|
|
Post by solangelafitte on Dec 8, 2023 22:53:30 GMT
Today Tix have a good deal on this until the end of today only, I believe. Just had a look. All I can say is if those are the offer prices then I don't want to know what the non-offer prices are. For the performance I looked at, everything forward of row M stalls is over £100. I can't afford that & there's no point in my going if I have to sit at the back as I'm too short sighted. Since there's now only a couple of dates when I could potentially see this, it looks like I won't be seeing it unless the offers get one heck of a lot better than they are at the moment. I've recently got second row and third row for £55 through Official London Theatre, the advance sales not the TKTS ones. They're not available for every date going forward but might be worth checking out? Less scandalous than £100-125 anyway! Friends also grabbed a deal through seatplan for row C for £35 this week. Though I think they may have just gotten lucky on that one as I haven't been able to find anything similar with them. |
|
|
|
Post by benj on Dec 9, 2023 0:18:58 GMT
Just had a look. All I can say is if those are the offer prices then I don't want to know what the non-offer prices are. For the performance I looked at, everything forward of row M stalls is over £100. I can't afford that & there's no point in my going if I have to sit at the back as I'm too short sighted. Since there's now only a couple of dates when I could potentially see this, it looks like I won't be seeing it unless the offers get one heck of a lot better than they are at the moment. Get rush tickets! They are always available Yes, they are. I went on a Thursday evening and got a £29.50 rush ticket on TodayTix at 2pm. They always seem to be available. No need to pay any higher than that. |
|
1,132 posts
|
Post by Stephen on Dec 9, 2023 1:08:00 GMT
Had a had a proper listen today walking along the river this really is a fitting tribute. I do wish the recording had some of the current cast rather than the 'celebrities' but for the most part it's ok. I much prefer Secomb as Todd over Michael Ball. I think Michael Ball has his moments. Even in this I think his voice really suits 'Loving You' but he's not a Sweeney Todd for me.
Similar feelings about Rob Brydon and Damien Lewis. Like them both a lot in other things but could leave them here.
Boy this orchestra. Was it still only 14 pieces then? I believe there are a few small changes now eg no Timps but DO THEY SOUND GREAT! If every 14 piece orchestra sounded this good we'd all be happy.
Not a Day Goes by was incredibly moving live and I'm glad we have it on this album to capture that moment with the slideshow.
|
|
312 posts
|
Post by macksennett on Dec 9, 2023 6:22:37 GMT
The shows online store has added a couple of new items. Doesn't look as if they will restock the signature tshirt but they do now have a ladies that lunch one. Also a set of badges (or buttons as they call them) with lyrics on _ I'll drink to that, Im a broadway baby, I'm still here and everything coming up roses. Could be useful to wear as a discrete sign for the sondheimites to recognise themselves at future theatre events. store.playbill.co.uk/oldfriends. Is the programme available anywhere online? |
|
|
|
Post by eoghan31 on Dec 9, 2023 6:24:38 GMT
Third visit to Thursday night and what can you say that hasn’t already been said other than we will never see the likes of this show again. It takes your breath away with the sheer talent of the 24 carat cast performing the unparalleled genius of Stephen Sondheim. Watching them I felt when the run ends they are going to miss this show as much as we the audience are.
|
|
8,096 posts
|
Post by alece10 on Dec 9, 2023 11:34:15 GMT
Just listening to the recording and they have made a great job of it especially by leaving in the prolonged applause after some of the numbers and, finally, we have the full version of Our Time by the students which was abruptly cut off from the TV recording.
Its quite emotional listening to it as it was one of the best nights out ever in the theatre (and most expensive) so really pleased we now have a filmed and recorded version to keep
|
|
5,139 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by Being Alive on Dec 9, 2023 12:22:16 GMT
Fairly sure the orchestra at the gala was 21 piece - hence the Merrily overture sounding quite as spectacular as it does!
