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Post by Eartha on Jan 1, 2023 1:43:11 GMT
Damian Lewis really needs to be cast in a musical, which one I don't know. I would love to see a revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. I don’t think so. He was not good. I saw Damian Lewis in Into The Woods at the Donmar (with a young Sheridan Smith as Little Red Riding Hood) I had no idea who he was at the time, but he was fabulous! |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2023 2:06:47 GMT
Bernadette Peters was, well, Bernadette Peters. Strange voice, no emotion, her face doesn’t move, anyone ever see her smile?. Yes. I have seen Bernadette Peters smile. Many times. |
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Post by marob on Jan 1, 2023 2:12:08 GMT
I didn’t mind the older performers, but there was one of the younger cast who could not act at all. Or hold a lantern.
The only real complaints I’d have would be ones that I think were voiced by people who were there on the night: that some shows were over-represented and I could have done with less Michael Ball. Shame some shows were ignored altogether, but there were still a few songs I’d never heard.
At times it felt like a retread of the 80th birthday Prom especially when repeating the students/graduates doing Our Time at the end.
Pretty good, but not sure I’d want to see it again, especially without the more famous names.
Also, and I’m probably alone on this, but I love that a man generally seen as a really serious American composer and artist made a pastiche of the Girl From Ipanema. And that he included Llanfairpwllgwyngyllgogerychwyrndrobwllllantysiliogogogoch in it really made me laugh
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Post by alece10 on Jan 1, 2023 10:04:51 GMT
I think in Cam Macs speech at the beginning of the show he mentions that the concert would mainly feature music from shows he was involved with and apologised that everything could not be included.
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Post by geraldine64 on Jan 1, 2023 12:00:06 GMT
I loved this live, and the recording was a great New Year's Eve treat. I thought it was presented really well. apart from the inexplicable decision to curtail the ending, which was just horrible. I hope this will be rectified when the DVD/BluRay are (hopefully) released.
On a side note, I can't believe the number of people on here slagging off Bernadette! Okay, the voice isn't what it was, but she's BERNADETTE FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!! Call yourselves Sondheim/MT devotees.... Jeez!!!
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Post by og on Jan 1, 2023 12:03:37 GMT
A great snapshot of a concert I'd love to have attended.
Well produced, though possibly they got carried away with the artistic licence of the video production; Dutch Tilts and overzealous cross-fading got distracting.
Absolute criminal travesty fading out 'Out Time'. Can only assume they did so leave people wanting more.
The enthusiasm and respect of the audience shone, though I'm not sure it would have the atmosphere and response with a few less names on the bill and less fanatics in the house. And the cameras could have done with better positioning for audience shots. That poor cramped camera swinging round in the stalls didn't do much.
Someone needs to tell Cameron he doesn't need to stretch his arms out with every adjective though, chap didn't know what to do with his hands.
As others mention, some standout moments (Sweeney) and some less appealing (I'm Still Here really was a disappointment).
I'd never heard "The Boy From..." from before. When I tuned in I didn't not expect to be hearing reference to a tiny town on Anglesey!
I'll try to make the reappearance of it, though as mentioned early not sure it'll be the same spectacle of the one-off.
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Post by bobbievanhusen on Jan 1, 2023 14:12:29 GMT
Loved the Sweeney Todd section. Thought Maria Friedman was superb. Why on earth would you NOT have Imelda do this when she was there? Daft. Julia McKenzie was right there! She could have done it 1 last time. In the little she did sing, i thought she sounded great. |
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Post by talkingheads on Jan 1, 2023 15:10:17 GMT
I enjoyed it, but I was screaming at the telly all the way through - PUT THE NAMES OF THE SINGERS ONSCREEN FOR EACH SONG! I knew some of them obviously, but my Mum was racking her brains with some of them. So annoying.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jan 1, 2023 15:28:41 GMT
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Post by hadeswasking on Jan 1, 2023 15:41:51 GMT
Watched about half an hour last night and was gutted I had to leave. Caught the rest of it this afternoon and what a delight!
Highlights for me -
Not getting married today
Agony
A weekend in the country
The worst pies in London
The ladies who lunch
Sunday - this really made me emotional. Not sure why as I'd never heard it before but it was wonderful.
