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Post by sf on Apr 17, 2024 22:02:45 GMT
A revival of Follies, using the 1971 script and the National Theatre set but with a bigger string section and a much more expensive, more opulent set of designs for the Loveland sequence, at Drury Lane when Frozen closes. I can dream, can't I? And we get Jo and Janie to do it again? SOLD And Alexander Hanson, Peter Forbes, and Claire Moore.
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 17, 2024 22:27:59 GMT
And we get Jo and Janie to do it again? SOLD And Alexander Hanson, Peter Forbes, and Claire Moore. I'll trade Hanson for Quast, but you're on!
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Post by Figaro on Apr 18, 2024 7:08:56 GMT
Has he been on yet?
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Post by Mark on Apr 18, 2024 7:40:37 GMT
Just on now, but it’s Oliver, he slipped. And a few London cast going to NYC with Old Friends
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Post by ruthieh on Apr 18, 2024 7:41:34 GMT
Also just said several other Old Friends going to Broadway…
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Post by BVM on Apr 18, 2024 7:47:48 GMT
Oliver for me very high up on the list of musicals people seem to be obsessed with that I feel like I don't "get."
Saw it TRDR. Enjoyed it. Had zero desire to ever go again!
Cameron does put on a decent production though so maybe I'll revisit this when the time comes.....
He really does love bringing back the same shows over and over doesn't he. (Not that I can complain as a Les Mis and Miss Saigon obsessive!)
Edit - they've just played a montage and it does actually have quite a few bangers. Perhaps I need to try again.
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Post by ceebee on Apr 18, 2024 7:54:08 GMT
Oliver for me very high up on the list of musicals people seem to be obsessed with that I feel like I don't "get." Saw it TRDR. Enjoyed it. Had zero desire to ever go again! Cameron does put on a decent production though so maybe I'll revisit this when the time comes..... He really does love brining back the same shows over and over doesn't he. (Not that I can complain as a Les Mis and Miss Saigon obsessive!) Edit - they've just played a montage and it does actually have quite a few bangers. Perhaps I need to try again. Whatever this production is like, it'll need to be very good to beat the Leeds Playhouse production last winter.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 18, 2024 8:12:02 GMT
Underwhelming lol
Let's hope it's actually good lol
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Post by distantcousin on Apr 18, 2024 8:52:49 GMT
Oliver for me very high up on the list of musicals people seem to be obsessed with that I feel like I don't "get." Saw it TRDR. Enjoyed it. Had zero desire to ever go again! Cameron does put on a decent production though so maybe I'll revisit this when the time comes..... He really does love bringing back the same shows over and over doesn't he. (Not that I can complain as a Les Mis and Miss Saigon obsessive!) Edit - they've just played a montage and it does actually have quite a few bangers. Perhaps I need to try again. Same. I saw it in the 2000's. I think with Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Can't even remember who played Fagin. Went to see what all the fuss was about. Got a day ticket from Leicester Square - ah, happy days of that. Thought the show was fine. Nothing bad about it. But it didn't move me. It entertained me on a basic level. Didn't hate it. Did it leave me thinking about it? No.
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Post by BVM on Apr 18, 2024 9:06:25 GMT
Oliver for me very high up on the list of musicals people seem to be obsessed with that I feel like I don't "get." Saw it TRDR. Enjoyed it. Had zero desire to ever go again! Cameron does put on a decent production though so maybe I'll revisit this when the time comes..... He really does love bringing back the same shows over and over doesn't he. (Not that I can complain as a Les Mis and Miss Saigon obsessive!) Edit - they've just played a montage and it does actually have quite a few bangers. Perhaps I need to try again. Same. I saw it in the 2000's. I think with Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Can't even remember who played Fagin. Went to see what all the fuss was about. Got a day ticket from Leicester Square - ah, happy days of that. Thought the show was fine. Nothing bad about it. But it didn't move me. It entertained me on a basic level. Didn't hate it. Did it leave me thinking about it? No. Ahhhh those were happy days, when Leicester Square was genuinely half price official box office or less! This was exactly how I felt! I guess it falls into for me into that "family musicals" category (like Wizard of Oz etc), all of which I find ok if decent production values but none of which truly move me.... That said, they clearly shift tickets! Huge announcement like the second coming though!? I am not quite on the same page.
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Post by danb on Apr 18, 2024 9:16:46 GMT
It’s his special baby though! If he’s excited about it then so should we be. If it fills a theatre and keeps Shaftesbury Ave ticking along nicely fair play to him but it doesn’t enthuse me. Half of me thinks “C’mon Cam, you’re loaded. Take some risks on some exciting new things.” But I realise that I wouldn't if it was my money, so why should he?
