4,995 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Feb 19, 2018 13:03:02 GMT
MB falling off the tightrope in Barnum
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 13:13:51 GMT
Despite thinking it was a terrible show, and despite it actually being quite obvious how it was done, the one that instantly comes to mind was Willy Wonka's disappearance right at the end of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, when the coat falls to the floor. It was a really impressive moment Yes, Alex Jennings was much better at executing it than Jonathan Slinger. Always noticed JS fumbling about and coat moving etc. |
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349 posts
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Post by kimbahorel on Feb 19, 2018 15:23:38 GMT
I remember Carrie at Southwark Playhouse. It's a small venue but they had a scene where they had things levitating and moving by themselves.
I saw a play at National 3 Winters they had the most fasinating set changes I have ever seen. It moved between 3 time periods. The walls would move and as they move the set changed. I assume behind the moving wall had stage hands picking up the props and set and the overlapping wall has someone putting down. It was all seamlessly done.
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5,073 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 19, 2018 15:51:10 GMT
I remember Carrie at Southwark Playhouse. It's a small venue but they had a scene where they had things levitating and moving by themselves. I saw a play at National 3 Winters they had the most fasinating set changes I have ever seen. It moved between 3 time periods. The walls would move and as they move the set changed. I assume behind the moving wall had stage hands picking up the props and set and the overlapping wall has someone putting down. It was all seamlessly done. The book levitating in Carrie was astonishing, I was sitting next to it and still couldn't see how it was done.
The door in Ghost, which I mentioned earlier, where the person literally walks though it, does anyone know how it was done please?
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1,326 posts
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Post by londonmzfitz on Feb 19, 2018 15:55:02 GMT
As others have mentioned the barricade in Les Miserables - seeing this at The Palace decades ago, watching it move into position - that was truly astonishing.
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19,803 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 19, 2018 16:40:11 GMT
I remember Carrie at Southwark Playhouse. It's a small venue but they had a scene where they had things levitating and moving by themselves. I saw a play at National 3 Winters they had the most fasinating set changes I have ever seen. It moved between 3 time periods. The walls would move and as they move the set changed. I assume behind the moving wall had stage hands picking up the props and set and the overlapping wall has someone putting down. It was all seamlessly done.
The door in Ghost, which I mentioned earlier, where the person literally walks though it, does anyone know how it was done please?
Very old magic trick using mirrors. I can’t remember the detail but it’s on YouTube. I remember looking it up when Ghost was previewing in Manc. And another manc preview, Bat Out Of Hell and the underwater quick change. |
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490 posts
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Post by bimse on Feb 19, 2018 17:13:08 GMT
Some memorable moments that stay with me include all the effects in "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" and all the effects in "Mary Poppins". Characters flying out over the auditorium are always exciting and to have three at once in "The Witches of Eastwick" was a special treat. And Paul Kieve's effects for "The Invisible Man" (various productions) and "Ghost" were mind-blowing. Flying out over the audience is always impressive ...... how can I ever forget Dame Edna rising and floating out over her audience, throwing gladioli as she levitated , saying at the peak of her flight “I hope I don’t do anything involuntary “. Very well done, well costumed , and looked spectacular from where I was sitting safely in the circle . I think the show was possibly “Back with a vengeance”. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 17:40:30 GMT
The one that stands out to me, decades later, was the 'exit pursued by bear' in the RSC's Winter's Tale back in... I don't know, the mid 80s?
The court scenes in the first act were all white and wintry - everyone wore furs and there was a GIANT polar bear rug covering the whole stage. When the court finished, the back of the stage dropped away, and the rug sank away into the pit. Then later on, it got stormy and dark and the rug lifted out of the pit with its eyes glowing and its claws rearing up, with thunder and lightning and roaring. It then came down on top of the actor and wrapped round him, dragging him down into the pit. I was 11 or so and it was wonderful.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 17:47:15 GMT
Son of a Preacher Man provoking applause.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 19, 2018 19:09:43 GMT
This is probably fairly niche to, well me. BUT the way the Angel in Angels in America arrived most recently. Simply because it flew in the face (pardon the pun) of how it's "normally" done.
And also because I was a bit too close and she scared the sh*t out of me.
I'm a sucker for the Phantom illusions too.
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879 posts
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Post by daisy24601 on Feb 19, 2018 20:47:10 GMT
Like you, decades on I still am overawed by the sight of Jesus, in the original Palace Theatre Superstar, rising from the depths of the stage in cross formation, even though there was no cross to be crucified on... I thought it was breathtaking. The first time I saw two pieces of rubbish, either side of the stage in Les Miserables, join to be come a barricade I was dumbstruck. We’re all used to it now...  The same goes for Javert’s ‘jump’ from the bridge on the Seine into the swirling river... OMG! These are just some moments I’ll never forget. Javert's Suicide on the 25th Anniversary Tour was amazing, they did it differently but I can't remember exactly how. It actually looked like he was falling through the air. This was the first time I'd seen the show and I was awaiting that moment when I first saw it and London and was slightly disappointed! Valjean walking through the sewers was also very impressive. |
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Post by crabtree on Feb 19, 2018 22:36:29 GMT
ah yes the Wild Honey train was a great piece of sleight of hand. The royal exchange, again, had a brilliant moment of stage craft in their last Edward II, where after his messy death, Edward was dumped into a puddle, head and shoulders well under water, whilst the huge coronation of his son carried on around the puddle. Not a ripple, not a bubble for many, many minutes.
