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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 5, 2018 22:39:17 GMT
I was on the edge of the 'bullring' when I went back in October but we managed to avoid participation. Saying that, we were made to Conga off the stage to get out for the interval, but I think absolutely everyone was. It was fine as it was a trip for my mate's birthday so we were all in the mood.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 4, 2018 20:32:37 GMT
I wonder why they have that age rule. I know there’s a bit of bad language in the show, but if anything I’d say it should be for 14+, not 18.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 3, 2018 21:10:51 GMT
The show that didn't live up to the hype for me was Dreamgirls. Apart from 3 or 4 decent songs the rest of the music was unmemorable and just a lot of flashing lights with ear bursting noise coming from the speakers. Amber Riley.... mehhhhh. .... I was actually prepared for that with Dreamgirls because I loathed the movie. The stage show exceeded my expectations because despite the fact that a few of the really weak songs remained, there were other aspects that were done so much better (e.g. everything involving the Jimmy character).
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 3, 2018 14:21:46 GMT
Hype is a funny thing. I saw quite a few films at the London Film Festival last year that are currently being hyped up on the awards circuit, and it’s a weird feeling. Most of them have sort of faded out of my brain by now and it’s strange to see them being talked about as exciting and new. I don’t know how actors do it - they must be so over their own films by the time they’re doing their hundredth interview about them, and they have to keep it up for months! How true. I did the same for the LFF, although it’s equally disappointing when you see something great and then expect it to be huge, only for it to fizzle out without any fanfare at all.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 3, 2018 12:04:40 GMT
I was only 16 when Rent came to the West End and seriously never even heard of it. I didn’t really know much about it until the early 2000s when it started to become parodied.
I’ve never seen a professional production, only the below par film and an amateur production. It has a handful of good stand alone songs but as a musical I’m really underwhelmed by it as I generally disliked the characters. Maybe I need to see it properly on stage to appreciate it.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 3, 2018 11:50:58 GMT
I saw Oslo less than two weeks ago and still can’t for the life of me figure out how it won over critics and audiences.
I agree about some older plays feeling stale too, particularly The Glass Menagerie.
Apologia far exceeded my expectations and I enjoyed it far more than even the great reviews suggested.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 23:29:30 GMT
I do think £90 for the front stalls is excessive. My original tickets that I bought a year ago are in Row D for that much, yet I bagged an earlier Sat matinee last week for £37.50 in Row A. I'll absolutely be expecting a restricted view, but for less than half the price of sitting a few rows back it's an absolute bargain. Mostly hoping to see Ash Hunter that date.
The price tiering is quite bizarre, but I experienced the same in other shows - paid £75 for centre dress circle for Book of Mormon but the seat in front of us was £125.
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Bananaman
Jan 2, 2018 22:21:54 GMT
via mobile
Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 22:21:54 GMT
Well I thoroughly enjoyed that. Lots of kids there probably between the ages of 7-10 and they were loving it too.
It’s good to have something silly to kick off the year. Very tongue in cheek with just a couple of adult innuendos. Extremely talented cast; some songs were better than others and I think there were just 3 standouts, mainly coming from the brilliantly played Dr. Gloom.
I’d recommend it if you’re prepared to have a laugh for an evening and for the nostalgia factor if you’re a child of the 80s.
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Bananaman
Jan 2, 2018 19:22:35 GMT
via mobile
Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 19:22:35 GMT
Waiting for this to start soon. Get there early - they play nothing but 1980s kids show theme tunes as people are taking their seats.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 16:11:45 GMT
So long as Dave Hearn is on, I’ll be happy. That guy’s facial expressions alone have the ability to send me into hysterics. It’s seriously akin to Rowan Atkinson on Not The 9 o’Clock News.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 14:11:04 GMT
I agree. I didn’t see In The Heights but have heard the cast recording and frankly am not a fan. It didn’t grab me at all and I actually do like Rap and Hip Hop. Hamilton is different on a whole other level. It’s well thought out and far more eclectic.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 13:30:59 GMT
I saw this on Broadway in mid 2016 and loved it. Does anyone know if there’s much difference here to warrant another visit?
