Very interesting. I wouldn’t say I love the show but I once took a day trip to Southhampton to watch titanic the musical when it was on tour a few years ago (assuming the same production) and took a titanic walking tour at the same time where they’d show you some of the local sights related to it. Very fun novelty :).
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Lol I just saw it in Woking on Monday. Looks like it's filmed in the same theatre. Seeing it after being curious for many years, I liked it fine. No Moon/Autumn is still my favorite out of the score. The pacing can be slow at times. The final "spectacle" started strong, then immediately ended, I was like "oh that's it? ok". Looking forward to the proshot still.
"Filming of the musical took place using seven cameras placed at multiple locations within the New Victoria Theatre during regular performances, with the cast and crew also filming the show in an empty theater during the day. The release plans have been established with a well-known distributor, and an official announcement is expected in the next couple of months."
Went to the November screening. Barnaby Hughes was the standout for me in an excellent cast. Was not a fan of the camera moving constantly - I was getting seasick. This show, in my opinion, did not need such active camera work and lthere was too much editing from medium to full to closeup. The sound mix seemed off at first so the vocals, I thought, did not seem to soar as much as I remember. Still, I swear it was my allergies acting up making my eyes watery and teary.
Note: there is a gun shot in the show - which I forgot about.
Does the production/film include the Overture and Entr’acte and is there an intermission or does the filming play as one act? I’m thinking of going to the showing on Wednesday.
Also I don’t remember a gunshot in Titanic. What scene?
CATSNYrevival said: "Does the production/film include the Overture and Entr’acte and is there an intermission or does the filming play as one act? I’m thinking of going to the showing on Wednesday.
Also I don’t remember a gunshot in Titanic. What scene?"
I don't think is the actual original overture, but the show does start with Andrews at his desk - ghosts of characters appear as does Ismay - the ghosts are accusatory in movement - and there is music, - which leads to Ismay who starts "In every age". Ismay is very much the villain in this production. This is slightly different than I recall at Charing Cross - where it was lights up on Ismay and then the "people" are shouting and gesturing at him, all accusatory. They leave and Ismay starts "In every age"
There is a 10 minute intermission.
I don't recall an Entr'acte to start Act Two - but then the theatre kept the lights on when the film started again and I had to run out to tell them to turn the lights off.
Regarding the gunshot:
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It is Murdoch's suicide in Act Two.
Our screening was not well attended. There was my group of four. There was another couple and then a father and young daughter (maybe 10 years old). The father said he had hoped for more stage lighting effects. I told him that the lighting effects live were excellent when we saw this production in London. This is a film, so, of course, some of the immediacy and connection you get in the theatre are missing in part. But, the filmed version still has impact - at least for me.
Also, although this was filmed ( in part) in front of live audiences, the audience is rather muted - some applause after some numbers, and an occasional pull back to we see that there is an audience - but most of the time, I was not aware that there was an audience.
That’s disappointing to hear about unnecessary changes. There’s nothing in the original libretto indicating Murdoch's death, and his suicide is a myth as depicted in the 1997 film. His body was never recovered. There’s no evidence he killed himself.
CATSNYrevival said: "That’s disappointing to hear about unnecessary changes. There’s nothing in the original libretto indicating Murdoch's death, and his suicide is a myth as depicted in the 1997 film. His body was never recovered. There’s no evidence he killed himself."
Especially considering the brouhaha that Cameron got himself into with Murdoch's descendants, though maybe that particular wing of the family is no longer around to push the subject.
It's also a little odd that, of all the nips and tucks made for the chamber version, they haven't done anything to ameliorate its portrayal of Ismay, which is just about taken verbatim from the Hearst hit jobs of the day.
Peter Stone again shows he is a genius when it comes to book writing. You know how the story ends, but somehow gives you hope it won't end the usual way, and also this production (that I saw in Toronto), has this eerie feeling about it. Ismay was at the table when you walk in, and you could see the uncomfortable feeling he has. The haunting of what is going to take place.
The only thing I will say I wasn't huge on was the "Where are they now/Did they survive section" at the end of the show. Became more of a report, than a narrative.
"Ok ok ok ok ok ok ok. Have you guys heard about fidget spinners!?" ~Patti LuPone
A heads up to any Antipodeans here, that this pro-shot is screening in a few Australian and New Zealand cinemas in early May. https://www.cinemalive.com/event/Titanic