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Post by oxfordsimon on Oct 28, 2022 17:27:06 GMT
That is why they need a new, strong commercial hit.
They haven't had a truly successful commercial production since Matilda opened.
Hopefully the new leadership will make this a priority
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Post by Jon on Oct 28, 2022 18:07:12 GMT
This was made to tour the world , so it’s highly likely they will take it to New York, Toronto or Australia next. In regards to Broadway, there are plenty of theatres it could go to like the soon to vacant Majestic Theatre or the Marquis.
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Post by jek on Oct 28, 2022 21:32:09 GMT
I had an RSC email tonight which said that they are thinking about whether they will be able to share the production with more people. The accompanying survey was all about whether I would take up membership of the RSC if this would give me priority booking.
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 29, 2022 9:14:54 GMT
Had expected the front row to appear for today's matinee at 10am but so far nothing...maybe I won't get to see it today after all 🤪
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Post by inthenose on Oct 29, 2022 9:18:16 GMT
Keep trying for returns, if you’re willing to pay full price - they do pop up. Good luck!
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 29, 2022 9:23:10 GMT
Oh I'm definitely not paying full price 🤣 I'm sure it's good but I've not paid full price for a looooooong time
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Post by Mark on Oct 29, 2022 9:23:30 GMT
Had expected the front row to appear for today's matinee at 10am but so far nothing...maybe I won't get to see it today after all 🤪 They did appear, just before 10, but as mentioned earlier up thread had the link directly to the seating plan for that performance.
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Post by inthenose on Oct 29, 2022 9:31:25 GMT
Oh I'm definitely not paying full price 🤣 I'm sure it's good but I've not paid full price for a looooooong time Use the tip above as Mark says - otherwise you’re stuck as the entire run is sold out.
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Post by Dr Tom on Oct 29, 2022 10:09:35 GMT
Work out what the URL for the show you want to see will be in advance, then refresh from about 9:57am onwards until the tickets show. The calendar page takes longer to update.
You won't be able to select the date and view the URL if it's sold out. You can either find the URL at another time when premium tickets are available and save it, or you can find any date when tickets are available then edit the URL directly for the show you want (the system is not sophisticated if you're tech savvy, but this does require some trial and error).
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 29, 2022 10:15:44 GMT
This is truly the stupidest thing I've ever heard in my whole theatre going life - they should just be releasing them through todaytix like they did with Anything Goes!
Thanks for the tip though will try it next weekend
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Post by mrbarnaby on Oct 29, 2022 14:11:33 GMT
Oh I'm definitely not paying full price 🤣 I'm sure it's good but I've not paid full price for a looooooong time Yeah good luck seeing the show , which is entirely sold out, if you don’t want to pay full price!
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Post by Being Alive on Oct 29, 2022 22:58:01 GMT
There's always a way!
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Post by inthenose on Nov 3, 2022 17:25:20 GMT
From an RSC email:
Limited ticket release today We're releasing a very limited number of extra tickets today at midday for My Neighbour Totoro performances on 17 and 24 November. Don't miss your chance to book your tickets for this sold-out show; head to the Barbican website.
If you miss out this time, we also still have a limited number of Day Seats available to buy online everyday via the Barbican website from 10am at £25.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 12, 2022 10:08:50 GMT
I tested out the day seats today and was able to get one for the evening performance in my basket pretty easily (I did the URL trick mentioned earlier in the thread but it seemed like that wasn't necessary as I had the regular booking page opened in another tab and was able to get in that way too) but I'm not able find any of the matinees by changing the URL and neither did it become available to book at 10am when the evening performance did. Do they just not do day seats for the matinees, did they just sell so quickly that it never displayed as anything but sold out, or have I missed that somewhere it says day seats for matinee performances are released at a different time?
