West End Gossip #2

historyobliterates · Jun 24, 2024

180922 said:
Went to see Starlight Express at the weekend. Went with an open mind but it’s difficult to be unbiased when you’ve seen it so many times previously.

To be honest I found the production somewhat amateurish and not to the standard of an (off) west end show. It felt too diluted with the races resembling a conga line which were slow and underwhelming. The “crashes" appeared unnatural and overly orchestrated too, although this was possibly due to my close seating.

The costumes were also disappointing lacking character differentiation. My main issue though was the unnecessary change to Greaseball. The problem wasn’t the gender switch but changes to the character itself. The former cocky Elvis/Danny Zuko-esque jock was replaced by a character who just shouted throughout in a punk wig and lacklustre outfit, playing the role as a screaming bully devoid of Greaseball's previous, err, charm?!

On a positive note Rusty, Pearl, Electra and Dinah were great, although I was puzzled by the decision to change Dinah’s country and western persona as the London accent felt out of place during Uncoupled. The skate marshals were a highlight providing the tricks and wow moments and the lighting/SFX was great.

If you’re planning on going I recommend sitting at the back for a better view. The first class carriage seats at £150 each are not worth it as you spend most of the time looking around to find the actors and have a side view far too often.

For me it fell short. I’d be satisfied if it was part of a luxury cruise ship’s entertainment but not good enough for a west end production where tickets are ludicrously expensive. I’m curious to see the press reviews after the 30th.

Just my opinion of course and I hope you enjoy it if you do decide to go!

(I wouldn’t dare write this on Theatreboards!)

Me and my parents are going in November and have paid for the £150 seats, our logic being that we potentially won't see it again so may as well splash out. From the megamixes I've seen posted on YouTube, Greaseball is what I'm worried about in this production as I don't see how they can make that character work in a gender flipped role. Electra yes, greaseball no.

The show is definitely getting mixed reviews but I doubt the critics will enjoy, my parents remember them panning it when it was originally released.

I'm going in with an open mind, I don't think it can be any worse than the 3D versions. And the Pearl and Rusty look great from the mega mixes being posted. If not, might have to do a trip to Bochum (even if the show is completely in German).

Mark81 · Jun 24, 2024

Starlight has never got great reviews, so if the spectacle isn't there then I doubt critics will be kind

180922 · Jun 24, 2024

Maybe I would have accepted its flaws more if I hadn't spent so much money. I've also learned this period is still classed as previews (wasn't aware of that when buying our £300 tickets!) as I may have waited for it to be more bedded in had I known.

I feel terrible as everyone has to start somewhere, but it was obvious to me that the cast were in their first professional roles. I didn't think the vocals were that strong either - but hey, I couldn't sing and act on roller skates (I cant do either in trainers!) so perhaps I'm being unfair. I just feel a bit frustrated having spent so much and being left disappointed. I'm sure it will only get better as the cast become more confident in their roles.

I could overlook most of my grievances with it, but the Greaseball thing was one "new direction" too far!

Theres a segment on Startlight Express on the One Show tonight at 7pm, although its on BBC2 as the football is on.

historyobliterates · Jun 24, 2024

180922 said:
Maybe I would have accepted its flaws more if I hadn't spent so much money. I've also learned this period is still classed as previews (wasn't aware of that when buying our £300 tickets!) as I may have waited for it to be more bedded in had I known.

I feel terrible as everyone has to start somewhere, but it was obvious to me that the cast were in their first professional roles. I didn't think the vocals were that strong either - but hey, I couldn't sing and act on roller skates (I cant do either in trainers!) so perhaps I'm being unfair. I just feel a bit frustrated having spent so much and being left disappointed. I'm sure it will only get better as the cast become more confident in their roles.

I could overlook most of my grievances with it, but the Greaseball thing was one "new direction" too far!

Theres a segment on Startlight Express on the One Show tonight at 7pm, although its on BBC2 as the football is on.

Ah fair, I'm hoping since we're going in November that they'll have grown in confidence by that and make the money worth it.

DrNooo · Jun 24, 2024

historyobliterates said:
Me and my parents are going in November and have paid for the £150 seats, our logic being that we potentially won't see it again so may as well splash out. From the megamixes I've seen posted on YouTube, Greaseball is what I'm worried about in this production as I don't see how they can make that character work in a gender flipped role. Electra yes, greaseball no.

The show is definitely getting mixed reviews but I doubt the critics will enjoy, my parents remember them panning it when it was originally released.

I'm going in with an open mind, I don't think it can be any worse than the 3D versions. And the Pearl and Rusty look great from the mega mixes being posted. If not, might have to do a trip to Bochum (even if the show is completely in German).

