Stephen Sondheim Old Friends - Sondheim / TV / Gielgud

[theatreloverlondon]

Nov 9, 2023 10:00:56 GMT damaskanddark said:

I was surprised to learn that Gavin is married to a woman and has three kids.

He manages to make EVERYTHING he does so camp . I too looked this up after the show and was just as shocked 🤣


On a side note I feel like he could be in Boy From Oz, he reminds me of Hugh Jackman.

[Fleance]

I saw Old Friends this week and was blown away by the fabulousness of it all! One question: who played Mrs. Lovett? I couldn't tell, with all the makeup. Her performance may be my one almost slightly negative criticism of the show.

[G]

Nov 10, 2023 11:31:45 GMT Fleance said:

I saw Old Friends this week and was blown away by the fabulousness of it all! One question: who played Mrs. Lovett? I couldn't tell, with all the makeup. Her performance may be my one almost slightly negative criticism of the show.

Lea Salonga (unless I was very confused by the makeup and it was someone else? Agree it was heavy) who I thought great on the day I saw her.

[damaskanddark]

I don't get the hype for Salonga's Lovett. It's very tame and garden variety and she is not suitable at all for the role. Fun to see her do it in this format. I know she did it elsewhere in full. I thought her Rose was unconventional but very powerful, and it's definitely a role I'd be curious to see her in.

[Fleance]

Nov 10, 2023 11:48:24 GMT G said:

Nov 10, 2023 11:31:45 GMT Fleance said:

I saw Old Friends this week and was blown away by the fabulousness of it all! One question: who played Mrs. Lovett? I couldn't tell, with all the makeup. Her performance may be my one almost slightly negative criticism of the show.

Lea Salonga (unless I was very confused by the makeup and it was someone else? Agree it was heavy) who I thought great on the day I saw her.

I never would have guessed that it was Lea Salonga! I loved all of her work on the show, but I guess not Mrs. Lovett so much.

I remember my first "encounter" with Ms. Salonga. I went up to the Drury Lane box office many years ago, to buy a ticket for the Wednesday matinee of Miss Saigon. The woman in the box office replied: "If you come on Wednesday matinee, you won't see Lea Salonga." My immediate thought to my young self was "Who the hell is Lea Salonga?," but the box-office woman sounded so earnest that I purchased a ticket for an evening performance, and I'm glad I did!

[apubleed]

I think Lea’s Lovett was fine but I hate that she basically pretended she couldn’t sing through it. I understand it was a character choice and the role historically has often been played by people who speak sing throughout, especially in Worst Pies, but this isn’t the only way to do this. One of the impressive things about Ashford’s take on the current revival in NYC is she really sings the role with melody.

[alece10]

Nov 10, 2023 14:13:57 GMT apubleed said:

I think Lea’s Lovett was fine but I hate that she basically pretended she couldn’t sing through it. I understand it was a character choice and the role historically has often been played by people who speak sing throughout, especially in Worst Pies, but this isn’t the only way to do this. One of the impressive things about Ashford’s take on the current revival in NYC is she really sings the role with melody.

I'll take Lea over Ashford any day. That accent nearly made my ears bleed.

[theatreloverlondon]

Nov 10, 2023 11:31:45 GMT Fleance said:

I saw Old Friends this week and was blown away by the fabulousness of it all! One question: who played Mrs. Lovett? I couldn't tell, with all the makeup. Her performance may be my one almost slightly negative criticism of the show.

You’re not the only one to not realize it was Lea!! I didn’t realize until the second time I went and a couple behind me were also trying to work out who it was. I actually thought her Lovett was way better than her Gypsy performance. I didn’t buy it although vocally it was amazing. She had the best cockney accent I’ve ever heard from an ‘American’

[Rory]

I know there are lots of offers but could this extend a little, given that Opening Night doesn't start until 6th March?

