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Post by danb on Nov 4, 2023 14:50:34 GMT
They’re back to row G dress circle now, at ten to 3 on a Saturday.
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Post by frauleinsallybowles on Nov 4, 2023 16:41:26 GMT
I can see some decently priced seats in the second row––has anyone sat in these for this show? Will I be straining my neck the whole time?
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Post by Someone in a tree on Nov 4, 2023 16:43:44 GMT
I sat in the front row and yup it was a strain. Although totally worth it to be so close.
Have you checked Theatre Monkey for his views ?
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 4, 2023 17:04:36 GMT
I can see some decently priced seats in the second row––has anyone sat in these for this show? Will I be straining my neck the whole time? I loved being front row but only because I had seen the show before. The people next to me did complain about the next straining but still enjoyed it. I think it’s worth it to see them so close 😍 |
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Post by AddisonMizner on Nov 4, 2023 21:35:06 GMT
I felt like I witnessed something really rather special at today’s matinee. It is probably one of the single most electric afternoons that I have ever had in the theatre.
People who say that Sondheim doesn’t write tuneful or hummable music need to see this show! Hit after hit, with such a diversity of voice from show to show, showcasing what an utter genius he was. His music means so much to me, and to see it given such care and attention here is incredibly moving. The sound design was done so well that it made sure every single lyric was heard with the utmost clarity. The orchestra made his songs sound the best I have ever heard them.
Say what you want about Cameron Mackintosh, this is how you put on a show! Rather than merely a concert, this was a series of staged excerpts. I wouldn’t have felt short-changed if this was what we got for a full production of COMPANY or SWEENEY TODD etc. You could see the money on the stage. The sheer amount of energy on display was incredible. Every number was performed with the attack of someone who was performing it for the first and last time. Goodness knows how the cast do that, night after night, and twice on two-show days.
Speaking of the cast, they were uniformly excellent, and vocally all ideal for the material. It was lovely to see Bernadette, an actress who is so interlinked with Sondheim and his work. The little snatches of ‘Children Will Listen’ and her Dot from SUNDAY were incredibly moving, and yet another occasion where I started to well up. I would have loved more of these from her. It was a joy to witness her ‘Send in the Clowns’ and ‘Losing My Mind’ though. It was a little taste of what it must have been like to see her do those roles on Broadway.
Lea was a real powerhouse! Surely it is only a matter of time now before we get her Mrs Lovett and Mama Rose based off of this concert. The whole SWEENEY TODD section was terrific (and I enjoyed hearing Jeremy Secomb’s Sweeney again after first seeing him in the Pie Shop version). Lea also had some lovely tender moments, such as ‘Loving You’ from PASSION, alongside these bigger moments, showcasing her versatility.
Clare Burt, Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford, Joanna Riding (a brilliant ‘Not Getting Married’) as well as Damian Humbley, Gavin Lee and Jeremy Secomb gave masterclasses in how to act through and put across a song.
The younger cast were stunning too. Bradley Jayden was really charismatic, and got me thinking how he would be a good George in SUNDAY. Christine Allado was sexy, and brought real fire whenever she was on stage, so much so that you couldn’t help but watch her. Jac Yarrow was an earnest stage presence, showcasing a wonderful voice. Jason Pennycooke brought lots of energy to his material. Beatrice Penny-Toure was a nice discovery for me. A name I didn’t know, but she has a really lovely ‘legit’ voice. I hope she gets cast in some other interesting projects off the back of this that I can go and see.
It really is hard to pick highlights. From the initial strains of the opening motif from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and James Lapine’s immortal words, I was welling up. When the whole orchestra came in for the first time, along with the full ensemble for ‘Comedy Tonight’, it completely took my breath away from the sheer force of it. From there, I laughed, I cried and I laughed again. By ‘Sunday’ that ends the first act, I was in bits. It is a piece I just love! Can we get a full production of SUNDAY soon please)? I also felt very emotional during ‘Not A Day Goes By’ with all of the photos of the man himself. This is staged so beautifully too, with all of the performers facing the screen so that he is the main focus, ending really fittingly with Bernadette singing the last line. I feel blessed to have seen so many of Sondheim’s shows over the years, and even to have been in the same room as him on one occasion. This sounds utterly ridiculous, but I really miss not having him here with us.
My crying continued through the absolutely gorgeous choral arrangement of ‘Being Alive’. I loved this version when I saw ‘Putting It Together’ at the St James, and absolutely adored it here too.
An utter gush from me, but I doubt I will see anything as good this year, and it will stay with me for a long time. Quite possibly, the best thing I have ever seen! If I could get to see this again, I would. I could quite easily have walked back in at 7.30pm this evening to see it again. I will just have to make do with the BBC TV special of the concert. When are we getting the CD release?
