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Post by shownut on Jun 4, 2023 9:22:08 GMT
So now, RuPaul is starring in A STRANGE LOOP at The Barbican?!!
That is what is being reported in today's Culture section of The Sunday Times in an article called 'How To Make A Smash Hit' (which is not credited to any journalist).
Is fact-checking no longer a "thing"?
Sweet, cartwheeling Jesus.
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Post by alece10 on Jun 4, 2023 9:45:15 GMT
So now, RuPaul is starring in A STRANGE LOOP at The Barbican?!! That is what is being reported in today's Culture section of The Sunday Times in an article called 'How To Make A Smash Hit' (which is not credited to any journalist). Is fact-checking no longer a "thing"? Sweet, cartwheeling Jesus. I've just been reading that article and I thought to myself "that's news" as I'd not heard anything.
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Post by alece10 on Jun 4, 2023 15:02:36 GMT
Decided to listen to the OBC recording just now as I know so little about the musical and to decide if I want to see it. Afraid it's a very big no! Don't know whether it was because I was listening to it in the garden (with ear buds) and it was boiling hot or whether I'm getting older and less broadminded. But songs about "d**k", c**k" and sexual fetishes isn't my idea of a night out.
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 4, 2023 16:19:52 GMT
Oh I think they are now selling it as starring Madonna, Beyoncé and Hugh Jackman.
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Post by intoanewlife on Jun 4, 2023 17:25:09 GMT
Oh I think they are now selling it as staring Madonna That's me getting a refund then x
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Post by thebroadwayboy on Jun 4, 2023 22:57:48 GMT
STANDING AT THE SKY'S EDGE didn't it win the Olivier
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Post by partytentdown on Jun 15, 2023 8:16:09 GMT
This is about to open, does anyone know how it's selling?
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Jun 15, 2023 8:42:45 GMT
As a Barbican member I now have access to booking and tickets are priced at £25 in the gallery; £25, £35 and £50 in the upper circle; £50, £65, £80 and £110 in the circle and £35, £50, £80, £95, £110 in the stalls. Hope that is helpful dazzerlump Pricing has been significantly reduced. Now £10 -£75. Stalls front row £40 which has convinced me to book.
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Post by n1david on Jun 15, 2023 11:02:02 GMT
Pricing has been significantly reduced. Now £10 -£75. Stalls front row £40 which has convinced me to book. Must be only early in the run. I'm looking at a Tuesday in August and the stalls are still up to £125 with stalls front row at £80. Maybe about 30-40% sold for that date...
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Post by usbuzzer on Jun 15, 2023 12:15:08 GMT
Yeah, I think they have reduced prices for first 20 performances or until the end of June as "previews price". Then it's exactly as @n1david said. I noticed they listed this in TodayTix rush tickets though! Worth checking what seats they offer once they premiere. And an open question remains if it's for previews only or if it's gonna stay until the end of the run.
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Post by bubblesmcgee on Jun 17, 2023 21:22:23 GMT
Well that was pretty blooming good. Won’t be for everyone but I thought it was smart, layered and incredibly moving. Cast top notch (sound balancing needs a couple of tweaks but that’s what previews are for!). Also really clever use of the cavern that is the Barbican stage, smaller moments feel well anchored and there’s a fantastic section where they do pull right back to use the expanse to isolate the lead. If you’re at all tempted I’d say go for it.
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Post by shownut on Jun 18, 2023 9:03:06 GMT
Well that was pretty blooming good. Won’t be for everyone but I thought it was smart, layered and incredibly moving. Cast top notch (sound balancing needs a couple of tweaks but that’s what previews are for!). Also really clever use of the cavern that is the Barbican stage, smaller moments feel well anchored and there’s a fantastic section where they do pull right back to use the expanse to isolate the lead. If you’re at all tempted I’d say go for it. Glad to hear it. Going Thursday and cannot wait!
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Post by annette on Jun 18, 2023 16:21:26 GMT
Oh Michael (R Jackson), why did you do west end live solo? If for whatever reason the rest of the cast couldn’t be there, it would have been so much better to cancel the appearance. I can’t imagine that what he did will attract anyone new to this magnificent show, in fact quite the opposite. If I hadn’t already seen it in NY, I would have been confused and extremely underwhelmed by that performance from start to finish.
Very little stands up well at WEL. Old favourites like Wicked and Les Mis do ok, but , in my opinion, it’s not worth taking the risk for new shows ,where extracts out of context often end up being baffling and of little interest to the crowd. And once they’re up on You Tube they’re there forever.
