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Post by gazzaw13 on Jun 2, 2017 8:07:19 GMT
I saw a production of this Jason Robert Brown musical in Boston last week and sat pondering why Bridges has never been produced in London. OK it wasn't a great success on Broadway and the book is flawed but the score is fantastic, the narrative thread engaging and JRB is pretty hot at present. Plus there is a crossover audience from the film. This would be perfect for Southwark Playhouse or the Donmar rather than the West End and I'm sure would bring in a solid crowd.
Like Next to Normal, it has enjoyed US tours and productions in continental Europe and would not be expensive to stage. Why not London? Let's start a campaign for Bridges (and Normal) for 2018!
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2,496 posts
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Post by zahidf on Jun 2, 2017 8:13:39 GMT
I saw a production of this Jason Robert Brown musical in Boston last week and sat pondering why Bridges has never been produced in London. OK it wasn't a great success on Broadway and the book is flawed but the score is fantastic, the narrative thread engaging and JRB is pretty hot at present. Plus there is a crossover audience from the film. This would be perfect for Southwark Playhouse or the Donmar rather than the West End and I'm sure would bring in a solid crowd. Like Next to Normal, it has enjoyed US tours and productions in continental Europe and would not be expensive to stage. Why not London? Let's start a campaign for Bridges (and Normal) for 2018! I heard it was one of those one's where the rights were very expensive, prohibiting a smaller run at Southwark |
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Post by aksis on Jun 2, 2017 11:12:20 GMT
That is curious because we have a fairly small producer staging it here in the Netherlands this year.
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Post by mallardo on Jun 2, 2017 11:31:15 GMT
I saw the touring production in LA with Elizabeth Stanley and Andrew Samonsky - two great voices - conducted enthusiastically by JRB himself. I'm sure he'd be up for a concert production here, as he did with Honeymoon in Vegas. It needs a fuller orchestra, I think, than the Southwark Playhouse could manage.
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 2, 2017 13:06:43 GMT
Bridges and N2N are two of my favourite shows and I sobbed through both of them - my mum and gran saw N2N with me and slate it as one of the worst shows they've ever seen. Unfortunately, my mum and gran are the ones that West End producers favour. The ones that come to London every few months and pay full whack to see an upbeat show (like Mamma Mia or Dreamgirls) and aren't fussed by proper theatre (although Dreamgirls does fall into the proper theatre IMO category). Most theatre goers choose something that will uplift them rather than something that will hit home emotionally. I think Bridges, N2N (and DEH) will only work at somewhere in London like the Menier or Southwark Playhouse, which are known for putting on proper shows rather than crowd-pleasing jukebox musicals for the masses. (Don't get me started on Bat out of Hell...Colloseum has lost all credibility for me!!)
EDIT: on reading my response, I realised my theory is irrational when thinking of the success of something like Les Mis or Phantom. I personally think Bridges and N2N could be modern day successes in London like LM or Phantom, given the chance....
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Post by notmymuse on Jun 2, 2017 14:33:58 GMT
If anyone with any producing clout is reading this thread, please make a production of Bridges happen! It is such an amazing score. Concert version would be fine. I'll help with casting suggestions if you get stuck.
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91 posts
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Post by gazzaw13 on Jun 2, 2017 14:38:55 GMT
Interesting that Bridges is being produced in Netherlands as they also had a production of N2N a few years ago.
I agree with westernsky17 re the West End feelgood issue though in many ways Bridges and N2N, whilst not typically feelgood, have endings that could be seen as uplifting. Southwark Playhouse has developed a niche for non-feelgood (should that be feelbad?) shows - Side Show, The Life, Mack and Mabel, Parade, Titanic and Grey Gardens to name but six!
I feel a new thread coming on - the non-feelgood musical!
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Post by singularsensation10 on Jun 2, 2017 16:25:37 GMT
Feelbad musical 😂😂😂😂
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Post by mrbarnaby on Jun 2, 2017 21:57:32 GMT
I was heartbroken when this closed in NYC.. it was a beautiful show with one of the most beautiful scores for years. It would work well at the Donmar or Almeida. It's a very intimate show. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 2, 2017 22:50:24 GMT
I remember the NYT called Next to Normal a 'feel-everything musical' and that sums it up well IMO.
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