4,550 posts
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Post by Mark on Sept 10, 2018 21:52:16 GMT
Quick interval post! This is incredible powerhouse & masterclass musical theatre! Tonight we are getting the whole show, believe the hype everyone!! More to come post show!! Just booked on the basis of this post for Sat evening. Hope act two lived up to your expectations!
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665 posts
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Post by westendcub on Sept 10, 2018 22:07:20 GMT
Well that a fantastic night at the theatre!
So I’ll begin with some of my observations, Act 1 is tight & perfected but Act 2 needs some more work and needs to tighten up. I found the middle of Act 2 losses it’s way & loses pace (irony being the final 15 mins is when it finds its pace & spark back!). With Act 1 at 1.20 hours & Act 2 at 1.23 hours (got out at 10.45) I really hope it’s Act 2 they make the changes in because this is a show of great quality, vibrancy and it’s bursting with talent.
There’s some amazing moments of soul, rap and rousing musical numbers (Act 1 closer is stunning) & it has that feel of ‘Hamilton’ but in a positive way of telling about important moment in our history in a diverse and accessible way to unite all types of audiences.
The performances are excellent but wow I must hand it to Beverley Knight (that voice) and this is the best I’ve seen her (she’s treaded the boards and found her way).
There are changes to be made but this has a great energy & I definitely see this to have further life beyond this run at ‘The Old Vic’ & I look forward to the day there’s a cast recording.
So glad I got to see it from start to finish and I look forward to others experience and of the changes ahead but I think it’s an exciting domestic musical that’s one to watch (there so much potential with this material and telling of history).
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Post by firefingers on Sept 10, 2018 22:40:03 GMT
Thanks for the update Westendcub! Glad the show is in better shape. Did anything about the last 15 minutes scream "impossible to stage" then, or was it similar to the rest?
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3,471 posts
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Post by showgirl on Sept 11, 2018 3:28:52 GMT
looked on the OV website and saw that all performances are now being listed as previews and the tickets sales for the Thursday mat are shocking! S I also noticed that the whole run was now showing as previews (unprecedented in my experience) and that sales were poor for the matinee this Thursday but on the latter point, weekday matinees of this show seem generally unpopular (so far) and though they are usually at 2.30 pm, this week's is at 1 pm for no apparent reason, so really awkward for anyone wishing, as I always do, to see a film beforehand. The latest posts are really encouraging but could anyone please provide the approximate running time for the full version? If it's long I will have to go for a matinee.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 5:57:01 GMT
The latest posts are really encouraging but could anyone please provide the approximate running time for the full version? If it's long I will have to go for a matinee. With Act 1 at 1.20 hours & Act 2 at 1.23 hours (got out at 10.45)
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3,471 posts
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Post by showgirl on Sept 11, 2018 6:53:57 GMT
Thank you both, @baemax and westendcub; don't know how I missed that but clear that I need to book a matinee.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 6:59:43 GMT
That's probably safest. I've already booked an evening show, so I'll just keep my fingers crossed that they manage to tighten it up over the next couple of weeks, or at least that the show is so good I won't mind getting out at such a late hour.
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3,057 posts
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Post by ali973 on Sept 11, 2018 8:56:34 GMT
So what is so special with the ending that they couldn't perform due to safety concerns?
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290 posts
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Post by southstreet on Sept 11, 2018 9:29:20 GMT
I also went last night and whilst I enjoyed big chunks of it, I am not surprised that they apparently completely cancelled press night now and that the whole thing is just one big preview, because whilst there is a lot of potential there, they are far from ready IMO.
The cast was amazing, not a single weak link among them, I couldn't fault their commitment or talent.
It is more varied than Hamilton in musical style (and I definitely was reminded of both Hamilton and Color Purple at several points musically as well as staging wise) but I feel overall the score wasn't as memorable. It had a lot of funny lines but the sound issues (mic cues missed, voices being drowned out by band, crackling, etc.) meant I missed a fair bit of the lyrics.
I feel the narrative still needs a lot more work, the characters are all still fairly one-dimensional, even though maybe being able to hear more of the lyrics would have fleshed them out a bit more. But overall none of the characters got enough definition to really make me care about them and strangely I felt the focus for most of the show was much more on Emily and Christabel Pankhurst than on Sylvia.
