The Last Magical Night
I wrote this up really quickly because I’m tired but I should get it all down before I start forgetting things.
I'm going to miss that bright, huge, almost maniacal smile on Raul's face as the big dance in "Freak" happens, when he's front center. I’ll miss when he struts to the front in his hat and is the diva we all know he is. I'll miss him frantically running back and forth on the stage, screaming things at the audience- half of which aren't even understandable over the music, but nevertheless, still being funny.
I love how Raul recently added in mini-parodies of George and his gestures and Nicola and her panting.
When everyone clapped a long time as Euan made his first entrance, I remembered the first preview when nobody clapped and it was kind of dull. It made me really happy inside knowing that we now all know how amazing he is and we've had the privilege to see such a great talent perform. It sounded like something was wrong with his voice, but he was still great. And he was practically all better by the night performance. When he sings the "On a clear day, I can see myself for miles," I have to catch my breath.
Sarah went “Oops!" when the Leigh Bowery picture fell from her shirt. Johanna said that maybe it was because it was only meant to hook on just right for three months. I wanted to cry.
I cried during “Genocide Peroxide.” Nobody else moves like that! Nobody else smacks boys like that. Nobody else totally sounds like he’s having an orgasm from singing a rock song. Nobody else will ever make that “tragedy queen” face.
Hehe, I love when Euan!BG goes “Oi!” after Marilyn says that he looks like a (bloody) clown. Jeffrey put his entire leg up on Euan!BG’s countertop. Beautiful. As he put it back down, he giggled. Aw.
George!Leigh tried to stamp his foot to the first beat of “I’ll Have Them All,” and as always, it didn’t line up right, so he said, “I’ll never get that right.” Aw. When he was talking to Nathan Peck’s “charitable act of the week” character, he goes “I don’t think there’s anything left to say really. Except… your hair is FIERCE.” Hehe, good one George *high five* Mmm, Bob is really sexy and I can’t believe I didn’t realize this until this week. Seriously, yummy.
The scene right before BG approaches Gary/Marcus outside… oh Raul and Jeffrey are too cute. It’s so obvious that they love each other. Jeffrey fell intentionally and then when Raul said the “juicy” line, Jeffrey made a face like “What the fuck? What are you SAYING, freak?” At Raul’s entrance to “Sexual Confusion,” he did that “Oh! *annoying voice* Hmm! *continues with line*” Silly.
I always think it’s so funny when Raul!Philip is all “George and his terrible twin, Marilyn, had a terrible geeeenius for annoying people.” Who is more annoying than Raul!Philip, seriously? Oh yeah. Jen Cody.
Euan went “Ree-hee-hee-heally?” in response to Brooke’s character at Selfridge’s. TOO FUNNY. The line “Before the universe catches on,” is totally one of the best moments of the first act. I mean you hear Jeffrey’s rumbly, low, indescribable voice and you’re watching him wear *that* dress. I don’t hesitate to say that I’ve never seen anyone, man or woman, look so good in a dress.
THE BRAWL. Alright, so Raul!Philip and Cary!Gary (that just sounds funnier) usually kind of catfight-slap each other once or something when they get into a little fight after Euan says he’ll sing “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” instead. Well, this time, Cary!Gary hit Raul!Philip a little harder than usual and I think maybe something got caught onto Raul’s clothing so he was swung over to Cary’s side. So Raul went with it. Raul would NOT stop hitting Cary. Soon they were totally fighting and Cary almost fell over the railing. From the angle I was sitting at, it was really easy to see Raul's face. He looked SO ANGRY. I swear I thought it was real. I really did. He SCREAMED-slash-GROWLED “SOD OFF!” as he stormed off the stage. I thought Cary would have blood on him when he would have to come onstage without his shirt a couple of minutes later… or he just wouldn’t make it there because Raul was waiting to beat him up backstage. I thought Raul was going to be really mean to Cary for the rest of the show.
"Alright, let's do the other one then. Before they ruin my song. Although I could probably do a good job of that myself." - Euan!BG (because he sounded sick. AW! I love him. Don’t deport him.)
Raul dropped his Vivienne Westwood brooch during "Everything Taboo," and so he didn't sing that awesome part right after the "Is he going to lend you his talent?" part with Jeffrey. He was all frantic and looking everywhere as he was going around in the dance formation. It was really funny to watch- he was going crazy and he didn’t realize that a couple of the other ensemble members had seen it and got it and stuff. Silly Raul.
I’m going to miss how Euan pronounces his "R"s. Especially in “disaster.”
