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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 29, 2017 4:45:38 GMT
So I think this is likely to be the biggest overhaul since the 'new' London 1992/3 version. Speaking for myself am very excited. I think most likely whatever they do though there will be some resistance from the fans - people, myself included, get attached to there version they know and love. Having said am excited, am also slightly nervous lol. Taking the opportunity I missed with London to visit again before the changes so I can see the current version before it's no more. Have booked for the farewell weekend. Also wondering if to go once more before that. After years of Bochum practice, I've got it down to a cheap and easy combo of hotel and flights! Bochum has never closed like this for three weeks so yes I’m sure there will be more changes than just making Papa into a woman. I presume Ashley will go, I Got Me carriage song added, Girls Rolling Stock removed and other changes. What gets me is having seen the show in Bochum every few years over the past two decades it doesn’t ever improve the show, in fact the opposite. The original Du Alien (Only You), LiebessExpress (Engine of Love) version was simply the best and most magical before they started playing around with everything. It’s a desperate attempt to keep the audience coming in I suppose....
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 26, 2017 7:43:25 GMT
Has anyone else ever dreamt they watched a musical that doesn’t actually exist in real life. The set, songs, costumes - I mean a song or two not a full show? I dreamt about a futuristic themed Broadway show with a torquoise set and three revolves - the choreography was excellent. Ha.
How on earth can this be possible? Parallel universe? I woke up thinking how on earth can I dream such detail instantly if this show doesn’t exist?! Weird.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 26, 2017 7:25:10 GMT
The thing is, the actors amongst those contestants all probably went to stage school, they all probably are trained, most people on soaps and tv are. Idon't really see being known more for tv than stage roles should be held against them. What just because they happened to be offered a big tv role before a stage one? And also does anyone think that these leading musical theatre stars don't/didn't audition for tv too? Cus they all pretty much did and do. You know the difference between someone like Rachel Tucker being known for stage rather than tv and seen as a credible theatre actress? That she was given that opportunity first. That's all. Lucy Fallon there probably auditioned for theatre before she got the role on Corrie. If she was cast in something on the West End she might be a big theatre star, but because she instead took a role on Corrie she's seen as a pretender and not credible and should stick to the cobbles and not 'infect' the west end. I went to one of the top 5 “stage schools” and indeed some of my class mates have been in soaps - take it from me, 3/4’s of them (including ones who worked on TV) still weren’t that good. A soap audition is one or two meetings reading an easy script usually typecasting you to who you are in real life, musical auditions have panels of up to 20 people and you can be recalled over 10 times.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 26, 2017 7:08:29 GMT
A friend who works for the company promoting this has said they are doing staggered release of tickets and thinks that less than half the total have been put up for sale so far. Ah cool! Thanks for the heads up!!! In that case I’ll wait a while for the bank account to recover post Xmas! I’m taking a group of friends and I couldn’t get the stalls. I am the back of the dress and I was quite shocked that the stalls seems sold out for what seemed months. NOW WE KNOW! GRRRRRRR....
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 25, 2017 20:53:19 GMT
The workshop in London in June. They want to keep the show fresh and show women in power and taking the lead!
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 25, 2017 20:51:48 GMT
Interesting article in the Guardian which takes issue with plot changes from the film to the musical - URL in spoilers as it explains what it doesn't like so the URL is a spoiler in itself! Wow!!! That’s quite the read. I don’t really know where to start! lol...
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 25, 2017 15:41:01 GMT
Plenty of talentless idiots become household names on reality shows, so having some triple threat talent on telly might raise their profiles and the result is win win. The sad reality is that so much talent on ITV comes from reality TV shows now (which basically cast people off the street), the rest are kids TV presenters who worked their way up, ex sportstars with strong agents, the odd soap actor who play themselves, former pop stars (mostly manufactures by ITV) comedians and chefs etc. I would ADORE for half the amazingly talented people I know to have raised national profiles but the reality is it is very very difficult. Also annoyingly difficult for musical theatre performers is to even pbe seen as “actors” and even get auditions for straight theatre work or TV roles. They could be just as good if not better, but that’s the industry that puts people in boxes. Very few make the jump. Win win sadly it’s not.....
