571 posts
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Post by westendwendy on Nov 8, 2016 11:27:10 GMT
Dreadful show. Let it rest in pieces!
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Nov 8, 2016 11:32:10 GMT
I quite enjoyed this. Wouldn't mind seeing it again.
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2,452 posts
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Post by theatremadness on Nov 8, 2016 11:38:22 GMT
It's not that I hated this, more that I found it so mind-numbingly boring that I just didn't see the point in this musical being a thing. And some of the music and lyrics were laughably pedestrian and bland. From the composer, lyricist and book writer that brought us Sunset Boulevard, I just don't understand how Stephen Ward happened.
But I can't lie, if this was revived, I think I'd have to go out of morbid curiosity!
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357 posts
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Post by JJShaw on Nov 8, 2016 11:40:44 GMT
But I can't lie, if this was revived, I think I'd have to go out of morbid curiosity! i think i have to second this! i agree perhaps an intimate setting would improve the feel of the show (as well as some rewrites!) its a shame they couldn't consider the Aldwych run an out of town tryout. Its commendable that they are going back to a big public flop and trying to fix it.
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816 posts
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Post by stefy69 on Nov 8, 2016 12:02:08 GMT
Yes I don't normally go to musicals but I went to this because of the subject matter and really did it enjoy it, evoked the early 60's very well ! Alexander Hansen was great as SW.
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1,330 posts
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Post by CG on the loose on Nov 8, 2016 13:01:47 GMT
A marmite musical... I'm in the 'liked it' camp and would welcome the chance to see it again.
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2,559 posts
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Post by viserys on Nov 8, 2016 13:09:53 GMT
I liked some of the music and I liked the idea of the story being told as a musical but I thought the execution on stage was dire. What bugged me most that we learned so little about the two girls involved - why did they do what they did, how did they feel about it and so on? Instead we got that awful whiny "my man is awful but of course I luuuurve him" song by Ward's wife whom we had hardly met until then and didn't care about. Not to mention that I'm sick to the teeth of these songs that show women only ever orbiting around a man.
They should have given the tune to one of the girls, make it about her motivation for being involved in these sordid affairs (Excitement? Money? Getting out of boring surburbia?) and so on. Then the 60s setting wouldn't matter either, as young people today could probably relate to the young girls of then seeking something that was missing from their lives.
This said, I think it had plenty of potential and I look forward to seeing a new version.
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18,786 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Nov 8, 2016 13:17:21 GMT
Instead we got that awful whiny "my man is awful but of course I luuuurve him" song by Ward's wife whom we had hardly met until then and didn't care about. Not to mention that I'm sick to the teeth of these songs that show women only ever orbiting around a man. Miss Saigon!
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2,559 posts
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Post by viserys on Nov 8, 2016 13:35:58 GMT
Instead we got that awful whiny "my man is awful but of course I luuuurve him" song by Ward's wife whom we had hardly met until then and didn't care about. Not to mention that I'm sick to the teeth of these songs that show women only ever orbiting around a man. Miss Saigon! Don't even get me started on that one, my blood pressure can't take it
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Nov 8, 2016 14:22:26 GMT
I thought the original production didn't help the show. All those out of focus projections on those endlessly swishy curtains.....
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259 posts
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Post by emsworthian on Nov 8, 2016 14:30:22 GMT
Instead we got that awful whiny "my man is awful but of course I luuuurve him" song by Ward's wife whom we had hardly met until then and didn't care about. Not to mention that I'm sick to the teeth of these songs that show women only ever orbiting around a man. I haven't seen the musical but don't you mean Profumo's wife, not Ward's wife?
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2,559 posts
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Post by viserys on Nov 8, 2016 14:35:44 GMT
Possibly! Should I rummage around for my CD to check? Joanna Riding played her, IIRC. She basically turned up out of nowhere in the second act, sang this lovely big ballad with its awful lyrics and disappeared again.
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2,559 posts
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Post by viserys on Nov 8, 2016 14:39:31 GMT
Erf, when I try to edit a post, it ignores my space bar!
Anyway, I checked wikipedia and yes, she was Profumo's wife (Valerie Hodson), sorry! The song title was "I'm hopeless when it comes to you" and makes me want to throw things.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 8, 2016 19:19:28 GMT
Possibly! Should I rummage around for my CD to check? Joanna Riding played her, IIRC. She basically turned up out of nowhere in the second act, sang this lovely big ballad with its awful lyrics and disappeared again. Turned up out of nowhere? She walked across the stage in act one. What more do you want??
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Dec 5, 2017 19:56:31 GMT
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1,445 posts
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Post by steve10086 on Dec 5, 2017 20:33:43 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 20:36:49 GMT
It may be false, it may be true . . .
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2017 21:18:15 GMT
Sad news.
Though reading that makes me realise what a great subject it is for a musical. Should have done better. No doubt will re-emerge at some point after a few re-writes!
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 6, 2017 6:46:50 GMT
It may be false, it may be true . . . You would say that...