Broadway Baby
Everybody ought to have a maid
Waiting for the girls
Everything's coming up roses
And finally Being alive.
Other thoughts -
Michael D Xavier and Julian Ovenden were standouts in every song they were in. Their Agony is everything.
Charlie Stemp and Shan Ako cameos were fun but would've loved to see more of them.
Haven't seen Holly-Anne Hull in anything yet but I'm now really looking forward to the day I can. What a talent!
Imelda Staunton is perfection and Julia Mckenzie is adorable.
Odd song choices for Into the Woods. I understand why but would've loved It takes 2 at least.
This year I've been loving discovering sondheims shows and this was a wonderful tribute. This has only made me realise how much I'm still yet to discover and hope we see more of his shows reach the west end or tour this year!
Not sure how this show is going to work in the west end later this year. I think 1 or 2 tweaks to the set list and it could be something really special again!
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 1, 2023 15:46:09 GMT
The show was stolen by Imelda, Judi and Julia McK in my opinion.
Oh how I wish Julia would return to the stage, she can clearly still sing beautifully.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jan 1, 2023 15:52:37 GMT
Was Shan Ako singing Anita in the Tonight quintet?
If so, that was my least favourite vocal of the night. That music doesn't need modern vocal stylings ...
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Post by theatrefan62 on Jan 1, 2023 15:59:19 GMT
I'd add Holly-Anne Hull to the stand outs too
Bradley Jaden was criminally underused
Michael Xavier was a bit cringe at times with the odd kind of thrusting
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Post by alece10 on Jan 1, 2023 16:27:11 GMT
The show was stolen by Imelda, Judi and Julia McK in my opinion. Oh how I wish Julia would return to the stage, she can clearly still sing beautifully. Cameron mentions in his speech that Julia Mackenzie was returning to the stage for the first time in 24 years. I was therefore lucky enough to see her last stage performance (Hey Mr Producer) and this performance. |
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jan 1, 2023 16:35:05 GMT
The show was stolen by Imelda, Judi and Julia McK in my opinion. Oh how I wish Julia would return to the stage, she can clearly still sing beautifully. Cameron mentions in his speech that Julia Mackenzie was returning to the stage for the first time in 24 years. I was therefore lucky enough to see her last stage performance (Hey Mr Producer) and this performance. She did The Philadelphia Story at the Old Vic in 2005, sang multiple songs at the Side by Side 30th anniversary concert in 2006 and more recently featured prominently in the Hey Old Friends concert at the Drury Lane in 2015. Cameron always says a lot of crap |
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Post by Scswp on Jan 1, 2023 18:26:34 GMT
Elaine Paige was supposed to be in this .. what happened? I loved EP in her prime, but I wouldn’t really be surprised if she is as good as retired from singing now. Her voice nowadays is, unfortunately, not in good shape and, from what I’ve read, she has suffered quite significant hearing loss. I’d be surprised if she puts in more than a very occasional appearance nowadays. |
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jan 1, 2023 22:51:59 GMT
I'd add Holly-Anne Hull to the stand outs too Bradley Jaden was criminally underused Michael Xavier was a bit cringe at times with the odd kind of thrusting Xavier is always embarrassing to watch now sadly. He seems to be deeply in love with himself and it’s too distracting. He should watch and learn from Ovendon who is drop dead gorgeous, but doesn’t act like he knows it. |
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Post by newyorkcityboy on Jan 1, 2023 23:57:01 GMT
I'd add Holly-Anne Hull to the stand outs too Bradley Jaden was criminally underused Michael Xavier was a bit cringe at times with the odd kind of thrusting Xavier is always embarrassing to watch now sadly. He seems to be deeply in love with himself and it’s too distracting. He should watch and learn from Ovendon who is drop dead gorgeous, but doesn’t act like he knows it. But being in love with oneself is in character when you’re playing the Prince, I’d have thought….😀 I always wonder why Ovenden isn’t a bigger star. You’d have thought that being in Downton Abbey might have boosted his profile somewhat. |
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Post by karloscar on Jan 2, 2023 1:02:18 GMT
Xavier is always embarrassing to watch now sadly. He seems to be deeply in love with himself and it’s too distracting. He should watch and learn from Ovendon who is drop dead gorgeous, but doesn’t act like he knows it. But being in love with oneself is in character when you’re playing the Prince, I’d have thought….😀 I always wonder why Ovenden isn’t a bigger star. You’d have thought that being in Downton Abbey might have boosted his profile somewhat. He seems to have a pretty great balance of interesting and varied stage and TV roles, occasional film roles and concert work around the world. Maybe being more famous isn't a priority. |
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Post by hadeswasking on Jan 2, 2023 9:06:24 GMT
Can't believe we're talking about people who are full of themselves yet Michael Ball hasn't been mentioned.
