382 posts
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Post by stevemar on Sept 3, 2021 13:29:33 GMT
A superb night out - thanks to the recommendations here, even though I often go to this theatre, Wonderfully witty fast paced performances, good singing, jokes that hit the mark and one or two moving moments. Would agree that they can trim still in the second half. Jak Malone as Hester was a standout, but all very good, This deserves a life after the current run.
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86 posts
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Post by confessor on Sept 4, 2021 8:35:13 GMT
Thanks to the recommendations on here I caught the matinée of this on Tuesday and what a great show it is. What a talented, hard working bunch. Shame that there wasn't a physical programme to buy.
Am I the only one who didn't click that this was based on a true story until right at the end with the surprisingly moving revelation about the body used?!
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196 posts
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Post by Peter on Sept 4, 2021 8:48:29 GMT
Am I the only one who didn't click that this was based on a true story until right at the end with the surprisingly moving revelation about the body used?! There’s a great Tom Scott video on the subject: Really interested seeing this but the run will be over by the time I can get back to London - fingers crossed for another run somewhere soon!
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 4, 2021 13:16:49 GMT
Ben Macintyre's book 'Operation Mincemeat' is also worth a read!
The real Ewen Montagu wasn't quite as egotistical as the musical's version, I think (or at least I hope!). I don't believe there's any evidence for him taking the OM mission files without permission, although admittedly he did indeed end up with them. A surprising amount of the musical is accurate, though. Shame they replaced the verse about Charles finding a new kind of shrew (which did happen), with him finding a new kind of trout (which did not). I can only assume the latter is a reference to M15's trout memo? But still not sure why they changed it from the original version they wrote. Also the real Jean Leslie didn't become a spy, which is very disappointing :')
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4,970 posts
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Post by TallPaul on Sept 4, 2021 13:26:42 GMT
There's also his BBC documentary. It's dropped off iPlayer, for now, but it is available on YouTube.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 6, 2021 9:17:10 GMT
Was anyone on the ball enough to see this before it made it to the Southwark Playhouse? They've mentioned it being rather different to how it was at the New Diorama, and I'm really curious to know what it used to be like, if someone has seen both and can make a comparison?
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404 posts
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Post by dlevi on Sept 8, 2021 12:26:16 GMT
Was anyone on the ball enough to see this before it made it to the Southwark Playhouse? They've mentioned it being rather different to how it was at the New Diorama, and I'm really curious to know what it used to be like, if someone has seen both and can make a comparison? I saw it at the New Diorama two years ago, and then again this past week. While there have been some changes it's not that different ( at least insofar as I remember) . It's an engaging fun show which balances its different tones quite successfully. However it's 20 minutes too long. I accept there's a lot of plot to get through but if they're hoping for a "39 Steps" sort of success they need to be a bit ruthless and cut stuff. Also, the sound mix is awful. There is a ton of information and wit in the lyrics and it often times is just a jumble of words. It says a lot about the achievement of the show that even missing out on important lyrics really didn't destroy my enthusiasm for it, it just got in the way.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 8, 2021 12:43:05 GMT
Was anyone on the ball enough to see this before it made it to the Southwark Playhouse? They've mentioned it being rather different to how it was at the New Diorama, and I'm really curious to know what it used to be like, if someone has seen both and can make a comparison? I saw it at the New Diorama two years ago, and then again this past week. While there have been some changes it's not that different ( at least insofar as I remember) . It's an engaging fun show which balances its different tones quite successfully. However it's 20 minutes too long. I accept there's a lot of plot to get through but if they're hoping for a "39 Steps" sort of success they need to be a bit ruthless and cut stuff. Also, the sound mix is awful. There is a ton of information and wit in the lyrics and it often times is just a jumble of words. It says a lot about the achievement of the show that even missing out on important lyrics really didn't destroy my enthusiasm for it, it just got in the way. I think they have cut a lot already! It's 20-30 minutes shorter than it was at the start of the run. Not sure what else is left that could go without really losing something. There are a couple of songs that don't exactly further the plot, but losing them would be a shame (e.g. the first appearance of the sea shanty; even Dear Bill could go and nothing would be lost in terms of comprehension of events, but it would be a terrible decision to cut it) The sound at the SP, at least in this layout, also varies massively depending on where you're sat. If you're sat stage right, near the front, you're way too close to the band and the vocals are lost. I think that's the kind of thing that would be automatically fixed by a move to a different venue for another run (for which my fingers are permanently crossed)
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1,281 posts
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Post by mkb on Sept 8, 2021 14:27:35 GMT
I don't understand the desire to cut it. It was 2:50 when I saw it, and I wouldn't have wanted to lose a minute. The time whizzed by. Glad I saw it when I did.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 8, 2021 14:39:18 GMT
I don't understand the desire to cut it. It was 2:50 when I saw it, and I wouldn't have wanted to lose a minute. The time whizzed by. Glad I saw it when I did. When did you see it? I want to know what was in the 20 or so minutes they cut before I saw it (last preview)! Although if you haven't seen it since, that may be a hard question to answer :') I don't want it any shorter, either! In fact, make it longer again. More weird history facts! Give me a whole number about how Ewen Montagu used to cycle to work with important MI5 documents in the front basket of his bike, which he had to get special permission to keep doing because his bosses were very against the idea. Or how Montagu and Cholmondeley, along with Bill's body, were driven to the submarine launch by a racing car driver who almost crashed at least twice. Or Ivor Montagu's love of table tennis and cheese.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 9, 2021 9:40:54 GMT
Great to see this pretty much sold out! - except for a Tuesday matinee. West End transfer now, please.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 9, 2021 11:01:11 GMT
Great to see this pretty much sold out! - except for a Tuesday matinee. West End transfer now, please. Thanks for the heads up, I had been debating whether to see this and figured I had time to decide but with this news I decided to finally bite the bullet. Luckily I had totally forgotten I had some pay as you go tickets from back when The Last Five Years was on so I'm essentially going for free which was a nice surprise!
