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Post by mkb on Oct 7, 2023 9:56:15 GMT
But I think it's unintentionally camp rather than knowingly (at least from the director, but the actors may be cottoning on). They should embrace the gothic camp and play it up even more. When Mrs Danvers ascends the stairs, think Ella Lanchester in Bride of Frankenstein (who was also the inspiration for Magenta in Rocky Horror of course).
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413 posts
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Post by erik24601 on Oct 7, 2023 19:53:35 GMT
The theatre website ‘credits’ Nicky Shaw as ‘Production Designer’…
Has anybody seen any more of their work? Curious to know whether the issues are budgetary or lack of talent…
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Post by theatregeek68 on Oct 8, 2023 10:54:00 GMT
Just got home from seeing yesterday’s matinee of this show. Whilst some choices may be very questionable (I.e. design “choices”) I thought the performers were incredible and were absolutely doing their best with what they have.
However, yesterday’s audience was APPALLING. No one applauded until after Mrs. Danvers’ first song - which was almost 30 minutes into the show. Maybe other audiences felt the same but to me it just seemed really rude to the performers who are giving us these incredible vocals and the entire audience just sitting there in silence??!!
Would be interested to know what you guys think.
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Post by rowm on Oct 8, 2023 12:42:03 GMT
Just got home from seeing yesterday’s matinee of this show. Whilst some choices may be very questionable (I.e. design “choices”) I thought the performers were incredible and were absolutely doing their best with what they have. However, yesterday’s audience was APPALLING. No one applauded until after Mrs. Danvers’ first song - which was almost 30 minutes into the show. Maybe other audiences felt the same but to me it just seemed really rude to the performers who are giving us these incredible vocals and the entire audience just sitting there in silence??!! Would be interested to know what you guys think. I have seen it twice now and the audience's have been very different each time. I went opening night of previews and the audience was very very vocal in expressing their appreciation , in fact one was overly so and spoiling the songs as they were shouting and whooping so loudly. The second time , opening of show runs, the audience was appreciative and clapping every song but in a lovely respectful way that didn't spoil the songs. Both shows were standing ovations. I'm going again this week so will see what they are like this time. I think people just enjoy the show in the way they feel appropriate, either quietly listening or fully invested in appreciating the cast. I have to say the singing is incredible and the ensemble are absolutely brilliant. So so talented. I just love this show. |
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Post by 141920grm on Oct 8, 2023 13:16:34 GMT
Same with my show too, though I was also among the ones who applauded belatedly... personally being unfamiliar with all the songs I just wanted to hear the final note before clapping, but felt it also had something to do with the musical transitions/ lighting design/ maybe even the score itself? that didn't provide clear breaks for applause, I sensed the people around me were equally as unsure if there was a next verse coming up and hesitated to applaud- and by the time we realised the song had indeed properly ended, the intro to the next one had begun...
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Post by mkb on Oct 8, 2023 14:04:50 GMT
It did seem to have been directed so as not to allow a beat for applause to start until a few songs in. That's not uncommon. I quite like it.
It's better than with some musicals where there are obvious gaps where it feels like the production is fishing for adulation.
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Post by Mark on Oct 11, 2023 21:53:17 GMT
TodayTix had a £15 special on for 24 hrs from today but not even available for sale on there anymore. Have TTix and Charing Cross fallen out again?
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Post by rowm on Oct 11, 2023 22:40:14 GMT
Saw this today , matinee, for the third time.
It's just awesome, the music is goosebump giving, the songs are beautifully sung and the leads and ensemble just brilliant.
You can tell the cast are fully into their roles and just get stronger all the time.
The audience were great tonight too, standing ovation again.
The were a couple of covers on but you would not have known, it just flowed.
The orchestra are fabulous too and it was great to see the majority wait , standing, until the final note had been played and then applauding them.
Can't wait to see it again now.
I really hope this cast do a recording.
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Post by mattnyc on Oct 11, 2023 22:50:46 GMT
Who was out tonight?
