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Post by Scswp on Nov 16, 2019 19:33:37 GMT
There is, and has always been, a bit of finger-pointing at Sarah Brightman re. miming her concerts. I have to be honest and say I think there is actually some substance to such accusations. When watching her concert performances, her voice does very much have a synthetic sound to it and I don’t always think her singing is perfectly in sync. I quite like Brightman, but the sound of her voice these days never seems ‘live’ or ‘natural’. I actually think she does very little live singing these days. Just my opinion.
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Post by Scswp on Nov 16, 2019 17:38:50 GMT
Saw the matinee, pretty good, not enough to dispel memories of the Menier production but always good to see Sondheim. Sadly only about half full. Enthusiastic applause at curtain. Will book for Piaf next Spring if only to see Jenna Russell. I was there this afternoon too. I enjoyed the production, having never seen one before. I thought the ending was moving and the very end tableau quite chilling. How true the themes of this show are, particularly in this day and age of social media - the need to be seen, noticed, acknowledged, remembered etc...
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Post by Scswp on Nov 14, 2019 14:24:13 GMT
Thanks for the information.
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Post by Scswp on Oct 28, 2019 10:01:48 GMT
Graham Norton at a Patti LuPone concert in London. Roger Allam and Jonathan Pryce were also there, although I think the latter two were invited.
Billie-Jean King at Gypsy in New York (again with LuPone!)
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Post by Scswp on Oct 25, 2019 15:02:09 GMT
I have enjoyed Ruthie in several things. Her voice is not what it was unfortunately, but she still sings the ‘lighter’ songs well. Her belting is much less forceful than in her younger days. If she picks songs that suit her voice as it is now, it should be an enjoyable concert.
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Post by Scswp on Oct 8, 2019 9:09:29 GMT
Just wondered why there are two different performers listed for each role on the website (except for the principals, where only one performer is listed). It’s not as if one is listed as the understudy; it’s just two performers listed as the same role. Does anyone know why?
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Post by Scswp on Oct 7, 2019 13:52:44 GMT
Just returning to leafy Surrey after today's matinee. My first visit to Hope Mill - it's a great venue, a little like Southwark Playhouse but with friendlier people. I'd been looking forward to this for ages since I'm a great Jerry Herman fan and have seen most of his musicals apart from this one. It amazes me why it's taken this long to be revived in Britain. OK, it's very 'feel good' with little angst and some plot points are dispatched in too peremptory a manner but there are some very funny scenes and witty lines and the whole thing doesn't out stay it's welcome like quite a few classic musicals where the music's wonderful but the dialogue is pretty turgid. And speaking of wonderful music, it's just one great tune after another, written in that open-hearted, almost artless manner, that's the epitome of Broadway and is Herman's forte. It really was a great production, with lavish costumes, a brilliantly adaptable set, with great depth, enabling them to find room for a staircase and an on-stage band. The latter played very well, some duff trumpet playing excepted. With one exception the whole cast were really excellent but unfortunately that was Tracie Bennett herself. She gurns and over acts the whole way through. I enjoyed her in End of the Rainbow and Ruthless where a bit of over the top high camp are more or less obligatory but found these traits in her performance of Carlotta in Follies which I did not enjoy at all. OK, the part of Mame is a bit broad brush but it can take a lot more subtly than she gives it. She didn't actually deliver many of the songs very well and wasn't helped by the range being a little too low for her. A number of years ago I was very impressed by Janie Dee in Hello, Dolly! at The Curve and couldn't help thinking how great she would be in the part. However, despite all my reservations it's a great show and I would still recommend it. ......................................................................... That is a dreadful insult to the star Tracie Bennett. She has received rave reviews for her role as Mame. Yes, but that doesn’t mean that every audience member will agree with those opinions! I’m seeing this in January in Northampton, so will decide (on purely personal terms) on her performance then. Bennett also received very positive reviews for her roles in Hairspray and Follies, but tbh, I didn’t much care for her in either, particularly the latter. I wasn’t even confident on the day that she’d hit the final notes of ‘I’m Still Here’. So, to each his/her own. I’m looking forward to seeing this show, whether it be with Bennett or her understudy.
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Post by Scswp on Aug 20, 2019 6:41:41 GMT
Has anyone been to Pizza Pilgrims? I've seen a few dotted around London and also at Westfield but have to yet to visit one. Yes, I visited the one near Covent Garden. The pizza is great IMO and is like you would get in Naples - thin sourdough crust (not necessarily crispy, but delicious) and great variety of toppings - I had Tuscan sausage and friarielli (a bit like broccoli). The additional toppings that you can add are slightly lacking in quantity (I added anchovies, but I think there was only one, possibly two), but the prices for quality pizza are very reasonable.
