Photo Flash: SWEET CHARITY At Theatre Royal Haymarket.. ummm.- Page 5

[ruthiefan_felix]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 7:14pm

talking about weird Chorus Line... I remember a few years ago I saw there's a German production or sth of Chorus Line that's set in WW1 or 2... and its like not set in a theatre? I remember looking pixs of it going 'wtf?!'... mayb i was imagining it...

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 8:36pm

I think Sweet Charity is fine, but my judgement comes from seeing the show in its entirety and live tonight at the Haymarket Theater, where Tamzin gave a bravo performance.

I paid the equivalent to $30 for my seat, which I would say is how much they would charge at a community theatre?

"(i dont get Broadway obsession with big sets)

Because after a while it becomes hard to justify paying Broadway prices when you can you go see a regional production (which is usually inherently scaled down) at about 1/4"

Where did Chicago go wrong?




Updated On: 5/11/10 at 08:36 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:15pm

There appears to be a generation gap, I believe, between the people who are vehemently against these scaled-back productions and the people who are more keen toward them on this board (to say nothing of nationality gap).

The fact is, this is a trend that isn't going anywhere- it's proving lucrative and critically successful. I'd love to be around in one hundred years, to see how this is assessed. But then, I'm sure, something else will be done with musicals that I will hate. And the revivals just won't be as good as the originals, and everything will be wrong and Broadway will be ruined forever. And the music will be too loud, and the kids won't get off my lawn.

These Menier-style productions have been, by and large, successes. So what if the orchestra is smaller, and the scenery is reduced? They aren't compromising the integrity of the pieces, and are revitalizing older shows. They've done nothing as heinous or ruinous as removing the dancing from A Chorus Line. In fact, what they're doing is rather daring- finding the depth in shows that, in many cases, are considered to be just entertainment. You should be HAPPY about that- lord knows the big and brassy, big-budget revivals on Broadway haven't been accomplishing much very well. Or rather, uh, at all, save for a few exceptions such as South Pacific, or a handful of the Encores! transfers. But even for things like Gypsy or Finian's Rainbow, we're looking at seriously reduced production value.

How nice it would be if there were a theatre company in NYC consistently turning out critical and financial successful revivals. And even if we did, we'd have folks here whining about how Fosse did it better forty years ago.

I honestly think that a good deal of posters here would rather sit in a theatre museum and reminisce and kvetch than try to enjoy a modern production.

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:19pm

Do shut up, dear.

[Kad]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:20pm

Try not to choke on your Werther's Originals.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:25pm

PalJoey and I aren't of the same generation. I don't know what generation Kad or Phantom or London are in. I didn't understand Phantom of London's post anyway.

[alterego]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:36pm

Paljoey I really did LOL at your "Vanilla Factory CHORUS LINE" post. Full marks for that one!

The thing I noticed about the clip wasn't the performance so much as the upgraded set. Far superior to what I have seen in other clips of this show. Could it be that ALW deemed the original set to tacky/cheap to be seen on a television show he is behind?

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 9:54pm

********delete****************

Updated On: 5/10/10 at 09:54 PM

[PalJoey]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 10:41pm

Try not to choke on your Werther's Originals.

Huh?

[alterego]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 11:06pm

Paljoey, Werther's Originals are a brand of caramels.

[Piper3500]

Posted: 5/10/10 at 11:19pm

more like buttascotch

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 11:57pm

The implication, I think, that they were something old people liked.

[ljay889]

Posted: 5/11/10 at 11:59pm

^ Exactly, lol.