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Post by nick on May 14, 2023 15:40:35 GMT
So I'm still wondering who is playing the Julie Covington role, Dee.
10 weeks until it opens. I don't suppose they'll have started rehearsing yet but surely the major decisons have been taken? Perhaps somebody more knowledgable than me might have an idea?
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Post by Being Alive on May 14, 2023 22:47:42 GMT
Role cast.
Probably announced in the coming week or so.
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Post by nick on May 15, 2023 6:11:23 GMT
Role cast. Probably announced in the coming week or so. Thanks. So it's me being a little impatient. Was ever so.
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Post by theoracle on Jun 5, 2023 9:57:22 GMT
Full cast announced:
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Post by nick on Jun 5, 2023 18:55:05 GMT
Thanks
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Post by showgirl on Jul 25, 2023 4:07:23 GMT
Last night was the first preview so I checked for a running time and was absolutely appalled to see that it was 2 h 45! Hopeless for me as I booked an evening performance to follow TSOM, to cut down on travel, so even if I can stay awake, I'm unlikely to be able to get a train home and it's such a short run that what with that and the ongoing train strikes/overtime bans, I have little prospect of being able to change the date.
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 25, 2023 9:06:20 GMT
Last night was the first preview so I checked for a running time and was absolutely appalled to see that it was 2 h 45! Hopeless for me as I booked an evening performance to follow TSOM, to cut down on travel, so even if I can stay awake, I'm unlikely to be able to get a train home and it's such a short run that what with that and the ongoing train strikes/overtime bans, I have little prospect of being able to change the date. I'm doing the same next month, but thankfully booked the Rock Follies matinee and TSOM in the evening, otherwise would be a very late drive home! I don't know which day you're going, but a quick look shows there is at least some availability for most of the matinee Rock Follies shows, so may be worth asking the venue if you can switch them round.
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Post by alicechallice on Jul 25, 2023 9:31:23 GMT
Last night was the first preview so I checked for a running time and was absolutely appalled to see that it was 2 h 45! Hopeless for me as I booked an evening performance to follow TSOM, to cut down on travel, so even if I can stay awake, I'm unlikely to be able to get a train home and it's such a short run that what with that and the ongoing train strikes/overtime bans, I have little prospect of being able to change the date. I'm doing the same next month, but thankfully booked the Rock Follies matinee and TSOM in the evening, otherwise would be a very late drive home! I don't know which day you're going, but a quick look shows there is at least some availability for most of the matinee Rock Follies shows, so may be worth asking the venue if you can switch them round. Rock Follies finishes at 22.00, Sound of Music at 22.15. You've got the latest finishing option too.
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Post by CG on the loose on Jul 25, 2023 9:40:17 GMT
I'm doing the same next month, but thankfully booked the Rock Follies matinee and TSOM in the evening, otherwise would be a very late drive home! I don't know which day you're going, but a quick look shows there is at least some availability for most of the matinee Rock Follies shows, so may be worth asking the venue if you can switch them round. Rock Follies finishes at 22.00, Sound of Music at 22.15. You've got the latest finishing option too. ha! sorry, I should have checked both running times before wading in! Hope you find a solution
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Post by showgirl on Jul 25, 2023 14:23:05 GMT
Alas for me few other matinee dates I could do, what with existing bookings & 2 week's jury service mid-run. In fact only 1 date, assuming no more train strikes and the only tix left are £55, whereas I only paid £10 so will probably just have to write that off.
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Post by alicechallice on Jul 25, 2023 14:39:56 GMT
Alas for me few other matinee dates I could do, what with existing bookings & 2 week's jury service mid-run. In fact only 1 date, assuming no more train strikes and the only tix left are £55, whereas I only paid £10 so will probably just have to write that off. If you were going on Weds 2nd August and your home was placed somewhere between West and East Sussex, I'd happily offer you a lift alongside myself & the artist formerly known as 'Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie' (the oldies on the board will know who I'm talking about).
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Post by showgirl on Jul 25, 2023 17:35:03 GMT
Alas for me few other matinee dates I could do, what with existing bookings & 2 week's jury service mid-run. In fact only 1 date, assuming no more train strikes and the only tix left are £55, whereas I only paid £10 so will probably just have to write that off. If you were going on Weds 2nd August and your home was placed somewhere between West and East Sussex, I'd happily offer you a lift alongside myself & the artist formerly known as 'Mrs Lovett's Meat Pie' (the oldies on the board will know who I'm talking about). What a very kind thought; thank you. I'm way too far north (over the border into Surrey) but appreciate the suggestion. I'll still be there for the matinee in the main house, anyway, and hope you and Mrs L enjoy your day.
