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Post by danb on Mar 28, 2016 8:42:37 GMT
I hope someplace in theatreland proper. I can't stand Victoria. I love the location of the Phoenix. Is the Victoria Palace in bad shape? I only saw BE once and that was probably around 2008, so I don't really remember what shape the theatre was in. Cameron is restoring the theatre once Billy has finished. I remember taking the Mrs to her first Billy and we were front row of the Upper Circle, but you still enter from the back. Firstly the rake of the seats is akin to Everest but worst of all the hand rail to safely guide you down was loose and wobbling dangerously from side to side. I spent the first act sweating whilst reliving the descent! One would hope that this has been/is being addressed. |
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Post by ali973 on Mar 28, 2016 8:49:25 GMT
I hope he gives it the Prince Edward treatment. That theatre is absolutely breathtaking now. He really did a marvelous job with that refurbishment.
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Post by Stasia on Mar 28, 2016 9:51:28 GMT
Harold Prince is in Moscow now. Given a lecture with Q&A on musical theatre. Guess who asked about Hamilton (the answer is "not only me but every second question was about it")
Sharing a few of his quotes:
"Hamilton is the musical of importance and there are too few musicals of importance
It is beautifully written, directed and choreographed, quite marvellous; it's the continuation of what musical theatre is for
Hamilton is an extention of what I've been doing, it gives me hope
Some would say it is very influenced by hip-hop but I'd say it is very influenced by Shakespeare"
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Post by ali973 on Mar 28, 2016 13:21:05 GMT
I have a slight issue with what Prince says here. I truly appreciate the intension and the gesture If he wants to "elevate" the caliber of the show/musical theatre by giving Shakespeare credit for inspiration. But in reality, it IS inspired by hip-hop, which is a legitimate art form that needs to be recognized. To belittle it is kind of ignorant and uninformed.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2016 13:32:37 GMT
I disagree. I think the show is heavily influenced by a combined fascination of hip-hop and musical theatre. You listen to Lin talk about how the show came into being and realise he spent most of his childhood listening to Broadway cast recordings. There is a lot of hip-hop in the score, but also some moments of sheer musical theatre brilliance!
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Post by primitivewallflower on Mar 28, 2016 13:33:09 GMT
I have a slight issue with what Prince says here. I truly appreciate the intension and the gesture If he wants to "elevate" the caliber of the show/musical theatre by giving Shakespeare credit for inspiration. But in reality, it IS inspired by hip-hop, which is a legitimate art form that needs to be recognized. To belittle it is kind of ignorant and uninformed. This is a very good point. To add, I hate the praise of a show as "important". To me that just feeds into a substance-free hype machine and often just translates to "everyone likes it." To be fair, it could also be taken to mean "this show is innovative" or "it's doing something different that theatre really needs if it's going to thrive" but why not just say that? |
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Post by ali973 on Mar 28, 2016 13:54:41 GMT
I disagree. I think the show is heavily influenced by a combined fascination of hip-hop and musical theatre. You listen to Lin talk about how the show came into being and realise he spent most of his childhood listening to Broadway cast recordings. There is a lot of hip-hop in the score, but also some moments of sheer musical theatre brilliance! No denial there-it is very much "musicalized" and clearly is done in a musical theatre format and appeals to the musical theatre palette, but to call it not inspired by Hip-Hop is patently false. While he listened to Broadway cast recordings, he also listened to Hip-Hop and rap growing up, and is also quoted saying that he draws parallels between Hamilton and Kanye when he wrote the show! |
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Post by Stasia on Mar 28, 2016 15:20:22 GMT
Prince obviously not a big fan of hip-hop, as I found out today  But I liked that he is able to accept new formats and innovation. Sorry if the quotes look so abrupt, I wish I could write down all of his words. These are just main points and topics on which he we went into bigger details later. I'll share the video if I find it somewhere, if someone's interested. |
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Post by Oleanna on Mar 28, 2016 16:05:51 GMT
These are just main points and topics on which he we went into bigger details later. I'll share the video if I find it somewhere, if someone's interested. I'm interested! We don't get to hear Prince's view on theatre as often as Sondheim, and I'd be more interested to hear what he has to say now! |
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 28, 2016 16:20:08 GMT
With Billy Elliot closing on 09th April.
The building work and refurbishment is expected to take 14 months, so with 3 months to load in the set, we could be looking at September/October 2017 the earliest for Hamilton.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2016 17:37:20 GMT
There's definitely Shakespeare influence, look at the Macbeth references.
