[Music] Theatre 2018

[Acker79]

There was no clearly suitable prefix, so I went with music because my theatre interests tend to be musical based. To that end...

I saw Girl From The North Country at the Noel Coward Theatre yesterday. It was fantastic. It's a depression era story using the music of Bob Dylan. It's only there for a limited run (until 24th March). There are some fantastic singers, and the story really lifts the music. It has a strong cast including Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter films, Trainspotting, Happy Valley) Ciaran Hinds (Aberforth Dumbledore from the last Harry Potter film, Game of Thrones, Justice League), Karl Johson (Hot Fuzz - the mumbly officer), Bronagh Gallagher (the commitments, pulp fiction, phantom menace, Sherlock Holmes). It also featured brilliant vocal performances from people I'm not that familiar with Sheila Atim, Debbie Kurup and Arinze Kene (apparently he was in Eastenders for around a year).

Shirley Henderson sings a great version of Like a Rolling Stone, and a heartbreaking version of Forever Young. Jack Shalloo is a largely silent role until he sings an utterly wonderful version of Duquesne Whistle.

If you're even slightly interested in Dylan or that genre of music you should absolutely check out the show.

 

[Barry Izbak]

It's the interval at the Theatre Royal and I am watching Brighton Rock

The dark story of the book was made more famous in the original movie and even the remake made a good attempt.

But this is struggling. In my opinion.
Very low attendance. Smattering of applause at the interval curtain.
I love theatre. But the theatrical treatment isn't working tonight. We don't need singing not choreography (You couldn't call it dancing)

Anyone else seen it?
I'd be interested to hear your view

 

[Acker79]

They've made it into a musical?

 

[Barry Izbak]

Not exactly. But parts of it were. And there was a drummer and keyboard throughout.
Sorry to report second half was no better imo

Exempt the actors from my negativity.
The actors playing Pinkie and Rose were very good.
But the production.... errr no..

 

[The Merry Prankster]

There was no clearly suitable prefix, so I went with music because my theatre interests tend to be musical based. To that end...

I saw Girl From The North Country at the Noel Coward Theatre yesterday. It was fantastic. It's a depression era story using the music of Bob Dylan. It's only there for a limited run (until 24th March). There are some fantastic singers, and the story really lifts the music. It has a strong cast including Shirley Henderson (Moaning Myrtle from the Harry Potter films, Trainspotting, Happy Valley) Ciaran Hinds (Aberforth Dumbledore from the last Harry Potter film, Game of Thrones, Justice League), Karl Johson (Hot Fuzz - the mumbly officer), Bronagh Gallagher (the commitments, pulp fiction, phantom menace, Sherlock Holmes). It also featured brilliant vocal performances from people I'm not that familiar with Sheila Atim, Debbie Kurup and Arinze Kene (apparently he was in Eastenders for around a year).

Shirley Henderson sings a great version of Like a Rolling Stone, and a heartbreaking version of Forever Young. Jack Shalloo is a largely silent role until he sings an utterly wonderful version of Duquesne Whistle.

If you're even slightly interested in Dylan or that genre of music you should absolutely check out the show.

I liked it as well. I also loved the Ferryman but I’d give the Birthday Party a big swerve. Despite a fairly stellar cast it’s pony.

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

It's the interval at the Theatre Royal and I am watching Brighton Rock

The dark story of the book was made more famous in the original movie and even the remake made a good attempt.

But this is struggling. In my opinion.
Very low attendance. Smattering of applause at the interval curtain.
I love theatre. But the theatrical treatment isn't working tonight. We don't need singing not choreography (You couldn't call it dancing)

Anyone else seen it?
I'd be interested to hear your view

I have to disagree. I saw it on Wednesday night and thought it was an innovative and well produced version. Staging and it’s use was very clever and acting superb. The use of the old pier and it’s current state worked well and I liked seeing the musicians which included Hannah Peel hidden in half light underneath. Characters framed throughout the two hours in dry ice worked brilliantly too.

 

[Barry Izbak]

I have to disagree. I saw it on Wednesday night and thought it was an innovative and well produced version. Staging and it’s use was very clever and acting superb. The use of the old pier and it’s current state worked well and I liked seeing the musicians which included Hannah Peel hidden in half light underneath. Characters framed throughout the two hours in dry ice worked brilliantly too.