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 24, 2017 23:03:18 GMT
So they think\know there's an audience for music theatre on television. Why not get the best young talent and a few established names to do it to a really high standard, rather than feed us half-baked, badly performed turns where someone is the "winner"? The production costs won't be any different, but the quality infinitely better. The answer to this is easy. The general public doesn’t know who Louise Dearman or Kerry Ellis is. My family wouldn’t have a clue - they would know the cast of Corrie, Loose Women or Freddie Flintoff. It’s annoying beyond words but that’s the sad reality. Even established musical theatre names Elaine Paige, John Barrowman and Micheal Ball aside won’t be seen to bring in ratings for the demographic wanted.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 24, 2017 21:12:29 GMT
I do wish they extended this, did another run or transferred. Sadly I think along with Carrie, CandleMakers Daughter and Dogfight it will go down in my musicals memory as one of the good shows that never found another life (((
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 24, 2017 21:07:09 GMT
imagine Avenue Q if the puppets mouths didn’t open. What an odd choice!!! It brings them alive.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 24, 2017 21:05:22 GMT
"Our very first 'All Star Musicals' winner" - does that mean they're going to do it again at some point? It seems to have gone on forever! And none of the 'All Stars' was gobsmackingly good or entertainingly bad - they were just...meh! It might have worked a bit better if each 'All Star' had a WE performer to help them, rather than just having Michael Crawford helping them all. ITV is celeb obsessed network that cares more about ratings and revenue than talent. That Sheridan show (I mean sure she’s ok) and this DREADFUL offering proves it. Think of all the sensational musical theatre talent we have and then there is THIS!! The commissioning editor should be shot.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 23:10:03 GMT
The worst show I’ve ever seen at the Menier. The person who cast the Marcus Brigstock thingy in the lead role needs to be shot - he can’t sing or act and was like a dork rather than a showman! He fell off the tightrope three times and has a big bum. Dreadful...
Bad staging, a two legged elephant, an over acting ensemble (ok the acrobats and lead woman Laura Pitt-Pulford were good) but the production was badly directed, had restricted sight-lines and the narrative and story that was just lost.
What a shame. 4/10
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 18:20:23 GMT
Just watched the trailer. It looks like fun, same as the first film. And its great to see most of the cast back (as long as Pierce doesn't sing!). Cher looks great, and will be a welcome addition, as will Lily James. I am GUTTED as to what it seems to be implying with Meryl Streep, who was, by far, the best part of the original. Hopefully she will feature in many a flashback and we will get to see her do one or two numbers. Also, are we really supposed to believe that Christine Baranski's character hasn't changed her hair in 40 years?! 😂😂 Hahahaha I thought the same! Hahaha.... the Rosie character looks nothing like Julie Walters and has a dodgy accent.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 11:40:44 GMT
I don't understand the casting of cher. The whole point of Donnas mum is that she was strict and conservative Besides, wasn't she dead? And Meryl is 68 and Cher 70?
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 9:34:20 GMT
They reaaaaaaaaally should have featured some of the new songs in the trailer - otherwise it just looks like the original film soundtrack with a different (and dodgy) storyline. Hm....
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Big Fish
Dec 21, 2017 7:54:16 GMT
via mobile
Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 7:54:16 GMT
I think I'm regretting not seeing this. I reckon I could last minute this on Saturday, but is the general mood that it's worth it? It'll cost me £55 for a ticket and travel... I say go for it, I think it’s such a charming show! I think you’ll have to be quick with a decision though - there aren’t many tickets left at all! Just go. I thought it was glorious.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 21, 2017 7:53:02 GMT
I finally got to see Scouse Nativity the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool (where Judi Dench made her professional debut) and it was the funniest musical I have ever seen in my life. The audience screamed laughing for 2 1/2 hours.
The run is pretty much sold out but I really recommend everyone to try and catch the Christmas comedy musicals they do there (maybe while catching the festive show they do at Manchester Royal Exchange). The shows at the Royal Court are a little Liverpool-centric, but I took a friend from London and she said it was the funniest thing she had ever seen.
A beautifully renovated theatre and cheap ticket prices too. Hilarious. Anyone else see it?
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 20, 2017 9:24:48 GMT
ATG have put the booking fee up to £3.65 for this one - guessing their other shows will follow suit. Prices Monday to Friday run £125 / £95 premium (D to K stalls), £72.50, £62.50 (back 3 rows), £52.50 (end 2s in B to L) in the stalls, same in the dress circle (only row K is £52.50) and upper circle is £52.50, £42.50 rows A and G, £32.50 H, £20 J. Saturday both is £150, £125, £79.50, £67.50, £57.50, £47.50, £39.50, £25. A lot more central stalls held off for "dynamic" I'd guess. Stalls row AA is held off... wondering about day seats there... Wow!!!! They are pretty steep. Let’s hope they do dayseats and we can all see for 25 pounds.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 20, 2017 9:05:32 GMT
Saw this last night. Gosh it’s still 100 percent and on top form. CJ was on for Dorothy and Graeme for Marsh, everyone else was on. My friends who I took for Xmas (was my 4th time) adored it and cried and tapped out of the theatre at the end. It’s still on fire!
Two things I noticed, yes they do have microphones down the legs so the tap is definately not click tracked and also since the Harvey Weinstein sexual misconduct scandal it really did make me see the show in a different light when it comes to Marsh and Sawyer’s working relationship!