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Post by rowm on Oct 11, 2023 23:06:40 GMT
At the matinee Mrs van hopper was out, also one other, maybe Horridge , there was a list up in the foyer but the show was just as fab to be honest. |
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Post by Peter on Oct 11, 2023 23:56:29 GMT
From the sign up at the matinee (I took a picture as suspected I would forget as soon as I left the theatre):
Mrs Van Hopper will be played by Tarisha Rommick
Horridge will be played by Neil Moors
Mrs Rutherford will be played by Rosie Glossop
As for the show - I liked it better than I expected. It’s very much in a melodrama / declamatory style - the leads have to fall in love very quickly, and we know they have because they sing at increasing volume about it. That’s how every plot point is conveyed and is not helped by lyrics that repeat verbatim too often. The orchestrations could have done with a little less drum kit, but for me the larger orchestra really paid off. And it was nice to have them projected on the curtain at the end.
The physical production is . . . fine - not the prettiest looking, but there were more changes than I expected and they mostly evoked the settings well in the limitations of such a small space. From row L I only noticed one noisy change behind the curtain, they must have perfected them over the run. I would definitely give it another chance if it returned with a more expansive set (actual fire please!) and another overhaul of the lyrics….
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Post by Mark on Oct 12, 2023 11:08:08 GMT
TKTS has £16 tickets today so I have booked!
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Post by max on Oct 12, 2023 11:32:55 GMT
Saw this today , matinee, for the third time. It's just awesome, the music is goosebump giving, the songs are beautifully sung and the leads and ensemble just brilliant. You can tell the cast are fully into their roles and just get stronger all the time. The audience were great tonight too, standing ovation again. The were a couple of covers on but you would not have known, it just flowed. The orchestra are fabulous too and it was great to see the majority wait , standing, until the final note had been played and then applauding them. Can't wait to see it again now. I really hope this cast do a recording. How lovely, this really is the only show for you. Just surprised you've only seen it three times. |
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Post by rowm on Oct 12, 2023 12:47:16 GMT
Saw this today , matinee, for the third time. It's just awesome, the music is goosebump giving, the songs are beautifully sung and the leads and ensemble just brilliant. You can tell the cast are fully into their roles and just get stronger all the time. The audience were great tonight too, standing ovation again. The were a couple of covers on but you would not have known, it just flowed. The orchestra are fabulous too and it was great to see the majority wait , standing, until the final note had been played and then applauding them. Can't wait to see it again now. I really hope this cast do a recording. How lovely, this really is the only show for you. Just surprised you've only seen it three times. |
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Post by rowm on Oct 12, 2023 12:56:31 GMT
Travel and cost are the reasons I've only seen it three times so far, hoping to get another two visits in before the end of the run. I've seen many many musicals but only Rebecca since joining the forum. Blood Brothers- awesome Les Miserables- stunning Annie- good Come from away- stunning Phantom of the opera- ok Hairspray- brilliant Everyone's talking about jamie- beautiful Stomp- energising The lion king- fab Dr Dolittle- awesome Thriller - fab Mama Mia- feel good Wicked- stunningly awesome These are just a few that I've seen , as I said I've only seen Rebecca since joining the forum hence why it's the only one I've posted about. |
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Post by Mark on Oct 12, 2023 21:23:22 GMT
Well, knew very little before going in. I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed it. Once you get over the fact that the set is absolutely dreadful and the whole thing is camp as tits, it’s an extremely enjoyable evening.
Loved the music, lovely score. Some of the lyrics were pretty dire. Beautifully sung by the cast though - couldn’t fault them at all. Even got into the story.
Back to the set though. Dear god. Definitely spoiled by the pictures from Vienna. I would rate it 4 star, but no 4 star production has a set like that. But maybe I will anyway because I just really enjoyed it.
Would I see it again? Absolutely.
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Post by Dr Tom on Oct 12, 2023 21:36:42 GMT
I’ll have to read the book to try and make sense of this.
Second half was pleasant. First half rather slow.
