The Lion King at the Grand Canal, April 2013!

Zhane

It was announced over the weekend! Cannot wait. Tickets on sale in October! Anyone else thinking of going?

woodchuck

I probably won't just because I saw it in London less than a year ago. It's excellent though, I'd really recommend it!!

(Wah, I want more things I haven't seen to come over :P)

gavmcg92

Zhane wrote: »

It was announced over the weekend! Cannot wait. Tickets on sale in October! Anyone else thinking of going?

I hope they bring the full works! Do you think they'll bring the cliff mechanics with them?

Zhane

gavmcg92 wrote: »

I hope they bring the full works! Do you think they'll bring the cliff mechanics with them?

I hope so. Alot of the touring productions are very scaled down so I hope this one has the lot.

athtrasna

I slept through almost the entire first act in London so can safely say I won't be going to see this! Much more excited about Carmen in March!

Slaanesh

athtrasna wrote: »

I slept through almost the entire first act in London so can safely say I won't be going to see this! Much more excited about Carmen in March!

Oooo, I saw Carmen in Verona last month. There must have been almost 300 people on stage!

Here's a picture I took:

d@rk l0rd

Won't be going as I found the show (with the exception of the opening "Circle of Life" number - which is amazing) dull as dishwater.
But it is a kids show and the kids love it. Can't imagine ticket prices will be cheap though!

Ziegfeldgirl27

I really want to go and see this- purely for Circle of Life- is it worth it? I've never seen it before and always assumed it was an amazing show! It's just I've noticed a couple of posts above me saying it was rather dull.


Hopefully if more shows keep coming over it will save me a trip or two to London! I want to see The Wizard of Oz, Sweeney Todd, Wicked....

d@rk l0rd

I just find it very over rated. It never discounts in London, one of the few shows that doesn't, mainly due to the massive amount of tourists it attracts.
Personally, as I said above, I found Circle of Life amazing and the animals all coming up the aisles was brilliant but after that I just found it a snooze-fest.

Wicked should be coming over in 2013, a tour is in the planning, though this hasn't been officially announced yet. Sweeney has finished its run and no tour planned. WoZ has also ended, can't remember if it's planning a tour or not. Don't think it is.

Ziegfeldgirl27

Did not know Carmen was coming to the theatre either, I may go and see it though I've never been to an opera before!

woodchuck

Honestly? With all the hype etc around it, it probably IS a bit overrated. The opening part is amazing, definitely the best bit, but it doesn't mean that the rest of it isn't any good.

I loved the songs, the set, the costumes... a real treat for the eyes and ears. BUT there are bits of it that are a bit juevenile (the hyenas for example). I'd still definitely recommend it though. But if it's a choice between that and Wicked, I'd choose Wicked

(I also want to see Carmen )

Zhane

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

I just find it very over rated. It never discounts in London, one of the few shows that doesn't, mainly due to the massive amount of tourists it attracts.
Personally, as I said above, I found Circle of Life amazing and the animals all coming up the aisles was brilliant but after that I just found it a snooze-fest.

Wicked should be coming over in 2013, a tour is in the planning, though this hasn't been officially announced yet. Sweeney has finished its run and no tour planned. WoZ has also ended, can't remember if it's planning a tour or not. Don't think it is.

Ive seen Wicked in the Westend. It was amazing. Kerry Ellis and Diane Pilkington....absolutley amazing!!!

athtrasna

d@rk l0rd wrote: »

Wicked should be coming over in 2013, a tour is in the planning, though this hasn't been officially announced yet. Sweeney has finished its run and no tour planned. WoZ has also ended, can't remember if it's planning a tour or not. Don't think it is.

Sweeney and Wizard of Oz won't be touring in the foreseeable. Rights are available to amateur groups which means no tours planned.

Wicked won't be coming in 2013 or anytime soon. We don't have a venue that has enough flying bars, pure and simple. Wicked uses a phenomenal amount of flown set - over 100 pieces. GCT doesn't have enough bars. Could possibly be built in the O2 but at massive expense, not sure they would have a guaranteed audience to risk the costs, even Phantom wasn't sold out for the full run.