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 18, 2017 11:36:06 GMT
And just how long before someone gets the idea to... put it on stage?! Tour anyone?! Starting in Southampton, of course... I’m sure old Billy K will take a chance on this... Kenwright will never get his hands on it. It belongs to the original Mamma Mia producers. I doubt they will make a stage version anytime soon. Especially with the potential Muriel’s Wedding expanding to other territories.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 18, 2017 7:28:37 GMT
What kind of idiot are you musicalmarge? A personal attack because I did not find it funny. As I said its my opinion. If you were screaming with laughter more power to you. You love smut. But afer a while it gets boring. And this forum shares opinions, not all will be yours, but you must have no class to lash out like that. To castigate me for an opinion. Oh wait, do you know what the word means? Actually I laughed mostly at the non smutty jokes - the 12 days of Christmas routine, Zerdin and his puppet (what’s a sh*tzu? A zoo with no animals in it), the musical theatre in jokes, all of Elaine’s new songs with lyric changes, the references to Half a Sixpense and Hello Dolly, the fact that they forgot their lines, the routine with the adorable children from the audience, Zerdins’s mask routine, the ridiculous large set pieces, the song about the London tube and 225 other non smutty reasons. Do I believe an actually living person sat there at the Palladium and didn’t laugh once? A stoney faced serious stern reaction to the entire show for 2 1/2 hours? No... and I/we/this board/critics/creatives have a right to evaluate and debate that. Boom
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 18, 2017 1:03:50 GMT
I just do not get the hysterically funny. Its certainly not a laugh out loud panto. Though a few of you will say it was, it is not. And if you saw it last year, you saw it this year with different costumes. As in Cinderella, Dick Whittington is just an excuse. Might as well call it the Julian in more and more outrgeous costume show. Julian is Julian and been saying those very jokes for years, nothing new. Paul has his routine and he does the entire of it. It seems more like a variety show than a panto. And in my opinion (obviouly not shared by many here) it should be geared a bit more towards children. If you wnt to see Julian or Paul's act go see them at their gigs. I really hope they do not do the same casting next year. But I do know they cannot possibly cast John Barrowman he will not share the stage with anyone but the Krankes. Well I saw it last week and screamed laughing along with my entire group who went and the surrounding audience. If you did not laugh out loud at the same show I saw you must be a real barrel of laughs to have as a friend! We thought it was the funniest panto we have all ever seen (old jokes or routines included). Stick to Chekhov. That’s hilarious...
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 17, 2017 14:22:23 GMT
How is the set and costumes Bright green stage floor and revolve with neon blue box wings on stage. The pros arch is BRIGHT pink strange coral looking spikes featuring 15-20 different looking iPads of various sizes. I have a photo but I don’t know how to attach it!
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 17, 2017 14:14:26 GMT
On the Starlight Express website they have announced that there will be a cast change on 13th May 2018. I believe a lot of the ensemble cast members are leaving as well as Abigail Dever (Dinah). There's also a mention of a "world premiere" of some kind on 12th June so can only imagine it'll be the anniversary show. The world premiere is Mama who is joining the cast replacing Papa. I just pray to god they don’t include that awful new carriage song I Got Me. I’m going to Bochum in June so will report back.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 17, 2017 12:19:22 GMT
Can we move this to international please? And if anyone says “yes but it might come to London” then can we then merge the two threads or move the Broadway shows that “might come to the UK” to the musicals section? It’s not clear admin. Thanks.
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 16, 2017 20:37:32 GMT
Saw the show on friday. For a foreigner like me the accents were difficult. Not a smart move for a musical in the west end. But I loved the show and I really hopes it will find his audience. I am definitely going to see it again! Because the Scouse accent in Blood Brothers or Cockney accents in Oliver made the shows suffer? Year right......
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 16, 2017 10:59:06 GMT
To those who have seen it...how loud are the pyros? I only ask because each night around 20 minutes before the end it sounds like a gun going off in the theatre! There is one VERY loud one stage left which is what you are hearing! That one almost gave me heart attack! Hahaha.... BOOM
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 15, 2017 20:00:19 GMT
I don't think it was about the kid section - I think it was: the section where he invites a couple on stage and performs human ventriloquism. Wendy's gripe was that he said "I need a heterosexual couple for this bit" and sent the gay couple back to their seats.
I don't think he was intending to be homophobic. It was evidently a wrong choice of words, and perhaps he should have had masks backstage of both male and female variety for if this situation would arise. Same thing! The mouths were for a man and woman! Simple. They would have complained more had he put a female mouth on a man. People are crazy. He simply didn’t have the masks for two men or two woman. I was in the audience!
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 15, 2017 19:32:48 GMT
I don't want to post the link here in case it's a spoiler - but have a look at West End Wilma's Twitter...she's really not happy with Mr Zerdin. Think that’s such a stupid article. The comment about the little boy being called “Tracey” is a joke that has been done in panto for years and always gets laughs. I doubt the kid will even know what’s happening. I also doubt it was homophobia, probably just how the sketch works. It’s not something to be looking into so deeply.. Paul did both these jokes last year. Hop it’s not exactly the same. He is hilarious but I hope they get a new comedian like Bradley Walsh for next year Pathetic PC obsessed modern reviewers. These jokes have been done for 100 years. Zerdin is just brilliant and the children on stage adored every second of it - Tracy or not! As for Homophobia? He only had a male and female mask and I’m sure they are very expensive to make. Most on that stage are gay! Bah....
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Post by musicalmarge on Dec 15, 2017 13:31:42 GMT
Any links to Pinocchio reviews?
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