Now, I am looking forward to PACIFIC OVERTURES at the Menier, but would it be too much to ask to get more stagings of Sondheim’s work in London? Let’s start with the SUNDAY I mention above. I would also love a SWEENEY (surely we are due one - was there not a rumour of Jenna Russell playing Lovett at one point?) I am also hoping we get HERE WE ARE too. In the meantime, this will more than do!
5 Stars (would be more if I could)!
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 5, 2023 2:10:23 GMT
I felt like I witnessed something really rather special at today’s matinee. It is probably one of the single most electric afternoons that I have ever had in the theatre. People who say that Sondheim doesn’t write tuneful or hummable music need to see this show! Hit after hit, with such a diversity of voice from show to show, showcasing what an utter genius he was. His music means so much to me, and to see it given such care and attention here is incredibly moving. The sound design was done so well that it made sure every single lyric was heard with the utmost clarity. The orchestra made his songs sound the best I have ever heard them. Say what you want about Cameron Mackintosh, this is how you put on a show! Rather than merely a concert, this was a series of staged excerpts. I wouldn’t have felt short-changed if this was what we got for a full production of COMPANY or SWEENEY TODD etc. You could see the money on the stage. The sheer amount of energy on display was incredible. Every number was performed with the attack of someone who was performing it for the first and last time. Goodness knows how the cast do that, night after night, and twice on two-show days. Speaking of the cast, they were uniformly excellent, and vocally all ideal for the material. It was lovely to see Bernadette, an actress who is so interlinked with Sondheim and his work. The little snatches of ‘Children Will Listen’ and her Dot from SUNDAY were incredibly moving, and yet another occasion where I started to well up. I would have loved more of these from her. It was a joy to witness her ‘Send in the Clowns’ and ‘Losing My Mind’ though. It was a little taste of what it must have been like to see her do those roles on Broadway. Lea was a real powerhouse! Surely it is only a matter of time now before we get her Mrs Lovett and Mama Rose based off of this concert. The whole SWEENEY TODD section was terrific (and I enjoyed hearing Jeremy Secomb’s Sweeney again after first seeing him in the Pie Shop version). Lea also had some lovely tender moments, such as ‘Loving You’ from PASSION, alongside these bigger moments, showcasing her versatility. Clare Burt, Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford, Joanna Riding (a brilliant ‘Not Getting Married’) as well as Damian Humbley, Gavin Lee and Jeremy Secomb gave masterclasses in how to act through and put across a song. The younger cast were stunning too. Bradley Jayden was really charismatic, and got me thinking how he would be a good George in SUNDAY. Christine Allado was sexy, and brought real fire whenever she was on stage, so much so that you couldn’t help but watch her. Jac Yarrow was an earnest stage presence, showcasing a wonderful voice. Jason Pennycooke brought lots of energy to his material. Beatrice Penny-Toure was a nice discovery for me. A name I didn’t know, but she has a really lovely ‘legit’ voice. I hope she gets cast in some other interesting projects off the back of this that I can go and see. It really is hard to pick highlights. From the initial strains of the opening motif from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, and James Lapine’s immortal words, I was welling up. When the whole orchestra came in for the first time, along with the full ensemble for ‘Comedy Tonight’, it completely took my breath away from the sheer force of it. From there, I laughed, I cried and I laughed again. By ‘Sunday’ that ends the first act, I was in bits. It is a piece I just love! Can we get a full production of SUNDAY soon please)? I also felt very emotional during ‘Not A Day Goes By’ with all of the photos of the man himself. This is staged so beautifully too, with all of the performers facing the screen so that he is the main focus, ending really fittingly with Bernadette singing the last line. I feel blessed to have seen so many of Sondheim’s shows over the years, and even to have been in the same room as him on one occasion. This sounds utterly ridiculous, but I really miss not having him here with us. My crying continued through the absolutely gorgeous choral arrangement of ‘Being Alive’. I loved this version when I saw ‘Putting It Together’ at the St James, and absolutely adored it here too. An utter gush from me, but I doubt I will see anything as good this year, and it will stay with me for a long time. Quite possibly, the best thing I have ever seen! If I could get to see this again, I would. I could quite easily have walked back in at 7.30pm this evening to see it again. I will just have to make do with the BBC TV special of the concert. When are we getting the CD release? Now, I am looking forward to PACIFIC OVERTURES at the Menier, but would it be too much to ask to get more stagings of Sondheim’s work in London? Let’s start with the SUNDAY I mention above. I would also love a SWEENEY (surely we are due one - was there not a rumour of Jenna Russell playing Lovett at one point?) I am also hoping we get HERE WE ARE too. In the meantime, this will more than do! 5 Stars (would be more if I could)! Ugh as if I could’ve written this myself. From what I’ve seen on socials your matinee audience was very engaged and lively. This show is just incredible I think I will end up seeing it atleast 10x by the end of the run (I’ve never seen a show more than twice). Also thinking about forking out for closing night tickets. |
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Post by TallPaul on Nov 5, 2023 10:08:17 GMT
Lea Salonga is today's castaway on Desert Island Discs. 11.15am. Radio 4, obvs.
