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Post by alece10 on Aug 13, 2023 8:35:37 GMT
Really hoping to see this show but can anyone who has experience with Regent's Park open air tell me if it is true that they don't offer refunds (only credit) for shows that are cancelled due to poor weather? This policy seems really unfair to people who live outside of London who may not get an opportunity to use that credit. The credit never expires so could be used years later. Even as far back as Into The Woods? I wasn't able to see it again after being cancelled at the end of Act 1. It was towards the end of the run and sold out. I don't have tickets, receipt or anything to prove u was there.
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Post by jgblunners on Aug 13, 2023 9:07:48 GMT
I haven’t posted on here in a long time, but I saw this at yesterdays matinee and was quite disappointed, so I thought I’d pop back to TheatreBoard to share some thoughts.
Firstly, given Sheader’s work over recent years, I was surprised at how traditional this production was. I can’t help but feel that he does better work when he’s bringing something more distinctive to a show.
Secondly, the cast were… just fine? No bad performances, in fact I rather liked the actor playing Georges, but I was left feeling that it was all rather run-of-the-mill. Albin had no depth and I personally felt that his comic chops were not strong (but the rest of the audience was laughing at him so what do I know?), Jean-Michel was clearly an excellent dancer and singer but his acting was less believable, and Edward Dindon was neither detestable enough nor funny enough.
On the other hand, I think this is the best choreo I’ve ever seen from Stephen Mear. I’m not normally a massive fan of his work, but I thought the dances here were fantastic, and the cagelles were the best part of the show for me.
Debbie Kurup is wasted in a thankless role with awful mixing on her vocals. Justice for Debbie!
3 stars because I didn’t think it was actually a bad production, but I was disappointed.
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Post by phantom1986 on Aug 13, 2023 10:12:39 GMT
I was also there over the weekend and too was dissapointed - especially after having such fond memories of the Menier production with a superb Douglas Hodge.
The book has not aged well and there was no clear vision from the director - were we in Blackpool or St Tropez - it felt as if the creative team wanted it to be the former but maybe the rights holders had issues with any script changes. The Cagelles remaining onstage didn't work as they looked bored sitting there waiting to come back on again.
Most of the acting was amateur and way too broad so none of the emotional moments landed. And some of the attempted regional accents were excruciating - the less said about "geordie" Jacqueline the better.
Maybe it is time for Regents Park to have a reset as their last few musical productions have been nowhere near their pre-pandemic offerings.
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Post by harry on Aug 13, 2023 11:25:22 GMT
Really hoping to see this show but can anyone who has experience with Regent's Park open air tell me if it is true that they don't offer refunds (only credit) for shows that are cancelled due to poor weather? This policy seems really unfair to people who live outside of London who may not get an opportunity to use that credit. If you do TodayTix Rush on the morning of the show it’s central front row for under half the price of the row behind you. You do have to look up but don’t miss any action and get tons of legroom. Plus you have a very good sense of the chance of rain. Not sure how easy travel to London would be for you at late notice as I know that’s a problem for some people, but if that’s possible this certainly means you’re less likely to be stuck with a credit note. Even as far back as Into The Woods? I wasn't able to see it again after being cancelled at the end of Act 1. It was towards the end of the run and sold out. I don't have tickets, receipt or anything to prove u was there. And yes, the credit is perpetual. So you could in theory use your Into The Woods ticket to see this. Although I think you’d probably have to have some way of proving you were at a rained off show and where you were sitting in order for them to agree to it. My online account doesn’t show Into The Woods on it and I definitely saw it (and bought a ticket on the website) so it’s possible the online box office system has been changed since then but worth calling up and seeing if they can match your name to a record, I’d say.
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Post by curiouskc on Aug 13, 2023 13:54:40 GMT
Thanks for the advice, Harry! Yeah, I think I'll try for the rush seats. As changeable as the weather is at the moment, you're right that I'll have a much better idea on the day itself. At the moment the weather is looking good on the days I'm in London.
