Hitchhiker's Live

[Jedit]

So, has anyone else been yet? I went last night, and can assure you it was a hoot - though it did drag a little in the back half.

[FitzoliverJ]

Going tomorrow, looking forward to it... on point of which, were they able to (as had been suggested) supply the audience with a downloadable recording of the performance or not? I see from the website that downloads are available to buy, but am not clear whether that's just for people who didn't go or not.

[Beaker]

It was on at the Alexandra in Brum last night and I really wanted to go….unfortunately there’s a production of Our House-The Madness Musical that I’ve directed at a theatre roughly one mile away from the Alex all this week so couldn’t be there. I did consider slipping out, but as it was first night last night it seemed rude.

Very annoyed, particularly as the HHGTTG cast were within walking distance of where I was! Grrr!

[peanut]

have only just realised its on in Liverpool next week. Want to go but as I'm so disorganised I have noone to go with

[Skotzmun]

Went last Thursday... in Basingstoke... so there were two big unscripted cheers for a couple of classic lines for the taking! :-) I really enjoyed it, and the final applause left me with a wide, happy grin on my face and a tear in my eye... which is kinda what it's all about, really.

I'd purposely done no research about what was going to happen, so my specific comments are below, but marked as a Spoiler for those who felt like me.

What I want to try and find out is who the rest of the cast were. I recognised Phil Pope (which was cool as he's a long-time hero of mine), but couldn't work out who played Jeltz / Slartibartfast. I am sure I recognised the voice. The only bad thing about it was the goodies are a bit pricey, so I didn't buy a programme expecting to be able to find the information on the internet... but I'm not doing very well. Silly internets! Can anyone from here help?

So in summary, if you are a fan of the show (but not one that bridles at changes from the absolute structure of the books) then go if you can... it's really worth it.

Skotzmun

[SPOILER WARNING]
I thought the live band were brilliant, and all the live foley work was great fun too. Marvin was inspired, as was the inclusion of Agrajaz in the only way it could have been done. The way they rewrote and restructured things to include beats from all five books was quite inspired, I thought. It also "made sense" as a structure within the universe DNA created in the first place.

[Skotzmun]

Originally Posted by FitzoliverJ

Going tomorrow, looking forward to it... on point of which, were they able to (as had been suggested) supply the audience with a downloadable recording of the performance or not? I see from the website that downloads are available to buy, but am not clear whether that's just for people who didn't go or not.

The downloads are not given to the audience for free - everyone has to part with the readies.

[FitzoliverJ]

Originally Posted by Skotzmun

Went last Thursday... in Basingstoke... so there were two big unscripted cheers for a couple of classic lines for the taking! :-)

Yes, agree totally. I'd also be very much surprised if anybody gets a better Dish of the Day sequence as well!

The only bad thing about it was the goodies are a bit pricey, so I didn't buy a programme

Well, I bought the programme.... only to discover that apparently later performances (and those who buy it online) will get a bigger and better one, dagnabbit.

Originally Posted by Skotzmun

The downloads are not given to the audience for free - everyone has to part with the readies.

Yes, there was a sign up to that effect at the performance. That's my justification on holding back on the other souvenirs... although, word to the wise, at least ONE person in each audience needs to get a "Don't Panic" sign to take in....

[Good_Ash]

Question for those who have seen it, how clear do you need to see the stage?

Are they just standing/sitting performing the show from scriptlike performances or are they acting the parts?

I've just found out I can make the show in Southampton, but the only tickets left are in the upper balcony.
So they are quite far up from the stage.

[FitzoliverJ]

Originally Posted by Good_Ash

Question for those who have seen it, how clear do you need to see the stage?

Are they just standing/sitting performing the show from scriptlike performances or are they acting the parts?

Bit of both. There are half-a-dozen microphones at the front of the stage, and actors come forward to them to do their lines. But they do a bit of acting alongside simply reading from scripts (facial expressions, etc); plus of course there's a lot of activity by the foley artist.

[Skotzmun]

Update to my original question:

Those nice people at Hitchhikers Live have just posted a full Credits page on Facebook, so I now know who the voice in question was - Toby Longworth.

Yay!