Emojiland in Concert - Garrick Theatre

[Mark]

Looks like an announcement Tuesday.

[Matt]

This is not the (off) Broadway transfer we’ve been asking for. I don’t see this working with a UK audience, it’s VERY American.

[anxiousoctopus]

Sept 25, 2022 21:35:50 GMT Matt said:

This is not the (off) Broadway transfer we’ve been asking for. I don’t see this working with a UK audience, it’s VERY American.

Especially considering all the drama with their cancelled national tour

[og]

[djdan14]

Is everything a one off concert these days?

[johnie21]

Sept 27, 2022 11:07:51 GMT djdan14 said:

Is everything a one off concert these days?

So true all of my fave shows have recently been announced for a one off show or a. Few weeks. See this is the thing as much as I love Heathers new shows should go there now. I'm hoping after the last recent extension it either transfers somewhere else or comes off for a while.

[Being Alive]

Oh Louise Dearman for the love of god you're better than this

[Matt]

Concerts for shows that haven’t even had the full production in this country, it makes absolutely no sense. Where is the appeal?

[mkmg]

Sept 27, 2022 11:07:51 GMT djdan14 said:

Is everything a one off concert these days?

There’s such high demand for tones and tones of shows over here it’s impossible to have them all in the West End or touring, or even having limited runs all at once. One off concerts are a way for UK audiences to see these shows when they can’t be stage fully right now.

[Being Alive]

This feels like exactly the sort of nonsense for the Turbine tbh

[theatreliker]

Once again, a plea for a separate page for concerts on the main menu please. I, and most people on this thread, aren't interested. I've unfollowed What's on Stage because of their OTT concert coverage.

[og]

Sept 27, 2022 17:39:03 GMT theatreliker said:

Once again, a plea for a separate page for concerts on the main menu please. I, and most people on this thread, aren't interested. I've unfollowed What's on Stage because of their OTT concert coverage.

There's currently 3 threads out of 40 on page one of Musicals for separate concerts (one of which was cancelled). Is it really that much of an inconvenience to scroll a few more pixels down to read page 109 of opinion on the current cast of Phantom?

[robertb213]

Jamie Lambert teasing something else at 10am tomorrow, so there may be another one joining the list!

[bobbievanhusen]

Sept 27, 2022 11:49:06 GMT Matt said:

Concerts for shows that haven’t even had the full production in this country, it makes absolutely no sense. Where is the appeal?

I believe 'where is the appeal' is also the reason why it's in concert. It probably couldn't sustain a full production, because it doesn't appeal to many people. The title alone puts me off, along with a cast of people who seem to be popular on twitter.

[BurlyBeaR]

Sept 27, 2022 17:39:03 GMT theatreliker said:

Once again, a plea for a separate page for concerts on the main menu please. I, and most people on this thread, aren't interested. I've unfollowed What's on Stage because of their OTT concert coverage.

You’re welcome to post this suggestion in the feedback section so that members can comment on whether they think it’s a good idea. 

[inthenose]

Hiba Elchikhe (''Everybody’s Talking About Jamie'') as Pile of Poo

Good luck explaining that one to the grandkids.

[fluxcapacitor]

Sept 27, 2022 11:49:06 GMT Matt said:

Concerts for shows that haven’t even had the full production in this country, it makes absolutely no sense. Where is the appeal?

I think it makes a lot more sense to stage this kind of show as a one-off concert than it does to stage shows which have proven success in the UK as full productions (e.g. Kinky Boots & Once). It's a way to test the waters without committing to a full run (or even a set!) i.e. Does it sell well? What's the reaction/feedback? Is there any kind of market for it?

If it doesn't do well, nothing's lost - it was only ever a one-off. If it does do well, it's a sign that it might sustain a proper run. It makes complete sense.

[Matt]

Sept 28, 2022 12:54:43 GMT fluxcapacitor said:

Sept 27, 2022 11:49:06 GMT Matt said:

Concerts for shows that haven’t even had the full production in this country, it makes absolutely no sense. Where is the appeal?

I think it makes a lot more sense to stage this kind of show as a one-off concert than it does to stage shows which have proven success in the UK as full productions (e.g. Kinky Boots & Once). It's a way to test the waters without committing to a full run (or even a set!) i.e. Does it sell well? What's the reaction/feedback? Is there any kind of market for it?

If it doesn't do well, nothing's lost - it was only ever a one-off. If it does do well, it's a sign that it might sustain a proper run. It makes complete sense.

