(Last week was another no theatre week, but this week I wound up at three shows. One, Cooking with Elvis, won't be getting covered here due to personal familiarity with the producers, but I'd recommend it regardless. It's a bizarre play but an interesting one. The other show that I'll cover here in some detail is Priscilla which I reviewed for a magazine but...well...you'll see.)
So in exchange for sitting in the onstage seats last Friday while the cast ran most of the second act’s technical rehearsal I got free tickets to see the transfer of Spring Awakening at the Novello. This marks my third time seeing the London cast, so I’ll keep this brief because the core elements have already been discussed at length.
-The set is narrower at the Novello than at the Lyric, and the band are now partly hidden behind the onstage seats.
-The acoustics are bassier now, and have a good boom to them.
-Did you know that instead of regular stage numbering they use the show’s German title (Frühlingserwachen) to mark places?
-Sight lines are excellent, even from the rear stalls though I’d still avoid seats on the far sides.
-The night I went was filled with tech issues including a very loud and unhappy machine during the hayloft scene and an unscheduled bang in the graveyard.
-Despite this the cast pushed through, the one true sign of professionalism that night.
-Why’s that? Because except for the adults (who are constantly excellent), the acting quality has plummeted lately. While I’ll cut the cast some slack for being in a new venue and getting their changed blocking down, the book scenes were blown through, barely acted, and shrugged off. Likewise, a certain Welsh leading pair’s accents kept slipping.
-The sad thing is that Michael Mayer had flown up from getting the Vienna production through previews to supervise the transfer’s tech.
In short? Maybe go again in a month or two when things have settled down or aim for understudy days. This just nailed the burnout coffin into my Spring Awakening coffin, though, and short of going specifically with friends I believe I’ll be away from the Novello for a while.
Showing posts with label West End Transfer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label West End Transfer. Show all posts
Friday, 27 March 2009
Sunday, 25 January 2009
CATCHING UP: Mandy/Norton/Spring
So I actually did go to quite a bit of theatre this week. However, I also had a fatal computer death from City of Heroes doing the final deed to my recalled graphics processor and making it impossible to post before Friday. Any other procrastination was, to be honest, laziness.
So first and foremost was the final performance of Mandy Patinkin’s whirlwind week in London. I’d meant to see Mr. Patinkin back in 2004 in New York but the timing didn’t work out and I missed out. To be honest, though, I didn’t really - consistency is a guarantee with the man as are overdramatic renderings of every song he does. I’m not knocking his abilities as a performer - he’s played two of my favourite roles in film (Rube in Dead Like Me and of course Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride - which he did NOT say the line from) but the Forbidden Broadway lines about Super-Frantic Hyper-Active Self-Indulgent Mandy are totally true.
That said, I still defended the man against angry audiences after who felt the set list was far too old and unfamiliar. Anybody who reads up on the man’s concerts knows exactly what they’re in for: Sondheim, more Sondheim, and classic American songbook with a focus on Tin Pan Alley and early Broadway. If you’re lucky (I wasn’t) he sings Harry Chapin.
Anyways, on to Tuesday, where I should have (but didn’t) run into the West End Whingers as we were both independently at La Cage Aux Folles to see how Graham Norton was holding up as Albin. And to be honest, they were far kinder to the man than I’m going to be - utterly horrid were both my and my companion’s opinions. He failed to land many of the jokes (this is bad for a comedy poof) and, in the words of the professional drag queen, “moved like a straight man in a dress.” He was consistently off key, out of time with the orchestra, and they significantly upped the reverb on his lowered “I Am What I Am.” At no point did I or my companion truly believe that Norton’s Albin was in love with Georges, and he was Graham Norton in a series of (very unflattering) dresses rather than a true character.
So thank goodness for Spring Awakening at the Lyric on Friday, as it was NOT “Totally Fucked” though Iwan Rheon was undoubtedly cursing out “The Bitch of Living” as he hurt his back during rehearsal and understudy Richard Southwind proclaimed “Mama Who Bore Me!” and covered Moritz for first preview. The cast are, thankfully, strong overall (minus Lucy Barker who portrays Ilse as a third-rate first-act Sally Bowles) and Christine Jones’s set fits beautifully into the Lyric’s space as does the true third star (after Sater’s book and Sheik’s music), namely Kevin Adams’s beautiful, breathtaking lighting designs. While a West End transfer is all but announced, book now and see it in the more intimate space and at a lower price. I’d also recommend sitting in the circle - there are a few design issues which are difficult if not impossible to see from the stalls due to the high stage. Highly recommended and worth the £35 top price.
So first and foremost was the final performance of Mandy Patinkin’s whirlwind week in London. I’d meant to see Mr. Patinkin back in 2004 in New York but the timing didn’t work out and I missed out. To be honest, though, I didn’t really - consistency is a guarantee with the man as are overdramatic renderings of every song he does. I’m not knocking his abilities as a performer - he’s played two of my favourite roles in film (Rube in Dead Like Me and of course Inigo Montoya in The Princess Bride - which he did NOT say the line from) but the Forbidden Broadway lines about Super-Frantic Hyper-Active Self-Indulgent Mandy are totally true.
