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Post by Steve on Dec 10, 2022 18:35:45 GMT
This reminded me of a Disney History Ride at a Theme Park, meticulously produced, with the best singing and dancing, raucous and celebratory, but superficial and anodyne at heart, so as to remain kid-friendly and inoffensive. Some spoilers follow. . . In the moment, I thoroughly enjoyed myself from my £12.50 front row perch, where all the undulating arms, and side to side and front and backwards stomping felt incredibly rousing, especially when accompanied by whooping and uplifting choral acapella numbers from the vibrant ensemble. Michael Luwoye had all of Mandela's gravitas, and Danielle Fiamanya's singing was so emotive I even shed a tear or two. But as far as musicals go, this one lacks a personality. It is a Mandela celebration more than a musical. I remember attending Mandela's 90th birthday tribute at Hyde Park, and how, after Amy Winehouse swayed her body up and down, and Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith performed the Fresh Prince, and Paul Rodgers did his thing with Queen, Mandela finally came out, and it was all pent-up raucous cheering exploding and singing "Happy Birthday," and whatever Mandela was saying about AIDS was completely lost amid the cheering lol. This is like that. Mandela himself, as a human, is drowned out in favour of the celebration of Mandela. It's fun, it's shallow, it's ok. I love Stewart Clarke, and his white-oppressor-turned-Mandela-fan is effectively emotive in the moment, but you do wonder why we are so desperately pandering to show the humanity of oppressors, straining hard to cut out the full horror of Apartheid (any random line from Hampstead Theatre's "A Human Being Died that Night" revealed more to me about the inhuman callous butchery underlying Apartheid than anything here) by having the overlords look like a company boardroom? Like a Disney Theme park Experience, horror is excised in favour of inoffensive audience-pleasing anodyne platitudes. The celebration of the man overwhelms the man. 3 stars of fun for the amazing acting by Luwoye, stirring singing by Fiamanya and dedicated dancing by the entire ensemble!  |
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376 posts
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Dec 13, 2022 23:01:36 GMT
Tonight’s show and tomorrow’s matinee cancelled due to cast illness
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Post by lonlad on Dec 14, 2022 0:25:51 GMT
All this ilnness (STREETCAR, HAKAWATIS, WATCH ON THE RHINE, now this) recalls this time last year with multiple shows toppling in the run-up to xmas, except for Tamsin Greig at the Hampstead as Peggy Ramsay -- who was indomitable !
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904 posts
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Post by lonlad on Dec 14, 2022 0:27:32 GMT
>>superficial and anodyne at heart, so as to remain kid-friendly and inoffensive.
By the way, I love the notion of a musical about NELSON MANDELA being "kid-friendly", just in case FROZEN is sold out at the desired performance ! (MANDELA is even less rooted in reality than that show is.)
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Dec 15, 2022 1:52:22 GMT
Cancelled Wednesday evening too. Wasn't notified until 6.15 when I was 200 yards away... Refunded for my £12.50 front row seat.
Can't decide whether to rebook, lucky dips all gone and all I can get for the same price is a very side view on a couple of not very convenient days
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Post by max on Dec 15, 2022 16:20:32 GMT
Cancelled Wednesday evening too. Wasn't notified until 6.15 when I was 200 yards away... Refunded for my £12.50 front row seat. Can't decide whether to rebook, lucky dips all gone and all I can get for the same price is a very side view on a couple of not very convenient days Livestream performances from £15 (standard single viewer) if you don't make it back, but still want to see for yourself. 19th - 23rd Jan. |
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Post by Jon on Dec 16, 2022 0:15:56 GMT
All this ilnness (STREETCAR, HAKAWATIS, WATCH ON THE RHINE, now this) recalls this time last year with multiple shows toppling in the run-up to xmas, except for Tamsin Greig at the Hampstead as Peggy Ramsay -- who was indomitable ! It seems to be affecting shows in theatres which don't have understudies. Streetcar TBF was because they lost their leading lady to injury. |
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Post by Seriously on Dec 16, 2022 14:42:17 GMT
It's not for me to say, but the two cast members who are ill do actually have rather large problems to deal with here. We're not talking flu.