Not for the first time I am in the minority. I've read a few other reviews on twitter and all very positive. So fully accept it's a matter of opinion and taste. In some ways how two people can watch the same game and come away with differing opinions.

They will have been disappointed with the sparse audience last night. Hope it picks up for the remainder of the run.

 

[CorgiRegisteredFriend]

Not for the first time I am in the minority. I've read a few other reviews on twitter and all very positive. So fully accept it's a matter of opinion and taste. In some ways how two people can watch the same game and come away with differing opinions.

They will have been disappointed with the sparse audience last night. Hope it picks up for the remainder of the run.

Hope so too as it was about half full which I put down to it being mid week.

 

[Acker79]

What's your name, man?
Alexander Hamilton. My name is Alexander Hamilton. And there's a million things I haven't done...

Going to see Hamilton is not one of the million things I haven't done!

It is a musical theatre phenomenon. Constantly selling out everywhere. It's so popular, there are stringent protections in place to stop touts. You have to take the card you pay with to get tickets printed as you enter. People were queuing around the building 90mins before the show even started. Such is the enthusiasm for it.

And I think that adds to the experience. There is a genuine buzz in the audience and an enthusiasm for the show. People are happy just to be there and are even a poor performance would receive a great reaction to people who, like me, have listened to the soundtrack countless times. But this was far from a poor performance, it was one of the best shows I've been to, and even given the ideal audience, the standing ovation was full and quick (often times one or two stand up right away, some more as each actor comes out for a bow, etc, this time almost everyone jumped out of the seats immediately).

Naturally, being familiar with the original Broadway recording it was a little jarring hearing other voices singing the songs I'm so familiar with, but I have so many soundtracks and have seen so many shows I have developed the ability to to adapt quite quickly. It would be hard to pick out a particular stand out performer. Jason Pennycooke was great in the two roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson, Obioma Ugoala brought class and dignity as George Washington, Christine Allado as Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds sounded most like the OST version, Michael Jibson almost stole the show as King George III, and the watching the play you get more of an appreciation of how much rests on Aaron Burr, played here wonderfully by Giles Terera. We had Ash Hunter as lexander Hamilton, he is the alternate/understudy and but I'm not sure you'd know (I didn't until after the show when I looked at the programme).

Also, so. Many. Tight. Pants.

 

[Acker79]

Went to see Everybody's Talking About Jamie, a show based on a true story, described as 'the new billy elliot' because erm.. well, it's about a northern kid who doesn't fall in line with masculine ideals, though this one embraces the camp waaay more. It tells the story seen in the BBC documentary 'Jamie: Drag Queen at 16' of a teenage boy who want to be a drag queen, and is supported by his mother. The music is by Dan Gillespie Sells from The Feeling, and does at times sound very much of their genre. There's a lot of energy, fun, camp and sass. I don't know that it is everyone's cup of tea (or at least not the typical football fan), but I enjoyed it.

 

[Acker79]

Went to see Everybody's Talking About Jamie, a show based on a true story, described as 'the new billy elliot' because erm.. well, it's about a northern kid who doesn't fall in line with masculine ideals, though this one embraces the camp waaay more. It tells the story seen in the BBC documentary 'Jamie: Drag Queen at 16' of a teenage boy who want to be a drag queen, and is supported by his mother. The music is by Dan Gillespie Sells from The Feeling, and does at times sound very much of their genre. There's a lot of energy, fun, camp and sass. I don't know that it is everyone's cup of tea (or at least not the typical football fan), but I enjoyed it.

I know this wasn't a full-throated endorsement, but if anyone is interested they are broadcasting a performance in cinemas on 5th July so you won't have to go to the West End or pay West End prices.

 

[Acker79]

Reminder of the post above this^^ It's the 5th this week.

 

[Acker79]

Little Shop of Horrors
I ventured up to see a performance of Little Shop of Horrors during it's preview period at the Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park.

As it is still in preview performances (I saw its third performance on Saturday evening), so it's still a little rough around the edges, but it was still a lot of fun, and then the encore comes along and it's so much fun that it leaves you on more of a high than if they just ended where it normally does and took their bows to the applause instead of how they did it.

I loved the film since I was a kid, but when I tried to buy the cd I was only able to find the original stage cast recording so I was very familiar with the differences between the stage show and the film (for instance, 'Mean Green Mother' was not in the original stage show). Even so, there were a few slight changes to some of the songs.

