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Post by Deleted on May 12, 2018 18:55:21 GMT
I can't believe Burly bear disliked this show - I thought it superb, and I have seen several different productions. This to me was very powerful, and I appreciated it starting differently, with Ismay in court. It is a superbly structured piece, though the inevitable climax happens half way through act two, but some beautifully theatrical touches - so much better than the cartoon Broadway version, for all its' bells and whistles. Starting with Ismay in court?? when was that added? |
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Post by crabtree on May 12, 2018 21:20:21 GMT
During the overture Ismay is seen wracked with guilt as some of the cast glare at him. The image of Ismay is repeated at the end...it gives a central thread with Ismay, and Simon Green gives it his everything.
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Post by Musicality21 on May 13, 2018 8:51:06 GMT
Well we went yesterday and I'm afraid to say I'm in the minority in that I didn't really like it. I went with an open mind and high expectations so maybe I'm at fault in that respect. It didn't help that from where we we sat in the upper circle (we only booked last minute so took what we could) we were struggling to make out the words in the ensemble numbers - maybe the fault of the theatre/seats - I'm not sure. We also saw a few people leave.
It also didn't help that I took my Dad because he's a massive Titanic nut with every book etc on the subject but not a massive musical fan (he likes Les Mis and thats about it). I thought he'd like it due to it being Titanic. Big mistake!
On a slightly related note, what he did enjoy last week was going to the White Swan hotel in Alnwick which has the first class dining room from the sister ship Olympic fitted there from when the ship was scrapped. That was beautiful and made you realise how much work went into the ships. Being stood in there made it seem so real how within a few days the nearly identical Titanic ended up at the bottom of the ocean and all those poor people lost their lives. I do get that the musical was putting that across with the tales of the passengers.
There were a few good points in that some of the cast were good and I did like The Proposal song. I just wouldn't be in a rush to go again. I'm sorry!
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Post by Dawnstar on May 15, 2018 15:49:20 GMT
On a slightly related note, what he did enjoy last week was going to the White Swan hotel in Alnwick which has the first class dining room from the sister ship Olympic fitted there from when the ship was scrapped. That was beautiful and made you realise how much work went into the ships. Thanks for mentioning this. I'd never known it before & we happen to be visiting Alnwick this Thursday so will definitely pop in & have a look at it. |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 15, 2018 18:02:10 GMT
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Post by shady23 on May 15, 2018 19:48:51 GMT
On a slightly related note, what he did enjoy last week was going to the White Swan hotel in Alnwick which has the first class dining room from the sister ship Olympic fitted there from when the ship was scrapped. That was beautiful and made you realise how much work went into the ships. Thanks for mentioning this. I'd never known it before & we happen to be visiting Alnwick this Thursday so will definitely pop in & have a look at it. Make sure you visit Barter Books! A glorious second hand book shop created in the old station. |
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Post by Dawnstar on May 15, 2018 21:32:52 GMT
Thanks for mentioning this. I'd never known it before & we happen to be visiting Alnwick this Thursday so will definitely pop in & have a look at it. Make sure you visit Barter Books! A glorious second hand book shop created in the old station. Definitely. I've been there once before. I'm a huge second hand book shops addict. The only problem is that I visited two before leaving Edinburgh this morning so I already have 8 extra books & therefore will have to limit my Alnwick shopping or I'll never get everything on the train & home! (Apologies for going off topic.) |
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Post by Brian on May 15, 2018 23:27:34 GMT
I saw this tonight. Overall, I found it quite underwhelming and I wouldn’t sit through it again. The first half was quite dull; it improved for the second half. At the interval, I overheard a woman nearby saying that the thing she’d enjoyed in the first half was the dancing. I thought that was pretty telling considering how little of it there was.
The cast do a stellar job with what they’re given but the score isn’t particularly memorable and the characterization is weak. I appreciate that this can’t be an easy feat given the context of the show and the attempt to show us the three classes on the ship.
I was oddly unmoved by it considering the tragedy involved. There is one part at the very end which made me ponder a little but I don’t think the show succeeds in conveying the various emotions of the event.
The use of actors playing multiple roles was a little confusing at times as there sometimes wasn’t much physical difference other than a different hairstyle. I appreciate that it would likely be impossible to bring a larger cast on tour. I wondered if it was a deliberate metaphor at times- i.e. regardless of class, we’re all connected, or something...
In terms of performances, Oliver Marshall was my favorite as Harold Bride. Greg Castiglioni was good too as Thomas Andrews. I did enjoy the group numbers and the staging was very clever.
It’s certainly an accomplished piece but after all the praise lavished on it here and elsewhere, it just didn’t meet my expectations at all. There was a full standing ovation at the end so I’m sure the cast will be happy with that.
