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The Musicals/Stage Productions Topic!!!

Bert2theSpark said:
The only glaring issue with the show is the pre-recorded sections, stuff that would play well in a cinema, on headphones or a TV screen does not mesh well with theatre acoustics and the live noise. This was quite immersion breaking, and didn’t quite translate some aspects of the TV show, however this is a broader issue with modern tech within a theatrical setting as I had the same issue with Hamilton last year. Audio acoustics in theatres are setup very differently to cinemas, and when there’s a moment designed as if it was TV or Film, it kind of falls flat.
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I saw it during its long run at The Wyndhams in London, and the section you are referring to was absolutely seamless. That's always the problem with seeing the touring versions of shows, they can never have as comprehensive and bespoke set design, effects and staging when that stage changes each night.

But most importantly, who was your specual guest?
 
pluk said:
I saw it during its long run at The Wyndhams in London, and the section you are referring to was absolutely seamless. That's always the problem with seeing the touring versions of shows, they can never have as comprehensive and bespoke set design, effects and staging when that stage changes each night.

But most importantly, who was your specual guest?
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I had Keith Brymer Jones as the special guest, who I didn’t really know but knew enough to understand that they made the show fit around the Pottery background of Stoke-On-Trent. Not as exciting as some of the other special guests they’ve had in the past few weeks but the older, largely Gen X audience seemed to love the fact he showed up!
 
Seeing Stage/Fright in Liverpool next week, really looking forward to it.

Saw Pemberton and Sheersmith when they were doing an In Conversation type discussion tour about the show back in 2021.
 
We're booked in to the production of Hitch Hikers Guide to the Galaxy, at Riverside Studios, at the end of the month.

Not sure what to expect. The FAQ says "Is this a theatre show, or an 'immersive experience'?.... Yes!"
It has to be better than the film.
 
Bert2theSpark said:
The only glaring issue with the show is the pre-recorded sections, stuff that would play well in a cinema, on headphones or a TV screen does not mesh well with theatre acoustics and the live noise. This was quite immersion breaking, and didn’t quite translate some aspects of the TV show, however this is a broader issue with modern tech within a theatrical setting as I had the same issue with Hamilton last year.
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I saw the show at Wyndham’s a couple of times, but unsure what you mean by this? Are you referring to the projections and use of the video wall? I didn’t notice anything wrong with it and thought it was all done quite seamlessly!
 
Burbs said:
I saw the show at Wyndham’s a couple of times, but unsure what you mean by this? Are you referring to the projections and use of the video wall? I didn’t notice anything wrong with it and thought it was all done quite seamlessly!
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It’s the fact there’s a couple of parts where they go from live audio to pre-recorded audio, I thought the scrims and screen were actually really strong. The same issue was in Hamilton, with the backing tracks, you could notice what parts were pre-recorded from the original Broadway production because the audio quality was notably worse.

The issues were with the transitions between pre-recorded audio and video, not super important considering the tone of the show, but definitely notable.

Maybe it’s because I’d already heard the issue with the touring version of Hamilton, and this being the second production I’ve seen with live cameras and screens. First time I saw them was during Edinburgh Fringe a few years back, which was a much more elaborate camera setup and different use of stage space. I also didn’t know anything about the live camera trend in theatre.

It’s a bit like a B&M Dive coaster, the gimmick doesn’t hit as hard when you’ve already seen it used elsewhere.

In a side note, during the second act, I didn’t even notice the screen as part of the backdrop sitting from the circle. Really well blended in with the scenery, there must have been a lot of effort into integrating all the projections, scrims and screen blend in with the set.
 
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Saw MJ the musical Fri evening.

It has the bloody obvious issue that whoever they have in the lead isn't Michael and won't be as good as Michael. Even taking that into account, I dont think the lead was quite good enough to be honest. That's not to say he wasn't incredible, especially in his dancing, but when he was solo in the higher range it was realky quite bad on multiple occasions. He was much stronger at a lower register and in fairness did sound uncanilly like him like him during bigger numbers with backing. Pretty decent speaking voice too, just missing some of the childish playfulness real MJ would get across.

It's pretty much an impossible casting. I assume they've gone for someone who can nail the moves and compromised on aspects of the voice, much of which can be rescued by the company and the mix. That does seem like the right choice overall, but it leaves him exposed occasionally. It feels like a bit of an issue that actual MJ is probably the weakest singer on the stage. Worth a shout for both child Michael and younger Michael smashing it, and Michaels Mum (Koko Alexandra, apparently) being the standout vocalist of the whole thing.

The biggest issue for me was a really odd tendency for the vocalists to lag slightly behind the music, just a fraction of a beat but made the whole thing sound like it was lumbering along rather driving forward with energy. Wasn't consistently like this, but enough for me to be frustrated by it.

That all sounds a bit negative, but I did love plenty of aspects of the show. The set is dynamic, the soundsystem probably the best I've ever heard at a theatre. The bass during the breakdown of Wanna Be Starting Something is something else, hitting your chest like a mallet, and the overall sequences of Thriller and Smmoth Criminal are as dazzling and impactful as any I've seen in any show.

Overall I still really enjoyed it. I fear it's enivitable that the tour that follows will take with it the worst of the issues and leave the best bits behind at The Prince Edward, it's certainly worth seeing here before the run ends early next year.
 
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