367 posts
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Post by Ade on Apr 26, 2016 18:11:54 GMT
Saw last night. WOW. WE LOVED IT!!! Go and see everyone. Crazy good fun.. Same! That cast deserve to get some good reviews tonight!
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Post by partytentdown on Apr 26, 2016 20:52:07 GMT
I think this show did a weird run somewhere like Toronto fairly recently with the intention of doing a full Broadway run, and this is where the changes were made to the original short Off Broadway version that's on the cast recording. I guess the Broadway transfer never happened.
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357 posts
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Post by JJShaw on Apr 26, 2016 22:02:48 GMT
saw it this afternoon before their press performance, hugely agree its very bat-boy/urinetown/little shop of horrors; although thankfully the design and direction is much much better than southwarks bat-boy.
it was a shame to see it only about 50% full (but it was a tuesday matinee, i saw on the website the other ones are much more full), but the cast are great and its a great silly, rock and roll show with a catchy score.
if you have booked for row a theres a huge chance you're gonna be interacted with at some point!
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Post by liverpool54321 on Apr 27, 2016 16:33:51 GMT
4 star and odd 5 star across the board from what I have seen so far.
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Post by westendcub on Apr 27, 2016 19:22:58 GMT
This is definitely a word of mouth show & those reviews will give it another boost, it won't necessary have every seat sold each night but no doubt over 90% in..I expect like many of their others, come last week it will be hard to get a ticket as its builds its audience!!
My one regret was only deciding & getting a ticket in the 2nd to last week of the 'Carrie' run. Loved it but all of sudden with it ending it sold out meaning I only saw it once!
I really enjoyed this show the other, only a one time for me but I look forward to hearing how others find it on here!
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227 posts
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Post by barelyathletic on Apr 28, 2016 11:35:19 GMT
Have just booked for my other half's birthday on the strength of the reviews and the reaction here. Thank you. Loved Urinetown and Little Shop of Horrors so hoping it will be a great night
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Post by firefingers on Apr 28, 2016 12:04:56 GMT
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148 posts
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Post by geweena on Apr 28, 2016 13:07:38 GMT
Seeing this show was one of the best nights out I have had recently. Super funny and such a hardworking cast. Immediately booked again for next week.
I know it might not be everyone's cup of tea but if you like Urinetown/Bat Boy etc then this should be right up your street. Still humming the first song!
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on Apr 30, 2016 16:55:49 GMT
Crap. I'm front row and I hate audience participation. You really don't need to worry. I hate audience participation as well but I had fun sitting in the front row - you might get touched by a 'blind' girl or get your hands shaken by some cast member, but that's about it. My face was touched all over by a blind librarian and scored a "what the f*** is this?" (her words) - yay And I'm never ever washing my face again.
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4,631 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Apr 30, 2016 22:08:00 GMT
There Michael was you there this afternoon, like I was?
This musicals ticked several boxes for me, unfortunately there was a lot more crosses in other boxes.
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3,472 posts
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Post by showgirl on Apr 30, 2016 22:46:30 GMT
I was at the evening performance today and thought this was an absolute hoot - to my relief, given earlier references to Urinetown, which I hated to the point of leaving at the earliest opportunity, and Batboy, which I didn't see. My closest references would be Little Shop Of Horrors and the Rocky Horror Show, but both long ago and probably not that close.
The songs didn't seem that catchy to me but the show was so lively and funny and the cast of 5 worked so hard that it was great fun - and just the right note on which to end the day after a more serious film and matinee. Only fly in the ointment for me was that the show either overran or was longer than announced (2 hours 5), so I missed my train home, but that's an occupational hazard of theatregoing.
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on May 1, 2016 7:01:04 GMT
There Michael was you there this afternoon, like I was?. Yep, I was seeing yesterday's Matinee. For my final verdict, let me quote those who dance dirty: I've had the time of my life! And I really had. I've never ever laughed that much and hard in a theatre. The show was hilariously funny and completely absurd. The score was great, and I was hugely impressed by the cast; black and white dude were switching roles and costumes that quickly, and the Mayor's/Ma Ferd's duet at the end of act 1 was brilliant. Hannah Grover was superb as blind librarian, and Mark Anderson was a really impressive Toxie. My only regret is that I'm not back in London until this show has closed. Bummer, I'd love to see this show again. The audience reactions were funny to watch: some sat there with a stony face not laughing at all, and others were laughing their ass off. And after the evil Mayor put her toecap on my knee, I'm now madly in love with her For the length of the show, I found the second act too short. Seriously, if you can somehow manage to see this show, do it.
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76 posts
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Post by bingomatic on May 1, 2016 8:13:11 GMT
Brilliant. I challenge anyone, with a modicum of a sense of humour. to go along to the show and not find it hilarious.