Raul and Euan looked so sad in the scene when Euan's getting ready for his interview. Raul just kept touching him and trying to help him and I just loved Raul!Philip so much at that moment. I don't know if Philip was really like that, but it's just so endearing and makes me want to cry. Euan!BG would keep pushing him away and Raul!Philip looked like he was going to cry more and more as he tried to console him and talk to him and make him better. Finally, he just backed off but looked like the pain was both emotional and physical. Wow. This scene always kills me, but it was beyond great on Sunday...
Raul!Philip: Well you may apologize to me- by taking this picture from my good angle.
Euan!BG: Oh thank GOD.
Hehe, Raul and Jeffrey were kind of on the floor together, though briefly.
At curtain call, Raul attacked Cary and jumped on him (second time I've seen him jump on a man when he didn't have to) and then Cary carried him offstage. Made my life, even though it was already made from earlier. Hehe, he's like an allegory.
The matinee was the best performance of Taboo that I’ve ever seen. I kind of wish all the people who I brought to the show could have seen it, but oh well. Maggie absolutely loved it and was looking at Jeffrey’s site this morning instead of doing work. Oh, c’est la Jeffrey.
The last performance was so emotional and surreal. Amanda wrote about everything on her journal, so I’m leaving a lot out and probably repeating a lot, too.
The Last Performance of Taboo
Longest applause ever when Raul first came out. He looked so taken aback and he was just soaking in the moment. We (the audience) would not stop screaming. I got really sad when Raul sang all operatic during "Freak." That's not even on the CDs :(
"Dress to Kill" for the last time- oi. And "Genocide Peroxide." Oi, I hope all that is semi-captured in a video. I love when the ensemble (especially Curtis) dances during the "eeeeevil" of "Genocide Peroxide"- clutching their heads like they're breaking out into evil form. It's so damn cool.
Jeffrey and Raul were adorable again in the scene outside Planets. Raul pretended he was all tough-guy and stood on tiptoe to be tall and tried to be all in Jeffrey’s face. Oh it was so cute I wish I had videotaped it. Joanne said that people were saying that John Travolta was there. I didn’t hear anything about that, but if he were, it’s really sad that Raul didn’t use his “Danny Zuko” line. Aw, and they could have bonded at the stagedoor and like exchanged leather and hair grease stories or somethin’.
After Raul violated Liz, he bowed out of respect to her or something. It was funny. His shirt was audibly rattling. He changed around the notes during the “Just about anything” line so that he hit even higher ones and people screamed even louder.
Euan and Jeffrey hugged really tightly at the end of “Guttersnipe” instead of doing all the goofy stuff they always do. Jeffrey ran over at the end of Act 1 to do the same. So sad…
"They lost their lead singer. Ooh, where did he go?" - Raul!Philip.
Oh I was laughing even into Euan's scene with Cary. You had to be there. Trust me.
I wish the band didn't mess up "Fighting Fit" again... it was the last performance and that was the last chance to hear it live. Oh well.
I don't know why, but Jeffrey just looked especially pretty during "Everything Taboo"...
From "Talk Amongst Yourselves" on, something began dying inside...
In Raul and Euan’s scene right before BG’s interview, they both just looked like they were going to have tears streaming down their faces if they blinked too hard. Their eyes were honestly like little lakes.
I’m going to miss “Petrified” when Raul sings "Take a look at your life, take a look in my eyes" and really looks you in the eyes and you just feel like you're part of what just happened. I totally agree with Amanda- it's always so weird clapping at the end of that song, because it doesn't seem to make sense that you'd clap at something you were a part of. People don't clap in real life when something really hits you hard. I especially remember at the first preview, when that performance came out of nowhere and at the end, I didn't scream- I could barely clap. I was just trying to catch my breath.
In the last "You wait and see," of "Out of Fashion," Raul looked like his whole world was a mess when he sang "you." He didn't growl it like like he sometimes does- it just came off very sad and plaintive. Cary looked over at him at that moment and he mirrored Raul's sadness.
When Raul said "George, I'm glad you're here," he was so close to crying... I can't even explain what that did to me, but the way he said "Don't touch me" was too heartbreaking because he looked like he really wanted a hug and wished that line weren't there that night.
At curtain call, Raul looked like he was too overwhelmed to know how to express it through his face, so he just let his face fall and let his eyes take in the audience and everyone on stage. This, and Jeffrey's face were definitely the saddest facial expressions I've ever witnessed. Jeffrey just reminded me of the line "little old doll with a frown.” Euan's eyes were shining and I felt so terrible for him- this was his life for so long. But he got a lot out of it, and he deserved every bit. Raul backed off the stage slowly while still looking in that sad, gasping-for-air wonder at the audience. He’s so intense like that and that made me all emotional.
But some other news- Colin!Jon! I hope he’s good. Then he can play Raul in a musical about Raul’s life in twenty years. And Raul can play... Sondheim? And it’ll all just be so delightful.