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Post by apubleed on Nov 5, 2023 11:26:16 GMT
AdddisonMizner I don't think I've ever read a review before that pretty much perfectly expresses every feeling I have about this show, and with even greater clarity than in my own head lol.
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Post by anthony40 on Nov 5, 2023 11:51:37 GMT
Wow AddisonMizner! I have not seen this show, but I too am to a massive Sondheim fan and saw the tribute concert last year. The emotion in your words just leap out!
I have gained so much from Sonheim's shows and the meaning of his lyrics.
Sunday in the Park with George is also my favourite Sondheim show and before I left Sydney 19 years ago, to the best of my knowledge- I could be wrong) there had never been a production. So, genuinely, I just resigned myself to the fact that I would just have for the PBS special DVD.
I did however see Bernadette Peters perform a solo concert at the Sydney Opera House, which I have later heard her state in interviews that that performing at that venue was a highlight of her career!
However since being here I have seen Sunday in the Park with George twice- once at the Menier, merely weeks after arriving and again when it transferred to the West End. The National Theatre's production was before my time.
Coming all the way from down under I never dreamed that I'd be in the same country, let alone the same city, or indeed the same room as Sondheim and in my time here, it happened three times. On one of those occasions, he was merely meters from me!
I can die a happy man!
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 5, 2023 15:19:41 GMT
Really interesting listening to an interview the other day with Lea & Bernadette. Lea says CamMac convinced her to do the show in during a meeting where he showed her clips from the Gala then said ”What can I do for your life that will enable you to come to London and do this ” 🤣🤣
An amazing strategy - how can you possibly say no to that??? It also screams ‘i have all the money and resources in the world to do absolutely anything for you’. Big power move- fair play!!
She then goes on to say that the biggest issue was that she has a teenager , and apparently he was able to sort that out and she is in London with Lea.
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Post by G on Nov 5, 2023 16:15:23 GMT
Caught it with an under 30 ticket Thursday last week(which got checked) and oh my god. Everyone was absolutely great, but Janie Dee in “Boy from…” and Joanna Riding’s “Not getting married” were absolute genius.
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Post by craig on Nov 5, 2023 21:51:08 GMT
Caught it with an under 30 ticket Thursday last week(which got checked) and oh my god. Everyone was absolutely great, but Janie Dee in “Boy from…” and Joanna Riding’s “Not getting married” were absolute genius. Both absolute masterclasses in comedy! |
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Post by Being Alive on Nov 5, 2023 22:33:06 GMT
Caught it with an under 30 ticket Thursday last week(which got checked) and oh my god. Everyone was absolutely great, but Janie Dee in “Boy from…” and Joanna Riding’s “Not getting married” were absolute genius. Truly the greats - Janie is HILARIOUS and Jo works so hard with the hardest song of the night and completely nails it! |
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Post by artemis on Nov 7, 2023 12:36:14 GMT
I absolutely loved this. Unfortunately during the Merrily overture, the couple behind me were talking over it, and that piece is something I adore. They then proceeded to hum, clap and even sing along to the more lively songs in the second act. They were perfectly quiet during the 1st act, so can only think they necked a few drinks in the bar at the interval. I’m going again this week and hoping I can’t be that unlucky twice to have idiots sat behind me. I get to that lot of shows have bad behaviour, but wasn’t expecting it here.
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Post by damaskanddark on Nov 7, 2023 15:25:11 GMT
Saw this a few nights ago. Jason Pennycooke was off, and Gavin Lee and Damien Humbley covered him.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 7, 2023 15:44:11 GMT
Saw this a few nights ago. Jason Pennycooke was off, and Gavin Lee and Damien Humbley covered him. No way! Who did Buddy’s Blues? And how did they both do. |
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Post by damaskanddark on Nov 7, 2023 17:13:10 GMT
Saw this a few nights ago. Jason Pennycooke was off, and Gavin Lee and Damien Humbley covered him. No way! Who did Buddy’s Blues? And how did they both do. Humbley did Buddy’s Blues and was very good. |
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Post by callum on Nov 8, 2023 0:04:55 GMT
Can’t write a review any more eloquent than AdddisonMizner so a few observations from this evening’s performance… (main takeaway is I LOVED IT)
- I had an under 30 ticket on the very end of Dress Circle Row A. Felt a better deal than Row N-Q of stalls and very much pleased with my decision. No checks on door. Grand Circle closed this evening, and Dress Circle and boxes seemed pretty full from my view (couldn’t see rear stalls).