|
|
8,096 posts
|
Post by alece10 on Dec 9, 2023 16:08:55 GMT
Fairly sure the orchestra at the gala was 21 piece - hence the Merrily overture sounding quite as spectacular as it does! Just dug out the programme and there are 25 people listed in the orchestra. |
|
4,020 posts
|
Post by Dawnstar on Dec 9, 2023 18:22:46 GMT
I've recently got second row and third row for £55 through Official London Theatre, the advance sales not the TKTS ones. They're not available for every date going forward but might be worth checking out? Less scandalous than £100-125 anyway! Friends also grabbed a deal through seatplan for row C for £35 this week. Though I think they may have just gotten lucky on that one as I haven't been able to find anything similar with them. Thanks for the suggestions. I'll have a look at those website. Also thanks to all those who suggested rush tickets but as I don't live in London I don't really want to try to get a ticket on the day as it's stressful not knowing in advance whether or not I'll have to head down to London on only a few hours' notice. |
|
|
|
Post by ruthieh on Dec 9, 2023 19:59:28 GMT
2nd time back for me this afternoon. First time since Press Night. 3rd time if you count the original gala. The gala was still one of the most exquisite nights at the theatre I’ve had. Seriously electric to see Dame Judi, Imelda, Dame Maggie, Hayden, etc. and I am an unashamed Michael Ball fan….but this show is so slick. And glamorous. And funny. And clever…it really does have everything. Yes, Bernadette’s voice is not what it was…but her acting, comic timing, and pathos is just stunning. So glad I’ve seen it again. It will be magic theatre memories for me!
|
|
460 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Dec 10, 2023 2:44:53 GMT
No runtime advertised on the site.
Any guesses as to what time the matinee will finish? Cheers!
|
|
904 posts
|
Post by lonlad on Dec 10, 2023 8:50:27 GMT
Re the above assessment of the gala, I love the thought of Dame Maggie (Smith, I assume) singing Sondheim ! Though I have no doubt he and she would have loved one another had they ever met, which maybe they did ....
|
|
|
|
Post by A.Ham on Dec 10, 2023 9:07:58 GMT
No runtime advertised on the site. Any guesses as to what time the matinee will finish? Cheers! It’s a little over 2.5 hours so you’ll be out just after 5… |
|
460 posts
|
Post by pianowithsam on Dec 10, 2023 9:10:56 GMT
No runtime advertised on the site. Any guesses as to what time the matinee will finish? Cheers! It’s a little over 2.5 hours so you’ll be out just after 5… Thanks! |
|
|
|
Post by SamB (was badoerfan) on Dec 10, 2023 21:33:23 GMT
We were there yesterday for the matinee, and I can see from my Google Timeline we left the theatre at 17:10, though I did nip to the loo before leaving.
If you're going to a Saturday matinee, don't try and go to Piccadilly Circus station - it was so crowded yesterday it had been closed.
|
|
|
|
Post by A.Ham on Dec 11, 2023 9:17:02 GMT
I’ve not posted my thoughts on this yet, beyond a few short posts in the days after. But although I’m likely not posting anything new on this thread, I wanted to come back to do so as it’s now over a month since I saw the show, and it’s still resonating with me.
I should start by saying I’m not hugely familiar with a lot of Sondheim’s work - West Side Story yes, and the tracks he did with Madonna for I’m Breathless, plus Losing My Mind via the Liza Minelli / Pet Shop Boys collaboration, but otherwise most of this show was new to me.
So I wasn’t one of those battling for tickets to last year’s gala celebration, or even trying to get tickets for this run when it first went on sale. Inevitably what convinced me to go was the enthusiasm and love for the show on this forum. I belatedly watched the gala concert on iPlayer just to make sure I wouldn’t hate it, and decided I really didn’t want to miss it. I was having a rubbish week and could see Rush tickets were fairly easy to get, so off I went to the Gielgud a few weeks ago.
And wow – I’m so so glad I went! Right from the off the show was joyous, and one of the things that I loved was the delight on the cast’s faces to be performing in the big ensemble numbers. Unlike other shows where people are more ‘in character’ this felt like they were being themselves more (bar some elements like the Sweeney Todd section of course) and that visible joy was infectious. Seeing Bernadette sing Losing My Mind was wonderful, and not something I’ll ever forget (so glad we get her version on the cast recording that’s just been released). Bradley Jaden was an absolute star throughout – I’ve seen him multiple times in Les Mis but it was so lovely to see him smiling and he was on stage in this far more than I expected. And as for his stint in wolf’s clothing – also something I’ll never forget! And Christine Allado too – she was only thing I enjoyed about We Will Rock You at the Coliseum, and she shone in this, particularly in the West Side Story section. I loved the set, simple but effective and realised they’d replicated the gala approach and used some of the Les Mis set for both Sweeney and WSS. Plus Bonnie too of course – yes she gurns a lot and is perhaps a little OTT at points, but I’m Still Here was fantastic, and can easily be interpreted as partly-autobiographical given her longevity.