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Post by theatremiss on Jul 27, 2023 22:54:46 GMT
Just returned from seeing it tonight. Show finished a couple of minutes past 10pm but it went up a few minutes late. We were definitely out before the SoM which when I went the other week finished about 1015pm. Well the show was OK, not one I’d wish to see again, very loud as it very much a rock concert set up. The 3 leads; Zizzi Strallen, Carly Bawden and Angela Marie Hurst put in solid performances, but on the whole the show just didn’t seem to grab me. The costumes were badly fitted, the wigs were poor and I left without being able to recall a single tune. I must admit I was a Rock Follies fan when it was on the TV. It’s a fairly long drive for me @1hr 30mins, was it worth it? Probably not, but there again the SoM wasn’t worth it either. Just an OK show
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Post by showgirl on Jul 28, 2023 7:05:15 GMT
Sorry you didn't enjoy it that much theatremiss but any feedback is helpful to me as I now face paying an extra £20 to convert my original £15 evening seat to a matinee one. Only a couple of dates left with any even at £35 and all the rest are £55 so will probably resign myself to losing the £15 - though I could offer it here if anyone wanted to take a chance at £15 and could do an evening performance. Will advertise the official way ie via Noticeboard if any likely takers.
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Post by theatremiss on Jul 28, 2023 16:32:39 GMT
Sorry you didn't enjoy it that much theatremiss but any feedback is helpful to me as I now face paying an extra £20 to convert my original £15 evening seat to a matinee one. Only a couple of dates left with any even at £35 and all the rest are £55 so will probably resign myself to losing the £15 - though I could offer it here if anyone wanted to take a chance at £15 and could do an evening performance. Will advertise the official way ie via Noticeboard if any likely takers. Why don’t you just ring or email them and say you’ve got a medical emergency and they will probably give you a credit note
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Post by nick on Jul 28, 2023 16:47:17 GMT
Just returned from seeing it tonight. Show finished a couple of minutes past 10pm but it went up a few minutes late. We were definitely out before the SoM which when I went the other week finished about 1015pm. Well the show was OK, not one I’d wish to see again, very loud as it very much a rock concert set up. The 3 leads; Zizzi Strallen, Carly Bawden and Angela Marie Hurst put in solid performances, but on the whole the show just didn’t seem to grab me. The costumes were badly fitted, the wigs were poor and I left without being able to recall a single tune. I must admit I was a Rock Follies fan when it was on the TV. It’s a fairly long drive for me @1hr 30mins, was it worth it? Probably not, but there again the SoM wasn’t worth it either. Just an OK show Oh dear. Mind you badly fitting costumes and wigs reminds me of the tv series. I used to think it was a gorgeous high quality production but my last few rewatches have highlighted how cheap it all looks. Most notably the on stage performances that clearly weren’t filmed on stage. I’m still a big fan. Re recalling tunes, I assume they use songs from the tv show? For me they’re a major draw. Did you feel they were poorly presented on stage or did you find the songs themselves forgettable?
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Post by showgirl on Jul 28, 2023 17:37:03 GMT
Sorry you didn't enjoy it that much theatremiss but any feedback is helpful to me as I now face paying an extra £20 to convert my original £15 evening seat to a matinee one. Only a couple of dates left with any even at £35 and all the rest are £55 so will probably resign myself to losing the £15 - though I could offer it here if anyone wanted to take a chance at £15 and could do an evening performance. Will advertise the official way ie via Noticeboard if any likely takers. Why don’t you just ring or email them and say you’ve got a medical emergency and they will probably give you a credit note For one thing I don't want to lie and for another, CFT does not give credit, even for members, as they told me this last time there were no trains beyond Barnham on my previous 2-show day. What they will do is allow the cost to be set against a booking for another production in the same (summer) season, but that's no use if, as I have, you've already booked for everything else you want to see. Plus with the ongoing industrial action, I could end up in the same situation for a 3rd time.
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Post by max on Jul 28, 2023 17:54:36 GMT
Just saw the production shots that have been released. It doesn't look particularly late 1970s which disappoints. Hair styles and general look could be 'Rock Of Ages'. Perhaps unfair based on only a few pics but if it isn't deep in its era I don't see the point. theatremiss a shame if none of the songs stuck. I think of the songs as really catchy melodies, but my mum had the 1977 album so I got hooked via repeats listens. But I thought/hoped they had great hooks regardless.