AndrewJD

athtrasna wrote: »

even Phantom wasn't sold out for the full run.

Because it was extortionately priced *grumble grumble*

athtrasna

AndrewJD wrote: »

Because it was extortionately priced *grumble grumble*

Have you seen the prices for JCS at the O2, War of the Worlds at the O2? Way more than Phantom.

I've said it before, I don't think the quality of the touring productions in the Grand Canal has warranted the ticket price for the majority of the shows I've seen there (Avenue Q was an exception). I wouldn't have paid for Phantom but won the tickets on FB.

My point was that if a generally well known and popular show like Phantom couldn't sell out the theatre, Wicked (which is more expensive to stage and known mainly only to Musical Theatre types) would struggle to draw sufficient audience to justify the costs involved in bringing it here. And that we don't have a pre-built natural home for a Wicked touring production to base itself, it's a pity you can't do the Behind the Emerald Curtain tour in London, they have it in NY and had it in Chicago and LA too. It's really educational about what's involved to put the show on.

fennelda

Are you sure that Phantom didn't sell out? I'm almost certain it did, maybe apart from one or two matinée performances.

athtrasna

fennelda wrote: »

Are you sure that Phantom didn't sell out? I'm almost certain it did, maybe apart from one or two matinée performances.

The last two weeks did, but not the first two weeks.

fennelda

Hmm. I know a few people who were looking for a ticket but couldn't get one... they probably just left it to he last moment. It's such a shame we don't have have more of a musical theatre interest here... I hope the grand canal theatre and its big new productions is changing that, but it remains to be seen.

I've always thought that having a theatre ticket office on Grafton street and O'Connell street would help. Lots of our theatres are out of the way and tourists wouldn't even know about them. I mean, I've lived in Dublin 7 years now and I've only passed the Abbey twice!

Even tourists going by the grand canal theatre on the viking boat or whatever wouldn't know about any shows that are on - It always looks closed during the day, the box office is hidden off to the side, and during month-long runs they don't even put up a poster on the outside letting you know what's on there! A centralised booking office would fix this.

It's such a shame because it's probably my favourite theatre; it has the comfort, leg room and unobstructed viewing that most West End theatres would dream about.

athtrasna

Good points re a ticket office, definitely a good idea.

Disagree re GCT though. It had the potential to be amazing but there are definitely design flaws ie no central aisle in the stalls section and the circle is way too far back. I am 5'1" and usually opt for 2nd row circle seats in a theatre but in GCT it feels like you are miles back. At my height and given the shallow rake in the front 15 rows of the stalls, viewing is far from unobstructed.

My favourite theatre is the much maligned Abbey. Not luxurious or modern but not a bad seat in the house.

fennelda

Yeah I do agree about the lack of a central aisle, however it does mean that you get less of the 'walking out mid-performance' that people love to do in Irish theatres. I have a different problem however, I'm 6'1'' and in conventional theatres I always feel like I'm blocking the view of the people behind me. I've always felt more comfortable in the GCT because I thought the rake was more pronounced. Plus they seem to have arranged the seats (in the stalls at least) so that you're looking between the heads of the people in front of you towards the stage.

Obviously in the Abbey you're going to get better views, but it's unfair to compare a 600-seat theatre with a 2100-seater. Comparing the GCT with the Apollo Victoria would be a fairer comparison, and so fair I've found viewing angles to be better in the GCT. I especially like the increased rake near the back of the stalls - although obviously this necessitates the circle being further back from the stage.

Just my opinion however!

athtrasna

fennelda wrote: »

Obviously in the Abbey you're going to get better views, but it's unfair to compare a 600-seat theatre with a 2100-seater. Comparing the GCT with the Apollo Victoria would be a fairer comparison, and so fair I've found viewing angles to be better in the GCT. I especially like the increased rake near the back of the stalls - although obviously this necessitates the circle being further back from the stage.

Just my opinion however!

