West End Gossip #5

[historyobliterates]

Has she not learnt yet that she should not be advertising that she's going to be away? Especially as they've doxxed themselves.

Also that fudge shop story, there's a local company around me (roly's fudge) which is known for making their fudge in the window of their shops, that's nothing special to where she went.

 

[kev1974]

I am currently reading Dracula but I struggle to see how it can be performed as a one woman show. I think I would be so bored watching a whole one person show doing multiple characters. It would annoy me too, I think.

Haven't booked Dracula because I can't stand Cynthia Erivo but the Sarah Snook one person performance of The Picture of Dorian Gray was outstanding and absolutely captivating, especially the second half when she got more frantic and so did the number of LED screens floating about the stage. Similar to how it sounds like Dracula has been done, lots of LED screens of varying sizes and movements allowing Snook to perform alongside occasional pre-recordings of herself as different characters, except that because it's all filmed by on-stage camera persons at all different angles you're often unsure which one is live and which one is the pre-record, they mix it up so much and so cleverly. Hard to describe but it is very much more than Snook/Erivo just standing on a stage and simply reciting the whole thing on their own.

 

[Tangerine Dream]

Has she not learnt yet that she should not be advertising that she's going to be away? Especially as they've doxxed themselves.

Also that fudge shop story, there's a local company around me (roly's fudge) which is known for making their fudge in the window of their shops, that's nothing special to where she went.

Where I lived we had a shop that made their sweets in the window, always attracted good crowds to watch them at work. I assume it was a great way of advertising the business.

And this was 30+ years back!

 

[historyobliterates]

Where I lived we had a shop that made their sweets in the window, always attracted good crowds to watch them at work. I assume it was a great way of advertising the business.

And this was 30+ years back!

just realised I posted this here rather than the Carrie Hope Fletcher thread. But yeah, it doesn't really make much sense.

 

[BertieBites]

Went to see Hercules recently - literally the worst behaved audience I’ve been in for a while - talking constantly through it, rustling during speaking parts and even singing along. There weren’t even lots of children so can’t blame it on that. There was popcorn all over the floor - tell me why theatres sell it!! As for the show it was very average, way too much dialogue I don’t know sometimes it honestly felt a little panto. Maybe I’m just being a little harsh and it wasn’t my cup of tea

 

[historyobliterates]

Went to see Hercules recently - literally the worst behaved audience I’ve been in for a while - talking constantly through it, rustling during speaking parts and even singing along. There weren’t even lots of children so can’t blame it on that. There was popcorn all over the floor - tell me why theatres sell it!! As for the show it was very average, way too much dialogue I don’t know sometimes it honestly felt a little panto. Maybe I’m just being a little harsh and it wasn’t my cup of tea

Not gonna lie, love Hercules as a Disney film. Did not enjoy the stage version apart from a few things (e.g. Luke Brady as Hercules and the muses). Otherwise it feels like Disney really weren't fussed about adapting it for the stage and it kinda shows in the fact that it feels very half-hearted.

 

[BertieBites]

Not gonna lie, love Hercules as a Disney film. Did not enjoy the stage version apart from a few things (e.g. Luke Brady as Hercules and the muses). Otherwise it feels like Disney really weren't fussed about adapting it for the stage and it kinda shows in the fact that it feels very half-hearted.

This is so true - without the muses it would be a full on panto. I love the film but this was indeed so half hearted

 

[MickeyMouseClubhouse]

Not gonna lie, love Hercules as a Disney film. Did not enjoy the stage version apart from a few things (e.g. Luke Brady as Hercules and the muses). Otherwise it feels like Disney really weren't fussed about adapting it for the stage and it kinda shows in the fact that it feels very half-hearted.

This is so true - without the muses it would be a full on panto. I love the film but this was indeed so half hearted

I feel this only went in to stop something else taking over the theatre before Greatest Showman takes over for multiple years.

 

[historyobliterates]

I feel this only went in to stop something else taking over the theatre before Greatest Showman takes over for multiple years.

