Your 2018 | TheatreBoard

Mark
Leading Player

4,806 posts

Your 2018 Dec 25, 2018 3:28:24 GMT

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Post by Mark on Dec 25, 2018 3:28:24 GMT

Can finally do this after a busy week of theatre going last week. This is me done, unless we win the Hamilton lottery here in Chicago (Unlikely).

Musicals
New Musicals for me:

Broadway

SpongeBob SquarePants (x2), Mean Girls (x2), A Bronx Tale, Carousel, Once On This Island, Frozen, The Band's Visit
West End/London
Girl From the North Country, Five Guys Named Moe, Eugenius! (x2), Ruthless! (x2), Tina, Pinocchio, Strictly Ballroom, It Happened in Key West, Knights of the Rose, Bat Out of Hell, Heathers (x6), Six, Sylvia, Company (x3), Mythic, Hadestown, H.R. Haitch, Spamilton, The Rink
Other
Hedwig and the Angry Inch
(Johannesburg), The Last Ship (UK Tour), The Band (x2)(UK Tour/West End)

Repeat Shows from previous years:
Broadway
Hello, Dolly! (x2), Dear Evan Hansen, Waitress, Phantom of the Opera, Anastasia, Come From Away.
West End
Kinky Boots (x3), The Book of Mormon, Hamilton (x2), Aladdin, Young Frankenstein, Chicago, Chess, The King and I (x2), Fun Home, Little Shop of Horrors, 42nd Street, Everybody's Talking About Jamie (x2), Dreamgirls

Other
Priscilla Queen of the Desert (Sydney), Come From Away (Toronto), Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (UK Tour), The Girls (UK Tour), Wicked (UK Tour), Miss Saigon (UK Tour), Nativity (UK Tour)

Plays
New Plays for me:
London
Network, John, The Birthday Party, Long Day's Journey into Night, Frozen, The Great Wave, Mary Stuart, Quiz, Nine Night, Consent, The Jungle, Home, I'm Darling, The Lieutenant of Inishmore, The Humans, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery, The Inheritance Part 1, The Inheritance Part 2

Other
Afterglow (Off-Broadway), Art (UK Tour)

Return Visits:
West End
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Part 1, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child - Part 2, Red

95 professional theatre trips in total this year, my best since 2011!
Lots to look forward to in 2019

Last Edit: Dec 25, 2018 3:29:14 GMT by Mark

sophizoey
Ensemble

344 posts

Your 2018 Dec 25, 2018 7:49:16 GMT via mobile Nicholas, Rukaya, and 1 more like this

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Post by sophizoey on Dec 25, 2018 7:49:16 GMT

A year I never expected to happen theatre wise. It started normally, seeing most of the big productions that visited my local touring house (Sunderland Empire) once or twice if I enjoyed them. Also went down to London every few months to catch me a dose of my favourite mediocre musical Wicked.

Then I saw the touring production of Wicked with their Standby Elphaba at the helm and my stagey year changed a little bit. I know this is crazy but I've some how seen Wicked 33 times this year (3 times in London and a shockingly embarrassing and I didn't realise this until I counted 30 times on tour). However production wise that has not been the highlight of the year and I've mostly kept going back because the performers in the touring production are some of the best I've ever seen. (I can assure you that in 2019 once the production has close, I will be back to my standard Wicked every 2 months, unless there's something better to see in London)

I've seen 21 other shows this year including visits to 10 new shows. With the other visits mainly being repeat visits to the shows I've enjoyed most. Kinky Boots (London and UK Tour) along with finding a love for Legally Blonde in general has been the highlight of my year.

So that's 54 theatre visits this year, 10 west end visits but visits to 6 various touring houses up and down the country. It might have mostly been for one show, but I'm quite proud of all the travelling I managed to fit in with my theatre trips.

Last Edit: Dec 25, 2018 12:40:44 GMT by sophizoey

No.
Ensemble

253 posts

Your 2018 Dec 25, 2018 8:49:30 GMT via mobile

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Post by No. on Dec 25, 2018 8:49:30 GMT

Not as much as most of you, but I’ve seen 6 shows this year which is way more than I usually get to. As I said I know it’s not much, but I already have 3 booked for 2019 (and the Strictly arena tour) so here’s to hoping I break through the barrier a bit more!

theatremad
Ensemble

Totally bonkers about theatre, seen every Shakespeare play at least twice

376 posts

Your 2018 Dec 25, 2018 10:57:26 GMT via mobile

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Post by theatremad on Dec 25, 2018 10:57:26 GMT

2018 hasn't been great, made redundant in June and pretty much out of work since and family illnesses.

