All That Chat - re: I love this movie .... on Half a Sixpence

HOME ALL THAT CHAT ATC WEST COAST SHOPPIN' RUSH BOARD FAQS

LOGIN REGISTER SEARCH FLAT MODE

not logged in

re: I love this movie .... on Half a Sixpence

Posted by:	lowwriter 01:50 pm EDT 03/12/14
In reply to:	I love this movie .... - jdm 12:27 pm EDT 03/11/14

I saw the show a few times as a kid. Tommy Steele was fantastic on stage. And the show had wonderful choreography by Onna White. Numbers like the title song, Flash, Band Wallop, If the Rain's Gonna Fall, and The Party's on the House stopped the show. The show also had a very good supporting cast, including Polly James, Will MacKenzie, Grover Dale, John Cleese. Lovely sets by Oliver Smith. I still have the souvenir program signed by Tommy Steele. The British cast album is longer and also worth getting. Steele's charm was not well handled on screen and he came off as manic. The film of Half of Sixpence, though still having some charm, blew the delicate love story out of proportion and the pleasures of the stage show got overwhelmed by the movie expansion. And the dances by Gillian Lynne have none of the wit and verve of the Onna White stage choreography. They also cut out my favorite song from the show, the sweet love song, Long Ago (though a snippet is sung at the beginning of the film). I may be wrong, but didn't the movie do better in the UK than in the States? I love the show and I think this could be a good entertaining prouduction if done regionally. The Goodspeed, though, did a very anemic version not long ago. It lacked energy and I was very disappointed.

reply \|

Previous:	I love this movie .... - jdm 12:27 pm EDT 03/11/14
Next:	re: You won't believe it, but I swear that it's true! - hitbycab 10:29 am EDT 03/11/14

Thread:

All That Chat is intended for the discussion of theatre news and opinion
subject to the terms and conditions of the Terms of Service. (Please take all off-topic discussion to private email.)