I'm going to miss that bright, huge, almost maniacal smile on Raul's face as the big dance in "Freak" happens, when he's front center. I’ll miss when he struts to the front in his hat and is the diva we all know he is. I'll miss him frantically running back and forth on the stage, screaming things at the audience- half of which aren't even understandable over the music, but nevertheless, still being funny.
I love how Raul recently added in mini-parodies of George and his gestures and Nicola and her panting.
When everyone clapped a long time as Euan made his first entrance, I remembered the first preview when nobody clapped and it was kind of dull. It made me really happy inside knowing that we now all know how amazing he is and we've had the privilege to see such a great talent perform. It sounded like something was wrong with his voice, but he was still great. And he was practically all better by the night performance. When he sings the "On a clear day, I can see myself for miles," I have to catch my breath.
Sarah went “Oops!" when the Leigh Bowery picture fell from her shirt. Johanna said that maybe it was because it was only meant to hook on just right for three months. I wanted to cry.
I cried during “Genocide Peroxide.” Nobody else moves like that! Nobody else smacks boys like that. Nobody else totally sounds like he’s having an orgasm from singing a rock song. Nobody else will ever make that “tragedy queen” face.
Hehe, I love when Euan!BG goes “Oi!” after Marilyn says that he looks like a (bloody) clown. Jeffrey put his entire leg up on Euan!BG’s countertop. Beautiful. As he put it back down, he giggled. Aw.
George!Leigh tried to stamp his foot to the first beat of “I’ll Have Them All,” and as always, it didn’t line up right, so he said, “I’ll never get that right.” Aw. When he was talking to Nathan Peck’s “charitable act of the week” character, he goes “I don’t think there’s anything left to say really. Except… your hair is FIERCE.” Hehe, good one George *high five* Mmm, Bob is really sexy and I can’t believe I didn’t realize this until this week. Seriously, yummy.
The scene right before BG approaches Gary/Marcus outside… oh Raul and Jeffrey are too cute. It’s so obvious that they love each other. Jeffrey fell intentionally and then when Raul said the “juicy” line, Jeffrey made a face like “What the fuck? What are you SAYING, freak?” At Raul’s entrance to “Sexual Confusion,” he did that “Oh! *annoying voice* Hmm! *continues with line*” Silly.
I always think it’s so funny when Raul!Philip is all “George and his terrible twin, Marilyn, had a terrible geeeenius for annoying people.” Who is more annoying than Raul!Philip, seriously? Oh yeah. Jen Cody.
Euan went “Ree-hee-hee-heally?” in response to Brooke’s character at Selfridge’s. TOO FUNNY. The line “Before the universe catches on,” is totally one of the best moments of the first act. I mean you hear Jeffrey’s rumbly, low, indescribable voice and you’re watching him wear *that* dress. I don’t hesitate to say that I’ve never seen anyone, man or woman, look so good in a dress.
THE BRAWL. Alright, so Raul!Philip and Cary!Gary (that just sounds funnier) usually kind of catfight-slap each other once or something when they get into a little fight after Euan says he’ll sing “Do You Really Want To Hurt Me?” instead. Well, this time, Cary!Gary hit Raul!Philip a little harder than usual and I think maybe something got caught onto Raul’s clothing so he was swung over to Cary’s side. So Raul went with it. Raul would NOT stop hitting Cary. Soon they were totally fighting and Cary almost fell over the railing. From the angle I was sitting at, it was really easy to see Raul's face. He looked SO ANGRY. I swear I thought it was real. I really did. He SCREAMED-slash-GROWLED “SOD OFF!” as he stormed off the stage. I thought Cary would have blood on him when he would have to come onstage without his shirt a couple of minutes later… or he just wouldn’t make it there because Raul was waiting to beat him up backstage. I thought Raul was going to be really mean to Cary for the rest of the show.
"Alright, let's do the other one then. Before they ruin my song. Although I could probably do a good job of that myself." - Euan!BG (because he sounded sick. AW! I love him. Don’t deport him.)
Raul dropped his Vivienne Westwood brooch during "Everything Taboo," and so he didn't sing that awesome part right after the "Is he going to lend you his talent?" part with Jeffrey. He was all frantic and looking everywhere as he was going around in the dance formation. It was really funny to watch- he was going crazy and he didn’t realize that a couple of the other ensemble members had seen it and got it and stuff. Silly Raul.
I’m going to miss how Euan pronounces his "R"s. Especially in “disaster.”