Probably, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane seems to have taken over from the Prince Edward Theatre as the theatre of choice for Disney productions. And I don't see Greatest Showman moving out of the theatre for a solid few years having seen it - I think it will get good word of mouth from those who have seen it in Bristol.

 

[squeeze1]

Friend of our family is the Alternate Barnum.

Show appears to be getting rave reviews & people who have seen his shows have all been positive so I’m delighted for him.

No gossip at all but it appears to be leading to a West End production.

 

[Tangerine Dream]

It's a real shame Hercules was done so half-arsed. I would have gone but got put off almost right away, mainly because of the bizarre changes I heard about with regards to Hades who is one of my very favourite Disney villains ever, and how cheap the glimpses of what tptb shared of the show looked.

Also changing the lyrics of songs I've loved and loved for much of my life, I will never know why they do this with screen to stage adaptations because there is not one reason I can think of for the Hercules lyric changes.

If they'd shown more respect to the film, this would have made a fortune. Clearly the audience was there but I heard mostly only negative things about it from those who went, such a shame because the cast were great at least and could have done real justice to it with better scripts and production.

 

[bracrumbs]

Rent is coming back in autumn

 

[historyobliterates]

It's a real shame Hercules was done so half-arsed. I would have gone but got put off almost right away, mainly because of the bizarre changes I heard about with regards to Hades who is one of my very favourite Disney villains ever, and how cheap the glimpses of what tptb shared of the show looked.

Also changing the lyrics of songs I've loved and loved for much of my life, I will never know why they do this with screen to stage adaptations because there is not one reason I can think of for the Hercules lyric changes.

If they'd shown more respect to the film, this would have made a fortune. Clearly the audience was there but I heard mostly only negative things about it from those who went, such a shame because the cast were great at least and could have done real justice to it with better scripts and production.

Yeah, Hades does very much feel like a panto villain not really helped by the changes in the story to try and make it "work" for the stage.I think this would also be the reason there were any lyric changes.

My thing is though, with a show like Hercules your aiming for the nostalgia audience for those of us who grew up with the film. It's not like Lion King, Mary Poppins or frozen where the audience was there. And you can definitely make changes to the story without distracting from the show itself (e.g. Mary Poppins including more scenes/characters from the books).

Like having seen The Greatest Showman in Bristol, they have tweaked the story slightly to make it work for the stage while still making a good film to stage adaptation. They still hit the major points and you don't worry too much about the changes.

 

[Scottishfalpal1]

Are people really that bothered about rob Madge

 

[MickeyMouseClubhouse]

Are people really that bothered about rob Madge

I always think he's the guy that used to do Omegle stunts on social media

 

[Tangerine Dream]

Are people really that bothered about rob Madge

I've never seen anything with him in it afaik but have not seen any hype lately?

 

[filthycop]

he was a great Emcee in Cabaret - but that's all I have seen him in. I have seen his show 'My Son's a Queet' is coming back for a short final run.

 

[Esmeeee]

Rob is non binary & uses the pronouns they & them. I agree they were great as Emcee in Cabaret (kicking myself I never got to see Mason Alexander Park in that role), fabulous in the very touching Regards to Broadway & I’m soon to see The Bank of Dave, written by Rob & Pippa Cleary. Rob’s very creative & talented & personally, I think they’re pretty good attributes to have.

 

[DrNooo]

I saw "My Son's a Queer" in 2023 and rather enjoyed it. Wasn't too familiar with Rob Madge beforehand but the show was funny and very touching, and it made me feel sorry for any child growing up in an environment where the people around them do not support their passions and allow them to be themselves in the same way that Rob's parents did. Will probably go and watch it again.

 

[Kimbob]

Rob’s parents are an absolute dream, their support is what made that show for me! i cried purely for any child that needs that love and support of who they are when i saw the show

it’s not a masterpiece but it’s a fun couple of hours where you see possibly one of the luckiest childhoods simply because his entire family encouraged them to be themselves