For the first time in the past oh I dunno, 10 years (?), I'm missing a Jerome de Silva play.
Jesus Christ Superstar is at full swing at the Lionel Wendt till the 13th October. I've never been one to go purchase tickets before the actual day. Although always houseful, I've always been able to get good seats at Jerome's plays as there had always been one or two front seats available even on the very evening of the shows, so I had never bothered. However, I went to get tickets mid week last week just in case and also because of all the buzz [cue - "What's the buzz, tell me what's-a-happening...." :P ] created by it so far. Only to find out that ALL the good seats and most of the not-so-good seats were gone, and that too even when I've gone well before the show to get the tickets! I was rendered speechless. You can just imagine the disappointment.
ALL the seats at the front, the best seats in the house, on ALL days had been marked off with a big fat C. When asked, I was told that they were sponsor tickets and that they had been reserved. Well, I'd understand the reservation of the front rows for a show or two, but reserving the front seats for sponsors on ALL days? What about folk like us who enjoy front row views too? Do we not deserve it? How unfair! Its heartbreaking.
And why do I want good seats? Why can't I stop my whining and get my sweet derriere on the balcony and see the play? See, I like theatre for the same reason that I like live music. Because it is life itself unfolding before your eyes. And nothing compares to the experience of theatre from a front row. There are no boundaries, no blobs of heads, no oohs and aahs from the audience separating you from the drama. You are living it with the actors, you are in there, you are connected. You hear every word, every gasp and whisper and see the slightest flicker and flinch in the characters' eyes. These are important things, these make you feel alive.
So yes, its always been either good seats or no seats at all. And yes, I'm picky like that.
I've always had a fascination for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. Combine his music with the craft of a brilliant director like Jerome and you've got a golden child. Although Jesus Christ Super Star is not my favourite of Webber's work, I was very excited when I first heard Jerome is staging it here in SL and was quite looking forward to singing along with the play (as nerdy as it sounds, I'm quite capable of singing along with most of the songs). Besides I was interested in how Jerome was going to pull it off with a local cast, knowing the man's various talents and abilities in choosing just the right people and just the right moves and incorporating the two seamlessly. Well, guess I'm not going to be able to see him really kill it this time. Sigh.................
And Jerome...well he brings Broadway to us Lankan folk. Not all of us are fortunate enough to go to Broadway you see. And Jerome does his best, and does a damn good job of it too. I've been hearing good things about the show so far but I'm glad that I didn't settle for a backrow seat cz there had been concerns where the people sitting towards the back couldn't quite make out the vocals. Well, till I get to see the actual Broadway show one day, I shall retreat with my head hung low. Until then I shall try and comfort myself revisiting an old recorded version of the Broadway play that I have in my collection somewhere. If I can still find it that is. Sigh.............. Quite sad. Very sad :(
Jesus Christ Superstar is at full swing at the Lionel Wendt till the 13th October. I've never been one to go purchase tickets before the actual day. Although always houseful, I've always been able to get good seats at Jerome's plays as there had always been one or two front seats available even on the very evening of the shows, so I had never bothered. However, I went to get tickets mid week last week just in case and also because of all the buzz [cue - "What's the buzz, tell me what's-a-happening...." :P ] created by it so far. Only to find out that ALL the good seats and most of the not-so-good seats were gone, and that too even when I've gone well before the show to get the tickets! I was rendered speechless. You can just imagine the disappointment.
ALL the seats at the front, the best seats in the house, on ALL days had been marked off with a big fat C. When asked, I was told that they were sponsor tickets and that they had been reserved. Well, I'd understand the reservation of the front rows for a show or two, but reserving the front seats for sponsors on ALL days? What about folk like us who enjoy front row views too? Do we not deserve it? How unfair! Its heartbreaking.
And why do I want good seats? Why can't I stop my whining and get my sweet derriere on the balcony and see the play? See, I like theatre for the same reason that I like live music. Because it is life itself unfolding before your eyes. And nothing compares to the experience of theatre from a front row. There are no boundaries, no blobs of heads, no oohs and aahs from the audience separating you from the drama. You are living it with the actors, you are in there, you are connected. You hear every word, every gasp and whisper and see the slightest flicker and flinch in the characters' eyes. These are important things, these make you feel alive.
So yes, its always been either good seats or no seats at all. And yes, I'm picky like that.
I've always had a fascination for Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals. Combine his music with the craft of a brilliant director like Jerome and you've got a golden child. Although Jesus Christ Super Star is not my favourite of Webber's work, I was very excited when I first heard Jerome is staging it here in SL and was quite looking forward to singing along with the play (as nerdy as it sounds, I'm quite capable of singing along with most of the songs). Besides I was interested in how Jerome was going to pull it off with a local cast, knowing the man's various talents and abilities in choosing just the right people and just the right moves and incorporating the two seamlessly. Well, guess I'm not going to be able to see him really kill it this time. Sigh.................
And Jerome...well he brings Broadway to us Lankan folk. Not all of us are fortunate enough to go to Broadway you see. And Jerome does his best, and does a damn good job of it too. I've been hearing good things about the show so far but I'm glad that I didn't settle for a backrow seat cz there had been concerns where the people sitting towards the back couldn't quite make out the vocals. Well, till I get to see the actual Broadway show one day, I shall retreat with my head hung low. Until then I shall try and comfort myself revisiting an old recorded version of the Broadway play that I have in my collection somewhere. If I can still find it that is. Sigh.............. Quite sad. Very sad :(
6 comments:
saw this on my fb
Gowrie Indraratne: I have two 2000/-tickets for 9th show....cant make it for unavoidable reasons
18 hours ago ·
You can contact this lady if u want tkts
Hi Holly,
Just saw this. Was this posted on the event page or her personal account? If so I will need to contact her directly. Thank you so much!!
the latest is that there are matinee shows on Saturday and Sunday, you can do a search for her name on fb and contact her if she still has them
(by the way I watched the production from the front of the balcony and was still pretty good)
Yes! Matinees have been announced! Looks like I'l be watching the show afterall :)
When you do, please do drop by backstage.. A very encouraging and inspiring post which I hope many in the cast see!
Hi Dragonsye. I shall try. Come to think of it, it would be quite fitting arriving backstage and announcing myself as Lady Grouchalot with a flourish, expecting everybody to bow down before me or something :D
Ah well, the Workshop Players have earned the name for themselves. I was just stating the obvious :)
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