Jerry Herman concert and a bit of medical news for the colonials

[burntcopper]

Well, spent most of Sunday doing the 24-hour flu of grottiness and not being able to keep water down. However, recovered sufficiently to haul self off the sickbed and get to Jerry Herman concert. (which we were informed when we got there that it was going to be the Christmas concert, which had several of us pondering if it's the new Radio 2 dictat about the Christmas Friday Night is Music Night - must involve Barrowman)

Which was brilliant. Clarke Peters brilliant, Maria Friedman and Debbie [edit to get name in a bit] all fabulous. BBC Concert Orchestra brilliant. JB somewhat silly and of course *fabulous*.

:cough: Well, aside from him constantly fluffing the autocue. Seriously. Every other link he had to re-do. Including one from the beginning he did at the end. Special mention going to the moment when the autocue actually failed quite early on and he was having to read from the script. Which he then handed to Clarke Peters for his first song. Halfway through the song, Clarke chuckled and changed the song's words to 'the words are now back and the autocue's working' so started again. :snicker: This of course significantly endeared him to the audience. (amazing voice helped, of course)

Special mention to 'I Am What I Am'. Which, as several of the JB fans put it before the show started 'chances that it won't be John singing it? oooo, about 99,999 to 1.' Of course, John was singing it. Except it wasn't introduced (they vary between announcing the songs before or doing a quick line after), so we had one song, then John walks onto the stage. Trailing a pink feather boa held in one hand. Audience sees this, *many* hoots and whistles. Gets to centre stage, puts it round his neck with suitable panache, then launches into an absolute show-stopper of a performance. Standing ovation. Which was to be expected, since not only was it an amazing performance, a good proportion of the audience are there to see him, and it's become his signature tune. However? John looked a wee bit shocked and gawped some at the response - clearly he hadn't been expecting such a massive response, since you only normally get that at the end of a performance - even Maria Friedman hadn't got it for 'Hello Dolly' earlier (which also involved a boa) - and it took him a good minute to get a response out. A man who has 20 years stage experience of being exceedingly popular, nearly always has a comeback, and can be ridiculously quick with such, reduced to gawping at audience reaction. *bless*.

Many of the JB crowd there. With added commentary and the usual 'hmm, anyone seen Scott or Gavin? I can't see any striped shirts...' (for those not quite as obsessed : Scott and John have regularly been seen in the other's shirts, and both of them have a big thing for stripes). Turned out Scott was apparently in for the first half but disappeared backstage for second half, since his seat was empty. Further fashion whatsit : John in plain shirt and suit in second half shocker. We didn't think he possessed the ability to not wear at least one striped item.

Stage scrum? er... rather large, except it was mostly made of middle-over 40s respectable theatre-going crowd, with a lot of men in suits. This does not happen. Women, yes, but the men in suits? :blinks: And yes, he was adorable as usual, doing his usual 'signatures first, then photos - but I can only do one photo per person since I've got to get back to Cardiff for filming first thing'. Scott hurrying out early, with many a squee from the JB crowd of 'Scott went thataway'. No, we haven't developed a strange little side-fixation, honest. Oh shush. He's adorable, can you blame us?

Oh, and for the US lot : insurance-led healthcare may finally be getting changed.

Comments

[silkess.livejournal.com]

It was an amazing night, the response from the audience for I Am What I Am was just amazing. It was lovely to see him a bit shocked up on stage, it made him cuter than ever.

Scott did come back for the second half, we were sat just a few rows behind and were possibly "observing" him at times - and Daniel Boys!

Ack I completely got the other guys name wrong, I thought it was Clark Peters! Oops

[fairyd123.livejournal.com]

Nope you got his name right - its Clarke Peters:

http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0676370/

I hadn't realised he was in lots of episodes of The Wire. I thought he was brilliant last night - I'll have to check his other work out now!

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

:facepalm: this is what I get for listening to too much Phillip Quast directly after the concert....

[jades-shadow.livejournal.com]

I felt for him when he asked to re-do his song... cause he was distracted *grin* only to mix up another line on the retake. I would have gladly listened to them all sing again, or thrice. :)

[silkess.livejournal.com]

I KNEW I recognised him from somewhere. It's been bugging me all day.

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

dammit. We couldn't see him from the balcony at all. Hmm, does this mean we have to semi-start rubber-necking for Daniel Boys at Barrowman performances too? It'll be a hardship.

[silkess.livejournal.com]

It will indeed, life is tough for us fans eh? ;)

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

Ah I was sitting next to you, wasn't I?

[burntcopper.livejournal.com]

apologising for any over-squee or babble. :g:

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

No apologies necessary! I was probably just as bad.

[torchwood-dude.livejournal.com]

Yeh last night was amazing. It was a fantastic show - i loved all the songs and performances. I was so excited cause afterwards i met Scott, then i went to the stage door he signed my ticket and i got a really lovely photo with him - he is the loveliest guy ever. Also i spotted his car - i loved the reg!!! Yeh hope everyone who went had a great night too. =]

[academia4me.livejournal.com]

Glad you had a great time! I went too, although I wasn't able to wait at the stage door because I had to catch a train :(

You got to meet JB and Scott. Lucky you! Did you get to speak to Scott, or just observe!!

[torchwood-dude.livejournal.com]

Yeh it was a great night - shame you didn't get to meet him - yeh i met him in the theatre bar - and i said hi - he so sweet - i have a tiny crush on him now!! xx

[mistressslash.livejournal.com]

Thank you so much for this! I won't get to watch but can't wait to hear it in December. Do we know the date it will air yet?

I hope you feel better soon!

see icon - no, there is no side-fixation with them

[kiss-me-quick.livejournal.com]

21st December, we were told.

[mistressslash.livejournal.com]

Thanks so much - I'll make sure I mark my calendar. I can't wait!

[adafrog.livejournal.com]

So lucky! Sounds like it was a great time. Thanks for sharing.

[kingbantam.livejournal.com]

Scott was there in the second half (believe me I have a little crush on him and we were sitting quite near them!). Daniel too - he's doing a show in Clapham so I guess he was invited along - others of the cast of his show were round and about as well.

Great night wasn't it.