And the much anticipated ending.... I seriously don't see any other reason than them not being ready, as to why it hasn't been performed before last night. Yes there were a few boxes moved around that they stood on, but there were plenty of boxes around beforehand, too. I expected something really technically elaborate, seeing that they gave 'safety' concerns as their reason for not showing more than half of act 2 previously (it was apparently 40 minutes last week and nearly one hour 25 mins last night). But again, I felt the ending was more about Emily and Christabel than Sylvia from a factual point of view celebrating the fact that women got the vote in 1918, when what Sylvia fought for didn't come into effect until 1928 and that got just a passing mention.
Anyway, I am excited to see what they make of it and if they bring it back (hopefully after a lot of rewrites and tightening) it could really be something special. For me it's just not ready yet.
That said, they got a huge standing ovation at the end, so what do I know. LOL
P.S.: I think the midweek matinees this week and next week were added after the cancellations of the shows last week, so they are probably quiet because they haven't been on sale long.
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Xanderl
Member
Not always very high value in terms of ticket yield or donations
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Post by Xanderl on Sept 11, 2018 10:49:12 GMT
Apparently the ending was just a title card saying "Note: Sylvia Pankhurst died on her way back to her home planet"
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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2018 10:59:38 GMT
I just had to switch my tickets for this from Friday 21st to Saturday 22nd, so there are two brilliant Friday night circle tickets now available. They sell them as restricted view (rail in eye line) but it's not.
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1,186 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 11, 2018 15:16:31 GMT
it was apparently 40 minutes last week and nearly one hour 25 mins last night From that, it appears that "the final 15 minutes" was actually "the final 45 minutes," since the show ended at 10:05pm when I saw it.
Now I will have to find the time to see this before the run completes, as I'm desperate to see the quarter of the show I missed, and I'm enjoying seeing the show grow and improve.
They should make it 40 minutes longer every week, then they could sell me one ticket every week.
I assume and hope that the fact that every show is now marked "preview" means that the critics will NOT get to review the show on the 17th, as previously announced, as this has such potential to be a massive show, and it would be a shame to tar it with bad reviews because it's not quite ready.
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1,064 posts
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Post by bellboard27 on Sept 11, 2018 15:42:34 GMT
I found this good, but not stand out. The best of it was the music. Weakest was the dramatic structure. In the middle was the choreography, which at times was great and at other times a bit of a mess.
Musically I liked the range of styles and moods – it all added to a good exploration of the changing issues. Some have mentioned sound issues. To begin with from the dress circle I thought the sound was good, but it did have its off moments!
Dramatically, there were some aspects I liked. I liked the exploration of the division in the movement between those willing to countenance violence and those not (it would have been interesting to explore the extension of the violence beyond targeting political opponents, such as burning churches and libraries, bombs on trains, etc., as that divided opinion hugely in the movement).
I did not like how they addressed the opposing arguments. The arguments supporting women’s suffrage were set out rationally, but the opposition was presented as comic caricatures. I find that this approach diminishes the dramatic flow. The arguments may not seem rational now, but presenting them as such would show what the women faced.
Also, I was not keen on a narrator. I prefer the drama to be self-explanatory. Anyway, was there a reason that for most of it the narrator was a man? I’m sure there is an obvious explanation, but it did feel odd. It felt like “this is the story of the struggle women faced to be heard and this man is going to explain it to you”. Maybe that was the intent in some pointed statement of the role of men, but if so that was not clear to me.
Finally, I wonder what the marketing has been on this. When I went there was several groups with small children (down to 6-7 years old). Some left at the interval. Did the Old Vic promote young people’s participation, but this ended up attracting some very young audience members?!
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1,186 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 11, 2018 15:56:12 GMT
The arguments supporting women’s suffrage were set out rationally, but the opposition was presented as comic caricatures. It felt like “this is the story of the struggle women faced to be heard and this man is going to explain it to you”. Maybe that was the intent in some pointed statement of the role of men, but if so that was not clear to me. Completely agree.
Although I did find the B-story of male oppression (John Dagleish et al) very funny, the A-story, represented by Winston Churchill, felt like it needed to be more of a serious dramatic obstacle, something wound up in logic at the beginning, even if it's just the Bible, that could then be deconstructed by the Suffragettes.