Raul and Euan looked so sad in the scene when Euan's getting ready for his interview. Raul just kept touching him and trying to help him and I just loved Raul!Philip so much at that moment. I don't know if Philip was really like that, but it's just so endearing and makes me want to cry. Euan!BG would keep pushing him away and Raul!Philip looked like he was going to cry more and more as he tried to console him and talk to him and make him better. Finally, he just backed off but looked like the pain was both emotional and physical. Wow. This scene always kills me, but it was beyond great on Sunday...
Raul!Philip: Well you may apologize to me- by taking this picture from my good angle.
Euan!BG: Oh thank GOD.
Hehe, Raul and Jeffrey were kind of on the floor together, though briefly.
At curtain call, Raul attacked Cary and jumped on him (second time I've seen him jump on a man when he didn't have to) and then Cary carried him offstage. Made my life, even though it was already made from earlier. Hehe, he's like an allegory.
The matinee was the best performance of Taboo that I’ve ever seen. I kind of wish all the people who I brought to the show could have seen it, but oh well. Maggie absolutely loved it and was looking at Jeffrey’s site this morning instead of doing work. Oh, c’est la Jeffrey.
The last performance was so emotional and surreal. Amanda wrote about everything on her journal, so I’m leaving a lot out and probably repeating a lot, too.
The Last Performance of Taboo
Longest applause ever when Raul first came out. He looked so taken aback and he was just soaking in the moment. We (the audience) would not stop screaming. I got really sad when Raul sang all operatic during "Freak." That's not even on the CDs :(
"Dress to Kill" for the last time- oi. And "Genocide Peroxide." Oi, I hope all that is semi-captured in a video. I love when the ensemble (especially Curtis) dances during the "eeeeevil" of "Genocide Peroxide"- clutching their heads like they're breaking out into evil form. It's so damn cool.
Jeffrey and Raul were adorable again in the scene outside Planets. Raul pretended he was all tough-guy and stood on tiptoe to be tall and tried to be all in Jeffrey’s face. Oh it was so cute I wish I had videotaped it. Joanne said that people were saying that John Travolta was there. I didn’t hear anything about that, but if he were, it’s really sad that Raul didn’t use his “Danny Zuko” line. Aw, and they could have bonded at the stagedoor and like exchanged leather and hair grease stories or somethin’.
After Raul violated Liz, he bowed out of respect to her or something. It was funny. His shirt was audibly rattling. He changed around the notes during the “Just about anything” line so that he hit even higher ones and people screamed even louder.
Euan and Jeffrey hugged really tightly at the end of “Guttersnipe” instead of doing all the goofy stuff they always do. Jeffrey ran over at the end of Act 1 to do the same. So sad…
"They lost their lead singer. Ooh, where did he go?" - Raul!Philip.
Oh I was laughing even into Euan's scene with Cary. You had to be there. Trust me.
I wish the band didn't mess up "Fighting Fit" again... it was the last performance and that was the last chance to hear it live. Oh well.
I don't know why, but Jeffrey just looked especially pretty during "Everything Taboo"...
From "Talk Amongst Yourselves" on, something began dying inside...
In Raul and Euan’s scene right before BG’s interview, they both just looked like they were going to have tears streaming down their faces if they blinked too hard. Their eyes were honestly like little lakes.
I’m going to miss “Petrified” when Raul sings "Take a look at your life, take a look in my eyes" and really looks you in the eyes and you just feel like you're part of what just happened. I totally agree with Amanda- it's always so weird clapping at the end of that song, because it doesn't seem to make sense that you'd clap at something you were a part of. People don't clap in real life when something really hits you hard. I especially remember at the first preview, when that performance came out of nowhere and at the end, I didn't scream- I could barely clap. I was just trying to catch my breath.
In the last "You wait and see," of "Out of Fashion," Raul looked like his whole world was a mess when he sang "you." He didn't growl it like like he sometimes does- it just came off very sad and plaintive. Cary looked over at him at that moment and he mirrored Raul's sadness.
When Raul said "George, I'm glad you're here," he was so close to crying... I can't even explain what that did to me, but the way he said "Don't touch me" was too heartbreaking because he looked like he really wanted a hug and wished that line weren't there that night.
At curtain call, Raul looked like he was too overwhelmed to know how to express it through his face, so he just let his face fall and let his eyes take in the audience and everyone on stage. This, and Jeffrey's face were definitely the saddest facial expressions I've ever witnessed. Jeffrey just reminded me of the line "little old doll with a frown.” Euan's eyes were shining and I felt so terrible for him- this was his life for so long. But he got a lot out of it, and he deserved every bit. Raul backed off the stage slowly while still looking in that sad, gasping-for-air wonder at the audience. He’s so intense like that and that made me all emotional.
But some other news- Colin!Jon! I hope he’s good. Then he can play Raul in a musical about Raul’s life in twenty years. And Raul can play... Sondheim? And it’ll all just be so delightful.