Visually it looks like something off Ceebeebies. People will watch the concert, be interested, and get a big shock when they see it.

It’s also not good, at all.

[FrontroverPaul]

Enjoyed this tonight. Great young cast of 12, wide range of musical styles and some very catchy songs. Worked well as a concert version. The storyline actually made a lot of sense despite the concept !

I can see it running successfully at the Other Palace or The Arts Theatre.

Audience mostly under 25s and VERY enthusiastic and vocal. I was probably one of only a handful of over 65s there. Spent the train journey home learning all about emojis - I thought there were perhaps a few hundred but apparently over 3000.

[andypandy]

I saw this on Broadway (off Broadway) Jan 2020. I thought it was super fun.

From rumours I hear this will open after Heathers eventually closes at The Other Palace. Perhaps summer next year?

[Steve]

Nov 2, 2022 12:25:41 GMT andypandy said:

I saw this on Broadway (off Broadway) Jan 2020. I thought it was super fun.

From rumours I hear this will open after Heathers eventually closes at The Other Palace. Perhaps summer next year?

Judging by how many unsold seats there were at the concert, I'm surprised.

Also, this isn't a musical where you really care about anybody, as the moment you start to care, it just moves on to another character.

Because the storytelling is so weak, but also because so many of the songs are entertaining and catchy, it mostly plays like a variety show.

Which is why I ultimately didn't mind that there was no effort to stage this show (unlike recent "concert" performances, such as "The Witches of Eastwick," which promised a concert, but delivered a fully staged show in a week lol).

What I did mind, at the beginning, was that the lecterns with the scripts obscured the T shirts, that the cast were wearing, which revealed which emojis they were playing. Luckily, cast members lowered the lecterns lol.

Starting off fairly grumpy, as a consequence, and surprised at the "La Ronde" set-up of the show, which just seems to move from one character to the next, squandering audience identification, I soon found myself massively taken with the concert, in which an initially somewhat sheepish cast got more and more rowdy and bolshy as the show went on, as if competing with each other to showcase what they could do with limited songs each lol.

It seemed to me that there were three types of performance approach: (1) Look at me; (2) Deep feelings; & (3) Comedy performance:-

(1) Of the Look-at-me performances, Inez Budd absolutely dominated as Pile of Poo. Unlike other more static restrained readings, she came on ferociously dancing like Britney, but unlike Britney, who either sings or dances but never both, she came out with a Beyonce level storm of a diva vocal that just kept topping itself, showing zero embarrassment for the fact she had to keep on singing the "Pile of poo" lyric lol. She fired up the audience so much with her one song that I'm betting half the audience wished Pile of Poo carried the whole plot.

If this show ever does get properly staged, hiring Budd as Poo would be a smart move cos people might book tickets just to see that lol.

(2) Of the Deep Feelings type performances, Blake Patrick Anderson, as Nerd Face, was an absolute whiz! Just like he did with his Michael in "Be More Chill," he had you believing utterly in his sensitivity, depth and decency. I was practically crying over his "Zeroes and Ones," which revealed the inner machine in human beings, but I did in fact spill a tear or two, when he duetted with Laura Baldwin's Smize, in a song that may or may not be called "Anyway," though I don't know cos I couldn't see any programmes on sale. Anyway (lol), it was as if Michael from "Be more Chill" shared a tender song with Jenny from "Eugenius," and what more could you want than the two best characters from those musicals to duet lol?

(3) As far as comedy goes, it was a tie between Louise Dearman, doing a pouty baby voice and bitching out everyone around her, as Princess, and Tim Mahendran, who appeared to have little to no role at all, but somehow was eliciting laughs just by exuberantly roaring randomly and enthusiastially pumping his fist lol. When he did have lines to sing, he was so scabrous and nonchalant in his delivery that I was laughing up a storm. Dearman and Mahendran delivered the laughs.

But actually, my favourite performances of the night were the duo of Policewoman and Construction Worker! Because this duo delivered on ALL the aspects and approaches to entertainment.

Although their characters appeared out of nowhere, halfway through the show, this competitive yet loving Lesbian couple absolutely dominated! If Lamb inflected her songs with melisma and frills to diva her songs up to the max, Paris would up the ante and go even further. The pair were funny, expressed a genuine connection, and the audience approval was evident in whooping ovations.

All in all, the cast performed so well that the lack of audience identification and good storytelling was trumped by some major major entertainment.

3 stars for the show, which has some catchy songs making up for a weak story;
4 stars for the cast, who put on a terrific variety show;
3 and a half stars overall.