Whoever has been doing the marketing on ASL has had some very strange ideas. Along with presumably advising doing WEL, there was all that confusion about who is actually in the show, after they randomly put photos on their FB page of some of the big names who have co-produced it.
There was also a toe-curling video of drag race alumni Tia Kofi lamely attempting to interview the lead Kyle Ramar Freeman on an open top London bus. Again, nothing that I personally think would stimulate the curiosity of anyone that doesn’t already know a bit about the production.
ASL is one of the most moving, thought-provoking,funny and innovative productions I’ve seen in years. New work of this calibre really deserves to be seen and being a Pulitzer/Tony winning production deserved far better in the promotion department than it received.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 18, 2023 16:26:00 GMT
Ten year old kids in the stalls according to eye witnesses on Facebook.
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Post by hadeswasking on Jun 18, 2023 16:53:09 GMT
Ten year old kids in the stalls according to eye witnesses on Facebook. Book of mormon and cabaret performed on Saturday in front of the 10 year olds.
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jun 18, 2023 16:55:41 GMT
Ten year old kids in the stalls according to eye witnesses on Facebook. Book of mormon and cabaret performed on Saturday in front of the 10 year olds. Equally inappropriate.
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Post by hadeswasking on Jun 18, 2023 17:01:35 GMT
Book of mormon and cabaret performed on Saturday in front of the 10 year olds. Equally inappropriate. I think parents bringing their children to west end live should be aware of the programming available and plan around it if its inappropriate for their child. Its an event to uplift all theatre in the west end. Not just children's shows.
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Post by danb on Jun 18, 2023 17:49:37 GMT
The West End is full of all sorts of shows, with enough variety of songs to be able to show off their wares to all ages without running into worries. The Barbican isn’t the West End; if the organisers want to invite A Strange Loop to perform, knowing how colourful it is, they can expect a few raised eyebrows and a few extra column inches about outraged parents if they’re lucky. It is win win.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jun 18, 2023 19:06:19 GMT
I was there at first preview too. I'm glad I've seen it as it is very different. It was very meta and tongue in cheek; there were laugh out moments. Saying that - I really didn't like the overtly sexual nature / lyrics. I think less is more. I was really anti this being staged at the Barbican as it's so big but actually it did work and thought the set design was really cool. Glad I've watched it but struggling to understand how this got so much hype in NYC.
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Post by max on Jun 18, 2023 19:32:57 GMT
Saw the West End Live performance on Youtube - Michael R Jackson should have explained he's the writer and doesn't appear in the show (though he did on Broadway). Then it would have been endearing. But without realising that (I had to look it up) he seemed unsure of the words in the first song, and then forgot/lost his place in the second one. Both feel like songs that only build with further voices joining and answering and affirming as it progresses (?), so doing it solo with a pianist trying to bang out a sense of it building was a hiding to nothing. Despite all that it made me more interested to see the real thing. West End Live does indeed seem quite....scary; the crowd seem supportive but... stuff happens there!
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Post by annette on Jun 18, 2023 21:12:43 GMT
I was there at first preview too. I'm glad I've seen it as it is very different. It was very meta and tongue in cheek; there were laugh out moments. Saying that - I really didn't like the overtly sexual nature / lyrics. I think less is more. I was really anti this being staged at the Barbican as it's so big but actually it did work and thought the set design was really cool. Glad I've watched it but struggling to understand how this got so much hype in NYC. What did you think of the cast Burgundy? The cast in NY were phenomenal and I’m really keen to see the British cast. Also interested to see if a lot of the Americanisms have been changed (For instance, I had no idea who Tyler Perry was when I first saw it and had to Google him after the show).
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Post by annette on Jun 18, 2023 21:27:03 GMT
Saw the West End Live performance on Youtube - Michael R Jackson should have explained he's the writer and doesn't appear in the show (though he did on Broadway). Then it would have been endearing. But without realising that (I had to look it up) he seemed unsure of the words in the first song, and then forgot/lost his place in the second one. Both feel like songs that only build with further voices joining and answering and affirming as it progresses (?), so doing it solo with a pianist trying to bang out a sense of it building was a hiding to nothing. Despite all that it made me more interested to see the real thing. West End Live does indeed seem quite....scary; the crowd seem supportive but... stuff happens there! I think you’re spot-on about the songs building with further voices Max and certainly in the NY production those voices were heavenly. Because I’m such a huge fan of the show, I was watching MRJ’s performance at WEL with my head in my hands and didn’t clock that he failed to make it clear that he was the writer and not in the cast of the show. As you said, if he’d done so and perhaps explained why the cast weren’t there, it would have been endearing and his performance would almost have been excusable. Good to hear that shambles didn’t put you off seeing the show though. Hope you enjoy it. I’d love to know what you’re referring to about ‘things happening’at WEL 😏.