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Dec 6, 2017 7:14:52 GMT
Not sure why this is receiving so much coverage, yes it was a big scandal but you would have to be in your 60s to recall it.
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1,210 posts
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 6, 2017 7:45:46 GMT
Not sure why this is receiving so much coverage, yes it was a big scandal but you would have to be in your 60s to recall it. Maybe some people are educated and have a vast interest, knowledge and understanding in British politics and history? I wasn’t born then and knew the whole story - a visit to the glorious Cliveden House owned by the National Trust helps. Wonderful place.
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18,786 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 6, 2017 8:12:24 GMT
ALW should have written a musical called Mandy! (with exclamation point). It would have been a sure fire hit.
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1,115 posts
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Post by Stephen on Dec 6, 2017 8:18:06 GMT
I wish I’d seen it. I do mostly enjoy the cast recording as I like Alexander Hanson. I love the lyric “I will miss the softness of skin. That moment when conversations begin.”
If this returns I’d definitely see it. Charing Cross theatre?
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1,119 posts
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Post by martin1965 on Dec 6, 2017 12:16:05 GMT
Not sure why this is receiving so much coverage, yes it was a big scandal but you would have to be in your 60s to recall it. Maybe some people are educated and have a vast interest, knowledge and understanding in British politics and history? I wasn’t born then and knew the whole story - a visit to the glorious Cliveden House owned by the National Trust helps. Wonderful place. I wasnt born then either but am aware of it.
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1,445 posts
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Post by steve10086 on Dec 6, 2017 12:39:30 GMT
Not sure why this is receiving so much coverage, yes it was a big scandal but you would have to be in your 60s to recall it. Do you have a particular cut off point when you think things should or should not be reported about? 1980? 2015?
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Post by Honoured Guest on Dec 6, 2017 12:45:48 GMT
I expect, 1965.
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18,786 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Dec 6, 2017 13:14:41 GMT
ALW should have written a musical called Mandy! (with exclamation point). It would have been a sure fire hit. Oh yes, she came and she gave without taking, but he sent her away... Ooh you ARE awful....
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Post by Mr Snow on Dec 6, 2017 13:33:57 GMT
It really was one of those moments that signified changing times.
Then there’s the Christine Keeler F+++++! us all, theory. This explains modern British politics as follows. As each election came along the Conservative Party would promise to run a tight ship, cut taxes and spend a bit more on the police and defence. Labour would counter by promising to spend wisely, with a bit more for the NHS and pay for it with higher taxes on the rich. Governments changed, but post war the National Debt as a proportion of GDP routinely fell. When the Profumo affair broke the elderly MacMillan saw an election disaster looming and in desperation promised to keep taxes as they were, but spend more for the benefit of each of the electorate “You’ve never had it so good”. This left Labour at a loss and so they promised to spend even more on each of us. This spending “Arms race” has continued ever since and we have been running at a deficit for more years than not.
(This is how it was explained to me and yes I recognise that the man gets off scot free).
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1,869 posts
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Post by distantcousin on Dec 6, 2017 15:32:39 GMT
Not sure why this is receiving so much coverage, yes it was a big scandal but you would have to be in your 60s to recall it. The baby boomer generation are influential and powerful in this country, such are their numbers - and this was an era that they very much remember.
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Post by Deleted on Jan 19, 2020 12:39:49 GMT
I have been watching the Sunday night Trial of Christine Keeler drama on BBC1, which for obvious reasons has reminded me hugely of this musical.
It had an astonishingly short run for an ALW musical, his shorter ever (less than 4 months) for what was planned as an open ended run, bar perhaps Jeeves in the 1970s. I went many times and it was often half empty so really did fail massively at the box office.
Bizarrely though I do think that makes it a curious oddity that I am very happy to have seen. Must say I doubt it will ever be staged in a main West End house again. Though I do really hope there will be some kind of revival at some point.
It is underrated as far as ALW shows go, but no doubt problematic. The second half I do find slightly tedious, particularly the newspaper, police interview and trial scenes which work neither dramatically or musically. I am not sure how it could be reworked as guess that WAS the story.
Musically it also has the problem which much of the latter ALW stuff has had of inconsistency. To my taste there are some stunning ALW melodies up there with his best (This Side Of The Sky, Too Close To The Flame, You've Never Had It So Good, I'm Hopeless When It Comes To You, Love Nest, 1963) but also some that I really didn't like (Black Hearted Woman, Mother Russia - slightly lazy pastiche that doesn't really work - and the never ending interview/trial bits).
Production wise I do think it had a cheap and rather visually unappealing set (ironic as ALW himself is always saying you can't love a musical that you can't love LOOKING at). Having said that, of course the subject matter does not command a spectacular set. That does make me think it would work better in a small venue with minimal set rather than unattractive set.
As for the story I am not (quite) old enough to remember it but I do find it fascinating. Having said that, it has no appeal to tourists and really doesn't have anything for the younger Jamie/Evan Hansen/Waitress generation. So it can never have mass appeal.
But there is a great show in there and I hope it will one day come to light.
Just some random Sunday thoughts....
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