Theatre wise (not exhaustive):

RSC: Imperium, A Christmas Carol, Macbeth, Romeo and Juliet, Merry Wives, Duchess of Maori, Mrs Rich, Miss Littlewood, Maydays, We are Arrested/Day of the Living, YP Comedy of Errors, Three Letters, Troilus and Cressida, A Christmas Carol again, Tamburlaine, Tartuffe, Timon

Warwick Arts Centre: Trying it On

NT: Lehman Trilogy, Hadestown, Pericles, Absolute Hell

Globe: Eyam

West End: Pinter 1,2,3,4. Quiz. Inheritance (well tried). Mary Stuart. Phantom, The Mousetrap. Book of Mormon

Donmar: Measure for Measure

ROH: Ring Cycle 4

haz23
Ensemble

98 posts

Your 2018 Dec 29, 2018 19:29:16 GMT

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Post by haz23 on Dec 29, 2018 19:29:16 GMT

I have three highlights this year; Hamilton, Company and The Last Ship. All were incredible.

itsemily
Ensemble

211 posts

Your 2018 Dec 29, 2018 21:05:14 GMT

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Post by itsemily on Dec 29, 2018 21:05:14 GMT

My 2018 Shows: (In order)

February: Shen Yun at the Dominion Theatre - If I'm honest I didn't enjoy it all, it was my dad who wanted to see it so we went as a family trip. He didn't like it either. I really struggled to stay awake (although I would point out that I had been awake since 5 am),the show just didn't appeal to me although the dancers were all very talented.

Flashdance The Musical at the New Victoria Theatre Woking- Pleasantly surprised me, I thought Joanne Clifton was great and the songs were surprisingly catchy, I like the film but wasn't sure how well it would transfer on to the stage turns out it did this very well in my opinion!

March: Ballet Rambert's Ghost Dances at Woking Theatre. My god mother had specifically flown over from Greece to watch this with us, I had never been to a Rambert show before so I was not sure what to expect. The show was split into three acts of 3 completely different dance pieces with two short intervals. Wasn't very keen on the first act, quite liked the second act and absolutely loved the third act! My godmother loved the whole show but didn't like the theatre. Would not tell us why.

April: Wicked at the Apollo Victoria: 3rd time seeing the show, enjoyed it as always and went to stage door for the first and probably last time, cast were lovely was not a fan of the other people waiting at stage door barging you out the way!

May: Karen and Kevin Dance at Woking! Brilliant show from Kevin and Karen Clifton (also featured Diane Buswell). Fantastically danced and very funny in places. Although I never need to seen a topless Kevin Clifton attempting to rap ever again!

June: Shrek the Musical at Woking theatre. Really enjoyed this (although not a patch on the Broadway DVD). Its an enjoyable show with some genuinely funny moments and a good cast. Met Laura Main at stage door who was absolutely lovely!

July: Wicked Cast Change (Matinee only) : I'd never been to a muck up matinee before and enjoyed the little changes they had added into the show (only seemed to be in the first half though). Ridiculously hot day which hampered my enjoyment slightly as I was just so uncomfortable! Show great as always though!

September: Kerry Ellis live at Zedel - first time seeing Kerry after being a fan for years! Great show with a fantastic set list, just wish there had been some Wicked! Loved the venue definitely plan on seeing something else there in the future!

October: Fame at Woking Theatre: Went along with my manager as she had managed to get cheap tickets. Wasn't expecting to enjoy it that much as I really don't like the film but I actually thought it was great. A very strong young cast with some fantastic dance performances. Would definitely see it again in the future.

Heathers at Theatre Royal Haymarket: A bit of a sick and twisted show but I really enjoyed it. Great performances all round.

Jersey Boys at Woking Theatre: 6th time seeing the show, the tour was lacking in something slightly from the London Show but I couldn't quite put my finger on it, the cast were fantastic but there was something missing for me. Still enjoyed it but had definitely seen it better.

Best show of 2018: Heathers
Worst show: Shen Yun
Biggest Surprise: Fame
Most seen: Wicked (Jersey Boys was number six but only saw it once this year).

sf
Swing

1,972 posts

Your 2018 Dec 29, 2018 22:15:37 GMT

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Post by sf on Dec 29, 2018 22:15:37 GMT

Dec 13, 2018 14:29:11 GMT @baemax said:

I'm not going to lie, I was extremely tempted to book a performance of Fairview at the Young Vic for 2020, but you can take a joke too far, so I stuck with early December 2019. That's my furthest out one, but most of my 2019 bookings so far only go up to June.