As an open air theatre there are some issues - wind rustling the trees, planes flying overhead and birds squawking at inopportune moments (such as at the start of the tender ballad 'Somewhere that's green'), but the weather was lovely (though apparently the heat was almost unbearable towards the rear of the upper section).

Cast includes Jemima Rooper (As If, Hex, Sugar Rush, Atlantis, Kinky Boots, Lost in Austen) as Audrey. Slightly less high pitched than Ellen Greene but very good. Matt Willis (of Busted, McBusted, and I'm a Celebrity...) did his best as Orin Scrivello DDS but I'm not sure anyone can live up to Steve Martin. Forbes Masson (Eastenders, Catastrophe) played Mr Mushnik. Renee Lamb, Christina Modestou, and Seyi Omooba as Chiffon, Ronnette and Crystal - the backbone of the music. Audrey II was played by a US drag Queen Vicky Vox making her debut on stage (she did appear in Magic Mike XXL as an emcee). She was great, owning the stage whenever she made an appearance, and rocking the encore. Seymour was played by Marc Antolin (the programme lists Love Actually as one of his credits, but it's not on his IMDb profile so must have been an extra, he is credited as 'woodsman' in into the woods). He was good, too. Also had a surprise narrator for the opening monologue.

Runs until 15 September.

 

[Acker79]

If you like 80s inspired music, a bucket load of 80s pop culture references, brian blessed and mark hamill, and superhero musicals, then Eugenius! is for you! I loved it!

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

I saw Bat Out Of Hell at the Dominion recently. Not usually a fan of that sort of stuff but really enjoyed the show. Andrew Polac who was the male lead has a fantastic voice but I think he has finished in London to take on the US version. Also, Danielle Steers who played Zahara was very good. A lot more humour in the show than I expected and the stage set was a very clever use of space.

 

[Acker79]

I saw Bat Out Of Hell at the Dominion recently. Not usually a fan of that sort of stuff but really enjoyed the show. Andrew Polac who was the male lead has a fantastic voice but I think he has finished in London to take on the US version. Also, Danielle Steers who played Zahara was very good. A lot more humour in the show than I expected and the stage set was a very clever use of space.

I saw that at the London Coliseum last year. Really enjoyed it, must make an effort to watch it again.

 

[Gwylan]

Just got back from Chichester having seen The Watsons. It's based on an unfinished novel by Jane Austen but that's just the starting point: it fizzes with ideas and goes off in all sorts of tangents ... and it's very funny too.

Best new play I've seen for years.

 

[Barry Izbak]

We went to see The Comedy About A Bank Robbery at the theatre royal last night.
A famous show from the west end, so I was expecting great things.
Indeed the professionalism of the acting was top draw. Real top quality actors were so on it, it was brilliant.
But, and a huge but for me, was the script and the play itself.
It was a farce (in the original sense of the word, not a Martin Atkinson performance)
Farce might have been funny forty years ago, and judging by the audience several people still found it so. Many more like me just sat through it.

I am going for 5/10
And all 5 points belong to the cast

 

[Barry Izbak]

Popped in to the Theatre Royal box office this morning for tickets to A House on Cold Hill in March.

Whilst I was in there they were promoting Abigails Party (January) which went on sale today.

I love this show. Bought tickets for that too.
Was (ahem) forced by the Argus snapper to have a photo with one of the cast.
You'll see why if it appears in the paper

 

[Titanic]

We went to see The Comedy About A Bank Robbery at the theatre royal last night.
A famous show from the west end, so I was expecting great things.
Indeed the professionalism of the acting was top draw. Real top quality actors were so on it, it was brilliant.
But, and a huge but for me, was the script and the play itself.
It was a farce (in the original sense of the word, not a Martin Atkinson performance)
Farce might have been funny forty years ago, and judging by the audience several people still found it so. Many more like me just sat through it.

I am going for 5/10
And all 5 points belong to the cast

We went on Tuesday. I totally agree, the cast, set and staging were top drawer. The script was completely farcical, which was a bit meh!

6/10 the extra point being for the aircon/office scene

We are going to the CFT to see The Messiah (with Hugh Dennis, John Marquez and Lesley Garrett)... which I am looking forward to enormously.