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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 13, 2019 15:22:19 GMT
What happened last night was probably what people thought should have happened in 2017. The Labour Party has a long way back having been wiped out in a lot of areas. There are some seats that they will win back but with the SNP having a strong hold in Scotland and parties not contesting the 18 or so NI seats. Labour will be hard pressed to win well over 300 seats in England and Wales alone. People calling for JC to resign immediately doesn't make sense as with their Deputy Leader having stood down to leave the Party totally leaderless with an un elected interim put in place would make matters worse. I don't see how JC can stay on for any length but let the party take stock over Xmas and New Year and then hold a spring leadership election to fill the two top jobs. The Party may have moved so far to the left that their rump doesn't want to go back to the more centrist left ground and after they have suffered big election defeats the remainder of any party tends to be the more hardcore element. Hopefully Brexit can now be delivered and we have a broad One Nation Conservative Government who can take us forward. There will be calls for another Scottish Referendum but the way Sturgeon and co did all they could to block Brexit I don't see Boris allowing them another vote any time soon. I was sad to see Dennis Skinner lose his seat after 49 years as although my politics are very different from his, I respected him for his principles and he was hugely entertaining to watch in Parliament. Jo Swinson losing her seat was funny and I'm not making any further Jungle jokes but their is a rumour that she and Anna Soubry are trying to get a last minute panto gig as the Ugly Sisters in a production of Cinderella. Wow, that last paragraph is out and out nasty.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 13, 2019 2:58:32 GMT
The Labour party will remain unelectable unless it moves back to the right. I’m not sure how it will do that given the power of Momentum and the fact that the Labour membership has now moved so far to the left, but it’s not only about Corbyn and McDonnell. It’s about the philosophy of the party. They can’t just blame this on Brexit, even though it’s handling of it has been disastrous. After the financial crash of 2008 and the Iraq War was the end of ‘new labour’, ironically both of those that fatally wounded ‘New Labour’ was when they lurched to the right, so the default knee jerk reaction was to go back to old labour, it was a process that the Labour Party had to totally go through, they couldn’t pretend the 2008 crash didn’t happen and carry on as nothing did happen. So now it is a time for the Labour Party to embrace a new leader, maybe not New Labour, not old labour but somewhere between the two of old and new Labour, that the public can get behind. A leader that isn’t leaden with anti-semitism. Last night was a disaster for Labour, caused by terrible leadership with Jeremy Corbyn.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 12, 2019 22:14:35 GMT
If Johnson does win a majority I'll be interested to see how he explains not being able to deliver on the many promises he's made. Before he became PM he could always blame others; as leader of a majority party he has no excuse. But I suspect that he won't even bother to explain. He'll just lie, like the Tories always do when they fail to deliver their promises. Lie in a ditch.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 12, 2019 22:08:32 GMT
The exit polls suggest a landslide for Boris. Terrible result for Jeremy Corbyn, so looks like a new labour leader needs to be voted on. Jo Swinson’s Liberals have stayed the same, she run an awful campaign.
Looks like Brexit is going to be done.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 12, 2019 21:42:21 GMT
Alexander Boris ‘Lago’ Johnson
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 12, 2019 18:04:45 GMT
I hope that everyone has taken advantage of the opportunity to vote- regardless of who you want to win. Oh I voted a week ago, via the postbox, too much a risk of not being able to vote today, by going down to the polling station? You’ll thought in this day and age, people should be able to vote on-line?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 10, 2019 22:53:40 GMT
The Sun which is part of an organisation that hacks a dead child’s mobile phone.
As I said on another thread and me being a commuter who under the age of 40 reads a newspaper anymore? There circulation is in terminal decline, they’re not significant anymore.
Anyway Boris does look like Scrooge, who incidentally said ‘humbug’ at the murder of Jo Cox, however he doesn’t get cathectic conversion and remains humbug especially if you are one who is vulnerable and/or sick.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 10, 2019 20:49:40 GMT
Beetlejuice has been treated appallingly.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 9, 2019 19:05:46 GMT
I've been attending the musicals at Regent's Park, Kilworth House and Sophia Gardens in Cardiff for several years and I'm aware of Minack Theatre in Cornwall though I've not managed to get there yet. In June of this year I saw Salad Days in the grounds of St Paul's Church in Chiswick. Another venue I know of is Strode Park in Herne Bay. Being entertained by live theatre in the open air on a warm summer's day is a magical experience. Today, purely by chance, I discovered a venue called Grange Park where among the operas there's a musical each year. For 2020 it's Meet Me In St Louis and I'll be booking that next March when it goes on general sale. I'm sure there are other open air theatre venues around the country so I thought I'd start this thread for members to add venues and their productions though without duplicating existing threads. If there's already a similar thread please merge. Grange Park Opera is on the ouch side of expensive.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 8, 2019 20:45:09 GMT
Don’t know about orchestra contracts, but surprised they’re there on a seasonal basis.
