Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - 2024

Oh, i got so excited when I saw “Secret Garden” listed until I read the description.

What an utter snooze-fest.

It looks like a play, yeah.

My sentiments exactly (haha)

There really was more excitement for that random photo they posted a few months ago than to anything they actually announced today.

His approach to programming the Park has been interesting to say the least and directorial choices have certainly been questionable at times. I’m actually quite concerned by what he might do at the Donmar given that’s a very different audience to OAT and with the ACE cuts the venue faced, it could end up being very rocky indeed

Good point. It will be a big step up going to the Donmar. He’s no Michael Longhurst, Sam Mendes, Michael Grandage or Josie Rourke.

His brand (I would use a ruder word if I could) won’t fly there. The sponsors, donors and audience won’t stand for it. There is an expectation of quality.

I think we are in pretty much universal agreement the last few seasons at the OAT have been a dark age for the venue. The new programme is - on paper - pretty dire. And I’m sure he knows this.

Maybe he has something up his sleeve?

I fear for the Donmar!

These are bad choices in current events. Mostly because we neeeeeed to be entertained. La Cage did that.

I won't be visiting next year!

I would say Fiddler can he entertaining too, like many of the musicals of that era it has lighter and darker moments.

Twelfth Night isn't exactly a heavy show either.

To not do Fiddler because of its Jewish story would be deeply problematic.

I don't think it's lazy to do a musical just because it was done elsewhere especially considering the Open Air is very different to the Menier. 

Also, there is also a chance they can't get the rights to other musicals and to be blunt some simply won't sell.

That's not what I'm saying, though. I'm saying it feels lazy to not look outside the box when staging a new revival. The Menier is actually quite good at doing just that - look at The Boy Friend, or Bridges or Madison County; as is the Donmar - e.g. the covid-victim City of Angels, Band's Visit or the (now transferring) Next to Normal.

I just personally feel like the Open Air doesn't bother looking for something different with their revivals. It feels like they settle on something recognisable and trust it's enough that the space/approach is different - and I personally feel that's not very exiting. I'm sorry, but I also don't believe for a moment it's to do with rights. Highly likely it's much easier to get the rights to something more obscure than it is for Fiddler or Legally Blonde.

I'm not an expert in any way, but I just know there's a huge number of shows outside the usual box that haven't been done in a long time which I'd love to see get an airing - especially in a new guise like this theatre can offer. The rumour of Brigadoon sounded - to me - the perfect vehicle: a popular show that hasn't been done in a while, which lends itself beautifully to being performed outside and could benefit from some reworking. The Secret Garden, Annie Get Your Gun (yes, I know there were one off concerts of both), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas could work; as could Urinetown, Steel Pier, The Boy From Oz... I mean, the list is endless, but that's exactly my point - if I was personally an artistic director at any venue looking for a musical, and my first choice had already been done very recently, I just think I'd automatically set a wider net to try and mount something different. That's all I'm saying. That's what frustrates me about the Open Air's recent announcement. I get equally frustrated at the endless Hamlets and Midsummer Night's Dreams (and Twelfth Night, but I've attacked the Open Air enough!) that are mounted when a venue fancies putting on some Shakespeare