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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 16, 2022 17:56:04 GMT
I’ll be remaining in my seat with my arms folded 😠
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Post by richey on Apr 16, 2022 20:22:57 GMT
I've bought a front row seat, first time ever. Think I may regret that now
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Apr 16, 2022 23:28:43 GMT
I've bought a front row seat, first time ever. Think I may regret that now So have I for next Wednesday's matinee but no regrets. If I'm approached for something I don't want to do - and I can honestly say I've never* danced in my life - I just say a polite but firm no thank you and they always move on. ( *My all-boys grammar school in the early 70s arranged dancing lessons with the local girls school but I had a time-consuming secret money-making enterprise in my mid teens - nothing illegal - so never participated!) |
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Post by richey on Apr 19, 2022 14:59:05 GMT
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 19, 2022 17:07:00 GMT
Looks fab. Excited!
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Post by phantz on Apr 20, 2022 8:29:09 GMT
This is playback! Look at 0:55 when she yells 'Make some noise bitches' and it's clearly at a different level to the immediately preceding vocal line (And I know that I'll get through this) That's just poor. |
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Post by mkb on Apr 22, 2022 0:34:01 GMT
Unlike in the video posted upthread, tonight's audience at The Cher Show was woefully sedate and unenthusiastic. Had someone spiked the drinks with Mogadon? There were few younger people present. The Curve Stalls were only around three-quarters full, which is unsurprising given the £49.50 ticket price at a time when money is tight for many families.
However, the opening minutes were sensational. This is going to be a five-star cracker ball of fun, I thought. But then, the narrative structure started to drift, tending mainly to interrupt half-finished songs for the briefest of interludes. The Act 1 finale was particularly weak. Act 2 continued in the same vein.
Older Cher emerged first at the seven-minute show finale and issued the imperative to "Get out your phones bitches!" which left most of us head-scratching. Was there to be a ballad sung to a starry auditorium torchlight foreground? The tempo indicated not. We know filming is widely banned in the theatre, so why on earth did we need our phones? In the event, confusion reigned, and none were produced, not within my eyeline anyway, which I was grateful for.
A better instruction would have been to "Get up on your feet!", as no-one did until the final minute, when it was nearly all over anyway. This finale had the worst choreographed curtain calls I've seen in a while: the backing dancers suddenly stop to bow mid-dance, taking the audience by surprise, unclear that the final Cher concert is now over. The applause was muted, as most were still clapping along to the music soundtrack, some on the off-beats, some on the on-beats, some on both, no clear guidance having been given from the stage performers.
The three Chers were fantastic. I loved each one. They were on stage together much of the time, and they worked well as a team, bouncing off one another. The rest of the cast are strong too. The six-piece band were not visible, and, unless I missed it, there was not even a nod to them during the curtain calls.
The choreography, set design and lighting excel, and combine to create some spectacular set-pieces. I was expecting the sound level to increase to gig-level towards the end, but it remained too subdued for my liking. Arlene Phillips's direction occasionally betrayed the fact that this discipline is not her primary expertise.
The main problem with The Cher Show is the absence of any real drama. Cher's life-story has been sanitised and abridged, with just passing references to key events. Cher's politics did not feature; her predilection for plastic surgery (and what that may say about her insecurities) was not addressed. All of the characterisations were superficial. A post-show read of Cher's Wikipedia page suggests this did not need to be the case. I was intrigued to learn from the net that Cher's mother, Georgia Holt, is still alive at the age of 95, was a singer-songwriter herself, and has worked her way through six marriages and divorces, including Cher's birth-father, who was both her first and fifth husband. The relationship between mother and daughter was explored only briefly, which was a missed opportunity. (To be fair, it would be difficult to include any controversial content while the principal characters are still alive, and able to sue.)
Despite all my misgivings, I could not help but be captivated by the performances and the music. Even this most straight-acting of queer males found himself allowing his inner queen loose with gay abandon. The show's uber-fabulousness will infect you. It's not great theatre, but it is great entertainment.
Four stars.
Act 1: 19:33-20:37
Act 2: 21:00-22:04
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Post by mkb on Apr 22, 2022 15:55:32 GMT
I've just been corrected by my husband. What I thought was a grand curtsey by Debbie Kurup was apparently her hand gesture to thank the hidden band.
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Post by jamie2c on Apr 25, 2022 7:54:06 GMT
Why are so many costumes black. They are not at a funeral. Is it so that they do not have to wash them when on tour ?
