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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 25, 2021 16:50:24 GMT
Also, I went back last night, it was the ticket I originally bought in July and then last week I got anothet on a whim {Spoiler - click to view}
Last week I thought it was a 3 and half * production with the potential of being 4 and last night it was definitely a 4*. Very little has changed, the only noticeable difference is that now Cliff no longer slaps Sally. Still, I think it's slicker and Sally's first two numbers work better. Last time I found the first twenty minutes a little clunky and I thought the production didn't quite find its footing before "Pretty Marvellous", but I do believe it is much sharper now, although, as I said, little has changed. My two biggest complaints are still there tho. The title song is too overacted and over-directed, and there seems to be little coherence in the Emcee, as if it were a different character in every scene rather than a single character evolving throughout the show. The Emcee is like the witches in Macbeth, a non-character through which the director can express the agenda of the show, so the direction's overall lack of vision reduces the Emcee to the protagonist of a series of vignettes imho. These quibbles have more to do with the direction than with the very fine cast. Even with the whole Kit Kit gimmick, the staging itself is very traditional and the production is hardly revolutionary (like the upcoming Oklahoma!) nor does it reinvent the material (like Mendes did). Still, it's a very solid and hugely enjoyable production and it's great to have a musical for grown-ups back in the West End. |
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Post by Mark on Nov 25, 2021 16:54:50 GMT
Definitely worth keeping your eyes on the atg website. I managed to get my dad a £25 row B upper circle seat for the Saturday matinee just there.
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Post by shambles on Nov 25, 2021 17:00:55 GMT
Also, I went back last night, it was the ticket I originally bought in July and then last week I got anothet on a whim {Spoiler - click to view}Last week I thought it was a 3 and half * production with the potential of being 4 and last night it was definitely a 4*. Very little has changed, the only noticeable difference is that now Cliff no longer slaps Sally. Still, I think it's slicker and Sally's first two numbers work better. Last time I found the first twenty minutes a little clunky and I thought the production didn't quite find its footing before "Pretty Marvellous", but I do believe it is much sharper now, although, as I said, little has changed. My two biggest complaints are still there tho. The title song is too overacted and over-directed, and there seems to be little coherence in the Emcee, as if it were a different character in every scene rather than a single character evolving throughout the show. The Emcee is like the witches in Macbeth, a non-character through which the director can express the agenda of the show, so the direction's overall lack of vision reduces the Emcee to the protagonist of a series of vignettes imho. These quibbles have more to do with the direction than with the very fine cast. Even with the whole Kit Kit gimmick, the staging itself is very traditional and the production is hardly revolutionary (like the upcoming Oklahoma!) nor does it reinvent the material (like Mendes did). Still, it's a very solid and hugely enjoyable production and it's great to have a musical for grown-ups back in the West End. The Emcee thing is line with a discussion I ended up in yesterday. There are some people who view him as a person, but others much more as an abstract. I think positive reviews will depend upon the perception's of the reviewers, and whether it succeeds in fulfilling them , or positively subverting them. I love him both as a character and as a more conceptual thing for the director to play with, so I am more likely to be pleased. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 25, 2021 17:04:15 GMT
Also, I went back last night, it was the ticket I originally bought in July and then last week I got anothet on a whim {Spoiler - click to view}Last week I thought it was a 3 and half * production with the potential of being 4 and last night it was definitely a 4*. Very little has changed, the only noticeable difference is that now Cliff no longer slaps Sally. Still, I think it's slicker and Sally's first two numbers work better. Last time I found the first twenty minutes a little clunky and I thought the production didn't quite find its footing before "Pretty Marvellous", but I do believe it is much sharper now, although, as I said, little has changed. My two biggest complaints are still there tho. The title song is too overacted and over-directed, and there seems to be little coherence in the Emcee, as if it were a different character in every scene rather than a single character evolving throughout the show. The Emcee is like the witches in Macbeth, a non-character through which the director can express the agenda of the show, so the direction's overall lack of vision reduces the Emcee to the protagonist of a series of vignettes imho. These quibbles have more to do with the direction than with the very fine cast. Even with the whole Kit Kit gimmick, the staging itself is very traditional and the production is hardly revolutionary (like the upcoming Oklahoma!) nor does it reinvent the material (like Mendes did). Still, it's a very solid and hugely enjoyable production and it's great to have a musical for grown-ups back in the West End. The Emcee thing is line with a discussion I ended up in yesterday. There are some people who view him as a person, but others much more as an abstract. I think positive reviews will depend upon the perception's of the reviewers, and whether it succeeds in fulfilling them , or positively subverting them. I love him both as a character and as a more conceptual thing for the director to play with, so I am more likely to be pleased. This is a terribly fascinating point and there are several insightful comments in the reples as well |
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Post by shambles on Nov 25, 2021 17:12:22 GMT
Honestly, like one of the replies, I was really pleased to have left the Mendes version of the character behind. It was just beginning to get crass, and phoned in. So maybe I should try and go for a return to see how it seems to me now, after the great initial appeal and fascination. Though "elemental force" is going a bit far...
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Post by partytentdown on Nov 25, 2021 17:20:22 GMT
Is there merchandise available at the show?