Seeing Old Friends felt like a musical theatre education and I think what made it was the sheer talent on that stage – this cast really is drawn from the crème de la crème of West End and Broadway performers and whilst they might not be household names as such, for those of us in the know it was an incredible chance to see them all together on stage in one place at one time. If I possibly can I’d like to go back again before it ends!
|
|
3,529 posts
Member is Online
|
Post by Rory on Dec 11, 2023 15:05:08 GMT
I’ve not posted my thoughts on this yet, beyond a few short posts in the days after. But although I’m likely not posting anything new on this thread, I wanted to come back to do so as it’s now over a month since I saw the show, and it’s still resonating with me. I should start by saying I’m not hugely familiar with a lot of Sondheim’s work - West Side Story yes, and the tracks he did with Madonna for I’m Breathless, plus Losing My Mind via the Liza Minelli / Pet Shop Boys collaboration, but otherwise most of this show was new to me. So I wasn’t one of those battling for tickets to last year’s gala celebration, or even trying to get tickets for this run when it first went on sale. Inevitably what convinced me to go was the enthusiasm and love for the show on this forum. I belatedly watched the gala concert on iPlayer just to make sure I wouldn’t hate it, and decided I really didn’t want to miss it. I was having a rubbish week and could see Rush tickets were fairly easy to get, so off I went to the Gielgud a few weeks ago. And wow – I’m so so glad I went! Right from the off the show was joyous, and one of the things that I loved was the delight on the cast’s faces to be performing in the big ensemble numbers. Unlike other shows where people are more ‘in character’ this felt like they were being themselves more (bar some elements like the Sweeney Todd section of course) and that visible joy was infectious. Seeing Bernadette sing Losing My Mind was wonderful, and not something I’ll ever forget (so glad we get her version on the cast recording that’s just been released). Bradley Jaden was an absolute star throughout – I’ve seen him multiple times in Les Mis but it was so lovely to see him smiling and he was on stage in this far more than I expected. And as for his stint in wolf’s clothing – also something I’ll never forget! And Christine Allado too – she was only thing I enjoyed about We Will Rock You at the Coliseum, and she shone in this, particularly in the West Side Story section. I loved the set, simple but effective and realised they’d replicated the gala approach and used some of the Les Mis set for both Sweeney and WSS. Plus Bonnie too of course – yes she gurns a lot and is perhaps a little OTT at points, but I’m Still Here was fantastic, and can easily be interpreted as partly-autobiographical given her longevity. Seeing Old Friends felt like a musical theatre education and I think what made it was the sheer talent on that stage – this cast really is drawn from the crème de la crème of West End and Broadway performers and whilst they might not be household names as such, for those of us in the know it was an incredible chance to see them all together on stage in one place at one time. If I possibly can I’d like to go back again before it ends! What a wonderful review! I am seeing this for the first time in its final week and I haven't looked forward to something so much for a very long time! |
|
1,970 posts
|
Post by sf on Dec 12, 2023 18:26:04 GMT
Finally saw it last night.
It doesn't do a particularly deep dive into the Sondheim catalogue. It does what it says on the tin: it gives you a cast of spectacularly gifted singing actors (and Bernadette Peters) running through a selection of favourites. It's staged and packaged very nicely indeed, it's thoroughly entertaining, the cast obviously love doing the show, and a few of the more senior performers in it are clearly having a great time doing the kind of ensemble tracks that they haven't had to do in decades, because this is a show in which nearly everyone joins the chorus at some point.
Highlights:
Bonnie Langford's 'I'm Still Here'
Joanna Riding's 'Getting Married Today', which is possibly the best thing in the entire show
Janie Dee's 'The Boy From...'
Gavin Lee and Clare Burt's 'The Little Things You Do Together'
Clare Burt's 'The Ladies Who Lunch'
Lea Salonga's 'Loving You' and (particularly) 'Everything's Coming Up Roses'. One of these days she'll make one hell of a Rose.