Likewise. My furthest one out at this point is a preview performance of Fairview in early December.

theatremad
Ensemble

Totally bonkers about theatre, seen every Shakespeare play at least twice

376 posts

Your 2018 Dec 30, 2018 11:30:32 GMT via mobile

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Post by theatremad on Dec 30, 2018 11:30:32 GMT

Furthest out booked for 2019 is Ian McKellen at RSC

Deleted

0 posts

Your 2018 Dec 30, 2018 12:34:33 GMT

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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2018 12:34:33 GMT

Following my last theatre visits of the year yesterday:

Seen - 89 shows (I think - there are a couple of gaps in my calendar where I'm pretty sure I must have seen something. But if I can't remember it, can't have been much cop!) This is counting things like Pinter at the Pinter and Tonight at 8:30 as one show per performance.

Best (in no particular order):
john (Dorfman)
nine night (Dorfman)
fun home (Young Vic)
an octoroon (Dorfman)
tamburlaine (RSC Swan)
The Convert (Young Vic)
Snowflake (Oxford Old Fire Station)
Sweat (Donmar)
Company (West End)
The Inheritance (West End)
Ear for Eye (Royal Court)
Pity (Royal Court)

Best events:
Tonight at 8:30 (Jermyn Street)
Shakespeare at the Abbey (Globe)
Pinter at the Pinter (Pinter)
Ring Cycle (Royal Opera)

Worst:
A Very Very Very Dark Matter (Bridge) by an incredibly large margin

Worst other than A Very Very Very Dark Matter:
The Cane (Royal Court)

Disappointments:
Sondheim on Sondheim (Royal Festival Hall)
The Wild Duck (Almeida)
Richard II (Almeida)
Measure for Measure (Donmar)
Emilia (Globe)

Deleted

0 posts

Your 2018 Dec 31, 2018 17:20:59 GMT

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Post by Deleted on Dec 31, 2018 17:20:59 GMT

Great year ramping up the theater attendance (not touching the level of some pros here though!)
Took in a lot of new types of theatre (as opposed to just musicals) and first time attending Edinburgh Fringe, which was a 4-day highlight of the year.

40 Shows (including 10 at Edinburgh Fringe) with a lot of bargain hunting/day seating etc.
Average ticket price for the year was £19 - the cheapest being free (thanks to a very generous board member!) and most expensive being Hamilton at £90.

chip
Auditioning

3 posts

Your 2018 Dec 31, 2018 17:51:32 GMT

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Post by chip on Dec 31, 2018 17:51:32 GMT

Not a great year but eight stood out as excellent:

Beginners (Unicorn)
John
The Writer
Notes From The Field
Dance Nation
Nine Night
It's True It's True It's True
Yous Two (Hampstead Downstairs)

80 in the middle. So-so, ho hum.

Five I'd like to forget:

MACbeth (NT)
The Woods
All We Ever Wanted Was Everything
Foxfinder
Nightfall

Phantom of London
Leading Player

5,062 posts

Your 2018 Dec 31, 2018 19:08:46 GMT Nicholas, Rory, and 2 more like this

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Post by Phantom of London on Dec 31, 2018 19:08:46 GMT

Seen 200 shows this year, so a quieter year by all accounts. I have pasted all my shows from my word document, where I rate like all British critics 1-5 stars and I have seen 74x 4**** star shows, 73x 3*** star shows, 25x 5***** star shows 23x 2** star shows and 7x 1* star shows.

Crunching the data I am very pleased that not many shows make the gold standard of 5 stars, as rightfully this should be hard to achieve and conversely not many in the not very good category of 2 star. The truly terrible show that only manages 1 star, I have only seen 7 of them this year, I rarely give a show 1 star and it has to be truly terrible to get only 1 star and something I don't really get any pleasure giving. As I know regardless how good or how bad the show is a lot of hard work and love is given to bring these shows for my pleasure, this isn't always translated when it goes though the entire creative process. Most shows I see are either very good or good, which are 4 star or 3 star shows, which I am fine with.

So my hope for 2019 is to see more 5 star shows and zero 1 star shows, however theatre being what it is and being risk adverse this is going to be very unlikely, which in itself is a great thing and what makes theatre very sustainable, exciting and awesome. So all the best to the creative that both endeavour and fail to bring their imagination to the stage.

5 Stars

The Sound of Music***** £42 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
The Phantom of the Opera***** £10 (Her Majestys)
Les Miserables***** £82 (Queens)
Mamma Mia***** £25 (Novello)
The Wimslow Boy***** £12 (Richmond Theatre)
Frost/Nixon***** £21 (Crucible, Sheffield)
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches***** £75 (Neil Simon, New York)
Angels in America: Perestroika***** £75 (New York, Neil Simon)
Book of Mormon***** £25 (The Princes of Wales)
School of Rock***** £25 (Gillian Lynne)
The King and I***** £15 (London Palladium)
The Price***** £26 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
The King and I***** £25 (London Palladium)
Kinky Boots***** £25 (Adelphi)
Aspects of Love***** (Hope Mill, Manchester) £54
Translations***** £15 (National, Olivier)
A Monster Calls***** £15 (Old Vic)
The King and I***** £25 (London Palladium)
The King and I***** £41 (London Palladium)
Once***** £30.65 (Queens, Hornchurch)
Les Miserables***** £40 (Queens)
War Horse***** £58 (National, Lytteton)
The Producers***** £43 (Royal Exchange)
Sweat***** £20 (Donmar Warehouse)
Kinky Boots***** £28 (Adelphi)

