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Post by Chrissi on Oct 19, 2008 21:58:28 GMT
Thank you Tanith and Lynda. The performance of Hairspray the school musical was performed on Sunday 31st August, so it was a while back
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Post by Roisin C on Oct 31, 2008 13:37:51 GMT
I look forward to seeing the photos. Here they are!! Stephen Michael Tom Brad
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Post by Chrissi on Dec 2, 2008 14:55:31 GMT
Big long review for you all!!! Sorry about the length!!!
1st December 2008- 1st and only Row A!!!
Act One
It was freezing in London last night, yet four of us were in Maiden Lane for a few hours, waiting for a certain someone to come to work!!! I took my friend Sammy to see the show, she really really wasn’t sure about coming as she wasn’t too sure on the story, and when I tried to explain it to her she was really undecided about whether she’d enjoy it or not. She asked to go to the stage door as she’d like to try for a photo with Lee so that’s what we did. He finally arrived wearing a beanie and a scarf and his black coat with a coffee in his hand. that’s all I can remember. I went a bit shell-shocked, my excuse is that the cold got to me!!! Lee was nearly in by the time my voice kicked in to ask for my friend, but she had plucked up the courage and asked him very nicely if she could have a photo.
We easily found our Row A seats and settled down with some squeeing and me freaking out about how close I was. We had the announcement that Zoe was on as Narrator and Adam as Jacob. The show was ready to begin!
I had heard that Zoe (Narrator) wasn’t quite as good as Jenna or Fiona, but she came on and started the Prologue very sweetly and controlled. It was time for three sets of eyes to go to the left hand top corner and there he was!! Looking completely stunning with that wide smile bursting as he got a fairly good reception! When my racing heart rate had returned to normal I settled back and listened to his chocolatey voice oozing out over the theatre singing Any Dream Will Do. His eyes were twinkling and he was very sweet interacting with the choir. His smile really lights up his face and it reaches his eyes. So nice to see the pure joy that he is still playing the role with. Zoe came on to hand him his coat and he bounded off with enthusiasm.
Jacob and Sons was very well sung by Zoe, I don’t feel she has the presence on stage like Jenna and Fiona do. The brothers were introduced and from Row A the expressions on their faces are very comical. We were all treated to some eye contact and winks from the brothers. Craig (Zebulun) and Russell (Gad) were particularly well received from some of Row A. Adam (Jacob) has improved a lot since I last seen him understudy Jacob. At the part where he sings “Joseph’s mother she was quite my favourite wife..” he squished Lee against him and Lee’s cheek got a bit squashed which made a genuine Lee smile spread across his face. Joseph’s Coat was performed well by the brothers and wives and sung well by all. I did think Lee’s timing went a bit wrong but he still whipped around in the coat, forcing it into the faces of his jealous brothers. The brothers asides are very funny and the look of disgust and then the forced smile when they realise their “darling” brother is coming towards them. Zoe coped well with the singing of the colours and it wasn’t as screechy as I have heard the colours before.
Joseph’s Dreams is a great song/scene for the brothers to show off their comedic skills. Comments like “Oh shut up….” whilst Joseph is singing sweetly but oh-so-smugly about his dreams are hilarious and the utter dislike for Joseph they show on their faces are great to watch. Not sure what Lee did towards the end “ministry or two!” but something seemed different but covered very well if he did go wrong. The dancy bit that the brothers and Narrator do was performed well, but I did feel that Zoe felt a little uncomfortable in this scene with some of the dance moves. Perhaps this is because Jenna and Fiona are so confident with it now and Zoe hasn’t had that much chance to grow into the role. Poor, Poor Joseph was brilliantly performed as usual. Lee very comical with the snake in the pit and Craig (Zebulun) hitting him with the rope from the snake a bit longer than usual. One More Angel In Heaven was sung well by Stephen (Reuben)- he has really made the song his own, and I have grown to like how he sings the song. I particularly noticed Craig during this song, pulling faces and mucking around with the wife. I love how well the brothers harmonise in this song. The dancing was as fab as usual.
