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Post by pomegranate on Apr 23, 2023 10:11:19 GMT
We made a rare trip to London to see yesterday's matinee. It's a huge shame that the programme doesn't have understudy information as we had the understudy Adelaide on, and after a nervy start she truly came out the gate for act 2. I got the impression it was her first performance in the role as she got a big hug from the actor playing Sky during the bows and was held up on the shoulders of the ensemble members during the dancing after the bows. It also struck me as a little weird that the cast board outside just didn't mention Adelaide at all. I think the greatest compliment I can give this show is that I was expecting the "immersive experience" to be a gimmick, but take that away and this is probably the best production of Guys and Dolls I've ever seen (and I've seen dozens; it's my favourite show). So vibrant, energetic and bright with terrific interpretations of the characters. I in particular cannot give Celinde Schoenmaker as Sarah Brown enough praise; an expert portrayal of one of the great female musical theatre roles, a very nuanced and spectacular performance. We were stood in the immersive section and had a great time; the show is so well-paced and frantic you barely notice the time passing, I actually liked the movement of the audience and the choreography of the raising platforms was spectacular. The stage crew are utter heroes in this show and I loved that they got their own bow! All in all, such a fun experience and a fantastic production of one of the all-time greats. 5/5 for me! It was Lydia Bannister as Adelaide yesterday and you’re right it was her debut! |
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Post by adrianics on Apr 23, 2023 10:23:21 GMT
Thanks for confirming that, never seen an understudy debut before so that's one to add to the books!
A few other highlights from the top of my head: Nicely Nicely hit on my wife during the title number; one of the Save a Soul members pointed at my pint and shook his head whilst singing "put down the bottle"; quite simply the greatest interpretation of "Marry The Man Today" I've ever seen and from now on I'll be deeply disappointed with any production that doesn't feature Sarah and Adelaide getting plastered together ("BACARDI!" got the biggest laugh of the day); the ensemble to a person were hot as hell and I've never seen such a steamy rendition of the Hot Box numbers; absolutely loved the Cuban rendition of "I'll Know" during the Hot Box scene.
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Post by lonlad on Apr 24, 2023 23:58:09 GMT
Saw it for the second time tonight and will be back many more times -- everyone was on, and also on fire: Andrew Richardson's voice fuller and richer than before, and his performance sexy as all get out; Celinde knocking every moment out of the park in surely the defining Sarah Brown of this or any generation; Danny loose-limbed, witty and wonderful; and Marisha so confident and commanding that it's actually quite moving to behold her wholesale makeover of that role: about not the accent here but about feeling and truth and then more feeling again. And if there is a better-staged/sung/acted musical theatre number on stage in London just now than "Marry the Man Today", I don't know what that is: it's a master class in performance and direction that I could watch on a perpetual loop. Oh, and Cedric Neal is even better than before, too - he's now having the sort of fun with the role vocally that comes once a run is really gaining its footing. Bring on the next visit, and the one after that.