That said, I still defended the man against angry audiences after who felt the set list was far too old and unfamiliar. Anybody who reads up on the man’s concerts knows exactly what they’re in for: Sondheim, more Sondheim, and classic American songbook with a focus on Tin Pan Alley and early Broadway. If you’re lucky (I wasn’t) he sings Harry Chapin.
Anyways, on to Tuesday, where I should have (but didn’t) run into the West End Whingers as we were both independently at La Cage Aux Folles to see how Graham Norton was holding up as Albin. And to be honest, they were far kinder to the man than I’m going to be - utterly horrid were both my and my companion’s opinions. He failed to land many of the jokes (this is bad for a comedy poof) and, in the words of the professional drag queen, “moved like a straight man in a dress.” He was consistently off key, out of time with the orchestra, and they significantly upped the reverb on his lowered “I Am What I Am.” At no point did I or my companion truly believe that Norton’s Albin was in love with Georges, and he was Graham Norton in a series of (very unflattering) dresses rather than a true character.
So thank goodness for Spring Awakening at the Lyric on Friday, as it was NOT “Totally Fucked” though Iwan Rheon was undoubtedly cursing out “The Bitch of Living” as he hurt his back during rehearsal and understudy Richard Southwind proclaimed “Mama Who Bore Me!” and covered Moritz for first preview. The cast are, thankfully, strong overall (minus Lucy Barker who portrays Ilse as a third-rate first-act Sally Bowles) and Christine Jones’s set fits beautifully into the Lyric’s space as does the true third star (after Sater’s book and Sheik’s music), namely Kevin Adams’s beautiful, breathtaking lighting designs. While a West End transfer is all but announced, book now and see it in the more intimate space and at a lower price. I’d also recommend sitting in the circle - there are a few design issues which are difficult if not impossible to see from the stalls due to the high stage. Highly recommended and worth the £35 top price.
Sunday, 30 November 2008
REVISIT: “Maria Friedman Rearranged”
(Rapid Fire Review #2 as I clear through a week involving far, far too much theatre.)
So instead of going to the third night of Perfect Pitch on Thursday, a friend wanted to see Maria Friedman at Trafalgar 1 and I could get us ultra-cheap tickets, so I figured why not. “I can deal with seeing six shows in a week, really,” I thought to myself and put the booking in. While said friend ended up getting sick and being unable to attend, I dragged myself out of the house, taking comfort in being able to watch two episodes of Rose of Versailles on the tube.
It would, of course, be just my luck that the already late-starting show (scheduled for 20:30 or 21:00 on weekends) would start extra late as this being the first preview nobody had bothered to accurately work out how long it would take to change the sets from the early evening performance of Horrid Henry. The result? Standing around in a very crowed and tiny bar area for an extra half hour.
Was the show worth it? I guess. The setlist was identical to that at the Chocolate Factory, but trimmed down to an interval-less 95 minutes. Ms. Friedman has a lot of fun doing these concerts, and her charm and enthusiasm rubs off onto the audience making it hard not to leave satisfied, but I honestly wasn’t in the mood to appreciate most of it and wished that I’d stayed home and given myself the much needed night off that I’m only getting now.
In other words, yes, it’s worth going if you’re a particular fan of Ms. Friedman or you haven’t seen this particular concert series before, but if you’ve already been you can spend the night elsewhere without regret.
Where: Trafalgar Studios 1
When: Until 04 Jan., W-F @ 20:30, Sa @ 21:00, Su @ 18:00
How Much: £25-35
Concessions: No idea.
-------------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying:” £20
RZ Other Notes: I gave this gig the same worth paying at the Menier despite the set being a good 15-20 minutes longer. The seats are more comfortable, however, at Trafalgar and £20 will get you a ticket at TKTS including the booking fee. I think the show also works better in the shortened form, but YMMV.
So instead of going to the third night of Perfect Pitch on Thursday, a friend wanted to see Maria Friedman at Trafalgar 1 and I could get us ultra-cheap tickets, so I figured why not. “I can deal with seeing six shows in a week, really,” I thought to myself and put the booking in. While said friend ended up getting sick and being unable to attend, I dragged myself out of the house, taking comfort in being able to watch two episodes of Rose of Versailles on the tube.
It would, of course, be just my luck that the already late-starting show (scheduled for 20:30 or 21:00 on weekends) would start extra late as this being the first preview nobody had bothered to accurately work out how long it would take to change the sets from the early evening performance of Horrid Henry. The result? Standing around in a very crowed and tiny bar area for an extra half hour.
Was the show worth it? I guess. The setlist was identical to that at the Chocolate Factory, but trimmed down to an interval-less 95 minutes. Ms. Friedman has a lot of fun doing these concerts, and her charm and enthusiasm rubs off onto the audience making it hard not to leave satisfied, but I honestly wasn’t in the mood to appreciate most of it and wished that I’d stayed home and given myself the much needed night off that I’m only getting now.
