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winterIt turned out that by a stroke of luck, our hotel was only 4 U-Bahn (underground) stops from the Raimund Theater, no line changing necessary. The theater itself is smaller than I thought - perhaps half the size of our Roma, without the aisles that allowed our vampires to run around the audience, and with a much smaller stage, though they do have a superior revolving/descending platform.
Note the pillar - this would be one of the scene-obscuring pillars that make the seats behind them in the stalls and first balcony cost only 10 euro each :> I had such a seat for Rebecca and the view was perfect.
I was a little surprised by the audience - very few people were in black and I only saw one cosplayer. I'm wondering if the cheaper tickets didn't draw people who just wanted to see any musical at all.
The show itself was amazing, especially since it was done practically without sets. There were some symbolic "doors", beds, chairs, and a see-through bathtub, plus a walkway constructed behind the orchestra (which was sitting in the middle of the stage). I was glad I had advance warning about the costumes used - otherwise I may have embarrassed myself ;) All the elaborate costumes except for von Krolock's were the Warsaw ones, which caused some comedic effects sometimes, since Tim Reichwein's built is very different from our Herbert's.
With one exception, I have nothing but praise for the actors. I was able to see the first Magda I've ever liked, there were some amazing singer/dancers in the ensemble, and the main characters were very well-played. The only downside was the Herbert - I'm really not a fan of Tim Reichwein. After seeing Kuba Wocial's predatory prowling dandy and Keigo Yoshino's blushing schoolgirl with fangs, Tim's generic bored drag queen was something of a letdown. On the other hand, he seemed to be having much fun with the wonderful Warsaw Herbert cloak, but I still wish they'd got Mate Kamaras to do it. On the other hand, with him and Borchert both hogging the spotlight, there might have been real bloodshed onstage.
Rebecca's lines were almost all cut, which was a pity, and Chagal was good but not particularly memorable. Gernot Kranner simply was Abronsius, and it was an experience to see him do it all so effortlessly.
I was worried about the two newcomers to Vampires, but Marjan Shaki was a very cute and engaging Sarah. It seemed to me that she was modelling her performance at least partly on the Japanese one, and like in the Toho production I was able to believe in Sarah's love for von Krolock, for once.
Lukas Perman was an absolutely perfect Alfred - sweet, tragic, drawn towards darkness. With his looks, voice and grace, he reminded me of a Takarazuka performer, and he gamely did his own dancing in the Carpe Noctem scene. The Black Vampire took advantage of it to get a few long gropes, but then Lukas is again playing Rudolf to Mate's Death, so he's used to it ;)
I had heard and seen clips of Thomas Borchert's von Krolock before, but it didn't prepare me for the manic intensity of his performance that night. He was the one who put most preparation into the show, and both his vocal and visual performance showed this. I had a lot of fun identifying his influences - the cloak control and growling in Gott ist Tot spoke clearly that someone's Warsaw DVDs were not being ignored, and the cloak-less and rockstar-style Tanzsaal, complete with Mate-style vocalisations, was definitely echoing Yamaguchi.
But what got me, what left me breathless was when he came out onstage and sang Unstillbare Gier, in an accent that wasn't his own, with gestures that weren't his own. Every note, every breath was Steve Barton's. It was like watching someone possessed.
There were comedic moments, too, like the Vor dem Schloss vampire lineup jazzing up their vocal performance and parading across the stage only to freeze when Abronsius looked around, plus Borchert's wonderful taking of Abronsius's card with two fingers, like it was a dead rat. At the end, the cast were clearly ecstatic - especially Borchert, who threw up the horns at the conductor (repeatedly), bounced around during the final song and then grabbed Lukas and kissed him on both cheeks.
I can't say I wouldn't have liked an Elisabeth-style anniversary performance, with multiple actors singing each role and a lineup of Von Krolocks, but then they'd probably have to do CPR on at least one after Lukasz and Yamaguchi got into a sing-off. The show was gorgeous, and well worth the trip - and that was just my first day in Vienna.
Note the pillar - this would be one of the scene-obscuring pillars that make the seats behind them in the stalls and first balcony cost only 10 euro each :> I had such a seat for Rebecca and the view was perfect.
I was a little surprised by the audience - very few people were in black and I only saw one cosplayer. I'm wondering if the cheaper tickets didn't draw people who just wanted to see any musical at all.
