Simon in Wedding Singer

[fabala]

I think Saturday Night in the City would be worst hit by lack of structure, but it would affect every song really.

And yeah, the curtain was a bit crappy.

[emi]

But, in 'Move that Thang' they've got Rosie and George rapping their hearts out and generally being awesome on it for about 3/4 of the song... how's that gonna work without it?
By the way, when you went, did Jodie's big puffy skirt fasten in time? The second time I went, it didn't, and she did the whole song in the tight pink one she wore in Not that Kind of thing.. it was quite funny, watching the techies flail about with it, realising that there was less and less time to get it fastened...

[fabala]

Haha that sounds amusing! There were no skirt issues in any of the 4 shows I saw. There was a Glen trouser problem though... at the beginning of Saturday Night he could not get his trousers to fasten at all (they're velcro as far as I can work out) and he had to come to the front of the stage and dance with his arms and everything - I was really worried that they'd fall down! They didn't, but as soon as he finished dancing he grabbed the waistband again and legged it off stage only to reappear 10 seconds later in a completely different pair that didn't match in the slightest. Got to commend his quick change skills though!

In one of the shows the middle waitress didn't pop up in Pop and when she did appear she was still dressing! I think that may have been because one of the ensemble was off but I can't be sure. One of the guys was off (my favourite - yeah, I saw it enough times to have a favourite!) and I kept thinking one of the women was but I could never be certain.

Those things all actually happened in the same show... also in that show the bed didn't shake, Simon dropped his bottle in Single right at the beginning of his dance on the bar and had to just stand there and make up a bit of a dance, flowers dropped off the Robbie and Julia sign and no one moved them for aaaages, one of the little menu hearts didn't pop up and everyone got a bit hysterical at it, Simon lost it at the end of Single when the bum hugs him (although that happened a few times and I'm not sure if it was my fault...) - I could go on forever. The night before there was a whole different set of faults but they were techinical... they were having loads of problems, Simon was talking about that. I wonder if they're getting sorted yet?

I can't imagine how they're going to get round this set problem. That structure is crucial. Rosie and George are awesome in Move That Thang.

I suppose they could just use the bottom half of it and still have people able to stand on top but not have the blinds. But then they have the screen at the back which moves up and down to move set in and out at the bottom, and without the blinds everyone would see it... they'd have to have some screens or something that could be moved in from the sides and just have a cyc.

I don't know why I'm trying to solve this problem, it's not mine to worry about! Can't wait to find out what they've done though. Someone's at the show tonight aren't they?

[crazeball]

whee I'm glad I didn't read any of this before the show, it would've spoiled it for me.

let me start off by saying there was no cake on the curtain! just a basic red one!!

anyway I think this structure you're all talking about was not used as our background was a sort of black screen with blue squares. No one was on top of anything. Move that thang and Right in front of your eyes were both done right in the middle of the stage. *sighs*
I do seem to remember Simon said something on the lines of "you've seen the one with the crappy stage" or crappy set, or something to that effect.

the pieces of set I've seen were... well a little staircase with a brick wall thingy that doubled as Julia's house too, and then countless wheelies. I did see a big wedding cake so I'm not sure if it's the one they were supposed to have taken out... the oddest bit was Rosie dancing to her walkman, standing between two trees though. My girl says in the US show that was supposed to be the whole front of a house, with patio. How did that look in the other theatres?
The thing is, this stage didn't seem at all small to me, and I've seen loads. There are so many West End stages that are smaller so I wonder if it's just a question of couldn't dismantle the set and get it INTO the theatre??

also I don't know if it is just me but the music was seriously overly loud, I thought I'd leave with a ringing in my ears like at rock concerts. it was slightly disturbing at times. and there were mic issues though I'm not sure whose they were.

[fabala]

The loudest bit was the beginning, everyone always jumped! I kept meaning to watch the conductor but getting distracted.

Sorry, I did kind of post a lot of spoliers. I keep thinking everyone has seen it!

I can't believe they just didn't use the main bit of set. It looked like it would have dismantled quite easily, it's in sections, but perhaps not. The big wedding cake must be the curtain. There is a wedding cake used during the weddings, but that's not too big. There was never a house/patio, it's always just Rosie and two trees! Slightly odd, but I think it works.

So there was still the staircase and brick wall that's used all the time, but how about Robbie's bedroom? Was there the wall with stairs at the back and the cupboard and everything, or did they just use the bed?