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Post by Mr Snow on Apr 25, 2023 7:17:37 GMT
Saw this last Monday. I adored this production and I think it deserves all the success it is finding. There a few things I thought didn’t work in it’s favor. The staging in Act One took me a long time to get used to. I was distracted seeing the “police” move the crowd every time a new section of stage was about to go up. And Act One especially was like a constant change… reminded me of videos of The Lord of the Rings musical… up and down, up and down… I think there are shorter scenes in the first half. This did not bother me in the second half. The scenes are longer and more of the stage was just a rectangle in the middle. Furthermore, because the show is in the round, there is a lot of light that bleeds out behind the action onto the (sometimes) goofy and fidgety audience below. I needed more of a hard perimeter of light to help focus on the action… I guess because of the complicated nature of lighting this piece it’s a hard thing to accomplish. Maybe it’s a safety issue as well. The person I came with was angrily focused on a too-into-it standing audience member the whole time. I couldn’t help but watch an entire drama unfold on the standing room floor between an ungrateful university student complaining to her parents about having to stand. It was maddening. The last thing… for me personally, there is a “more is more” feeling with some of the blocking and set. The lyrics to these songs are so good… why must we be constantly walking around and changing positions or stirring coffees and doing “stage business” in the cafe or the barber shop … just communicate the lyric. Generally I kept thinking, “Why do we need six tables at the club? Why do we need four fully dressed tables at the restaurant (with full condiment sets)? Why do we need three barber chairs? Too much stuff for me, and everything is passed up to the stage by the police…. Again, Act Two was simpler. The most effective scenes for me were in Act One were the scenes in the mission (I’ll Know felt like the piece could finally slow down and breathe) or Adelaide’s solo, where we could just focus. Now besides those super specific gripes, let me say this show is phenomenal. I know everyone is talking about the men, who are fantastic, but my GOODNESS, the WOMEN!! The more I think about what Marisha is doing, the more I liken it to seeing a golden age legend take the stage. She sings these songs on the edge of a knife. They sound fresh and visceral, and her crooning indulgent tone and emotional character base is a thrilling combination . She is a total star, and I am a huge fan now. I don’t miss the old Adelaide characterizations one bit. This woman is a real person and she sings like the songs were written in her heart. Celinde… holy cow. What an arc we see from Sarah. Her and Sky’s journey was the through-line of the show for me. Her vocal take on the role starts with the character just being in the moment, and again it is thrilling because of the technique and tools she has at her disposal. Sarah’s big vocal leaps are like a revelation of her character… she contains multitudes of possibility within her, and we see so many sides of her. Again, a real person in these circumstances, swinging wildly between the life she has cultivated and the longing within. I can’t wait to go back, and although I had my little issues I do believe this staging is a revelation. This kind of work proves how important the Arts are. We all need this work right now. It is an uplifting exuberant experience that sits deeper in you than you think possible. Also, loved the take on Marry the Man Today!! Loved Rockin’ the Boat. The tempo allowed you to ride every vocal wave. Captivating. Cast recording would be in my ears constantly. Thank you for saving me the time writing THIS review. Agree and I'd just add it seemed to me that the way it was staged meant the audience took a lot longer to settle as some insisted on pointing out the bleedin obvious throughout the overture. It continued and one of the greatest MC nos, Fugue for tin Horns, featured 5 voices! Having the band separated from the cast in the round took quite a time to adjust to. Sat matinee and we also were surprised to discover after the show that Miss Adelaide was played by the understudy, brilliantly. |
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Post by dancingthroughlife on Apr 25, 2023 8:28:59 GMT
I’ve never seen them offer anything other than standing through Rush, so perhaps there’s just trying to manage customer expectations? Ah I thought I'd seen the Rush option for seated tickets, but I must have been mistaken. You're not mistaken. They definitely were doing Standing and Seated rush about a month ago when I checked. |
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Post by adrianics on Apr 25, 2023 11:30:42 GMT
Something else to mention, especially in light of my complaint in the "bad behaviour" thread about the low standard of audiences these days: What an incredible, impeccably behaved audience. Not a phone in sight or whisper to be heard, raucous laughter and applause in the appropriate places and an incredible atmosphere throughout, especially for the afterparty at the end. A genuinely great bar with fantastic beer selections and you were permitted to take your drinks in with you for the standing section, proving that it actually is possible to have it both ways!
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Post by adamkinsey on Apr 25, 2023 11:39:56 GMT
I wish I liked Guys and Dolls. The production sounds wonderful and I've had some friends go to this and rave about it. But for whatever reason it has always left me cold both as a show and a score (a couple of numbers aside). I've seen four productions over the years and swore I'd never go again as it's clearly my weak spot (and loss). Part of me is curious to go but I fear I'd find it clever and well done but still leave me cold.
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Post by rumbledoll on Apr 25, 2023 13:21:37 GMT
Had a blast standing last night! Buckets of joy but also appreciated technical elements - the choreography behind changing scenes is exceptional and doesn’t distract you from the action it only throws you in! The leads are very good, but there will never be another Sky for me apart from Jamie Parker.. Richardson is not a match neither in voice nor in charisma, maybe that’s just me.. love the afterparty dance hall moves and actors staying for some extra engagement with auditorium was a bice bonus.