Forget about the crazy plot and revel in the switching of roles, slightly offensive lyrics and suspect dialogue (loved the Anne Frank reference but I think a few in the audience took offense)
Came home and buffed up my Oprah signed photo. :-)
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4,369 posts
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Post by Michael on May 1, 2016 8:34:28 GMT
loved the Anne Frank reference but I think a few in the audience took offense) I firstly didn't even get that Sarah was talking about Anne Frank, as I'm used to the German pronunciation, the 'a's as in 'car' and the 'e' not silent, but I, too, loved that reference. Seriously, how can one not find this show funny?
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1,192 posts
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Post by Steve on May 1, 2016 14:51:22 GMT
Seriously, how can one not find this show funny? Seriously probably hasn't seen this yet, but while we wait for an answer, I've got a suggestion. A blind person might not find this funny. I would cringe if a blind person was sitting next to me, having the play audio-described ('the blind girl drops her cane and falls on her face, scrabbles around desperately looking for it; big laugh from the audience'). Can you imagine the embarrassment of producers if a blind girl asked to audition, because there aren't many parts for blind people, and she heard there was a role for a blind girl? Would the producers tell her that, in fact, the role is for a seeing person to make fun of blind people's disabilities, by repeatedly spilling tea and sugar, and dropping her cane, so she can crawl around the floor helplessly while sighted people laugh at how funny it is that she takes ages and ages to find her cane? Or would they give her the part, so that we can get some edgy laughs out of the fact that a real blind person is game enough to make fun of her own blindness? I was laughing myself at the blind antics, and while I felt a bit of a bad person, that actually made it funnier, because there is a second tier of laughs to the blind jokes. The first tier is that it is funny to see the blind girl make like Gene Hackman in Young Frankenstein; the second tier is the comic surprise at the outrageousness of being given permission to laugh communally at this caricature of disability, at the relief that we won't be censured by society for laughing, and that we won't lose our jobs. The fact that there are two layers of laughter marks 2016, as a moment, like previous historical moments, such the moment when slave owners realised what they were doing was wrong, but before anybody made them feel bad about it, or the moment when Bernard Manning fans realised his racism was cruel and thoughtless, but before society stepped in to condemn it. Simply put, in 2016, we can feel free to laugh at disabilities, though we know it's "not pc." In the future, people may look at at Joe DiPietro as a bad person for making jokes out of disabilities, or maybe in the future, people will be guiltlessly watching gladiators fight to the death for entertainment, without condemnation or censure. Who knows? The point is, this is one of those rare moments we become aware of our historical moment.
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Post by Steve on May 1, 2016 15:34:20 GMT
I laughed throughout, though for me, this is not as good as Southwark's previous zany comedy musicals. For sheer mindless silliness, "Xanadu" was the funniest musical I've seen lately, and the one I would most like to see again, preferably with the same cast. "The Toxic Avenger" falls into the subgenre of musicals about "Outsiders who hurt people, because they themselves have been hurt." The titans of the genre are "Sweeney Todd," and of course, the more po-faced "Phantom of the Opera." At Southwark, we recently had "Batboy" and "Carrie.". I enjoyed all of the above more than "The Toxic Avenger," because I have a taste for pathos, and this show is pathos-free. This show is also amoral, not merely because it conjures comedy out of disabilities, but also because "The Toxic Avenger" has no excuse for the murder he commits, which is retroactively justified by a joke. Zany amorality is funny because it doesn't conform to society's expectations, and this is a very zany comedy, mostly wall to wall jokes, sight gags and camp. Where this production really scores is in it's performances, which are so light, camp, and funny that you can forgive the show everything. The highlight, for me, was "Evil is Hot," a number which reflects the show's amorality, but also the truth, as nothing is hotter than temptation. And Lizzii Hills is wild in this number, as her character, the Mayor, seduces Professor Ken (Ashley Samuels) to further her plans to exterminate Toxie. Samuels is an excellent foil, and has a terrific voice, which means this song, emblematic of the show, is a rocking rolling raunchy abandoned showstopper. Lizzii Hills immediately goes on to sing the notorious "Bitch/Slut/Liar/Whore," which prolongs her shining moment in the spotlight, as she gets to do her bravura quick-change routine as well as both her comedy exaggerated characterisations at the same time. Yep, I'm in love with Lizzii Hills. Hannah Grover is hilarious as the incredibly non-pc Oprah-worshipping clumsy blind girl, so sexually frustrated she is perpetually on the verge of exploding, but who nonetheless maintains standards about ugly people. Yes, non-pc. Marc Pickering, as "the White Dude," plays half the inhabitants of the town, and offers the standout male performance in the show. There is not one comically exaggerated caricature that he plays that he does not make significantly funnier by knowing facials expressions, or quirky bodily movements. Overall, despite yearning for the more benign charismatic sillness of "Xanadu," and/or the eloquent pathos of "Carrie" and "Batboy," I felt the show offered enough camp and electric comic performance to be worth seeing. 3 and a half stars
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2016 16:38:24 GMT
I like to think i have a great sense of humour, and will be the first to laugh at something that isn't PC or twisted, but it never works for me in a musical. I was probably the only person here to not like Xanadu either. I cant say why exactely.... it always seems forced, like panto where you're expected to participate.
