Our journey.
This show is huge, never seen and therefore a unique event.
We prepared our cloths to be back into the 80s. Make-up done. And off we went.
Parked the car at number 31 and walked to the Pleasuredome. There were no flashing light to get your attention, just a lighted card board above the entry.
We were one of the first attendants and got the chance to experience Michael Hurst walk on the balcony of a NY appartment. Olalala! C’est dangereux.
Got interviewed to know our expectations and what we would think it would be.
7pm doors open and off we go into the small underground lane decorated with covers of the old shows and movies from then : Grease, Webster, Miami Vice, 21 Jump Street, etc……. Right turn and there is the NY/Manhattan street where it apparently had been raining. Movie theatre, old NYPD car, hot dog stands, packman game, Peep show, magazine stand, Jazz bar and in the very end…………. The Pleasuredome. The street is in fact also the stage where AshvsEvilDeath has been filmed. So for the fans be aware you walking on dangerous grounds! LOL!
All security and assistance personal were dressed with a red French barret, white T-shirt, suspenders and blue slacks. Fully French style.
My wife ordered an 80s hotdog while I met Robert Tapert. A few meters further on a bench sat Michael Hurst, watching how people came in. All visitors were filmed, probably to record the faces in amazement. Made a nice chat with Michael and then the doors to the Pleasuredome went open.
As VIP ticket holders we could enter immediately however it must be said that in fact everybody could enter so there really was no difference between standard and VIP tickets.
Table 1 seats 1-2 that was straight in front of the stage, well, almost on stage! LOL. But it couldn’t be a better place as you will read further.
Welcome glass Champagne and our starters plate.
8pm. Oops we are running late as only then most of the people were coming in. The show was not sold out.
A little after 8pm lights go off and the stage comes to life. The DJ starts his job (Moses Mackay) and…………….WELCOME TO THE PLEASUREDOME. And what an opening!!!!!!
I immediate thought about the three Xena Faites. That were the 3 first dancers we saw, all dressed up in purple and a devellish three point hat. The 3 Faites, being drag queens were fabulous, followed by the group super-deluxe dancers.
And there was my first proof that I was sitting at the perfect seat. Got interaction with one of the female dancers. I just went along cause that is what is all about and having a great time. Hey, I am a European girl and no layback Kiwi!!
During the show this interaction went on, doing hiphop with a male dancer and getting a nice and profound caress over my shoulders by another female dancer. Yup, the perfect place!
Back at the opening scene : And then a golden colour chariot came on stage with……………….Sappho aka Lucy Lawless, all dressed up in gold and a huge featherly head cover. The Diva and Goddess of The Pleasuredome.
And the story started and continued with amazing 80s songs. I couldn`t sit still all the time. This was food for my dancing nerves. My dancing vibes immediately nourished and brought to the service. Oh, those dragqueens. Dom by nature and name was immediately my favourite.
No pictures allowed because of some nude moments. So sorry, I wish I could have made pictures of the opening and so on.
I loved the soft voice Lucy Lawless was singing with. But Lily played by Ashleigh Taylor, now she was a great singer too. Man this little girl has a perfect voice. She and Sappho were the perfect couple. What an interaction and connection between the two of them
And yes, it was an extra xena episode that never made it to television but what we could experience life now. If Lucy would have dark hair again it definitely would have been a Xena and Gabrielle thing, now finally coming to the moment we all wanted to happen.
I also felt that some fan fiction came to life here.
I was happy surprised by the special effects of Sappho’s darker demon coming to life. Indeed, Sappho and her inner demon came both onto stage. The special effect was super. Watching another Lucy/Sappho on every wall, in a latex outfit and blond curly hair, singing to Sappho on stage ‘Don’t, don’t you want me!’
This effect came back a little bit later with another form of her demon distressing her in her attempt of getting her drug addiction under control.
Ares was to me the drug dealer and the guy really was the man, Vince Harder.
Intermission and time for another drink. Where is our waitress? But no platter that normally should have been presented. Well we deal with that later. Got dessert instead but not the one that was advertised. Well, that we will deal with later on too.
Show continues and the opening of the 2nd part is again huge. And in the 2nd part we are presented with more sexual oriented presentations. Oh yes, it got hotter than the 1st part. But…….hey it was hot the whole time! LOL!
At a certain point I was about to yell ‘Oh no, Rob, not again!’ but………….. The Power of Love conquers everything, even death.
The show is all about being gay, oh yes! Gay as in Gay as in Gay!
I loved Steven Lovatt. That man is a great actor and he puts weight into the story. What a performance.
I would have loved to have a longer story cause this show keeps hanging in my mind day and night.
Before we left The PleasureDome Michael Hurst came to us and asked us about the show. `Thumbs up, Michael!` Michael : `It only will be better!` So that is for sure a reason to go back. This preview was already super so if it going to be better…………….it is going to be SUPPPPERRRRRR!
After the show back into the street and heading for the Jazzy bar (AvE set) and when we came back onto the street our friend the cameraman/interviewer was there asking us for feedback. We learned he and a lot of other people where so happy and appreciated it that we stood up and gave the team a standing ovation at the end of the show. We hit also their topic of interaction. The goal is to have everybody take part in this musical and have a good time. But as they say, NZlanders are soooooo layback. They were so happy that we interacted. So the message for the interview was given. Was it my flashy T-shirt or our faces, anyhow, it gave us a warm feeling being appreciated for what we did. Hence it is the crew on a stage and back stage that got from us the appreciation cause they are the ones to bring us a great story and musical. It are them who bring us back to our good old times with that great music. It are them who brought us into another world.
There we went again before the camera and first of all gave everybody a million thumbs up, thanked everybody. Thanked Robert Tapert and Michael Hurst for this huge event and great idea. Showed our appreciation for Lucy Lawless and Ashleigh Taylor for their great performance and singing. I must say Ashleigh was super, what a voice!
I cannot forget to mention that Ashleigh and Lucy would be a perfect match to make a Xena movie or reboot or a Xena musical. That chemistry was just what it needed to be.
Further we sent our appreciation to the dancing team. Such great group with great dancers. Our friend the cameraman thanked us and…………there was Jadyn, one of the dancers who came to us for a nice chat. Asking how we felt about the show. Got the same warm gratitude for our appreciation. Seems we didn`t go unnoticed, LOL! Hey, we love that! Interaction and participation is what they are looking for. Anyhow, since we are going to attend this show a couple of times Jadyn told us she would spot us. Well, darling, we surely will spot you!
Another funny thing was that just before the 2nd act began our colourful female announcer asked my help to get her on stage. So I play along cause she was immediately in her role and it doesn`t take much for me to go along. Two colourful girls, what more do you want!
Everybody came to us for a chat! It must be writing all over us that we love to chat and connect easily with everybody. We love it!
We had a great evening, in everything!
As you can notice we were overwelmed. I will make a review later on, when everything has sinked it. I tell you the story later on as well cause it was a good story.
PS : There will be merchandise available starting end of week 39, the week were the Grand Opening will take place on 28th September 2017! I want a PleasureDome T-shirt!!!!!!
Martine