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Post by mattnyc on Aug 13, 2023 17:32:27 GMT
Gotta say, I’m really shocked to be reading negative reviews on this from people here. I went last night (perfect night for outdoor show with a beautiful breeze) and loved pretty much every single thing about it. Having seen great and awful productions of this show I know just how easy it is to mess it up and after some of the recent OAT offerings, I was fully prepared for the worst. But the set, the cast, the…everything were just brilliant I thought. I’m sorry that others here didn’t see what I saw in it but I can tell you I don’t remember a time I felt such a palpable love from an audience at curtain call. There’s a difference between a standing ovation and a rousing ovation of love being shown to the cast and that’s what I witnessed last night.
So hopefully more people go and enjoy it and see what myself and a lot of others yesterday saw.
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Post by theatrefan62 on Aug 13, 2023 17:39:26 GMT
From friends who've seen it mixed to slightly negative was the overall view. Especially when compared to the menier production.
But an improvement on OATs productions of recent years.
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Post by Fleance on Aug 13, 2023 17:46:11 GMT
I loved the Regents Park revival. I hadn't seen the show since the original Broadway production. I don't understand how anyone can call it dated. I'm American. Was there ever a time when threats to the drag community were ever more present, or when drag was so specifically targeted as it is today? La Cage, with its politician character who wants to close drag down, is the perfect show for our times, perhaps even more relevant than when it premiered in 1983.
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Post by danb on Aug 13, 2023 17:59:00 GMT
Conversely, I can’t think of a time that Drag has been so accepted & part of the mainstream which will hopefully boost ticket sales and further enlightened acceptance. It won’t stop w8nkers being w8nkers.
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Post by mattnyc on Aug 13, 2023 18:39:59 GMT
So it sounds like the key to being able to let yourself enjoy this production is not having seen the Menier one.
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Post by ladidah on Aug 14, 2023 13:33:59 GMT
Gotta say, I’m really shocked to be reading negative reviews on this from people here. I went last night (perfect night for outdoor show with a beautiful breeze) and loved pretty much every single thing about it. Having seen great and awful productions of this show I know just how easy it is to mess it up and after some of the recent OAT offerings, I was fully prepared for the worst. But the set, the cast, the…everything were just brilliant I thought. I’m sorry that others here didn’t see what I saw in it but I can tell you I don’t remember a time I felt such a palpable love from an audience at curtain call. There’s a difference between a standing ovation and a rousing ovation of love being shown to the cast and that’s what I witnessed last night. So hopefully more people go and enjoy it and see what myself and a lot of others yesterday saw. I agree, I completely loved it - and you really felt the audience did too.
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Post by elfie1984 on Aug 15, 2023 9:47:42 GMT
So it sounds like the key to being able to let yourself enjoy this production is not having seen the Menier one. I saw the Menier production multiple times and absolutely loved it. However, for me, whilst it was slick and such fun, the vulnerability I saw between Albin and George was stronger in the Regents Park production. For me (and I expect others may disagree from the comments on here), Regents Park had more heart and depth. Whilst Douglas Hodge was very good, I don’t feel he completely captured the queer experience, where there were moments when, as a queer person, I just connected with the nuances in Carl’s performance. All a matter of opinion, but I don’t agree that the Menier production, whilst excellent, is above and beyond this one.