I'd definitely recommend a trip to Bochum, despite it all being in German it's easy to follow and is certainly do-able in a weekend (did it last year, flew to Dusseldorf and got the train to Bochum). The set is more impressive with a moving bridge that comes down from the ceiling, and the skating was more exciting. I liked some bits of the new UK production but don't think Greaseball works as a female character and the engines were too generic with not enough variation in their costumes (other than the colour) to give them distinct personalities that you could root for. I'll probably go and see the UK version again but in a cheap seat.

historyobliterates · Jun 24, 2024

DrNooo said:
I'd definitely recommend a trip to Bochum, despite it all being in German it's easy to follow and is certainly do-able in a weekend (did it last year, flew to Dusseldorf and got the train to Bochum). The set is more impressive with a moving bridge that comes down from the ceiling, and the skating was more exciting. I liked some bits of the new UK production but don't think Greaseball works as a female character and the engines were too generic with not enough variation in their costumes (other than the colour) to give them distinct personalities that you could root for. I'll probably go and see the UK version again but in a cheap seat.

Thats fair, I'd forgotten they'd changed the engines to something more generic. I saw the show in London in the early 2000s before it closed so am probably the younger end of the nostalgia train going to see it this time and I really looking forward to the British train being the butt of whatever joke(s) they decided to come up with. I want to do a train trip around Germany at some point so will probably get to Bochum at some point.

LydiaDeetzHat · Jun 24, 2024

Currently in NYC for the last week of Appropriate but good evening and welcome to the latest Transatlantic instalment of Shut Up And Take My Money..

lilyannrose · Jun 24, 2024

180922 said:
Maybe I would have accepted its flaws more if I hadn't spent so much money. I've also learned this period is still classed as previews (wasn't aware of that when buying our £300 tickets!) as I may have waited for it to be more bedded in had I known.

I feel terrible as everyone has to start somewhere, but it was obvious to me that the cast were in their first professional roles. I didn't think the vocals were that strong either - but hey, I couldn't sing and act on roller skates (I cant do either in trainers!) so perhaps I'm being unfair. I just feel a bit frustrated having spent so much and being left disappointed. I'm sure it will only get better as the cast become more confident in their roles.

I could overlook most of my grievances with it, but the Greaseball thing was one "new direction" too far!

Theres a segment on Startlight Express on the One Show tonight at 7pm, although its on BBC2 as the football is on.

If the show had been priced accordingly, ticket wise, it would not feel so bad. To charge people that much money to see that many performers in their first graduate role is outrageous imho. Yes we all start somewhere but you would never have got these huge shows putting people brand new to performing in the big roles like this not that long ago. It's producers being shamefully cheap while charging the audience obscene amounts of money anyway.

What's happened to theatre in general since even before Covid is a travesty.

kev1974 · Jun 24, 2024

LydiaDeetzHat said:
Currently in NYC for the last week of Appropriate but good evening and welcome to the latest Transatlantic instalment of Shut Up And Take My Money..

View attachment 3014996

oh wow, as in Sting? I loved that at the time, but it just disappeared (sank?) since then. There was supposed to be a big performance of it on the Newcastle Quayside which I had tickets for, went to Newcastle for, and then they cancelled it the night before, because the producers were charlatans.

Would love to see it again somewhere in the UK!

Katykatykaty · Jun 24, 2024

LydiaDeetzHat said:
Currently in NYC for the last week of Appropriate but good evening and welcome to the latest Transatlantic instalment of Shut Up And Take My Money..

View attachment 3014996

I saw this in Newcastle a few years ago and it was spectacular. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I cried so much at parts of it. I would definitely go and see it again (and again and again…) if the opportunity arose.

LydiaDeetzHat · Tuesday at 8:00 PM

Katykatykaty said:
I saw this in Newcastle a few years ago and it was spectacular. One of the best shows I’ve ever seen. I cried so much at parts of it. I would definitely go and see it again (and again and again…) if the opportunity arose.

I thought about it but not only did it not have any of the OG cast in.. apparently the whole book , and plot was changed. Glad you enjoyed though.

