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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:03:57 GMT
Inspired by the Come From Away thread, what’s your rate of return visits? Is there a show you go back to at least once a year? What’s the one you’ve seen most in a short time?
Conversely what’s one you “overdosed” on and now can’t stomach?
I saw The Boy From Oz 10 times over a year, but also in two bursts of 4-5 because I travelled for it.
I saw Avenue Q two weekends running in London and twice in one week on tour, and actually the joy of puppet sex held up.
Cheating a bit but after ushering it, I overdosed on Pricilla and I never need to see the stage version again...
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:10:27 GMT
I've low-key overdosed on Wicked a bit. I try to go back once a year just to see what's good though. I love following it and it's messiness in the fanbase though. 😂
I actually have a list of my three times and overs for questions like this:
42nd Street (Unknown) Wicked (20) The Bodyguard (9) Kinky Boots (8) Dreamgirls (6) Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (4) Half a Sixpence (4) In the Heights (4) Made in Dagenham (4) An American in Paris (3) Company (3) Gypsy (3) Ruthless (3)
... but Company will be up to at least five by the time it closes. The next to join the threes will probably be Les Mis, Jamie or probably Come From Away. 😂😂
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:20:04 GMT
Some similarities to danieljohnson14 above.. Phantom - genuinely lost count; used to go at least once a year but not been since 2016 for various reasons. Overdue a trip but current reports put me off. Charlie - 5 times in the final 2 years. Company - 3 also. It's the current obsession and not ashamed to say that I have a day planned soon for 2 sittings to get my final fix. Not a show per say, but overdosed on the Moulin Rouge DVD years ago and find it hard to sit through now.
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Post by 49thand8th on Mar 11, 2019 20:22:44 GMT
Inspired by the Come From Away thread, what’s your rate of return visits? Is there a show you go back to at least once a year? What’s the one you’ve seen most in a short time? I'm in the 70s for Mormon and Jersey Boys and probably more than that for Les Miz (which I stopped counting 10 years ago). I once saw Les Miz five times in one weekend (on tour, in Salt Lake City), which was fine at the time, but looking back on it...that was a lot of death! I saw Avenue Q twice when the tour came to San Francisco the first time, and rushed it both times to determine it wasn't for me. I've seen a few shows several times over several years because they were different productions but not necessarily my favorites (Sweeney, A Little Night Music, Joseph).
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Post by Dawnstar on Mar 11, 2019 20:24:33 GMT
Where do I start?! Wicked was my first repeat-visit WE show, notching up 62 viewings in the first 3 years of the WE run. by that point most of the people I'd liked in the original cast had left & I'd pretty much had enough of it. I've seen it 5 times in the subesquent decade so I can still enjoy it occasionally, in a slightly nostalgic way. After that I went through several WE shows which closed before I had time to get bored with them: Zorro (22), Lend Me A Tenor (11), Crazy For You (10) & Top Hat (26). Plus dipping in and out of some of the long runners depending on who was in various casts: Phantom (30), Les Mis (15) & Mamma Mia (10). Up to that point I'd only done lots of repeat-viewing of musicals (opera productions not running long enough to ever allow it), apart from seeing The 39 Steps every year or so (8 viewings over 7 years). Then Mischief Theatre happened & I think all the board regulars know where this is going! A quick tot-up shows that I've currently seen them 169 times, spread across the various shows. Handily, by the time I get bored with repeat-viewing one Mischief show they're onto the next one. I've seen TCAABR the most at 65 times & think I've about hit my limit with that recently. In a slightly different category, Mischief Theatre also introduced me to improv, which is wonderful for repeat viewing because other people can't complain that you're seeing the same show over & over again! I've seen Lights! Camera! Improvise!/Mischief Movie Night 53 times & I'm sure it would have been more were it not that they only do it intermittantly. Through Mischief I came across Showstopper (because Adam Meggido directed PPGW), which I've now seen 64 times. I pray the 2 shows never do simultaneous runs as I wouldn't know which to see!
