anxious about such things).
The advertised run time is 2 hours 15 minutes but this is running longer. Ended at 22:10 last night, but that included a 5 minutes show stop while they fixed a problem with the set. I can see them getting this down to 2 hours 30 minutes, but 2 hours 15 would be pushing it.
Quite happy with my £10 restricted view seat. There was a pillar in view, but a lot of this is performed concert style anyway with minimal interaction (possibly to make it easy to adapt in case further Covid restrictions come in), so that didn't really matter. Most people (not all) respected the announcement that mask wearing was required.
I did have a younger person sat near me who was sneaking photos, which went very well for him until the flash went off. It was an odd audience. One person left from the front row only a few minutes in and someone else left before the gunshot but returned afterwards (which I can understand).
The ending is a bit flat as there's no song reprise like in some other productions.
I do like the theatre, but I think I'll wait for the transfer before seeing this again.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 9, 2021 11:05:24 GMT
I liked it, but also thought it was over-stylised. Vocally, everything was performed very well, but as a production I preferred the Hope Mill version.Thanks for that. Now I don’t feel annoyed about not being able to see the Almeida version any more 😌 |
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Post by jamb0r on Dec 9, 2021 11:18:22 GMT
This is the first performance of this I've seen that has actually had a gunshot (thankfully a recording, but I wish theatres would say this in advance to save those of who get anxious about such things). The content/themes of the show including the gunshot were mentioned in the email I received from the Almeida the morning of the show and also mentioned on posters stuck up around the foyer. This still didn't stop me from jumping out of my skin when it happened though! |
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 11:22:50 GMT
I think what some call “over” stylized and this show, go hand in hand. I thought it was brilliantly reimagined and even pared down to a much smaller space, didn’t feel small at all.
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Post by stevej678 on Dec 9, 2021 11:24:30 GMT
I was one of the many TB members who was there last night. Thankfully not in the front row, where there are opportunities for audience interaction. Uh-oh! Can you share what this audience interaction entails? |
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Post by happytobehere on Dec 9, 2021 11:31:47 GMT
Oh god I wish I knew there was possible audience participation before i just booked my 2nd row seat! Maybe I’ll try to get a refund lol
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Post by forevercolours on Dec 9, 2021 11:37:49 GMT
I have never seen any production of SA before but I am hoping to catch this. However, I am extremely anxious/jumpy so would someone please let me know when the gunshot happens so I can prepare myself? Thanks!!
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 11:39:56 GMT
I have never seen any production of SA before but I am hoping to catch this. However, I am extremely anxious/jumpy so would someone please let me know when the gunshot happens so I can prepare myself? Thanks!! The gunshot goes off when you see someone holding a gun. ^Hope that didn’t sound snarky since it wasn’t meant to. But when you see the gun, you’ll know a shot is coming. And for what it’s worth, I thought that moment was staged beautifully. |
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Post by jamb0r on Dec 9, 2021 12:14:40 GMT
Oh god I wish I knew there was possible audience participation before i just booked my 2nd row seat! Maybe I’ll try to get a refund lol I didn't see any audience participation at all last night and I was sat in the second row. During one song the cast come right to the front of the stage and sing directly in the faces of the front row and make eye contact for a few seconds, but that was about as interactive as I saw it get unless I missed something! |
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Post by jamb0r on Dec 9, 2021 12:22:12 GMT
I have never seen any production of SA before but I am hoping to catch this. However, I am extremely anxious/jumpy so would someone please let me know when the gunshot happens so I can prepare myself? Thanks!! The gunshot goes off when you see someone holding a gun. ^Hope that didn’t sound snarky since it wasn’t meant to. But when you see the gun, you’ll know a shot is coming. And for what it’s worth, I thought that moment was staged beautifully. Just to be a bit more specific I think you see the gun more than once? {Spoiler - click to view}
(I think I'm remembering this correctly but someone else please correct me if not!). At one point a character gets a gun out of his pocket, but the gunshot doesn't happen then. Later when the character stands directly in the middle of the stage, performs a monologue then puts the gun in his mouth - that's when the gunshot happens. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 9, 2021 12:41:04 GMT
Yes, for even more details: {Spoiler - click to view}
This happens fairly early on in act two. The character walks in and takes a gun out of his pocket, but he's interrupted by a girl on stage and there is a scene between the two of them that goes on for a few minutes. After the girl leaves and the guy calls after her, he delivers a monologue. As he speaks, a glass "cage" raises from the stage all around him (the same they use at the end of act 1) and then you hear the gunshot |
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 12:49:38 GMT
Ah yes. Forgot about those other moments.
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Post by forevercolours on Dec 9, 2021 13:24:23 GMT
Yes, for even more details: {Spoiler - click to view}
This happens fairly early on in act two. The character walks in and takes a gun out of his pocket, but he's interrupted by a girl on stage and there is a scene between the two of them that goes on for a few minutes. After the girl leaves and the guy calls after her, he delivers a monologue. As he speaks, a glass "cage" raises from the stage all around him (the same they use at the end of act 1) and then you hear the gunshot Thank you for that! It’s really helpful! I’ll still probably jump out of mu skin like I always do. Even when I’m expecting loud bangs in shows I have seen before, it still scares the crap out of me hahaha |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 9, 2021 13:53:59 GMT
Oh, come on! Commedia dell'arte offends people now?? As a Jew, (unless something just went COMPLETELY over my head), I didn’t notice anything offensive in the show. When the only mask featuring a large hook nose (which is an anti-semitic trope) is attributed to the abortionist who botches it and kills Wendla - that’s a bias. Maybe unconscious, probably not. But it is a bias, and it is anti-Semitic. |
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 14:00:12 GMT
So by that, abortion doctors are Jewish? I think I have a pretty good idea what is anti-Semitic and what isn’t. By that rationale, every time Pinocchio tells a lie, he’s hating Jews.
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Post by mattnyc on Dec 9, 2021 14:02:02 GMT
ANYWAYS, moving on from made up controversies - the original (cut) opening of Act Two, “There Once Was a Pirate” is also back in the show, as well as it’s reprise.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 9, 2021 14:05:50 GMT
Yeah, when I was typing my "review" yesterday I wanted to say that some masks need to be re-thought but I forgot. From the moment the abortionist stepped on stage I knew it would be trouble. I don't think it's something they did consciously or willingly, but that mask looked exactly like those 1920s-1930s caricatures that were so common in Nazi Germany. It's not just the nose. I'm sure it will disappear quietly during previews.
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