Personally am a HUGE fan of the OG Broadway production and wish I'd seen it.. hopefully with this reunion i can get a taste of the magic

Mark81 · Tuesday at 8:38 PM

£97 per month?!!

witchofwestbyfleet · Tuesday at 9:39 PM

Just announced Hercules (ie based on the Disney movie) will go into Drury Lane next year, it seems from Theatreboard that there was some drama over whether or not that should go ahead and it was briefly cancelled out of concern over sales and now is back on? Intrigued by that one

Mark81 · Tuesday at 9:50 PM

witchofwestbyfleet said:
Just announced Hercules (ie based on the Disney movie) will go into Drury Lane next year, it seems from Theatreboard that there was some drama over whether or not that should go ahead and it was briefly cancelled out of concern over sales and now is back on? Intrigued by that one

Yeah, there also seems to be a 'we've not really heard of it therefore there's no audience' attitude on there. It really is an awful forum.

I wonder how much truth there is to that though as the Mr Barnaby character gets really defensive if he is ever wrong so I don't know how much he 'knows' and how much he learns second hand and fills in the blanks

dalmatirox · Tuesday at 9:58 PM

witchofwestbyfleet said:
Just announced Hercules (ie based on the Disney movie) will go into Drury Lane next year, it seems from Theatreboard that there was some drama over whether or not that should go ahead and it was briefly cancelled out of concern over sales and now is back on? Intrigued by that one

Love the movie but this has no appeal to me. Feels like more of a niche movie that disney never usually does anything with? but I also thought frozen would last longer lol

Mark81 · Tuesday at 10:07 PM

No hercules isn't niche. It may have been overshadowed at the time, but over the years it's grown in popularity thanks to disney channel/vhs/dvd etc and for millennials it's often listed as one of the more popular movies. The songs have become disney classics.

Hercules is a rare character in the parks, but is popular when he is there.

Boohoo man currently has a selection of Hercules tshirts.

Hercules is also a show that would appeal more to families with boys who aren't into princess shows.

Disney will have the Disney Plus data on Hercules which I'm sure influenced their decision. There is also the live action remake in development.

If something as unheard of as Newsies can be a hit, I don't see why Hercules can't be....if it's done well. I could see it doing a year to 18 months. Personally I'm more excited for this than Aladdin and Frozen.

nohopefletcher · Wednesday at 4:19 AM

Mark81 said:
Yeah, there also seems to be a 'we've not really heard of it therefore there's no audience' attitude on there. It really is an awful forum.

I wonder how much truth there is to that though as the Mr Barnaby character gets really defensive if he is ever wrong so I don't know how much he 'knows' and how much he learns second hand and fills in the blanks

Can’t stand barnaby

shakeygal · Wednesday at 6:27 AM

Mark81 said:
Yeah, there also seems to be a 'we've not really heard of it therefore there's no audience' attitude on there. It really is an awful forum.

I wonder how much truth there is to that though as the Mr Barnaby character gets really defensive if he is ever wrong so I don't know how much he 'knows' and how much he learns second hand and fills in the blanks

Mr Barnaby is a real piece of work, imo. Although I have noticed recently the mods at theatre board have become sharper in responding to him and calling him out. He can get so condescending.

Mark81 · Wednesday at 6:34 AM

shakeygal said:
Mr Barnaby is a real piece of work, imo. Although I have noticed recently the mods at theatre board have become sharper in responding to him and calling him out. He can get so condescending.

Completely. It's the tantrums when questioned and hypocrisy in his attitude. He throws a tantrum when people dare question him but he is sometimes wrong. But will happily mock, criticise etc other members. Also for some reason, those with knowledge/gossip in theatre have a massive superiority complex.

He is sometimes oddly ignorant too. I remember one time someone mentioned the bridge theatres membership base (in context of guys and dolls long run) and he said 'what memberships do you speak of' (or something like that). It stuck in my brain as surely a theatre expert knows these venues have membership schemes?

A friend of mine knows his real identity supposedly. And if true, he isn't quite as connected as he makes out. More like has contacts rather than in the heart of the industry

shakeygal · Wednesday at 6:43 AM

Mark81 said:
Completely. It's the tantrums when questioned and hypocrisy in his attitude. He throws a tantrum when people dare question him but he is sometimes wrong. But will happily mock, criticise etc other members. Also for some reason, those with knowledge/gossip in theatre have a massive superiority complex.

He is sometimes oddly ignorant too. I remember one time someone mentioned the bridge theatres membership base (in context of guys and dolls long run) and he said 'what memberships do you speak of' (or something like that). It stuck in my brain as surely a theatre expert knows these venues have membership schemes?

A friend of mine knows his real identity supposedly. And if true, he isn't quite as connected as he makes out. More like has contacts rather than in the heart of the industry

You’ve summed up perfectly and exactly what I was thinking in describing him. I’ve often wondered if it’s more “I like to pretend I know more than I actually do, but I’ll add some fluffy language to make it look like I’m all knowing”.

And completely agree re the superiority complex.

West End Gossip #2

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