Theatre 2024

Lucille said:
What’s a good show for Mums this May? I’m leaning towards Guys & Dolls but other suggestions welcome.
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Witness For the Prosecution, and get good seats because it’s worth it.

It was great for my mum anyway, as she used to be a judge and because she would hold weekly family court sessions where I’d usually be on the dock for selling my brother’s consoles or light arson.
 
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Jesus Christ, I know the reputation of this show, but this lineup sounds DREADFUL

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DONNA AIR :D

Now that’s some stunt casting I can get onboard with

#JUSTICE4JELLYHEAD
 
dUb said:
Did I mention I saw Hadestown? I saw Hadestown.

My friend was chatting about how the story ends at the interval and when I was like wtf are you doing he claimed that EVERYONE knows the story of Orpheus and Eurydice

I DON'T THINK THAT'S TRUE REALLY IS IT?

Anyway I enjoyed it. Wait For Me is a brilliant song so I was happy to hear that a handful of times, but I don't really like shows where there's just one set the whole time with the musicians onstage and it's not one I'd see myself returning to.

Enjoyed the strong Cork accent on the male lead though lol
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Well I knew what was coming but that's because I was a strange, shut-in child who got really into Greek myths.

I enjoyed the show a lot. The lead was lovely ("like a young Jeff Buckley" - the voice of Louis Walsh that lives in my head), and Persephone was fab. There was an understudy playing Hades who was very handsome but felt a bit more CAMPY than MENACING. My friend described his performance as being like Matt Berry.
 
Quite a lot of shows to talk about since I last posted. Just came out of London Tide at the National on a day off as I got a bargain £20 seat.

Found that I “won” the Operation Mincemeat Monday ticket ballot with the “opportunity to book Monday, Tuesday & Saturday performances between Nov-Jan”. Clicked the link and they’re all £89.50. Every seat regardless of where it is.

What a fucking ridiculous system that is and how is that a “win” on their ballot? It’s literally just giving a 24hr window to book the best seats at their top price before general sale, 5-7 months in advance.
 
My less than sophisticated takes:

Machinal - Now finished playing at The Old Vic. Went on a whim with a discount code and really rather enjoyed it. Not historically accurate and the trailer made it look a bit shouty, but it was paced really well and I discovered a new theatre hottie, Pierro Niel-Mee

The Hills of California - Another one where they were practically giving away tickets towards the end of the run, despite the ludicrous prices when it first opened. Very enjoyable and paced really well for a 3hr+ play. Not quite up there with Jerusalem for Jez Butterworth’s work.

Long Day’s Journey Into Night - Fucking hell. It sure was a LOOOONG Day’s Journey Into Night. Honestly I fell asleep. It was tedious. Patricia Clarkson was really good. Daryl McCormack surprisingly not hot in real life :(

Hadestown - I love love loved the music to begin with! Got a lot of understudies in our performance though, which isn’t usually an issue, but felt the male lead cover was quite weak here. Could barely follow the story though as I know next to nothing about Greek mythology. Thought it dipped in the second act.

Sister Act - Seen again before Beverley Knight left. Took my mum and practically cured her light racism against black women (she’s one of those ones that “can’t quite put my finger on the reason” for disliking a lot of celebrities, particularly reality show contestants, when there’s a very clear pattern). Mother doesn’t even like big voiced women in general as it’s not her preferred genre. She doesn’t think Whitney was all that and even disliked Wicked because of the singing, but Bev Knight seriously blew her away and she can’t stop playing her music at home. We’re now going to her solo show in Kew Gardens next month.

Kathy and Stella Solve a Murder! - Oh, this was really fun and very original. Second act better than the first. I’d recommend for anyone up for something seriously silly.

A View From The Bridge - Tickets were stupidly expensive when they first went on sale, but a flash sale got me a £30 seat in the Dress Circle. Did this play at school and I have a memory of seeing a production somewhere back then, but never since. Missed the one that Mark Strong won all of the awards for, but Dominic West really was excellent. So much that I can’t even imagine Strong doing the part. Also starred aforementioned hottie from Machinal, Pierro Niel-Mee (his photos really don’t do him justice)

London Tide - LONG. The first act really should have been cut in half. Not a musical but a play with music. Songs by PJ Harvey. The issue was that only one actor (Jamael Westman, the original UK Hamilton) appeared to be a professional singer. The rest were actors who could kind of sing, and they weren’t particularly demanding vocals either. I felt that they should have gone with the style of Brokeback Mountain by having a band at the side narrate it through music rather than giving them to actors clearly out of their comfort zone.
 