In other words, yes, it’s worth going if you’re a particular fan of Ms. Friedman or you haven’t seen this particular concert series before, but if you’ve already been you can spend the night elsewhere without regret.
Where: Trafalgar Studios 1
When: Until 04 Jan., W-F @ 20:30, Sa @ 21:00, Su @ 18:00
How Much: £25-35
Concessions: No idea.
-------------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying:” £20
RZ Other Notes: I gave this gig the same worth paying at the Menier despite the set being a good 15-20 minutes longer. The seats are more comfortable, however, at Trafalgar and £20 will get you a ticket at TKTS including the booking fee. I think the show also works better in the shortened form, but YMMV.
Saturday, 24 May 2008
THOUGHTS: The Harder They Come (Transfer)
(Four days after and still no comment on Gone With The Wind revisited...)
Every now and then, the critics have to eat their words. And in this case, the RZ is going to eat his about this show having no chance of going commercial. Taking on a limited run at the Playhouse between now and whenever La Cage finally arrives from the Chocolate Factory, The Harder They Come is back in London and better than ever.
First and foremost, the book’s mess has been mopped up. The RZ approximates 10-15 minutes of obvious material are gone including a song at the beginning and a major spoiler-tastic scene towards the end. Some songs have been trimmed and other scenes clarified. The plot is streamlined, the acts feel more balanced, and it’s just right. The contrast of low budget staging and fancy West End theatre also helps to emphasise the show’s grit, lost to the concrete bunker known as the Barbican.
The music sounds better than ever too, and the cast deliver tight group numbers and some of the best choreography in the West End. The Harder They Come is still driven by its music, and a repeat visit only drove home the strength of the score.
With a (much) smaller stage than the main house at the Barbican, the RZ suspects that the West End transfer is closer to the original and while there’s an added intimacy in the tiny Playhouse, the energy feels lower as well, the side effect of taking a cast from original to transfer to tour to transfer in such a whirlwind. It may pay off to wait a bit before going, just so the cast can clear previews and get some rest.
The question is, does the transfer justify West End prices? Fortunately for punters, the prices are cheaper than most straight plays in the West End, a benefit of subsidised backing. Therefore, the RZ suggests booking ASAP to those who want to escape from the recent bombastic offerings from the old school and fast food fluff from the new.
Where: Playhouse Theatre
When: Until 1 Nov., M-Sa @ 19:30, W & Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £10-£32.50*
Concessions: Check with the BO
--------------------
RZ Unofficial Worth Paying: £32.50 for getting it right and doing it for less.
RZ Other Notes: Somebody would be very foolish not to make a cast recording or official DVD of this show.
*OK so they offer premium tickets for £50, but you know what? Those aren’t on the proper scale and while they aren’t as stupidly expensive as in the US, the RZ strongly encourages British patrons NOT to support producers in this attempt to sell overpriced tickets.
Every now and then, the critics have to eat their words. And in this case, the RZ is going to eat his about this show having no chance of going commercial. Taking on a limited run at the Playhouse between now and whenever La Cage finally arrives from the Chocolate Factory, The Harder They Come is back in London and better than ever.
First and foremost, the book’s mess has been mopped up. The RZ approximates 10-15 minutes of obvious material are gone including a song at the beginning and a major spoiler-tastic scene towards the end. Some songs have been trimmed and other scenes clarified. The plot is streamlined, the acts feel more balanced, and it’s just right. The contrast of low budget staging and fancy West End theatre also helps to emphasise the show’s grit, lost to the concrete bunker known as the Barbican.
The music sounds better than ever too, and the cast deliver tight group numbers and some of the best choreography in the West End. The Harder They Come is still driven by its music, and a repeat visit only drove home the strength of the score.
With a (much) smaller stage than the main house at the Barbican, the RZ suspects that the West End transfer is closer to the original and while there’s an added intimacy in the tiny Playhouse, the energy feels lower as well, the side effect of taking a cast from original to transfer to tour to transfer in such a whirlwind. It may pay off to wait a bit before going, just so the cast can clear previews and get some rest.
The question is, does the transfer justify West End prices? Fortunately for punters, the prices are cheaper than most straight plays in the West End, a benefit of subsidised backing. Therefore, the RZ suggests booking ASAP to those who want to escape from the recent bombastic offerings from the old school and fast food fluff from the new.
Where: Playhouse Theatre
When: Until 1 Nov., M-Sa @ 19:30, W & Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £10-£32.50*
Concessions: Check with the BO
--------------------
RZ Unofficial Worth Paying: £32.50 for getting it right and doing it for less.
RZ Other Notes: Somebody would be very foolish not to make a cast recording or official DVD of this show.
*OK so they offer premium tickets for £50, but you know what? Those aren’t on the proper scale and while they aren’t as stupidly expensive as in the US, the RZ strongly encourages British patrons NOT to support producers in this attempt to sell overpriced tickets.
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