4 Stars

Scrooge The Musical**** £32 (Curve, Leicester)
Guys and Dolls**** £48 (Royal Exchange, Manchester)
Elf**** £49 (Lowry, Manchester)
Barnum*** £22 (Menier)
42nd Street**** £20 (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
Fives Guys Named Moe**** £10 (Marble Arch)
The Woman in White**** £23 (Charing Cross)
The Birthday Party**** £25 (Harold Pinter)
Everyone Is Talking About Jamie**** £25 (Apollo)
Les Miserables***** £82 (Queens)
Julius Caesar**** £25 (Bridge)
Network**** £54 (National, Lytterton)
The Beginning**** £20 (Ambassador)
Mary Stuart**** £25 (Duke of York)
Lady Windermere’s Fan**** £19 (Vaudeville)
Dry Powder**** £37 (Hampstead)
Young Frankenstein**** £20 (Garrick)
Aladdin**** £27 (Prince Edward)
Brief Encounter**** £20 (Cineworld, Haymarket)
Caroline or Change*** £37 (Playhouse)
The Inheritance (Part 1)**** £10 (Young Vic)
The Inheritance**** (Part 2) £10 (Young Vic)
Humble Boy**** £21 (Orange Tree)
Miss Saigon**** £25 (Palace Theatre, Manchester)
Hairspray**** £30 (Opera House, Manchester)
The Importance of Being Earnest**** £22 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Fat Friends**** £31 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)
Tina Turner The Musical**** £40 (Aldwych)
Hamilton**** £37 (Victoria Palace)
Amadeus**** £15 (National, Olivier)
Chess**** £25 (ENO, Coliseum)
A Street Car Named Desire**** £19.50 (Cambridge Arts Theatre)
Nine Night**** £19 (National, Dorfman)
Dreamgirls**** £20 (Savoy)
Chess**** £25 (ENO, Coliseum)
Consent**** £20 (Harold Pinter)
The Gronholm Method**** £32 (Menier)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Legally Blonde**** £30 (Theatre Royal, Brighton)
Carousel**** £30 (Imperial, New York)
Hello Dolly**** £60 (New York, Shubert)
Mean Girls £175**** (New York, August Wilson)
Me and My Girl**** £17 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Spamilton**** £22 (Menier)
Fun Home**** £37 (Young Vic)
Titanic**** £24 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
The Cripple of Innishman**** £10 (Noel Coward)
Darling, I’m Home**** £20 (National, Dorfman)
Evita**** £30 (Churchill)
Tina Turner – The Musical**** £79 (Aldwych)
King Lear**** £75 (Duke of York)
Everyone Is Talking About Jamie**** £20 (Apollo)
The Humans**** £19 (Hampstead)
Sweet Charity**** £10 (Nottingham Playhouse)
The Phantom of the Opera**** £43 (Her Majestys)
Rock of Ages**** £24 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Company**** £10 (Gielgud)
42nd Street**** £20 (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
Cock**** (£20) (Minerva, Chichester)
Company**** (£25) (Gielgud)
Hamilton**** (£75) (Victoria Palace)
Everyone is Talking About Jamie**** £20 (Apollo)
Don Quixode**** £25 (Garrick)
Wild Duck**** £20 (Almeida)
Unmasked – The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber**** £25 (The Other Palace)
Anthony and Cleopatra**** £34 (National, Olivier)
Kiss Me Kate**** £15 (Sheffield Crucible)
Bat Out of Hell**** £20 (Dominion)
Romeo and Juliet**** £13 (RSC, Barbican)
The Room/Victoria Station/Family Voices**** (Harold Pinter)
Dreamgirls**** £20 (Savoy)
The Tragedy Of King Richard II**** £10 (Almeida)