Broadway really HATES that Cabaret revival, doesn't it? The Vanity Fair podcast this week was going on about "do the British even understand musical theatre?" :D

I mean, having seen Eddie and the woeful Jessie Buckley "do" Cabaret, I'm almost inclined to agree.
 
I certainly can never work out how/why some productions are darlings of award season compared to others. Still not seen Cabaret, but the fact that shite like Dear Evan Hansen was huge in the US, they shouldn’t be making any comparisons.

BTW, this new Kiss Me Kate production is clearly a bit desperate for sales. Before it even opened there were major discounts galore going around, and it’s being trotted out on TV non stop. I think it’s probably very good, but the Barbican does struggle to put bums on seats likely just because of the shit location.

2:22 A Ghost Story has also been heavily discounted even before opening night :bad:
 
FFS, they’re bringing back The Lehman Trilogy for a limited time in September at the Gillian Lynne. Can’t they get something new, or a transfer of something playing regionally?

I didn’t bother with this simply because it looked boring. My friend went WHO WORKS IN FINANCE in a very senior position, and also worked in that sector when all the events were happening so he was hugely familiar with it all… even he hated it and said it was the most boring play he’d ever seen. And he even enjoyed Long Day’s Journey Into Night, so he has a high threshold for tedium.

Bring back the fun shows :(
 
Christian said:
Broadway really HATES that Cabaret revival, doesn't it? The Vanity Fair podcast this week was going on about "do the British even understand musical theatre?" :D

I mean, having seen Eddie and the woeful Jessie Buckley "do" Cabaret, I'm almost inclined to agree.
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I saw the cast after this which I thought was tremendous but it becoming the new 2:22 of the Westend is a WORRY.
 
Ooh, what a cast! I’ve only seen one production of Abigail’s Party years ago with I think the mum from Family Affairs.
 
Genuinely quite THRILLED to have just got preview tickets (£20!) for this

Eleanor Tomlinson and Michael Ahomka-Lindsay, image provided by production

Bristol Old Vic reveals casting for Matthew Lopez’s Reverberation​


Eleanor Tomlinson and Michael Ahomka-Lindsay will star in the European premiere of Matthew López’s Reverberation at Bristol Old Vic this autumn.

The play, first seen in Connecticut in 2015, is being re-imagined by López for the new run, with its backdrop moved across the Atlantic to London. It follows a man, Jonathan (Ahomka-Lindsay), who retreats into a digital bubble following a tragedy – until a neighbour upstairs upends his world.

Ahomka-Lindsay returns to Bristol Old Vic after playing David in Choir Boy in 2023. He’s currently appearing as Clifford Bradshaw in the award-winning Cabaret in the West End, while his other stage credits include Newsies, Legally Blonde and Rent.

Tomlinson recently played the role of Sylvie in Netflix’s One Day. Further screen credits include The Couple Next Door (Channel 4), The Outlaws, Poldark (BBC) and The Illusionist alongside Edward Norton, Jessica Biel and Paul Giamatti.

They’ll be joined in the cast by recent Mountview Academy graduate Jack Gibson, who will make his professional debut in the role of Wes.

Reverberation, which runs from 2 October to 2 November 2024, is directed by Jack Sain. The creative team also includes Ti Green (Touching the Void), who returns to Bristol Old Vic to design, alongside sound designer Nicola T Chang (For Black Boys…), lighting designer Robbie Butler (The Glass Menagerie), video designer Daniel Denton (Misty) and intimacy co-ordinator Robbie Taylor Hunt (Red, White and Royal Blue).

López wrote Reverberation three years prior to The Inheritance, which premiered at the Young Vic in 2018 before transferring to the West End and to Broadway.

He said today: “I am overjoyed to bring my play Reverberation to Bristol Old Vic under the direction of Jack Sain. In the years since the premiere of The Inheritance, the UK has become my creative and literal home. I am excited to be back in front of a British audience for my first UK-set play with this wonderful cast.”
 
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I'm off to Aladdin this evening, and for some reason I'm not feeling good about it. Has anyone seen it? How does it compare to the other Disney musicals?
 
