490 posts
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Post by bimse on Apr 24, 2022 4:14:10 GMT
Has he done any other shows people have seen? Years ago I saw him in the concert version of Kristina- from Benny & Bjorn from ABBA who were there at the time- at the Royal Albert Hall/ He's also on live CD recording. 1996 in The Lily Savage Show on the North Pier, Blackpool, it was a good show too , ran from July to November. I would think this was at the start of his fame, and before his major illness. |
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Post by danb on Apr 24, 2022 7:28:18 GMT
Yes, we saw him in that Blackpool show. He took the roof off. Stunning sound.
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Post by interval99 on Apr 26, 2022 18:10:47 GMT
Bristol hippodrome and tonight Mr Billy Flynn is played by ....
Mr Liam Mercellino
Seems pretty well sold for a Tuesday and the second night of the run.
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Post by inthenose on Apr 26, 2022 18:12:25 GMT
Do share your opinion, good or bad after the show please! 👍👍
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Post by danb on Apr 26, 2022 21:09:46 GMT
No, don’t as I haven’t got a spare evening to go and see it!!! 🥴
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Post by interval99 on Apr 27, 2022 17:20:23 GMT
Liam Mercellino was superb, everything you could wish for in a Billy Flynn and as lead on the we both reached for the gun number got the best reaction of the night.
Liam, Jamie Baughan as Amos Hart and B E Wong as Mary Sunshine were the standouts and would not have been out of place in the original Aldephi production twenty years back
Unfortunately this current version of the show is a fuzzier version of the powerhouse original.
The sharpness and fluid of the original is just missing, the moves are there but not to that precise level , the magic of Fosse moves where the group seem to be random but then suddenly click into a fluid group move and become electric doesn't work unless they do click as one.
The two leads didn't quite have the sass and connection with the audience and too many lines just didn't land to get the humour out.
I have loved Chicago since the seeing the London launch , the fact even now it does break so many expectations of what you presume a musical show has to be. It still has a killer look in its starkness and great songs and routines and was great to see it again but it's a bit like visiting a old friend and suddenly realizing they are not quite at the level they use to be.
Should highlight the show is doing great business at the hippodrome and the merchandise store (t-shirts, caps, tote bags, mugs but still the old brochure) was doing a steady trade right from the start.
Best example of the way this show has changed would be surprisingly by Shelia Ferguson as mamma Morton. I was expecting the normal mamma good for youuuuuuu big ending line and what we got was the filler of , you, you,you,yeah!
Maybe a small thing but highlights the change from the razor sharp original.
Also worth of note, and hope you are sitting down for this, at the end so did the audience. In the full stalls No standing ovation, no one not even a Bob up or I must stand up and dance pair. It the right reaction and there was plenty of applause but was unexpected as others have said it's become a default at the curtain call.
Chicago can still razzle dazzle and even this show had the moment which showed how clever the show is crafted but hopefully the next tour in a few years time will be a tighter production.
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Post by nisev on Apr 28, 2022 14:38:55 GMT
Brilliant summation by interval99. I saw the show last night and agree with all their points. The show has moments where you can still see that strong, sexy energy that has helped this production to endure for so long. Some individual members of the ensemble really stand out, but that's part of the problem. The ensemble should be able to come together with matched commitment and preciseness. The parts where they do pull this off are excellent and make you wish it happened more.
The pacing felt quite slow, especially at the beginning. It picked up though, and I found the second act was more fun and zippy than the first. It feels a little bit like the show rests on its laurels in the first act, they know those familiar songs will always get a big reaction so they don't need to try too hard - but in the second they know they have to up the stakes in order to keep people engaged with the material they might not know.
Another big issue is that many of the comedic beats just don't land at all. It's crucial for the actors playing Roxie and Velma need to have a good sense of comedic timing and audience connection. Both the leads at the moment feel like they are rushing through the dialogue to get to the songs. Faye Brooks is clearly a good performer but just didn't grab me in this role I'm afraid - she didn't seem at ease with the Fosse moves. I think she attempted snake arms once for a few seconds then gave up and turned it into a sexy wiggle, and she didn't have that signature isolation which makes the choreography so satisfying. She and D.Scott had some nice little moments though - and she can definitely dance and sing beautifully. I also wondered if Sheila Ferguson always ends with that "You, and you, and you, you, you - yeaaahhh!" because I couldn't tell if she just started the note wrong and so was doing vocal fills to cover it.