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Post by meister on Jul 30, 2023 8:30:07 GMT
Saw this last night and sorry to say that it didn’t work for me. Not familiar with the original TV series or songs but the script needed to be sharper, the staging needed to be slicker and overall it needed to be shorter.
There were too many short scenes which failed to build momentum and worked against development of rounded characters that you cared about. Several scenes could have been lost with no effect on the overall story. Also scene changes took too long with ‘roadies’ moving round microphones, stands, tour gear boxes, etc which distracted from the story (which was all too predictable). It was also way over-amplified - yes, I know it’s rock but it would have worked better in a larger space.
Shame since many involved are talented performers but the material and staging let them down. Curtain up 7.15pm, down 10 o’clock.
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Post by emsworthian on Jul 30, 2023 9:08:28 GMT
I saw this yesterday afternoon and I agree with some of the points that have been made. It was very LOUD and at first I got irritated by lots of short scenes with actors playing several different roles. About 15 minutes in I was thinking about leaving at the interval. However, by the time the interval came I had started to care about the main characters. I thought the actresses who played The Little Ladies were fantastic.
There have been quibbles about whether the costumes were authentic to the period. I was around in the 70s and from what I can recall (As they say of the 60s, if you can remember the 60s, you weren't there) the costumes did seem authentic. At one stage Q was wearing a maroon dress that looked just like a Biba dress I had in the 70s. I can remember watching "Rock Follies" on TV and loving it but to what extent the theatre production stuck to the plot of the TV series, I am afraid I can't recall.
On the way home, I saw a near neighbour and we discussed "Rock Follies". I said I had found it very loud and sweary and I had thought about leaving in the interval but gradually I started to care about the main characters. She said that exactly the same points were made by the Minister at her local Baptist Church who had preached a sermon on "Rock Follies" (!) The message of her sermon was that we shouldn't judge people on first impressions; everyone has a backstory and we should try to get to know people and understand them.
Anyway, here endeth my lesson for today.
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Post by showgirl on Jul 30, 2023 14:20:13 GMT
Interesting about this seeming to grow on people as I still have the dilemma of what to do about my Wednesday evening ticket now that I know I won't be home until after 1 am - assuming both my trains back run! A friend actually suggested that I try the first half and see what I thought, but I saw that as the worst of both worlds as I'd still have to hang around for over 2 hours after the matinee; the first half of this would presumably last at least an hour, probably more and there's still only one train per hour (instead of the normal two) back to Gatwick due to the overtime ban, so it would still be a rather late return - and if I did want to see the second half, I'd run the risk of being marooned in Chichester or part-way home if the trains were cancelled. I looked into staying overnight when I originally booked but even then, the hotels were too expensive (and I was only looking at Premier Inn & Travelodge) and now I have 2 morning appointments next day.
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Post by max on Jul 30, 2023 16:38:49 GMT
Is the song 'Loose Change' in the stage musical version?
Sinead O'Connor's open letter to Miley Cyrus has been re-publicised since the sad news of O'Connor's death. It really reminds me of the lyrics of 'Loose Change' from Rock Follies. O'Connor effectively telling Cyrus she may think she's in control and cleverly selling sex, but in fact the men behind her are selling her: "Your body is for you, and your boyfriend". Just as Cyrus chose not to take the advice, the character in the Rock Follies song defies it, and flips a v-sign to the adviser while she's at it.
"Hold on tight To your knickers Her mother always said / Her mother was a married lady With a virgin's head The shrewdest gels Still stay intact Tho' today it's strange / They know their body's goldust They don't treat it like loose change They bank their fire They don't spend it They don't lose it They don't lend it They know their body's goldust They don't treat it like loose change
Mummy was strong (And how) But Mummy was wrong (A cow) And she doesn't want to wind up Like her mother So she reaches Out for lovers Fills her nights With lovers And buys everybody love with her loose change"
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Post by Being Alive on Jul 30, 2023 18:23:57 GMT
I still can't entirely understand quite why this went just as wrong as it did, but cor blimey this is a trial to get through.
Running at nearly three hours, with a second act longer than the second act of My Fair Lady, and a show that has 573 songs in it (and I'm barely exaggerating) it's a real test of endurance.