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Post by groupbooker on May 15, 2018 23:32:48 GMT
If anyone is interested - On Saturday 19/5 on channel 4 at 20.00 is a programme that has been shown on there before. It is about a strong theory that the Titanic was on fire before it sailed and this caused bulk heads to buckle, so certainly helped the sinking!
Worth a watch guys!.
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Post by Musicality21 on May 16, 2018 6:08:40 GMT
On a slightly related note, what he did enjoy last week was going to the White Swan hotel in Alnwick which has the first class dining room from the sister ship Olympic fitted there from when the ship was scrapped. That was beautiful and made you realise how much work went into the ships. Thanks for mentioning this. I'd never known it before & we happen to be visiting Alnwick this Thursday so will definitely pop in & have a look at it. You're welcome. We just asked if it was ok to have a look and they were very happy to let us wander. The main doors into the hotel are also from Olympic, as is the staircase. It's quite interesting. I'd also second going to Barter Books. I had to limit myself to what I bought otherwise I could have spent a fortune (or weighed myself down with books)! |
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Post by grannyjx6 on May 25, 2018 18:53:39 GMT
Well we went yesterday and I'm afraid to say I'm in the minority in that I didn't really like it. I went with an open mind and high expectations so maybe I'm at fault in that respect. It didn't help that from where we we sat in the upper circle (we only booked last minute so took what we could) we were struggling to make out the words in the ensemble numbers - maybe the fault of the theatre/seats - I'm not sure. We also saw a few people leave. It also didn't help that I took my Dad because he's a massive Titanic nut with every book etc on the subject but not a massive musical fan (he likes Les Mis and thats about it). I thought he'd like it due to it being Titanic. Big mistake! On a slightly related note, what he did enjoy last week was going to the White Swan hotel in Alnwick which has the first class dining room from the sister ship Olympic fitted there from when the ship was scrapped. That was beautiful and made you realise how much work went into the ships. Being stood in there made it seem so real how within a few days the nearly identical Titanic ended up at the bottom of the ocean and all those poor people lost their lives. I do get that the musical was putting that across with the tales of the passengers. There were a few good points in that some of the cast we're good and I did like The Proposal song. I just wouldn't be in a rush to go again. I'm sorry! I saw it yesterday and agree with your review in every way. One or two lump in the throat moments, but other than that, it seemed very disjointed and sometimes the audience didn't know whether to clap as the endings to songs weren't very clear. |
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Post by Anniek on Jun 1, 2018 16:52:59 GMT
Saw it in Cardiff last week. I did expect more changes compared to the Charing Cross production, but it still worked out fantastic and this is definitely became my number 1 show now. I missed a few faces from the Charing Cross production but it's not like there is a really weak link in this cast I'd say. Hope to be able to fly to Dublin and catch it there. (why is Salford such a pain in the ass journey from London??)Eh?? It’s two hours on a train and then a ten minute tram ride from the train station to Media City. People commute from the north west to London as a matter of course!. You’re not going to fly to Dublin in any less than 4 hours by the time you’ve got to the airport, checked in, hung about etc. Its a bit short notice for a rail ticket deal on Virgin though. Oops haha! I only checked buses, so I had to go to manchester and then take another bus etc. It would take me like 6 hours or so. I rarely check trains as I usually cant afford them lol, but I found myself a bargain train deal so I will be seeing Titanic in Northampton in 3 weeks! YAYE. |
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Post by duncan on Jun 16, 2018 7:59:12 GMT
24 - Titanic : The Musical - Playhouse
Its April 1912 and the RMS Titanic is ready for her maiden voyage, full of millionaires and the penniless with an American dream.
What could possibly go wrong?
Every night in my dreams I see you, I feel you, I can probably come up with a musical more emotionally involving than this one. Its hard to invest anything in the fate of the characters given that they are either painted in exceptionally broad strokes (Ismay and the Beanes being the prime examples) or are nothing more than floating pieces of cardboard about whom you don't know enough to care if they live or die (Kate, Charles and bizarrely Andrews).
The staging is basic, too basic for what the story is trying to tell - there is never a real impact of the danger and imminent death that they all face, its portrayed almost as if they are on a row boat in your local park pond and that they'll be able to walk to safety. This needs more ice in its belly, it needs some sort of lighting effect or something to actually show that the ship is sinking. Having a balcony tilt for 2 minutes isn't really suspending my disbelief that I'm watching a stage show.
It also suffers from putting the collision at the end of Act 1 which means we get a very lopsided running time, near on 85 minutes for the first half and then around 55 minutes for the second - and its the second half where we should be having our oooomph but its long been lost in a first half that is seemingly stalling despite the onstage antics of Imay to get the boat going faster.
The cast are fine and the music, lyrics and book are passable. Near, far, wherever you are I believe that this show will go on, its just so bland and inoffensive though that its not one I'd recommend you seek out but then again its not one I'd caution against seeing.