ETA In terms shows in short amounts of time, I've seen MMN 7 times in 5 days & 5 times in 2 days and Showstopper 5 times in 3 days & 4 times in 2 days. For scripted shows, the most I've ever seen is My Fair Lady 5 times in a week, when it was done at my local theatre for only the one week.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:25:44 GMT
Inspired by the Come From Away thread, what’s your rate of return visits? Is there a show you go back to at least once a year? What’s the one you’ve seen most in a short time? I'm in the 70s for Mormon and Jersey Boys and probably more than that for Les Miz (which I stopped counting 10 years ago). I once saw Les Miz five times in one weekend (on tour, in Salt Lake City), which was fine at the time, but looking back on it...that was a lot of death! I saw Avenue Q twice when the tour came to San Francisco the first time, and rushed it both times to determine it wasn't for me. oh I skipped past the short amount of time. Well mine revolves around the 42nd Street. The first cast change, I saw both the final performances and the Wednesday shows, and then I saw both of Steph's last shows and then saw the show six times in one week during the final week. Other than that, I think I've only seen one other show twice in one day, that was Cool Rider. Because I saw the matinee and loved it, so ran straight to the box office and got a ticket to the evening show! I loved it. 😍
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:40:50 GMT
Wicked x5, but after my sixth in July, I’m calling it a day.
Kinky Boots and Six x2, But I wish I could see both more.
Everything else I’ve only seen one (I think).
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 20:41:53 GMT
Oh I meant either most or most in short amount of time...whichever you please!!
Weirdest was my total NEED to see the Nigel Havers tour of Rebecca again a week after seeing it once so I went to Bristol (I lived in Nottingham).
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Post by bobbybaby on Mar 11, 2019 20:52:31 GMT
So - Les Mis - 10 times in 30 years, most of it in the first 5 years at the Palace. But 3 times in the last year for visitors - its amazing after a 15 year break I still found it heart breaking and amazing. Dreamgirls - 5 times - thank goodness for the £20 back of the stalls seats - and the lovely box office man who laughed whenever he saw me and upgraded us to centre stalls twice. La Cage Aux Folles at The Playhouse 4 times - mainly Barrowman ( I’ve drawn a veil over Graham Norton ). Wicked - 5 times - mainly with visitors. 42nd Street 3 times - God bless Claire Halse. A Little Night Music at the RNT - 3 times with the lovely Dame Judi. Sweet Charity - 3 times at the Menier - still one of my favourites. Hamilton - 4 times in Dec/Jan 2017/8 Oh and don’t tell anyone but I’ve seen Company 3 times in the last week. The only ones I overegged were the early Les Mis’ as I didn’t live in London at the time and had a 3 hour trek by the time I got home. And Wicked was in its early days and very very fangirly.
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Post by sf on Mar 11, 2019 20:54:15 GMT
I saw the first UK tour of Chess 8 times, but I was ever so much younger then.
Other than that, I don't do repeat visits that often these days, although there are exceptions. I've seen Company twice and I'm going back once more before it closes. I've seen the National's Follies four times, and (again) I'm going back (at least) once before the end of the run. I saw Fun Home and Hamilton twice last year. I regret not having been able to make a return visit to The Inheritance, but logistically it was just too complicated. If I lived closer to London, I'd see more things there more than once. Local stuff is easier, but the kind of work that would hook me into going back multiple times - things like the National's Follies - doesn't happen all that often in this country, particularly outside London.
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Post by Dawnstar on Mar 11, 2019 20:56:58 GMT
Oh I meant either most or most in short amount of time...whichever you please!! Weirdest was my total NEED to see the Nigel Havers tour of Rebecca again a week after seeing it once so I went to Bristol (I lived in Nottingham). I remember seeing that, in Bath, but once was sufficient for me. I did however have a similar urgent need for a repeat view after seeing a semi-staged performance of Yeomen of the Guard at the RFH in 2012. I discovered that the only other performance was taking place in Liverpool the following weekend. Yes, I went to Liverpool.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 21:12:34 GMT
The show I have seen the most is Wicked - I think I'm on about 15 visits across 3 productions (London, Broadway and San Francisco) since 2007, though I haven't seen it for over two years now as I did get a bit bored of it.
