An American In Paris

Front row is excellent, the orchestra pit is between you and the stage. You don't miss any of the footwork.

From the shows that I saw this was the one that I liked the least, but it was still a great (and different!) night of theater.

Maybe it was just my ''not love so much'' kinda of thing with jukebox musical or because even though they tried (and got it right with the changes in the story), in the middle of the musical there's something lacking to connect both parts, feels.. lost.

Aside from this, the production is fairly great as the orchestra was sensational, both leads are just beyond (Fairchild is the definition of dreamy and Cope is pure charisma) and I've never seen ballett dancing incorporated so beautiful in a musical before, so kudos for Mr. Wheedon for this. Mr. Oakley was good, but could be great, sometimes felt really off with the performance overall (accent included), but his last number was a winner, as for Seadon-Young it was a win for start, really ''in'' with Adam and really commanding presence.

It's a very estilized musical, that maybe some will found almost ''sterile'', but at the end of the day really hits you in the heart and it was a lovely night.

Does anyone know which performances Ashley day does as Jerry?

Saw Ashley Day last night as Jerry. He was really good and had a great rapport with Leanne Cope. What a talented guy he is; great singer, dancer and actor and so handsome.

The whole production is very enjoyable and worth it's extravagant reviews.

The only downside was Jane Asher. I've always thought she was a rather limited actress, but she was even worse than anticipated - absolutely terrible French accent.

If there was one then it's not well made - it just comes across as an utterly dreadful, bordering on embarrassing attempt at a French accent.  And she's not the only one of the cast who is at fault.

Saw today's matinee.

Impossible show to rave about. Loved some of the staging and slickness, the set designs and beauty of the show.

Very, very underwhelmed by the material and some of the performances. Difficult to root for anyone, lots of meandering twenty minute blocks of (very pretty looking) nothing going on. Huge lull towards the end of act one, exaggerated by elderly chap fast asleep behind me, being nudged awake to a jolt by his embarrassed spouse. I wasn't bored to that extent, but it was hardly riveting.

Starts off as a very promising near speech-free dance piece - and I wish it had stayed that way. Would've worked as a ballet. IF anyone actually danced en pointe. Was shocked to see Michael Billington's Guardian review advertising the show on a sandwich board outside at the interval, playing up the dance credentials of the stars. Leanne Cope's dancing was passable at best. Hardly the jaw dropping "star turn" the part requires to carry the show. Her dancing was loose as f***; no pointe, even out of time at points. Injured? Not good enough.

Ashley Day, alternate, who I previously liked in The Drowsy Chaperone and The Wizard of Oz -and LOVED as cover Elder Price in The Book of Mormon, is passable in this. His dancing is decent but the character is so bland. In the previous roles he was the same, all big white teeth and limbs, but in this I found him grating. He actually reminded me of Barrowman. So contrived and picture perfect with no hint of true personality.

Haydn Oakley was fine as Henri and I thought Zoe Rainey as Milo made a far nicer and kindlier character than was probably intended. I liked her character... Jane Asher's accent was terrible. Truly awful. Out of her depth and embarrassing. Luckily her small supporting part was insignificant so it didn't draw too much focus. The dancing from the ensemble was fine, not outstanding.

There are some magical moments but they all come from the imaginative staging. I love the "hand drawn" projection effect, the use of set pieces and the general aesthetic, which is honestly the one major thing I took from the show.

Amazed it got all the rave reviews it did; it's almost a homage to old fashioned Broadway musicals with some beautiful staging thrown in. The theatre is an absolute barn and the show fills it nicely in terms of set; but it could've done with adding to the ensemble by 8-10 bodies.

Got a £20 rush seat (stalls, row R 23) which was fantastic value (TodayTix app), but I wouldn't go back even at that price. The staging is gorgeous, but the material, story and performances are far from extraordinary.

Don't bother going for Haydn Oakley - he was fine, but you shouldn't pay anything to see him particularly. Can't comment on the principal lead, but don't see how he could change the whole show. Agree about wanting them to hook up. Was that intentional?

On the plus side I'm at Carousel interval and it's a train wreck, so at least I relatively got some quality from An American in Paris

So should I try and see Robert Fairchild in this or is Ashley Day just as good?

I haven't seen Ashley Day so can't compare but Robert and Leanne are (in my opinion) wonderful together. I'd try and catch them both if you can.

Anyone interested, Leanne Cope has new holiday dates: Monday 6 to Saturday 11 November 2017 inclusive and Monday 29 January - Monday 3 February 2018 inclusive.

Why does that mean she'll be staying for another contract? It opened in March, if contract is 12 months that could still be this contract.