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2,539 posts
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Post by n1david on Sept 9, 2021 17:47:11 GMT
Southwark Playhouse newsletter teasing that they'll have news about a future life for this show next week.
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Post by cat6 on Sept 9, 2021 18:05:28 GMT
Last evening is September 18, so if you're lucky enough to find a ticket, grab it. This is a brilliant play, based on a real WW2 operation, with excellent songs carrying the whole story: The actors enunciate well and they are marvelous with their physical comedy.
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5,303 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 9, 2021 19:25:30 GMT
Last evening is September 18, so if you're lucky enough to find a ticket, grab it. This is a brilliant play, based on a real WW2 operation, with excellent songs carrying the whole story: The actors enunciate well and they are marvelous with their physical comedy. It’s a play? I thought it was a musical ?
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 9, 2021 22:10:49 GMT
Southwark Playhouse newsletter teasing that they'll have news about a future life for this show next week. One of the few theatre newsletters I apparently don't subscribe to... what does it say?? I wonder if the whole cast will transfer with this. They're all so fantastic that it would really be a shame if they didn't, but it's possible some of the ones who wrote it might want to have more free time to write more things than being in a show 8 times a week would allow. While I'm sure I could get used to a different Montagu, Cholmondeley and Bevan, I'd really, really love if it if I didn't have to for a while longer..!
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2,539 posts
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Post by n1david on Sept 9, 2021 22:41:21 GMT
From the email:
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 9, 2021 22:44:38 GMT
Thank you! Guess I should sign up :') I wonder if maybe they're talking about a cast recording. I think it was on the cards to record one? Or maybe we can have both a transfer AND a cast recording... that sounds perfect, I'm hoping for that
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2,353 posts
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Post by zahidf on Sept 11, 2021 18:11:09 GMT
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 13, 2021 12:42:55 GMT
Returning to the Southwark Playhouse next year! Those who missed out this time around, don't make the same mistake twice!
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 14, 2021 8:33:29 GMT
The newly announced run next year is pretty perfectly timed to get this show into the Arts after Choir of Man's run... Coincidence....? Probably! But I still think that's the theatre it would be best suited to for a longer run. They were happy to have Six stay for a long time, so clearly as long as a show is selling, they'll allow it to remain. Any larger space I think would ruin the atmosphere of the show.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Sept 14, 2021 12:25:13 GMT
Both shows cancelled today due to cast illness.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 14, 2021 12:29:16 GMT
I had avoided pointing out that they have no understudies and were really risking it, especially at the moment, because I didn't want to jinx it, but looks like the almost inevitable happened anyway :/ Hope they can at least do their last show (of this run) on Saturday!
(Apparently they're hoping to be back tomorrow. So potentially it's not illness related? Or maybe they're rehearsing an understudy really fast :') )
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 14, 2021 12:37:01 GMT
What rotten luck that I finally book and it gets cancelled! They said it's non-covid related and they're planning to go ahead tomorrow so I wonder if it could be because of a leak or something? It's been raining pretty consistently today and I know they've struggled in the past in this kind of weather.
