Donmar "Alone Together" DVD -- Michael Ball's One-Man Show

[kec]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 3:39am

Michael Ball's 2001 one-man show at the Donmar Warehouse in London, ALONE TOGETHER, is being released in the U.S. on November 22. It is available through Amazon.com at the link below.

This was a performance like nothing else Michael has done. Basically he tells the life of a performer through songs. Songs from Sondheim, Rodgers and Hammerstein, Irving Berlin,Andrew Lloyd Webber, Guettel and even David Bowie are featured. Act 2 opens in with an amazing 15 minute medley of lines from many different songs that has to been heard to be believed. Highly recommended!
Alone Together

[jo]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 4:56am

It certainly took Amazon.com very long to get this filmed performance, via DVD, over to the other side of the Atlantic.

It won raves from Sheridan Morley and Matt Wolf ( current VARIETY critic in London).

And if you look at the names of composers included in the song list - there are quite a few whose shows are currently enjoying prominence on- and off-Broadway ( Sondheim, Guettel, La Chiusa, Schwartz, ALWebber, etc., even if some are represented only by bits of songs ).

I love some surprise numbers - Padam, Padam ( identified with Edith Piaf), Life on Mars ( Bowie), and some oldtime favourites.

People might also recognize the name of the musical director who devised the show with Michael. It's Jonathan Butterell, who has done some outstanding work on Broadway recently.

I counted the number of songs, half-songs, and bits of songs -- the number comes up to an incredible 65 !!

What a way to tell the story of the life of a performer!
Updated On: 11/10/05 at 04:56 AM

[jem2]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 5:54am

Well alright! Fantastic to see this dvd will be available in the US. What an intriquing piece and what an incredible performer Michael Ball is. He was very powerful in this. I actually saw this show last year as part of the Singular Sensations series in the West End and I was so impressed. They sold the dvd at the theatre but I couldn't have played it at home. So this is great news for a US release! The way these songs were presented to tell a story using songs in non-conventional ways was brilliant. And whoever pieced together that showbiz medley...well! It is amazing! I know what I will be watching Thanksgiving week...besides the parade of course!

[sharon1]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 9:11am

This is "the" show that deserves a Broadway or Off-Broadway run. It is fantastic. A small, intimate venue would be perfect for it. I would so love to see this particular show "live" It just pulls at your heart.
Updated On: 11/10/05 at 09:11 AM

[lna]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 1:02pm

It certainly took Amazon.com very long to get this filmed performance, via DVD, over to the other side of the Atlantic.

jo, it has nothing to do with Amazon; they are only selling it. They had to wait until it was made available in the right format (region 1 in the US, region 2 in the UK).

I'm really glad to hear this; thanks kec!

[jo]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 6:48pm

You're right, Ina ...But what I meant was that since Amazon has been selling a lot of Michael Ball stuff ( and knows the demand for his work) that they could have cajoled HERITAGE THEATRE to release a Region 1 format of ALONE TOGETHER sooner.

Btw, this version was what he performed at The Donmar Warehouse. "Singular Sensations" was a slightly different version ( I understand it was a lighter take on the subject) of the original show.

Updated On: 11/10/05 at 06:48 PM

[AspectsofLoveLover]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 8:52pm

I love Michael Ball. He is hot.He is talented. He should be dating a cute young girl not the girl he is dating now. End of story.

[gecko]

Posted: 11/10/05 at 10:41pm

The performance was originally available on VHS in NTSC format as well as PAL directly from Donmar.

It is a fantastic show, and a little darker than what one typically expects from Michael Ball.