Groundhog Day the Musical - Old Vic

Yes, it’s a metaphor.

Phil’s not the only one in the show who is stuck and learns how to move on. Rita moves on from her ideas about men and romance, too. And then there’s the way the minor characters move on because of Phil changing their lives in small ways.

Did stagebyte get their ticket sorted? x

Is there anything ‘wrist-slashy’, cos that’s my thing and I don’t want to pull a whitey sat on a high stool? I am not the show.

Extended by a week.

Tickets on sale at noon.

I had 12th August booked as it was the final night and just called up to swap to the 19th and was told to call back at 12.

I saw an early preview and decided to go again but my only spare slot was matinee on the 19th of August. So nice of them to extend just for me!

The almost perfect musical returns.
A couple of minor hiccups in staging, Phil quite obviously getting back into bed in those moments he shouldn’t be and a few props astray. I suspect everyone’s pretty tired from an intense preview period, but still, what a show.
Night Will Come hit very hard for me tonight. Some magic moments. But also some moments where things just needed taking up a notch marginally. Notably sound, couple of times I’d have liked to have been taken away with it, have the band punch but it was all vocals. Big shame as previous comment seem to indicate a loud band.
During its first run I had argued quite vehemently that Playing Nancy didn’t work where it was, happy to eat my words seeing this a few years down the line.

Big shame they cut down one of the chorus’ from There Will Be Sun, two verses just stitched togther didn’t work for me and set it off to a bumpy start. Hope I can return to this somewhere down the line soon.

Saw the original version back in 2016 and enjoyed it much more than this time. Without the revolve it doesn't really work for me, some scenes didn't flow like in the previous version. I also missed Peter Darling's choreography which was glorious, didn't care much for the new one. Finally Andy Karl looked a bit strange and somehow different. My friend thought he's had plastic surgery.

Overall, it was a mildly entertaining evening, but  this production is nowhere near as good as the 2016 original. 

This new production is more like a cheap touring version of a great show, which is a great shame.

Hi Stagebyte - another option is to look at availability a day or two before and phone up the lovely Box Office who are always pretty helpful.  The prices at the moment are peaking with demand and then lowering slightly a day or so before (i.e. £150 seats are dropping to £100; £120 dropping to £70).  I can see it selling out after press night as more buzz drives sales, but at the moment availability is pretty good.

Ditto.  My comment at the time - you come buzzing back from the bar full of lols and then - *BAM* - Rita is there to shame you for sniggering at her ..  If I was seeing it fresh I might feel the same, but knowing it's coming I am ready for it.  Took a friend who quietly commented on the poignancy of that one song - 

Third time seeing this new run last night and noticing a few little changes they’ve been putting in throughout previews:

I love the new light up ‘PHIL’ top hats

At the beginning of each day when Phil looks out the window and you could faintly hear some announcements being played they now have 2 of the cast come on the sides with megaphones to say these lines which is much clearer

At the end of act 1 there are now some giant Gobblers Knob flags that drop from the ceiling that Phil rips down (I’m pretty sure these weren’t there before)

After a third viewing of this new iteration I am completely fine with all of the changes that have been made except for one - the top down car chase scene. It just isn’t working like it used to. There used to be completely different house puppets that were used for this section, and the actual car chase had a bit of jeopardy where you could see the car getting stuck in dead ends and then outsmarting the police. Now you just get a bit of wobbling about for a few seconds and that’s it. This was so imaginative when they first did it I feel like if they’re not going to do it properly it’s not really worth doing it at all.

Also missing a final bit of singing (there will be sun) at the bows like they did in the previous run, though I guess that’s something they could easily add at the end of previews

Tim was also in last night

Also asked the box office to change my closing night ticket to the new date, the same seat I had before is now in the next price band so had to pay more which I wasn’t thrilled about.

I have to disagree with the waltzer scene. I think they’ve improved it throughout the previews - last night when I was watching it I could really see how they had lit up Phil’s face from within the ride car, and you could see how he was staring at Rita with admiration with a big smile on his face while she was enjoying herself. It really felt like at that moment he had fallen totally in love with her. It’s probably the most beautifully staged scene in the show too with the curtain lights