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Post by Phantom of London on Mar 10, 2023 21:12:13 GMT
Where do you get the stage seats please?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 19, 2022 1:35:51 GMT
Well he seems a much better choice than a lot of the names being batted about. Hopefully they make it much less Oxbridge centred along with the new host. Rajan is a Cambridge graduate...as is Paxman and as was Bamber. I would not see him as an agent of change in that regard! But out of those 3, Rajan is the only one who is not a public schools educated, so a big improvement there.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 16, 2022 22:52:14 GMT
Now Dara O’Brian and news last week that the excellent Mock the Week has been cancelled. It is far and away the funniest show on the box.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 16, 2022 15:36:16 GMT
My guess is Laura Kuenssberg or Emma Barnett. Emily Maitlis or Fiona Bruce spring to mind.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 16, 2022 15:17:06 GMT
I am sure someone could step up and replace Jeremy, as did the excellent Clive Myrie, a brilliant replacement on Mastermind for John Humphries. Besides I always though Jeremy came across as Pompous and more recently stale.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 16, 2022 1:37:29 GMT
Is this venue also a right pig to get to? Just as the Watermill is in Newbury, where I just came back from a couple of weekends ago and it cost me over £30 in taxis from Newbury Station.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 8, 2022 23:40:20 GMT
So 50 years today at the Palace Theatre Jesus Christ Superstar was born again.
After a disastrous debut on Broadway at the Mark Hellinger Theatre. At the Palace Theatre, today 50 years ago in London is where Jesus found its mojo. The musical written by 2 unknown composers: Mr Andrew Lloyd Webber and Mr Tim Rice, love or loathe them, there is no denying that 50 years today was a pivotal event in musical theatre history that sent shockwaves through the industry, arguably as big as Rogers and Hammerstein and Sondheim, this date will be just as iconic for theatre historians. JCS changed the theatrical terrain and influenced shows such as Les Miserables, Wicked, Rent & Hamilton etc and JCS today is still successfully revived, 50 years later!
Thanks to Elaine Paige for the heads up on her show on Radio 2 last Sunday.
Happy 50th birthday.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 8, 2022 18:17:34 GMT
Jesus is multi-billion dollar industry in that part of America, where the church are anti Women rights (abortions), but more than happy for the right to bare arms and are vehemently against universal free healthcare, preferring lower taxation. I rest my case. Amen!
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 8, 2022 14:44:29 GMT
Anyone remember please what musicals have played Hammersmith Apollo?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 6, 2022 21:04:18 GMT
Saw this at today’s matinee.
I have always at a soft spot for this musical and I also rate the late Jim Steinman highly, as a top draw lyricist.The show has some great songs, one of my favourites and is one of my favourite musical theatre songs period is ‘unsettled score,’ which has been renamed now ‘Soliloquy.’ The final 3 songs are brilliant especially the duo between the man and swallow for ‘nature of the beast.’
I also love how the musical has been moved from Cumbria to Louisiana which is where the American Bible belt is, which is topical at the moments, as that religious movement are violating women’s rights, via the law courts. UK isn’t a real god fearing country it once was thankfully, so doesn’t really resonate here, as it did many years back. I also loved the setting in the Watermill, as it felt like a actual barn, where the man hides out.
What I will never get my head round and that is the actor/musician concept, it doesn’t work for me, seeing someone play a dramatic scene, then go and play the violin or other instruments. although this genre seemed more subtle here than past shows. I understand why the Watermill need to do this type of show, due to venue limitations. A big shout to the children who sung no matter what beautifully and did the same with basic instruments.
I would be surprised if this ended up in the West End again, but could it have life on the road?
4 stars.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 6, 2022 13:19:17 GMT
Could Emma Rice be possibility?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 6, 2022 12:53:11 GMT
Surprised it got a massive 5 stars from the Guardian, then again they gave the awful Cinderella the same.
As for me, I’m sitting by the river having a coffee, before going in.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 5, 2022 23:53:39 GMT
3 musicals, 2 of which are quite recent. Brighton Rock I never heard of and it seems a good reason for that, I googled it and it played over a decade ago and died on its feet. Just saying there is not much Rick pickings around and plays have seemed to have suffered, besides the next Prime Minister Liz Truss has said we are already going into recession. With interest rates and energy bills going up, people are going to tighten their belts somewhere? Even the excellent Life of Pi is taking up a long run, where the Wyndham would of ordinarily had 3 shows in that time. I don’t need to tighten my belt though, but I am not going to theatre as much as I did pre pandemic, as not much really appeals and nothing really to look forward to apart from The Crucible. Look at Mark’s 2023 Olivier thread and you can see not much around. theatreboard.co.uk/thread/9439/oliviers-2023
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 5, 2022 21:49:53 GMT
When this show was first announced 13 years ago for the London Palladium, I must admit it filled me with dread and I said as much on social media, I thought it would be a 1 star mess, but then I saw it and I certainly ‘got the call’ where it approximately blew me away and that 5 star show left me a speechless wreck and this seems to have similarly affected other people, that is why it has been revived after numerous UK tours, the public no a great show.