Big numbers got so much cheer, Sit down you’re rocking s boat almost left me deaf in one ear! But I always love to be close to the action if if I got splashed by water or whatnot from time to time.. I believe would enjoy it less if was in a seat. I totally get that watching the crowd move do much from above can be annoying.
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Post by ceebee on Apr 25, 2023 15:24:05 GMT
I wish I liked Guys and Dolls. The production sounds wonderful and I've had some friends go to this and rave about it. But for whatever reason it has always left me cold both as a show and a score (a couple of numbers aside). I've seen four productions over the years and swore I'd never go again as it's clearly my weak spot (and loss). Part of me is curious to go but I fear I'd find it clever and well done but still leave me cold. Go again - I promise you'll feel differently. |
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Post by ceebee on Apr 25, 2023 15:25:19 GMT
Had a blast standing last night! Buckets of joy but also appreciated technical elements - the choreography behind changing scenes is exceptional and doesn’t distract you from the action it only throws you in! The leads are very good, but there will never be another Sky for me apart from Jamie Parker.. Richardson is not a match neither in voice nor in charisma, maybe that’s just me.. love the afterparty dance hall moves and actors staying for some extra engagement with auditorium was a bice bonus. Big numbers got so much cheer, Sit down you’re rocking s boat almost left me deaf in one ear! But I always love to be close to the action if if I got splashed by water or whatnot from time to time.. I believe would enjoy it less if was in a seat. I totally get that watching the crowd move do much from above can be annoying. From above is fine - it's a right distraction in the stalls though... |
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Post by alece10 on Apr 25, 2023 15:34:09 GMT
I'm going to be sitting in the stalls and worried I'll be looking more at the movement of the audience and how's its done than the show.
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Post by adamkinsey on Apr 25, 2023 17:05:51 GMT
I wish I liked Guys and Dolls. The production sounds wonderful and I've had some friends go to this and rave about it. But for whatever reason it has always left me cold both as a show and a score (a couple of numbers aside). I've seen four productions over the years and swore I'd never go again as it's clearly my weak spot (and loss). Part of me is curious to go but I fear I'd find it clever and well done but still leave me cold. Go again - I promise you'll feel differently. If you'll pay, I'll go 😂 |
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Post by theatregoer22 on Apr 25, 2023 17:49:00 GMT
Ah I thought I'd seen the Rush option for seated tickets, but I must have been mistaken. You're not mistaken. They definitely were doing Standing and Seated rush about a month ago when I checked. I wasn't going to mad then! It's a shame for me as I don't think I'm up to standing for 3 hours. |
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Post by stevemar on Apr 27, 2023 16:49:53 GMT
As hoped, this was a fantastic night out. I didn’t need any radical re-interpretations here. The songs, performances and the choreography more than did the job. The four leads were all superb - personal favourites were Marisha Wallace who gives it her all but also the emotion during the quieter moments, and the stunning Andrew Richardson as Sky.
I also loved the revised versions of the songs during the interval act, and the pumped up versions for after the show.
Having stood for Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night’s Dream also, I knew that the sheer logistics of the staging would be fine again. They seem to have perfected them, and Nick Hytner really delivers to bring the performances out.
In a way, the movement probably doesn’t add anything for the seated audience, but were great for the standing audience. Audience behaviour was absolutely fine.
Maybe I’m showing my age, but my feet did hurt a bit after almost 3 hours. It was great to look around and see so many happy audience members smiling away. Great energy.
5 stars.
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Post by intoanewlife on May 3, 2023 9:25:01 GMT
Going to this tonight in the standing pit, any suggestions as to where the best place to stand is?
My companion is on the shorter side...
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Post by rumbledoll on May 3, 2023 17:50:10 GMT
Going to this tonight in the standing pit, any suggestions as to where the best place to stand is? My companion is on the shorter side... I was under impression is got played more to one of the longer sides (if you dace the stage the orchestra should be on your right hand side), but overall impression you always have someone’s face to look at, someone’s move or prop to enjoy. It was comfy right in front, audience behaviour I experience was immaculate. Everyone gives you enough space to feel comfy and find your perfect angle if you need to. |
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Post by intoanewlife on May 4, 2023 13:18:43 GMT
Not a fan of 'traditional' old school musicals especially this particular one, but I thought this was excellent.