3 Stars

The Wizard of OZ*** £15 (Crucible, Sheffield)
Barnum*** £22 (Menier)
Fat Friends*** £37 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)
Sunset Boulevard*** £25 (New Victoria, Woking)
The Exorcist*** £28 (Phoenix)
John*** £28 (National, Dorfman)
Pinocchio*** £15 (National, Olivier)
Frozen*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
Girls and Boys*** £46 (Royal Court)
Macbeth*** £15 (National, Olivier)
Pippin*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
Girl From The North Country*** £20 (Noel Coward)
Caroline or Change*** £37 (Playhouse)
Paint Your Wagon*** £23 (Everyman)
Frankenstein*** £10 (Royal Exchange)
The Last Ship*** £60 (Northern Stage)
Kiss of the Spiderwoman*** £22 (Menier)
Long’s Day Journey Into Night*** £25 (Wyndham)
Sunset Boulevard*** £19 (New Wimbledon Theatre)
Quiz*** £25 (Noel Coward)
Best Man*** £15 (Playhouse)
Nightfall*** £15 (Bridge)
Mood Music*** £30 (Old Vic)
Art*** £30 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
Instructions for Correct Assembly*** £14 (Royal Court
The Moderate Soprano*** £15 (Duke of York)
The Rink*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse
Peter Pan*** £25 (Open Air)
Shrek The Musical*** £30 (New Victoria, Woking)
Killer Joe*** £30 (Trafalgar Studios)
Machinal*** £10 (Almeida)
Guys and Dolls*** £30 (Kilworth House)
An Ideal Husband*** £30 (Vaudeville)
The Iceman Cometh*** £60 (Jacobs, New York)
My Fair Lady*** £260 ( Vivianne Beaumont, New York)
Three Tall Ladies*** (New York, John Golden)
Kiss Me Kate £30*** (ENO, London Colesium)
Heathers*** £52 (The Other Palace)
The Lehman Trilogy*** £15 (National, Lytterton)
As You Like It*** £35 (Open Air)
Alleluljah*** £15 (Bridge)
Imperium – Conspirator*** £10 (Gielgud)
Aristocrats** £10 (Donmar Warehouse)
Sweet Charity*** £21 (Watermill, Newbury)
Little Shop of Horrors*** £25 (open Air)
God of Carnage*** £26 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
One For the Road, The New World Order, Mountain Language & Ashes for Ashes*** £15 (Harold Pinter)
Six*** (Arts)
Heathers*** £25 (The Other Place)
Othello*** £34 (Globe)
The Lover/The Collection*** £15 (Harold Pinter)
Heathers*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
Foxfinder*** £25 (Ambassador)
Sylvia*** £20 (The Old Vic)
The Other Place*** £18 (Park)
Unexpected Joy*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
The Habit of Art*** £10 (Playhouse, Oxford)
The Height of the Storm*** £25 (Wyndham)
Twelfth Night – The Musical*** £10 (Young Vic)
Pack of Lies*** (£42) (Menier)
Moonlight/Night School*** (£15) (Harold Pinter)
A Very Very Dark Matter*** (£20) (Bridge)
Hadestown*** (338) (National, Olivier)
Landscape/My Kind of Alaska*** (£34) (Harold Pinter)
Wolves*** (£10) (Stratford East)
Doctor Doolittle*** £34 (Churchill, Bromley)
Summer and Smoke*** £20 (Duke of York)
The Madness of King George III*** £10 (Nottingham Playhouse)
Switzerland*** £20 (Ambassador)
White Christmas*** £34 (Curve, Leicester)
Party Time/Celebration*** £20 (Harold Pinter)
Nativity*** £18 (Eventim, Hammersmith)
The Band*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)

2 Stars

The Grinning Man** £24 (Trafalgar Studio)
Crazy For You** £35 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Eugenius** £15 (The Other Palace)
Again** £15 (Trafalgar Studio 2)
Wicked** £30 (Apollo Victoria)
Fanny and Alexander** £15 (Old Vic)
Jersey Boys** £38 (Sunderland Empire)
Chicago** £40 (Phoenix)
Present Laughter** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Red** £10 (Wyndham)
The Chalk Garden** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Half Time** £60 (Milburn, Papermill Playhouse)
The Jungle** £22 (Playhouse)
Imperium – Dictator** £10 (Gielgud)
Knights of the Rose** £15 (Arts)
Exit the King** £15 (National,Olivier)
Aristocrats** £10 (Donmar Warehouse)
Flowers For Mrs Harris** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Copenhagen** £34 (Minerva Theatre, Chichester)
The Prisoner** £20 (National, Dorfman)
I and You** £12 (Hampstead)
Seussical** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
True West** £20 (Vaudeville)

1 Star

The Divide* £10 (The Old Vic)
Strictly Ballroom* £25 (Piccadilly)
The Writer* £40 (Almeida)
Motown* £25 (Shaftsbury)
Genesis Inc* £12 (Hampstead)
Strictly Ballroom* £25 (Piccadilly)
Summer Holiday* £31 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)

catcat100
Ensemble

139 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 2:34:41 GMT lynette, Nicholas, and 1 more like this

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Post by catcat100 on Jan 1, 2019 2:34:41 GMT

2018 was my middle aged gap year and I used it to fall in love with the theatre having never really been before. 92 plays/shows. 3 gigs and a talk. Probably won't see those numbers again once I go back to work but going to give it a go. Thought I'd go with a month by month summary.

