1418 - A Spectacular Musical!

[finalencore]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 5:06pm

Hello fellow theatre lovers,

Long time lurker and infrequent poster here!

A week ago I went to Belgium to watch my friend in the English language production of new Flemish musical '14-18' about the First World War and WOW, just WOW.

The whole production is out of this world, the audience actually move forward and backwards during the show to create these epic scenes and then these intimate moments. There's a cast of I guess around 150 adding to the spectacle.
The show itself was just beautiful, huge, epic sweeping melodies, the score is the best I've heard in years, composed by Emmy award winner Dirk Brosse. I fund some footage of the show and you can listen to it on Spotify in Flemish.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=275BAi8mnI0

My friend mentioned talk of future English performances depending on reaction over here, but no one else seems to know of it! So I'm being a good friend and shamelessly trying to get it out there. It really is stunning.

Hope you love it as much as I do!

K.



1418 musical

[jonahke]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 10:43am

2 weeks before the opening they invited the press for a small preview. During this preview they showed the press the opening scene of the show. The only thing I can say is WOW, this looks so amazing/big

Watch the opening scene: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m75ImoH9Cgk

Updated On: 6/23/14 at 10:43 AM

[finalencore]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 2:21pm

Thanks so much for sharing that footage, I hadn't seen that! Nothing can prepare you for the real thing though, it's phenomenal.
I urge everyone who can to go see this show or at least listen to the gorgeous score and learn more about it.

Let's hope for an English language future.

[philitalia]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 7:01am

14-18, please not "1418", and Soldaat van Oranje in Holland before that, are giving new meaning to the term MEGA-musical, ... but I'm not sure they would find a big international audience due to their very "local" story-lines. Not sure how to describe it otherwise.

PS. 14-18 has got an excellent creative team, but it annoys me that on their website it says the English version is with a London cast. What London cast ???









Updated On: 6/24/14 at 07:01 AM

[finalencore]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 9:39am

Oh, is there a way I can edit 1418 to 14-18? I'm not good with forums!
Thanks for the information about 'Soldaat van Oranje' looks wonderful too, I shall look into it.

As an English person in the audience I still felt connected to the characters, although set in Belgium, it's about universal emotions and a War experienced by so many different nations. Although set during the War, the themes of love and loss I think are relateable internationally.

The English version was with a London cast, the ensemble were from the original Flemish production but the principals were re-cast as follows:

Jan: Rob Eyles
Albert: Bert Verbeke
Fons: Danny Whitehead
Kamiel: Jonathan Broderick
Celine: Sarah Dungworth
Anna: Kayleigh McKnight
General: Dirk Bosschaert
Sergeant Dedecker: Luke Hope
Deprez: Lawrence Sheldon


The actors playing Albert and the General are also in the Flemish production but their English was perfect.

[philitalia]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 10:07am

Thanks for that list. I'm glad you enjoyed it.
I still have to go and see it, but I'm not really convinced so far.
It seems to be a huge succes though.
If you get the chance go and see Soldaat van Oranje in Holland (I think it's only in Dutch though).
http://www.soldaatvanoranje.nl/
You can see where they got the idea for "14-18" from.

By the way, the show's website also uses "1418", but it's wrong. In my language and country World War 1 is commonly referred to as "14-18". Maybe I'm too sensitive about it, but I think the producers should at least have the respect to refer to that period in the correct way.

My objection with the term "London cast" is because there is no such thing as a London cast. Maybe they have hired actors who live in London or who have performed in the WestEnd, but that doesn't make it a London Cast.

Dirk Brossé is a fantastic conductor/composer though





Updated On: 6/24/14 at 10:07 AM

[jonahke]

Posted: 6/24/14 at 5:34pm

Maybe it's not really the same, but Les Miz is only located in France and this production is still a big hit and the German musical 'Elisabeth' (Sissi) is in Europe and Japan also a big hit.

So I don't think that the location of the main 'event' really matters for a production, as long as the story is good and the characters recognizable. Updated On: 6/25/14 at 05:34 PM

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 6/25/14 at 5:45am

News story below. The dearth of on-line coverage of this is really quite striking, so thanks for posting. I'll be passing by on my way to the Soldier of Orange in August, might stop by for this one en route, if it's still running!

http://www.pri.org/stories/2014-06-23/would-world-war-i-musical-belgium-play-well-broadway-producers-hope-so

[finalencore]

Posted: 6/29/14 at 3:02pm

For those interested, This has just been put online, some lovely footage and interviews with the English language cast, check it out!

http://vimeo.com/99433020

As you can see it's breathtaking, let me know your thoughts!

K

[cptjack2]

Posted: 7/20/14 at 11:06am

Today will be the last performance of the current run, but the show will return in September for another limited run. Unfortunately no English performances have been announced (yet), so all tickets are for the Flemish version only.

[jonahke]

Posted: 7/20/14 at 4:09pm

I saw this production yesterday and I was blown away and had goosebumps during the whole show. The only thing I can say about it is WOW. The music is so Beautiful and the decor and (special) effects are amazing. Btw, there will be a DVD of this production so everyone can enjoy the show.

[jonahke]

Posted: 3/5/15 at 1:53pm

There are now several videos on Youtube with English cast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VxegFaaQVRE
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9eUDS-Ss_I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hpCgtQ6nP70

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 3/20/15 at 12:34pm

Watched the DVD the other day, which was hugely enjoyable, but no English subs. Pity, given they went to all that trouble to produce an English text.

Updated On: 3/20/15 at 12:34 PM

[skeetshooter]

Posted: 4/17/15 at 1:58am

Geez, guys.  You had me all interested that someone had done all this historic research into 1418 and I was trying to think what the hell happened that year...the fall of Byzantium, the Black Death, what?

Then you go and 14-18 me.