The show itself is what it is, but the production and cast were great.
Great views from the standing area and thankfully they are not overselling it so it was very comfortable and easy to wander about.
Crowd was great too which was a shock considering the luck I usually have at most 'sit down' productions.
5/5
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Post by mattnyc on May 8, 2023 13:40:12 GMT
Has anyone heard anything about a possible cast recording?
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Post by capybara on May 8, 2023 22:29:05 GMT
Has anyone heard anything about a possible cast recording? It’s in the works. |
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Post by mattnyc on May 8, 2023 22:37:08 GMT
Has anyone heard anything about a possible cast recording? It’s in the works. BRILLIANT! I need Andrew singing directly in my ears lol |
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Post by theatrefan77 on May 9, 2023 23:30:37 GMT
I saw this again. This time seating in Stalls as opposed as standing like in my previous visit. I enjoyed both experiences. Maybe I prefer seating slightly just because it made me appreciate more the wonderful choreography, which is a bit more tricky when you are standing and moving around.
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Post by harry on May 16, 2023 23:39:50 GMT
I don’t want to be too down on this because I did like it overall and appreciate the huge amount of creative talent involved but with some caveats, and in my opinion isn’t a patch on the extraordinary Michael Grandage Donmar production at the Piccadilly (which a quick google tells me was a terrifying 18 years ago but lives so vividly in the memory I almost called it “recent”)
Firstly I’m not sure that the proximity and “fun” elements of the immersive production really outweigh the negatives of always feeling like someone else has a slightly better view, and the ever present threat of distraction as others (or you yourself) are suddenly cleared from an area. At first it’s fun as the performance springs up around you but as it goes on, I found myself wishing I could just watch the darned thing!
It feels terribly long. The website says 2h40 but that’s some 15-20min short. The constant shifting of the action from one stage section to another should feel fluid but to me seemed stilted and dampened the thrust of the story. So each scene worked individually but I never felt like the show as a whole had any shape but just sort of meandered. The meandering is very pleasant, but I do remember being well over an hour in and thinking oh goodness there’s still the whole Havana section to get through before we even get to the interval.
I didn’t like the choreography much. It all felt squashed into spaces too small (another downside to this type of staging) and very messy round the edges. I don’t know, I just never felt that “wow” from it.
That’s not to say I didn’t enjoy myself and Marisha Wallace proves once again she’s an extraordinary talent. It was just in a very 4star-y “this is doing everything slickly but it’s just missing something for me” kind of way rather than hitting the 5star ecstatic “I never want this to end” feeling (although from the reaction it really did for a lot of the audience)
So 4 stars, although reading back the above I think maybe the immersive in-the-round thing just didn’t work for me and an end on version of this production might have made it the full 5.
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Post by capybara on May 17, 2023 10:53:05 GMT
Went back standing on Monday night. Loved it just as much as, if not more than, the first time.
The cast is just incredible and, knowing what to expect, I felt able to focus more on the plot. The comedic performances from Mays and Wallace in particular are exceptional.
Shout out to George Ioannides who I think was making his Sky debut. Stepped into the role seamlessly. To be honest though, this was the one role I didn’t mind seeing the understudy perform in. I’d have been gutted to miss Mays, Wallace, Schoenmaker or Neal as they really are the heartbeat of the show.
I love that there are daily rush tickets available and that standing is (such an amazing) option.
You really can just wander in off the streets and be I
immersed in one of the strongest shows in London right now.
Now, to start planning that third visit…
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Post by mattnyc on May 17, 2023 11:58:19 GMT
Was Andrew out last night, as well? Going tonight and really don’t want to go if he’s been out.
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Post by harry on May 17, 2023 13:44:56 GMT
Was Andrew out last night, as well? Going tonight and really don’t want to go if he’s been out. Yes he was off last night. |
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