38 replies to this topic

[Front Row Dress]

Big Sue was there both times I have seen this current production, was the actress maybe ill?

[theaterfan14]

Big Sue was there the times i have seen it too.

[armadillo]

robg, on 02 January 2013 - 10:12 AM, said:

saw this last sunday firstly im a huge Taboo fan seeing the original production and tour 11 times , although i enjoyed this production immensley , i didnt understand why the story line has been changed slightly didnt see it worked all the time , the marilyn in NYC fell flat on sunday , and didnt see why they now chose an audience member instead of billy to be Leighs project for the may queen ball ? and the ending although loved the addition of the broadway finale song i did miss , the old ending and summing up of the story more with them going to india and bow down mister ... any body else have any thoughts ???
   the venue is different quite difficult to get to if travelling along way and the most uncomfortable chairs didnt see any lift for disabled ? , liked being so close to the performers  it did feel like a concert production rather than a full musical but it did show off how good the songs are . for us would have been nice to have a little more set or props ..... saying all that we did love it and sitting 2 ft away from paul baker singing petrified is worth the ticket price alone !!  sam buttery is a great Leigh bowery ... and the new Billy is extremely strong .... we felt boy george will get better once settled but Marilyn missed the mark a little  was too butch all the time needs to show the soft camper side aswell and practice on the heels .... the rest of the supporting cast are great .......
thses are only my opinions  i will go again once the cast all settled , would be great to see it in a more accesible venue slightly closer to west end with more of a set like the original , thought the new iladore scene was affective seeing leigh sitting for frued rather then lying in the bed , i think it would have been very powerful if leigh had been sat on the main part of stage behind a gauze with projections of the real leigh shown on it during iladore ? similar to broadway ?
i would say go and see it if you missed the original you will love this new stripped back production , i already want to see it again  and with great ticket offers get there before your too late

The venue is a 100 yards from a tube station, 4 stops from Victoria and with at least 10 buses stopping right outside it. It's no trickier to get to than, for example, the Hampstead Theatre or the Almeida I would have thought for people who come from a distance. . And hard though it is to believe, it's really rather easy for a lot of people!

[Steve]

Front Row Dress, on 04 February 2013 - 01:01 PM, said:

Big Sue was there both times I have seen this current production, was the actress maybe ill?

Josie was an understudy, so perhaps they only have one and Big Sue was just cut out completely. If so, then they should have cut Il Adore as well as all Big Sue's talking parts. It really made no sense at all for Billy's Mum to sing it.

[Front Row Dress]

Oh that figures, I can see their dilema though "Il Adore" is many people's favourite song, so they would be loathe to cut it, but you're right of course, it makes little sense for Josie to sing it. At least the show went on, unlike other small theatres who have no understudies at all (remember the Donmar King Lear debacle when Derek Jacobi fell ill and the entre run had sold out?).

[robg]

armadillo, on 05 February 2013 - 07:08 AM, said:

The venue is a 100 yards from a tube station, 4 stops from Victoria and with at least 10 buses stopping right outside it. It's no trickier to get to than, for example, the Hampstead Theatre or the Almeida I would have thought for people who come from a distance. . And hard though it is to believe, it's really rather easy for a lot of people!

yes i understand this  and for locals or people in London  may be easy to get to but we have a 250 mile 5 hour round trip so getting from west end cant take an extra 45 mins in traffic , and difficult finding safe parking  i even contacted  club house for advice to no avail , and the parking websites and council sites dont give much help too  also if disabled very difficult to climb the stairs and didnt notice a lift ?  hence why we chose a sunday  as felt traffic & parking would be easier ,  i have entended  the gatehouse before which is out of west end however parking etc seem easier

[robg]

robg, on 02 January 2013 - 10:12 AM, said:

saw this last sunday firstly im a huge Taboo fan seeing the original production and tour 11 times , although i enjoyed this production immensley , i didnt understand why the story line has been changed slightly didnt see it worked all the time , the marilyn in NYC fell flat on sunday , and didnt see why they now chose an audience member instead of billy to be Leighs project for the may queen ball ? and the ending although loved the addition of the broadway finale song i did miss , the old ending and summing up of the story more with them going to india and bow down mister ... any body else have any thoughts ???
   the venue is different quite difficult to get to if travelling along way and the most uncomfortable chairs didnt see any lift for disabled ? , liked being so close to the performers  it did feel like a concert production rather than a full musical but it did show off how good the songs are . for us would have been nice to have a little more set or props ..... saying all that we did love it and sitting 2 ft away from paul baker singing petrified is worth the ticket price alone !!  sam buttery is a great Leigh bowery ... and the new Billy is extremely strong .... we felt boy george will get better once settled but Marilyn missed the mark a little  was too butch all the time needs to show the soft camper side aswell and practice on the heels .... the rest of the supporting cast are great .......
    thses are only my opinions  i will go again once the cast all settled , would be great to see it in a more accesible venue slightly closer to west end with more of a set like the original , thought the new iladore scene was affective seeing leigh sitting for frued rather then lying in the bed , i think it would have been very powerful if leigh had been sat on the main part of stage behind a gauze with projections of the real leigh shown on it during iladore ? similar to broadway ?
    i would say go and see it if you missed the original you will love this new stripped back production , i already want to see it again  and with great ticket offers get there before your too late

we made it back for a second time  great audience a standing ovation on sunday , i must say cast have settled  great to see a softer side to marilyn  in some scenes  now , paul treacy  although much improved i feel not as strong as  euan or stephen in the original  production . Big sue was fab on sunday iladore  was very strong  the eye contact  between her and leigh during it was so powerful , paul baker is able to out act & sing most of the others , understudy on as josie was very good too .
    still not sure about all the changes  not sure why billys dad has to die ? i did read  that in the original previews back in 2002 petal murdered billy ? .the marilyn  n/y scene fell flat again  maybe if he sang a few lines of calling your name might improve it ?  still love the show , being site specific  i think works  well  great intimate atmosphere   but i do feel the cast, crew and material  are worth a bigger budget and higher production values  sam buttery is great as Leigh  i feel the best ive seen so far . hope to go again on last day , but hope this is not the last we see of Taboo :0

[armadillo]

robg, on 05 February 2013 - 01:52 PM, said:

yes i understand this  and for locals or people in London  may be easy to get to but we have a 250 mile 5 hour round trip so getting from west end cant take an extra 45 mins in traffic , and difficult finding safe parking  i even contacted  club house for advice to no avail , and the parking websites and council sites dont give much help too  also if disabled very difficult to climb the stairs and didnt notice a lift ?  hence why we chose a sunday  as felt traffic & parking would be easier ,  i have entended  the gatehouse before which is out of west end however parking etc seem easier

  It's a fringe production - I doubt their target audience is ever going to be people with a 5 hour round trip. You might as well criticise the Watermill for not being convenient to the people of Brixton.

[robg]

yes i understand its a fringe production  i have been to fringe venues before  i was mearly giving my opinions re difficulty parking and getting information if you are not from the area  etc  as clubhouse do not return calls or emails and the Taboo site is down too now it states bill has not been paid ?
  as i said before hence going on a sunday  as easier to park and travel etc  i find your reply a bit flipant and condesending and not in the right tone  for this type of forum