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4,595 posts
Member is Online
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Post by Mark on Sept 14, 2021 12:50:44 GMT
What rotten luck that I finally book and it gets cancelled! They said it's non-covid related and they're planning to go ahead tomorrow so I wonder if it could be because of a leak or something? It's been raining pretty consistently today and I know they've struggled in the past in this kind of weather. Quite possible. I remember going to a matinee of Preludes when the weather was bad and water was gushing in and act two got cancelled. The post from Southwark doesn't mention illness, just unforeseen circumstances.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 14, 2021 12:53:35 GMT
What rotten luck that I finally book and it gets cancelled! They said it's non-covid related and they're planning to go ahead tomorrow so I wonder if it could be because of a leak or something? It's been raining pretty consistently today and I know they've struggled in the past in this kind of weather. Oh no! I'm sorry you won't get to see it tonight! Hopefully they let you transfer your ticket to the next run? I also thought perhaps it might be the rain, but it's been awful weather a lot recently and they didn't cancel, to my knowledge, during the Biblical Floods a month or so ago? And it looks like the show in the Little is still going ahead tonight.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 14, 2021 13:30:42 GMT
What rotten luck that I finally book and it gets cancelled! They said it's non-covid related and they're planning to go ahead tomorrow so I wonder if it could be because of a leak or something? It's been raining pretty consistently today and I know they've struggled in the past in this kind of weather. Oh no! I'm sorry you won't get to see it tonight! Hopefully they let you transfer your ticket to the next run? I also thought perhaps it might be the rain, but it's been awful weather a lot recently and they didn't cancel, to my knowledge, during the Biblical Floods a month or so ago? And it looks like the show in the Little is still going ahead tonight. They offered to transfer my ticket to the next run but I went for a refund because I didn't want to book so far in advance. I'll definitely still go though because it sounds like a great time! Also coincidentally it looks like a film about this event is being released next year too? It came up when I was searching to find what dates the 2022 run covers. I haven't read this whole thread so I don't know if it's been mentioned before but I just thought that was an interesting tid-bit.
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 14, 2021 13:35:01 GMT
Oh no! I'm sorry you won't get to see it tonight! Hopefully they let you transfer your ticket to the next run? I also thought perhaps it might be the rain, but it's been awful weather a lot recently and they didn't cancel, to my knowledge, during the Biblical Floods a month or so ago? And it looks like the show in the Little is still going ahead tonight. They offered to transfer my ticket to the next run but I went for a refund because I didn't want to book so far in advance. I'll definitely still go though because it sounds like a great time! Also coincidentally it looks like a film about this event is being released next year too? It came up when I was searching to find what dates the 2022 run covers. I haven't read this whole thread so I don't know if it's been mentioned before but I just thought that was an interesting tid-bit.
Fair enough! I hope you like it when you see it next year! If you're free the rest of the week then they have been releasing a handful of returns each day, so if you keep an eye on their twitter account then you could potentially grab one of those if you wanted. They tend to go fast, but not immediately. Is this the film with Colin Firth as Montagu? I think I might be disappointed by the lack of songs :') And definitely by the fact that Colin Firth is not Natasha Hodgson.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Sept 14, 2021 14:34:33 GMT
They offered to transfer my ticket to the next run but I went for a refund because I didn't want to book so far in advance. I'll definitely still go though because it sounds like a great time! Also coincidentally it looks like a film about this event is being released next year too? It came up when I was searching to find what dates the 2022 run covers. I haven't read this whole thread so I don't know if it's been mentioned before but I just thought that was an interesting tid-bit.
Fair enough! I hope you like it when you see it next year! If you're free the rest of the week then they have been releasing a handful of returns each day, so if you keep an eye on their twitter account then you could potentially grab one of those if you wanted. They tend to go fast, but not immediately. Is this the film with Colin Firth as Montagu? I think I might be disappointed by the lack of songs :') And definitely by the fact that Colin Firth is not Natasha Hodgson. Thanks for the tip, I'll defintitely try to keep an eye out for those returns. And yeah that's the one! The film is actually releasing around the same time as the next run so I wonder if that might help the show's popularity any (or potentially hurt it)?
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Post by fiyerorocher on Sept 14, 2021 15:08:05 GMT
Fair enough! I hope you like it when you see it next year! If you're free the rest of the week then they have been releasing a handful of returns each day, so if you keep an eye on their twitter account then you could potentially grab one of those if you wanted. They tend to go fast, but not immediately. Is this the film with Colin Firth as Montagu? I think I might be disappointed by the lack of songs :') And definitely by the fact that Colin Firth is not Natasha Hodgson. Thanks for the tip, I'll defintitely try to keep an eye out for those returns. And yeah that's the one! The film is actually releasing around the same time as the next run so I wonder if that might help the show's popularity any (or potentially hurt it)? Yes, I've just been looking it up at work (we have an invested interest in Ewen Montagu here, so it's on topic!) and noticed the release date is just before the next run. I presume it won't hurt the show, and if the film does well then it could be great for them! Although the film is almost definitely a very different tone to the show!
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