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#1

La Cage Aux Folles

Hi all

AS you know there current is a good production of La Cage Aux Folles on at the playhouse, but if your interested the society I belong to - WBOS are producing a full scale production of this show at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre from 28 th April to 2 nd May 2009, due to the licence being on restriction this is I beleive the only current oproduciton out side of the west end.

We are using professional scenecery ,professional costuems and a full orchestra, so if you fancy seeing a full scale production of the show then look at www.wbos.co.uk spring ashow for the full details

Chris
#2

re: La Cage Aux Folles

The current London Production from what I saw on the Command Performance 2008 is pretty poor...so I hope, Chris1 your group can show them how it should be done. Good Luck!

Updated On: 1/26/09 at 07:50 AM

#3

re: La Cage Aux Folles

The current production, or at least, the one with Hodge and Lawson is terrific.Certainly more moving than the glitzy full on production. Don't get me wrong - I loved the Palladium version but in a smaller scale show, I think certain things work better.
I really don't know how you can judge a whole production from a spot on the Royal Variety Show and certainly your opinion is at odds with the reviews and the gernrally postive audience reaction and opinion (from people who have actually seen the show!).
I am not saying you are wrong to have a different opinion but it isn't going to count for much if you haven't even seen the production you are slating.
#4

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Lawson and Hodge are gone.
The rain we knew is a thing of the past -
deep-delving, dark, deliberate you would say
browsing on spire and bogland; but today
our sky-blue slates are steaming in the sun,
our yachts tinkling and dancing in the bay
like racehorses. We contemplate at last
shining windows, a future forbidden to no one.


Derek Mahon

"Maybe all one can do is hope to end up with the right regrets."

Arthur Miller
#5

re: La Cage Aux Folles

HI well as we were doing the show I went to see the production at the Play house with Douglas and Denis and I did like it a lot.

It is true the show does work in a intimate environment but for me the orchestra was a bit small and I prefer the version when you are trying to guess which cagelles are men and which are women, I think you get a bigger impact in the dance numbers on a bigger scale.

I think the palladium may be a bit too big that is why we think it will be ideal at hte grand theatre it has a nice big stage where we can easily firt 12 cagelels plaus birds, have a big set , full orcehstra but it is still an intimate theatre 1,200 capacity but you are close to the stage and its great for the feeling that you are part of the show.

In summary We are trying to go for a larger scale production but not too loose that closeness, fingers crossed.
#6

re: La Cage Aux Folles

*insert a ton of mocking comments aimed at alterego's bizarre opinion that you can tell the overall quality of a show when watching a mere snippet completely removed from the narrative and not even in the same theatre as the cast are used to*

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter
#7

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Norton is in and not doing very well from reports from all performances this week. He so far has been known to stop singing mid song for not knowing the words and having a company member help him back in. Simply losing the script and mumbling lines endlessly. Too many asides to the audience as Graham Norton.
This guy should never have been put in this show and the critics will murder him next week and then the show will suffer.

#8

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Ack, that is awful!
And Norton asides is just about the worst thing I could think of in La Cage! Definitely shouldn't have been allowed anywhere near it. I quite fancied seeing it before, but there's no way I'm going anywhere near it if he's in.
#9

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Sorry for the shameless plug but seeing as you want to see the show but may not fancy seeing Graham Norton in it then come up to Wolverhampton and see our production.
#10

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Hi Chris!
Have you got the old Palladium production? That is the set and costumes that the am drams had for many years after the West End season closed. The London Transport players did it at the Wimbledon theatre 4 or 5 times and it was amazing. I saw it in Wolverhampton with Julie Goodyear (Bet Lynch)
The production was always seen as much better and had more life than the Palladium production- in many ways I used to agree!
Good luck!
#11

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Acalia.
He doesn't do every performance.
He has it in his contract that he is out of the show for so many different reasons such as TV etc. The box office will tell you the dates he's out.
PLEASE go and see the show at the Playhouse as it looks gorgeous there and the production as a whole is fabulous.
Or ...go to Wolverhampton! x
#12

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Cannot comment on Norton, as I have not seen him perform yet, some people on here probably say no one has seen him perform, however this is a wonderful production in a wonderful theatre, one I would recommend.
#13

re: La Cage Aux Folles

...on non Norton days!
#14

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Hmm true Mama, I hadn't really thought but obviously that would be the case!
I may go for it if he's out on my post dissertation trip, partic as a friend's auntie is in it and I was hoping to drag her along with me anyway.
#15

re: La Cage Aux Folles

HI

Yes the costumes we have were previously professional costumes which I assume were from the Palladium if not a previous professional tour ( same costuems as Jerry Hobbs Pro am production )

The set is also an ex professional set i am not sure it was from the palladium but I do know it was a professional set

We are also having a full orcehstra which off the top of my head is 19 players with doulbing up

we have 12 Cagelles and 12 birds

So should be a good how, Wolverhampton has agood following for the show and the grand is selling very well, so please come and see the show but book soon
#16

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Just thought Id say that if anyone wants a few tickets to the show then let me know and Il see if I can get any discounts, cant promise but will do my best


email is cingley43@hotmail.com
#17

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Hey people! Was wondering if anyone saw Norton in La Cage yet? How's his performance?

Was wanting to see him but wound up buying the tickets for the wrong date and got Hodge's last day. Not that I should complain, Hodge was amazing!
In Soviet Russia, Wicked hates you too!
#18

re: La Cage Aux Folles

keithp, as I stated my opinion came purely from what I saw on the Command Performance and what I saw was nothing short of embarrassing.

The cagelle looked more like a footballers drag night than professional drags. Cheap wigs and no bust padding. Did no one design hair and make up on this show? Norton looked like a bewildered pug dog, a good wig but awful awful make up. I am a fan of this show and this treatment saddened me. Based on that presentation if I was in London I'd steer well clear of it.
#19

re: La Cage Aux Folles

I went twice with a long-time worker on the London drag scene who thought the production as a whole was excellent (as did I) and appropriately real re: the Cagelles, costumes, etc. We both hated Norton as well.
#20

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Yes,alterego, I know you only watched the extract on the RVS - that is exactly the point I and others have been making! You cannot judge a whole production from that. The show at The Menier and at The Playhouse was terrific , when Hodge etc were in it. I loved the original production too but it the Playhouse production is probably closer to the the reality of the club.

If you think you can judge a whole show from a few minutes then you must have an uncanny ability and an incredible ego,alterego.
#21

re: La Cage Aux Folles

I'd have thought that the appearance on the RVS was a tool for promotion.If this is so,would you not present the very best of your show? If that was the very best....?

Well keithp you and one other seem to think that this production is just wonderful (and you are entitled to your opinion), to me it just looked tacky. I expected better of a West End presentation. ZORRO came off better on the night.

P.S. I showed the clip to a friend who was in the original, his only comment..."Looks cheap".

Updated On: 1/27/09 at 07:12 AM

#23

re: La Cage Aux Folles

Now that's more like it !
#24

re: La Cage Aux Folles

I have always thought that those costumes looked so bloody heavy!
Fab vid!
#25

re: La Cage Aux Folles

32lbs actually. Three layers - the cloaks, then the satin pajamas (not seen in this truncated opening) and finally the sailor suits. On more than one occasion when the cloaks were flown out they would take a wig up with it into the flys.

BroadwayWorld TV


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