Musicals

Been busy lately, especially last weekend. Friday after uni and after doing some work on a presentation I had this Monday, I headed down to Ness’. We did a night of drinking, with Brett. We played a drinking game to RV. It’s a fun movie drink to actually. Then we did the obligatory WW episodes. –We might need to start branching out soon in terms of the eps we watch. –Maybe we should retire season 1 for next time….or not. :p

Saturday night, after getting home from Ness’ and spending the afternoon working on my presentation more, it was off into the city to see Chicago (the musical, not the band – in case you were confused) We were split 3 and 3, Me, Nick and Kay, and Ness, Brett and Vicky in the cars, those from the east, and those from the south. We had dinner at The Spaghetti Tree before the show. It was good food and nice to eat out together as a group. Then we went over to Her Majesty’s Theatre where it was playing. We got our mandatory programs, and headed to our seats. I was on the aisle, and Ness was next to me, and then Nick and so on. I liked our seats, we had pretty good vision. The show was a lot of fun. There were some parts I simply loved and others that were a little disappointing. But I didn’t let them ruin the good parts.

We couldn’t help compare it to the movie. In the end some I liked better on stage, some better in the movie. I really liked Gina’s voice, but I felt her big number should have had more movement in it….they didn’t always use the stage as much as they could have.
I loved Roxie. I thought she was excellent, very funny…even if she is scary tiny. My favourite part might have been the part in ‘Roxie’ where she takes the conductor’s baton and starts playing around with it.

After the show Ness and I went over to the stage door and got Gina Riley (Mama) and Sharon Millerchip (Roxie) to sign our programs. Gina was lovely and went to the effort to sign to us by name. Sharon did too; she was very nice and friendly and drew little pictures. We also enquired about the commotion that stoped the show in the first act…someone up on the balcony had some sort of medical attack or something. But the show went on after a little while.

After the show we went and found the rest of the gang…who had gone missing when we dashed off to the stage door. –We turned around to tell them we’d meet them later, but they were gone. We got drinks and/or dessert back at the Spaghetti Tree afterwards. I had hot chocolate with yummy marshmallows!
Then it was home again.

I’m a little sad now cause that means I’m out of musicals in Melbourne. I’ve seen everything proper that has been out in the last year really – ‘cept for Rocky Horror which I don’t think was really my thing. It started with Wicked back in July 08. The first proper, and by proper, I mean big production with biggish stars and in the big theatres, show I’d seen in years. Before Wicked, I had seen Phantom of the Opera not long before that, and then before that was Oliver…sometime back when I was in High School I think.
In the last year I’ve been musical crazy. I saw Wicked…a few times…I saw Billy Elliot, Jersey Boys, Avenue Q, and now Chicago. As far was as I know there is nothing coming for a while. There is a short run of Cats, which if I have the money I wouldn’t mind seeing maybe. I’m not sure about Mamma Mia. I’m not too fussed about it. And then there’s Mary Poppins coming out sometime which I’ll have to see, as long as they cast good people. I think that was my problem with some of the shows between Oliver and Phantom…the stories were good, but casts were annoying. Now I’ve become pretty familiar with some good Aussie theatre talent. I’ve even got people to follow now. –Story of my life: another person to pay attention to. I value talent and am loyal to those who I think have it. –They’re MY people.
….I’m absolutely hopeless. But so what?! It’s really too late now to start worrying about it.



-Carlie