Tim Minchin on Showtime:Royal Albert Concert

[Steve C.]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 8:14pm

I just was interested to see if anyone has seen this concert special and what you think? (I finally got Matilda tix for Thanksgiving wknd.) I have to say I was REALLY impressed with the songs in this show and I can see how he was perfect to write Matilda. I missed the first 15 minutes but DVR'd it for Sunday morning. Take a look; it is quite special. Thanks.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 8:26pm

That special and his previous one "Ready For This" are both a lot of fun. I saw him at Town Hall in 2011 and again at 54 Below a few months ago. He really was/is the perfect fit for Matilda. At the Town Hall show for the encore he led the entire audience in a rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah" with all of the stage lighting nearly completely dimmed. It was a chilling and moving experience.

[tazber]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 11:03pm

I have seen both of those concerts on dvd several times each.

His songs are brilliant, no question.

Unfortunately he mumbles and rambles a bit between songs, but when he's playing those earworm melodies and singing those incredible lyrics....just wow.

For those who enjoyed Matilda's score I can not recommend seeking out his solo cds (dvds are only region 2) strongly enough.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 11:15pm

He is definitely a gifted lyricist and composer. His ability to put forth such complex concepts in his songs with seeming effortlessness is really amazing. Take "Cont," for example. That's a song, like "School Song" in MATILDA, that is written to be played twice and understood differently through a second layer of comprehension on second hearing. While it's hardly novel, what strikes me as a particular kind of genius is the way he applies the form of that repetition to inform his political point and the song's intended parable. His construction, his formal logic, his perspective is both so intelligent and so clearly (and delightfully) presented. He's really something special, and I love almost everything I've seen of his.

Updated On: 7/11/13 at 11:15 PM

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 11:18pm

tazber, Ready For This is actually available as a cd/dvd combo for region 1.

[tazber]

Posted: 7/11/13 at 11:23pm

Oooh! I didn't realize that frogs. I have a region free player so I just bought the region 2 version.

jnb9872, well put. "Cont" and "Prejudice" are both great comic songs with something to chew on.

Personally, "Thank You God" and "The Fence" are my favorites.

And who doesn't love "The Pope Song"?

[Steve C.]

Posted: 7/12/13 at 4:33pm

Thanks everyone; I'll try to see where I can find both recordings. I agree he does ramble at times, but when he gets going on the songs...brilliant on the keyboard too!

[Scarywarhol]

Posted: 7/12/13 at 4:37pm

"Thank You God" is by far my favorite!

We would be damn lucky to have him write another show.

[tazber]

Posted: 7/12/13 at 10:16pm

^^^^
Yes!

He's writing the songs for a Dreamworks Animation film.

And he has mentioned he'd like to write another musical.

[jnb9872]

Posted: 7/12/13 at 10:21pm

If we're picking favorites (and I'd like to mention "Storm" at this point, though I will continue from here just looking at his songs and not his nine-minute orchestrated beat poems), I'm personally partial to "Woody Allen Jesus."

And, of course, "The Pope Song."