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Post by Oleanna on Dec 28, 2020 0:27:16 GMT
I was recently looking through old theatre posters on eBay (inspired by the other thread here), and came across a poster for the SECOND West End production of Song & Dance in 1989 at the Shaftesbury, featuring original stars Marti Webb and Wayne Sleep.
I had no idea that this had happened, perhaps somebody here could shed some light on it please?
Was it simply a limited-run return at the end of the tour?
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Post by alece10 on Dec 28, 2020 9:25:51 GMT
Can't throw any light onto that but I remember seeing the original production at the Palace Theatre, that was so long ago now.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Dec 28, 2020 9:47:40 GMT
Apparently it toured the UK and had a six-week run at the Shaftesbury Theatre from April 1990
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Post by Deleted on Dec 28, 2020 9:47:57 GMT
I was recently looking through old theatre posters on eBay (inspired by the other thread here), and came across a poster for the SECOND West End production of Song & Dance in 1989 at the Shaftesbury, featuring original stars Marti Webb and Wayne Sleep. I had no idea that this had happened, perhaps somebody here could shed some light on it please? Was it simply a limited-run return at the end of the tour? Yup, I saw this, I was 13! So it was definitely a limited run at the Shaftesbury theatre and was not open ended. Couldn't tell you if it was part of a tour as pre internet I wouldn't have known this. I am pretty sure it was the Anthony Van Laast/John Caird version but I remember being disappointed on two counts (bear in mind I was 13!) - the show's logo wasn't as cool as the electric blue, lightning type bolt that led up from the red dancer to spell ALW - the set and lighting were not the same as the Palace version (based then on the Sarah Brightman double LP which as a kid I was obsessed with and had lots of pics of the show). Anyway, as far as I can recall was the 2nd and last time Song and Dance has been since in the West End. Would be great if there was someone on here who saw both and could tell us what the differences were? Funnily enough I also saw the posters on e-bay! |
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Post by Scswp on Dec 28, 2020 10:19:06 GMT
I saw this at the Shaftesbury in 1990 and it was, indeed, a limited run. It was choreographed by Anthony van Laast and starred Marti Webb and Wayne Sleep. The understudy for Marti Webb was Carol Nielsson, although I’m not sure whether she actually performed.
Marti Webb was good in the role. Her voice was very powerful (if slightly shrill at times) and she could certainly belt to the rafters.
Wayne Sleep, as you would expect, danced superbly. The only other member of the dance troupe I can recall is Linda Mae-Brewer (Aeva May).
Unfortunately, I’m not sure the production sold that well. I went to a Saturday matinee. The upper level of the theatre was completely closed and both the stalls and the Royal Circle (where I sat) were at least one-third empty. I think my ticket for the front of the Royal Circle was £20.00
I went mainly to see Marti Webb and was concerned at the time that she wouldn’t perform matinees (as seemed to be the case quite often with leading ladies at the time). I needn’t have worried. She performed with sensitivity and power, and was clearly comfortable in the very ‘rangy’ role. Her performance of ‘The Last Man in my Life’ was wonderful.
Very happy memories.
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Post by stokerob on Dec 29, 2020 12:33:43 GMT
I don't think I am allowed to post a link here, however look on my profile and click on the link to my Doctor Theatre podcast and blog, if you click on the right hand side the link for January 2020 posts, you will find a comprehensive article on the history of TELL ME ON A SUNDAY for its 40th anniversary which includes information and photos on all its incarnations including the various productions of SONG & DANCE.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 29, 2020 14:01:44 GMT
I don't think I am allowed to post a link here, however look on my profile and click on the link to my Doctor Theatre podcast and blog, if you click on the right hand side the link for January 2020 posts, you will find a comprehensive article on the history of TELL ME ON A SUNDAY for its 40th anniversary which includes information and photos on all its incarnations including the various productions of SONG & DANCE. I really enjoyed reading this - thanks for posting. Food to know for definite that the Shaftesbury was a different production. I know it's knocking about on YouTube but be good if the Sarah Brightman video could be cleaned up and released on DVD! |
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 29, 2020 15:37:52 GMT
I don't think I am allowed to post a link here, however look on my profile and click on the link to my Doctor Theatre podcast and blog, if you click on the right hand side the link for January 2020 posts, you will find a comprehensive article on the history of TELL ME ON A SUNDAY for its 40th anniversary which includes information and photos on all its incarnations including the various productions of SONG & DANCE. FANTASTIC BLOG! Really enjoyed your TMOAS/S&D article. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 17:00:05 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester.
