Groundhog Day the Musical - Old Vic

Saw this again tonight from a great seat (J18 stalls) which I got online 2 hours before showtime for £21!

Loved it just as much as the first time, everyone seems more settled into it now and it looks and feels lots more confident. Andy Karl is just so good. They've taken out all of Rita's mentions of being 36 which I agree with, the actress doesn't look it and it was weird to keep bringing it up!Sound levels were better this time but still need work, and just like last time a very speedy standing ovation at the end!

I really love this show. It's funny, dark, grown up and smart.

Where the boots come from.

I was a bit disappointed by this. I remember grinning ear to ear when I first saw Matilda so was hoping for the same elation with this but it doesn't quite have that mould breaking feeling. Don't get me wrong, it's enjoyable and there are numbers that are pure Minchin in terms of intelligently ridiculing things like alternative therapies and they do a good job of embracing the themes of monotony vs making the most of life.

For me it was just missing something in terms of originality and stand out numbers, the 2 best songs go to minor characters and one feels tacked on to appeal to the everyday sexism movement. It's definitely worth seeing but at the minute lacks the wow factor, I thought it was just me being my usual picky self but my two friends had the same opinion.

To be fair, I can't remember a single tune either and I only saw it last night. I enjoyed the score when I saw the and thought some of the lyrics were very witty but on the whole it was functional but unmemorable for my money. Perhaps it does need repeated viewings for it to sink in - which I guess goes with the theme of the show.

I thought the opening song of Act 2 was bizarre as well. Nicely performed but seemed oddly shoe-horned in and really stuck out as something that was out of place with the rest of the piece and clearly tacked on at the end after everything else had been put together.

Show was a bit uneven I thought, rambles a bit in the second half but picks up again towards the end (and it *is* a really delightful ending). It's *very* busy though - lots of set and props changing. There is a bit of staging trickery where Phil keeps waking up which is gloriously done and gets a bit of a round of applause. I don't ever want to know how they did it.

It really is worth seeing though even if it's just to take in Andy Karl's performance though. It's stupendous.

And now, I love a revolve as much as the next NT director but goodness, the one spins around so much even the Les Mis cast would be crying out "enough already!".

I could sing at least 3 chunks after first viewing too. More after second viewing!

Perhaps, you could be right. I didn't necessarily think of it that way. To me it just seemed like it was the character of an actress singing about playing a character of Nancy and not simply the character of Nancy herself singing the song (if that makes sense?).

Maybe it's because she sings in the third person a bit.
Or perhaps it was the interval drinky-poo.
Or perhaps it just went completely over my head because I was distracted by Andy Karl's arms and his lovely hair.

Hey, I'm male and I loved the song. Then again I feel no need to refer to the 'everyday sexism movement', who presumably are an offshoot of the 'pc brigade'. The song is perfect because it reminds you that storytelling is biased by what it includes and excludes, Minchin just 'moving the camera', as it were, to facilitate that.

When I Grow Up isn't a traditional MT number either. Both of them are about exploring character and theme instead of moving the plot forward. It's just that When I Grow Up hits you right in the feels, so you're back into the swing of the story (so to speak) before you recover enough to realise that it stands apart from the main plot.

Oh gosh. I'd hate to see this disappear completely if the transfer doesn't happen as planned.

Saw this a few days ago, and for me it was a massive hit and easily outclasses any other new British musical of the last few years. Intelligent, funny and very moving with a superlative central performance. This deserves to be a big success, and judging by the audiences reaction it should be. It was also wonderfully and imaginatively staged. Just to chime in, I absolutely loved the Act2 opening. Makes total sense, and added an important layer. Can't praise this production highly enough - I'd even go as far to say it's a bit of a game changer.

Interesting to read this - was it Tues night you were there cgontheloose? I was there on Monday night and the curtain call was completely music-less, which I felt suited the show far better than a cast sing-a-long!