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Post by shambles on Nov 25, 2021 17:23:47 GMT
The Emcee thing is line with a discussion I ended up in yesterday. There are some people who view him as a person, but others much more as an abstract. I think positive reviews will depend upon the perception's of the reviewers, and whether it succeeds in fulfilling them , or positively subverting them. I love him both as a character and as a more conceptual thing for the director to play with, so I am more likely to be pleased. This is a terribly fascinating point and there are several insightful comments in the reples as well Did anything change in the performance as well the second time? |
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Post by alece10 on Nov 25, 2021 17:24:13 GMT
Is there merchandise available at the show? Not when I went to 2nd preview and not even a programme. Not sure if there is now. We did get a Founder Member badge as we left, don't know if they are still doing them. |
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Post by fiyerorocher on Nov 25, 2021 17:24:23 GMT
Is there merchandise available at the show? Not even programmes at the moment. There was a badge handed out to everyone as they left, though. |
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Post by Rory on Nov 25, 2021 18:16:14 GMT
Is there merchandise available at the show? Not even programmes at the moment. There was a badge handed out to everyone as they left, though. That's really poor. They've had long enough to get all this sorted. I always get a programme and will be raging if there isn't one when I go. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 25, 2021 19:07:39 GMT
Not even programmes at the moment. There was a badge handed out to everyone as they left, though. That's really poor. They've had long enough to get all this sorted. I always get a programme and will be raging if there isn't one when I go. I suspect there won't be a programme until opening night, since they're trying to keep secret the aesthetics of the production until then. |
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 25, 2021 21:24:17 GMT
Front of House confirmed to a friend the other day that there won't be a programme until after Press Night...
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Post by hairspray57 on Nov 25, 2021 21:34:23 GMT
Front of House confirmed to a friend the other day that there won't be a programme until after Press Night... I go a week or so after that. I hope there is one then. What they should do is allow those going now to order a programme to be sent to them when it’s ready. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Nov 25, 2021 21:55:19 GMT
How does selling a regular programme give away the “aesthetic” secrets of the show?
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Post by hairspray57 on Nov 25, 2021 22:06:39 GMT
How does selling a regular programme give away the “aesthetic” secrets of the show? It will likely contain lots of production pics as that is standard now. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Nov 25, 2021 23:00:21 GMT
How does selling a regular programme give away the “aesthetic” secrets of the show? It will likely contain lots of production pics as that is standard now. Yeah that's what I meant |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2021 0:43:02 GMT
Also, I went back last night, it was the ticket I originally bought in July and then last week I got anothet on a whim {Spoiler - click to view}
Last week I thought it was a 3 and half * production with the potential of being 4 and last night it was definitely a 4*. Very little has changed, the only noticeable difference is that now Cliff no longer slaps Sally. Still, I think it's slicker and Sally's first two numbers work better. Last time I found the first twenty minutes a little clunky and I thought the production didn't quite find its footing before "Pretty Marvellous", but I do believe it is much sharper now, although, as I said, little has changed. My two biggest complaints are still there tho. The title song is too overacted and over-directed, and there seems to be little coherence in the Emcee, as if it were a different character in every scene rather than a single character evolving throughout the show. The Emcee is like the witches in Macbeth, a non-character through which the director can express the agenda of the show, so the direction's overall lack of vision reduces the Emcee to the protagonist of a series of vignettes imho. These quibbles have more to do with the direction than with the very fine cast. Even with the whole Kit Kit gimmick, the staging itself is very traditional and the production is hardly revolutionary (like the upcoming Oklahoma!) nor does it reinvent the material (like Mendes did). Still, it's a very solid and hugely enjoyable production and it's great to have a musical for grown-ups back in the West End. Thats interesting. When i went on the 15th, Cliff went to do that, but stopped himself. I liked that. It also made the following lines from Sally, about how her relationships always end that way, seem sadder abd darker than usual. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 26, 2021 0:45:28 GMT
Doesnt everyone have a show that you have hated but everyone else has loved? Nothing wrong with having a different opinion and going against the grain. I still maintain that Waitress is the most overhyped, cliché ridden, musical ever to open in the West End. Hadestown, Once, and Band’s visit also come to Mind…I don’t like shows that think they are revelatory Here, come sit with me, i hated all of them too. |
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Post by distantcousin on Nov 26, 2021 8:53:45 GMT
The Emcee thing is line with a discussion I ended up in yesterday. There are some people who view him as a person, but others much more as an abstract. I think positive reviews will depend upon the perception's of the reviewers, and whether it succeeds in fulfilling them , or positively subverting them. I love him both as a character and as a more conceptual thing for the director to play with, so I am more likely to be pleased. This is a terribly fascinating point and there are several insightful comments in the reples as well There's a discourse happening? Why was I not informed?! |
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Post by crowblack on Nov 26, 2021 12:27:59 GMT
Message erased!
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Post by crowblack on Nov 26, 2021 14:56:34 GMT
Is there a phone number for the box office that isn't the 03330 one? I've been waiting on hold for 50 mins!
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Post by vickyg on Nov 26, 2021 17:26:08 GMT
A good few tickets on the website tonight. I can't get in in time without the tube (which I assume is why they're there!) but a couple for £25 and more of the lower priced offerings for those that can.
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Post by crowblack on Nov 26, 2021 17:34:56 GMT
A good few tickets on the website tonight. I can't get in in time without the tube (which I assume is why they're there!) but a couple for £25 and more of the lower priced offerings for those that can. I'm not sure what the reselling process is on theatreboard (if there is one, and is this the place to say it?) but I have a Wednesday matinee £40 front row upper circle seat which I can't use due to family illness, if you're interested. I'm going to do the return on their website tomorrow if not. |
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Post by interval99 on Nov 26, 2021 20:36:46 GMT
Has this settled into its running time now. The early reviews said it ran longer than expected.
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Post by ceebee on Nov 27, 2021 11:06:29 GMT
Hi all - I just got my tickets through and the blurb about lateral flow / PCR tests. How rigorous are the FOH staff on checking? Not a problem to do it but just wondering as other shows simply ask for proof of vaccination / no symptoms.
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