42nd Street at Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

At least in act 2 Lulu only has to murder the one song! Thank god for the rest of the company that make Act 2 fantastic, especially the staircase number!

Sorry for the poor quality photographs (I was in a moving van!) but I just had to share...new posters with LULU emblazoned across the top in huge writing. Looks like they're wanting to cash in on her 16 weeks as much as possible. It's a shame, I was just saying the other day how 42nd Street is a fine example of how West End shows should be produced.

I think the producers have been smart throwing Lulu's name above the title. Yes its a bit of a cop out, but entering into a second year in this economical climate gradually makes selling tickets, especially in a theatre that size. The show spoke for itself first year, and sold on the strengh of reviews, word of mouth and the phenomenal performances of the original cast; particularly Clare and the Ensemble both in the theatre and on TV. Although I will say in my experience at the theatre, it didn't seem like Sheena was that much of a draw. Whenever I was near the cast board or in my seat, most people didn't even know Sheena was in the production. If anything, they recognised Tom from Emmerdale, and a woman even recognised Stuart over either of them.

On the topic of Lulu, shes only there for sixteen weeks, leave her be. Some love her, some don't, thats fine.

I'm in tonight - last minute decision! Very excited to see Lulu, Ashley and the new cast, and Clare Rickard as Peggy!

Full thoughts to come later.

Those Lulu posters are hideous. How can the magnificent logo or the ensemble in full flight not be enough anymore?

Hear Hear! Lulu has certainly divided opinion on here, personally I am with you on this Mr Barnaby. I hate what she has done to the role and more over the show as a whole. For me, she has completely ruined something I loved and took so much pleasure from. Thank god it is only 16 weeks! I like Ashley Day but I am afraid he is not a patch on Stuart and have had a job hearing him in a couple of numbers. On Monday I found him incredibly irritating with a big cheesy grin and he kept winking to all the cast as if to say," its ok guys we have got this made" That said, he was slightly better on Wednesday.

I loved the show,and this time last Saturday we were absolutely euphoric at the last night! The atmosphere in the theatre was electric, one of the best I have ever experienced. They say a week in politics is a long time, well I am am afraid in this case a week in theatre is a long time too as by the end of Monday's show it was one of the worst! I used to go 4 times a week, I doubt I will go 4 times over the next 15 weeks! This is a shame because there is such a lovely talented ensemble with some very talented individuals and they do deserve our support as they were very good.

So my final thoughts very much echo my interval ramblings. I think the new cast are worthy replacements to take the show into its second year (minus La Lulu), and whilst I did prefer the original cast a whole, I have to remember that I saw them 8 times, including the first preview which was one of the most exhilarating nights I've ever had in a theatre. The atmosphere was better even than cast change!

Sadly I'm moving away from London in the next few days so won't be able to revisit as many times, though of course I'll be planning a couple of trips

Oh, my avatar isn't my cat, it's a Scottish wild cat. The photo was taken at the Highland Wildlife Park, the place that has just had the baby polar bear.

Apart from Lulu, I thought the rest of the new cast were okay but no-one stood out as being an improvement on their predecessors. As I never managed to work out who was who in the previous ensemble I couldn't really tell all the new people. I only recognised Alyn Hawke.

I just can't warm to Ashley Day. Yes, he's good-looking and can sing & dance so there's nothing technically wrong but he just doesn't make me like his character. It's not just this role; I had the same reaction when I saw him in Kiss Me Kate a couple of years ago. I didn't think he & Clare Rickard had much chemistry. I agree with Steve's comment a couple of pages back that with Stuart Neal you wanted Clare Halse to pick Billy over Julian. Today I'd have rooted for Peggy/Julian more than Peggy/Billy.

I thought Clare Rickard did a very good job as Peggy. In some ways she was more plausible than Clare Halse as a smalltown girl in a show for the first time & as she was less brilliant it gave the plot a bit more tension: Clare Halse is so brilliant that there's no question that her Peggy will become an instant star.

I didn't think I knew anyone in the new cast so was surprised when I was at the stage door & someone said hello to me. It was someone I know from her having been an usher at the Criterion & me having seen TCAABR a ridiculous number of times. I had't realised that she's an actress & is in the new ensemble & I totally failed to recognise her on stage this afternoon. Not only that but when I looked her up in the programme I found that she'd been in Top Hat, which I saw 22 times, yet I'd never recognised her even though I'd had a number of conversations with her at the Criterion. Embarassing!

If anything is going to inspire a child it is that experience right there! Lovely story.

Lulu on This Morning referring to her fellow colleagues in the ensemble as "talented kids" and trying to sing a line before ruining it. She seemed very fake and patronising to me.

If anyone is wanting to go this weekend while Lulu is off, TodayTix are doing £15 tickets.....