Post by jackjackjack on Jun 30, 2006 2:59:07 GMT 11
I have just returned from being asleep after recovering from my recent trip to Sydney to see Urinetown. Some comments to follow a few brief comments on the trip.
As I was waiting for my flight to leave Melbourne, long after it was supposed to, I started to notice an alarming number of ridiculously fashionable young adults talking about "their songs". Here was one group, there was another. It occured to me that Big Brother had to be over soon (please) which could mean only one thing. I had a ticket on the Australian Idol express.
I wasn't seated near any of them, but they were clearly identifiable as the ones who didn't get off the plane when everyone else was. They were also clearly identifiable just a few hours later when they took over my hotel. 
The whole experience would have been fairly traumatic except a guy in the lift asked me if I was "One of those idols." It's not often I'm mistaken for anybody that anybody would want to be, even if it's not my first choice.
Anyway, Wednesday night I went to see Bell's Romeo & Juliet, which believe it or not qualifies as the first time I've been in a theatre and nobody sang. (There have been a couple of close ones in the past) Overall I enjoyed it but I was struck with the occasional impression that a couple of the cast members weren't entirely sure of the meaning of what they were saying.
I had a group of American kids behind me. At intermission, most people filed out. I heard one of the girls saying, "no I don't think it's finished, unless they left some stuff out."
At the end I was amazed of the mechanical nature of the ovation. There was no passion to it like you get in musical theatre. I live for a good set of curtain calls but that just left me kinda cold. But you've gotta love R&J, even if I still can't understand why Juliet has to fake her death instead of just taking off to Mantua.
Then there was Urinetown. I'm gonna pretty much enjoy any show that can get me to go to Sydney alone (when I bought the ticket I had no idea Julia and Sally would be at the same show), but seeing Urinetown again was like visiting an old friend. Unlike Julia I couldn't quite remember the precise angle of each high kick but I was astute enough to notice some differences. There were the cast members of course. David Campbell was magnificent. I only hope he's eligible for the various awards even though he's technically a replacement. He gave much more character to Bobby than I thought possible. Christen O'Leary was a little more subdued as Little Sally, which I think mostly worked well, and Gerry Connolly was more polished as Cladwell.
Looking back at my last review for this show, I didn't know who to blame for the excesses of Hot Blades Harry. I can now rule out the actors since it still bugged me a little, but I don't remember being quite so distracted by Garry Ginivan's Old Man Strong as I was by Wayne Scott Kermond's this time round, though it was for the same reasons.
Now, back in Melbourne (after another delayed flight), and hoping that Spelling Bee doesn't play in Sydney. That would be too tempting.
James
As I was waiting for my flight to leave Melbourne, long after it was supposed to, I started to notice an alarming number of ridiculously fashionable young adults talking about "their songs". Here was one group, there was another. It occured to me that Big Brother had to be over soon (please) which could mean only one thing. I had a ticket on the Australian Idol express.
I wasn't seated near any of them, but they were clearly identifiable as the ones who didn't get off the plane when everyone else was. They were also clearly identifiable just a few hours later when they took over my hotel. 
The whole experience would have been fairly traumatic except a guy in the lift asked me if I was "One of those idols." It's not often I'm mistaken for anybody that anybody would want to be, even if it's not my first choice.
Anyway, Wednesday night I went to see Bell's Romeo & Juliet, which believe it or not qualifies as the first time I've been in a theatre and nobody sang. (There have been a couple of close ones in the past) Overall I enjoyed it but I was struck with the occasional impression that a couple of the cast members weren't entirely sure of the meaning of what they were saying.
I had a group of American kids behind me. At intermission, most people filed out. I heard one of the girls saying, "no I don't think it's finished, unless they left some stuff out."
At the end I was amazed of the mechanical nature of the ovation. There was no passion to it like you get in musical theatre. I live for a good set of curtain calls but that just left me kinda cold. But you've gotta love R&J, even if I still can't understand why Juliet has to fake her death instead of just taking off to Mantua.
Then there was Urinetown. I'm gonna pretty much enjoy any show that can get me to go to Sydney alone (when I bought the ticket I had no idea Julia and Sally would be at the same show), but seeing Urinetown again was like visiting an old friend. Unlike Julia I couldn't quite remember the precise angle of each high kick but I was astute enough to notice some differences. There were the cast members of course. David Campbell was magnificent. I only hope he's eligible for the various awards even though he's technically a replacement. He gave much more character to Bobby than I thought possible. Christen O'Leary was a little more subdued as Little Sally, which I think mostly worked well, and Gerry Connolly was more polished as Cladwell.
Looking back at my last review for this show, I didn't know who to blame for the excesses of Hot Blades Harry. I can now rule out the actors since it still bugged me a little, but I don't remember being quite so distracted by Garry Ginivan's Old Man Strong as I was by Wayne Scott Kermond's this time round, though it was for the same reasons.
Now, back in Melbourne (after another delayed flight), and hoping that Spelling Bee doesn't play in Sydney. That would be too tempting.
James
I'm not quite that bad.