I really want to see this! It must be so different.

So, aside from all the set business, how was the show?!

[emi]

It's kinda hard not to post spoilers though!! and I'm glad I'm not the only one who jumped out their skin when the music starts!

(and I totally have favourite ensemble. Really, it's the fun of big ensemble shows, having favourites. My favourite girl is the one who's the first bride in the opening wedding, I forget her name, but she's also a nurse thingy in that really wierd bit in Casulty of Love. Was anyone else really confused about what the heck was going on at that bit? Not that I was complaining much... the nurses had gorgeous legs........)

BY the way, when you seen it, at the end of Single, did Simon choke up when you seen it? It wasn't with laughter, it was almost actual tears. I nearly ran onstage and hugged him myself, he was that adorable.

[fabala]

No, he was absolutely cracking up, actually shaking with trying so hard not to laugh!

My favourite ensemble guy is the black dude (he wasn't on for my last night and I was so disappointed! The swing that replaced him was just blah) and I could never really pick a girl... I might say the black girl, just because of Tina Turner. And "I said HOLD IT-A!!"

I didn't like that bit with the nurses in Casualty of Love, it annoyed me every time. It was just bizarre. Especially when they came back on with the inflatable giutars.

[charliemonster]

I'm actually rather glad I read this now rather than after I see the show cose I know what to look out for and to brace myself for loud music.

[emi]

Yeah, the bit with the nurses was just plain wierd... Both times I seen it, I was just like: 'WTF? Cut it! please, it's just wierd!'

and the black girl's Tina Turner is HYSTERICAL. Really, so so funny... She has to be my second favourite....
My favourite guy is that guy who plays Billy Idol.... infact no, him and the black guy as Mr T tie for top place, just cause they're so awesome that I can't choose.

[fabala]

Mr T is awesome, it was so disappointing to have the swing on because they changed it to Rambo because he wasn't black! I was wondering throughout the entire show how they were going to do it!

[crazeball]

ok so I have found a promo video online and I now know all the stuff that I've missed!! there is this interview bit with Natalie Casey and Jonathan Wilkes where you can see the stage in the background and there is this huge heart shape thingy with lightbulbs all around it... yeah I didn't have that one either.

I would say that the show was good but also weird because I'm used to something completely different. I think the West End just sets your expectations up so high! But it was enjoyable, I totally love the 80s feel (I loved Desperately Seeking Susan as well) also cos I guess I'm one of the very few on this board who actually *remember* the 80s and it was amusing to see Simon dance!! And my love for Jodie Jacobs has grown more than humanly possible, I think I might actually write a fan letter to her, which I can safely say I haven't done in ******AGES*******

[emi]

Mrs 'I'll only be 45 minutes!' should have posted a review by now. But she's crap. So she hasn't.

[robjimbobjam]

Is it just me who was a little disappointed? :S Simon and Jodie were fantastic but Johnathon and Natalie? Not so much...

I found it really hard to picture this as a professional show with the lack of set...especially as the auditorium looked like a school gymnasium!

Still, the music was awesome! Danced along slightly in my chair....The script was funny....yeah...hmmm

[emi]

I was highly dissapointed with Mr 'I have no personality, but everybody loves me because my best friend used to be a good singer.' and Mrs 'Oh, look at me, I've been on TV!'. Neither could particulary act expectionally, or sing... in general. Well, Jonathan could sing pretty good, but Natalie was god awful, both times I seen it.
Like I've said before, Any time Simon or Jodie weren't onstage, I was quite bored... luckily, the ensemble are fun to look at to. But in 'Not that kind of thing' I just wanted to yell: 'GET OFF STAGE YOU UNTALENTED STUNT CAST PRICKS!'
But that's just me.. It also bugged me how, on opening night, EVERYONE was talking about how Robbie Williams was meant to be there. I was just like: 'DIDN'T ANYBODY COME TO SEE THE SHOW? OR DID EVERYBODY JUST CAME TO SEE ROBBIE?' (He wasn't there, from what I seen anyway.)

And it must look quite crap without that structure at the back. It'll look better when you see it next Abbie, I promise. (WHILE I TEXT YOU THAT YOU'RE MISSING DR WHO. LOSER! XDDDD) And it looks like a school gym? Jeez, that's a bad theatre.

The music is great though!

[charliemonster]

I loved the show today! The toilet thing in Right In Front Of Your Eyes made me cry with laughter!