School of Rock - Gillian Lynne / UK Tour

Appalling, seemingly. Consider his u/s Joel has already had a show and he has an alternate. 

What are the day seats on this?

Sorry to ask (sure it's prob been asked eleventy thousand times before) but does anyone know the running time?

IM THERE ON THURSDAY!!!!

Cheers


Pft! Was hoping for 90mins straight through!

According to my Oyster online account, I touched in at Holborn station at 10.10pm last Saturday. Assuming 5min for the walk from the New London to Holborn station and maybe 5 more minutes until I've left the theatre, the show must've finished at 10pm sharp.



Maybe you had a longer interval or they started a bit later?

Nope, flew back home. Just been in London for the weekend.

You can of course reduce the duration if driven to leave at the interval as I did!  But I hope you do enjoy it; so far I seem to be the only dissenter who is also new to the show (and cannot recall the film of over 20 years ago other than it featured Jack Black.)

I loved this. I went in very suspicious and to be blunt in a foul mood. The theatre didn't look very suitable for musical theatre, it felt too big and Trump had just won but this is a great antidote to a miserable time!
I saw David Flynn as Dewey and he was fantastic, the start is slow but once Dewey is Mr Schneebly it definitely improves. It is uplifting, fun and the perfect show to forget your troubles (So of course Dr Parsley hated it)

I do worry for its long term future though, this was still early previews and though it has been selling well it wasn't packed and lack of name may affect it in the long run, which would be a real shame as ALW is probably the best he has been for a long time and Fellowes has adapted this well.

Was this 'not packed' in a way may get tickets bumped up?!? There tonight

Well seeing this last night was a much needed distraction from the real world!

So let’s go straight to the point with this show, it is firmly a light hearted show that is not particularly deep, it’s pretty formulaic in its storytelling and whilst it is a show for all the family, I like that it didn’t feel directed at kids – I felt the it’s more aimed at adults with some of the story points and the jokes/references and I found this rather refreshing, I was a little worried it was going to be more aimed for children but it wasn’t (but young adults say 9 – 15 years olds are going to love this, especially has there are some swearwords in the songs!).

My point is that this is not designed to be high art but it’s just a great big fun silly show and I think it’s a perfect fit for the West-End (and I think going to be a hit with audiences but not necessary with theatre critics but we will see, preview last night was pretty close to full and the audience response was buzzing throughout!).

The show’s strength is in its lead ‘Dewey’ with the kids in second place and wow David Fynn is terrific and on form last night. The energy you need for that character to portray and to carry the show is immense, and can understand why the alternate and the 3rd understudy will get chances to play the lead throughout the run. It was exhausting watching from the audience, Fynn brought some spirit and a huge heart that there was a moment I welled up in part of the story point but mainly through such a charismatic performance I cared deeply for him and was rooting for him (it was his performance that got me to my feet and that was the final bow). He is excellent and it’s great to see another strong leading man performance on stage.

I found the kids fine, not too brattish…just seemed to be having the time of their lives doing the show, they weren’t polished (but amazing on the instruments) but technically it fits into the ethos of the show but happy to disagree on this point, I have not seen this on Broadway so cannot compare.

I like the score here, it’s not ground-breaking but it’s fine. It might help that I went to a talk with Andrew Lloyd Webber earlier this year and he said took up this project because he just wanted to do something fun. A favourite from the cast recording ‘Where did the rock go’ was excellent last night and remains a big highlight song of Act Two..it’s the most ALW piece from the show (a lovely melody and gives it’s performer the chance to belt it out).

The ensemble and supporting cast are given less to do in this show than most, Preeya’s character is particular underwritten and slight but she does what she can in the small role and how it is written.

I really like the atmosphere pre-show at the New London, the selfie section outside is fun and we got some fun shots pretending to be in the band. We didn’t get a chance to go to the guitar part in the interval – some may hate this aspect but I really liked it and we enjoyed it personally!

So all in all I had a good time, if I was being honest than ‘Half a Sixpence’ is the better new musical in town but if you want to escape in a fun musical then this really delivers, I am not in a rush to go back at this stage but down the line I can imagine going again with a friend or family member.

Perhaps my 5% was the rear stalls...hehe I am kidding with with that, I had the whole view of the auditorium and it was pretty full in my eyes (including my section of the stalls)...unlikely for an upgrade anywhere is what I am saying as front stalls packed and 2nd level (not sure if it's called a circle at New London) also pretty packed out (at the front in my eye line at least) so the back rows as you say might not be full.

Anyways wasn't it fun and took my mind off anything political, although I'm with her joke was spot-on!!

I do think the New London is quite an unforgiving theatre when it comes to empty seats too. If there are any without occupants it's very obvious because everything feels so open. In others you can get away with it a bit more because of balconies etc.