I realise this is quite a critical review - I just love this show so much and it feels a little bit lacking at the moment. I went with my partner who had never seen the show before and he enjoyed it, so I'm possibly being over-critical because I've seen some really brilliant casts doing this material. Djangela Scott has favourite numbers, and it shows because when she's not doing one of them she really is going through the motions, but then comes alive when doing the songs she likes. It does seem like All That Jazz is one she's not bothered about, which is unfortunate because it does set the pace for the beginning scenes of the show. Liam Mercellino was a great Billy, and he brought the energy up whenever he was on stage. I also loved Jamie Baughan's Amos.
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Post by hannechalk on May 14, 2022 16:48:32 GMT
I know it's not going to save this tour, but apparently from 1st August Gemma Collins is 'retiring' from showbiz to concentrate on making a baby.
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421 posts
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Post by carmella1 on May 14, 2022 21:44:16 GMT
I know it's not going to save this tour, but apparently from 1st August Gemma Collins is 'retiring' from showbiz to concentrate on making a baby. I do not think the tour needs much saving as far as selling is concerned. They are quite booked up. Maybe not esthically but definitely money wise. |
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Post by A.Ham on May 15, 2022 10:02:59 GMT
Is Gemma’s debut in this imminent? Can’t wait to hear from those board members who are going what she’s like. In much the same way one can’t help but look at a car accident…
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Post by marob on May 15, 2022 10:21:48 GMT
Retiring? You just know there’ll be some ITV “documentary” about her trying for a baby.
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Post by matty on May 21, 2022 13:10:02 GMT
Saw this last night in Wimbledon and firstly, it was great to see the New Wimbledon so full!
As to the show, overall I enjoyed it, the 2nd act was better than the first. I thought Faye Brookes and DJalenga Scott were good as Roxie and Velma and seemed to work well together.
Sheila Ferguson's When you're good to mama didn't do it for me. It seemed to lack oomph.
Russell Watson has a good voice, but he seems too nice to be Billy Flynn and he seemed to be doing quite a heavy new york tough guy accent to make himself seem tougher, but when you're in Chicago, that accent doesn't quite fit.
Can't say that ruined it for me though, this was still a good night at the theatre.
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190 posts
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Post by tsxmitw on May 22, 2022 7:42:40 GMT
Saw this last night. The New Wimbledon theatre was packed with a very energetic audience who gave ovations to many of the big numbers, which was great to see. Overall this had some solid individual performances - Velma, Roxie, Amos and Mama - although no one really stood out as being particularly sensational. The ensemble, as some have mentioned, could have been a little tighter. There were some very dodgy accents. The band sounded fantastic.
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378 posts
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Post by ctas on May 22, 2022 15:29:24 GMT
Saw the matinee yesterday at Wimbledon. Russell Watson’s accent sounded like he’d watched Taxi Driver a few too many times, but he’s easily one of the best-sung Billy Flynns I’ve ever seen. Both Roxie and Velma were great, I didn’t get much of Sheila Ferguson from the back row of the upper though so can’t really judge on that. The show is one of my favourites because it’s always so pertinent, the script never changes but always seems relevant. Always worth watching.
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Post by enh2 on May 24, 2022 10:37:22 GMT
Gemma Collins has pulled out of Chicago due to an injury ...
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Post by ladidah on May 24, 2022 10:40:07 GMT
really!?
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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2022 10:43:00 GMT
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Post by ladidah on May 24, 2022 10:52:47 GMT
I love that quote, 'go home, you know it already!'
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Post by inthenose on May 24, 2022 10:55:20 GMT
Who would've predicted...
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1,928 posts
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Post by LaLuPone on May 24, 2022 11:07:49 GMT
She’s been taken off the show’s website so definitely true. Was looking forward to seeing what a camp mess she was gonna be to be honest…
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Post by cezbear on May 24, 2022 11:11:56 GMT
Another stunt cast fail, and what of the people who have booked to see her? Who could possibly have predicted this...
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Post by stagebyte on May 24, 2022 11:12:40 GMT
‘Knee injury’ read ‘producers realised it was going to be a car crash’
The line about needing less rehearsal is hilarious.
Mama Morton doesn’t dance in the show: Pretty sure they could’ve wheeled her on at this late stage:
Wonder if the ‘hordes’ who booked specifically to see her will get their money back?
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Post by ruthieh on May 24, 2022 11:22:34 GMT
Personally relieved. Booked months back before she was announced and was feeling pretty conflicted about going…
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19,650 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 24, 2022 11:25:39 GMT
Sells with or without her it seems. The opera house this week is all but completely sold out. Handful of singles available in the gallery. Unless people bought for this week thinking she was going to be in it?
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5,138 posts
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Post by Being Alive on May 24, 2022 11:28:21 GMT
Honestly I'm sad shes out - she'd have been so fun!
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