Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

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Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 8:57pm

Did Miss Saigon really have a 72 piece orchestra in London? That's what someone said on another board. They also said that Sondheim's music sounds like it was written by a child...so I don't know about this person.

We serve their food, We carve their meat, We tend to their house, We polish their Silverware.

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:00pm

We have a 'Miss Saigon' programme in the basement. I find it utterly hilarious that my mother and sister saw people like Naoko Mori and Poppy Tierney in their West End debuts. I'm going to the basement in the morning, I'll fish the programme out and have a count. I know it had what seems like an inordinately huge cast, but can't say I paid that much attention to the orchestra. XD

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:01pm

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 09:01 PM

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:01pm

My guess is that the 72 person orchestra was in reference to the Complete Symphonic recording.

"Wherever you go... I'll be right there. When you get your own private kick in the ass, just remember: it's a present from me to you." Rose's dying words to Louise

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:03pm

They show the orchestra in The Making of Miss Saigon and it looks huge, but I've never counted.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:03pm

This was the person's original quote, provoked by discussion of South Pacific's 30 piece orchestra.

and not being funny but 30 piece orchestra isn't much of a big deal really. Miss Saigon opened in London with a 72 piece orch. Over twice the size!

We serve their food, We carve their meat, We tend to their house, We polish their Silverware.

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 09:03 PM

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:05pm

I wish I were holding a hostage down there, I could do with some excitement what with my parents being on holiday and having nothing but YouTube for company. XD It's just our storage area, and I wanted to get some things, but I'm too scared of the dark to go down there now. :3

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:05pm

I've started leafing through The Story of Miss Saigon, but I don't even know where to begin looking in it. I'll let you know if I find anything, though.

Unless Weez or someone else beats me to it.

Jimmy, what are you doing here in the middle of the night? It's almost 9 PM!

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:06pm

Can 72 people even fit in an orchestra pit?

#10

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:07pm

Exactly my thought, Brian.

We serve their food, We carve their meat, We tend to their house, We polish their Silverware.

#11

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:09pm

I can confirm 72 musicians on the complete symphonic recording, just to lend a little weight to that explanation. It was the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, wasn't it? Big-ass theatre, but I still don't know if I'd try sticking 72 musicians in a pit there. Unless I spread them WAY out under the stage, but one would assume the turntable mechanics would get in the way and the sound would be rubbish...

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#12

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:11pm

Into the orchestra pit of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane yes, no problem. The orchestra for Miss Saigon was in the region of 24 if I remember correctly. I saw the show about 8 or 9 times at The Lane

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#13

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:12pm

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 09:12 PM

#14

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:14pm

Just think, right... imagine going to the theatre to see 'Sweeney Todd'... and having the same orchestra they had for the movie. You would actually crap your pants with glee, wouldn't you? Hell, an orchestra in double figures is exciting enough these days! The 30 for 'South Pacific' sounds absolutely orgasmic!

(WickedBoy, why are you conscious at 2am? O_o)

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

#15

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:17pm

Saigon was scored for 25, I think both in London and New York. The symphonic recording is another matter. And Franz, that poster from another board sounds like an asshole.

Begin at the beginning and go on till you come to the end: then stop.

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 09:17 PM

#16

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:19pm

Working!

#17

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/22/08 at 9:27pm

The Lane has one of the biggest pits in the UK and has been home to some of the orchestras of the biggest Broadway and West End productions to be staged in London. I will never, ever forget seeing and hearing the original 'Sweeney Todd' with the most incredible sound rising from that orchestra pit! Not forgetting, of course, the full orchestras for '42nd St', 'Hello! Dolly' with Channing, 'Billy' with Michael Crawford and 'Mame' with Ginger Rogers. The size of the pit is the reason why most of Rogers and Hammersteins musicals were staged in their European premiers at Drury Lane in the 40s to 60s

Updated On: 7/22/08 at 09:27 PM

#18

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:21am

The symphonic recording had a huge orchestra, but the Drury Lane production had less than 30 players in the pit.

#19

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:28am

I suppose you could check it out where I did:

http://broadwayscoresandsheetmusic.blogspot.com

I nearly died of shock at what is available there.

http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=972787#3631451 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=963561#3533883 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955158#3440952 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954269#3427915 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=955012#3441622 http://www.broadwayworld.com/board/readmessage.cfm?thread=954344#3428699

#20

re: Miss Saigon's orchestra in London?

Posted: 7/23/08 at 12:08pm

Three hours in the basement confirm no more than 30 names in the 'Miss Saigon' pit at Drury Lane. Some of those could well have been doubling, but I totally wasn't into checking finer detail by the time I'd shifted enough boxes to get to the programme box. (Craig Horwood also was making his West End debut in this show.)

I also have far more books on the French Revolution than I remember, and I totally saw Lara Pulver in 'Honk!' many many moons ago. Oh teh hilarity!

Sadly, no live hostages in my basement. It's all gone a bit John Fowles.

Move along, nothing to see here! Back about your business! :P

Notes from the Earlham Street Gutter

Updated On: 7/23/08 at 12:08 PM

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