Hello!!

Yes it is indeed the only production of Jeff Wayne's War of The World's staged outside of the official tour and it's the first ever time it's ever been staged dramatically opposed to a concert! It was performed by CCADS for our 20th anniversary year! The musicians and equipment to replicate the sounds of the album were given to us from Chichester College of Music. Sadly our fighting machine ate the band at the end of the run... so sadly we won't be heading to the US to present it!!

Just want to say a huge HUGE thank you from all of us for the review, we all absolutely love it and already it's been circulated around the cast and crew who are all delighted that you enjoyed it!!

A big thanks from me as well... I was the scary chap with the jacket on setting explosions off here and there to set fire to people or blow up thunder child! Really glad you enjoyed it - and that I scared someone...

*stares without blinking before wandering away*

Thanks for stopping by, Themepark! Yes, our Blackavar did an excellent review! I know she'll be thrilled to see that you came by to thank her!

-- Nephele

*falls over*

Oh my it really is a small world, isn't it!

Thank you, Themepark! Wow...this has really blown me away! =O

Excuse me while I pick up my jaw! XD

I love going to the theatre. I've been to many plays. So many I can't remember them all. I am getting the Takarazuka version of Elisabeth on DVD (it finally shipped today). I'm so excited!

Here's a clip from it: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvkfrs0IG4w

Part of me is feeling guilty, Takarazuka should have a warning of "Welcome to a whole new world of financial pain". XD But the pretty, and the sparklies.

For all you geeks that dig on the science humor in teevee's Big Bang Theory (and I know that there are a lot of you here), the adored Jim Parsons (Dr. Sheldon Cooper) will be taking on the role of eccentric Elwood P. Dowd in the first Broadway revival of Harvey since 1970. For those familiar with the play (and movie), "Harvey" is a pooka that only Elwood can see.



Read full article here.

I'm hoping to get tickets for this one!

-- Nephele

I just scored last minute tickets for my man and me to see the stage production of The War Horse this afternoon! And they're good tickets, too, just a few rows from the stage!

I was planning to see the movie when it premieres tomorrow, but this is better! What a great day!

-- Nephele

-- Sat Dec 24, 2011 11:12 pm --

I'm back from seeing The War Horse today (stage production – not the movie). It was absolutely outstanding! The horse puppetry was amazing – you can see a bit of it here.

I especially liked the way that Joey (the War Horse) was not anthropomorphized in the story. Plus, the manipulation of the larger-than-life puppet horses was very convincing. You could see the horses breathing, snorting, withers quivering, ears twitching, etc.

The horrors of World War I were well-portrayed, also. Even though the actors were obviously using blanks on stage when they shot from a revolver or rifle, the sound really made one jump in one's skin. It's very different hearing a gunshot in a closed theater than it is hearing it recorded on tv or in a movie. The soldiers being killed in battle, and horses succumbing to starvation, exhaustion, and terror, was all very intense.

There were also some lighter, humorous moments in the play, and the musicians (who played onstage) doubled as townspeople.

Finally, I don't really cry or get overly emotional with stage plays (or movies). But this play... I was okay, until a man seated next to me started to cry, and then I started going. The actors received a standing ovation at the end, and I don't think there were many dry eyes in the audience.

I also now find myself fascinated with World War I, and the story of the horses that were conscripted from farms to serve in the cavalry. Horses of World War I.

-- Nephele

EDIT: The play will be going on a tour of 20 different U.S. cities, in 2012. Hopefully, it may come to a city near you.

It's a long time ago, but I loved everything of Shakespear, Faust of course unshorted 6 hours. Old greece tragedies. They must be more than 2000 years old now. Medea for example. And spanish tragedies of course, because they let dozends of people die in less than 2 hours. It's really amazing how so many people can die with sence in such a short time. Of course German and Swedish tragedies of the 19th century. Strindberg, Büchner et. al.

Can't miss Phantom of the Opera. I also enjoyed Cats.

I had totally forgotten about this thread, oops :/
I've seen quite a few plays since my last post, nothing particularly memorable though.
I am however excited to be going to see "A woman of no importance" by Oscar Wilde next week at the Gate Theatre

I finally got around to seeing Wicked last weekend at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. I didn't find it quite as enthralling as I'd been hearing it was. But it was fun. I had read the book years ago when it first came out.

This weekend I'm going to see Mary Poppins at Broadway's New Amsterdam Theatre. Yes, I know what y'all are thinking... Mary Poppins? wtf?

I don't care. Ever since I was little, I always thought Mary Poppins was scary and dark -- hiding behind her pretense of cheerfulness. But she didn't fool me.

-- Nephele

I always suspected something was going on with her....something Poppins this way comes....

Broadway's Mary Poppins! I was going to post about this in the "Guilty Pleasures" thread, but then decided to post here because I'm not feeling too embarrassed over loving this musical.

First of all, the Mary Poppins in the stage musical is not quite as saccharine sweet as the Mary Poppins in the old Disney movie. In fact, this stage version of Mary Poppins seems more true to the original books by P.L. Travers. (Note: author P.L. Travers despised the Disney movie version of her original Mary Poppins stories.)

The Mary Poppins of the stage play is quite dark and witchy at times. There's one scene in particular where Mary Poppins uses her magic to send an unpleasant person down to the depths of HELL –- complete with great stage pyrotechnics. Needless to say, this rather macabre scene was one of the highpoints of the play for me. There was also some nifty stage magic in the play.

I saw this Broadway production of Mary Poppins for the first time last Sunday, and loved it so much that my man and I went to the box office today and got tickets to see it again in September. This time, with better seats.

I've just got to see Mary Poppins consign people to HELL again –- and giggle.

-- Nephele

New York City's annual Fringe Festival is in full swing right now, when you can get inexpensive ($15) tickets to a lot of fun and innovative off-Broadway shows.

I wanted to go see Snow White Zombie: Apocalypse this weekend, but I waited too late and the show sold out.

So instead my man and I got tickets to see Oasis: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know About the Middle East But Were Afraid to Dance. "Using dance, images, spoken word and video, Oasis looks through the prism of desert/oasis and magical/real to explore issues of identity, veiling, torture and spirituality, moving through what is familiar and what is imagined."

I'll let you know after the weekend if it was good.

-- Nephele

My next play shall be The Judas Kiss with Rupert Everett playing Oscar Wilde, which I'm pretty excited about, it's gotten fantastic reviews.

It seems I only go to Oscar Wilde related plays, I swear that's not the case, and I swear I'm not obsessed with him...well...maybe a little

I really enjoy theatre, but my husband is less of a fan, so I don't make it out quite as often as I should.

Some of my favorites include:
The Foreigner (I've seen this three times...not goth, but holy hell, is it funny!)
Jesus Christ Superstar (I've actually done this show---I played Caiaphas!)
Love's Labour Lost (I saw a Victorian rendition of this show --- beautiful costumes!)