January
Network-National - 'Wow' moment-seeing that set and being amazed at what could be done.

February
Ferryman & Macbeth(national) - Both disappointments.

March
Great Wave-National - First tears in a theatre
Chicago - NY - Disappointment - Felt cheap
Mark Rylance - Farinelli & the king - NY - Best Performance

April
Quiz - Worst Play, Worst Performance for Quizmaster
First plays at Donmar & Almeida - Loved both theatres from these first visits.

May
Translations-National- Best use of smoke on set

June
Swan Lake-Royal Ballet - Fell in love with Ballet.
Jungle-Playhouse - Most moving about a current issue - Also first time splashed with fake blood
Sea Wall-old vic - Disappointment - So much hype but didn't feel it.
Meltdown/Cureation - middle of year gig escapade

July
Lieutenant of Inishmore - Most blood
Pity-Royal court - maddest play

August
Fun Home-Young vic - Best musical that starts with kids jumping out of a coffin - or maybe just best musical
Pericles-National - Best community theatre and possibly most fun Shakespeare

September
Home I'm Darling-national - Biggest Surprise - Front row Rush Tickets, saw a lot more of Katherine Parkinson than expected
St Nicholas-Donmar Dryden St - Best rating to audience size ratio.
Misty-Trafalgar Studios - Most orange balloons

October - Most plays seen in a month - 1 every 2 days
Twelth Night-Young Vic - Contender for best musical and most fun Shakespeare
Wild Duck - Most beautiful stage reveal. Saddest plot twist. Best Play?

November
The Inheritance - Unexpectedly good first part and disappointing second
Hadestown - Deepest and shallowest male voices of the year

December
Michelle Obama - Most inspirational
Sweat - Best play?
Summer & Smoke - Patsy Ferran best performance. Best play?
Mary Poppins Returns - Best film

Last Edit: Jan 1, 2019 2:41:22 GMT by catcat100

dontdreamit
Swing

1,194 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 10:56:04 GMT via mobile andrew likes this

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Post by dontdreamit on Jan 1, 2019 10:56:04 GMT

I’ve managed to go to the theatre 45 times this year, which is so much more than I’ve ever managed!

My most surprised about production was Bat Out Of Hell- I had a list of shows I wanted to see this year and this was on it with a a whole load of others. I came out of the show not quite knowing what to make of it, so booked a second for the following week and never looked back! Suffice to say that Bat, alongside Jason Donovan’s tour are my most seen shows this year.

I’ve loved being able to see lots of theatre again this year, and bringing along my children where possible as well. Littlest is still really too young to see much, but Young Dream now has a list of their own which we are going to try and work through as much as possible. I’ve got 10 theatre visits booked for 2019 so far, and I cannot wait to see what this year brings 🙂

Last Edit: Jan 1, 2019 10:57:04 GMT by dontdreamit

lynette
Admin Team

5,707 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 11:40:17 GMT

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Post by lynette on Jan 1, 2019 11:40:17 GMT

Phantom, I admire you! When do you eat? Your dedication to theatre is remarkable.

Rory
Leading Player

3,580 posts

Member is Online

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 11:45:08 GMT via mobile

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Post by Rory on Jan 1, 2019 11:45:08 GMT

Dec 31, 2018 19:08:46 GMT Phantom of London said:

Seen 200 shows this year, so a quieter year by all accounts. I have pasted all my shows from my word document, where I rate like all British critics 1-5 stars and I have seen 74x 4**** star shows, 73x 3*** star shows, 25x 5***** star shows 23x 2** star shows and 7x 1* star shows.

Crunching the data I am very pleased that not many shows make the gold standard of 5 stars, as rightfully this should be hard to achieve and conversely not many in the not very good category of 2 star. The truly terrible show that only manages 1 star, I have only seen 7 of them this year, I rarely give a show 1 star and it has to be truly terrible to get only 1 star and something I don't really get any pleasure giving. As I know regardless how good or how bad the show is a lot of hard work and love is given to bring these shows for my pleasure, this isn't always translated when it goes though the entire creative process. Most shows I see are either very good or good, which are 4 star or 3 star shows, which I am fine with.

So my hope for 2019 is to see more 5 star shows and zero 1 star shows, however theatre being what it is and being risk adverse this is going to be very unlikely, which in itself is a great thing and what makes theatre very sustainable, exciting and awesome. So all the best to the creative that both endeavour and fail to bring their imagination to the stage.