Potiphar had us anticipating Lee coming onto the stage in the loincloth!! As the brothers walked on they completely camped up the roles they were playing and it was very funny. Lee came onto the stage and I heard Jo gasp. He looked stunning. He gave a cheeky little tug on his loincloth. Lee looked petrified of Mrs Potiphar who was played by Charlene tonight. She doesn’t get quite a good grip on Lee’s bum as the previous Mrs P’s do and that Tamlyn does when she is understudying the role. As Lee was pulled down onto the bed, the flap of the loincloth flew up and he exposed what he’s got to the whole of the theatre!! He didn’t realise everything was on show for a while but hastily pulled it down when he did. I didn’t see the girls or boys offering to protect his modesty! I prefer Adam (Jacob/Potiphar) as Jacob rather than Potiphar. However he did play the role well and he has a good roar!
Close Every Door was beautifully performed by Lee. He starts so softly and from that close you can see the pain and angst portrayed in his eyes. He was directly in front of Jo and TruLee and a little to the side of me. The only way to describe how he looked is beautiful. He built up the song beautifully and very powerfully. My eyes were watering thinking about how much he has come on and how well he is developing as an actor. He reached the “land” note in Close Every Door and got a great round of applause.
Go, Go, Go, Joseph was fantastic. I think it is one of my favourite scenes. Brad was on as Baker, I prefer Adam in this role but I think that’s because what I am used to. Russell (Butler) was as funny as ever. He is another actor who has very expressive eyes. They told their dreams to Joseph and got them interpreted well, although it doesn’t turn out too well for the Baker. Go, go Joseph was a vibrant as ever, the dancing very energetic and Zoe and Lee interacting well with one another as Narrator and Joseph. I think Michael (Dan and Guard in the Go, go Joseph scene) has done some damage to something as Craig lifted Lee up with Ricky (Levi/Guard). The lights went down for the interval but not without seeing visions of a lit up loincloth and other costumes twirling around the stage.
Act Two
Zoe came on for Pharaoh Story which she sang well. I was pleasantly surprised as I had heard that she could be quite screechy. Some parts weren’t as controlled as Fiona’s version but it was still a good shot. Poor, Poor, Pharaoh and Song of the King were performed well by Zoe and Dean (Pharaoh). I enjoyed watching the rest of the cast dance, the interaction from the cast from the front row is great. Especially the chair-dancing from Russell. Danielle is a cast member who really sticks out in this scene. She has a lovely smile and is very enthusiastic with the routine. Lee’s back was also performing well last night. His skin looks so smooth and the way he flexes his muscles and pulls the chains above his head is certainly a sight to behold. Dean worked the audience well and was received well. He called Lee a “teddy bear”. Pharaoh’s Dream explained was sung well and expressively from Lee. The girls had fun pulling Lee around the stage in Stone The Crows, there were tummy rubs, hugs and fondling galore! I love it when Danielle and another female ensemble fight over his gold sash. It really reminds me of fan girls. King Of My Heart was performed well by Dean.
Those Canaan Days was as brilliant as ever. Mark (Simeon) was very comedic and performed the song well. My favourite thing to do during this scene is to watch the brothers. They are very funny with the expressions they pull and the little asides they say. Craig and Sophia performed the Apache dance well, completely nailed it with good reaction from the audience.
The Brothers Come to Egypt/Grovel Grovel is another great scene I enjoy. I love it when you first see Lee as Masterful Joseph with his silky loincloth on and the complete authority and charisma that oozes from him. His voice was probably sounding more authoritative then I have ever heard it. He really had the power behind it vocally. The brothers were trembling and grovelling at his feet. Who’s the thief? was again very authoritative. The brothers nearly flew off the stage with Russell pretending to land on a lap from Row A!!! They accused an audience member of stealing the cup, which she found very funny, a man sitting next to her was very into it and nudged her to tell her off. Scary facial expressions from Lee when he went after Tom (Benjamin). Tom really comes into his own here and acts Benjamin very well. He trembles and looks terrified. Shaking his head at Joseph trying to insist he didn’t do anything wrong. Lee rather pathetically (I can’t even say slammed) placed the cup down in front of his face.
