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Post by johnie21 on Dec 4, 2021 8:14:41 GMT
As a last minute £25 rush ticket purchase from TT due to the cancellation of MR this evening, being sat at the end of row B (B5) in the stalls next to the DJ booth and speakers, tonight’s show was worth every penny. No obstructions to see the stage and with plenty of legroom to enjoy the show you really do get the concert atmosphere sat here which really made the night. I’ll admit I’m no big reggae fan and wasn’t particular familiar with Marley’s music walking into the auditorium but by the end of the show even this board member was on his feet dancing, singing and clapping along to the last few songs. Whilst the set wasn’t that impressive consisting of two blocks of speakers with a few additional bits and pieces such as a recording booth and the book seemingly a bit disjointed in telling the story but what did blow me away was just the vocal talent of the cast assembled accompanied by a wonderful 8 piece bandand the energy from them. Arinze Kene was just superb singing BM’s songs along with Gabrielle Brooks as Bob’s wife Rita singing No woman No Cry being the standout song for me. Even from the pre-show DJ bit, there really was a fantastic atmosphere in the auditorium with a very respectful audience during the show and a great party / concert atmosphere by the end. As jukebox musicals go, a great audience tonight with no incidents of bad behaviour to report. Yes Gabrielle Brooks Is a stand out. I also loved Shanay Holmes voice too!! The musical is amazing and there defo is a great show in there! I hope extends again after September 2022! It deserves a long run for Bob Marley Fans and newcomers! I also hope a Cast Recording is made!! |
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Post by david on Dec 4, 2021 8:28:45 GMT
Great review david - also unfamiliar for the most part with Bob Marley and his music so this write-up makes me think there's an enjoyable show in there! Thanks Mark. I’d definitely say GUSU is worth a punt with the TT rush option if you want to give it a go for this one. There has definitely been really good rush seats available for this one. |
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Post by TallPaul on Dec 4, 2021 9:29:51 GMT
Gabrielle Brooks was one of the ensemble in the original production of Everybody's Talking About Jamie, then returned to the world-famous Crucible Theatre to play Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz, rather than reprise her role on Shaftesbury Avenue.
It's good to read that she's now playing a leading lady, to some acclaim, right next door.
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Post by YemceeA on Jan 5, 2022 6:04:18 GMT
Strange how few reviews are up for this one. Figured I share my (admittedly) strong feelings.
Get Up, Stand Up! @ The Lyric Theatre (17 October 2021 Evening Performance)
It was a spur of the moment decision to snag a ticket to a late preview performance of Get Up, Stand Up!, the new Bob Marley jukebox musical. I’m not intimately familiar with Marley’s story (and am rarely thrilled by bio-musicals regardless of the subject), but figured that at the very least, it would be an enjoyable way to learn about the legend and listen to some good tunes. Woof.
The show starts off with a bizarre and unexplained monologue from a DJ trying to rile up the crowd from a repurposed box in the stalls. Imbuing some energy into my Sunday evening audience proved a challenge. I blame the awkward transitions and lighting cues that bring the show to a lethargic start. We never see or hear from this man again. Next, the cast enters one-by-one reciting their names as well as the roles they will be playing. Is this establishing the company as an ensemble that will collectively tell this story? Are we meant to understand the piece as meta-theatrical and self-aware? Should we resist suspending our disbelief that Bob Marley is actually onstage in front of us? I don’t know. That’s the last we see of that concept, as we move swiftly through a disoriented bit of music before the narrative finally begins.
I think this best illustrates my problem with the show. There are lots of ideas floating around, some sound, a few wildly misjudged, but none met with any commitment. Lee Hall’s libretto is piecemeal and unfocused. Disjointed scenes discuss various aspects of Marley’s life (upbringing, infidelities, politics, health problems, and navigation of the music industry) without a strong through line to connect the dots. It’s unclear what story is being told, and therefore the characters are difficult to invest in. Clint Dyer’s direction is all over the place; static, emotionally vacant book scenes are interspersed with loose, weakly constructed musical numbers. The transitions between are largely nonexistent, making it difficult to tell when the characters are singing as themselves and when they are suddenly in a concert setting. A startling lack of musical buttons makes it equally hard to know when to applaud. Frankly, the whole flow of the show is wet. The second act features a series of theatrical devices that left me totally baffled. Ghosts, flashbacks, strange sound effects, BLM footage, and the momentary appearance of Bob Marley triplets had me wondering just how much weed was being smoked during tech. None of these ideas are revisited, and very few of them make any sense within the larger context of the production.
On a positive note, two very strong central performances provide moments of reprieve. Gabrielle Brooks brings the house down with a rousing “No Woman No Cry”, and Arinzé Kene takes on the titular role with confidence, enthusiasm, and reverence. His work shines most in “Redemption Song” when the rest of the production is put on mute, Kene placed downstage-centre to deliver a tender rendition that has the whole crowd singing along. For a few minutes, there is a real synergy between the stunning music, eager audience, and simple storytelling. It’s a great shame that in the rest of the show, such moments are rare.
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Post by Seriously on Jan 5, 2022 11:11:52 GMT
Excellent review YemceeA.
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Post by shambles on Jan 5, 2022 16:03:25 GMT
Excellent review YemceeA. Agreed. Really have enjoyed reading your very considered thoughts, both here on on other shows. Nice to have them here! |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 5, 2022 16:08:37 GMT
I agree too! 😀
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Post by YemceeA on Jan 5, 2022 20:40:55 GMT
Really appreciate the kind words. More to come. Cheers!