5 Stars

The Sound of Music***** £42 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
The Phantom of the Opera***** £10 (Her Majestys)
Les Miserables***** £82 (Queens)
Mamma Mia***** £25 (Novello)
The Wimslow Boy***** £12 (Richmond Theatre)
Frost/Nixon***** £21 (Crucible, Sheffield)
Angels in America: Millennium Approaches***** £75 (Neil Simon, New York)
Angels in America: Perestroika***** £75 (New York, Neil Simon)
Book of Mormon***** £25 (The Princes of Wales)
School of Rock***** £25 (Gillian Lynne)
The King and I***** £15 (London Palladium)
The Price***** £26 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
The King and I***** £25 (London Palladium)
Kinky Boots***** £25 (Adelphi)
Aspects of Love***** (Hope Mill, Manchester) £54
Translations***** £15 (National, Olivier)
A Monster Calls***** £15 (Old Vic)
The King and I***** £25 (London Palladium)
The King and I***** £41 (London Palladium)
Once***** £30.65 (Queens, Hornchurch)
Les Miserables***** £40 (Queens)
War Horse***** £58 (National, Lytteton)
The Producers***** £43 (Royal Exchange)
Sweat***** £20 (Donmar Warehouse)
Kinky Boots***** £28 (Adelphi)

4 Stars

Scrooge The Musical**** £32 (Curve, Leicester)
Guys and Dolls**** £48 (Royal Exchange, Manchester)
Elf**** £49 (Lowry, Manchester)
Barnum*** £22 (Menier)
42nd Street**** £20 (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
Fives Guys Named Moe**** £10 (Marble Arch)
The Woman in White**** £23 (Charing Cross)
The Birthday Party**** £25 (Harold Pinter)
Everyone Is Talking About Jamie**** £25 (Apollo)
Les Miserables***** £82 (Queens)
Julius Caesar**** £25 (Bridge)
Network**** £54 (National, Lytterton)
The Beginning**** £20 (Ambassador)
Mary Stuart**** £25 (Duke of York)
Lady Windermere’s Fan**** £19 (Vaudeville)
Dry Powder**** £37 (Hampstead)
Young Frankenstein**** £20 (Garrick)
Aladdin**** £27 (Prince Edward)
Brief Encounter**** £20 (Cineworld, Haymarket)
Caroline or Change*** £37 (Playhouse)
The Inheritance (Part 1)**** £10 (Young Vic)
The Inheritance**** (Part 2) £10 (Young Vic)
Humble Boy**** £21 (Orange Tree)
Miss Saigon**** £25 (Palace Theatre, Manchester)
Hairspray**** £30 (Opera House, Manchester)
The Importance of Being Earnest**** £22 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Fat Friends**** £31 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)
Tina Turner The Musical**** £40 (Aldwych)
Hamilton**** £37 (Victoria Palace)
Amadeus**** £15 (National, Olivier)
Chess**** £25 (ENO, Coliseum)
A Street Car Named Desire**** £19.50 (Cambridge Arts Theatre)
Nine Night**** £19 (National, Dorfman)
Dreamgirls**** £20 (Savoy)
Chess**** £25 (ENO, Coliseum)
Consent**** £20 (Harold Pinter)
The Gronholm Method**** £32 (Menier)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Legally Blonde**** £30 (Theatre Royal, Brighton)
Carousel**** £30 (Imperial, New York)
Hello Dolly**** £60 (New York, Shubert)
Mean Girls £175**** (New York, August Wilson)
Me and My Girl**** £17 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Spamilton**** £22 (Menier)
Fun Home**** £37 (Young Vic)
Titanic**** £24 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
The Cripple of Innishman**** £10 (Noel Coward)
Darling, I’m Home**** £20 (National, Dorfman)
Evita**** £30 (Churchill)
Tina Turner – The Musical**** £79 (Aldwych)
King Lear**** £75 (Duke of York)
Everyone Is Talking About Jamie**** £20 (Apollo)
The Humans**** £19 (Hampstead)
Sweet Charity**** £10 (Nottingham Playhouse)
The Phantom of the Opera**** £43 (Her Majestys)
Rock of Ages**** £24 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Bat Out of Hell**** £25 (Dominion)
Company**** £10 (Gielgud)
42nd Street**** £20 (Theatre Royal, Drury Lane)
Cock**** (£20) (Minerva, Chichester)
Company**** (£25) (Gielgud)
Hamilton**** (£75) (Victoria Palace)
Everyone is Talking About Jamie**** £20 (Apollo)
Don Quixode**** £25 (Garrick)
Wild Duck**** £20 (Almeida)
Unmasked – The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber**** £25 (The Other Palace)
Anthony and Cleopatra**** £34 (National, Olivier)
Kiss Me Kate**** £15 (Sheffield Crucible)
Bat Out of Hell**** £20 (Dominion)
Romeo and Juliet**** £13 (RSC, Barbican)
The Room/Victoria Station/Family Voices**** (Harold Pinter)
Dreamgirls**** £20 (Savoy)
The Tragedy Of King Richard II**** £10 (Almeida)