Thought the idea of this partnership was do get the ENO out of a financial black hole, after they were being pushed very slowly under a bus.
I enjoyed all the musicals, thought Sunset Boulevard was brilliant, apart from the man hanging over the orchestra pit.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 8, 2019 18:33:43 GMT
The GradeLinnit/ENO co-pro agreement was for five years - which began in 2015 with Sweeney Todd and ended this year with Man of La Mancha. Hairspray is a commercial hire - rather like On Your Feet and Bat Out Of Hell. So with the co-production between GradeLinnit/ENO expired, can we now say it was good why it lasted?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 7, 2019 23:31:14 GMT
I saw this Friday night and agree the artwork is stunning but the play isn’t.
Also agree with pegs it did get me thinking of curious incident.
My overwhelming thought is that the director concentrated too much on making every part a spectacular moment, but rather forgot to tell the actual story. So there is the bare bones a show that is poorly directed.
1 Star
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 7, 2019 23:22:12 GMT
Okay is that a ENO production? Or is it like On Your Feet and Bat Out Of Hell and done by commercial producers?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 7, 2019 23:04:20 GMT
The ENO haven’t announced there 2020 musical?
I know there is a long sit down for Hairspray (which is marvellous) but understand this is being put on by commercial producers. Did hear a while back they were looking to do Martin Guerre? (Marvellous score, never seen the show, but would love to.)
Has the ENO musical been cancelled after the flops that were Man of La Mancha and Chess?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 7, 2019 0:31:54 GMT
In fairness a flop:is a show that doesn’t return its investment.
I would say that Aladdin may have recouped, but Disney expected it to run longer. Waitress - coins in the air if that is going to recoup, but the producers again expected this to run longer. Young Frankenstein, Strictly Ballroom and Memphis closed earlier than expected and flopped.
But whilst shows are no longer flopping, maybe because the pound is weak, so more tourists are taking advantage. Also theatres are taking smaller houses than they used to do.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 6, 2019 23:03:10 GMT
Last 5 years is a musical that is done frequently, due to the small cast!
Incidentally when is the new Southwark Playhouse theatre going to open?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 6, 2019 0:25:22 GMT
I thought Samantha Barks was due to reprise her role in Pretty Woman?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 5, 2019 1:24:10 GMT
Nicolas doesn’t post often, but when he does it is always very thoughtful and concise.
Off the top of my head I couldn’t name the theatre critic for the Evening Standard, The Times, Independent, The Guardian (new), but great the new critic comes from a place of diversity, but still don’t know her name off hand & Daily Mail. However being a theatre fan of course I read the reviews, but also get that the reviews are done by the theatre/producers marketing arm and really if the show is bestowed with 4/5 star review, they are expected to advertise their achievement and where better to, than in the newspaper that has anointed you with victorious wreaths, so really it is a self fulfilling prophecy. However here is the rub - I do a lot of commuting, so when do you see someone under the age of 40 read a paper now? Newspaper circulation for every title has been on the decline for years and shows no sign of abating, this may sound terrible, but on the other hand they’ve also poisoned people’s minds and have controlled how people think (kind of 1984) and they’ve been complicit in fake news as much as social media.
With the retirement of the great Michael Billington, who was the last of the ‘golden age’, he could truly be the last.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 4, 2019 0:46:06 GMT
I am clearly in the minority, but Hamilton wouldn’t make it in the room where it happens. For me; Matilda Book of Mormon Come From Away Kinky Boots Legally Blonde Sister Act Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comets of 1812 Bright Star Sister Act London Road Dreamgirls Sister Act gone, so now can have Love Story.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 4, 2019 0:41:38 GMT
A few lists featuring Sister Act, Legally Blonde, Memphis - None are from this “decade”. Time flies, they all still feel quite recent. Ha time does fly and you are correct about Sister Act. But I am happy to allow Memphis and Legally Blonde. Any show that made its West End appearance after 31st December 2009 I am happy to include. Mind you Legally Blonde just snuck in by a mere 14 days. Or played Broadway after 31st December 2009. so hope this gives people a bit more wriggle room.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 4, 2019 0:33:05 GMT
Matilda is up and I am sure that is a first.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 3, 2019 20:23:36 GMT
Stuck in a queue in Asdas playing all the seasonal music being told over and over again, between songs "Best Christmas Ever."