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Post by Scswp on Aug 19, 2019 6:14:06 GMT
Saw this tonight. It looks impressive, set and lighting are amazing as is the orchestra. Mr Boe sings it as if he's performing La Boheme and gets away with doing that in this concert format. His acting is woeful and there is no subtlety whatsoever, everything is telegraphed and he's physically rigid throughout. There is no inner struggle whatsoever. Michael Ball is the disappointment of the evening. He just isn't able to sing Javert. He backphrases to buggery and struggles for the money notes. Ego over ability, I'm afraid. I wonder if Cameron would allow any other performer to deliver such a poor performance? Carrie H-F is beautiful. Her voice is sublime and she delivers all the emotion as well as doing justice to IDAD. Matt Lucas is doing his panto/Little Britain turn. I would love to see a darker interpretation and vocally he is weak. Katy Secombe is brilliant as Mme T. Delivers what it says on the tin as does Bradley Jayden's charismatic Enjolras. Rob Houchen makes very little impression as Marius, preferring to play it like he is in a Merchant-Ivory classic and not as a young man feeling the thunderbolts of love for the first time. The Ensemble are terrific. Loads of seasoned pros and Les Mis alumni all doing very little, but looking and sounding fantastic. They are the best thing in it for me as well as the wonderful Eponine, whose name escapes me. Apologies. Apart from Carrie the other three names on the poster are the let down with Ball being the worst. Paid £95 for my ticket and slightly resent it although I believe the the pros outwieighed the cons. Michael Ball struggling for Javert’s money notes? Really? I’m surprised. Ball’s voice has lowered slightly, but Javert is a baritone role and his money notes are both relatively low and are quite infrequent. How can Ball be struggling to sing this, yet sing the role in Chess that he did a couple of years ago. Which parts of the score is he struggling to hit or sustain? Please could you clarify? Thanks.
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Post by Scswp on Aug 5, 2019 8:14:29 GMT
A concert version of Evita with LuPone as Eva (she seemed to be able to still sing it in the original keys a few years ago in her London concerts), Michael Ball as Che and Roger Allam as Peron. I know they’re all too old for the roles and that’s why I said a concert version. Not sure who I’d have as Magaldi and the mistress.
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Post by Scswp on Jul 21, 2019 15:19:44 GMT
^Wow...a 30 minute interval? All of her concerts have had 30 minute intervals, I think. It was certainly 30 mins in Birmingham.
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Post by Scswp on Jul 13, 2019 6:18:23 GMT
OK not to stir the pot - but just watched the WOS video. Is it me or is this the second time that Jason Donovan has publicly snubbed Joseph - Jac Yarrow - when talking about this production not even mentioning the kid? BTW - is it definite to return next summer or is a transfer still a possibility? Sadly, I tend to agree about the snubbing. Very sad really. Sheridan Smith seems very supportive of Jac, however.
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Post by Scswp on Jul 7, 2019 5:38:46 GMT
Well it’s finally happening! I’ll be at the Cardiff show tomorrow, which is now opening night of the tour. Looking forward to the Miss Saigon and Les Mis songs especially. me too, really looking forward to it. Hoping for some Disney in the mix as well. Please could you post a setlist of songs after the concert? I’m seeing her on Thursday in Birmingham, but would love to have an idea of the songs she will perform. Thanks.
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Post by Scswp on Jun 20, 2019 17:05:59 GMT
How are the very early sales looking? Has there been a huge rush to book with lots of tickets sold or have the early sales been less than people on here anticipated?
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Post by Scswp on Jun 1, 2019 19:53:58 GMT
^^^
Thanks. Will do that.
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Post by Scswp on Jun 1, 2019 14:24:29 GMT
There are some good seats still available at Symphony Hall and the sound there is so good that it doesn't matter where you sit from that point of view. But £22 to £32 to see a legend like her looks very good value. Probably shouldn’t ask this, but will be cheeky anyway: do you think the prices at Symphony Hall will drop even further if I wait, since there are hundreds left? I think they’ve closed off the Grand Tier completely.
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Post by Scswp on Jun 1, 2019 13:20:04 GMT
Where did you get a cheap ticket for the Birmingham concert? Not sure where to look. Thanks From the Symphony Hall website - there’s back of the circle for £22 or back of the stalls for £32, cheap considering those were originally priced at £50! Thanks. Will take a look.