[alece10]

Nov 10, 2023 15:32:43 GMT Rory said:

I know there are lots of offers but could this extend a little, given that Opening Night doesn't start until 6th March?

Can't see that happening especially with current sales and I'm sure Bernadette and Lea have other things lined up.

[theatreloverlondon]

Nov 10, 2023 15:32:43 GMT Rory said:

I know there are lots of offers but could this extend a little, given that Opening Night doesn't start until 6th March?

This is definitely not extending lol

[Rory]

[JJShaw]

Nov 10, 2023 15:32:43 GMT Rory said:

I know there are lots of offers but could this extend a little, given that Opening Night doesn't start until 6th March?

I assume an extension was built into peoples contracts incase it did stellar but as it's just slowly chugging along I don't hold out much hope that it would. I imagine they'd just want to do steady business throughout its current run. 

I'm sure they'd want something to come in and do a 6 week limited run (allowing for get ins and get outs of old friends and opening night), it's unusual for a theatre to be dark for months on end, so that could be fun to speculate on?

[sph]

There's a filler.

[Rory]

Nov 10, 2023 23:27:13 GMT sph said:

There's a filler.

Any clues? Play or musical or neither?

[sph]

I don't know what it is, but there will be something. The rumour I've heard is another musical is moving in from somewhere else for a limited engagement but I don't put much stock in that rumour and it's certainly not an exciting one.

[nash16]

Nov 11, 2023 0:58:11 GMT sph said:

I don't know what it is, but there will be something. The rumour I've heard is another musical is moving in from somewhere else for a limited engagement but I don't put much stock in that rumour and it's certainly not an exciting one.

Oh God, not Sinatra…

[Rory]

I can't see how it would be financially viable to bring a big musical in for 6 or 7 weeks. The Noel Coward was dark for about 7 weeks between Patriots and Ocean. Maybe the same will happen here.

[Jon]

6 weeks is nothing in terms of a dark period, the Prince Edward is dark for 7 weeks after Dear England but you're not going to see anything fill in because it wouldn't be worth it.

I imagine a comedian or a one man show could do a week or two.

[Boob]

Come back, 2:22! We miss you!

😉

[Dr Tom]

I keep bumping into Marley (who, as well as being a really nice person, is also incredibly talented, fully deserving of his success, and destined to be a leading man before too long).

Reminds me that I have to go and see this again.

If only they’d make rush tickets for single attendees available a bit nearer the front. The budget only goes so far.

[A.Ham]

Nov 11, 2023 13:26:28 GMT Dr Tom said:

If only they’d make rush tickets for single attendees available a bit nearer the front. The budget only goes so far.

I got stalls row H for Weds evening via Rush so keep trying!

[sph]

Nov 11, 2023 12:21:52 GMT Rory said:

I can't see how it would be financially viable to bring a big musical in for 6 or 7 weeks. The Noel Coward was dark for about 7 weeks between Patriots and Ocean. Maybe the same will happen here.

Logistically it can be no different to a tour stop which many shows do up and down the country every week. There is a filler. I don't know what it is, but the rumour I've heard is that a musical is moving in from elsewhere but I don't know if that part is true.

[Rory]

Nov 11, 2023 14:19:41 GMT sph said:

Nov 11, 2023 12:21:52 GMT Rory said:

I can't see how it would be financially viable to bring a big musical in for 6 or 7 weeks. The Noel Coward was dark for about 7 weeks between Patriots and Ocean. Maybe the same will happen here.

Logistically it can be no different to a tour stop which many shows do up and down the country every week. There is a filler. I don't know what it is, but the rumour I've heard is that a musical is moving in from elsewhere but I don't know if that part is true.

Thanks, we'll know soon enough because they'll have to get it on sale ASAP.

[anthony40]

I had to ask the box office a question and the route I took from Tottenham Court Road, via Soho took me past the stage door and Bonnie Langford was giving her autograph to two fangirls and posing for a selfie.