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Post by Someone in a tree on Apr 18, 2024 9:18:56 GMT
I guess previous Olivers funded Old Friends and i guess this one will bankroll its forthcoming Broadway run. Small mercies
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Post by distantcousin on Apr 18, 2024 10:39:25 GMT
Same. I saw it in the 2000's. I think with Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Can't even remember who played Fagin. Went to see what all the fuss was about. Got a day ticket from Leicester Square - ah, happy days of that. Thought the show was fine. Nothing bad about it. But it didn't move me. It entertained me on a basic level. Didn't hate it. Did it leave me thinking about it? No. Ahhhh those were happy days, when Leicester Square was genuinely half price official box office or less! This was exactly how I felt! I guess it falls into for me into that "family musicals" category (like Wizard of Oz etc), all of which I find ok if decent production values but none of which truly move me.... That said, they clearly shift tickets! Huge announcement like the second coming though!? I am not quite on the same page. Radio 2 and their so called "huge announcements" - they pulled this nonsense a couple of weeks ago regarding ABBA, and all it ended up being was a listeners poll "vote for your favourite ABBA song" (which has been done numerous times before). The online fan groups were dismayed as they had been lining themselves for something massive related to the 50th anniversary of Waterloo, Eurovision etc. The Radio 2 PR team need to calm down!
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 18, 2024 10:48:18 GMT
Ahhhh those were happy days, when Leicester Square was genuinely half price official box office or less! This was exactly how I felt! I guess it falls into for me into that "family musicals" category (like Wizard of Oz etc), all of which I find ok if decent production values but none of which truly move me.... That said, they clearly shift tickets! Huge announcement like the second coming though!? I am not quite on the same page. Radio 2 and their so called "huge announcements" - they pulled this nonsense a couple of weeks ago regarding ABBA, and all it ended up being was a listeners poll "vote for your favourite ABBA song" (which has been done numerous times before). The online fan groups were dismayed as they had been lining themselves for something massive related to the 50th anniversary of Waterloo, Eurovision etc. The Radio 2 PR team need to calm down! In fairness it's not just them, it's a very common theme across all media/social media in all niches. Plus the use of the eyes emoji. Usually anything but a big announcement. Form of click bait really.
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Post by ceebee on Apr 18, 2024 11:34:07 GMT
We live in a world these days where even omelettes are over-egged.
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Post by theatremiss on Apr 18, 2024 12:15:47 GMT
Oliver for me very high up on the list of musicals people seem to be obsessed with that I feel like I don't "get." Saw it TRDR. Enjoyed it. Had zero desire to ever go again! Cameron does put on a decent production though so maybe I'll revisit this when the time comes..... He really does love bringing back the same shows over and over doesn't he. (Not that I can complain as a Les Mis and Miss Saigon obsessive!) Edit - they've just played a montage and it does actually have quite a few bangers. Perhaps I need to try again. Same. I saw it in the 2000's. I think with Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Can't even remember who played Fagin. Went to see what all the fuss was about. Got a day ticket from Leicester Square - ah, happy days of that. Thought the show was fine. Nothing bad about it. But it didn't move me. It entertained me on a basic level. Didn't hate it. Did it leave me thinking about it? No. Was that off the back of “Search for a Nancy” or whatever the BBC program was called? It was Jody Prenger but I saw Kerry Ellis too. I think it was Rowan Atkinson? Unless I’m getting my productions confused.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 18, 2024 12:26:04 GMT
Same. I saw it in the 2000's. I think with Kerry Ellis as Nancy. Can't even remember who played Fagin. Went to see what all the fuss was about. Got a day ticket from Leicester Square - ah, happy days of that. Thought the show was fine. Nothing bad about it. But it didn't move me. It entertained me on a basic level. Didn't hate it. Did it leave me thinking about it? No. Was that off the back of “Search for a Nancy” or whatever the BBC program was called? It was Jody Prenger but I saw Kerry Ellis too. I think it was Rowan Atkinson? Unless I’m getting my productions confused. Kerry replaced Jodie. It was Rowen first, then Omid took over. Can't remember if someone followed him or if he was the last
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Post by Being Alive on Apr 18, 2024 12:34:14 GMT
Was that off the back of “Search for a Nancy” or whatever the BBC program was called? It was Jody Prenger but I saw Kerry Ellis too. I think it was Rowan Atkinson? Unless I’m getting my productions confused. Kerry replaced Jodie. It was Rowen first, then Omid took over. Can't remember if someone followed him or if he was the last Griff Rhys Jones definitely did it at some point, and I vaguely remember Russ Abbot did too (possible I'm making the last one up)
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 18, 2024 12:35:07 GMT
Kerry replaced Jodie. It was Rowen first, then Omid took over. Can't remember if someone followed him or if he was the last Griff Rhys Jones definitely did it at some point, and I vaguely remember Russ Abbot did too (possible I'm making the last one up) Oh yeah! Russ closed it according to a Google
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Post by ceebee on Apr 18, 2024 12:35:49 GMT
Kerry replaced Jodie. It was Rowen first, then Omid took over. Can't remember if someone followed him or if he was the last Griff Rhys Jones definitely did it at some point, and I vaguely remember Russ Abbot did too (possible I'm making the last one up) You're not - Russ Abbot did, and was excellent!
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Apr 18, 2024 13:20:29 GMT
We live in a world these days where even omelettes are over-egged. You’re on a roll with the dad jokes today!
