Mermaid Theatre Review

[stussyboy]

Forgive the lack of prose...

Without a ticket, I managed to blag my way in, and found a seat about 10 rows back. It's a great theatre, maybe seats around 500, sloping back away from the enormous stage. Elton John sat near the back, next to the ubiqutous Janet Street-Porter. The stage was set up Neil front centre, Chris to his left, hiding as ever behind his sheet music. Behind him Anne Dudley, loads more keyboards. The BBC orchestra was tuxedo'd up, as was the brass section and the band (yes, even the drummer!). There were 4 backing singers, plus the occasional Sally Bradshaw, on operatic duties. Neil wore tight black jeans, a tight black diamante polo shirt and his new hat and coat, Chris with normal Y3 uniform.

What followed, from the full mix of Left to my own devices, through to the finale linking Indefinite Leave to Remain into West End Girls was nothing short of magnificent. Some of my personal highlights:

- The Sodom and Gomorrah Show just sounded amazing.
- actually, all the Fundamental tracks sounded amazing.
- The Liza mix of Rent
- It's a sin
- the extended mix of Jealousy: Neil reciting the Shakespeare quote, and then introducing Robbie Williams to sing it. Rob carried it off.
- Closer to Heaven flashbacks from Frances Barber.
- It's a sin (again)
- Rufus Wainwright doing Casanova in Hell

A special night. Che Guevara and Debussy to a disco beat, at last.

[canveyboy]

Forgive the lack of prose...

Without a ticket, I managed to blag my way in, and found a seat about 10 rows back. It's a great theatre, maybe seats around 500, sloping back away from the enormous stage. Elton John sat near the back, next to the ubiqutous Janet Street-Porter. The stage was set up Neil front centre, Chris to his left, hiding as ever behind his sheet music. Behind him Anne Dudley, loads more keyboards. The BBC orchestra was tuxedo'd up, as was the brass section and the band (yes, even the drummer!). There were 4 backing singers, plus the occasional Sally Bradshaw, on operatic duties. Neil wore tight black jeans, a tight black diamante polo shirt and his new hat and coat, Chris with normal Y3 uniform.

What followed, from the full mix of Left to my own devices, through to the finale linking Indefinite Leave to Remain into West End Girls was nothing short of magnificent. Some of my personal highlights:

- The Sodom and Gomorrah Show just sounded amazing.
- actually, all the Fundamental tracks sounded amazing.
- The Liza mix of Rent
- It's a sin
- the extended mix of Jealousy: Neil reciting the Shakespeare quote, and then introducing Robbie Williams to sing it. Rob carried it off.
- Closer to Heaven flashbacks from Frances Barber.
- It's a sin (again)
- Rufus Wainwright doing Casanova in Hell

A special night. Che Guevara and Debussy to a disco beat, at last.

how the f**k did you blag your way in? didn't you need photo ID's or something??

anyway, thanks for the review. sounded great. it would be great if the tour would incorporate an orchestra like this!!....imagine the live dvd and album!!!!....

[boyjohn]

did it look like it was being filmed for broadcast/dvd (multiple cameras, etc)?

[stussyboy]

did it look like it was being filmed for broadcast/dvd (multiple cameras, etc)?

no, don't think so. There were 2 cameras at the back, but no close shots at all. But it will sound great on the radio!

[DazzerUKUK]

Sadly not video'd for tv or dvd

[jmh]

several hats off for the blag!!!!

[redsock]

Forgive the lack of prose...

Without a ticket, I managed to blag my way in, and found a seat about 10 rows back. It's a great theatre, maybe seats around 500, sloping back away from the enormous stage. Elton John sat near the back, next to the ubiqutous Janet Street-Porter. The stage was set up Neil front centre, Chris to his left, hiding as ever behind his sheet music. Behind him Anne Dudley, loads more keyboards. The BBC orchestra was tuxedo'd up, as was the brass section and the band (yes, even the drummer!). There were 4 backing singers, plus the occasional Sally Bradshaw, on operatic duties. Neil wore tight black jeans, a tight black diamante polo shirt and his new hat and coat, Chris with normal Y3 uniform.

What followed, from the full mix of Left to my own devices, through to the finale linking Indefinite Leave to Remain into West End Girls was nothing short of magnificent. Some of my personal highlights:

- The Sodom and Gomorrah Show just sounded amazing.
- actually, all the Fundamental tracks sounded amazing.
- The Liza mix of Rent
- It's a sin
- the extended mix of Jealousy: Neil reciting the Shakespeare quote, and then introducing Robbie Williams to sing it. Rob carried it off.
- Closer to Heaven flashbacks from Frances Barber.
- It's a sin (again)
- Rufus Wainwright doing Casanova in Hell

A special night. Che Guevara and Debussy to a disco beat, at last.

Were you the guy with longish hair and carried a crash helmet, that was milling about at the front doors before the show started ? He was doing his best to get in without a ticket ! I saw him in the bar area in the interval so he must have managed it somehow.

[Agent_Pinkski]

Ah...the art of the blag....

Well done you!!

[stussyboy]

Forgive the lack of prose...

Without a ticket, I managed to blag my way in, and found a seat about 10 rows back. It's a great theatre, maybe seats around 500, sloping back away from the enormous stage. Elton John sat near the back, next to the ubiqutous Janet Street-Porter. The stage was set up Neil front centre, Chris to his left, hiding as ever behind his sheet music. Behind him Anne Dudley, loads more keyboards. The BBC orchestra was tuxedo'd up, as was the brass section and the band (yes, even the drummer!). There were 4 backing singers, plus the occasional Sally Bradshaw, on operatic duties. Neil wore tight black jeans, a tight black diamante polo shirt and his new hat and coat, Chris with normal Y3 uniform.

What followed, from the full mix of Left to my own devices, through to the finale linking Indefinite Leave to Remain into West End Girls was nothing short of magnificent. Some of my personal highlights:

- The Sodom and Gomorrah Show just sounded amazing.
- actually, all the Fundamental tracks sounded amazing.
- The Liza mix of Rent
- It's a sin
- the extended mix of Jealousy: Neil reciting the Shakespeare quote, and then introducing Robbie Williams to sing it. Rob carried it off.
- Closer to Heaven flashbacks from Frances Barber.
- It's a sin (again)
- Rufus Wainwright doing Casanova in Hell

A special night. Che Guevara and Debussy to a disco beat, at last.

Were you the guy with longish hair and carried a crash helmet, that was milling about at the front doors before the show started ? He was doing his best to get in without a ticket ! I saw him in the bar area in the interval so he must have managed it somehow.

Not me, sadly my hair went the same way as Mr Tennant's some time ago. I was hanging about before though, talking to as many Radio 2 people as I could, as well as the bouncers, and anyone else who I thought might help my chances of getting in!

[stussyboy]

Ah...the art of the blag....

Well done you!!

not close to your blagging skills yet...