I prefer some depth or meaning to lyrics.... god that sounds so pretentious! Hahaha!
Maybe i'm just a miserable old git...
Roll on Side Show in October. I've already booked for 3 performances
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Post by BurlyBeaR on May 1, 2016 20:28:09 GMT
I like to think i have a great sense of humour, and will be the first to laugh at something that isn't PC or twisted, but it never works for me in a musical. I was probably the only person here to not like Xanadu either. I cant say why exactely.... it always seems forced, like panto where you're expected to participate. I prefer some depth or meaning to lyrics.... god that sounds so pretentious! Hahaha! Maybe i'm just a miserable old git... Roll on Side Show in October. I've already booked for 3 performances God I loved Xanadu. So much. I can't believe there isn't a tour in that show. Smaller studio spaces around the country, it would go down a bloody treat in Manchester for sure. Im really annoyed I didn't plan to come down for Toxic now. It sounds right up my alley. Grrr.
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Post by showgirl on May 2, 2016 3:37:15 GMT
I didn't like Xanadu either and, perhaps just my perception, but even the audience somehow made me feel excluded from the outset, as if I wasn't one of them, or the show wasn't for me. I somehow had the feeling that I was like an invisible gatecrasher at a private party - maybe that's why so many people kept talking over me or shoving past as if I wasn't there!
I didn't sense any of that at Toxic Avenger; it felt more as though anyone could go, see it for her/himself and then decide. Maybe people were more familiar with Xanadu so had greater expectations or a sense of ownership which they haven't with this?
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Post by paplazaroo on May 4, 2016 8:52:48 GMT
This is SO FRICKIN GOOD! Man I haven't just sat and enjoyed a show without picking out its flaws and derivatives in such a long time so when a show like this surprises you and makes you feel like a kid again it's awesome. It's not the most lyrically refined show but it is so confident and expertly directed, there isn't an opportunity missed in design, direction or cast. I preferred this to Mormon, if you're on the fence do yourself a favour and book!
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1,103 posts
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Post by mallardo on May 7, 2016 17:50:47 GMT
I just reread Steve's astute critique (^) and there's no denying the show is pathos-free but, Steve, it has to be. Pathos would be an unwelcome intruder into this particular mix. You can't have a meta-musical like this weighed down by a single moment of emotional reality. It's all about the absurdity of the form. The biggest laugh of the performance came from the Anne Frank joke, arguably the most tasteless moment in the show. But, in this case, it was fine, it was acceptable, because the rules had been established. We're going to laugh at everything! My favourite song was "Thank God She's Blind", a number which sums up the moral anarchy.
Star of the proceedings, for me, was Hannah Grover as Sarah the blind librarian, with her extendable white cane, probably because, on top of her great voice and impeccable comic timing, she is incredibly hot. I wouldn't say that about an actress in another show but in this case I feel I have permission.
Everybody's great and everybody, as has been noted, "works their socks off". Director Benji Sperring has caught the spirit of the piece and, to his credit, gone with it. No reservations, no holding back. Loved it.
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Post by Steve on May 7, 2016 23:10:19 GMT
there's no denying the show is pathos-free but, Steve, it has to be. Pathos would be an unwelcome intruder into this particular mix. You can't have a meta-musical like this weighed down by a single moment of emotional reality. It's all about the absurdity of the form. The biggest laugh of the performance came from the Anne Frank joke, arguably the most tasteless moment in the show. But, in this case, it was fine, it was acceptable, because the rules had been established. We're going to laugh at everything! My favourite song was "Thank God She's Blind", a number which sums up the moral anarchy. Star of the proceedings, for me, was Hannah Grover as Sarah the blind librarian, with her extendable white cane, probably because, on top of her great voice and impeccable comic timing, she is incredibly hot. I wouldn't say that about an actress in another show but in this case I feel I have permission. Everybody's great and everybody, as has been noted, "works their socks off". Director Benji Sperring has caught the spirit of the piece and, to his credit, gone with it. No reservations, no holding back. Loved it. Mallardo, You're right about the pathos, of course. It's just I have a taste for it in musicals, since music has a shortcut to the heart if it wants it. If it's going to be laughs only, though, I'd rate this higher if it had more of them, like Mischief Theatre's (only partly musical) new show, which piles them so high, it's staggering. Also, laughing at other people (in standup, the line typically starts "Don't you just hate. . . " though here, it's more about the anticipation of what faux-pas a blind person will make next), is generally easier than what Mischief Theatre do, which is find a way to get comedic surprises without shooting at easy targets. I respect an attempt to break taboos and laugh at everybody and everything, moving the audience into a bold liberated artistic space, but I'd say that, whereas writers like Trey Parker and Matt Stone actually achieve that, this show actually keeps it's targets fairly narrow. "Urinetown" and "Shock Treatment" are examples of camp pathos-free laughs-only musicals that I rate more highly than this show, just because they so intelligently hit society, and musical lovers, hard where it hurts, with a mirror to all our foibles. This show is just dumb fun, and not quite as much fun as it could be. Despite that, this was close to a 4 star show for me, as "Evil is Hot" and "Bitch/Slut" are great songs, the performers really were very funny, and the tone was just right for what it was. Maybe I should just let my hair down more, and not be the sole person gasping at the Anne Frank joke lol!