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Post by harry on Aug 15, 2023 10:35:02 GMT
So it sounds like the key to being able to let yourself enjoy this production is not having seen the Menier one. I saw the Menier production multiple times and absolutely loved it. However, for me, whilst it was slick and such fun, the vulnerability I saw between Albin and George was stronger in the Regents Park production. For me (and I expect others may disagree from the comments on here), Regents Park had more heart and depth. Whilst Douglas Hodge was very good, I don’t feel he completely captured the queer experience, where there were moments when, as a queer person, I just connected with the nuances in Carl’s performance. All a matter of opinion, but I don’t agree that the Menier production, whilst excellent, is above and beyond this one. This was exactly my experience - loved the Menier one (saw it at the Chocolate Factory and then again with its original West End cast) for its humour and spectacle and Douglas Hodge gave a great character performance but it felt like a fluffy, jolly fun night out. This one has so much heart, warmth and truth - it’s maybe less laugh out loud funny but much more touching and for that it pips the last production for me. I really felt waves of love coming from the audience for Albin and Georges by the end - not just the actors and their performances, but for these characters and what they stood for. Just seen on Twitter/X that they’ve added a week at the end too - might have to do a late September return visit…
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Post by sfsusan on Aug 16, 2023 22:45:17 GMT
I had never seen a stage production of this, just the movie Birdcage. I thought this was much, much better... with more heart and more humanity. I didn't warm to Georges at first and on reading these comments, realized it's because his performance in the first act was that of a cruise ship entertainer or 1950s Vegas lounge singer.
But in the second act, his emotions came across much more, especially when watching Albin perform Best of Times. I thought their no-longer-young relationship was quite touching and believable. Us older folk don't show affection in the same way as we did when we were young, but it's no less heartfelt. (Maybe more so for being of long duration, through time and trials.)
I do wish the Dindon character had been introduced sooner, somehow. Not enough time was spent on getting him to the point where he'd agree to sneak out in drag. (By the way, the audience tonight definitely reacted badly to his nastier comments with gasps and I think a few boos.)
I was in Row B and would definitely recommend sitting farther back to avoid looking up for so long.
But still, I really liked the show, as did most of the audience (I heard comments of "excellent" and "brilliant" when walking out). And the weather cooperated beautifully. The first act was accompanied by birds in the nearby trees chirping and singing, which meshed with the lyrics of one of the songs quite nicely.
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Post by ladidah on Aug 17, 2023 14:13:58 GMT
Having a bad day, so have booked to see this again tonight
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Post by ladidah on Aug 18, 2023 7:15:30 GMT
The show is even better than a few weeks back. The audience was so loud, it was wonderful. Craig Armstrong was on as the Politician Father and he was a lot more cruel and people gasped at how awful he was to his wife!
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 18, 2023 7:32:56 GMT
Did the weather affect last nights performance at all?
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Post by ladidah on Aug 18, 2023 8:24:41 GMT
No, weather was great
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 18, 2023 8:43:17 GMT
No, weather was great Excellent! I only ask because I'm within walking distance of Regents Park and I went to bed early last night and when I did, had to close the window because of the gale that was blowing outside!
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Post by ladidah on Aug 18, 2023 9:34:11 GMT
Oh no, it was fine. I loved hearing the wind whistle through the trees
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Post by frosty on Aug 18, 2023 11:09:52 GMT
Put me in the 'loved it' camp. I saw the production with John Partridge a few years back and this is leaps and bounds better. I've booked to see it again in the final week of the run in September...hoping for an Indian summer!
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Post by richey on Aug 18, 2023 14:59:35 GMT
New trailer just released from OAT
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Post by FJ on Aug 18, 2023 22:51:28 GMT
Think that was my 6th or 7th trip to the OAT and the first time it’s rained. Thought the slight drizzle during act 1 might be all it amounted to but then boy did the heavens open in Act 2. I haven’t seen the show before but I’m guessing there was only about 10 minutes left when they had to abandon it which was a shame.
The cast did phenomenally well to carry on for most of Act II whilst it rained almost continually. And a particular highlight was the two drag queens given mops to mop the back of the stage during The best of times.
Hopefully I’ll make it back to see the full show in the next few weeks (does anyone know how the weather ticket exchange works if you booked through someone like TodayTix?)
But absolutely loved the show nonetheless. Went in knowing nothing and thought it was fantastic. The set was great, the band sounded brilliant and every member of the cast were amazing.
This production really made me appreciate how awful Legally Blonde last year actually was.
