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Post by apubleed on Jan 6, 2024 23:18:07 GMT
Bernadette did the Broadway baby kick line at the final performance! Standing O’s for I’m still here, losing my mind, coming up roses. They all seemed to have a lot of fun tonight, especially Janie Dee.
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Post by sl1888 on Jan 6, 2024 23:34:12 GMT
The atmosphere was electric tonight. Loved it. It seemed like there were lots of tears/welling up from the cast during the bows. Also the swings came on for the final song and then (I’m guessing?) directors and some family members right at the end.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 0:37:48 GMT
What a night!!!!! I’ve decided. Bonnie’s I’m Still Here is MY definitive version. Will elaborate later lol
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 7, 2024 0:40:19 GMT
Surely Cameron turned up and made a speech to make it all about him?
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 1:08:42 GMT
Surely Cameron turned up and made a speech to make it all about him? No speeches at all which was surprising ! I would’ve liked some.They just did Old Frienda x2 and the second time was to let us join in and sing along. Oh and the whole thing was filmed!! I wonder what they want to do with it! I’m glad because I need to rewatch some of those performances foreverrrr |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 1:11:58 GMT
The atmosphere was electric tonight. Loved it. It seemed like there were lots of tears/welling up from the cast during the bows. Also the swings came on for the final song and then (I’m guessing?) directors and some family members right at the end. Lea’s daughter came on and then all the backstage crew, stage management, wigs etc etc |
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Post by greatauntedna on Jan 7, 2024 1:24:16 GMT
Went to the Matinee this afternoon for my final visit and it was sublime as ever! It was a truly magical atmosphere and all the cast were superb. There wasn't really any last muck up matinee shenanigans just a bit more cheekiness from Bernadette with Bradley as the wolf. Janie was hilarious during "The Boy From..." I noticed poor Bernadette's knee and as other people have said she leaves now before the full line up of ladies in "Broadway Baby"....but she still played the trumpet through her legs in "Gotta have a gimmick" highly impressive! I finally had Jason Pennycooke as he has been off on my previous visits, I enjoyed his "Buddy's Blues" and got the audience clapping (which I don't know if that has happened before as I have always had Damian). It has been a joy to see this show and it is a real homage to the late great Sondheim. The talent on stage has been joyous to watch. It would be nice to have some more Sondheim on the West End next! There were loads I thought! |
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 1:42:19 GMT
Bernadette did the Broadway baby kick line at the final performance! Standing O’s for I’m still here, losing my mind, coming up roses. They all seemed to have a lot of fun tonight, especially Janie Dee. Oh Janie out of all of them was giving the most ‘final performance’ vibes. She did a jokey dance to the conductor Alfonso at the end of The Boy From… that made him laugh, during Broadway Baby she did did a star jump on her line (Clare also came out leaping). I loved seeing them all let loose ❤️ I am sad more of them especially Bernie and Lea didn’t come through stage food before their after party… would’ve been nice since they are literally going back home after this  |
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Post by apubleed on Jan 7, 2024 7:06:01 GMT
It was filmed but the setup looked very much archival not for professional release sadly.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 7, 2024 8:59:22 GMT
Wow.what a night. Loved it. My Mum said it was the best thing she has ever seen.
Standing ovations aplenty.
Bows for the technical crew
Also, full praise to the disability access ushers, who really supported Mum (and her crutches) without us even having to ask.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 9:43:28 GMT
It was filmed but the setup looked very much archival not for professional release sadly. Nooooooooo. But what’s the point of filming if it’s never gonna be seen 🥹 well I guess it could be seen but just not by us 🤣 |
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 7, 2024 11:29:07 GMT
Considering we had a professional recording of the Gala, that's widely available, they won't be releasing this.
Fantastic closing night though.
So nice to see an audience really appreciating the material and performances.
As others have said - nice amount of standing ovations' in the second half.