The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 29, 2020 17:23:51 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester. The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester. Is the very wealthy and commercial ALW entitled to public subsidy when his shows can run in West End and tour no problem? I'm asking for a friend... Although that was before Covid 19 who knows what the new norm is with ACE funding. Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale |
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Post by princeton on Dec 29, 2020 18:14:27 GMT
Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale In the very heavily rewritten Broadway version - they tried to create a narrative line in the dance section. So whilst the first act was still 'Song' and the second act 'Dance' - the main dancer was now Joe (as in 'me and Joe have had a bust up' - from Tell Me On A Sunday) and he told his story post-split through dance - rather than just being a dance concert. 'Emma' (the woman actually had a name in the US version) and 'Joe' get back together at the end of Act Two and have a duet and a bit of a dance - for about the last couple of minutes of the show. It felt a little more cohesive than the London version - but really it was fairly slim pickings. |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 29, 2020 19:35:11 GMT
Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale In the very heavily rewritten Broadway version - they tried to create a narrative line in the dance section. So whilst the first act was still 'Song' and the second act 'Dance' - the main dancer was now Joe (as in 'me and Joe have had a bust up' - from Tell Me On A Sunday) and he told his story post-split through dance - rather than just being a dance concert. 'Emma' (the woman actually had a name in the US version) and 'Joe' get back together at the end of Act Two and have a duet and a bit of a dance - for about the last couple of minutes of the show. It felt a little more cohesive than the London version - but really it was fairly slim pickings. Wow. That sounds really interesting and something I would have loved to see and not just because it starred Bernadette! I was thinking more along the lines of meshing the two so you have a bit of song and then dance. For this you really would need a woman who is a total triple threat, which thankfully is doable |
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 20:40:32 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester. The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester. Is the very wealthy and commercial ALW entitled to public subsidy when his shows can run in West End and tour no problem? I'm asking for a friend... Although that was before Covid 19 who knows what the new norm is with ACE funding. Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale Why should Stephen Sondheim and Frank Loesser who are both American can subsidy from the British tax payers? |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 29, 2020 21:39:28 GMT
Is the very wealthy and commercial ALW entitled to public subsidy when his shows can run in West End and tour no problem? I'm asking for a friend... Although that was before Covid 19 who knows what the new norm is with ACE funding. Has the dance and song elements ever merged to create a through narrative? She sings and he dances to tell one tale Why should Stephen Sondheim and Frank Loesser who are both American can subsidy from the British tax payers? It's not about nationality. See Opera and Italy, Ballet and Russia, Plays and Norway for details. It's about what needs a helping hand to get it going. In my book arts Council funding should exist for works that can't exist in the commercial world and this can be a small theatre in Dundee or a large dance company in Birmingham regardless of the nationality of the creatives of course ENO did stage Sunset and it revived much criticism and acclaim while aloe lining the coffers. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 29, 2020 23:54:06 GMT
I wouldn’t advocate for Cats, Joseph or Starlight Express to be done at Chichester, but Song and Dance would fit in well with their audience and Chichester is a venue that could enhance the show artistically. Chichester does do shows that don’t really need a ‘helping hand,’ such as; Singing in the Rain, Guys and Dolls and Sweeney Todd etc. Which can all be done by commercial producers.
When it comes to being commercial savvy, subsidised theatre is very poor, as it knows it is going to be bailed out.The RSC is a good example, it closed a sold out run of Wolf Hall in the West End.
It is a joke that Chichester are doing Assassins this year, a show with no real appeal.
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 29, 2020 23:58:30 GMT
Song and Dance would be amazing in the Festival Theatre, Chichester. The West Sussex crowd would lap it up, Andrew Lloyd Webber has never been done at Chichester. You know pre-COVID, Don Black was devloping a gender-swap version? |
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 30, 2020 7:47:26 GMT
We are going way off topic, my bad.
We now have a funny system with our subsidised theatres keeping an eye on the commercial sector so it can fund some Ibsen or community theatre. I don't blame them for doing it but it does make commercial producers lazy as they just circle regional theatres. The current model is very different to the original intentions.
Assissins has no real appeal? Its one sondheim's most produced shows. A very popular choice with uni drama societies, especially in Germany!
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Post by distantcousin on Jan 1, 2021 17:52:09 GMT
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