Next I think is We Will Rock You (I probably got up to about 10 times with that, I'd have to check back to be sure), Hamilton (5 times with a sixth booked for next month) and then Once (which I think I saw 4 or 5 times in total) and 42nd Street (4 times).
I'm not a huge repeat watcher but I will see a show a few times to see different cast members or if I really love it.
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Post by joem on Mar 11, 2019 21:32:00 GMT
I don't have time to see shows often rather than see more shows but not really inclined. Always prioritise plays I haven't seen and, after that, productions I haven't seen.
Having said that I've seen Phantom and Les Mis three times and Jesus Christ Superstar three times - but that was three different productions. Seen a fair number of plays more than once but can only recall seeing Jerusalem and The Tempest (Fiennes as Prospero) twice with the same production.
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Post by indis on Mar 11, 2019 21:38:21 GMT
seen Tarzan, Elisabeth, Dance of the vampires, Wicked Oberhausen more than 20 times Tarzan esp. i had to visit at least once a year, could not go without, now it is quite unbearable not to be able to watch it
whenever i visited London i always tried to include a Les Mis visit too, and Phantom the last years whenever one of my Christines was on
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 21:38:32 GMT
Actually, with my two trips to Kinky Boots were within 5 days of each other. I went on a Monday and saw Kayi Ushe and Joel Harper Jackson, then I went back on the Saturday and saw Callum Francis’ last matinee and Daniel Conway’s Charlie debut show.
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Post by Mark on Mar 11, 2019 22:02:11 GMT
Like daniel I also have a list of everything over 3 times
Legally Blonde (16) - This one got me through Uni! Opening preview, two more previews, opening weekend, cast recording performance, Sheridans last, closing night, and many more in between (14 times in London, once in NYC and once on tour). Blood Brothers (13) - Nobody has bettered Linda Nolan for me! Can never resist a visit when it comes to Newcastle/Sunderland and I'm home. The Book of Mormon, Priscilla Queen of the Desert (9) Wicked, Kinky Boots (8) Love Never Dies. Sister Act, Phantom of the Opera, Dreamgirls (7) Avenue Q, Rock of Ages, In the Heights, La Cage aux Folles, The Girls, Heathers, Come From Away (6) Bend it like Beckham, Billy Elliot, Ghost, Hairspray, Memphis, We Will Rock You, The Bodyguard, Half a Sixpence, 42nd Street (5)
Another 16 shows @ 4 times, and 17 shows @ 3 times.
I think Come From Away will be making it well up that list!
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Post by Deleted on Mar 11, 2019 22:17:57 GMT
Book of Mormon - 11 times Les Mis - 7 or 8 times I believe
Those are the two I've seen most times. I saw both of them for the first time in 2013.
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Post by cheesy116 on Mar 11, 2019 22:26:58 GMT
I've seen Matilda about 15 times and Kinky Boots 12 times
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Post by shady23 on Mar 11, 2019 22:44:26 GMT
Oh I meant either most or most in short amount of time...whichever you please!! Weirdest was my total NEED to see the Nigel Havers tour of Rebecca again a week after seeing it once so I went to Bristol (I lived in Nottingham). I went to the last four shows of 42nd Street. They were two lots of back to back two show days. Four shows in two days must be my record and I can't imagine I would ever do that again One was the muck up matinee and the final show of anything is always special. I couldnt do four of the same "standard" shows.
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Post by david on Mar 11, 2019 22:46:32 GMT
For me -
Mamma Mia! (15) WWRY (10) Saturday Night Fever (10) Priscilla Queen of the Desert (6) Rock of Ages (5)
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Post by Michael on Mar 12, 2019 3:58:35 GMT
Wicked used to be my go-to show and there wasn't a single trip to London where I didn't see the show at least once, usually even more often. Currently, I'm at 133 times with the record being 30 times in 2014, but with Wicked London's questionable and uninspired casting decisions (it all started with Emma Hatton), I've lost all interest in the show and haven't been for quite some time. And unless they cast someone I really, really want to see (Rachel John please), I have absolutely no interest in returning. Heck, I even haven't seen the current cast and if it posted closing notice, I wouldn't even care.