I didn't like it anywhere near as much as the film when I saw it in the West End, but I certainly didn't resent seeing it

It's probably the weakest of the Disney stage musicals (despite having more good songs than Frozen, say) and obvs it lacks the artistry of The Lion King, so you're right to have low expectations.
 
lolly said:
I'm off to Aladdin this evening, and for some reason I'm not feeling good about it. Has anyone seen it? How does it compare to the other Disney musicals?
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I saw it in the West End when it was on. Generally have no specific memory of it. It did the job, but was never going to be as good as the film. I liked it more than Beauty and the Beast, not as much as Mary Poppins or Frozen.

At this stage I don’t think I’ll ever see The Lion King unless I ever get offered a freebie.
 
Did we see that Disney's HERCULES is going in to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane next year?

I love the film so am quite delighted, but it feels ambitious for a theatre that size. I'm assuming Disney aren't budgeting for it to do anywhere near Frozen's (ultimately quite lacklustre?) run there
 
They should probably start treating Theatre Royal Drury Lane like the Coliseum and the Palladium, having some prestige but limited run seasonal shows. If Frozen can’t sustain a decent run then I doubt Hercules will. But I’m a little bit sick of so many of these 1-2 night only staged concert versions of shows.

Or maybe just run Hercules Thurs-Sun, and use the venue for something else Mon-Wed.
 
Ellie said:
But I’m a little bit sick of so many of these 1-2 night only staged concert versions of shows.
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I’ve loved both of the ones of these I’ve in recent summers (Chess and Evita). They seem harmless enough.
 
Ellie said:
I saw it in the West End when it was on. Generally have no specific memory of it. It did the job, but was never going to be as good as the film. I liked it more than Beauty and the Beast, not as much as Mary Poppins or Frozen.

At this stage I don’t think I’ll ever see The Lion King unless I ever get offered a freebie.
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I've not seen The Lion King either, and doubt that I'll bother, unless I manage to get really cheap tickets, which I've never seen. I lucked out with Aladdin - they had a 4 tickets for £100 deal on, with my Blue Light/Local Heroes deal. I think they are third tier stall seats which would have been £70 otherwise. Right at the side, but far enough back that it shouldn't cause neckache, but not so far that you get the overhang from the Grand Circle or feel too remote.

Mary Poppins is easily my favourite Disney stage musical. I think I've seen it three or four times, and it's back here again in November, so we're off again. Frozen next for me, and Beauty and the Beast last. Hope I agree with you that Aladdin is better than that at least.
 
Madison said:
I’ve loved both of the ones of these I’ve in recent summers (Chess and Evita). They seem harmless enough.
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I’ve been to a two (Kinky Boots and Wild About You), plus of course Cool Rider and Diana! at other venues. It’s just always the same way with them - extortionate ticket prices and then desperately flogging the Grand Circle for free at the last minute. And if you really want to go but can’t make the date then tough.

At the very least, if it’s worth doing then lower the cost and go for 5 day run.
 
Has anyone seen Come From Away? That's here for two weeks in August and looks like it's selling incredibly poorly.

I'm a little tempted, but think I'll hold off to see if I can get an even better offer.
 
It's great. A nice upbeat musical, a bit different (it's more upbeat folk type songs* than Lloyd-Webbery BIG BALLADS), and lovely and short with it.


*but in a way that isn't awful
 
lolly said:
Has anyone seen Come From Away? That's here for two weeks in August and looks like it's selling incredibly poorly.

I'm a little tempted, but think I'll hold off to see if I can get an even better offer.
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I was disappointed with it. Was so looking forward to it because the actual music was excellent. It just didn’t quite click with me emotionally, as everyone seems to think it’s the most uplifting show EVAH. It was a solid 3 stars.

It’s also 90 minutes in one act, and I felt it was really dragging an hour in.

Still, it’s in a lot of other people’s Top 5 shows, so what do I know?
 
Hello Dolly was a creaky bore. Imelda Staunton is all wrong for it, and the washed out projected backdrops made the whole thing feel much cheaper than the crazy ticket prices promised.

I had a gorgeous dinner in Ham Yard pre-show though :disco:
 
Christian said:
Hello Dolly was a creaky bore. Imelda Staunton is all wrong for it, and the washed out projected backdrops made the whole thing feel much cheaper than the crazy ticket prices promised.

I had a gorgeous dinner in Ham Yard pre-show though :disco:
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:o I’m going next Saturday, doing A Chorus Line for the matinee on the same day. Have a friend who’s already seen it and she loved it though.

Saw Imelda Staunton in Gypsy and Follies and she was great.
 
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