- Slightly surreal seeing Mandy Patinkin in concert further down Shaftesbury Avenue when he feels such a part of the show, including a visual cameo in the concluding montage and his connection with Bernadette. Surely something can be done while he’s ’still here’?!
- I was in the audience for the original concert and this is a different beast but no less enjoyable! Bernadette was far better here and her Losing My Mind was sensational tonight. Stage presence, vocals and acting all utterly unbelievable. And flawless at 75!
- While obviously the show is looking back at SS career, I can’t help but think we’ve seen the future with Lea Salonga. Although obviously a legend already, if she ever decides to bring her Mrs Lovett or Mama Rose to a full scale production we are in for a treat!
- A group of guys in the front row tonight were absolutely lapping it up and the whole cast were feeding off the energy making it a pleasure to see. Janie gave them a few extra winks in her impeccably performed ‘The Boy From’ and Bernie & Lea both acknowledged them during the bows. Fabulous touch!
- Bonnie really showed off her vocals in I’m Still Here - loved it!
- And Claire Burt really did nail TLWL. Haydn was the surprise MVP of the original gala, so thrilled to see Claire do the number justice once again.
- Any critiques would come in structure of Act 2. I think the principal problem is that Lea is off-stage for too long. She gets a very pleasant ‘Somewhere’ from WSS, then does her part of Broadway Baby, and isn’t seen again for well over 30 mins til Everything’s Coming Up Roses if I’m correct?!
- Consequently would have loved a Together Wherever We Go (one of the few group numbers in Gypsy), or Rose’s Turn (the ultimate 11 o’clock number) if that wouldn’t have killed Lea off doing both of those numbers eight times a week haha!
- Follies is in my top 3 Sondheim but felt its section too long. Agree with other comments that Buddy’s Blues should be dropped, and was not a lover of Gavin Lee’s HCILY. He’d already hammed it up very effectively in Everybody Ought to Have a Maid, and his Follies number felt repetitive.
- I also think that although ‘he only did the lyrics’ we could have had a longer WSS. ‘Tonight’ was fun from the younger cast, but felt very similar to ‘Waiting for the girls upstairs’. I would have cut either of those. I love his lyric ‘I have a love and it’s all that I have’ - that could have been a great number with minimal staging. Or for something more elaborate imagine how showstopping would Lea doing ‘America’ have been?!
- Ultimately this is all minor stuff. Finales of both acts left me in tears and can’t wait to return before the end of the run!
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Post by A.Ham on Nov 8, 2023 12:26:38 GMT
Rush ticket booked for this for tonight, hopefully a decent seat and very excited to see it based on all the enthusiasm on this board for it, and having enjoyed the TV broadcast of the gala concert. Hoping Jason is back as I’ve loved him in everything I’ve seen him in!
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Post by vdcni on Nov 8, 2023 17:57:50 GMT
Second visit today, matinee performance was high energy and the audience loved it.
It's even stronger than first time round with most of my minor issues resolved. Bernadette Peters has now nailed Losing My Mind and Clare Burts Ladies Who Lunch was much stronger than previously.
Buddy's Blues is still a bit of a slog though and although I enjoyed Could I Leave You first time round Gavin Lee's overly comic version fell slightly flat for me this time. Wish even more it was Janie Dee performing it and that Joanna Riding had something more to do.
Otherwise just sensational. Planning my third visit already.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 8, 2023 23:52:14 GMT
Clare cracked during Not a day goes by and Gavin dropped his feather duster during everybody ought to have a maid
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Post by damaskanddark on Nov 9, 2023 8:31:42 GMT
Clare cracked during that song also last week when I was there
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Nov 9, 2023 9:14:03 GMT
Clare cracked during that song also last week when I was there No way |
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Post by A.Ham on Nov 9, 2023 9:56:40 GMT
Well I thought this was absolutely wonderful! Thank you so much to everyone on here for being so enthusiastic about it and convincing me to book. Will post more later but I loved it.
And yes, Gavin did indeed drop his duster last night. He momentarily looked a little embarrassed but recovered very quickly!
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Post by damaskanddark on Nov 9, 2023 10:00:56 GMT
I was surprised to learn that Gavin is married to a woman and has three kids.
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