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Post by Kenneth_C on May 8, 2016 3:06:34 GMT
If it's going to be laughs only, though, I'd rate this higher if it had more of them, like Mischief Theatre's (only partly musical) new show, which piles them so high, it's staggering. To each his or her own. I saw both TOXIC AVENGER and BANK ROBBERY on the same day last week, and laughed longer & harder throughout TOXIC. There are many brilliant bits in BANK ROBBERY but parts were just not as funny (to me) as they were obviously intended to be. Whereas I found TOXIC to be consistently hilarious. Personally I'll take TOXIC'S one-woman/two-character "Bitch/Slut/Liar/Whore" over BANK ROBBERY'S one-man/three-character fight scene any day.
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Post by partytentdown on May 10, 2016 19:06:38 GMT
Any chance of an extension? I get the feeling this hasn't had quite the sell out success as similar stuff at the SP, but I'd love to catch it again
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4,592 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on May 11, 2016 21:34:32 GMT
Slut/bitch/liar/whore
Such a fun night out at the theatre. Full praise goes out to the cast who work their stockings off. Such fun. My friends and I had a blast
It's not the best written show but the production and cast are totally brilliant. Totally recommend. Go go go
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Post by partytentdown on May 21, 2016 8:16:05 GMT
Genuinely have never seen an audience reaction like the one last night at The Toxic Avenger. A prolonged standing ovation... eventually the band reprised the playout music, and even later the cast re-appeared (half out of costume) looking genuinely surprised to be back and bowing again. Has this been happening all along? I saw it in previews and it got nowhere near this sort of reaction. But saying that, it has tightened up massively in the month or so since I saw it. Possibly hardest working cast in London?!
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Post by firefingers on May 21, 2016 10:40:52 GMT
Genuinely have never seen an audience reaction like the one last night at The Toxic Avenger. A prolonged standing ovation... eventually the band reprised the playout music, and even later the cast re-appeared (half out of costume) looking genuinely surprised to be back and bowing again. Has this been happening all along? I saw it in previews and it got nowhere near this sort of reaction. But saying that, it has tightened up massively in the month or so since I saw it. Possibly hardest working cast in London?! Judging by this tweet from the producer, doesn't sound like a usual occurrence.
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Post by liverpool54321 on May 21, 2016 12:31:38 GMT
Going to see it 2nd time this afternoon. In front row again so taking lens cloth so I can see 2nd half in case I get mauled again by the blind lady! Will also be interested to see how much has changed as originally saw 2nd show.
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462 posts
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Post by djdan14 on May 21, 2016 18:17:57 GMT
Going to see it 2nd time this afternoon. In front row again so taking lens cloth so I can see 2nd half in case I get mauled again by the blind lady! Will also be interested to see how much has changed as originally saw 2nd show. I was there this afternoon too and LOVED it! Did you receive any attention from the blind lady again?
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153 posts
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Post by liverpool54321 on May 21, 2016 20:37:56 GMT
Going to see it 2nd time this afternoon. In front row again so taking lens cloth so I can see 2nd half in case I get mauled again by the blind lady! Will also be interested to see how much has changed as originally saw 2nd show. I was there this afternoon too and LOVED it! Did you receive any attention from the blind lady again? No! I think they took pity on me. Got the next target look but then they moved to the end of the row. They didn't spend as much time today on that section. I thought the the show had really tightened up since seeing it at start of previews. At least I now know the vibrator mishap in the preview was not meant to happen. Shame as will remain the stand out moment for me. I wonder if this will ever see the light of day again soon. Fully deserves a short west end run but not sure where as need the close connection with audience for it to really work.
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