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Post by Mark on Feb 11, 2022 11:54:06 GMT
Got front row from TodayTix last night. I did enjoy it but certainly not a favourite, although I'd say thats a lot to do with not being overly familiar with the man or the music.
I thought Arinze Kene was brilliant as Bob Marley and that Gabrielle Brooks stole the show with No Woman No Cry. The energy from the cast never wavered throughout. Thought act one was the stronger one, with act two suffering from lots of songs shoehorned in at the end.
Must say there were some women getting very drunk behind us and some very inappropriate giggling during quite a serious speech (including some very audible comments about how tight the actors trousers were). I will never understand why people go to the theatre and talk through the performance.
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 11, 2022 12:08:37 GMT
I will never understand why people go to the theatre and talk through the performance. Pubs are too noisy for conversations, so it's a lot easier in the theatre? |
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Post by Hamilton Addict on Mar 11, 2022 11:43:11 GMT
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According to Mark Shenton, Arinzé Kene has now departed from the role of Bob Marley and has been replaced by his alternate, Michael Duke. Had this been announced in advance? I couldn't find any press releases.
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Post by keekio2 on Mar 11, 2022 12:17:37 GMT
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According to Mark Shenton, Arinzé Kene has now departed from the role of Bob Marley and has been replaced by his alternate, Michael Duke. Had this been announced in advance? I couldn't find any press releases. Definitely more to this as this is the first I’ve heard of it and they have been having quite a lot of “cast illness” lately |
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Post by princeton on Mar 11, 2022 12:18:04 GMT
There doesn't seem to have been any announcement made prior to his departure - just one today to say they've extended booking and Bob Marley is now being played by Michael Duke, and the website reflects that too. I'm assuming it's a planned departure given that they've already got a replacement alternate, David Albury.
I guess that it's not a great surprise given that Arinze Kene is really hot property at the moment so is probably juggling lots of different projects - so six months, including rehearsals is probably all he could commit to (especially as the production is much delayed). That said it's a shame that it wasn't announced in advance as people like me who haven't yet seen it would probably have made the extra effort go before he left.
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Post by keekio2 on Mar 11, 2022 12:27:35 GMT
There doesn't seem to have been any announcement made prior to his departure - just one today to say they've extended booking and Bob Marley is now being played by Michael Duke, and the website reflects that too. I'm assuming it's a planned departure given that they've already got a replacement alternate, David Albury. I guess that it's not a great surprise given that Arinze Kene is really hot property at the moment so is probably juggling lots of different projects - so six months, including rehearsals is probably all he could commit to (especially as the production is much delayed). That said it's a shame that it wasn't announced in advance as people like me who haven't yet seen it would probably have made the extra effort go before he left. But you would think his cast mates would post something about on there socials as most claim that he is their friend or am I just looking to far into it |
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Post by johnie21 on Mar 11, 2022 12:49:57 GMT
We also are getting a cast album from this show! I personally loved it but defo understand it has mixed reviews! I’m so glad the show has been extended! Do you think that will be the last show or? I can see this doing well like how Tina has done.
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Post by andrew on Mar 11, 2022 13:20:22 GMT
There doesn't seem to have been any announcement made prior to his departure - just one today to say they've extended booking and Bob Marley is now being played by Michael Duke, and the website reflects that too. I'm assuming it's a planned departure given that they've already got a replacement alternate, David Albury. I guess that it's not a great surprise given that Arinze Kene is really hot property at the moment so is probably juggling lots of different projects - so six months, including rehearsals is probably all he could commit to (especially as the production is much delayed). That said it's a shame that it wasn't announced in advance as people like me who haven't yet seen it would probably have made the extra effort go before he left. But you would think his cast mates would post something about on there socials as most claim that he is their friend or am I just looking to far into it They have. http://instagram.com/p/CakaKttoXgN I think that it's awful from the producers' part that they didn't announce his departure, I only found out a couple of weeks ago that he wasn't in the show anymore and I really wanted to see him in it. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2022 15:20:55 GMT
Obviously not that much, seeing as the show has been open since October.
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Post by c4ndyc4ne on Mar 11, 2022 15:47:03 GMT
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According to Mark Shenton, Arinzé Kene has now departed from the role of Bob Marley and has been replaced by his alternate, Michael Duke. Had this been announced in advance? I couldn't find any press releases. West End Understudies shared it before MD started...Shenton just behind the times. I think they were waiting for new photos to unveil the new Bob. Odd not to announce it before though. |
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Post by keekio2 on Aug 4, 2022 19:05:39 GMT
Closing on the 8th of January with a uk tour and international productions planned
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Post by Mark on Aug 4, 2022 19:25:57 GMT
Surprised at this one, thought it was selling pretty well. Will do very well on tour I imagine, and it's a nice long closing period so they can hopefully do some bumper business to the end of their run.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 21:47:09 GMT
Agree it will do well on tour, like The Girls/Calandar Girls.
I saw this once and left with a free Souvenir being a headache.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Aug 4, 2022 21:48:59 GMT
It clearly hasn't been a show of much interest to Board members here given the lack of posts on this thread...
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Post by Jon on Aug 4, 2022 21:53:13 GMT
16 months is pretty respectable, I wonder if there is something planned for the Lyric like Oedipus or a transfer of some sort?
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Post by jr on Aug 29, 2022 7:57:29 GMT
Finishing run after Christmas. Not sure if it has been announced officially.
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Post by Mark on Aug 29, 2022 8:11:59 GMT
Finishing run after Christmas. Not sure if it has been announced officially. It has. Did you read the last couple of posts on this thread? |
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