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Re: Watching musicals at the theatre
I have just come back from my well-earned break in Bournemouth in time for my birthday, hence my absence from this forum over the past week as I had no internet access down there. Saw the annual Air Show and the planes in the sky (understudies for the Red Devils who were sitting it out this year, and were just as noisy), but the main reason was to visit the Pavilion Theatre on Westover Road to see Fame the Musical.
I did a bit of "revision" before going, playing YouTube clips of songs and bits from the TV series, as well as looking at reviews on local newspaper websites, where I have to admit some gave some negative feedback about the show which I thought was unfair and would put people off from booking tickets - one of them even said that it was "dated" which I think was a rather pathetic thing to say considering that it was based on a film series first made in the early 1980s. Personally, I would prefer a professional publication such as The Stage for a proper review and a "tell it to me straight" synopsis rather than amateur writers on local newspapers.
The cast had been in Darren's neck of the woods in Belfast the week before (which I would have loved to have gone there to see via the ferry one assumes), and now they have moved onto the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne this week where I happened to see a Bill Kenwright musical there five years ago.
As you do, I turned up for the Friday (birthday) evening performance - the theatre was within walking distance from the hotel I was staying in. I had 15 minutes before the audience was invited in to the auditorium, and so I decided to take advantage of the souvenir merchandise in the foyer. A Fame mug took my fancy, along with a keyring, and of course a copy of the programme along with a couple of other things. I thought that I could pay by card, but shock horror! - they didn't have a "card machine" and only had a cash box. So, I dashed out of the theatre and ran up the road to the nearest cashpoint, getting £60 and then running back to the theatre again.
By then the message came on the PA system that the show was to start in three minutes, and to ask us to make our way inside to the auditorium and our seats. I made my purchases at that point, but as the show was about to start, I had to wait until the interval before I could pick up the items and my change. I did suggest to the staff member in addition to accepting credit card payment that the theatres that they should also have "in-house" cashpoints in the theatres for those visitors who might not have enough cash on them for cash only purchases, (along with all other theatres around the country) - I am going to write to the Front of House manager at the theatre suggesting that as well.
The show actually started around seven minutes after its allocated start time, probably to give people a chance to get to their seats which I felt was very considerate especially when it came to the cash problem that I had. Me and a few hundred others saw the show - Mica Paris was on top form, but my favourite actor was Keith Jack - someone who I don't know too much about as I don't usually watch those reality talent series, (and so therefore I developed the urge to go over to Wikipedia, typing is name in the search box). Still, I gave him the benefit of the doubt as I purchased a CD of his music from the foyer. I love Jack's camp style on stage (there is always room for that in a performance), and he reminds me so much of such an act which I feel to be almost like a cross between Louie Spence and Rylan Clark-Neal. Jack was very active on stage in his denims, and one can see why he also does pantomimes as well.
The interval beckoned at around 8.40 pm - I went back to the part of the foyer where the merchandise was being sold to get my souvenirs and my change, before going to the gents. Around 15 minutes later the second half commenced and the action was a lot more livelier as it often does. Great songs and acting, and the Irene Cara did get a couple of outings including towards the end. I am still getting around who's who via my copy of the programme. The standing ovation at the end, getting too excited as you do, and it ended just before 10.00 pm. I would have liked a matinee performance, but it was a Friday of course. I had the earworm of that old Irene Cara song all weekend, but it was worth it.
Yes, it was worth paying £38.50 to sit in the stalls - I didn't go for the balcony which is what I managed to do at the hotel I was staying in. And the weather was kind to us - what more could I possibly want for my birthday?
I have just come back from my well-earned break in Bournemouth in time for my birthday, hence my absence from this forum over the past week as I had no internet access down there. Saw the annual Air Show and the planes in the sky (understudies for the Red Devils who were sitting it out this year, and were just as noisy), but the main reason was to visit the Pavilion Theatre on Westover Road to see Fame the Musical.
I did a bit of "revision" before going, playing YouTube clips of songs and bits from the TV series, as well as looking at reviews on local newspaper websites, where I have to admit some gave some negative feedback about the show which I thought was unfair and would put people off from booking tickets - one of them even said that it was "dated" which I think was a rather pathetic thing to say considering that it was based on a film series first made in the early 1980s. Personally, I would prefer a professional publication such as The Stage for a proper review and a "tell it to me straight" synopsis rather than amateur writers on local newspapers.
The cast had been in Darren's neck of the woods in Belfast the week before (which I would have loved to have gone there to see via the ferry one assumes), and now they have moved onto the Congress Theatre in Eastbourne this week where I happened to see a Bill Kenwright musical there five years ago.
As you do, I turned up for the Friday (birthday) evening performance - the theatre was within walking distance from the hotel I was staying in. I had 15 minutes before the audience was invited in to the auditorium, and so I decided to take advantage of the souvenir merchandise in the foyer. A Fame mug took my fancy, along with a keyring, and of course a copy of the programme along with a couple of other things. I thought that I could pay by card, but shock horror! - they didn't have a "card machine" and only had a cash box. So, I dashed out of the theatre and ran up the road to the nearest cashpoint, getting £60 and then running back to the theatre again.
By then the message came on the PA system that the show was to start in three minutes, and to ask us to make our way inside to the auditorium and our seats. I made my purchases at that point, but as the show was about to start, I had to wait until the interval before I could pick up the items and my change. I did suggest to the staff member in addition to accepting credit card payment that the theatres that they should also have "in-house" cashpoints in the theatres for those visitors who might not have enough cash on them for cash only purchases, (along with all other theatres around the country) - I am going to write to the Front of House manager at the theatre suggesting that as well.
The show actually started around seven minutes after its allocated start time, probably to give people a chance to get to their seats which I felt was very considerate especially when it came to the cash problem that I had. Me and a few hundred others saw the show - Mica Paris was on top form, but my favourite actor was Keith Jack - someone who I don't know too much about as I don't usually watch those reality talent series, (and so therefore I developed the urge to go over to Wikipedia, typing is name in the search box). Still, I gave him the benefit of the doubt as I purchased a CD of his music from the foyer. I love Jack's camp style on stage (there is always room for that in a performance), and he reminds me so much of such an act which I feel to be almost like a cross between Louie Spence and Rylan Clark-Neal. Jack was very active on stage in his denims, and one can see why he also does pantomimes as well.
The interval beckoned at around 8.40 pm - I went back to the part of the foyer where the merchandise was being sold to get my souvenirs and my change, before going to the gents. Around 15 minutes later the second half commenced and the action was a lot more livelier as it often does. Great songs and acting, and the Irene Cara did get a couple of outings including towards the end. I am still getting around who's who via my copy of the programme. The standing ovation at the end, getting too excited as you do, and it ended just before 10.00 pm. I would have liked a matinee performance, but it was a Friday of course. I had the earworm of that old Irene Cara song all weekend, but it was worth it.
Yes, it was worth paying £38.50 to sit in the stalls - I didn't go for the balcony which is what I managed to do at the hotel I was staying in. And the weather was kind to us - what more could I possibly want for my birthday?
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