Benjamin Calypso is Neal’s time to shine (Judah). I love how into the song he gets. He sounded good last night and has very expressive eyes. The brothers were dancing well and also very funny. Lee’s eyes are fantastic to watch in this scene he’s very comical. The brothers reunited is a certain favourite of mine in the show. I just love watching what’s portrayed in Lee’s eyes. He sort of looked a bit tortured but then relieved when he received his hug from Tom and the rest of his brothers. He rushed off the stage and appeared on his chariot of gold looking so masterful, acknowledging the other members of cast which is lovely. We were a bit smoked out by the dry ice which caused some girl behind to giggle as the reunion scene started. The reunion scene between Jacob and Joseph was incredibly emotional on Lee’s part last night. I think if it had been Stephen in the role of Jacob as it usually is, Lee might not have held it together. His eyes were watering and his eye make up was smudged. The lyrics came out softly and beautifully and his lip trembled as Adam cupped his face. I don’t honestly know how Lee is going to get through this song on his last night. I glanced along the row to my friends who were as affected as I was by it. His final “Give me my coloured coat” was extremely powerful. The whole cast were received well. The second Close Every Door was beautifully performed. He has developed in the role so much since the beginning of the role. He didn’t quite reach the “land” note, it was a very tired sounding “Land” but the next few notes had amazing power behind them.
We had a standing megamix!!! We jumped up straight after Close Every Door. There were two people sitting next to me who didn’t stand up but the rest of Row A were certainly up and dancing along. Some specifically to the megamix moves. The cast were loving the reaction. It was a great atmosphere. Lee went up for the cherry picker moment and we got showered with ticker tape. A fantastic show.
When Lee had quietened down the crowd a little before making them cheer again by asking if they’d enjoyed the show he gave a little speech about World Aids Day giving out some statistics and saying “Hello Nan!” to a woman that had screamed something inaudible out. He mentioned that it was Monday, a start of another week and then groaned while we laughed. After a lovely speech he was off, waving to the audience and telling them he’d see them soon.
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Post by Lynda on Dec 2, 2008 15:27:09 GMT
Thanks Chrissi, glad you are still enjoying the show. xxx
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Post by Tanith Messenger on Dec 2, 2008 22:36:35 GMT
WOW how do u remember it all hehe xx Thanks hun xx
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Post by Chrissi on Dec 4, 2008 16:15:36 GMT
Thanks Lynda and Tanith. I relive it in my head over and over again!!! Especially certain moments of the show Next shows are on the 10th January!!!
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Post by Tanith Messenger on Dec 9, 2008 0:46:26 GMT
Hey All
Just a quick message for now to say that I loved the show :-) still prefer the tour but hey im old fashioned hehe. Will try write a review in the next few days. Lee was amazing (excuse the pun) didnt get to see him tho as he apparently snuck out the front hmmm or so we were eventually told!
Had piccie taken with Staurt King and Russel Hicken tho ;D
TTFN xx
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Post by Chrissi on Jan 11, 2009 19:21:29 GMT
10th January 2009 I just wanted to say what a fabulous fabulous day I had. I thought it was very good of Lee to come the stage door route into work. Rhydian Roberts had warned him about the amount of people (around 200) but he did not falter. I thought he handled the situation well and very very calmly. The crowds stopped the traffic, it was completely mental. The matinee was so funny. The long white socks he wears in the Potiphar scene were kept on for Close Every Door, he had to find some way to take them off before Go Go Joseph so he sort of pulled them off, looked at them in disgust and threw them. The Butler (Russell) and Baker (Adam) were wearing Lee badges. They also held out papers for Lee to sign. Another trickeinvolved Lee wearing a beard as he came onto the stage in Act Two. Michael as Pharaoh impressed me I have to say. He asked Joseph.. "What's with the beard?" He also mentioned Lee had two shows to go! It was a joy to see Lee have so much fun with a cast that clearly adore him. The audience reaction