The show itself was amazing, especially since it was done practically without sets. There were some symbolic "doors", beds, chairs, and a see-through bathtub, plus a walkway constructed behind the orchestra (which was sitting in the middle of the stage). I was glad I had advance warning about the costumes used - otherwise I may have embarrassed myself ;) All the elaborate costumes except for von Krolock's were the Warsaw ones, which caused some comedic effects sometimes, since Tim Reichwein's built is very different from our Herbert's.
With one exception, I have nothing but praise for the actors. I was able to see the first Magda I've ever liked, there were some amazing singer/dancers in the ensemble, and the main characters were very well-played. The only downside was the Herbert - I'm really not a fan of Tim Reichwein. After seeing Kuba Wocial's predatory prowling dandy and Keigo Yoshino's blushing schoolgirl with fangs, Tim's generic bored drag queen was something of a letdown. On the other hand, he seemed to be having much fun with the wonderful Warsaw Herbert cloak, but I still wish they'd got Mate Kamaras to do it. On the other hand, with him and Borchert both hogging the spotlight, there might have been real bloodshed onstage.
Rebecca's lines were almost all cut, which was a pity, and Chagal was good but not particularly memorable. Gernot Kranner simply was Abronsius, and it was an experience to see him do it all so effortlessly.
I was worried about the two newcomers to Vampires, but Marjan Shaki was a very cute and engaging Sarah. It seemed to me that she was modelling her performance at least partly on the Japanese one, and like in the Toho production I was able to believe in Sarah's love for von Krolock, for once.
Lukas Perman was an absolutely perfect Alfred - sweet, tragic, drawn towards darkness. With his looks, voice and grace, he reminded me of a Takarazuka performer, and he gamely did his own dancing in the Carpe Noctem scene. The Black Vampire took advantage of it to get a few long gropes, but then Lukas is again playing Rudolf to Mate's Death, so he's used to it ;)
I had heard and seen clips of Thomas Borchert's von Krolock before, but it didn't prepare me for the manic intensity of his performance that night. He was the one who put most preparation into the show, and both his vocal and visual performance showed this. I had a lot of fun identifying his influences - the cloak control and growling in Gott ist Tot spoke clearly that someone's Warsaw DVDs were not being ignored, and the cloak-less and rockstar-style Tanzsaal, complete with Mate-style vocalisations, was definitely echoing Yamaguchi.
But what got me, what left me breathless was when he came out onstage and sang Unstillbare Gier, in an accent that wasn't his own, with gestures that weren't his own. Every note, every breath was Steve Barton's. It was like watching someone possessed.
There were comedic moments, too, like the Vor dem Schloss vampire lineup jazzing up their vocal performance and parading across the stage only to freeze when Abronsius looked around, plus Borchert's wonderful taking of Abronsius's card with two fingers, like it was a dead rat. At the end, the cast were clearly ecstatic - especially Borchert, who threw up the horns at the conductor (repeatedly), bounced around during the final song and then grabbed Lukas and kissed him on both cheeks.
I can't say I wouldn't have liked an Elisabeth-style anniversary performance, with multiple actors singing each role and a lineup of Von Krolocks, but then they'd probably have to do CPR on at least one after Lukasz and Yamaguchi got into a sing-off. The show was gorgeous, and well worth the trip - and that was just my first day in Vienna.
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 03:38 pm (UTC)And that really is too bad about not having more than one cast for this show! (Sad news on the Yamaguchi front, though. Looks like our Taiwanese friend is hogging all the Japanese DVDs and selling them for obscene amounts. Ugh. So much for the hope that I'll eventually get those, as I doubt there's enough interest in the Japanese casts. Maybe if he doesn't get enough offers, he'll eventually trade them out.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 03:54 pm (UTC)And I think I agree about your assessment. Especially since I happen to know he paid $100 for the Les Mis - can't see that getting more than 4 offers, not from that crowd. I think I'll wait until they're tradeable, too, especially since I already have a Maki-as-Elisabeth DVD and am not as much of a Maya fan as I am a Maki one.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:08 pm (UTC)Are you still having an e-mail correspondence with him? I can understand him wanting to recoup his costs, but here's an easier way - trade out the DVDs - he can get lots of trades I'll bet for some very good DVDs - and then just offer his entire list up for sale for a cheaper amount (none of that registered mail stuff to save on costs) - like 5-10 euros per show (and use PayPal!). But that's just my two cents.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:23 pm (UTC)And hey, if he wavers, I can back it with the authority of my professionalism and all. Send him a note on official letterhead or something :P At least that'd save an incident like yesterday, when an Aussie girl mailed me a package under my pseudonym - luckily I have an old national ID that still has my address on it, with the new ones I'd be out of luck with picking it up from the post office. Packed it in a supermarket bag, too, so the cases were in pieces...