I didn’t follow why a lot of the audience were laughing at the end (coinciding with red lighting). And I completely missed understanding the lesbian subplot that some Americans were discussing as I left.
On the positives, I got a very good deal on a front row seat. I timed this to see a scheduled Melanie Bright show, who was excellent. And the two girls next to me were on their feet cheering before the curtain had barely gone down. They enjoyed it.
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Post by synchrony on Oct 15, 2023 15:33:08 GMT
I went a few weeks ago and enjoyed it. I love the novel and never heard the German soundtrack before. I wasn't expecting anything special from the set at a small fringe theatre so wasn't disappointed by it.
I loved Lauren, she was fantastic.
I found Richard a bit wooded but liked him in his song about what happened to Rebecca.
I had Melanie as Danvers. I was surprised how young and beautiful she was, but I really liked that it made me think she must have been in love with Rebecca herself. I liked her.
I liked the song Beatrice sang about the upper classes.
I loathed "I'll scratch your back". Really cringe. Although I liked the actor the rest of the time.
I see there was a song about being American originally. What was that about? There aren't any Americans in Manderley?
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Post by Peter on Oct 15, 2023 16:50:24 GMT
I loathed "I'll scratch your back". Really cringe. Although I liked the actor the rest of the time. I see there was a song about being American originally. What was that about? There aren't any Americans in Manderley? Yes, that song was a low point - could really have been a scene rather than a song. Or at least much shorter - that repeated chorus was painful (the stanza rhyming ‘loot’ and ‘hoot’ was awful the first time, don’t repeat it a second and third time!) The song I’m American Woman was for Mrs Hopper to sing at the Manderley ball near the end of Act One - she doesn’t appear there any more so the song is gone. |
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Post by Mark on Oct 15, 2023 17:07:17 GMT
That I’ll scratch your back number was the one time the show went to being just…. bad. The rest of the score was great.
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Post by raiseitup on Oct 17, 2023 10:25:00 GMT
Is TKTS the best option for discounted tickets?
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Post by anthony on Oct 21, 2023 11:16:07 GMT
You know, the more I see it, the more I enjoy it. Once you get over the staging, it's great... I still think this is a missed opportunity and they'd have been better mounting a full-scale production, but here we are.
Last went on a Thursday evening and surprisingly for a mid-week evening, the theatre was about 90% full - actually more full than when I saw it the previous Saturday evening. Weird when you consider this evening's production is currently only around 60% sold.
I wonder if they're trying to get investment for a larger scale run? I noticed that there have been some more costume changes for I and it looks like additional fire effects have been added in recent weeks during the fire. Seems odd to be making small changes like this at this point.
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 21, 2023 14:27:31 GMT
"Once you get over the staging it's great" is SUCH a weird sentence I can't 😂
How can you have to look past like, the fundamental thing about a production (it's STAGING!) in order to see it's good? This is madness !
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Post by theatrefan62 on Oct 21, 2023 14:35:46 GMT
"Once you get over the staging it's great" is SUCH a weird sentence I can't 😂 How can you have to look past like, the fundamental thing about a production (it's STAGING!) in order to see it's good? This is madness ! You say that, but many on here frequently dismiss the importance of sets and staging. So it is a bit surprising that Rebecca is skated for it when other productions have got away with cheap looking sets and costumes |
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Post by anthony on Oct 21, 2023 14:41:57 GMT
"Once you get over the staging it's great" is SUCH a weird sentence I can't 😂 How can you have to look past like, the fundamental thing about a production (it's STAGING!) in order to see it's good? This is madness ! I disagree. Using your logic, the majority of amateur productions would be terrible. Within the context of the piece, at an off West-End theatre, it really isn't too shocking. The performance itself is brilliant - Kara Lane is literally out of this world. The plot, performance, and songs are great. And really, if we're comparing it to the international productions, sure, it's shocking... but it's also at an off West End theatre and it's not trying to be Vienna or Budapest or Tokyo. Not really sure why it's "madness" to appreciate that. |
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