And the narrator also grated with me, for the reasons you say. Lin-Manuel Miranda solved the problem perfectly by making his narrator integral to the story, the antagonist, Aaron Burr. Here, the narrator is not so integrated, and having it be a man does indeed seem quaint, as if we will take a man more seriously. And if that is the reason, say so, make something of it, make us laugh about it, then have him be kicked off the stage by a woman lol!
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923 posts
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Post by Snciole on Sept 12, 2018 18:10:59 GMT
A colleague went to see it (it sounds like they acted as if it was press night, even if the press weren't allowed to talk about it) and she said the ending seemed rushed rather than rather technically difficult. I am staggered that Katie Prince is so unprepared and that she got these huge names on the basis of something that doesn't like it was ready for rehearsals. I am seeing it on Saturday and word of mouth suggests it is a very good show but not ready yet.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 13, 2018 6:54:26 GMT
A colleague went to see it (it sounds like they acted as if it was press night, even if the press weren't allowed to talk about it) and she said the ending seemed rushed rather than rather technically difficult. I am staggered that Katie Prince is so unprepared and that she got these huge names on the basis of something that doesn't like it was ready for rehearsals. I am seeing it on Saturday and word of mouth suggests it is a very good show but not ready yet. Didn’t Hamilton start off-Broadway? I know that this isn’t exactly the same, but if the show’s eventually a giant hit, everyone will be boasting they saw it at the Old Vic.
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923 posts
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Post by Snciole on Sept 13, 2018 9:35:16 GMT
A colleague went to see it (it sounds like they acted as if it was press night, even if the press weren't allowed to talk about it) and she said the ending seemed rushed rather than rather technically difficult. I am staggered that Katie Prince is so unprepared and that she got these huge names on the basis of something that doesn't like it was ready for rehearsals. I am seeing it on Saturday and word of mouth suggests it is a very good show but not ready yet. Didn’t Hamilton start off-Broadway? I know that this isn’t exactly the same, but if the show’s eventually a giant hit, everyone will be boasting they saw it at the Old Vic. That is a fair point which makes me wonder why she didn't go to Sadlers Wells or Peacock Theatre with Sylvia as work in progress piece.
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Post by paddy72 on Sept 13, 2018 16:11:52 GMT
Before there was Hamilton there was ‘Into the hood’ from Kate Prince and Zoo Nation. Way ahead of their time. Their influence can be felt all over this amazingly brilliant new show. It is so thrilling that all I can say is that everyone has got to scramble to get to see it. Beverley Knight as Emmeline Pankhurst has created a new musical character on a par with Evita. She is simply awe inspiring. The understudy replacement for Sylvia is the stuff of theatrical legend. The whole cast are really really really special. I loved Churchill and his mother Jenny. I overheard staff in the interval saying that people have been rebooking instantly and that producers are flying in to see it, before it’s short run ends, and urgently looking for a transfer to a larger house whilst the cast is still together. Please god they manage it as I will go again and again. This is a production that crosses over and beyond everything that has gone before it. Another new Old Vic smash. See it. See it. SEE IT!!!!!!! before it’s too late....
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Post by anthem on Sept 13, 2018 16:36:53 GMT
I saw the show this afternoon. It seemed like a full house from what I could tell. There’s a lot to be happy with- the performances are uniformly excellent. It was my first time seeing Beverley Knight sing live and she’s incredible. Her acting is not quite at the same level but she’s still very good. Maria Omakinwa did a great job as Sylvia- it’s admirable what she’s done with the role in just a few performances. Witney White was excellent as Christabel Pankhurst. The others were great too. There are a few great songs and outstanding emotionally resonant moments. In particular, there is a sequence which closes the first half which is stunning. There are some really well choreographed moments, and some humour too. It was great to see a bit more diversity in the audience, which is sadly lacking at times. If I was to be negative, it feels too long and badly needs to be edited. I found it dragged in both halves of the show and I would be lying if I said it wasn’t boring at times. The staging is very simple, which is effective for the most part but it’s not always that engaging to watch. There just doesn’t feel like much dramatic urgency at times. I would watch it again but only if it had been tweaked. At the moment it’s a 3/3.5 star show when it could be a five star.