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:28 pm (UTC)Oh dear. Don't your packages just get dumped into your mailbox like mine? Heh. I had one sent to one "Lamath" once and it arrived without incident. But yeah, don't think I could have got that one off the post office. Last time someone delivered a package to my mom, and not only did I have to use the rent lease to prove I lived at the address, it also had to show both our names on it before I could pick it up for her.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:35 pm (UTC)At least one of those was a hopefully tradeable one - Rudolf on 2 DVDs :) For some reason my highest-requested DVD is the Jekyll Meets Friends concert. Right now I wouldn't mind a DVD of Rebecca with Susan and Uwe, and preferably with Wietske too - because the Ich understudy usually plays whatshername Maxim's sister, and is great at it.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:41 pm (UTC)And ooh. Which Rudolf do you have? I have a 1-DVD one with Attila. I know there are two 2-disc Rudolfs, one with Attila, and one with Arpad Meszaros (I think). (And everyone's been clamoring for a Rebecca DVD, but I think only a highlights & making of were ever released. Sadness.)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:44 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:47 pm (UTC)No chance you could smuggle a camera & film Rebecca if nothing pops up before it closes?
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:50 pm (UTC)(And really, I wouldn't put it past them to put out an official DVD. The Elisabeth one has been selling quite well, apparently. Which reminds me, need to order an official copy of the 3 Musketiers one to support the industry...)
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 04:52 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 05:43 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 05:46 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:01 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:04 pm (UTC)One for each language would be nice. Pro-shot Yuichiro FTW!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:14 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:17 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:55 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 06:57 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-20 07:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-21 05:28 am (UTC)Btw, glad to hear you're doing better and with the new place!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-21 03:57 pm (UTC)God, I hope a bootleg of this sucker gets released. :O
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-21 04:06 pm (UTC)Alas, I haven't seen any boots but for that crackly one I posted to
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-21 04:08 pm (UTC)Thanks for the link. *goes to download gleefully*
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-22 11:54 am (UTC)Wasn't Suzanne Carey an awesome Magda? I think she just might be my favourite Magda ever. I adored her attitude, and she's got a gorgeous voice. I really liked the fact that they had her sing the beginning of Carpe Noctem, because most guys who aren't Máté don't sound all that great singing it.
Marjan has actually played Sarah before, in Stuttgart. That was some years ago already, of course, and she's had a lot of acting experience since then. The more I've been musing on her performance, the more I've realised I liked her. She was rather different from Jessica Kessler's Sarah, but there was something in her interpretation that rather worked for me - a sweet girl with a longing for something more than what was given her, but not quite knowing how to get it, until something (ie. Von Krolock) came up and had such a powerful effect on her that she realized she could find the courage to go and find whatever she was looking for. And she was adorable in the vampire-transformation scene. ;) I also liked the fact that she didn't resist when Krolock was starting to bite her in Tanzsaal - I've always seen it as Sarah having already made up her mind to want this, and I can't quite understand why many are suddenly resisting it at that moment.
And Lukas was absolutely adorable. His interpretation was spot-on, and while there were some moments where I'd have wished his acting to be slightly different, I think it's mostly that he's not had more experience with the role. And whoever knew that the boy could sing like that?
I've already squeed madly on Thomas. I knew he had a great voice but didn't knew it was like that, and whoah! His interpretation has improved massively since Hamburg! I didn't feel it was channeling Barton as much as him having found his own interpretation that works equally well as Barton's. Of course, I didn't see the same performance as you, so could always be Steve was possessing him for a moment. ;)
And I'm not sure I've ever seen anything as beautiful on a stage as him as Von Krolock.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-02-22 03:06 pm (UTC)I didn't know about Marjan (though really, lovely interpretation) and I agree on Suzanne. That voice! And great elegance as a vampire :)
I really think Thomas's Barton thing was possession because honestly, he even had the accent. And I gotta admit he looks damn pretty on stage :D