5 stars and can’t wait to get back to see the whole show on a (hopefully) dryer day.
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Post by curiouskc on Aug 20, 2023 18:29:33 GMT
Think that was my 6th or 7th trip to the OAT and the first time it’s rained. Thought the slight drizzle during act 1 might be all it amounted to but then boy did the heavens open in Act 2. I haven’t seen the show before but I’m guessing there was only about 10 minutes left when they had to abandon it which was a shame. So am I right in thinking that they will keep going through light rain/drizzle and only cancel/abandon the show over heavy rain? I ask because the night I have planned to see it this week looks like it'll be potentially drizzly but not heavily raining. I don't mind getting a bit wet in the crowd but as I am not local to London I'd hate for it to be cancelled/cut short.
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Post by toomasj on Aug 20, 2023 18:31:52 GMT
Think that was my 6th or 7th trip to the OAT and the first time it’s rained. Thought the slight drizzle during act 1 might be all it amounted to but then boy did the heavens open in Act 2. I haven’t seen the show before but I’m guessing there was only about 10 minutes left when they had to abandon it which was a shame. So am I right in thinking that they will keep going through light rain/drizzle and only cancel/abandon the show over heavy rain? I ask because the night I have planned to see it this week looks like it'll be potentially drizzly but not heavily raining. I don't mind getting a bit wet in the crowd but as I am not local to London I'd hate for it to be cancelled/cut short. This is correct. They’ll carry on as much as possible, with show stops to dry the stage where needed. If the rain is persistent and heavy they cancel.
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Post by jamb0r on Aug 20, 2023 18:49:19 GMT
Was also there on Friday for the abandoned performance. I made the smart decision to get some rain ponchos on amazon in advance which were perfect for the drizzle which they powered through for about an hour of the show. We were probably 90% of the way through before they had to abandon, and I was actually secretly thrilled. I loved the 90% we saw SO much I am very excited to see it all again for free next week thanks to the weather exchange policy! I wasn’t sure if they had a limit where if you see ‘most’ of the show the policy doesn’t apply, but it doesn’t look like it - our tickets were rebooked with no hesitation.
Definitely one of my highlights of the year so far, and one of the best things I’ve ever seen at this theatre.
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Post by romeo94 on Aug 20, 2023 20:22:46 GMT
Is there any audience participation from the front row?
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Post by sprampster on Aug 20, 2023 20:32:10 GMT
Saw the show on Friday night where the last 10 minutes were rained off and delighted that today got two free tickets due to the exchange policy to revisit
La Cage has always been special to me due to my first experience watching the Broadway Tony awards on Channel 4 and being transfixed ! For those old enough I am sure there was a documentary featuring the like of Stephen Lubmann and Betty Legs Diamond where they featured the London Cagelles and a backstage awards night for the best Cagelle ? please does anyone else remember this ?? Xx
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Post by sph on Aug 20, 2023 20:41:54 GMT
Is there any audience participation from the front row? Not exactly. Sometimes Albin, as his drag persona Zsa Zsa, will comment on members of the audience, sometimes in the front row, as a real drag queen would during a cabaret performance.
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Post by Being Alive on Aug 24, 2023 23:01:47 GMT
Adding a really solid 4 star review to this.
Carl Mullaney, as others have said, is wonderful (and I imagine will be nominated when we get round to awards). He takes a little while to warm up, but by mid act 1 he's in his stride, and I Am What I Am gets him a well deserved standing ovation (my friend and I were in tears). Act 2 perfectly pitched - wonderfully warm and endearing. Billy Carter a proper delight as Georges too - they make a lovely pairing.
Debbie Kurrups accent was 50 shades of bananas, and I didn't like the son and his fiance (didn't think either of them could act, but lovely dancers!), But otherwise loved this. The Cagelles were great, grounded in realness and brilliantly talented (fab routines from Stephen Mear as ever) - and what a fabulous design.
About time Regents Park had something good on again, it's been too long. Will probably go again!
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