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4,038 posts
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Post by kathryn on Sept 13, 2018 16:39:07 GMT
If it’s going to be a huge crossover hit then surely there’s no rush to see it - it’ll transfer into the west end and run for years.
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Post by firefingers on Sept 13, 2018 17:07:32 GMT
SEE IT!!!!!!! before it’s too late.... I mean, some of us saw it too early and only got 75% of the show... if we leave it longer will it grow again I wonder.
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2,262 posts
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Post by theatreian on Sept 13, 2018 17:15:36 GMT
Saw this week and had to leave at the interval due to the abysmal view from the seat. Not been to the Old Vic for a while and have only sat in the stalls before but for this we sat in the dress circle on the side row y, but the view was appalling . You could only see about 25% of the stage. In this day and age theatres should simply not be selling this sort of view. Apart from that we really didn't enjoy the show anyway! Must be my age I guess as after seeing The king and I in the afternoon it was like chalk and cheese. We all have different tastes and this was not ours. Had I have realised the musical content prior we would probably not have booked but it didn't seem to ring true at all given the time period and subject matter. The cast were giving it their all though ad most people seem to be enjoying it so ignore me!
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Post by latefortheoverture on Sept 13, 2018 17:18:46 GMT
So do we this expect this to transfer?
I'm kind of stressing as I'm dying to see it, but I don't really have the time!!!
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Post by charmedjean on Sept 13, 2018 17:21:38 GMT
I saw it last night - incredible show! It was pretty much sold out. The show started a few mins late and ended at 10:40pm. So much energy from the cast! I didn't check the cast board (is there one?) so I didn't know an understudy was on for Sylvia! Maria Omakinwa did a fantastic job! It was only when she had to read from a script in parts of Act 2 that it clicked (I thought it was a prop) but she did incredibly well, so many lines to remember and loads of fast lyrics!
The show did seem a little bit long and they can probably cut/shorten a few scenes. The whole cast did a brilliant job. Go see it if you can! There are only limited tickets available now but I can see some returns in the stalls popping up every now and then, best to check with the Box Office in case they haven't posted it up (they need to sell out before they can post them up...)
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3,471 posts
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Post by showgirl on Sept 13, 2018 20:41:04 GMT
I called in today to book ahead and avoid the fee, since I was in London anyway. It was interval time for the matinee and busy, though according to the Box Office assistant, evenings are very booked up and matinees quieter. I asked one man if he was enjoying it and he said he was; generally there seemed quite a buzz and a good atmosphere.
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Post by jamb0r on Sept 13, 2018 21:51:27 GMT
Well there’s definitely a good show in there somewhere! Some fantastic performances, I loved a lot of the songs (the song after Emily Davison’s death was a highlight) and the choreography was outstanding in parts. But it needs a lot of work and some serious trimming. Got out of the theatre at 22:40 tonight, 3 hours and 10 minutes is far too long, and some of the sequences were reaaaaaally boring.
With a bit of work, this could be something special.
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3,471 posts
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Post by showgirl on Sept 14, 2018 3:42:33 GMT
Any other seniors here, remember at matinees you can buy the best available for £26. I've seen no better offers, surprisingly, but even if there are/were some, I'm happy with my top-price central stalls seat for that price.
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776 posts
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Post by latefortheoverture on Sept 14, 2018 10:29:44 GMT
Any other seniors here, remember at matinees you can buy the best available for £26. I've seen no better offers, surprisingly, but even if there are/were some, I'm happy with my top-price central stalls seat for that price. I did get an 'offer' for the matinee yesterday for £8 top price tickets, hopefully it'll be the same next week as need to move a few bits to fingers crossed get to the matinee.
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3,471 posts
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Post by showgirl on Sept 14, 2018 11:15:54 GMT
Wow, brilliant - wd've loved that but I don't receive any for the Old Vic & too late gor me now anyway.
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1,936 posts
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Post by wickedgrin on Sept 14, 2018 12:38:05 GMT
Any other seniors here, remember at matinees you can buy the best available for £26. I've seen no better offers, surprisingly, but even if there are/were some, I'm happy with my top-price central stalls seat for that price. Tried to book next Wed matinee (19th) for this (lots of availability) but on the Old Vic website - there was no discount from 45 quid? Where is the 26 pound offer?
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