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Post by viserys on Apr 18, 2024 13:32:25 GMT
I guess Oliver is similar to Annie or Joseph in that many people have been part of am dram/school productions, so it was their intro to musical theatre and a new big revival every 20 years or so is the right time interval to haul the next generation into the theatre.
Personally I couldn't care less, it's even mildly amusing to me that Carousel keeps getting trashed for supposedly promoting domestic violence while nobody seems to have a problem with a character like Nancy, whose only raison d'etre in the show seems to be belt out a drippy song how she'll stick by her evil violent boyfriend, who beats her.
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Post by anthony40 on Apr 18, 2024 13:45:19 GMT
Interesting fact, in London there are a set of steps leading up to London Bridge called Nancy's Steps.
There was a plaque. Not too sure if this ever was replaced.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Apr 18, 2024 14:41:55 GMT
I guess Oliver is similar to Annie or Joseph in that many people have been part of am dram/school productions, so it was their intro to musical theatre and a new big revival every 20 years or so is the right time interval to haul the next generation into the theatre. Personally I couldn't care less, it's even mildly amusing to me that Carousel keeps getting trashed for supposedly promoting domestic violence while nobody seems to have a problem with a character like Nancy, whose only raison d'etre in the show seems to be belt out a drippy song how she'll stick by her evil violent boyfriend, who beats her. As much as I'm ambivalent about Oliver!, I don't see how the show is comparable to Carousel - Bill Sikes isn't exactly painted in a sympathetic light and Nancy's song isn't a lesson to live by, it's tragic, whereas Billy Bigelow is kind of just made out to be a misguided dolt who beats his wife but loves her deep down and he helped his daughter sing a song one time (despite earlier hitting her within minutes of meeting her for the first time as a ghost) so all is forgiven I guess? Edit: just to note, I don't think Carousel is irredeemable as some - overall I think it's clearly not promoting domestic violence, but I think its redemption arc for Bill is far too easy and neat and tidy for someone who up until the last 5 minutes of the show has basically made every bad possible choice (albeit perhaps without always intending harm but that only goes so far to make up for his actions) and then gets into heaven by vaguely sort of breaking the cycle of what, isolation I guess?
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Post by singingbird on Apr 18, 2024 14:43:03 GMT
Personally I couldn't care less, it's even mildly amusing to me that Carousel keeps getting trashed for supposedly promoting domestic violence while nobody seems to have a problem with a character like Nancy, whose only raison d'etre in the show seems to be belt out a drippy song how she'll stick by her evil violent boyfriend, who beats her. Interesting perspective. To me, that's what makes it such a powerful song. It is so sad, and tragically very honest. It also has a wonderful key change into the last verse. That a supposedly family-friendly, big and bright musical can have a character so psychologically damaged as Nancy is one of the most powerful things about the show. I also think Bart is hugely underrated as a lyricist - I mean, can anything beat I will own a suite at Claridges, And run a fleet of carriages, And wave at all the duchesses With friendliness, as much as is Befitting of my new estate... "Good morrow to you, magistrate!" I think I'd better think it out again. I do feel that Oliver loses steam as it goes on, but it has an incredibly ear-wormy score. Personally, I'd prefer a full-scale revival of Bart's Maggie May, but I very much doubt that'll ever happen. I'd also highly recommend his concept album Isn't This Where We Came In? which traces a life from birth to death. Indulgent at times, but like nothing else and completely fascinating, with some amazing songs.
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Post by viserys on Apr 18, 2024 14:55:06 GMT
Nancy's song isn't a lesson to live by, it's tragic Sure, I know that, but personally I just don't want to see female characters anymore whose lives are entirely defined by men and/or whose only point in the show is to orbit around men. Much like the dreadful Miss Saigon gained a lot by casting a female Engineer and thereby redress the power balance somewhat, I think it may be a lot of fun to cast a female Fagin to offset the drippy Nancy. Anyway, don't mind me, I have very strong feelings about these issues On a selfish level I'm glad that this is another show I can happy give a miss, freeing me up for things I'd rather see or save a lot of money on shortening my London trips!
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Post by blamerobots on Apr 18, 2024 14:58:35 GMT
Reading about how this production is a return to a more intimate Oliver, I'm guessing we won't be seeing Oom-Pah-Pah at a pub down the road broadcasted live to the theatre. It has me intrigued that they're this eager to put it on the West End with such flair; Oliver in a smaller-scale has the opportunity to be great
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Post by theatrefan62 on Apr 18, 2024 15:05:15 GMT
It's certainly an interesting take this time around. It's been a long time since the show itself was the star and it's not relied on star casting in Fagin. Curious to see how it does.
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Post by alicechallice on Apr 18, 2024 15:06:43 GMT
I think it's a shame that it's transfer has been announced so early, it takes the shine off it being a success for Chichester in the first instance.
The Half a Sixpence WE transfer wasn't announced until after it had finished at CFT.
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Post by blamerobots on Apr 18, 2024 15:17:19 GMT
I wonder how long it's been in the works for.
I know we now live in the age where ticket sales are enough to justify a Broadway transfer but it being such a straight shot for the West End, hopefully it's something special.
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