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Post by Scswp on Jun 1, 2019 13:17:28 GMT
There’s also heaps left in Birmingham and at decent prices, I’m now going. Another Broadway legend ticked off the list! Where did you get a cheap ticket for the Birmingham concert? Not sure where to look. Thanks
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Follies
Jun 1, 2019 6:14:22 GMT
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Post by Scswp on Jun 1, 2019 6:14:22 GMT
Yes saw that, not sure I can manage it this week though. Jamie Dee is also doing cabaret at The Pheasantry in Chelsea on the 30th and 31st. Saw Janie Dee last night, she's a great cabaret performer; funny and charismatic. She was also in fine voice giving us Ain't Misbehavin, Summertime, Mr Snow, Caberet and of course Could I Leave You. She also has a nice line in comic songs with Copytype and Private Delight. Some info on her future plans, she's been asked to play Fosca in Passion in Italy and is involved with a series of Ayckbourn's children's shows at the Cockpit later this year to celebrate his 80th Birthday. When and where in Italy is Passion being performed?
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Post by Scswp on May 25, 2019 19:57:40 GMT
Seems strange to me that they’re going to be promoting Joseph on BGT, but they won’t include the actor playing him in the performance. Surely they’d want all the main cast members getting exposure? They’re the names being used to plug the BGT appearance. Given the Narrator and Pharaoh don’t have much business in the show of course it’ll feature more cast. It’s too good a promotional opportunity not to. Are you kidding about the Narrator not having much business in the show? She’s by far the lead performer and it’s a massive sing if sung as originally written for a female narrator. It was a much easier sing for a man in its very early days, but to say the Narrator has little business in the show is inaccurate.
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Post by Scswp on Apr 25, 2019 14:03:03 GMT
Wow, is that not just a bit ‘odd’? The youth ‘Les Mis’ just about works but aren’t the themes just a touch adult? What sort of parent wants to see that? 😳😂 I saw a school's version of Miss Saigon once, performed by a local theatre school. Lots of embarrassed teenage girls in bikinis, and we won't even mention the helicopter ... Oh go on, please do mention the helicopter. How on earth does a youth theatre school achieve this effect?
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Post by Scswp on Apr 19, 2019 15:14:27 GMT
It won't be happening until autumn 2020. Oh, that’s a shame. Thanks for the information.
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Post by Scswp on Apr 19, 2019 13:21:31 GMT
Do you have a link for this? I’m in Vienna later in the year and may look into this. Thanks.
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Company
Mar 17, 2019 15:56:17 GMT
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Post by Scswp on Mar 17, 2019 15:56:17 GMT
Darren Criss doing "not getting married" - Don't think JB has to worry! Quite an interesting interpretation of this version of the song. Quite liked what they did with the priest for a one off thing. Yes, the guy playing the priest was very funny and cute. I liked him a lot! 😉
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Company
Mar 13, 2019 20:02:47 GMT
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Post by Scswp on Mar 13, 2019 20:02:47 GMT
Has anyone sat in both the Grand Circle and front Stalls? I’ve sat in the front stalls and the centre circle. I liked being up close for the facial expressions, but you get a better overall view from the circle. Enjoyed it even more at the front of the stalls, though, personally (and it was a much cheaper Day Seat!!)
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Post by Scswp on Mar 10, 2019 6:05:24 GMT
Is she in Waitress? I didn’t know this.
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Company
Mar 9, 2019 19:01:36 GMT
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Post by Scswp on Mar 9, 2019 19:01:36 GMT
So Patti’s off this afternoon. Francesca Ellis is on as Joanne instead. I assume Patti must be off this evening too?
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Follies
Feb 23, 2019 12:49:23 GMT
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Post by Scswp on Feb 23, 2019 12:49:23 GMT
Felicity Lott is unwell and will not be performing the role of Heidi Schiller at opening night tonight. Replacement TBC. So who played the role then?
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Post by Scswp on Feb 3, 2019 13:38:28 GMT
I had the odd experience of trying to see her in Annie Get Your Gun and then a few years later in Gypsy, and both times being told at the box office when trying to buy tickets that she was unwell and if I was particularly trying to see her, I should try the next day. Both trips were a week long and I eventually saw Annie without her but not Gypsy. I also was unable to see her as replacement in A Little Night Music on a later trip but that was not down to anything on her part. So you see we keep missing each other, perhaps I can appeal for free tickets citing lifelong disappointment!! Poor you! You have, indeed, been unlucky! Tbh, I don’t quite understand the fascination with her (I saw her in Gypsy twice - including the closing performance where the audience went wild - and in Follies). I enjoyed her performances, but didn’t think she was anything remarkable, either vocally or in terms of acting. Just my opinion though.
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Post by Scswp on Feb 2, 2019 16:25:59 GMT
There’s really no point applying if you can’t get there before 4:30pm, right? I would guess so!
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