Watching musicals at the theatre

[George 1978]

So, I went to the Donald Gordon Theatre at the Wales Millennium Centre to see that Dolly Parton musical Here You Come Again. Due to one thing and another, so much happened on my birthday, and as I was a couple of miles away sorting something out which almost took all day, I got into a taxi and arrived at the theatre for 7.00 pm. Then the fun starts.

Managed to get a copy of the programme; a bilingual version of course with both English and Welsh text on most pages. By the way, did you know that "Here You Come Again" in Welsh is: "Dyma Chi'n Dod Eto"? (Thanks, Google Translate!) From the souvenirs perspective, they were selling a "mirror" (priobably in lieu of a key ring) - a pocket sized metal thing with the show's logo on it, and silver reflective surface on the other side, hence the "mirror"; a mug (one for my collection which will never have tea stains inside as I never keep them in the kitchen); a fridge magnet (which will go in my kitchen as my fridge is in there, and that is where the fridge magnets are kept on the door); and a T-shirt (pink and Extra Large, but I have no shame). The bag went into the cloakroom; I was given a cloakroom ticket, and I got the first of two 330ml Cokes from the downstairs bar (I wish it was Pepsi and 500ml, though) before going upstairs and taking my seat.

Now we get to the meat in the sandwich; despite the fact that Dolly Parton makes one think that the show is full of Americanisms, the irony was that it couldn't have been any more British. At around 7.34 pm the curtain went up, and on stage we were introduced to this bachelor-alike bloke called Kevin who was mad about Dolly; playing her records all the time, and simply being besotten about her. Tricia Paoluccio makes her appearance as Dolly; an actress who has dark hair in real life but needed to go blonde for the part via what I would assume was a wig. The musical was set during the coronavirus era of 2020, and featured a lot of four-year-old mentions of lockdowns, furloughing, extra toilet rolls and the like; watching in 2024 it does feel like reading four year old editions of Private Eye and trying to get the COVID jokes which were going around back then. Still, the Britishness of the writing certainly made it refreshing to any audience members' eyes and ears. The performance I saw was also captioned with the words on each side of the stage as if the performers were reading them when speaking - incidentally, the performance of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton which I saw on the same day last year was also captioned as well.

Dolly looked strong and fearless just like her real-life counterpart, and Paoiuccio managed to uphold various traits of Parton's persona. While Kevin seemed to be the stereotyped loser in the story; wanting to be a comedian just like Peter Kay, and being the next big thing in stand-up comedy. He looked like someone who never wins and behaved like one, but in reality the actor who plays him, Steven Webb, is someone who can get his head above water when it comes to playing parts in the theatre. Webb had been acting since the age of eight and as early as the age of 10 he was cast in Oliver at the London Palladium and appeared as a child dancer alongside Michael Jackson during the 1996 Brit awards. In addition to acting, Webb had such a divine singing voice on stage; appearing as Kevin, one can say that his singing voice was more or less a cross between Johnny Logan and Tony Christie. One does notice similarities between Webb's octaves and the ones of Logan and Christie.

Act One gave us the title song, as well as Jolene and towards the end of the First Act, Love is Like a Butterfly, probably most associated with the theme tune to the Geoffrey Palmer sitcom Butterflies in which I almost felt so emotional when listening to the tune! The interval beckoned halfway; a trip to the gents, and another 330ml Coke, and then back in my seat for Act Two. Quite aptly for 9 pm when the second part commenced, the first song was 9 to 5. We also heard Islands in the Stream sans Kenny Rogers, and I Will Always Love You in the Second Half. At around 9.25 pm there was the "wave your mobile phone torchlights around to the music" in which my own was in my bag - which was in the cloakroom. And finally, the Standing Ovasion; we cheered and that was it - just before 10 pm, over a thousand audience members spilled out of the auditorium and out into the street with some having pre-booked taxis to get into.

On the whole, it was an exciting and eventful evening and conclusion to the day. I am going to try again next year with the late Tina Turner - a musical based on Turner will be doing a national tour during 2025, and on my birthday next year they will be in Southend-on-Sea at the Cliffs Pavilion. Looking at the ticket prices quoted on the Trafalgar Tickets website, they do seem rather high such as £70 or more, but I do hope that the cost will go down in the next few months as the dust settles around us. What pleases me is that it will be on a Sarurday next year and so that means a chance to get a 2.30 pm matinee performance and so getting back to the hotel a bit earlier. It will be interesting what other theatres will be having at the end of August 2025 - the Musicals on Tour website is a great help to make plans in advance of many months! Meanwhile, I would indeed "come again" if I could for it was so enjoyable.

