Gone with the Wind - London
The musical! .....it's had the most dreadful reviews but my mother already had tickets so we went along with her theatre club to see it last week in London.
Trevor Nunn is the director and I've seen great things from him in the past so I really didn't think it would be too bad!
Well...it wasn't quite as bad as the reviews I'd read - probably because they'd cut the four hours down to 3 and a bit. by the time we went (largely due to people walking out early to catch trains!)...thank goodness, it was still too long!
To be fair, Scarlett for me was convincing - her dresses were straight out of the film and all I could see was Vivienne Leigh. But there you have it - the book and film were so long and they just don't transfer easily to stage. The songs (all but one soulful song sung by the slaves) were totally forgettable and boring. The set I thought was great - and the whole theatre was decked with flags so that you were in the deep South. But nothing much changed with the set later - there was no real 'wow' factor that I have come to expect with West End productions....the best bit was Atlanta burning.
The film and the book (yes I read it in my late teens) I remember crying over.....the stage production left me almost but not quite cold. I always enjoy a live performance - and I am pleased I went to see this one, as I said to my mother it was better than staying at home. But neither of us would go again even if you gave us tickets for it!
So...yes m'dear as far as the musical goes, frankly I don't give a damn! ;)
Trevor Nunn is the director and I've seen great things from him in the past so I really didn't think it would be too bad!
Well...it wasn't quite as bad as the reviews I'd read - probably because they'd cut the four hours down to 3 and a bit. by the time we went (largely due to people walking out early to catch trains!)...thank goodness, it was still too long!
To be fair, Scarlett for me was convincing - her dresses were straight out of the film and all I could see was Vivienne Leigh. But there you have it - the book and film were so long and they just don't transfer easily to stage. The songs (all but one soulful song sung by the slaves) were totally forgettable and boring. The set I thought was great - and the whole theatre was decked with flags so that you were in the deep South. But nothing much changed with the set later - there was no real 'wow' factor that I have come to expect with West End productions....the best bit was Atlanta burning.
The film and the book (yes I read it in my late teens) I remember crying over.....the stage production left me almost but not quite cold. I always enjoy a live performance - and I am pleased I went to see this one, as I said to my mother it was better than staying at home. But neither of us would go again even if you gave us tickets for it!
So...yes m'dear as far as the musical goes, frankly I don't give a damn! ;)