I think my main issue is that the book and score at no point ever took off. The score has 576 songs in it, because they're all about 75 seconds long, and all start like an 11 oclock number and yet never proceed to become one. The book is also a disaster, but this is likely due to the fact that there's a song everytime anyone draws breath, so there's no room for any character to become more than 2D.
There's probably an ok play in there somewhere, but it has absolutely no business as a musical as far as I was concerned - and it's trying to do far too much in the small space provided in the Minerva. It would never sell in the main house but it felt like a main house show in terms of scale. Did feel for some of the 'ensemble' members who's literal role was 'person holding microphone wire so that Zizi Strallen/Carly Bawden/delete as appropriate/ doesn't trip over...
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 30, 2023 19:12:20 GMT
Poll added.
Are they still going by Little Ladies?
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Post by emsworthian on Jul 31, 2023 8:19:28 GMT
I have awarded it a generous 3 stars. I would have given it two and a half stars but you can't do half stars. I decided to be generous because: The actors playing The Little Ladies were fantastic; I like Sam Barnett; I enjoyed seeing a dress like one I bought from Biba's years ago on stage.
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Post by max on Jul 31, 2023 10:00:33 GMT
Did feel for some of the 'ensemble' members who's literal role was 'person holding microphone wire so that Zizi Strallen/Carly Bawden/delete as appropriate/ doesn't trip over... Obviously I don't want a performer to trip over, but whatever Health & Safety standards are today it shouldn't be allowed to impact heavily on the rough aesthetic this show should be going for if it's to accurately reflect women trying to get a foothold in the music industry in the late 70s. I remember a production of The Wild Party where in the middle of portraying raucous drug fuelled revelry the cast carefully (and too obviously) flipped the wheel locks on a bed. Maybe you've got to do it somehow, but you can't show the audience 'wild' and 'safe' at the same time. I don't think I'll get to see 'Rock Follies', but I've always thought it's a great set of songs. A real shame if they've missed the mark with this.
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Post by Jan on Aug 1, 2023 13:09:03 GMT
I am somewhat perplexed by this as a choice of project. It is only a show that will be known to people in their late 50s and older. Guess how old the director Dominic Cooke is. One of those where the director relives their youth.
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Post by showgirl on Aug 2, 2023 3:39:54 GMT
Although PN was on Monday, I've only found a couple of reviews so far, which seems odd; one was a 3-star and the other 4 - though the latter was from Libby Purves, whom I generally find more generous than I would have been if I've seen the production in question. Anyway, the Box Office have treated the cost of my ticket for tonight as a donation as the journey home wouldn't have been viable and I couldn't switch to a matinee on another date. Almost sold out in advance in any case, so reviews won't matter for this run though perhaps for the show's future.
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Post by meister on Aug 2, 2023 5:56:22 GMT
Two stars in the Times, which is about right
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Post by FrontroverPaul on Aug 2, 2023 8:40:08 GMT
Although PN was on Monday, I've only found a couple of reviews so far, which seems odd; one was a 3-star and the other 4 - though the latter was from Libby Purves, whom I generally find more generous than I would have been if I've seen the production in question. Anyway, the Box Office have treated the cost of my ticket for tonight as a donation as the journey home wouldn't have been viable and I couldn't switch to a matinee on another date. Almost sold out in advance in any case, so reviews won't matter for this run though perhaps for the show's future. Re travel back towards London from Chichester, I made two bookings, all in the cheapest seats, to see both Rock Follies and Sound Of Music on the same day, when they first went on general sale. A Saturday day out by car with my driving partner and a weekday trip by train just for non-driving me. Return rail travel between London Victoria and Chichester on advance tickets works out under £8 return with my senior railcard. At the time I'm certain there was at least one direct train from Chichester to Victoria via Gatwick and East Croydon departing after 10 pm. With a 7.15 start for Rock Follies I foresaw no problem getting home to North Kent by train, albeit well after midnight which I'm used to doing. However when I came to book the travel in June the final direct train was and still is at 9.40 from Chichester. I would never have booked the Rock Follies evening performance on that basis. I think it's a service reduction because of the industrial action and overtime ban, which has led to a complete suspension of the Gatwick Express service also operated by Southern. I'm still going next Tuesday as it's Sound Of Music I really want to see twice, and will leave Rock Follies around 9.15. Disappointing but at least I can then see the whole show on our Saturday trip
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