Opening Night - Gielgud

Absolutely. It'll be the perception of copying Sunset that'll be the killer, especially in the way it's done. In Sunset, Tom Francis managed to navigate the entire backstage area, stairs, other cast members, complicated visual jokes, cues and all, and hoof it around the outside of the building whilst singing the title number flawlessly. Here, Sheridan does a meandering drunk impression on the pavement that goes on way too long whilst a cast member improvises variations on a barked leave-her-she-has-to-do-it-herself line over and over. It looks like they copied the idea and did it badly.

Well, in for the final preview.

As other posters have mentioned, it is, as with many a musical flop before it, the book that is to blame here.

The performances are great, considering the mind bending, indecipherable to follow, or care, scipt they’re working with.

The film chats Myrtle’s descent in a much clearer fashion, for all its faults. But here you get conflicting accounts, from Myrtle, and those around her, as to the state of her mind. Is she breaking down? Or is she okay?

And because of the failure of the script to chart this clear descent, the audience are both baffled and disconnect. We had leavers at the interval, and two in the second half.

There seems to be a lot of unecessary “worry” about Sheridan. Why did she choose this when her “audiences” would want her to do something more popular/less challenging? Well because she’s a damn good actress who wants to push her boundaries. She won’t have walked into a stage version of Opening Night thinking the outcome would be simple or “nice” for the audience.

It won’t close early because the producers, despite the impending bad reviews which we all know are coming, won’t want the extra egg on their faces. People will return their tickets, but the majority won’t.

The actress playing the young fan was excellent and actually bought a level of drama to the proceedings which is lacking in almost every other scene.

If Time Out guy is getting giddy on Twitter re the show, it probably means he’ll love the daring.

I would rather the daring and a flop, than no daring at all. Which is where I’m conflicted here. They’ve offered up the punters something not often seen in the West End, which is a great thing.

Unfortunately, they’ve killed the whole event and potential to open new doors to musical going audiences with an interesting story terribly, terribly told.

I wish them luck tonight. Even though they must have no doubt what they’re in for.

Exactly! 

Why are so many shows doing stuff on camera now. I know it works for backdrops or scenes can be inserted. Even for the Sarah Snook Dorian Gray having her seen close up would emphasize the different characters. But Sheridan going outside midshow and being filmed is a new one. What if something was kicking off outside when it came to this part of the show or some YouTube prankster decided to do something. She'll have some security to watch her and the camera crew but it is a recipe for disaster IMO.

How well did the show pre-sell on Sheridan's name as that may protect it for a bit?

But Tom Francis isn’t a star, Sheridan Smith is one of the most recognisable entertainers in the country.

I think Sheridan Smith is the bees knees lol.

She was SO good in Shirley Valentine. I can't think of a single actress who could have done it so brilliantly: so relatable, so funny! Just magnificent.

2 minutes to go.

Good luck everyone.

I've seen at least two one stars already, one five star. So definitely polarising, to say the very least

3* Independent
1* Standard
4* Guardian

4* time out

www.timeout.com/london/theatre/opening-night-review

A-threestar in The Guardian has given it an uncharacteristic 4* AND cleared up the meaning of the red curtain for us all:

“a central sheer red curtain that captures the razzle of the theatre but also implicates our culture of celebrity voyeurism.”

Everyone get that?

4* in the Daily Fail.