was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Other tricks involved kisses being placed on his cheeks by the guards and the girls. Adam and Russell as Butler and Baker were fantastically funny. Lee had to turn around to suppress his giggle. Jenna also had the giggles in Grovel, Grovel when the boys clung into Lee's feet. The megamix was very special. The cast knelt down and let Lee go solo in the dance. Lovely. The evening was incredibly special. A standing ovation as Lee descended and the look on his face was just pure joy. I found the evening show very emotional. I just kept thinking about how he was doing certain things for the last time. A few glances back at his family made me realise how very proud of them they are. It was lovely to see.The show was amazing. Lee's voice held out throughout the shows maybe not note perfect but I put this down to the emotion if it. You could see him trying to keep it together but being so overwhelmed with the response of the audience. Andrew Lloyd Webber came on to the stage at the end. He embraced Lee in an incredibly supportive manner. Lee looked so overwhelmed. Lee's speech and Andrew Lloyd Webber's words of "the greatest Joseph ever" made me burst into tears. It was an incredible moment and made me immensely proud to be a Lee fan. Lee discussed the BBC for giving him the opportunity, thanked the cast and backstage crew (who were apparently bunched together in the wings in tears). He wished Gareth Gates the best of luck which I thought was a very nice touch. He thanked the audience (he mentioned some of us had been more than once). He has said he was incredibly grateful for all the support. Lee was presented with his own technicolour dreamcoat which he struggled with as it wasn't put on properly, he asked if he could take it off which the audience screamed. He took it off and made a bit of a show of it Much to the audience's amusement. A fantastic day! There were police at both signings Lee did, both matinee and the evening. A part of The Strand had to be closed off because of the crowds, it was very very surreal. A link to some official pictures taken from last night. www.gettyimages.com/Search/Search.aspx?src=expand&query=z.i.H4sIAAAAAAAEAO29B2AcSZYlJi9tynt_SvVK1-B0oQiAYBMk2JBAEOzBiM3mkuwdaUcjKasqgcplVmVdZhZAzO2dvPfee--999577733ujudTif33_8_XGZkAWz2zkrayZ4hgKrIHz9-fB8_In7dfLn9-ZNf49f4NX6PX_dskV3kvyb9-pj-_1uXeZ4u8mz2cZOWWdOmy-Ji3v6aI3z_a_w6v8bw82uan0ldVe3LrM4Wza-ln-Hnr7W7g19_M_yT0P9_vXevr5vTd-bVX9P7m1_Jzs2vv6b-Dii_dnY-tT35f_za-GCHO1q07k33-69DjUv7hf0L7_269Ee9sGDDP399fLSLv349_nxiYXT-5tfOQyj2T4ayY6Gcd6C4v_m1OoRi_2QoexZK3YHi_ibK5OYl_oPJ82somXbx6W9ovv6Nuc2vwRTKV-bTXzP469fKXVfe779W3ngf299_7WZl3_w18YdB5beyL15O3Yvu91-nqj2OsH_xV5Pc_8r8hefXnl0tze-_pvnj18U7zXriEAz--rXzzGHg_0G_r_wv7B-_bhNAC__8dab5O_da8Nev_e7Zc8ex9If9Iqs9tL0_fqNmWq3yJ-vlrPToG3xqAP444DzYuY9W_w_kVO3Y0gMAAA..&sx=AllEditorial
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Post by Tanith Messenger on Jan 11, 2009 21:33:42 GMT
WOW sounds like an amazing show, glad they've kept the tradition of presenting Joseph with his coat. They used to do that on tour too, not sure they do now tho.
Im sure it was a sight seeing all those ppl just for Lee lol
So glad you managed to go to both shows and thanks for a fab review xx
ANyone else go??
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moira
Junior Member
Posts: 95
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Post by moira on Jan 11, 2009 21:42:44 GMT
I didn't - and am still sulking after having bought tickets for both his previous "last nights" only for him to add more dates!
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Post by Tanith Messenger on Jan 11, 2009 21:52:17 GMT
awww hun *hugs* the amount of times I went to so called last nights of a Joseph to find he carried on (no names mentioned of course MR SWERRUN lol ) I would of liked to have been there last night, bet there was a party after too! xx
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Post by Chrissi on Jan 11, 2009 22:38:30 GMT
*hugs* Thank you Tanith. It was an amazing experience. Lee was completely overwhelmed. At one point the audience were chanting "Lee, Lee, Lee, Lee." The cast joined in and Lee bend down like he was bowing, stopped smiling, closed his eyes and I guess was just trying to control his emotions because then the smile returned. He was ever so gracious though. Yes, there was a party afterwards, they had it upstairs in the Adelphi so it couldn't be gatecrashed.
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Post by Chrissi on Jan 12, 2009 19:31:57 GMT
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