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 3, 2019 18:27:39 GMT
Why does London need 2x Theatre Royals?
How many people that must have gone to the wrong theatre, thinking they're going to see Frozen only to be confronted by Only Fools and Horses.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 3, 2019 0:41:04 GMT
Cut off date is 20th Feb, and so I don't believe Prince of Egypt and Pretty Woman won't be eligible, as they will still be in previews (same as Waitress last year). I think we can count Waitress, Dear Evan Hansen and & Juliet as three of the nominees, with the final nomination spot to play for. Just wondering what else is available: Big Falsettos Adrian Mole Cannot think of anything else? Revival: Fiddler on the Roof Joseph Evita White Christmas Cannot think of anything else? Seems strange not having a Sondheim musical in the mix?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 2, 2019 16:54:52 GMT
Corbyn is basing his economy on Northern Europe, or Scandinavia to be more precise, where people do pay more tax, services are a lot better and actually the people are much happier and content.
This isn't championed by out right wing media, who are mainly self employed and therefore set themselves up as a business and pay little tax as they are a corporation (and pay as such) and claim the vast amount of their VAT back.
Why should a Nurse or Teacher pay up to 50% (including National Insurance) and then VAT, whilst someone else pays nothing of the sort?
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 2, 2019 1:27:13 GMT
I like the new song, Beautiful Ghosts which was written for one reason only, so that it can be eligible for an Oscar, didn’t know Taylor Swift was that talented. Meanwhile after playing the new song about 10 times both my cats headed for the cat flaps.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 2, 2019 0:29:47 GMT
Ha - love the War Horse one, which I saw with mother, The one I think everyone likes is when young joey, runs to the back of the stage with the hind legs being pulled off, enter a gasp of disappointment from mother, then seconds later the the full size joey runs out from back of stage, from behind a bank of lights, enter a gasp of amazement from mother, as myself I had seen it several times before and have to say I am still pretty stoked by it.
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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 1, 2019 21:19:02 GMT
Still after seeing this on Friday that is Mary Poppins’ final flight up to the upper circle, if she simply ascended from the stage to the circle, I would say that is quite cool, but for Mary to fly Horizontal from the wings to centre stage, then vertical up to the circle in one foul swoop is astonishing. As is Bert walking and dancing on the proscenium arch, is stuff that dreams are made on,
Defying Gravity, including the way the broomstick comes on to stage (this is absent in the Broadway version) alway gets a wow.
As did the car in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang
Then again I know some people’s on here thought the show was a turkey, I didn’t but Paul Kieve’s illusions in Ghost was jaw dropping, especially ‘walking through the door’ and the final scene are both bonkers.
Javert’s suicide in Les Miserable.
The dancing in Billy Elliot especially ‘angry dance’ and ‘Swan Lake’.Also at the beginning when Billy first enters the dance studio after picking up the keys from Mrs Wilkinson and he takes his first ballet steps, realising he is never going to be a boxer and whilst he takes his first steps is image is projected on the wall, done in the most basic way, but most powerful.
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Post by Phantom of London on Nov 30, 2019 22:57:31 GMT
Better chip in being the original poster:
Posh Ferryman Hangman People, Places, Things Sweat Ink The Night Alive One Man, Two Guvornors Small Island Anna
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Post by Phantom of London on Nov 30, 2019 18:56:31 GMT
Interesting to see the Curve for the first time. I'd like to go back there sometime, just wish it wasn't so far from London... Isn't Leicester only about an hour from London by train? I think that's pretty close! I've seen half a dozen productions at the Curve over the years & Leicester is 1h45 by train from me. Ha it is. On the way back now from Leicester and is a bloody nightmare as no trains between Bedford and Market Harborough,so added 90 minutes to my journey, so missed the start of West Side Story and intended to see Richard III at the Globe on the way back, so won’t now make that and no point going if you miss the start as that is the best bit, with Richard’s great speech. yeap should be an hour if you get the fast Sheffield train, but do check for engineering work, I wish I did!
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