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Post by Talissa on Nov 11, 2006 6:28:29 GMT 11
Lalalalalalalalalala Great. Now I've got that song in my head. At least it's preferable to Leaving on a Jet Plane ;-) Anyway, I'm off to Sydney this afternoon, and from there London. Be good while I'm away, and I'll try to check in when I can, but frankly I'm likely to be too busy seeing the sights (I've never been to London. I'm allowed to be a shameless tourist). I'm sure I can trust most of you, though  I'll be back on the 30th, so until then, so long, farewell, au revoir, auf wiedersehn. |
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Post by Sally on Nov 11, 2006 16:11:33 GMT 11
I'm sure I can trust most of you, though Why do I get the feeling...  So long, farewell, auf wiedersehen, adieu! |
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Post by Buff on Nov 14, 2006 10:04:12 GMT 11
It's late, but hope you have a great trip! Buff  |
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Post by Talissa on Nov 30, 2006 11:21:01 GMT 11
Thanks guys, I had a ball. Dead tired now, and need to be fighting fit for work again tomorrow, but made it through the trip. I'll probably post something about it as soon as I'm feeling a tad human again. (Oh bugger. I just set my head off singing ) |
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Post by Buff on Nov 30, 2006 13:04:07 GMT 11
Welcome back! Looking forward to a full and, no doubt, lengthy report! Buff |
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Post by Talissa on Nov 30, 2006 15:23:26 GMT 11
Actually, I think I'll probably end up keeping it quite brief. You can all lift your jaws from the floor now |
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Post by Talissa on Dec 4, 2006 14:04:02 GMT 11
Just a quick wrap-up of the theatre I saw for anyone interested. If you want more details, you need but ask!
13/11 Wicked - My first night in London. I was so tired, but had a ball. Helen Dallimore is utterly gorgeous. Jye Frasca was on as Boq for his first night and was brilliant (And that made three Australian leads and one American. Nice). I can so incredibly see James Millar as Dr Dillamond. If he isn't cast when we get it here, it'll be an enormous injustice. I...sort of passed out in the middle of Defying Gravity. I have no idea how that happened. That song is loud. And the cheers that followed! Next time must remember to actually sit with the people I'm seeing the show with so they can poke me at regular intervals.
14/11 Seven Brides for Seven Brothers - Very fun show. I'm glad I saw it. Cheesy, but gorgeous. Dave Willetts is... different. The Gideon was absolutely darling, though. Loved him. And yes. If that's done here any time soon, Andrew Koblar's in that role. As long as it isn't the same time as Wicked, that is.
16/11 Mary Poppins - Absolutely adored this. So cleverly done. Best film-to-stage adaptation I can remember seeing. The added darkness worked wonders without being so much that anyone would object. 'Temper Temper' and 'Brimstone and Treacle' were divine. I liked the dancing statues for 'Jolly Holiday'. Very very clever bits of 'magic' in there, too. I never did quite work out how they did the bag, though I assume it's to do with perceptions. There were a couple of people off in smaller roles, but they all did well. Overall I enjoyed the cast, though I didn't like Mr Banks as much.
17/11 Les Miserables - Finally! The first musical I loved as a musical (I grew up singing along to PotO, but that was something isolated) but apart from being in it and seeing an awful amateur cast I'd never seen it. And it lived up to expectations. Six cast members off, though. So I saw Jeff Nicholson as Javert, which was expected, and then Alice Fearn as Cosette (Second cover and her first day on!), David Thaxton as the Bishop, and then Paul Westhead covering David as Bamatabois and Jonathan Ellis covering Jeff as Grantaire and the Foreman. Adored John, Jeff and Sabrina as Valjean, Javert and Eponine (Generally in that order). Adored some of the others rather less, but overall had an amazing time.
18/11 Evita - Philip Quast! Finally! Is it wrong that I'm Australian and the first time I see the man on stage is in London? Although to be fair, he hasn't done anything in Melbourne since...2002? And I didn't even hear about that until afterwards. He was amazing, of course. Elena Roger had fantastic power and energy for someone that tiny. Matt Rawle had something strange going on with his accent. Oh, and the Mistress! Lorna Want. Utterly beautiful. Loved her. She's got to get something big soon.
20/11 Avenue Q - An absolute riot. Had some dramas before the show, but loved this. Great cast all round, and got to see the first night of the new Christmas Eve.
21/11 Spamalot - Wow, my understudy luck. Tim Curry was off for possibly the first time, but his understudy was great, so wasn't complaining. Thought it was very cleverly done overall, with some lovely additions and adaptations for stage. Didn't love it as much as Mary Poppins, but definitely looking forward to it coming here in 2008.
