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Gus Mears

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The Play That Goes Wrong is absolutely outstanding. I'd say it's the funniest thing I've ever seen on stage if I hadn't seen One Man Two Guvnors with UKFF favourite James Corden.

 

Musical Theatre falls into two categories for me: absolutely wonderful "oh wow I know this song, oh and this one two" pieces like We Will Rock You, and poncey fluff where shite songs are made up of actual conversations like Rent and Wicked.

 

I saw School of Rock on Broadway last year and it was fantastic.

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The Play That Goes Wrong is absolutely outstanding. I'd say it's the funniest thing I've ever seen on stage if I hadn't seen One Man Two Guvnors with UKFF favourite James Corden.

 

Musical Theatre falls into two categories for me: absolutely wonderful "oh wow I know this song, oh and this one two" pieces like We Will Rock You, and poncey fluff where shite songs are made up of actual conversations like Rent and Wicked.

 

 

That just means you like Jukebox Musicals. 

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You and Keith are a right pair of Melvyn's, I like the odd musical every now and then :(

 

I think for me it depends on how seriously it takes itself. With tongue firmly in cheek generally don't mind musical theatre style stuff, which I why I thoroughly enjoyed the music hall thing in the OP. 

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I've got Mikado in a fortnight, same all male cast who I saw do Pinafore last year and they were outstanding. Very much looking forward to it.

 

I bloody love The Mikado. Great tunes all, but I mutter the Tit-willow song to myself at least once a day.

 

Which production is it?

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Sasha Reagan's the producer, it's an all male cast which works very well due to the inherent campness of G&S, but they don't go over the top at all. It's basically just blokes playing the female parts, not very much limp-wristing and all that shite. It doesn't need it. 

 

I prefer Pinafore to Mikado, but one of the better Gilbert and Sullivan productions I have ever seen was last year at the Mayflower in Southampton, which was Scottish Opera and the actual D'Oyly Carte lot. The production was immaculate, really felt like a big deal from opening to close.

 

Yeah, I have Modern Major General in my head at least once per week.

Edited by Gus Mears
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I'll go for a matinee sometimes if I can. We've gone to a few in Edinburgh when we've had an afternoon free - Graham Linehan's adap of The Ladykillers being one.

 

I like the odd musical as well. I'll happily go for a Les Mis, Phantom, Matilda, Lion King or Once, and am extremely excited for Hamilton next January. But there's a load I wouldn't touch with a bargepole, like Wicked, pretty much any jukebox one, or anything else Lloyd Webber's done. Unless someone I know is in one and I feel obliged.

 

What's next on people's theatre hitlists? Apart from Hamilton I've got my eye on Network with Bryan Cranston at the National.

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 But there's a load I wouldn't touch with a bargepole, like Wicked, pretty much any jukebox one, or anything else Lloyd Webber's done. 

 

Very unfair on Tell Me On A Sunday and dare I say it, Evita. 

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A weekend matinee is always my West End preference.  Always prefer dinner after rather than before a show.

 

As far as musicals it depends what it is - my friend I tend to 'do theatre' with quite likes them so sometimes we'll go to one when it's her turn to choose.  Quite like a bit of Les Mis and Lion King was pretty good, but Aladdin was absolute gash except for a few pretty cool bits (although she loved it apparently).  Stuff like Wicked holds no appeal at all and, thankfully, so far she hasn't suggested it or anything of the kind.  We will rock you was amazing, which probably invalidates all my opinions on theatre but hey-ho.

 

Never done a Gilbert & Sullivan but wouldn't mind but more because I just never have rather than any genuine interest.

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Again I'd love to get down to see Network, but getting down to London to make a weekend of it would mean putting my credit card into a Crippler Crossface, it was the same with wanting to see John Goodman when he was over here doing American Buffalo. I was lucky that my wife's birthday fell during The Elephant Man being on at the right time.