Interesting comparison. I love the Apollo Victoria - two aisles in the stalls as well as a decent break half way through the stalls. A more pronounced rake earlier I would have thought?

fennelda

Yeah I agree, the way the seats in the Apollo are arranged into "blocks" is good. I'm not actually sure how raked the stalls are since I haven't been there for over a year now, and I've only been there twice overall, but I don't remember a hugely pronounced slope. Must use this as an excuse to go back and see Wicked for a third time ;-)

I don't know if you've seen this image, but it shows that the GCT rake is pretty significant, even at the front:
http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group1/building5344/media/4cb467420a8209.91174730.jpg

athtrasna

fennelda wrote: »

Yeah I agree, the way the seats in the Apollo are arranged into "blocks" is good. I'm not actually sure how raked the stalls are since I haven't been there for over a year now, and I've only been there twice overall, but I don't remember a hugely pronounced slope. Must use this as an excuse to go back and see Wicked for a third time ;-)

I don't know if you've seen this image, but it shows that the GCT rake is pretty significant, even at the front:
http://c1038.r38.cf3.rackcdn.com/group1/building5344/media/4cb467420a8209.91174730.jpg

I've seen Wicked 9 times so you've a fair bit of catching up to do :P 4 Cities, NY, Chicago, LA & London.

Was in row L in the GCT for Jools Holland less than 2 weeks ago and my view was heavily obscured by the guy in the row in front.

d@rk l0rd

athtrasna wrote: »

Wicked won't be coming in 2013 or anytime soon.

I think Wicked will be over here in late 2013 or early to mid-2014. The Grand Canal Theatre has given quite a few hints about this.

mgadget

Hi,
Would a three and five-year old have a comfortable view of the stage? I'm thinking maybe not? Would it even be recommended for them? Not a regular theatre goer myself but have warm memories of the movie. Just get them the DVD instead? So many questions!

AndrewJD

mgadget wrote: »

Hi,
Would a three and five-year old have a comfortable view of the stage? I'm thinking maybe not? Would it even be recommended for them? Not a regular theatre goer myself but have warm memories of the movie. Just get them the DVD instead? So many questions!

The Broadway productions website states 6 years old as the minimum age. I would think that was on the lower end of what's acceptable. At 3 I'd be surprised if they could see, and I'd be surprised if they could stick out a long show in (relative) silence. It is definitely a family show but maybe it's a few years too soon for your kids. The film is still excellent on DVD, I'd heartily recommend that. Just remember there are some harrowing scenes (Mufasa...) which really young kids might not like.

woodchuck

I'm a short woman (just over 5 foot) and even I have trouble viewing things properly sometimes!! I really don't know how much young kids can possibly get from it to be honest unless there's another child in front of them so their view isn't obstructed at all. Do they sell booster seats or cushions or something? (would be interested in getting one for myself :P)

Personally I'd stick with the DVD for now.

madness98

Really looking forward to this, seen The Lion King in 2003 so can't wait it can only get better!

CUPimus

I've my tickets booked, really looking forward to it!

Fiyero

The latest Grand Canal Theatre prorgramme for 2013 does say that Wicked is on the way, date not yet announced.

I thought about going to The Lion King but seats in the stalls on Saturday nights are €65! Not many cheap tickets available.
Seen it before and once is enough.

AndrewJD

Fiyero wrote: »

The latest Grand Canal Theatre prorgramme for 2013 does say that Wicked is on the way, date not yet announced.

Is there an obvious gap in their schedule? I've got to imagine it'd be late 2014, possibly into 2015 before it gets here?

athtrasna

I had heard talk of September when it was first announced but nothing lately.

Miss Lockhart

AndrewJD wrote: »

Is there an obvious gap in their schedule? I've got to imagine it'd be late 2014, possibly into 2015 before it gets here?

The programme for Oliver says "Wicked - Flying into Ireland in 2013".

There doesn't seem to be any events listed on their calendar between August 3rd and and March 2014.

Jofspring

I really hope Wicked comes to Ireland, it's quality.

The Lion King in London was a real disappointment. The biggest gripe I had was the fact Simba had a cockney accent the whole way through the younger years.

d@rk l0rd

Wicked is coming to the Grand Canal Theatre but dates for the tour haven't been confirmed yet, other than Manchester where it opens (12th September 2013 to 16th November 2013) so it looks like 2014 for Dublin unless it comes over here straight after Manchester.