21/11 Les Miserables - David Thaxton was on as Enjolras, so I had to go, and wow, what an amazing contrast. So glad I got to see him. Gina Beck was back as Cosette, and she was beautiful. John, Jeff and Sabrina are still fantastic.
24/11 Les Miserables - ...What? Yes, I saw this show too many times. But look at it this way. I had to see it early on, because I've loved it so long. I had to see it with both Jeff and HPJ as Javert so I could compare and so I could see Jeff as Grantaire. A friend from my LM cast wanted to see it with me, so I had to see this performance. And I couldn't pass up the chance to see David. So four performances. Rob Archibald was off this night, which was sad, but otherwise mostly full cast. Apart from Jeff as Javert again, but this is still expected. Particularly good Confrontation if I'm getting my performances in order. Oh, and my third different Bamatabois, and only now the one who's actually supposed to be in the role.
27/11 Les Miserables - I possibly should have broken these up a little, shouldn't I? ;-) At any rate, my last night in London, and couldn't have finished the trip any other way. Hans Peter Janssens was on again as Javert, and apparently it was a particularly bad night, but I'm afraid I was underwhelmed. I think I'd grown too used to Jeff. Wendy Stapleton was on as Mme Thenardier, too, and I really liked her. Could have been improvements to some cast, but still loved it, and am glad I saw it.
Other things I did included popped out to Midlands for a weekend (While London flooded behind me), popped back to London (While there were tornado warnings back in the west), out to Amsterdam for a day (Where I took London's train cancellation craziness), and up to the very top of St Paul's Cathedral (Which was completely without mishap).
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Post by jackjackjack on Dec 6, 2006 0:03:47 GMT 11
popped back to London (While there were tornado warnings back in the west) I read this as tomato warnings. (And my head I'd be scratching, IF....) I did also take notice of your travels, and you'll be happy to know that I am sufficiently jealous. But couldn't you have squeezed in one more performance of Les Mis? I also like how you seemed to assume shows would be coming here. (Wicked/Spamalot) Did I miss some reason for confidence? James |
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Post by Talissa on Dec 6, 2006 7:46:52 GMT 11
I probably could have, but I wouldn't have wanted to have been excessive Well, the producer with the rights for Billy Elliot and Miss Saigon got the rights for Spamalot in the same package, from what I've heard, and there are strong rumours we have a 2008 Melbourne opening there. Wicked... Okay, so nothing confirmed yet, but it's going to get here. It's a show with at least 70% guaranteed success, so it's only a matter of time before a producer coughs out the rights money and gives it a go. Mary Poppins I'm also confident about. That's got the strength of the movie behind it, after all. |
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Post by Yonkers on Dec 6, 2006 14:26:59 GMT 11
Talissa, I can't believe you went all the way to London for just two weeks and bothered to see LES MIS four times (!) when there is such really good theatre there that won't be around forever. Isn't LES MIS there now the "small version"? Orchestra of 12 and smaller chorus too? Why bother?
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Post by Talissa on Dec 6, 2006 16:23:46 GMT 11
Long time no see, Yonkers.
I enjoy the show and enjoy seeing how it changes from one performance to the next, since so much depends on cast. I find that far more interesting than shows that are so highly choreographed the personalities are lost. Besides, I was going to London to see friends as much as for theatre, and we had a great time doing what we did, so I have no worries about my choices for my trip.
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Post by Yonkers on Dec 6, 2006 23:32:45 GMT 11
Talissa, please don't tell me you are a fan of MISS SAIGON too. Then I'd really be concerned!
It's interesting that the current Broadway revival has received just average reviews, most critics saying that revisiting this show many years later has just highlighted the flaws. While most praised individual performances the show itself was said to be of a dated style. Can't say I've ever liked it much.
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Post by Buff on Dec 7, 2006 8:57:29 GMT 11
Can't say I've ever liked it much. Wouldn't have picked that! Buff |
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Post by jackjackjack on Dec 12, 2006 2:34:55 GMT 11
the show itself was said to be of a dated style. A sort of imprecise jibe for a revival isn't it? You said "current" Broadway revival. Is that true, I can't find anything on one. James |
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Post by Yonkers on Dec 12, 2006 23:32:49 GMT 11
There is a current Broadway revival at the Broadhurst Theatre, New York. It is midway through a limited season of six months. I read two reviews, the New York Post and The New York Times. Both praised performances but generally dismissed the show as being best remembered from a distance (of time).
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