Thursday 13 September 2012

Musicals

I have rather mixed feelings about musicals right now.
I have booked two, and I'm looking forward to them enormously - but I kind of really wanted to see two others as well, which won't happen, so I'm a bit upset about that.

Let's deal with the 'bad' news first, shall we?
Okay, so I really want to see The Lion King in London!! I absolutely adore all three movies and I think they make a fantastic musical ... so I did some checking, and sure enough, I could get tickets to The Lion King. One tiny problem; they are almost twice as expensive as the other musicals I plan to see ... I mean, I know it is expensive, and for the most part I think it's worth it, but these tickets were about 1000 SEK (about £94, $150, 117 Euros)!! And I think that's a bit much ... Granted, had it been Philip Quast, I probably would have payed it - *lol* - but not for anyone else! :-)
So no The Lion King ...

I also really wanted to see Sweeny Tood! I have seen the movie, which I think takes things too far, but I was hoping that the stage version wouldn't be quite as intense as the movie. Also, starring Michael Ball!! Hello?!? A chance to see Michael Ball live ... wow!!! Yeah, I had my heart set on booking tickets and started checking out times and dates and the theatre - and found out it's playing until Saturday September 22nd!!! What a bummer!!! :(
So, no Sweeny Todd either!

Now for the good news! :-)
I have booked Phantom of the Opera, which is one of my favourite musicals ever!! It's truly amazing and creates the most extraordinary mood in the theatre. Unfortunately, since the whole London trip came on rather suddenly, I did not get a good seat at Her Majesty's Theatre. I tried and tried and tried, but I'm a bit anxious about watching the evening shows and finding my way back to the hotel on my own that late at night, so I really wanted to see if I could catch the matinee show. Needless to say, if I could have gotten a great seat on an evening show I would have taken it, but as it stands, I'll be sitting in the back of Stalls on Thursday the 27th (matinee show).
I also really would have loved to see Swedish musical artist Peter Jöback as the Phantom - I have heard him sing "Music of the Night" and he's outstanding! - but as soon as I heard he would only play through August, I knew I wouldn't be able to see him ... :/

More good news, as I have also - of course! - booked Les Misérables for the matinee show on Wednesday the 26th! Managed to get a much better seat there which I'm very happy about ... after all, Les Miz is my number one favourite and it always will be, nothing can ever come close to it!!!
I know David Shannon did a stint as Jean Valjean this spring, and yes, I would have loved to see him! He was Valjean when I saw it in 2009 and I finally - after having seen the show four times in London (I think), once in Sweden, and listened to numerous recordings - found my Jean Valjean. No such luck though, as he's not currently in the show.
When I tried checking out the cast I really didn't recognize anyone, so I'm thinking I'm in for a bit of a surprise, which might in fact be a good thing! However, I did learn that since September 10th, Linzi Hately is playing Mme Thénardier!!! Totally amazing!! She's played Eponine early on in Les Miz in London, she's on my favourite recording of The Secret Garden, and she played Florence in the Scandinavian Tour of Chess, which I was lucky enough to catch in Olso (and there I also got to see David Shannon as Anatoly!) - and she's absolutely outstanding!! I was so taken with her in Oslo, and while Florence is quite a serious part, I have no doubt at all that she will be fantastic as the comedic Mme Thénardier!! So all fingers crossed that she actually will be doing the matinee show on the 26th!

Yes, now I've rambled on and on and on about the musicals! :) Will definitely come back with detailed reviews after I've seen them!!

From the Tenth Anniversary Concert (TAC), 1995
Philip Quast - Javert
Colm Wilkinson - Jean Valjean

8 comments:

The Darkest Night said...

You know...this is the kind of blog entry I could comment forever on LOL...

Sorry about The Lion King and Sweeney - but yay for Phantom & Les miz! Those two are excellent choices! (and yeah..that's what I watched last time too LOL).

I too would have really loved to see MB in Sweeney Todd, but when I was going it was impossible to get tickets..I do love that musical! (did get to see him in Hairspray a few years ago!) Saw an awesome concert version of Sweeney in Gothenburg a few years ago (with Michael McCarthy & David Shannon), and I think it's now one of my favourite musicals. I do like the movie too.

I'm very curious to hear what you think of Phantom & Les Miz! It's always interesting with a new cast.

Jessica said...

LOL! Loving the long comments! :)
Yeah, still kind of happy with Phantom and Les Miz - though would have loved to see at least one musical I've never seen before as well ...
Still getting kind of upset that I missed the Sweeney concert in Gothenburg, I absolutely love Michael McCarthy and David Shannon - must have been fantastic!

Will definitely bring back detailed reviews on Phantom and Les Miz! :D

The Darkest Night said...

good...because get me starting on London AND musicals and I can go on forever LOL

Yeah I understand what you mean, I felt the same way...feels a bit "stupid" to go to London and not see anything new, but on the other hand you will be seeing pretty much the two best muscials! :)

Yeah..that Sweeney concert was awesome!! Sorry you missed it.

Jessica said...

LOL! I know what you mean - London and musicals IS something you can go on and on and on about!!

I'm now debating on whether I should see the Lion King as well or not ... it's far from my hotel and it's going to be an evening show and I'm just not sure ... though I did get a good discount on tickets! Decisions, decisions!!!

The Darkest Night said...

Toatlly! My favourite topics! lol

I'm sure the Lion King is awesome! I want to see it too some day! (Next time I go to London I will really make sure to see a new musical... not that I don't love the "classics" :) )

Good luck with your decision! Do you have any other plans besides musicals btw?

Jessica said...

*lol*
Yeah, I want to see a new musical as well ... still not sure though! Hard to make a decision (and right now my entire life is a great big mess, which makes it even more difficult to make decisions!!) ...

I do have a lot of other plans actually - will try to find the time to make an entry about that before I go! :) (sorry, don't mean to be cryptic, but it seems silly to have to write it down twice *lol*)

The Darkest Night said...

oh that sounds like fun! :) I do hope you'll have a wonderful trip!! Looking forward to hearing all about it!!

Jessica said...

Yup, I'm trying to write up an entry on my plans now! :) (or, it might even be two entries! *lol*)