[George 1978]

It's that time of year again - I booked tickets in February to see Tricia Paoluccio in Here You Come Again at the Donald Gordon Theatre which is part of the Wales Millennium Centre, and it was a bit hit-and-miss as to whether I could do due to personal reasons. They were here in Nottingham in June, but I say that variety is the spice of life! No crisis, financial or otherwise will put me off having my annual birthday treat, especially since the family (who have been supporting me at the moment of need) have put extra money into my account. Thank you to them!

It is also the first time that I have visited Wales on my birthday (and only the second time in my life I have visited Wales as I visited Llandudno back in 2005), and I have heard that the Donald Gordon Theatre is one of the biggest theatres in Great Britain! It is ironic that a Welsh theatre has a name like a Scottish-sounding man - well, the man was actually South African, but still...

I might report back on here to mention how it went, but I am certain here and now that it will be a success.

Oh, and I managed to get Tricia Paoluccio's autograph when she started her tour, writing to her c/o the Leeds Playhouse which was the start of her tour in May.

[darren]

UP UNTIL 2016 ID NEVER BEEN TO THE THEATRE SEEN LOADS AND LOADS OF MUSICALS

GREAT FUN.HERES A PIC OF THE INSIDE.

https://th.bing.com/th/id/OIP.fPWpao...id=ImgDet&rs=1
AND OUTSIDE.
https://th.bing.com/th/id/R.ced72331...pid=ImgRaw&r=0

[George 1978]

Sorry to hear the death of Bill Kenwright - a great force in theatre musicals (obituary started in Gone But Not Forgotten).

[Richard1978]

Grease could be excellent; some great music! I didn't really know Dreamgirls was being done live, or perhaps it started there... I've only known of the film.

I didn't know it was a stage show until I saw the film, but it took a very long time to even come to the West End.

[beccabear67]

Grease could be excellent; some great music! I didn't really know Dreamgirls was being done live, or perhaps it started there... I've only known of the film.

[George 1978]

For my birthday this year, I went all the way to the Mayflower Theatre in Southampton to see Charlie and the Chocolate Factory - the Musical. Great cast, and great performance! I have gone from (King) Charles to Charlie (Bucket) in the space of one year!

A few weeks ago, I found out that next year, Grease the Musical is literally on my doorstep at the Nottingham Theatre Royal which disappoints me as I love travelling halfway across the country, but on the other hand, it would save me money on coach and hotel expenses. Just have to wait and see.

[Richard1978]

All going well I'll be watching Dreamgirls in Manchester on Saturday.

[George 1978]

July 2022: Chicago at the Lyceum Theatre in Sheffield. Originally looked at the Alexandra in Birmingham, but tried to see this many times but was unable to, including my birthday in 2021 where they were supposed to be in Llandudno, but was moved to nearly a year later due to the Covid situation. They were in Sunderland during the Platinum Jubilee weekend (RIP) but ill health stopped me from going. Finally got to see it in Sheffield at last before the end of its run. Enjoyed Faye Brookes as Roxie Hart, singing And All That Jazz, and the females wearing black.

August 2022: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour [sic] Dreamcoat at the Bristol Hippodrome on my birthday. Jason Donavan appeared as one of the characters that he wasn't usually associated with, although having Donavan appearing is like Grease being performed by Travolta and the late Livvy! To be honest, I thought that JD would be understudied due to his association with the recently-axed Neighbours and the fact that he was involved with the publicity of that. Went to a fast food place and someone in the queue was humming one of the songs in the musical herself while she waited.

Just before Christmas, I might pop down to Southend to see Diversity in Snow White at the Cliffs Pavilion. Wanted their autographs and tried to get them last year but couldn't. As Southend has had a roller-coaster year what with electing a new MP, (Justice being done for her predecessor's killer), and the town becoming a city, it might be my way of paying homage down there.

[George 1978]

Having another sabbatical, hence the absence on here...

