Comments on: Come Dancing, Reviews and Previews

By: Frank Lima

Frank Lima — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:49:07 +0000

Just a reminder that on December 5th the ” Whats on Stage London ” theatre awards will be handed out. These awards are voted by the fans not critics and media people so it’s important for all of us to give Ray and his great cast our support. Please vote for Come Dancing and the cast at this link below; thanks – FranK

http://www.whatsonstage.com/surveys/fillsurvey.php?sid=16

By: James

James — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 00:46:55 +0000

I think Jonathan Pryce would be brilliant in the Ray Davies role but doubt very much that a) He’d be asked to do it and B) That he would accept. Nevertheless i loved the show!!

By: Frank Lima

Frank Lima — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 23:01:14 +0000

I have heard from a reilable souce that the Final Curtain that closed the last performance of Come Dancing November 8th at its limited run at the Stratford East Theatre in London MAY? rise again. Where and when I am not certain but for me it could not happen soon enough. The air at the Ilford Palais may have stunk of alcohol and cigettettes during the ballroom danicing era, but Come Dancing was a breath of fresh air to the stage and more specifically the musical loving theatre going fan. Don’t let Come Dancing End here and now, everyone deserves a chance to see this musical and be entertained and moved like few other musicals have done before. God save Come Dancing! – Frank Lima, Montvale, New Jersey

By: Frank Lima

Frank Lima — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 14:42:36 +0000

Thanks Linda…
We all agree or at least most of us do anyway that COME DANCING is absolutley a wonderful musical and deserves the opportunity to transer to The West End and I know there has been some insider speculation that plans have been talked about to bring it to NYC for a trial run which would be the last stop before and if it were to go to Broadway which I am hoping for.

As for Ray’s role as the narrator. Yes I agree Ray is not a professionally trained actor. He’s even said..I not an actor I am a performer. But it is his talent as rough around the edges misfit kind of performer that has made his career with the Kinks a legend and all fans of Ray and the kinks pride themselves on that fact and that they are not like everybody else, a line taken from a great Kinks anthem. It is also that character trait in Ray that I found most charming in his role as the narrator in Come Dancing. It was Ray the real person that he is in juxapostion wtih these wonderfully theatre trained talented actors and actresses, and in my opinion that only added to the warmth and charm of the show. I’m sure if Come Dancng moves to the west End and to NYC and Boradway somehwhere along the line the narrator role will be taken over by someone else who is a profession theatre trained actor. The show will always be amazing but I think it will lose a little of that charm that only Ray himself could give so see it now with Ray and hopefully you will get a chance to see it later without Ray when it makes it BIG. Let’s Hope. God save Ray Davies, preserving the old ways for me and for you. – Frank Lima – Montvale New Jersey

By: Linda

Linda — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 12:11:03 +0000

Hi – I’ve updated the post and added Frank’s video. Watching it really made me remember what a great night it really was! I do hope good things will come out of it for all concerned. It really deserves a wider audience.

By: Frank Lima

Frank Lima — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 11:56:39 +0000

Please do yourself a favor and check out this amazing Utube version of the Come Dancing Video Blog…

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDlc4NApv1U

please check it out and post your comments there. It all makes a difference and our continuing support of Ray and this musical might be enough to move it on to the next levels, The West End, and New York City and hopefully BROADWAY !

don’t forget the Rhythm of the dance…check out the Come Dancing video below! and the more comments from us fans the better for Ray !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dDlc4NApv1U

don’t forget the rhythm of the dance…
FranK

By: FrankLima

FrankLima — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 03:50:18 +0000

I think with only some minor changes and adaptations ” Come Dancing ” could very easily be transported to the Broadway NYC stage here in the US and I think it has the potential to be a big hit here too. As for Stevenage, you could transpose that to Levitown, Long Island, which was sort of the same idea back in the 40’s and 50’s. I saw the show a few times when I was in London several weeks ago and it was so good I wouldn’t no where to begin to wrote a review of it. It pretty much left me speechless. There is a video blog of some actual clips from the play that I will post the link to here for those of you who have not seen it…once you see this you’ll want to see it for yourself live!

By: john sam

john sam — Sun, 26 Oct 2008 12:41:21 +0000

not really my sot of thing. i found it slow and every time ray came on i found it unnessicery and cringing but it had a great cast and i enjoyed the brecian elements.

By: mark hampson

mark hampson — Sat, 25 Oct 2008 19:56:29 +0000

He`s just your regular genius next door, inne.

By: Graham Spratt

Graham Spratt — Tue, 07 Oct 2008 20:20:11 +0000

We saw it last Saturday 4th and I have never enjoyed an evening in the theatre so much. Ray made the whole thing personal in a way a ‘professional actor’ could never do. The theams of transition, prejudice and not have ambitions above your class are still powerful today. The set was wonderful and suited the Theatre Royal, the musical itself and Ray’s ‘accessibilty’ perfectly. I will not forget buying a drink on the stage, 43 years after buying my last drink in the Ilford Palais.