I'm not living in the past - I just don't want to go and pay money to watch something which will leave me unmoved.

Agreed

I did enjoy last night though - so, if something I like as much comes up again, I'll definately be there. I think my family would shoot me if I didn't - wee, after they picked themselves up in amazement. There's nothing better than watching a member of your family doing something they love - and doing it well.

I had read something about plans to sell the New London Theatre but I thought it had fallen through.

 

I do love the auditorium but the building has to one of the ugliest theatre buildings I have ever seen. A couple of those big posters of Darius and Jill with other large pictures of Edward, Madeleine, Natasha, Ray and Jina would have cheered it up a lot and made it much more welcoming on the outside.

 

Inside, I've never experienced such a great Front of House staff. They were lovely and also quietly efficient both times I was there.

The staff were great. I hope they found jobs quickly after GWTW closed.

quote meg - really don't feel like going to see anything. GWTW spoiled it. I just loved the show -it just feels like anything else will be such an anti-climax.

 

Last nite I went to see the Torquay operatic and dramtic society do My fair Lady and I have to say that it was quite outstanding. I didnt know anyone in the show but the principals were better than most I have seen in the westend and on tour certainly outstanding compared to the professional production I saw on tour recently of South pacific which was poor. The costumes were fantastic, the acting and singing of the leads was brilliant and the whole production was fit for the westend. I can only say what talent there is untapped in this society however this is not true of every amateur production. It certainly would put a large number of professional productions to shame and certainly shows you dont need to go to theatre school to be outstanding.I know it wasnt just me as have spoken to others who went who thought the same.This doesnt alter my thoughts on GWTW however.

Glad you enjoyed the show so much, Preston. One thing about amateur shows, they do rehearse for months

beforehand so a polished show is produced. It sounds a fabulous show.

Maybe if they'd rehearsed GWTW longer before the first preview, it would have been in final "locked down" shape by press night and still be running. I still think the show itself is a great loss to the West End, with or without Darius.

Me too. I thought the first preview was very raw though. I enjoyed it but, it wasn't ready to be showed.

They should also have called a second press night before they'd set a closure date.

Thought you would like to hear a review from a critic who is reliable. Quote entertaining, engaging and thoughtfully produced, my fair lady is a charming rags to riches tale served up by a cast with smiles on their faces and a lofty spring to their step. How with full time jobs theyve managed yet agsain to pull it off is a wonder, it appears the sheer level of hard grit and determination has once again helped to blur the line between amateur and professional productions.The 45,000 show is ambitious, not just by the definition of cost, but also the mammoth score and benchmarks already set on stage and screen.

It is a very pleasant highly enjoyable show. The only downside if anything, is that at times it comes across as being just a little bit safe. (I dont agree with that) Lyndsey Dart as Eliza is just brilliant. Her loverly portrayal of Eliza as she grows to be passed off in polite society was spot on. Andrew Prowse as self-oppointed elocution master Proffessor higgins was also solid.All important accents from lead to chorus were refreshingly right on the money.This critic is young.

 

I see that they are planning Sweeney todd in the autumn and also the Hot mikado a jazzed up version of thegilbert and sullivan classic set in the l940s with gangsters and molls.Not sure if these will appeal to me sweeney todd seems a bit bloodthirsty and I do love gilbert and sullivan but not jazzed up.

 

Hope I havent bored you.

Preston, I for one, always enjoy hearing about shows others have seen. I'm especially looking forward to hearing about

the Bangkok Ladyboys.......should be a good laugh! Although I did read that they put on a good show, excellent costumes

and wicked take-offs of pop stars.

I can't believe it's less than six weeks since I saw Darius in GWTW. It feels like an eternity.

I keep feeling it's ages ago and waiting to hear what's next - but after less than 6weeks, that's not realistic.

True. If Darius is working on the album, he'll be incommunicado anyway and he's hardly had time to upgrade his profile let alone consider scripts for another acting or MT role. He'd have to be very fortunate for another part like Rhett to turn up in the immediate future, but I suppose anything is possible in the strange up and down world of entertainment.

 

I'm useless at waiting.

There is an interesting write up on the stage headed summer madness. Dont know how to put url up am useless with computers but it is worth a read about critics. There are eight replies of which this is one -

 

Does Mr Shenton's dismay at reviewers who do not agree with him extend to elsewhere in the pages of the Stage, this very paper, this very week, where Zorro is referred to a ' an absolute winner' and potentially, 'the hit of the season'. All Mr Shenton is really saying is that he disagrees with some people and some people disagree with him. Hardly newsworthy or even noteworthy. How is he suddenly the oracle and everyone else to be dismissed? Or to put it rather more robustly , why should his position on the Sunday Express (hardly the home of the arts, more the home of arts journalists who can't get employed anywhere else) earn him any particular eminence, indeed, anything at all, except ill-disguised sniggers?

 

 

I like that one.

Oh Lord, there's that name again - Mark Shenton.

 

He seems to write for dozens of media outlets and online sites and he doesn't seem to vary what he says very much - easy money, in my opinion. I think he maybe believes that if he says the same thing often enough, it somehow makes it more valid and more worthy than other critics' opinions.

 

Frankly, my dear, I have no interest in anything this little man writes.

Edited July 20, 200816 yr by Baytree

It has made me now avoid critics reviews. I always took them with a pinch of salt - now I just don't read them at all as they're probably just rubbish.