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 13:22:42 GMT
I do also believe it’s important to expose young children to the types of environment early, so they learn not to be bratty and impatient in later childhood years. My first non pantomime theatre experience was Starlight Express when I was 5 and according to my parents we did just fine. It’s definitely the responsibility of the parents to set some rules when they take their kids though. Just the threat of being made to leave if we ever played up was enough.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 12:34:48 GMT
I sat about there in the circle a few years back for Bad Jews and the view was just fine. Every time I’ve been to te Arts Theatre the only issue has been the temperature - unbearably hot in the summer and cold in the winter. I prefer the latter as at least I can keep my coat on for it not to be an issue.
Looking forward to seeing this next week.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 12:19:53 GMT
On Broadway producers seem to be handling touts by inflating the ticket prices - you can pay well over $1000 for a premium Hamilton ticket from the official seller - to try and reduce the touts’ margin and grab some of the cash themselves, and agents like Ticketmaster by setting up as re-sellers and taking a cut. We’ve already seen how ‘premium tickets’ - which were designed to hold a few good seats back by pricing them over the odds to capture money from the wealthy last-minute ticket buyers who were using touts - have led to ticket price inflation across the board. I much prefer the ID-confirmation email-credit card method of combatting touts. That’s great for them in the short term for a nice little profit, however pricing young people and fans out of almost an entire genre of entertainment is dangerous. I’m only in my 30s and already a huge portion of people I know my age and especially younger have never even considered going to the theatre because of the prices (which I find ironic as they’ll easily spend mountains on sporting events and rounds of drinks on a regular basis). They have eased off when I have pointed out all of the great deals available for midweek shows across the city as well as comp clubs etc. but they aren’t well advertised for non-regular goers. It must be far worse in New York. Apart from the lottery systems, I wonder how a young person on an average wage there could even afford to regularly attend Broadway shows.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 2, 2018 12:01:15 GMT
Just before Christmas I met a friend at the NT (I wasn't watching a show) and saw Bill Oddie sitting with friends at one table I’ve seen Bill Oddie out and about so many times at concerts (not theatre) that it’s getting quite ridiculous. I nearly got run over by him once when I was a teenager (my fault as I was not looking when crossing the road). We either have the same taste in music or he’s stalking me.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 1, 2018 22:31:25 GMT
Is it really illegal to do that? I did not know that. Goodness, you really do never stop learning until you're dead do you. The Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations 2008. I only know about it because I came across it by accident while checking something else. There are a number of things that are prohibited and one of them is "Falsely claiming or creating the impression that the trader is not acting for purposes relating to his trade, business, craft or profession, or falsely representing oneself as a consumer". In other words, when you pretend to be excited about your own show you haven't thought up a clever type of promotion. You're just being so much of an idiot that the government passed a law against it. Wow. I used to know someone that was actually paid by record companies to trawl internet message boards like this to promote their upcoming artists exactly how you mentioned. This was however a lot earlier than 2008 and before the emergence of social media. The fact that a law was passed against that kind of thing is crazy. I would have thought that kind of thing still happened.
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Post by ellie1981 on Jan 1, 2018 7:03:36 GMT
When I saw Aladdin last month, the interval queue for the ladies was not that long but took an ungodly amount of time to move forward. I know it’s a family show and kids are expected to be there, but I was not expecting the woman with a newborn to push past the queue to demand a cubicle for breastfeeding and occupy it for the entire time.
I just fail to see why anyone would take a newborn to an expensive theatre show in the first place. It would be disruptive for you and others. I have three heavily pregnant friends right now, one of whom I am taking to Hamilton in June. She will not be bringing her baby because she’s a practical person, and by then will deserve a night out by herself. Besides, she’s already bought a breast pump.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 31, 2017 22:10:28 GMT
42nd Street again here. I saw it with friends, then took my mum for her birthday, then she loved it so much she took her sisters for their birthday. Then we went again with my brother. I definitely take after my mum with the need to see things multiple times when I fall in love with them. Tears of joy each time.
The Toxic Avenger - a complete delight of a surprise.
Hamilton - Just because I'd spend literally all year anticipating it and it did not disappoint. I hate to be a cliche but yes, still obsessed with the cast recording.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 31, 2017 18:07:30 GMT
It was on the front page of the quality papers and had a major feature on the Today programme. And a mention in The Archers. I would have thought it was fairly hard to miss There’s just so much media now compared to 30 years ago, it’s quite hard to miss unless you’re looking out for it. My friends who have no interest in theatre are completely in the dark. On the other hand they might as well be speaking Chinese when I hear them discuss football and footballers.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 31, 2017 11:49:53 GMT
Seats released for middle of February. Just picked up a Row T seat on the central aisle for the 19TH of February ( Presidents Day holiday in the states ) for 57.50. Similar availability for a number of dates. Good luck. And if you go on the 19th give me a shout out. Thank you so much. Just secured a single seat in Row A Stalls for 37.50 for 3rd Feb matinee. Other dates were offering me Row G Grand Circle. Strangely it would not accept my two credit cards that each have one future booking on them (but still under 6 seats per card and one is for July that is outside the initial booking period) but did accept my debit card which also has a booking for June. Is there a difference in the rules between credit/debit?