In fact, living in Hull means you've got to travel at least to Leeds before you to see anything decent, and that's before you even start to mention the "City of Culture" coverup for giving the city centre a very cheap makeover.

 

The wife loved Aladdin too, but I didn't think much to it. Lion King is great though.

We were both disappointed when we saw Wickid last year.

Edited by WyattSheepMask
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I've a couple of London theatre trips coming up, Kill The Beast are performing their 3 pieces (Boy Who Kicked Pigs, He Had Hairy Hands and Dont Wake The Damp) so we're off to catch all 3 and then next month its for The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Nighttime.

 

Working in a regional theatre means I get to see a lot of small to mid size shows, upcoming Im looking forward to Boris The Musical. A Boris Johnson musical, it cant not be funny with all the stupidity to mine.

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I love going to the theatre but the cost can be extortionate. As I usually go on my own then I manage to get cheaper tickets as I don't care where I sit. However, this can be a ball-ache as some older theatres just have no leg room whatsoever in the cheaper seats.

 

I went to see Hangmen with David Morrissey a while back and had a seat in the upper circle. When I got to my seat though I genuinely couldn't sit down. I couldn't get the flappy seat to fold down as my legs were too long and my knees got in the way. I spoke to a member of staff and they were great. I ended up having a box to myself! I felt like the fucking Queen. Shit view but still, one was amused.

 

Slapnut, I know what you mean about the two types of musicals though. I wouldn't even think of buying tickets to Les Mis, Miss Saigon, Cats or anything else where everyone's singing everything. But give me The Commitments, We Will Rock You or Jersey Boys and I'm in my element!

 

Some notable viewings have been...

 

Harry Potter & The Cursed Child (both parts in one day) - brilliant acting and production. You don't necessarily need to have read the books to enjoy it either. I was very impressed.

 

Beautiful: The Carol King Musical - I tagged along with some friends seeing this and was sceptical as I didn't really know who Carol King was/is. But it was amazing. I was surprised with how many of the songs I knew. The production was great and the lady who plays King is just fantastic. It's very funny and I also cried at the end. It really is, ahem, beautiful.

 

American Buffalo - shite. Didn't enjoy it at all and was head bobbing because I was so bored. I can't even remember the plot. I went for Damian Lewis (Band of Brothers) and John Goodman but even they couldn't save it for me. Dire.

 

Sunny Afternoon - this was exceptional. I would gladly watch this on a weekly basis. I went because I know Ben Caplan who was in it for a long run (also in Band of Brothers and Call The Midwife) but the whole cast is fantastic. I really need to see this again.

 

Other stuff I've seen over the years - Book of Mormon, Footloose, Spamalot, A Winter's Tale (Kenneth Brannagh - crap production, couldn't hear a thing!), Henry V (Jude Law - very dark, really enjoyed it), A Midsummer Night's Dream (Sheridan Smith & David Walliams - outstanding), Bingo (about Shakespeare played by Patrick Stewart - love PS but poor production), The Elephant Man (Bradley Cooper - outstanding too, he was just fantastic), Mojo (Rupert Grint, Colin Morgan, Ben Whishaw, Daniel Mays, Brendan Coyle - loved this, great play, great acting), Coriolanus (Tom Hiddleston - good production, great acting).

Edited by Monkee
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A very tall man had the same seat problem as you when we went to Cursed Child, Monkee - he couldn't even get in the thing! Luckily for him and his family the people in the row behind swapped and everyone was able to sit down. Great play as well, the magic effects on stage were amazing.

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I think this is quite common. The worst one I had was at the Soho Theatre where I couldn't even fit into the seat let alone get my legs in as well. I asked two ladies in front of us (one of whom had an aisle seat so at least I could've got my knees in) if they'd mind swapping but they looked at me as if I'd just asked if I could steal the soul of their unborn offspring and said no. But a member of staff overheard the way they spoke to me and upgraded us to better seats.

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