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Post by max on Jun 18, 2023 22:53:07 GMT
Hi Annette - The YouTube video starts with Michael J Williams walking on, and very deftly introducing the context of the first song. So is it possible an announcer beforehand explained who he was, and that just isn't included on the video grab? Still, it's YouTube that (sadly) memorialises these things. Ditto Carrie Hope Fletcher, last year. She felt she'd done badly, and plenty told her she had. I thought it was nothing like the disaster it was made out to be. I clicked on a video for 'Choir Of Man' from this year's and they sounded awful - totally set me against taking someone to see it. I'm really starting to wonder if the West End Live event is worth it! Lol. Just seems to make usually good performers look bad, and starts a debate about 'well if you can't sing in the open air....can't cope without the precise controlled conditions of a theatre... you're not much good etc.'
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Post by theatregoer22 on Jun 19, 2023 18:09:28 GMT
Hi Annette - The YouTube video starts with Michael J Williams walking on, and very deftly introducing the context of the first song. So is it possible an announcer beforehand explained who he was, and that just isn't included on the video grab? Still, it's YouTube that (sadly) memorialises these things. Ditto Carrie Hope Fletcher, last year. She felt she'd done badly, and plenty told her she had. I thought it was nothing like the disaster it was made out to be. I clicked on a video for 'Choir Of Man' from this year's and they sounded awful - totally set me against taking someone to see it. I'm really starting to wonder if the West End Live event is worth it! Lol. Just seems to make usually good performers look bad, and starts a debate about 'well if you can't sing in the open air....can't cope without the precise controlled conditions of a theatre... you're not much good etc.' Maybe it's because I was already familiar with the songs, but Choir of Man were one of the highlights of West End Live for me and I'm more inclined to go and see it at some point.
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Post by edelweiss on Jun 19, 2023 19:31:28 GMT
That's so interesting that you didn't like the Choir of Man performance from this year max - I was in the crowd and really enjoyed it hahaha! Maybe WEL just translates badly to video across the board? I remember not enjoying watching it on Youtube last year, but being there live was a lot better. Also it's interesting to find out that Michael R Jackson doesn't appear in the show, I did wonder about that at the time. I quite liked the songs but not enough to immediately want to go and see it or listen to the cast recording. I'm sure I'm missing something though as obviously it's got massive hype and a lot of awards...
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Post by intoanewlife on Jun 19, 2023 19:57:10 GMT
I heard a rumour today that once previews are over they are removing the front row and putting a creche in...
Won't someone please save the children...
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Post by FJ on Jun 19, 2023 23:04:35 GMT
Sad to say it but really didn't enjoy this this evening. I just did not get it.
Found myself quite bored after about 30 minutes, and couldn't really follow a lot of what was going on. Thought the songs were all pretty forgettable and I was just so thankful it was only one act by the end as I just wanted it over.
Positives are I did really like the set design, and the cast were all fantastic, especially Kyle Ramar Freeman as Usher.
2/5 unfortunately from me.
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Post by ladidah on Jun 20, 2023 7:34:25 GMT
Will be interesting to see the reviews.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Jun 21, 2023 22:12:28 GMT
I was there at first preview too. I'm glad I've seen it as it is very different. It was very meta and tongue in cheek; there were laugh out moments. Saying that - I really didn't like the overtly sexual nature / lyrics. I think less is more. I was really anti this being staged at the Barbican as it's so big but actually it did work and thought the set design was really cool. Glad I've watched it but struggling to understand how this got so much hype in NYC. What did you think of the cast Burgundy? The cast in NY were phenomenal and I’m really keen to see the British cast. Also interested to see if a lot of the Americanisms have been changed (For instance, I had no idea who Tyler Perry was when I first saw it and had to Google him after the show). I thought the cast were great. I believe Usher is the Broadway standby/cover. Never heard of Tyler Perry. In that 'dream sequence' - I think only Whitney I recognised. I literally don't remember any song other than 'Usher, Usher.'
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Post by frankubelik on Jun 22, 2023 14:07:04 GMT
This is not for everyone and the Tyler Perry references might get lost in translation but despite my misgivings going in, I rather enjoyed it! I don't think it's perfect and could still do with some trimming in my opinion but it's certainly like nothing we've ever seen before. I thought the ensemble were pretty terrific and although the leading man was good in a pretty mammoth role, I wonder if it would benefit from someone with that little something "extra". Don't go if you're easily offended though.
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