Emi, like you, I get upset that we have to apologize for being impressed by War Horse. It is a staggering piece of theatre.
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Post by crabtree on Feb 19, 2018 22:39:11 GMT
And yes the flying in Poppins is so impressive; impressive for its' uncluttered simplicity, unlike the awkward and clumsy Defying Gravity, which to me, is such an overrated moment. So clunky.
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19,803 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 19, 2018 23:44:45 GMT
Javert's Suicide on the 25th Anniversary Tour was amazing, they did it differently but I can't remember exactly how. It actually looked like he was falling through the air. This was the first time I'd seen the show and I was awaiting that moment when I first saw it and London and was slightly disappointed! Valjean walking through the sewers was also very impressive. In the 25 tour he was on wires, as was the bridge. When he jumped off, the bridge was flown up (complete with attached lamp post) and he was suspended on his wires arms and legs flailing. I agree it was better than the original. It was better than the film too! |
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19,803 posts
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Feb 19, 2018 23:45:47 GMT
Son of a Preacher Man provoking applause. Still smarting huh? Me too 😐 |
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5,073 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 20, 2018 1:03:14 GMT
The door in Ghost, which I mentioned earlier, where the person literally walks though it, does anyone know how it was done please?
Very old magic trick using mirrors. I can’t remember the detail but it’s on YouTube. I remember looking it up when Ghost was previewing in Manc. And another manc preview, Bat Out Of Hell and the underwater quick change. This could be the video, done a bit of digging, if not it will show the awesome door trick. Not the one that Kenwright did for his version, which wa terrible. |
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Post by ada92 on Feb 20, 2018 11:41:11 GMT
Tap waning on the ceiling in Mary Poppins
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82 posts
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Post by ada92 on Feb 20, 2018 11:41:56 GMT
*dancing - where did THAT come from?? Haha
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5,161 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Feb 20, 2018 13:14:05 GMT
^ Could have been worse, much worse!!
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5,073 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Feb 20, 2018 17:13:05 GMT
The Divide that played the Old Vic recently.
You had a theatre curtain lowered, so that you couldn't see the bottom half of the stage, you had the very young actor dive into a swimming pool (unseen and hidden by curtain), only to come up dry. how can this be done without the actor injuring himself? Does he dive into a ball pond?
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82 posts
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Post by ada92 on Feb 20, 2018 17:40:31 GMT
^ Could have been worse, much worse!! I am grateful it missed out that extra letter, believe me!!! |
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879 posts
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Post by daisy24601 on Feb 20, 2018 17:51:24 GMT
Javert's Suicide on the 25th Anniversary Tour was amazing, they did it differently but I can't remember exactly how. It actually looked like he was falling through the air. This was the first time I'd seen the show and I was awaiting that moment when I first saw it and London and was slightly disappointed! Valjean walking through the sewers was also very impressive. In the 25 tour he was on wires, as was the bridge. When he jumped off, the bridge was flown up (complete with attached lamp post) and he was suspended on his wires arms and legs flailing. I agree it was better than the original. It was better than the film too! Yes! It looked amazing. I found a rogue video of it on youtube. |
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Post by Deleted on Feb 20, 2018 18:34:26 GMT
Son of a Preacher Man provoking applause. Still smarting huh? Me too 😐 Yep. Got to keep shouting about how damn terrible it was else Horwood et al will think it’s a good idea to flog another damn tour at some poor unsuspecting audiences. |
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Post by crabtree on Feb 20, 2018 22:28:31 GMT
Opera's are often full of staggering design and effects.
Back to the Lord of the rings musical, the slow disappearance of Bilbo at the start was pretty astonishing, a good use of Pepper's Ghost.
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Post by Deleted on Feb 21, 2018 0:07:44 GMT
In terms of illusions/magic tricks I would also like to add to Chitty, Mary Poppins and Groundhog Day too. Also Matilda (although I felt Matilda herself could've performed a few more tricks once she discovers her powers, dare I say it, like she does in the film).
Also the head-spinning in The Exorcist worked quite well when I saw it last year. And the RSC's A Christmas Carol had a very clever trick from the same illusionist as The Exorcist, Ben Hart, with Jacob Marley's Ghost.
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The same goes for Javert’s ‘jump’ from the bridge on the Seine into the swirling river... OMG!