Anyway, saw Hairspray the Musical at the Liverpool Empire theatre on my birthday - as I was walking along Lime Street I noticed a very long queue, and it took me a few minutes that they were theatre punters, and to realise that it was because of the COVID restrictions and the theatre staff were going to allow them in one at a time. Everyone had to prove that they had both vaccines or had a negative lateral flow test within the previous 48 hours (done just after midnight on Sunday) in which I had with using a test kit with the details printed out.
Eventually got inside, shown my ticket and the negative test to staff, and went to the stalls for the show - it started a bit later at around 7.45 pm because of the COVID checks and all that.

Norman "Hale and..." Pace was great with an American accent, (I am certain that I have seen him in Hale and Pace sketches where he plays American Wild West-type characters), and so was the (male) actor who played the sub-Wishee Washee role as well.

Unfortunately apart from the programmes, there were no souvenirs for sale. "We weren't given any", a staff member said when I asked at the interval. No mugs or fridge magnets, which was a pity. Because of the late start, the interval and the second half was later as well, and it didn't properly end until around 10.10 pm, some 15 or 20 minutes afterwards.

Might try for Chicago next year if they can extend to August - I know that it has been extended to July. Mama Mia is there on that date in Canterbury, but it does mean having to go through London to get there...

[George 1978]

Well, most of us will spend around two and a half months of our life celebrating our birthdays, so you might as well make the most of it, and I think that milestones such as 50, 60, 70 etc, are just as important as earlier ages.

I believe that Gareth Hale is alive and well - I just think that Hale and Pace are just doing their own things which is something that I couldn't imagine Morecambe and Wise doing. It would be nice to have them both starring in it though.

[tex]

Nice that you still consider birthdays "special" George, when you reach my age you stop counting the years off. Hale and Pace were very funny at the height of alternative comedy during the 80s, did Gareth hale die?

[George 1978]

Booked tickets to see Hairspray the Musical at the Empire Theatre in Liverpool on that "special date" in the near future - it has Norman Pace out of Hale and Pace in the cast so it should be good. As coronavirus might be almost gone by then, fingers crossed, I assume that it will go ahead as planned.

Will let you know what I thought of it later on in the year.

[George 1978]

Re: Watching musicals at the theatre

Didn't get to see have my annual birthday sabbatical due to the coronavirus and all the theatres were obvious closed with performances of shows cancelled (would have chosen wither Southend or Leeds) - stayed at home for the first time in years.

Spent the morning of my birthday last month writing an open letter on my computer about how the virus is damaging theatres and depriving people of watching shows there (including my birthday plans for this year), as well as the effect it has on performers - I sent a copy of the letter to my MP (who responded by email), as well as the PM and Oliver Dowden of the DCMS. Other recipients include Equity (who invited me to sign a .gov.uk petition regarding connected to the subject of theatres and actors); Spotlight; The Stage newspaper; local theatres (Nottingham Playhouse responded by email); dignitaries such as Lloyd-Webber (Really Useful Group responded), C Macintosh, Kenwright, and others. Anyone I could think of in connection to the theatre, musicals, drama and acting. I hope that we can see theatres reopening as normal not too long into the future.

Next year, Chicago the Musical is starting a run in March 2021 (although the second wave might put that back on the back burner). I might book tickets in lieu of this year, but considering the situations that have happened in Birmingham over the last few weeks, I might try the Sunderland Empire or even Liverpool. We will just have to wait and see...

[George 1978]

Re: Watching musicals at the theatre

As you obviously know, at the moment the theatres (and their Box Offices) are closed due to the coronavirus, and sadly it might mean that visiting the theatre on my birthday this year could be cancelled. At this time of year, I make plans, but to be honest, I don't know what life will be like in just a couple of weeks' time at the moment.

After looking at the contenders of: Felixstowe (Joe Pasquale down there); Southend (some "Puttin' on the Ritz"-style musical there); Bridlington (a Take That "Experience" tribute show up there); and Blackpool (Motown tribute show - no longer performing on the night - postponed until April next year).

I have decided to go for the great Jane McDonald, alumnus of the 1990s docusoap The Cruise (Jeremy Spake or Maureen Rees, anyone?) who will (hopefully if it things get better) be at the Leeds Grand Theatre - as she's from Wakefield, she will be performing again on her home soil. However, just 28 seats left in the entire place, and things are in limbo because of the virus, so I am not counting my chickens until they have hatched. No point in booking at this moment in time in other words, but I hope that there will be light at the end of the tunnel between now and August...