Promises, Promises @ Southwark Playhouse (from Jan 2017)

There are always things to iron out in previews...but this one has A LOT of problems. 2 star reviews if papers are being honest (unlike with BILB that was horrendous and somehow got raves...)

Its amazing how opinions can differ so widely about what I thought was a great show. Anyway if you are thinking of going , don't be put off by the negative comments. I have seen hundreds of shows and this compares with most. Its a great piece of theatre. Good score and it makes you laugh too with great performances by all the cast.

Now I have a dilemma, as I am due to see it this week and had already run out of patience with disappointing musicals at this venue (most of which of late I have either sat through doggedly or left at the interval), to the extent that I simply didn't go to the last, wasting my ticket cost, and swore not to book any more.

So this was the last one I'd booked for and I was already concerned by the long running time which has been mentioned; now there are some adverse reports above.

I know theatreian counsels us not to be deterred by the negative comments but there are so many other productions I want to see, all of which have a much shorter run, so I'm wondering whether I would do better to ditch this and make other plans while I still can.

If it's booked already why would you pour money down the drain? It's not as bad as some reports, it's just one evening. I'd go.

Saw this yesterday and enjoyed it; I think some of the criticism is excessive- it's a pleasant enough show, without being breathtakingly good.
Most of the problems with it come from the material, which is terribly dated in tone, and for me was just a little too inappropriate, and dark at times, to allow for the charming, whimsical show I was expecting. The score was a bit disappointing, not Bacharach & David's finest work, with the odd exception. I found A Young Pretty Girl Like You particularly uncomfortable.
The two main leads are great, and the rest of the cast good. Loved Alex Young in the bar scene.
It's VERY long (3 hours) and the transitions become a bit tedious. But Act 2 is good, so stick with it.
On balance OK, I certainly would check it out if you haven't already.
I didn't get that Casablanca reference either!

I suppose it is dated, as is The Apartment, the movie it's based on, in the logistical sense - it's much easier to find a place to have sex after work these days.  And the men-on-the-prowl tone comes with all that.  But the hero's predicament, his willingness to be used while trying to balance infatuation with ambition, is, IMO, very strong and well worked out in the course  of the story.  Yes, it's an apparently pleasant musical with a dark cynical heart which is one of the reasons I have always liked it.  I'm seeing this production later in the week and looking forward to it.

Eugh!

I saw it years ago in Sheffield and didn't like as a piece so I'm staying well clear - plus paying the credit card post Crimbo !

i saw it yesterday matinee, so the final preview and i did enjoy it but goodness me a 3 hour musical is a lot! While it dint drag it did make me restless when we were reaching the ends of each act which is a shame.

I saw in the programme Say A Little Prayer and House Is Not A Home (Reprise) were listed but not performed, have they now been cut since the programmes were made I'm assuming?

I enjoyed the show very much, Chuck's constant talks to the audience were sometimes grating but it was a very enjoyable show with a great score (not sure what the ES were listening too but i loved it!) Always impressive to see how much set they're storing in the SP, and i liked the projections and nods to movies i.e the ends of each act with it circling to black.

For me, another great musical at SP but they need to be much zippy-er, especially the first 15/20 mins which could have been slicked up much more! lets get the running time down to a reasonable hour please!!

I believe that Say a Little Prayer and House is not a Home are not in the original score, but were added for the Broadway revival a few years back. So if you cut anything, I guess it makes sense to cut those.

I can't recall if 'House is not a home (Reprise)' was in the show when I saw it, it closed Act 1 and just can't recall if the reprise happened in Act 2 but I think cutting 'Say a Little Prayer' is a shame, that was performed in the preview I saw and was one of it better moments.

It was a better moment but I do remember thinking it wasn't really in context. Seemed. Like they crowbarred it in. Now they've crowbarred it out again. 

The songs are below par for that duo, IMHO. .

House is not a Home was in Act One when I watched the final preview yesterday matinee, no reprise though.
No sign of Say a Little Prayer at all.
Never Fall in Love Again was wonderful.
The only other one I knew was Turkey Lurkey Time, I think the less said about that, the better...

Was three hours for us, although may have gone up 5-10 mins late.