29 replies to this topic

[Rooster Byron]

Is anyone going to either of the last two shows? Hoping for some reports back

[kakaltept]

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[theatreliker]

Was at both. Will report back fully later. Was brilliant though.

[Seriously]

For those of you who weren't there... at the end of the bows a large screen was flown on to the stage, and the cast stood at the sides.  It showed pictures one by one of every cast member who's performed at the Phoenix.... culminating in Robert Locke, Carl Wayne and Stephanie Lawrence, the three who've sadly passed away.  Then the cast came forward again and sang the end of Tell Me It's Not True... singing the last verse a capella right at the front of the stage with the house lights up.  Then the band and all the behind the scenes people came on stage to join them.

Then Bill Kenwright came up and gave a lengthy speech in which he thanked everyone and highlighted some special people... he also called up Bob Tomson his co-director.  And then Blood Brothers left the West End....

[Rooster Byron]

One of the crew has put this video form the wings of the last moments of the show last night including them coming out for the final curtain call.

[DanielWhit]

Unfortunately, I found the last performance to be a touch of an anticlimax - why did they mess about with the line allocation in I'm Not Saying A Word and Light Romance? It hasn't been broke for years, why try to fix it for the last two weeks? However, it was pleasing to see Warwick Evans - after hearing his Narrator on a cast recording it's good to have a picture to match the voice. Fair to say his vocals have held up rather well over the years, hardly sounds any different from the recording.

I was slightly surprised (and disappointed, to be honest) at the lack of an appearance from Willy Russell. I presume he genuinely is significantly miffed with Kenwright, can't see why else he wouldn't have been there.

[Jon]

DanielWhit, on 11 November 2012 - 04:06 PM, said:

I was slightly surprised (and disappointed, to be honest) at the lack of an appearance from Willy Russell. I presume he genuinely is significantly miffed with Kenwright, can't see why else he wouldn't have been there.

What issues does Willy Russell have with Kenwright? It does seem surprising that he wouldn't attend the final show of one of his biggest hits.

It'll be odd seeing the Phoenix without Blood Brothers but hopefully it'll get a bit of a refurb before Goodnight Mr Tom.

[DanielWhit]

Jon, on 11 November 2012 - 04:37 PM, said:

What issues does Willy Russell have with Kenwright? It does seem surprising that he wouldn't attend the final show of one of his biggest hits.

I heard they fell out over the direction the show was taking, however I have never heard that substantiated so could just be idle gossip. I would note Kenwright did not make a big deal of Russell, a couple of almost thrown away references but nothing more.

Worth noting, the speech finished at 11.15pm.

[Jon]

Seems a bit odd that Kenwright wouldn't pay a bigger  tribute to Willy Russell although to be fair to Kenwright, had he not decided to take it out on tour originally, it probably wouldn't have become the hit it became because the original production wasn't a hit.

[DanielWhit]

Jon, on 11 November 2012 - 04:52 PM, said:

Seems a bit odd that Kenwright wouldn't pay a bigger  tribute to Willy Russell although to be fair to Kenwright, had he not decided to take it out on tour originally, it probably wouldn't have become the hit it became because the original production wasn't a hit.

That's true - Willy Russell didn't want it to return to the West End, however on its third tour he saw a performance (unannounced), left at the interval and gave Kenwright the call to say he could take it back into London. If that single audience hadn't been as enthusiastic, it might never have returned.