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The Musicals/Stage Productions Topic!!!

Burbs said:
News from the West End this week is that Frozen, currently playing at Theatre Royal Drury Lane, is going to be closing in September this year. That would mean the production has *only* played for 3 years - I’d have thought it was going to be on for years to come, and especially strange that they don’t push on to Christmas.

I went to see it last year and really enjoyed it. Technically it’s very impressive, and it doesn’t feel like it drags on too long. However it’s a massive show that would presumably have to be scaled down if, say, it was to tour. The wing and stage space at the Lane is enormous (you could practically fit another full set of Frozen behind it), and enables them to perform some of the clever tricks, which without them the show wouldn’t be anywhere near as magical.
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I was a bit floored by it too, but I guess it just wasn't financially viable, they are allowing schools to compete for the staging rights though. This second bit shocked me because I can't think of another West End show that has gone straight into educational licensing, rather than touring, in my lifetime.

www.theguardian.com

Disney’s Frozen musical to close in the West End – but open in UK schools

The show’s run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane will end in September but British schools can then compete to stage it
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com

Any speculation as to what might be replacing it?

I'm very much looking forward to seeing John Godber's "Do I Love You?" at the end of the month, I do have a soft spot for his writing.
 
GooseOnTheLoose said:
Any speculation as to what might be replacing it?
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No idea, but given the size of the venue and the calibre of shows they get in, it’ll be something major!
rob666 said:
Frozen has been very out of fashion with the young people who used to love it...
Yesterday's fad apparently.
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You say this but there didn’t seem to be any big issues with ticket sales, and usually if a show isn’t selling they’ll really push the promo for a while before pulling it completely, which hasn’t seemed to have happened.
 
Burbs said:
No idea, but given the size of the venue and the calibre of shows they get in, it’ll be something major!

You say this but there didn’t seem to be any big issues with ticket sales, and usually if a show isn’t selling they’ll really push the promo for a while before pulling it completely, which hasn’t seemed to have happened.
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Disney famously, like Apple, never discount their own product though, do they?
 
Saw a friends production of SUS at the weekend, just a play with three actors. Really powerful and hard hitting.

Come From Away up next for me in March.
 
Tom Holland on the West End is interesting. He's a good actor with good range. I get the feeling he's trying to separate himself from his Spider-Man fame, so hopefully this works out for him. Tickets will no doubt sell out quickly.

I recently watched Peter Pan Goes Wrong at Wales Millennium Centre in Cardiff.

I really enjoyed it. Great laughs, and it was wonderful to watch from the technical perspective (so much has to go right in order for it to go wrong). My only criticism would be that some gags were a bit too long drawn out. Loved the pre-show shenanigans.

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Come From Away

Just opened in Liverpool as part of its UK tour. Telling the story of Gander, Newfoundland, its inhabitants and the 7,000 plane people who called it home when their planes were diverted there after US airspace was closed after the events of 9/11.

An absolute tremendous musical with a cast flipping between playing locals and travellers trying to deal with the situation.

Catchy tunes, funny, sad, and moving.

Absolutely whips along at about 100 minutes and no interval.

IMG_20240313_140108.jpg

I'm cheap so went for the back row of the circle, cost me £14.
 
Book of mormons.

We went to see this on Broadway last Saturday. My lord did this make me laugh. Couple of Mormons went to my school, although I would never laugh at a person belief, they do fascinate me.

One of the ticket tout people on times square wouldn't even talk to us after we said that was the production we wanted to see. A few others declared "it's crass" and it's beautifully so. Never got into south park, so was doubting if this could make me laugh. Special mention to the 80 year old American lady say next to Mrsslugjc who was in tears.

Glorious.
 
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Slugjc said:
Book of mormons.

We went to see this on Broadway last Saturday. My lord did this make me laugh. Couple of Mormons went to my school, although I would never laugh at person belief. Errr this did.

One of the ticket tout people on times square wouldn't even talk to us after we said that was the production we wanted to see. A few others declared "it's crass" and it's beautifully so. Never got into south park, so was doubting if this could make me laugh. Special mention to the 80 year old American lady say next to Mrsslugjc who was in tears.

Glorious.
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I went to see Book of Mormon in London on my 25th birthday in 2017 with Mike, Diogo, Hils, and Ashlee. Honestly don't think I'd laughed at a show quite so much for an incredibly long time up to that point - was absolutely hilarious. I'd dearly love to take my parents to see it and look at their faces during 'Hasa Diga Eebowai'... :p
 
Book Of Mormon is fantastic, went to see it in 2019 in Manchester and 2022 in Liverpool.

Think it works so well as it never actually mocks Mormons or their religion. It just tells you about it, and it's contradictions which leads to the comedy.

Was made up in America the other year when staying in the mid West, opened the bedside table draw to see The Bible, and The Book of Mormon. All three of the testaments.
 
So then, think we should mention Starlight Express is returning to London very soon and IIRC many Londeners of a certain age have fond memories of that show which I'll admit I have a soft spot for and the fact we are getting a purpose built roller rink is exciting to see compared to the rather cheap touring version I saw.

Although, the show has sadly been butched the worst out of ALW's musicals over the years with dropped songs and characters for the best part of 40 years so who knows what this version will be like. For those who have seem it, any version that was your practical favourite?
 
Saw Frozen last week. It was about as excited as you could possibly get my five year old, and that excitement was well placed. It's a stunning show, the effects, the costumes, the projection mapping, it is all properly magical. The dress moment is quite inexplicable to me, to a child it is (in her words) real life magic.

Elsa has the big number, she is supposed to be the star, but it Anna's show. That actress is utterly incredible and she steals every scene she's in. I looked her up after and it's her first job out of stage school. Crazy. She mist be a big name in the future.

I have never seen an audience as keen to stand and clap and not stop clapping at the end of a show. I know frozen is a little less relevant that it was, and that it is in a massive hard to fill theatre, but it is pretty mental, and a shame, that a show this good is closing.
 
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I look forward to seeing new Starlight. Got to see it in it's final years in London.
I know there have been many changes over the years. But I think the replacement of "Poppa" with "mamma" is negligible. Just wish I can see it in the German arena some day, as at this point it is clearly the definitive version.

For me though, Electra will always steal the show, with "their" entrance song and lasers. :p
As long as it's a Health and safety nightmare, it will be Starlight.
 
DiogoJ42 said:
I look forward to seeing new Starlight. Got to see it in it's final years in London.
I know there have been many changes over the years. But I think the replacement of "Poppa" with "mamma" is negligible. Just wish I can see it in the German arena some day, as at this point it is clearly the definitive version.

For me though, Electra will always steal the show, with "their" entrance song and lasers. :p
As long as it's a Health and safety nightmare, it will be Starlight.
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The worst change was when it was retooled in 1992 was the removal of CB in which while Greaseball might be a jerk and Electra is a diva, it is CB though who is the linchpin for the plot as the true villain as the psychopath breakvan who causes destruction for no reason other than laughs. And they say this show is for kids.

Yes, CB has returned but nowhere near his true villainous persona as pre 1992. Plus, Electra's epic villainous breakdown song 'No Comeback' is one I wished would come back but that's likely just me.
 
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Word is that Lego are going to announce a new rnge of sets based on Wicked.

Unfortunately, they will feature Friends style minidolls, rather than proper minifigs.
 
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