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Post by theoracle on Jan 2, 2023 13:09:51 GMT
Very much enjoyed the broadcast as others have mentioned. AJ Casey very much the standout performer for me and agree Holly Ann Hull was also very good. As someone who was there though, this again sort of proves that theatre is still best enjoyed in person and I hope the limited run this Autumn will prove popular as this truly was a very special evening. Assuming there’ll be a different lineup this time around - could we also have Joanna Riding, Laura Pitt-Pulford and Damian Humbley?  |
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Post by mrmarmelstein on Jan 2, 2023 15:35:14 GMT
I loved this live, and the recording was a great New Year's Eve treat. I thought it was presented really well. apart from the inexplicable decision to curtail the ending, which was just horrible. I hope this will be rectified when the DVD/BluRay are (hopefully) released. On a side note, I can't believe the number of people on here slagging off Bernadette! Okay, the voice isn't what it was, but she's BERNADETTE FOR GOODNESS SAKE!!! Call yourselves Sondheim/MT devotees.... Jeez!!! Agree with this 100%. I was there and the broadcast was a wonderful reminder of my favourite night of 2022. I appreciate this is a board for sharing comments, but why does it feel like there’s a desperate need to criticise some of the greatest musical theatre performers in the world? I honestly expected this thread to be full of musical theatre lovers singing the highest praises for a truly special night but some of the comments are just depressing. People who may have heard Sondheim’s lyrics 500 times still laugh because they are genius and it remains a constant joy to hear them, particularly performed by some of the greatest interpreters of his work. Even if you have heard a song hundreds of times, you can still pick up new nuances or jokes that you may not have picked up on before or forgotten. It is also part of the magic of live theatre to share that joy with others in the audience and laughter can be infectious. I really don’t understand the Bernadette Peters or Michael Ball hate. I thought both were sensational and particularly remember Bernadette’s entrance as Red Riding Hood being a proper coup de theatre, although that didn’t necessarily come across on screen. What did very much come across was that Michael Xavier was playing the prince exactly as the role is written - an arrogant self-obsessed buffoon - and suggesting that the actor playing the role loves himself too much seems a completely unfair accusation. I have particularly fond memories of him in Love Story and The Sound of Music, where he brought a wonderful humanity to the Captain which can often come across as a two-dimensional character. My other special memory which didn’t have the same immediacy on screen was the presence of 4 fabulous women who have all played Dot on stage for Sunday (Bernadette, Maria, Jenna and AJ). The camera barely showed AJ and for those of us who remember that far back, she originated the role in the Menier revival. The only thing I could have done without was the Hey Mr Producer clip - it’s been seen before and it took up space on the broadcast that could have allowed us to hear Our Time in full. That was my only low point of the evening, given that it was in praise of Cameron as opposed to Sondheim. At the time of the concert, it also came in the aftermath of all the Cinderella drama and I recall ALW’s presence on screen wasn’t exactly greeted with unanimous joy in the theatre. |
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Post by steve10086 on Jan 2, 2023 19:53:55 GMT
As a major non-fan of Sondheim I actually enjoyed the concert a lot. Not my favourite performers, or my favourite shows, but the obviously love and respect given by the audience is infectious.
I do understand the criticism of Peter’s though. Her voice is awful and always has been.
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Post by mattnyc on Jan 2, 2023 21:30:01 GMT
I do understand the criticism of Peter’s though. Her voice is awful and always has been. I mean…no. |
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 2, 2023 22:09:52 GMT
I do understand the criticism of Peter’s though. Her voice is awful and always has been. I mean…no. Literally this. She's not as good as she used to be, but she's my favourite Rose, and I listen to her Sunday/Mack and Mabel/Into The Woods all the time...she's great |
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