Standing At The Sky’s Edge - Crucible/NT/Gillian Lynne

So now after enough time has passed and there has been a run through of various understudies - would anyone recommend I see this again for someone who saw it at the national? I found some of the music beautiful but the National cast was spectacular - some of those voices WOW. So I'm a bit afraid to go back and ruin the memory.

Could someone please confirm that running time for this is 2h50mins as the website mentions? Thanks!

How have I only discovered this musical today? What an absolutely fantastic afternoon in the theatre.

An absolutely breathtaking, heartwarming, devastating portrait of life throughout the decades. Just simply and wonderfully beautiful. Laughed and cried and cried and laughed.

Wow!!

Do these shows not have sufficient understudies anymore?

I didn’t think I’d get the chance to see this again before it closes but yesterday I ended up surprisingly having a free afternoon . I went to the box office 45 minutes to showtime and the incredible man working gave me 3rd row center in the stalls for £39. And to make it even better, the entire principal cast was on - I couldn’t have been happier for that to be my final experience with this one.

Overheard afterward that they’re planning a scaled down tour so maybe somewhere down the line I’ll get to see what that’s like.

Rush tickets are easy to get at the moment, although may of course be harder in the final week. Otherwise if it doesn’t look to be selling out, perhaps try the box office direct just before showtime as per mattnyc’s experience.

Try going to the box office before showtime, like I did. Got that amazing £125+ seat for £39.

This is one of my favourite musicals of this decade. Really hope you and your mum get to see it. Rush is definitely your friend here and I managed to get two £150 row J seats @ £30 at 10.15 for last Saturday's matinee.

I recommend rows F to M centre block in the stalls - don't feel under pressure to accept the first you are offered elsewhere at 10 am if they aren't great seats and don't panic if you get an "all seats being held by other customers " message. Just keep trying. Because this show's run is nearing its end there's plenty of availability but I agree that will steadily reduce in the final week.

I try to have the seating plan on a PC when using Rush on the phone or if not at home a written list of what I consider good seats.

I feel that local knowledge really adds to the enjoyment but does not reduce appeciation significantly. It was interesting in London to observe reactions from very limited areas of audience at certain points. We got funny looks at our reaction to the wonderful line about Hebden Bridge. Being around when events of earlier story took place certainly enhanced our appreciation. 

I would definitely see this over seeing Next to Normal a second time. I really love Next to Normal, but this is something really very special and not to be missed. Also I recently saw Next to Normal twice within a couple of weeks and wished that I had spread my visits out a bit further.

Maybe someone’s asked this before, but coming over from the states later this month and excited to catch this, but was wondering if there’s anything I should read or watch ahead of seeing this that might provide helpful context? Or all good to go in blind? Thank you!