Spamalot

Stretching a point here as I don't often get to the theatre these days. I dare say you are all aware of the source material being Monty Python and the Holy Grail, adapted for stage and song by Eric Idle etc.
Well this was an enthusiastic amateur production at Newcastle's prestigious Theatre Royal, on for a week, and I was visiting the Thursday matinee. This may account for the afternoon's events. 
I'd received a ticket for the Stalls (a first) and was struck by my luck, great view and surely an opportunity for great fun! Not feeling at my best (nip & tuck as to whether I made the show) I knew that if the humour really kicked off I would start coughing and probably inflict my ailment to those sitting close by. About 10 mins in and sure enough, funny bone well and truly tickled, I burst into a small coughing fit and knew that, come the Interval, I would have to seek another seat. After adjourning to the bar in the interval, I returned to use up one of the many available seats further back and that was disappointing in itself as up till now things had been a mite quiet.
(What about the bloody performance then Gordon? Ed.)

All the expected highlights were there, Knights of Nee, the French soldiers on the battlements, the Black Knight with a smattering of cocoanuts & shrubbery! All of it seemed to go either above the heads of an uninteractive audience or they just weren't enjoying it. Even the chiselling in of "Always look on the bright side of life" from Life of Brian didn't spark the watching customers into life. Another late attempt at audience participation indicated the Grail was under a seat in the auditorium and a poor unsuspecting victim, yes victim, struggled under Dr Footlights with no help from those watching. You got the feeling that perhaps it was raining outside and they'd all come in to get dry or their own funny bone had done an Andy Murray and become painful. Shame because the kids gave it a grand go, the lighting was fine, the effects worked and after all we were into day four, I think, of the run. Maybe it's just a matinee thing.
I'd been intrigued to see how a musical was created from the movie, in the end I just felt sorry for the cast who all deserved better. Cast 8, Audience 2 - after extra time.

Rocketman

Welcome back to my fairly irregular comments on visiting the local fleapit!

I've waited quite expectantly for Rocketman to land somewhere in Newcastle and managed to catch within days of it opening at trusty old Tyneside Cinema. I tried my best to avoid all the hype but it was well promoted and only added to my desire to view.

I've followed Elton's work for a number of years, dating right back to 'Your Song' and quite possibly my favourite double album of all time - 'Goodbye Yellow Brick Road'. Lucky enough to see him a couple of years ago at the Arena, and even ended up dancing in the aisles as I recall. Great night.

Having been told this was a musical experience rather than a straight foward biopic, I kind of winced a bit as these events can be such a personal taste but got to say the whole thing was an unqualified success. Dexter Fletcher was in the director's chair again after triumph with Bohemian Rhapsody, Taran Egerton appeals in the title role (long way from Eddie the Eagle) Jamie Bell seemed a slightly unconvincing Bernie Taupin and Richard Maddern was a topical choice playing aginst type as Elton's manager and lover, John Reid. 

The choice of tracks moved the story on, providing substance to Elton's situation at any given time. The timescale was also interesting as it kept returning to an outrageously attired Elton unburdening himself at a meeting of addicts - and he held his hands up to plenty of addictions. I believe all the tracks played were reworked by Giles (son of George) Martin and Taran was mentored to sing in an Elton vein and a good job was done by all concerned.

I did notice that like Bohemian Rhapsody, Fletcher had chosen to incorporate original footage (Live Aid at Wembley for BR) and finished Rocketman with inserts of Egerton amidst the original video for I'm Still Standing ( look out for a young Bruno Tonioli)

Looking forward to more from this genre of musical cinema, it seems to have got a foothold!