Everybody's Talking About Jamie - Sheffield Crucible/Apollo

If something like We Will Rock You can run for over 10 years in the West End then I think any claims about Jamie being “just not good enough” are moot. It’s obviously not about quality, but whether something finds an audience. Showboat’s early closure is further evidence of that.

Thats not to say i think it will have a long run, I don’t think it will. I do hope it goes far enough to recover its costs and for the creative team to have enough clout to be able to write another one. That’s what success should be measured by surely? 

Its nothing like that situation, and I'm not even joking with my feelings on this one. I actually think it promotes a negative stereotype on gay people when he does that in the show. Sorry.

I hope I’m proved wrong too by the way . I’d rather this show in that theatre than some Bill Kenwright dross. I just wish it was actually the 5 star show like the reviews are making out. It’s just proof that yet again, the great British original musical is an endangered species.

TBH Anything that runs 5+ years is the exception and not the rule and a lot of people forget that 18 months to 2 years is actually decent, I suspect if Jamie runs a year it'll be considered a success because if you start comparing to the likes of Les Mis, Matilda etc then yes it's not going to look as good in comparison but if every West End musical was a long runner then they'd be no room for new musicals or plays.

I was under the impression that this was a limited run until April. I can't really see it extending unless it starts selling out - that's a very big cast for the size of the venue.

I thought this was ok. Its good to see different kind of musical in the West End. Bits of it were too mawkish for my taste but other bits were truly moving. And its very funny. Very well choreographed and acted.And good to see a mixed full house .

I've not seen the show so can't comment on this particular scene, but there can be a double standard when it comes to how some gay guys treat straight guys. It wouldn't be ok if it was a straight guy and a woman

Context. It's ALL about context. And in this particular context, if it were a straight guy and a woman, there would be no problem with how it played out either. 

I saw this again on Saturday and took a friend. Audience seemed to even love it more than they did during the preview.

It seemed tighter and more together than it did in previews as well.

I think they've done some cuts already. I think there was a scene when the blonde drag queen talks about a man that just dumped her, and the larger drag queen gets a Grindr ping on her phone. That seems to have been completely yanked off.

Well deserved standing ovation at the end, which I did not hesitate to give, and I'm very stingy with my standing ovations.

At this point I imagine selling just above 'ok'.

There were still plenty of seats left for tomorrow when I booked yesterday. Managed a fairly good seat in the Dress Circle for £35. Going with the 'lads', which I am not, I do wonder what they'll make of it all!

 bellboard 27 said: "I'm very stingy with my standing ovations."


Good, but why not eliminate them completely, since they are selfish, forcing the people behind to stand if they want to see the finale?

I think they've become a fad mainly because they've been encouraged on those TV talent contests, where the producers want a dramatic moment of a whole audience rising to its feet.

Having digested the evening spent at the Apollo Theatre I am now able to construct a better review of the musical.

I went into the theatre without really high expectations due to the word of mouth that i'd heard and having gone with my three macho male friends was excited to see their reactions to a sure to be 'camp' evening.

The good:

I enjoyed seeing a new British musical with fairly local humour and a fresh contemporary feel. There are some good 'one liners' which the young audience ate up although many missed the lovely Sunset Boulevard reference which I found hilarious. I felt like the only gay in the theatre at that moment. Alas, I was not! The set design was simple and, for the most part I thought, effective. It has to be said though that the desks appear clunky when compared with the brilliant use of them in Matilda. The cast are talented and energetic.



The not so good:

Set changes occasionally seemed a bit clunky with stagehands very obvious and lingering a little too long. For me, the bigger musical numbers felt undersung in parts. The frantic choreography probably didn't help this. The music, for me, was the weakest part of the production. I was sat wondering if it would have been more enjoyable as a play! Simple repetititive lyrics and unforgettable melodies felt as though they were interrrupting the action rather than helping it along. It is annoying in a British musical to hear characters singing in a mixture of US accents and British during the same song. In the end we have unfinished stories but a strong final message about being yourself and owning it.


I saw this on a £35 ticket which is about the most I would like to pay for the show. The theatre wasn't full. This is no Billy Elliot but it isn't the worst evening out either!