Lea Salonga and Jeremy Secombe's 'A Little Priest'
The full company singing 'Sunday' at the end of Act One.
And while I'm far from Bernadette Peters' biggest fan, it's undeniably moving to hear her, almost forty years on, deliver the lines that lead into the beginning of 'Sunday' ("they are your words, George..."). Her 'Losing My Mind', too, is significantly better than her performance on the Broadway revival cast album of 'Follies', though it would pretty much have to be.
I could quibble with some of the song choices - giving Jason Pennycooke the Mandy Patinkin solo version of Buddy's Blues was not a great idea - and at £12 the programme is outrageously expensive even though it contains a lot of nice photographs (it's Sondheim, I bought it, this is just about the only show for which I'd ever contemplate paying that much for a programme), but it's a wonderful celebration of a peerless songwriter, it's clearly been put together with tremendous love and respect, and Julia McKenzie, who directed it, has the good sense to keep it moving very briskly, and to not let it drag on and on. There's a little bit of cheese around the edges (more than a little in the couple of places Ms. Peters is unfortunately allowed to speak), but that's inevitable in this kind of show; overall, as big, splashy tribute shows go, this is just about as good as it gets.
|
|
|
|
Post by andypandy on Dec 15, 2023 9:12:13 GMT
I saw this last night! Some sensational moments and I’m really glad I saw it.
I will be honest though, I was a little disappointed. The style and performances felt unequal. The direction wasn’t on point and it wasn’t the sophisticated review I was expecting. Gavin Lee was hammy and OTT and too much. Bonnie too but she saved herself with a stunning “I’m Still Here” in the second act.
It’s clear though Bernadette struggles vocally and can no longer belt the top notes - she incredible for mid 70’s. Many will disagree but vocally I don’t think Lea’s voice matches with many of the Sondheim songs she was given. There is a pure Disney bright timbre about her vocal style. It suits ballads but not so much patter songs etc
Other members of the cast were on form and 10/10 I just thought it was a little disjointed, an odd use of the video screen and had only two strings in the orchestra! I was shocked.
Three stars from me. I expected a classy show (at times I was a bit bored) sorrrrrrryyy
|
|
|
|
Post by damaskanddark on Dec 15, 2023 22:19:08 GMT
Apparently Clare Burt was off tonight and La Riding sang The Ladies Who Lunch!
|
|
|
|
Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 15, 2023 22:35:47 GMT
If anyone knows if Clare will be off again tomorrow I would love to pop in for the matinee to see Jo do LWL 😍😍
|
|
|
|
Post by damaskanddark on Dec 15, 2023 22:54:45 GMT
If anyone knows if Clare will be off again tomorrow I would love to pop in for the matinee to see Jo do LWL 😍😍 Clare was off tonight as I said in my comment above. |
|
|
|
Post by damaskanddark on Dec 15, 2023 22:56:02 GMT
I saw this last night! Some sensational moments and I’m really glad I saw it. I will be honest though, I was a little disappointed. The style and performances felt unequal. The direction wasn’t on point and it wasn’t the sophisticated review I was expecting. Gavin Lee was hammy and OTT and too much. Bonnie too but she saved herself with a stunning “I’m Still Here” in the second act. It’s clear though Bernadette struggles vocally and can no longer belt the top notes - she incredible for mid 70’s. Many will disagree but vocally I don’t think Lea’s voice matches with many of the Sondheim songs she was given. There is a pure Disney bright timbre about her vocal style. It suits ballads but not so much patter songs etc Other members of the cast were on form and 10/10 I just thought it was a little disjointed, an odd use of the video screen and had only two strings in the orchestra! I was shocked. Three stars from me. I expected a classy show (at times I was a bit bored) sorrrrrrryyy 1. Why were the style and performances unequal? 2. Why wasn't the direction on point? 3. Why wasn't it the sophisticated review (sic) you were expecting? Explain all your points NOW. |
|
|
|
Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 15, 2023 23:44:44 GMT
If anyone knows if Clare will be off again tomorrow I would love to pop in for the matinee to see Jo do LWL 😍😍 Clare was off tonight as I said in my comment above. ?? Right and I was asking about tomorrow. |
|
|
|
Post by theatreloverlondon on Dec 16, 2023 16:42:37 GMT
Looks like Clare is still off? I think I’ll pop in tonight then and feedback!!
|
|