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Post by thesoberpanda on Apr 27, 2022 17:32:12 GMT
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Post by kirstylovesmusicals on Apr 27, 2022 18:25:36 GMT
I was there last night and didn’t notice them but I did notice three people being evicted from the show 20 mins before the end for being drunk and disorderly. Enjoyed it but didn’t love it. Not enough story for me, it seemed to be all about making sure as many Cher songs were thrown in as possible
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Post by drowseychap on Apr 28, 2022 1:16:59 GMT
I just watched the mega mix you tube clip must say wasn’t impressed at all was all a bit lacklustre to me and costumes awful
Wasn’t impressed by the vocals … I’m sure I read somewhere it wasn’t even all live ? 🤔or did I make that up …. I love Cher but this seems a cheap copy of the USA show
Arlene and the team did such a fab job with what’s new pussycat last year shane it’s not that touring was the best new show I’ve seen in many years
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Apr 28, 2022 1:43:02 GMT
I just watched the mega mix you tube clip must say wasn’t impressed at all was all a bit lacklustre to me and costumes awful Wasn’t impressed by the vocals … I’m sure I read somewhere it wasn’t even all live ? 🤔or did I make that up …. I love Cher but this seems a cheap copy of the USA show Arlene and the team did such a fab job with what’s new pussycat last year shane it’s not that touring was the best new show I’ve seen in many years I was also disappointed by the Cher Show, which I saw at Leicester last week, for all the reasons outlined in recent posts here. I found it disjointed, unengaging book and too many of the (35) songs are reduced to excerpts. The generally monochrome staging became dull after a while I book and usually enjoy all jukebox musicals, totally agree that What's New Pussycat is way better than this and I also loved and highly recommend The Osmonds Musical currently at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley |
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Post by drowseychap on Apr 28, 2022 15:33:09 GMT
I just watched the mega mix you tube clip must say wasn’t impressed at all was all a bit lacklustre to me and costumes awful Wasn’t impressed by the vocals … I’m sure I read somewhere it wasn’t even all live ? 🤔or did I make that up …. I love Cher but this seems a cheap copy of the USA show Arlene and the team did such a fab job with what’s new pussycat last year shane it’s not that touring was the best new show I’ve seen in many years I was also disappointed by the Cher Show, which I saw at Leicester last week, for all the reasons outlined in recent posts here. I found it disjointed, unengaging book and too many of the (35) songs are reduced to excerpts. The generally monochrome staging became dull after a while I book and usually enjoy all jukebox musicals, totally agree that What's New Pussycat is way better than this and I also loved and highly recommend The Osmonds Musical currently at the Churchill Theatre, Bromley Must admit with all the reviews I’m tempted to see the osmonds show was never a huge fan but does eeem like they have a good show there And yes What’s new pussycat was a top class production and so engaging it’s real shame it’s not touring instead …. Still hoping. For a west end transfer fingers crossed 🤞 |
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Post by d'James on Apr 29, 2022 1:10:49 GMT
The end Megamix just came on my YouTube. Wow. As someone else said, where’s the colour? The costumes are so wrong. The ensemble were dancing chaotically, it seemed they were trying to outdo each other to be noticed. The costumes; just no. Debbie is closest. Danielle has the voice at times but the movements and mannerisms are nowhere near…
Next up a video of Six performing at the Oliviers came up and I was shocked that the one playing Boleyn was employed…
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Post by shady23 on Apr 30, 2022 21:26:06 GMT
I saw this today.
I am not a Cher fan particularly and know nothing about her story. I am not sure I know that much more about her story now but I really did enjoy the show.
I thought Debbie and Danielle were particularly good as well as Jake Mitchell who plays Bob.
I liked the set and the staging and the megamix at the end as great fun.
I did zone out in places but I think that was more to do with some of the audience behaviour (see the bad behaviour thread) but apart from that I had an enjoyable afternoon.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 1, 2022 16:58:34 GMT
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Post by djdan14 on May 5, 2022 16:26:32 GMT
Was just going to look at booking this for Blackpool - it’s still showing on the shows website however appears been cancelled. Anyone know if this is a recent development?
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Post by jamie2c on May 12, 2022 9:23:24 GMT
Was just going to look at booking this for Blackpool - it’s still showing on the shows website however appears been cancelled. Anyone know if this is a recent development? Yes, the Blackpool shows were cancelled in the last week. Automatic refunds are being sent to ticket holders. No reason given and many other dates and towns are still available on the show`s website. The show is almost sold-out for Sheffield this Saturday night. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 12, 2022 9:51:08 GMT
Surprised to see that Manchester hasn’t sold particularly well for next week. Friday and Saturday evening shows aren’t bad albeit still plenty of seats left, but midweek only centre stalls and centre circle have gone.
I wonder if there’s a misconception that this is one of those naff tribute act shows that ATG seems to like putting in its venues as fillers.
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Post by jamie2c on May 12, 2022 10:26:03 GMT
There are five star reviews from the local press in Sheffield. Maybe why the show is selling better there.
Agree that if an occasional theatre goer may not know that this is a full-musical and not a tribute act.
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Post by og on May 12, 2022 11:32:57 GMT
Surprised to see that Manchester hasn’t sold particularly well for next week. Friday and Saturday evening shows aren’t bad albeit still plenty of seats left, but midweek only centre stalls and centre circle have gone. I wonder if there’s a misconception that this is one of those naff tribute act shows that ATG seems to like putting in its venues as fillers. ATG Theatre Card Member, on the North West mailing lists and didnt even know this was in MCR next week. Has there been much promotion on the ground for it or any they just expecting people to know its on? |
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Post by richey on May 12, 2022 12:04:55 GMT
Surprised to see that Manchester hasn’t sold particularly well for next week. Friday and Saturday evening shows aren’t bad albeit still plenty of seats left, but midweek only centre stalls and centre circle have gone. I wonder if there’s a misconception that this is one of those naff tribute act shows that ATG seems to like putting in its venues as fillers. Just after seeing this, I went into my emails and the first one was from ATG with the title "update for your booking for next week" and I immediately thought it was to tell me it had been cancelled. Thankfully it was only an update about their covid policy! |
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Post by shady23 on May 12, 2022 20:29:35 GMT
Surprised to see that Manchester hasn’t sold particularly well for next week. Friday and Saturday evening shows aren’t bad albeit still plenty of seats left, but midweek only centre stalls and centre circle have gone. I wonder if there’s a misconception that this is one of those naff tribute act shows that ATG seems to like putting in its venues as fillers. I think it is exactly that and the publicity needs to make it clearer that it isn't the case. |
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Post by undeuxtrois on May 15, 2022 19:18:16 GMT
There is one seat in the gallery for Manchester's opening night - surely they haven't sold out the entire gallery, especially with almost all the circle still on sale as well as a fair bit of the stalls.
I'll be there on Tuesday and I'm quite excited to see ehat this is like!
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