6/10
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Post by musicalmarge on Jun 16, 2018 8:40:42 GMT
So odd that this musical gets 9/10 for a small space and amazing reviews and just doesn’t seem to give the same impact in larger spaces. Maybe visually a larger pros stage needs the broadway tilt, hydraulics and so on?
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Post by steve10086 on Jun 16, 2018 15:08:11 GMT
I loved the actor/muso production of Sunset Blvd at the Watermill, but didn’t enjoy the same production at all in the West End. I think shows do need to be in scale with the venue.
Having said that, I do think I’d still like this production of Titanic.
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Post by karloscar on Jun 16, 2018 15:28:13 GMT
I saw the original production twenty years ago in New York and it was looked and sounded magnificent especially the choral work. I appeared in production a decade ago with a 20 piece orchestra and over 90 people on stage. Being in the midst of that number of voices singing Maury Yeston's score was quite moving and powerful for all concerned. I think it's one of those shows that loses a lot by being scaled down in any way. You don't need the scenery perhaps but you need at least 40 people on stage to make it work.
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Post by Anniek on Jul 6, 2018 22:17:52 GMT
Its been exactly two years today since I won two tickets for this show on here, and I can't thank Theatreboard enough for it. Having seen the London and now UK production 11 times (and counting..) now it has become one of my all time favs.
So thank you so much for that first introduction!
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Post by theatremadness on Jul 16, 2018 14:40:51 GMT
Well this is quite interesting.....a production of Titanic the Musical set on water. And yes: they sink.
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Post by crabtree on Jul 16, 2018 14:56:50 GMT
Hmm, in two minds about that production. I'd rather a non literal production myself, and I rather wanted to slap the director, but there we go.
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Post by wickedgrin on Jul 16, 2018 16:06:45 GMT
That video seemed a huge amount of work and hype to achieve very little - just a chandelier and two balconies that looked like high rise window cleaning platforms being lowered into the water. The whole thing should have been on hydraulics to partially submerge the set at an angle.
As for the "creatives" - I think I might have struggled to work with them!
Full credit to the cast though who had cold dip in a murky lake to look forward to at the end of the night!
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Post by westendcub on Jul 16, 2018 22:22:53 GMT
Absolutely wonderful tonight in Bromley!!
My fourth time at this show (twice at Charing Cross & saw the Arts Ed recent production).
I was in row B so I had the intimate feel with the actors within a whisper. I’m glad this is still done with all the actors all taking on multiple roles (it still amazes me with all those quick costume changes!!).
Thought the cast were in form & wow those voices really sung out the score to a packed Monday audience (loved & could tell a few fans were in tonight).
Yes I cried during Act 2 & it got a big standing ovation!! Can this do another little stint in London please!!
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Post by galinda on Jul 17, 2018 9:23:11 GMT
Absolutely wonderful tonight in Bromley!! My fourth time at this show (twice at Charing Cross & saw the Arts Ed recent production). I was in row B so I had the intimate feel with the actors within a whisper. I’m glad this is still done with all the actors all taking on multiple roles (it still amazes me with all those quick costume changes!!). Thought the cast were in form & wow those voices really sung out the score to a packed Monday audience (loved & could tell a few fans were in tonight). Yes I cried during Act 2 & it got a big standing ovation!! Can this do another little stint in London please!! What is the temperature like at Bromley? Do they have air con? Seeing it later this week there and hoping I can enjoy the show this time as last time was at the Charing Cross and I remember I couldn't concentrate on the show as I was nearly passing out in the heat! |
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Post by westendcub on Jul 17, 2018 17:27:24 GMT
Absolutely wonderful tonight in Bromley!! My fourth time at this show (twice at Charing Cross & saw the Arts Ed recent production). I was in row B so I had the intimate feel with the actors within a whisper. I’m glad this is still done with all the actors all taking on multiple roles (it still amazes me with all those quick costume changes!!). Thought the cast were in form & wow those voices really sung out the score to a packed Monday audience (loved & could tell a few fans were in tonight). Yes I cried during Act 2 & it got a big standing ovation!! Can this do another little stint in London please!! What is the temperature like at Bromley? Do they have air con? Seeing it later this week there and hoping I can enjoy the show this time as last time was at the Charing Cross and I remember I couldn't concentrate on the show as I was nearly passing out in the heat! It was Lovely & cool last night, no complaints from Row B stalls!!! |
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Post by Anniek on Jul 18, 2018 16:47:10 GMT
Double Titanic showday for me tomorrow. Front row so westendcub i am happy you were pleased with the view from the front. Can't wait. |
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Post by confessor on Jul 19, 2018 22:35:55 GMT
Seems I'm destined not to see this, missed it at the Charing Cross and was hoping to catch it today in Bromley but ended up getting a ticket for Heathers matinee instead and the trains to Brighton have bus replacements this evening, and really couldn't bring myself to endure that so went to see Red instead. Fingers crossed it either gets revived in the near future or finds a home in London post tour.
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