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Post by Jon on Mar 28, 2016 18:29:35 GMT
With Billy Elliot closing on 09th April. The building work and refurbishment is expected to take 14 months, so with 3 months to load in the set, we could be looking at September/October 2017 the earliest for Hamilton. I doubt it'll take that long to load the set for Hamilton, it's pretty basic, the refurb is I think 12 months so I think summer 2017. |
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Post by Deleted on Mar 28, 2016 21:35:38 GMT
With Billy Elliot closing on 09th April. The building work and refurbishment is expected to take 14 months, so with 3 months to load in the set, we could be looking at September/October 2017 the earliest for Hamilton. I doubt it'll take that long to load the set for Hamilton, it's pretty basic, the refurb is I think 12 months so I think summer 2017. It's a 14 month refurb - and reportedly already delayed because of ongoing construction works around the site - plus, I imagine teching a full company with that choreography on a double revolve is a right pain! |
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Post by ali973 on Mar 28, 2016 22:18:29 GMT
I've seen a cheeky video of Hamilton. Like mrmusicals says, there is a double revolve and it's non-freggin' stop, and the lighting design is a show of its own. The sound is also very tricky and has its own thing going on. I would think it would be quite a lengthy tech period.
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Post by Jon on Mar 28, 2016 22:21:55 GMT
It's a 14 month refurb - and reportedly already delayed because of ongoing construction works around the site - plus, I imagine teching a full company with that choreography on a double revolve is a right pain! They've been waiting to do this refurb for a long time, when Cameron Mackintosh acquired the VP, he said Autumn 2016 for the refurbishment but I guess Billy closing meant they could bring it forward. |
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 28, 2016 23:14:35 GMT
Spoke to someone at the VP and they said the building works are expected to last 14 months. Maybe they might put a filer show in the Palace such as Mary Poppins, just to test everything before Hamilton goes in. Also a new Underground ticket office is being built near the theatre. Images here tfl.gov.uk/travel-information/improvements-and-projects/victoriaJust when with all the building work nearing completion at Victoria, they're going to start Crossrail 2 next year. |
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Post by paplazaroo on Mar 29, 2016 13:01:47 GMT
Have you guys seen this awesome Hamilton/batman mash up
Also the first scene of the show sneakily recorded
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Post by jek on Mar 29, 2016 16:22:52 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Mar 29, 2016 21:27:02 GMT
Can we start dream casting yet?
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Post by ali973 on Mar 29, 2016 22:01:15 GMT
I think it'll be a tough one to wet dream cast this. While the OBC certainly has Broadway heavyweights, I think they are also looking for less "showbiz" type performers for the leads. Hamilton's "bro" entourage in the OBC practically have no Broadway experience at all. I can see this having a similar "Mormon" casting approach where the two leads have been consistently cast from the States.
I think it will be quite clear how they will approach casting once they start announcing replacement casts for Broadway and Chicago/LA casts. There was a casting notice posted on Playbill and the description specifically requests non-caucasian actors and actresses (despite King George and a few ensemble members being white). That notice drew some outrage by some commentators. Hilarious.
Anyway, I would love to see Zoe Birkett as Eliza and Alexia Khadim as Angelica. You guys might not like it, but I think Hugh Maynard has a very strong chance of booking George Washington. I can't imagine anyone locally who'd be a Hamilton or Burr. In fact, I think Burr is much harder to cast. The amount of gravitas and swagger Leslie Odom Jr. pulls off is quite astonishing. Maybe Uktarsh Ambudkar who played Burr in the workshop (and is in the Picture Perfect films!) can play Burr.
I can see several Miss Saigon/Bodyguard/Memphis alumni ending up in it. These musicals have been very diverse and well cast IMO.
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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 29, 2016 23:14:47 GMT
I wouldn't be surprised li if Lin-Manuel Miranda reprised his role here, as is in his interest to give it the best possible start.
Could be cheaper for New Yorkers to come here and see it.
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 30, 2016 16:15:45 GMT
Can we start dream casting yet? I don't see why not. I think it's fun how no matter what the venue, Hamilton dream casting tends to evolve a little more slowly and hesitantly -- basically uncovering just how many non-white actors tend to be top-of-mind, even with the most well-intentioned fan. |
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Post by Steffi on Mar 30, 2016 17:28:44 GMT
Are we dream-casting Hamilton? Stephen Ashfield as King George please. :-)
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Post by ali973 on Mar 30, 2016 23:18:17 GMT
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 31, 2016 3:51:06 GMT
I'm not shocked, since between this and the rise of Trump, plenty of people have decided now is the time to show us what they really think. (I'm not saying the two would overlap in a VENN diagram; I'm saying there was less opportunity for them to mouth off as racists.)
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But I liked that he is able to accept new formats and innovation. 