So tonight was a great prompt why I so love this show, the story is soppy, innocent and fabulous baby which all leads up to the titular song ‘Sister Act’ watching Beverley Knight sing that is worth the admission alone as is watching Keala Settle sing the ‘life I have never had’ which was another great stand out. The show did have floors as pointed out by fellow posters, but this didn’t stop my foot from tapping and going out with a smile.
One lesson I learned all those years ago was never to pre-judge a show.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 5, 2022 20:04:51 GMT
The next female is going to be a Liz.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 5, 2022 1:37:29 GMT
The producers have a great chance to finally cast someone who is decent, hence why the two leads were snubbed in the Oliviers. Someone who stands out for me is Courtney Stapleton who in in Beauty and the Beast.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 22:59:56 GMT
The left wing vote is one that is divided. Where the right isn’t, that is how Johnson re-elected.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 22:36:15 GMT
Not saying it is doomed. I have always said during Covid that getting theatre back is going to be a heavy lift, it seems to be a very heavy lift, especially with the economy not in great shape. People do not have the disposable income they once did.
Almeida has only ever done one musical before.
We have had two West End show announce this week. There will always be shows, quality is a different matter?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 21:59:11 GMT
Post Covid and I’m recovering from it!!!
However if does seem to be one of a slew of shows closing unfortunately and not opening. Thursday night was a night anticipated for big show gossip, not anymore, it just seems to merge to the next day now.
This is compounded with no new shows at the Menier/Other Palace.Then with poor quality tour shows hitting the West End, thinking Grease and Dirty Dancing.
Not many new plays, the National has cut back its output, Young Vic/Almeida have recently done musicals. The Bridge shows are running for longer.
So with a noticeable absence of tourists still, working from home, interest rates going up and fuel along with everything else going up post Brexit.
Is theatre suffering?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 21:47:09 GMT
Agree it will do well on tour, like The Girls/Calandar Girls.
I saw this once and left with a free Souvenir being a headache.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 19:55:16 GMT
I was told off by a patron for standing at the end of South Pacific! I was told off by a patron for standing before the performance had even begun! What is it about theatregoers in Chichester? Perhaps because you are tall Paul?
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 0:15:32 GMT
There is a very good reason why full standing ovations don’t happen at Chichester.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 4, 2022 0:12:17 GMT
I hope they cast “against type” for it again after Ali Stroker and Marisha. Again, who is Marisha and is she also handicapped. Handicapped? Poor choice of adjective. Ali Stroker is disabled and brilliant, she won the Tony for the latter.
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Post by Phantom of London on Aug 1, 2022 17:33:06 GMT
I loved the way the ladies gate crashed the press conference with ‘it’ coming home, it’s coming home’
Well it has and the ladies deserve all the accolades they got/get.
Furthermore i’m sure the ladies will be deservedly get on the celebrity tv circuit. I look forward to get to know them in due course.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 31, 2022 22:29:08 GMT
To be honest I was a bit underwhelmed I thought when they hoisted the trophy in triumph they could have sang ‘Can You Feel The Love Tonight’
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 31, 2022 17:18:16 GMT
I'm sorry to report that it all ended on a bit of a downer. One of the Paul Mathew's drivers was given a parking ticket...as he slept in his cab. Sheffield Council is pure evil. Instead of parking on the road, which is permitted, he should have parked directly outside the Lyceum Theatre, where parking is forbidden. Never do the right thing when officialdom is involved! You get parking tickets, if you illegally park, which is well marked - sleeping in your cab doesn’t count.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 29, 2022 19:30:53 GMT
For some reason I thought this was based on As You Like It. I don’t know why though.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 29, 2022 0:16:43 GMT
A lot of performances did sell out, it seems to help that we have had some brilliant weather and I am sure that food show they had on in the park helped too.
With decent reviews and great sales, this will return, probably the first show - but it will not be the main musical next year. Bringing a show back isn’t as expensive as creating a new show.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 27, 2022 20:50:35 GMT
I reckon on the strength it ticket sales that this will be back next year.
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Post by Phantom of London on Jul 27, 2022 0:24:27 GMT
With the BBC are adopting self ID, I wonder if they let me off the licence fee if I told them that my telly now identifies as being a microwave oven?
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