I normally find clapping along really annoying but when the entire audience was clapping along with Comedy Tonight I had the biggest grin on my face.
Janie Dee was having the time of her life last night too - having an absolute blast jumping around the stage during Broadway Baby and a truly wild The Boy From!
My biggest take away from the evening though was Bernadette, who delivered the most moving performance of Losing My Mind that I've ever had the privilege of witnessing. We all know that the voice isn't what it once was, but she was so emotional throughout the number that it completely worked for what she was going.
I'll really miss it - having Sondheim in the West End as grandly as this is always a joy, and I hope that it's not too long before another big revival of his work lands with us.
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Post by raiseitup on Jan 7, 2024 12:20:14 GMT
Thoroughly enjoyed the final performance last night. Bernadette floored me with Losing My Mind, such a fully committed and deeply moving performance. A total masterclass in acting through song. She was leagues better in every one of her numbers than when I saw the show previously in early previews.
Still didn't really get Lea's Everything's Coming Up Roses though. It was loud and impressively belted but had no depth for me. Her Loving You is a much better showcase of her talents.
Bonnie is soooo hammy but you just can't help but feed off how much she absolutely adores being on the stage. I think it just about works for I'm Still Here.
Janie Dee and Joanna Riding though... chef's kiss.
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Post by theatreloverlondon on Jan 7, 2024 12:46:56 GMT
Thoroughly enjoyed the final performance last night. Bernadette floored me with Losing My Mind, such a fully committed and deeply moving performance. A total masterclass in acting through song. She was leagues better in every one of her numbers than when I saw the show previously in early previews. Still didn't really get Lea's Everything's Coming Up Roses though. It was loud and impressively belted but had no depth for me. Her Loving You is a much better showcase of her talents. Bonnie is soooo hammy but you just can't help but feed off how much she absolutely adores being on the stage. I think it just about works for I'm Still Here. Janie Dee and Joanna Riding though... chef's kiss. Bonnie is the QUEEN OF HAM but I can’t pretend to be a hater anymore 🤣 she knows how to rock an audience!!! This forum taught me the words ‘hammy’ and ‘showboating’ & it never ceases to crack me up lolllll |
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Post by Rory on Jan 7, 2024 12:50:56 GMT
She's a showbiz legend, love her! She did indeed rock that crowd. What a trooper!
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Post by marob on Jan 7, 2024 13:11:03 GMT
Jac Yarrow’s posted a picture of the Gielgud to his Instagram story with the text “Goodbye for now to this life changing experience.”
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Post by Dr Tom on Jan 7, 2024 14:01:53 GMT
Glad that everyone enjoyed the final performance. I couldn't make that one, but I did make both Friday evening and the Saturday matinee, and both were phenomenal.
I was a bit skeptical at the start about how well this would find an audience, but this ended up being occasion theatre, and I know people were paying a lot of money for their tickets (the person next to me on Friday said as much, I answered diplomatically, of course). I was on Rush both performances, but it took me to the second release on Saturday to get a ticket. Dress Circle Row C both times, excellent view both times (in fact, I was in seats next to each other), the leg room is good there, the audiences better behaved than most theatres, plus always fun to see several actors in prime seats (although the only one I could immediately name was Giles Terera).
There were changes on the Saturday matinee, but I was hoping someone else would point them out as I just don't know the production quite well enough. Various different costumes. Endless enthusiasm. Now, I know that Bernadette Peters might not sound exactly the same as she did in her prime, but she was having a lot of fun. I felt she was singing Send In The Clowns looking right at me, and I really felt the emotion. I did expect some mid-show standing ovations, but no one wanted to start them. Thankfully, people stayed standing at the end, so we didn't have to sit down and stand up again four times like on Friday (which I don't mind in the Stalls, but I never feel as steady in the higher tiers).
This is a cast who all gel perfectly together. I'll also reiterate what I've said before, which is Marley Fenton is going to be a future star. Glad to see the hints that this may return, I can see it easily slotting into a free theatre for a future season.
