From jazz hands and high kicks to Sondheim magic

[showtunesgirl]

Welcome to the Mumsnet Musical Theatre thread.

Pull up a sequinned pouffe, get cosy with a porn star martini, kick off those character shoes, take off the wig and let out your inner Bernadette Peters.

This is a thread for lovers of musical theatre, whether watching or participating in it. Anything Goes here so to speak...

I'll kick off by saying that in the last week I saw The Book of Mormon and sob, Merrily We Roll Along. Both excellent in completely different ways.

Anyone else?

When I was 15, I played Anita in West Side Story. I won a special company award for flashing the most suspenders.

Ha ha, kudos to you showtunesgirl, brave at 15 .

Anita, another part I'll never play (told old, too non-Puerto Rican!)

That was at school and a turning point for me as up to that point, I'd always sung soprano. Anita helped me find my alto, mezzo and belt all at the sane time!

Hums, A boy like that will bring you trouble, la, la, spins, high kicks and exits.

Ooh just found this! I love musical theatre, i saw Michael Ball in Pirates of Penzance in Manchester nearly 30 years ago and told everyone I knew that he would be famous! My DS is going to be in a youth version of Miss Saigon and I am FAR more excited than he is!

Ooh is Peter Polycarpou doing it? I know he personally takes the rehearsals sometimes. He did one last week.

I don't think so but will check! Might have to take something he has 'forgotten' if he is!!

PP is a lovely, lovely man. I learnt a lot from him. He has an amazing eye for detail and really picks the script apart to find out what it means.

I don't think anyone can beat his version of .

YE BLOODY GADS!

How have I missed this???

Starts reading....

Apologies for being fashionably late

Tsk shakey1500, the curtain went up on Friday!

. Peter Polycarpou is fab. I saw him in Imagine This in Plymouth and more recently in Sweeney Todd. The best Ali Hakim ever IMHO.

I'm disappointed that no one has joined me in lusting over Tim Flavin.

Sigh. So glad to see this thread. I think we may have crossed paths before showtunes on various threads

I adore, adore, adore MT. Another listener to EP here (just for the content you understand)

I think Sondheim is a genius. My all time favourite musical is Sunday In The Park With George. Especially with Mandy and Bernadette. I saw it at the Menier with Daniel Craig and Jenna Russell but couldn't get the originals sublime vocals out of my head (I'm a bit of a stickler for originals )

I've played Philia in Forum which was a blast. Mainly do am dram now (but quality )

Sweeney, Company, Little Night Music, Follies, Into The Woods, can't get enough of him!

I do like ALW et al but I would wash Sondheims feet in an instant

Daniel Craig?! I think you mean Daniel Evans, but ooooh wouldn't that have been something.

I don't know why I didn't see the Menier one.

I saw Daniel Evans years ago in Candide at the National with Simon Russell Beale. They were great together and I was so glad to see them performing together again at the Sondheim Proms. If you missed that, a lot of it is on youtube.

Shakey, go see Merrily before it closes next month. It's brilliant.

Oops! Yes Daniel Evans

I wish I could see Merrily but it's not to be We moved from London 6 years ago and are now 280 odd miles away. Full time work and a 6 year old means weekends away are at a premium!

Noooooooo.

. It's so, so good.

The nearest i've got to EP's show on Sunday is doing the 'break a leg' recordings!!!

I saw this production of "Merrily We Roll Along" for the FIFTH time on Saturday, and I have booked again for the last day.
It is the finest Sondheim production I have ever seen, and it finishes at the end of July. Don't hesitate. It is magnificent and heartbreaking and there MUST be a cast album.

I agree NewGirlInTown, there MUST be a cast album.

A friend of mine is in the show, she's the Newsreader and she sometimes goes on as KT.

I was in bits by the end of the show. It really hit home to me how I used to be like the three at the end of the show, all hopeful, broke and creative and now I have lost my way.

Me too, showtunesgirl. That's why it gets you. It is a show for those filled with regrets but remembering that youthful hope and promise.
Thank you for starting this thread, I was thrilled to read so many other fans of Merrily, and Sondheim in general.
I keep tweeting asking about the cast album but no joy yet.

Hi, great thread! Also want want want to see 'Merrily' (for the gorgeous Mark Umbers, mmmmm) but having just had second baby, unlikely.
Have been doing amdram since I was 13 and I love it! Highlights, last year I played Lilli/Kate in Kiss Me Kate, which was amazing fun and also loved playing Miss Hannigan in Annie. I'm not a dancer, so I have to wait for the 'singing' shows to come round.

Hoping we'll do Sweeney in 2015, fingers crossed! Would love to do that one!

Quite a few Sweeney fans on here!

Kitty, Mr Umbers is indeed dreamy in Merrily. Got a bit of a crush now, in fact!
Oddly, Sweeney is the only Sondheim I can't get on with,maybe it's the gore?

It's funny though, I previously saw Glyn Kerslake, Jenna Russell and Damian Humbley in other shows and didn't like them in any of those shows but in this, they are just perfect.

I saw Damian Humbley as Jamie in The Last Five Years and thought he was really blah but his Franklin Shepard, Inc was just amazing.

Lara Pulver however was amazing in TLFYs and totally outshone him. I think she has an affinity with Jason Robert Brown though as she was also fantastic in Parade and I believe JRB chose her for that show.

Went to see Ruthie Henshall in a small theatre last week. We even got two for the price of one. It was the most brilliant show ever and she was just so down to earth and lovely.

I know what you mean show. I saw Claire Foster in Crazy for You but much preferred her in MWRA.