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Post by fossil on Nov 12, 2022 17:28:57 GMT
I tested out the day seats today and was able to get one for the evening performance in my basket pretty easily (I did the URL trick mentioned earlier in the thread but it seemed like that wasn't necessary as I had the regular booking page opened in another tab and was able to get in that way too) but I'm not able find any of the matinees by changing the URL and neither did it become available to book at 10am when the evening performance did. Do they just not do day seats for the matinees, did they just sell so quickly that it never displayed as anything but sold out, or have I missed that somewhere it says day seats for matinee performances are released at a different time? Day seats for matinees are definitely released at 10.00am on the day. I managed to get one for the matinee a couple of days ago. They do sell extremely quickly though. Before 10.00am I did notice the link to the page becoming active a few times when (presumably) returns went on sale at £140 so that is one way to capture the URL before 10.00am. I do have the link for the matinee on the 24th November. tickets.barbican.org.uk/choose-seats/865006The front row is not ideal for this production as I felt you are too close to take in the best of all the terrific visual effects. Also they have raised the stage slightly. I am 5'2" and wished I had brought my cushion as it was difficult to see some of the stage level stuff. But don't let me put you off. I still found it a wonderful production.
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Post by juicy_but_terribly_drab on Nov 12, 2022 17:35:25 GMT
I tested out the day seats today and was able to get one for the evening performance in my basket pretty easily (I did the URL trick mentioned earlier in the thread but it seemed like that wasn't necessary as I had the regular booking page opened in another tab and was able to get in that way too) but I'm not able find any of the matinees by changing the URL and neither did it become available to book at 10am when the evening performance did. Do they just not do day seats for the matinees, did they just sell so quickly that it never displayed as anything but sold out, or have I missed that somewhere it says day seats for matinee performances are released at a different time? Day seats for matinees are definitely released at 10.00am on the day. I managed to get one for the matinee a couple of days ago. They do sell extremely quickly though. Before 10.00am I did notice the link to the page becoming active a few times when (presumably) returns went on sale at £140 so that is one way to capture the URL before 10.00am. I do have the link for the matinee on the 24th November. tickets.barbican.org.uk/choose-seats/865006The front row is not ideal for this production as I felt you are too close to take in the best of all the terrific visual effects. Also they have raised the stage slightly. I am 5'2" and wished I had brought my cushion as it was difficult to see some of the stage level stuff. But don't let me put you off. I still found it a wonderful production. Thanks for the link! I know I probably won't have the ideal view at the front but it's better than nothing. Today's matinee must have just gone very quickly I guess, presumably a Saturday matinee is more popular with families than the evening. Perhaps I'll have more luck with a weekday matinee.
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Post by Jon on Nov 12, 2022 23:32:29 GMT
Just came back from tonight and it was magical, the puppetry is just incredible and being in the front row, I could see how it was being operated but weirdly I thought it added more to be able to see these characters come in life.
This is a big show and I think for it to transfer, it needs to go to one of the bigger musical houses but would the RSC and Nippon want to go into one of the big barns? The other option is the Prince of Wales which has a wide stage but The Book of Mormon isn't going anywhere anytime soon.
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Post by oedipus on Nov 13, 2022 11:28:21 GMT
I saw this last week -- nabbed one of those single tickets that seem to pop up randomly on the website -- and felt that the first act was wildly impressive: amazing puppetry, score, and stagecraft. But oof: the second act really spins its wheels (figuratively and literally), as it draws out to unnecessary length the journey of the youngest child. Would have made a far stronger one-act than its current two-act structure.
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Post by vabbian on Nov 18, 2022 15:00:55 GMT
Saw this yesterday, day ticket, 4 stars.
The visual effects are outstanding. The music was outstanding. It really made me feel like a child again, a kind of bliss and warmness you don't often experience in the theatre.
I always thought that Totoro was let down by the plot (or lack there of) and this applies too to the show, which recounts the film almost identically.
The pacing is a bit strange as the first act covers about three quarters of the film, which leaves not much for the second act. And so you get a very strong first act, and an okay second act.