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Post by greatauntedna on Jan 7, 2024 15:12:07 GMT
There were changes on the Saturday matinee, but I was hoping someone else would point them out as I just don't know the production quite well enough. These are the changes I noticed: - Joanna almost crawled off stage at one point during Getting Married Today. - Bradley was over-egging it and Bernadette was very bemused in Hello, Little Girl. - Bernadette made some different choices for Send In the Clowns. - I think there was more of a pause at one point in The Ladies Who Lunch. - I don’t remember Bernadette asking for three long pauses in Broadway Baby before? They were very long this time anyway. - Janie did a star jump and Clare skipped in for their entrances in Broadway Baby. - Damian sang in a high pitch after his groin got feather dustered in Everybody Ought to Have a Maid. - Joanna said “you go girl!” or similar to Bernadette just before her moment towards the end of You Gotta Get a Gimmick. - Gavin got much more irate towards the end of Could I Leave You? - Janie crouched down towards the end of The Boy from… Think there’s a few more I’ve forgotten. There were a few extra shrieks and I felt like Jason amped up his comedy. And Tonight felt more epic than I’ve seen it before. |
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 7, 2024 15:38:26 GMT
I wonder if Broadway will do a similar show? I mean Sondheim was one of their own, right?
I know it's a show that has been referenced to and reported on in articles on BroadwayWorld.com
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Post by anthony40 on Jan 7, 2024 16:03:34 GMT
Lots of clips of the final bows on Twitter (X)
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Post by westendfan on Jan 9, 2024 23:38:32 GMT
Was lucky enough to be there on the last night for my third time. It felt like such a special night, brilliant atmosphere, and glad I was able to go again as my previous visit was a Saturday matinee with not a full audience at all and felt a bit flat, not the fault of the performers. This was the complete opposite and the cast got the appreciation they deserve. I was part of the mid show standing O’s but just for Lea’s roses. Felt like I had to, she’s always the big draw for me. Imelda’s version is engrained in my head but the power of her vocal always floors me. Broadway Baby and Janie Dee and Joanna Riding’s solos are still my favourites though. Bernadette’s comic timing was excellent and vocally she was so much better than when I first saw her a couple of months ago.
I was quite disappointed they didn’t do speeches at the end, or at least hand out some flowers or something. The final bows were great though and everyone was pretty emotional. I do wish they filmed it, I could watch it again and again. I know there’s the previous concert version and with some of the same cast so that’s consolation. I have to say, I don’t think I appreciated Sondheim enough before, having only seen clips from concerts and just one or two of his shows, but the genius and relatability of the lyrics in so many of his songs I can see so much more now I’ve got a bit older.
We were sat on the same row as Julia McKenzie, she was on the end seat so I presumed she might might get up with Cameron at the end for bows. Anne Reid was in a box loving it, and we saw James Nesbitt outside the theatre too.
I saw sunset the night before for the second time so really felt like I’ve had my fill of great theatre for a while (and need let my bank balance recover!)
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Post by damaskanddark on Jan 10, 2024 8:51:12 GMT
Such a shame this production wasn't recorded on CD instead of the gala. This cast is superior. I would love to have had Lea's Roses, Bonnie's ISH, etc on record
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Post by solangelafitte on Jan 10, 2024 12:46:22 GMT
Such a shame this production wasn't recorded on CD instead of the gala. This cast is superior. I would love to have had Lea's Roses, Bonnie's ISH, etc on record Agreed. I'm grateful for the gala recording but would have killed for this cast instead. And obviously not quite the same but they played Lea's Roses on Michael Ball's radio show a couple of months back. So at least we have something? |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 25, 2024 11:21:21 GMT
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Post by appoul on Jan 29, 2024 17:19:09 GMT
Any tips about watching the BBC broadcast of the original show outside the UK? It seems that it is not available to other countries due to copyright issues.
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