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 30, 2017 23:50:36 GMT
Tracey Ullman at Oslo just before Christmas
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 29, 2017 17:40:03 GMT
No problem with the Prince comparisons either as I’m a huge huge fan of him too.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 29, 2017 17:20:04 GMT
Oh I have a massive crush on Daveed Diggs too - so jealous that you got to see the original Broadway cast. I don’t have a problem with Jason Pennycooke however as I thought he made the role his own, particularly enhancing the dancing.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 29, 2017 9:30:53 GMT
This just adds weight to my theory that NO show is ever "sold out" in advance. As an ex- theatre pro, in my day box offices HAD to have "holds" which were usually released on the day of performance. These were for producers, investors, named talent etc plus their OWN keeps for any last minute problems. I cannot imagine this practice would have declined in any way. Ticket agencies make mistakes and seats have to be kept back for any unforeseen problems. Can you imagine refusing a "star" seats to a production they are appearing in? I always prefer hanging on for these to be released for a sold out performance rather than head to the usual secondary places for tix - you do need to hold your nerve, put the effort in and still be prepared to miss out. The thing with that is that’s very easy to say for people like myself - childless & live and work near to theatres so if I don’t get lucky, I just go home and try again another day. It’s not quite as easy for others who need to plan ahead.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 28, 2017 23:37:23 GMT
I was whisked out of the film the second I was supposed to believe that Hugh Jackman was the same age as Michelle Williams!
I just didn’t think the songs flowed into it and it sounded so forced. The abundance of autotune completely ruined the songs and the style of music just didn’t sit right with me. Rebeccca Ferguson is introduced as a Opera star, but then she sings a Christina Aguilera type song on stage every night? All the music just sounded like early 00s Max Martin type pop songs.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 28, 2017 23:27:26 GMT
I saw this last week. We were in the back row of the Upper Circle so pretty much the worst seats in the house. I don’t know if I saw the same play, because I was thoroughly bored throughout.
It was well written, but could have easily been cut by a whole hour and not lost anything. I just found the dialogue very repetitive.
It certainly did not help that people were still arriving in our section over 30 minutes after the start and the ushers were happily letting them stroll in, fumble around in their seats and have full on conversations with each other before settling in. Very disappointing on the part of the theatre as this should not be allowed. One woman directly in front of us who was late, was still 5 minutes late back after the interval and did the same thing all over again! I’ve seen better behaved audiences at pantomimes.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 28, 2017 23:19:35 GMT
Oh dear. And we just booked tickets this morning for 2nd Jan. wish I’d read this thread first! I was optimistically hoping it would be in the same spirit as The Toxic Avenger, just more family friendly.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 28, 2017 23:17:00 GMT
Worried now about my Royal Circle Row A centre seats in July as my mum has accepted the invitation. I fear her discomfort will affect her enjoyment of the show.
Funny hearing about the price hikes for the back of the stalls. My last minute pair for the previews in Row R were just £47.50. Seems like I was right to swoop in early.
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Post by ellie1981 on Dec 22, 2017 16:17:37 GMT
You have to love a critique that says Hamilton isn't cutting edge, then opines for it to be more like a Madonna concert. There is no more lavish spectacle Than a Madonna concert Other than perhaps going in a rocket to the moon In terms of budget Scope Stage technology Innovation Staging Choreography and dancers Costumes and attention to detail Reinvention of her songs It’s unparalled The gold standard of shows The last segment of her last tour Including Material Girl Vogue Candy Shop Was so wonderfully done Including elements of tap Charleston and simply breathtaking dancing I suspect taking heavy elements from old school musicals Yeah but she sings like a crow and has about as much stage presence as a mannequin. Absolutely dreadful and seeing Madonna in concert was the only time I went to see a live gig and came out with a lower opinion of the band/artist. Anyway I digress, this topic is about Hamilton.
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