One gripe, which is very specific perhaps to me / day seats / sitting in the front row - there is a lot of screaming/shouting in this show lol. I know they are meant to be children, and I know sitting in the front row you hear things a lot louder than most, but really I wanted to cover my ears half the time - I didn't cus I thought it would to be rude lol. If they were my children I would send them to the orphanage like pls can u be quiet what is with all the screaming
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Post by mikey on Nov 20, 2022 9:45:51 GMT
Saw this yesterday and thought the puppetry was so magical! Really loved this.
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Post by ThereWillBeSun on Nov 20, 2022 18:54:41 GMT
Impulse bought a ticket a few weeks ago; and so excited to check out the puppetry.
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Post by bobbievanhusen on Nov 24, 2022 14:48:46 GMT
I just bought a ticket for tonight (mid stalls) and there is still a single seat available in the circle (£82.50)
Knowing very little about it, i'm intrigued!
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Post by pochard on Nov 27, 2022 14:11:22 GMT
I managed to get a dayseat for this last week and loved it too - even the fangirl beside me who hummed along & kept quietly chanting "totoro" at key moments of the play didn't spoil it (too much) for me.
It's not one to go to for the plot, but it was so beautifully staged, and I felt really caught moments of the singularity of childhood imagination, along with that particular melancholy too. But, and this is key, it truly cheered me up for a few hours amidst all the doom and gloom I'm finding everywhere else!
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Post by craig on Nov 28, 2022 9:05:53 GMT
We took this in on Saturday night. I'd bought tickets for my fiancé back in the summer for his birthday as he likes Ghibli. We watched the film together a while ago to give me some context and I was very intrigued to see how they brought it to life on stage. Ultimately, I thought it was absolutely magical and after this and Ocean At The End Of The Lane, I'm having to really question my natural indisposition towards puppetry.
As mentioned, this isn't exactly a show that's heavy on plot, but it's certainly not light on emotion. The film captures so beautifully the wonder and imagination of being young, and the escape, protection and relief from trauma that your imagination can provide. I thought the show conveyed this incredibly successfully.
From the exquisite "opening title" sequence to the wonderful set, to the frankly unbelievable puppetry, this was just such an impressive show. The two central performances from Mei Mac and Ami Okumura Jones were fantastic and the orchestra and singing from Ai Ninomiya just beautiful.
The only letdown for me, given the mind boggling scale and ambition of the Totoro puppets was the cat bus, which felt a little bit obvious and just slightly less impressive than the rest of the show.
I have a feeling this is more likely to transfer internationally than to the West End as it requires such a huge stage but I'm sure it would be possible with a few tweaks. Either way, this is a huge big hit for the RSC again after a significant drought period.
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Post by Figaro on Dec 2, 2022 6:51:14 GMT
So this won’t be going to the Gillian Lynne then!
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Post by ceebee on Dec 3, 2022 0:53:56 GMT
Three stars for me. I just don't get the fuss and hype. Apart from the two sisters, the acting was wooden, the set overblown, the vocalist occasionally off-key. People 'aaahing' at large stuffed toys, an inflatable cat, and a plot that meanders its way to nothingness. A childish story about children for children. The show is largely about feeding nostalgia, perhaps adults (just) yearning for childhood. It wasn't terrible but in my view it's nothing special. Undoubtedly there's a market for it but I wouldn't go to see it again - nor would my kids.
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Post by kt12 on Dec 6, 2022 16:13:35 GMT
Was really looking forward to this - the reviews swayed me to buy 3 tickets at £90 each. The lesson here is , I guess, not to trust the reviews...
Over-long, over-blown and under-acted.
I must confess I didn't know the source material beforehand, but that shouldn't have been an issue. What was an issue, was the deathly pace throughout - sections where characters moved s l o w l y ( yes, I know Japanese Kabuki influence...) but this lead to the first half running at 1hr 20 mins. 15 minutes could easily have been cut by pace issues. The result was that it felt indulgent. Don't know how anyone under the age of 12 could stick such a funereal staging. Lots of very underwhelmed looking kids at the interval..