Rock of Ages stands at 51 times - I absolutely adored the West End production which I've seen 31 times. The first UK tour was OK-ish, but I hated the second UK tour and it ruined the fond memories I have of the show, so I doubt I'll ever see the show again as nothing will ever come close to this experience.
I've seen Book of Mormon 27 times, but, very much like Wicked, their casting (and keeping) of Brian Sears drove me away and now I'm down to maybe once a year, if at all. Another one is Memphis, also at 27 times but all during the one year it ran in London. The first cast was absolute perfection and I still miss the show so dearly that I'd go out of my way to see it again. Sadly I can't stand the Broadway cast (especially their weird Huey), so the DVD is no proper replacement. They should have filmed the West End production professionally - or at least the Broadway replacement cast with Adam Pascal. I've seen Avenue Q 27 times, mostly the various UK tours, plus the Off-Broadway production a few times. Never actually seen it in London. Sadly, I missed Sheridan Smith in Legally Blonde, but nonetheless seen the show 20 times, and Susan McFadden was a (more than) worthy replacement going by the cast recording. No matter how ill-tempered I was, I always left the theatre with a huge smile. Luckily, there's the professional MTV recording of the Broadway production. Newsies is at 14, only once on Broadway, but I travelled to the US three times to see the US tour (in Washington DC, St Louis and San Diego). Three more shows are also in two figures: Aladdin 13, Jersey Boys 15 and School of Rock 11.
Sadly, right now there is no such show in London that would get me back again and again. A Bronx Tale maybe? Loved it on Broadway, but I highly doubt it'll ever get a West End production, similar to Newsies whose ship has sailed I'm afraid.
And yes, I do have a spreadsheet. But the price column is empty. On purpose. There are things I really don't want to know.
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Post by Jon on Mar 12, 2019 5:39:58 GMT
My limit is three times for the same show, there is so many new shows to see every year that I prefer to see lots of new things once than the same things over and over.
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Post by viserys on Mar 12, 2019 6:27:21 GMT
With the advantage of old age I can say, I've seen many shows several times such as Starlight Express and Cats which were my go-to musicals in the 90s and each totalling around 30-40 times now, followed by other long-runs like Phantom and Les Mis at 10-20 times (often across various places and countries).
Guess Cats was the one I've seen in most places: Hamburg, Vienna, London, New York, Amsterdam, Antwerp and Copenhagen plus the more recent tours here (Berlin, Oberhausen, finally at home in Cologne). Followed by Les Miserables (Vienna, Amsterdam, Antwerp, London, Duisburg plus non-replica productions in Bonn and Tecklenburg Open-Air)
In the last 20 years I rarely managed to revisit the same shows more often as I don't bother with Germany anymore and there are always so many new shows to see in London.
Although last year was an exception - saw that little rock jukebox musical at the Dominion 8 times in as many months (and once in Germany, though I'd like to banish that one from my mind) and ended up seeing 42nd Street 3 times, because I mostly went for Ashley Day and he was off the first two times!
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Post by kimbahorel on Mar 12, 2019 8:25:38 GMT
Most shows I have been to average at least 1 return visit. Only a few times got to it once. Rent, Urinetown, Bat Boy (southwark Playhouse), Carrie averaged about 5 goes. Miss Siagon (Tour) 9, Phantom is now at 12 and Les Mis is just over 130.
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Post by Deleted on Mar 12, 2019 8:27:15 GMT
Now I'm home and with access to my spreadsheet I can add properly to this!
So Rebecca, to my shame I saw 3 times in 2 weeks. I still know not why...
The first time I saw Rent in New York, I saw it on the 22nd December and was back again on the 26th! overall I've seen Rent less than some of you might think, only 10 times overall, one of which being Rent: Remixed which really doesn't count....
Angels I've seen 7 times (both parts) and a stay Millennium in 2007....of course I did see it twice in one week (both parts) which all told is what, over 60 hours of it?
I did accidentally see Wicked twice in one week once, when friends booked after I already had tickets. But I was young, and Idina was in it so....I'm shocked to realise I've only seen it 5 times over the years, it really felt like more.
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