65 replies to this topic

[craftymiss]

freckles, on 04 February 2013 - 06:24 PM, said:

Have you been giving craftymiss clues...?! Nobody else I know who watched the show so far has interpreted it quite like (s)he has.

As I said I researched the show before and after seeing it. I've had the CD since it came out & at the time read a number of things about the show so had a good idea what it was about.  It wasn't easy to follow especially at the start but with what I was already aware of the show made sense.  I've also spoken to other people that have seen it and it's fair to say some were bemused, but others got the principle of it being the busker as the central character with others being given a back story by him. I love the fact it's being talked about so much and will go back again to see if I perceive things differently

[freckles]

You clearly did your homework!

[John_Rebus]

Saw Lift last Saturday Eve. Very talented cast, and I loved seeing something fresh and new in such an intimate venue as the Soho Theatre.
Outstanding performances for me were Julie Atherton (she's been off of a larger west end stage for far too long I think) and Cynthia Erivo.

As most here, the story got me quite confused; craftymiss' explanation sounds quite plausible for me now, but I only managed to figure out a tiny part of that during the show. So a synopsis in the programme would have been really helpful.

Unfortunately, there were also some sound problems. Ellie Kirk was quite hard to understand (I thought her mic was tuned down or perhaps even completely defect), the music was a bit too loud and in the ensemble numbers the individual voices of the actors were hard to understand.

[ian watson]

Ha. She's researched it I think. The script was on my website for a while before we went into production. We're looking at feedback like yours and seeing how the production can maximise the accessibility of the show but it really is all there. I suppose we hope ppl will be interested enough to see it more than once (as MT fans tend to) and get more from each visit.

[freckles]

I'm more likely to see a show more than once because I really, really enjoyed it than because I didn't quite understand it though...

I don't think it is unreasonable for an audience to expect to just turn up without extensive preparation, have a glass of wine & enjoy the show!

[ian watson]

Of course and there's easily enough to enjoy at any level. The vast majority come out happy regardless if how much of it they picked up on and everyone gets a different view.

Im off now so thanks for seeing the show everyone.

[fringefan]

I must say the idea of a musical which is hard to follow and capable of several interpretations is a novelty to me, though given that it happens with plays, I suppose there's no reason why it shouldn't apply to other genres, too.  However, and call me hide-bound if you wish, but that's not what I'm looking for from a musical - I want a straightforward, undemanding, entertaining evening out!  And with plays you do tend to know what you're letting yourself in for, so you can opt for or avoid the more puzzling ones - I'm thinking of the current discussion about Old Times at the Comedy Theatre.  I've never knowingly gone to a musical expecting to be part of an experiment and would rather not be caught out again.

[theatrically]

Saw it this evening.It was a full house.I was totally underwhelmed and I have to agree with previous posters TURN DOWN THE ORCHESTRA please..  I really had trouble hearing a lot of the vocals and that did spoil it somewhat.

[fringefan]

On the subject of unmemorable tunes, I was reading the WOS interview with Julie Atherton and was interested to note that (a) she compared the music with Sondheim and ( said that at first the tunes don't seem memorable, but that they grow on you.  Well this explains, or validates how I felt:  I don't like Sondheim (clever lyrics but unmemorable tunes imo) and as I'd only be hearing this the once, the music would have no chance to grow on me.  I don't usually go to a musical knowing the music in advance (I know some people do); if anything, it'd be the other way round, i.e. if I really liked the music in a show, I might afterwards try to buy the soundtrack.

[Rooster Byron]

Craftymiss has got it spot on I think... I so wish it was made more obvious and more clear in the show as that story is interesting and clever, instead it's lost in a confused muddle and never breaks through to the surface.