The acting, Im afraid was generally very poor. There were plenty of scenes that didn't involve puppets or music, but did involve over-projected pantomime delivery . There were two notable exceptions to this: the two main sisters were winning and engaging for the most part. Some performances were just embarrassing . The night I saw the show, we had the understudy singer on, who couldn't really ...well..sing. Most of the high notes eluded her.
What I did like was seeing an all-Asian cast, the first scene with the huge Totoro puppet and the chorus of spirits/observers, and the chickens. The chickens were great!
The ending was very abrupt and had the most bizarre, extended curtain-call where the whole story of the show was re-enacted. This meant that the applause had to carry on for a good 10 minutes and those brave souls who gave a standing-ovation ( about 30 in a full house) had to stay on their feet.
I write this more in sadness than anything else. I was wanting a magical evening of high theatricality but what I got was a rep-standard panto with a huge budget. Save your pennies: go and see you local panto instead.
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Post by ceebee on Dec 6, 2022 22:52:22 GMT
Was really looking forward to this - the reviews swayed me to buy 3 tickets at £90 each. The lesson here is , I guess, not to trust the reviews... Over-long, over-blown and under-acted. I must confess I didn't know the source material beforehand, but that shouldn't have been an issue. What was an issue, was the deathly pace throughout - sections where characters moved s l o w l y ( yes, I know Japanese Kabuki influence...) but this lead to the first half running at 1hr 20 mins. 15 minutes could easily have been cut by pace issues. The result was that it felt indulgent. Don't know how anyone under the age of 12 could stick such a funereal staging. Lots of very underwhelmed looking kids at the interval.. The acting, Im afraid was generally very poor. There were plenty of scenes that didn't involve puppets or music, but did involve over-projected pantomime delivery . There were two notable exceptions to this: the two main sisters were winning and engaging for the most part. Some performances were just embarrassing . The night I saw the show, we had the understudy singer on, who couldn't really ...well..sing. Most of the high notes eluded her. What I did like was seeing an all-Asian cast, the first scene with the huge Totoro puppet and the chorus of spirits/observers, and the chickens. The chickens were great! The ending was very abrupt and had the most bizarre, extended curtain-call where the whole story of the show was re-enacted. This meant that the applause had to carry on for a good 10 minutes and those brave souls who gave a standing-ovation ( about 30 in a full house) had to stay on their feet. I write this more in sadness than anything else. I was wanting a magical evening of high theatricality but what I got was a rep-standard panto with a huge budget. Save your pennies: go and see you local panto instead. Perfectly put. I thought it was just me who thought this show was overhyped. The only folk who seemed to enjoy it were the diehard fans of the film. I'd forgotten that drawn out curtain-call - gosh, it was tedious. Shan't be rushing back.
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Post by ruperto on Dec 7, 2022 15:10:52 GMT
I've seen this twice from the front row now - thanks to those amazing £25 day seats - and am itching to go back again! For me this is a five-star show that people will be talking about for a long time.
In terms of getting day seats, I did exactly as outlined by jamb0r and others earlier. I checked regularly a few days in advance for the date I was after, and when the seating plan for that date could be seen (because of returned seats being put back on sale, I guess), I emailed the URL/address of that page to myself. Then on the morning, from about 9.55am onwards, I kept clicking on that to refresh it, and then on both occasions, at about 9.58am (not 10am), the whole front row miraculously appeared, and I had my pick of the seats. It's got to be one of the best bargains around at the moment!
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Post by yokollama on Dec 7, 2022 19:16:07 GMT
Three stars for me. I just don't get the fuss and hype. Apart from the two sisters, the acting was wooden, the set overblown, the vocalist occasionally off-key. People 'aaahing' at large stuffed toys, an inflatable cat, and a plot that meanders its way to nothingness. A childish story about children for children. The show is largely about feeding nostalgia, perhaps adults (just) yearning for childhood. It wasn't terrible but in my view it's nothing special. Undoubtedly there's a market for it but I wouldn't go to see it again - nor would my kids. The Japanese are quite big on slice of life, and meandering just seems to be part of the package. Adults yearning for childhood? There's a popular manga called Yotsubato! that feeds on that.
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