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Post by 141920grm on Dec 16, 2022 21:10:22 GMT
… :0
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376 posts
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Post by hitmewithurbethshot on Dec 19, 2022 22:03:51 GMT
They’re having terrible luck over there, after a week of cancelled shows tonight’s performance was also cancelled after act 1 due to cast illness
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Post by caa on Dec 20, 2022 14:02:05 GMT
Just had an email saying that tonights show is cancelled
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Post by G on Dec 29, 2022 12:57:25 GMT
Just had an email saying that tonights show is cancelled Tomorrow's matinee also cancelled. |
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5,139 posts
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Post by Being Alive on Dec 29, 2022 13:15:20 GMT
When did Mandela go down? It feels like it's been off FOREVER
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Post by Dave B on Dec 29, 2022 13:32:23 GMT
Cancelled up to and including 31st. Seems to be Covid and other illnesses.
Been off since at least 20th. I feel for everyone involved, a large cast and crew and all at the YV.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Dec 29, 2022 13:36:45 GMT
That many cancelled shows will have cost them a lot more than paying for some understudies ...
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Post by dollybm on Dec 29, 2022 14:00:49 GMT
Their latest announcement references despite hiring more understudies they still have such levels of illness it’s impossible for them to put the show on. Clearly the majority of the cast, crew and show team are unwell at once it seems - real shame.
I’m not all that confident it’ll be back open when I’m due to see it next week!
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Post by appoul on Dec 29, 2022 14:20:05 GMT
I'm also due to see it next Thursday. Hopefully everyone will be fine and the performance will go ahead!
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Post by cezbear on Dec 29, 2022 14:20:14 GMT
I'm in the cancelled camp this week and thinking I'll just wait until they look like they're solidly up and running again before I take another chance.
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4,778 posts
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Post by Mark on Dec 29, 2022 14:22:24 GMT
I’m due at the matinee on the 7th (before CFA closing performance) so hoping they’re back in action before then.
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Post by h86 on Dec 29, 2022 18:20:55 GMT
New shows like this do suffer more when cast are ill compared to long runners as there is not a long list of previous cast who can come back for a show or two. Look at Hamilton last week, they had to cancel a show but were back up soon after as previous cast returned.
Unfortunately the general public will get annoyed at constant cancellations and make future bookings less likely, especially when considering travel costs, overnight stays etc.
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7,052 posts
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Post by Jon on Dec 29, 2022 19:10:25 GMT
New shows like this do suffer more when cast are ill compared to long runners as there is not a long list of previous cast who can come back for a show or two. Look at Hamilton last week, they had to cancel a show but were back up soon after as previous cast returned. Unfortunately the general public will get annoyed at constant cancellations and make future bookings less likely, especially when considering travel costs, overnight stays etc. That's the nature of live performance. Theatre isn't doomed because of a couple of cancellations. |
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Post by h86 on Dec 29, 2022 20:00:53 GMT
New shows like this do suffer more when cast are ill compared to long runners as there is not a long list of previous cast who can come back for a show or two. Look at Hamilton last week, they had to cancel a show but were back up soon after as previous cast returned. Unfortunately the general public will get annoyed at constant cancellations and make future bookings less likely, especially when considering travel costs, overnight stays etc. That's the nature of live performance. Theatre isn't doomed because of a couple of cancellations. I never said theatre was doomed. Constant cancellations aren’t good for business though. |
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Post by Seriously on Dec 29, 2022 20:19:19 GMT
New shows like this do suffer more when cast are ill compared to long runners as there is not a long list of previous cast who can come back for a show or two. Look at Hamilton last week, they had to cancel a show but were back up soon after as previous cast returned. Unfortunately the general public will get annoyed at constant cancellations and make future bookings less likely, especially when considering travel costs, overnight stays etc. I doubt the "general public" are the prime audience for this. It's probably mostly just people who frequent the Young Vic. |
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Post by dollybm on Dec 30, 2022 8:33:08 GMT
I’m due at the matinee on the 7th (before CFA closing performance) so hoping they’re back in action before then. Our plans for next Saturday are identical! No science to it at all but I just have a feeling that Mandela won’t be back up but I’m potentially being pessimistic as I seem to attract cancelled shows. |
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4,778 posts
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Post by Mark on Dec 30, 2022 9:41:39 GMT
I’m due at the matinee on the 7th (before CFA closing performance) so hoping they’re back in action before then. Our plans for next Saturday are identical! No science to it at all but I just have a feeling that Mandela won’t be back up but I’m potentially being pessimistic as I seem to attract cancelled shows. Great minds! Let’s see, I’m hopeful. |
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