3 Stars

The Wizard of OZ*** £15 (Crucible, Sheffield)
Barnum*** £22 (Menier)
Fat Friends*** £37 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)
Sunset Boulevard*** £25 (New Victoria, Woking)
The Exorcist*** £28 (Phoenix)
John*** £28 (National, Dorfman)
Pinocchio*** £15 (National, Olivier)
Frozen*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
Girls and Boys*** £46 (Royal Court)
Macbeth*** £15 (National, Olivier)
Pippin*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
Girl From The North Country*** £20 (Noel Coward)
Caroline or Change*** £37 (Playhouse)
Paint Your Wagon*** £23 (Everyman)
Frankenstein*** £10 (Royal Exchange)
The Last Ship*** £60 (Northern Stage)
Kiss of the Spiderwoman*** £22 (Menier)
Long’s Day Journey Into Night*** £25 (Wyndham)
Sunset Boulevard*** £19 (New Wimbledon Theatre)
Quiz*** £25 (Noel Coward)
Best Man*** £15 (Playhouse)
Nightfall*** £15 (Bridge)
Mood Music*** £30 (Old Vic)
Art*** £30 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
Instructions for Correct Assembly*** £14 (Royal Court
The Moderate Soprano*** £15 (Duke of York)
The Rink*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse
Peter Pan*** £25 (Open Air)
Shrek The Musical*** £30 (New Victoria, Woking)
Killer Joe*** £30 (Trafalgar Studios)
Machinal*** £10 (Almeida)
Guys and Dolls*** £30 (Kilworth House)
An Ideal Husband*** £30 (Vaudeville)
The Iceman Cometh*** £60 (Jacobs, New York)
My Fair Lady*** £260 ( Vivianne Beaumont, New York)
Three Tall Ladies*** (New York, John Golden)
Kiss Me Kate £30*** (ENO, London Colesium)
Heathers*** £52 (The Other Palace)
The Lehman Trilogy*** £15 (National, Lytterton)
As You Like It*** £35 (Open Air)
Alleluljah*** £15 (Bridge)
Imperium – Conspirator*** £10 (Gielgud)
Aristocrats** £10 (Donmar Warehouse)
Sweet Charity*** £21 (Watermill, Newbury)
Little Shop of Horrors*** £25 (open Air)
God of Carnage*** £26 (Theatre Royal, Bath)
One For the Road, The New World Order, Mountain Language & Ashes for Ashes*** £15 (Harold Pinter)
Six*** (Arts)
Heathers*** £25 (The Other Place)
Othello*** £34 (Globe)
The Lover/The Collection*** £15 (Harold Pinter)
Heathers*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)
Foxfinder*** £25 (Ambassador)
Sylvia*** £20 (The Old Vic)
The Other Place*** £18 (Park)
Unexpected Joy*** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
The Habit of Art*** £10 (Playhouse, Oxford)
The Height of the Storm*** £25 (Wyndham)
Twelfth Night – The Musical*** £10 (Young Vic)
Pack of Lies*** (£42) (Menier)
Moonlight/Night School*** (£15) (Harold Pinter)
A Very Very Dark Matter*** (£20) (Bridge)
Hadestown*** (338) (National, Olivier)
Landscape/My Kind of Alaska*** (£34) (Harold Pinter)
Wolves*** (£10) (Stratford East)
Doctor Doolittle*** £34 (Churchill, Bromley)
Summer and Smoke*** £20 (Duke of York)
The Madness of King George III*** £10 (Nottingham Playhouse)
Switzerland*** £20 (Ambassador)
White Christmas*** £34 (Curve, Leicester)
Party Time/Celebration*** £20 (Harold Pinter)
Nativity*** £18 (Eventim, Hammersmith)
The Band*** £15 (Theatre Royal, Haymarket)

2 Stars

The Grinning Man** £24 (Trafalgar Studio)
Crazy For You** £35 (Churchill Theatre, Bromley)
Eugenius** £15 (The Other Palace)
Again** £15 (Trafalgar Studio 2)
Wicked** £30 (Apollo Victoria)
Fanny and Alexander** £15 (Old Vic)
Jersey Boys** £38 (Sunderland Empire)
Chicago** £40 (Phoenix)
Present Laughter** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Red** £10 (Wyndham)
The Chalk Garden** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Half Time** £60 (Milburn, Papermill Playhouse)
The Jungle** £22 (Playhouse)
Imperium – Dictator** £10 (Gielgud)
Knights of the Rose** £15 (Arts)
Exit the King** £15 (National,Olivier)
Aristocrats** £10 (Donmar Warehouse)
Flowers For Mrs Harris** £10 (Festival Theatre, Chichester)
Copenhagen** £34 (Minerva Theatre, Chichester)
The Prisoner** £20 (National, Dorfman)
I and You** £12 (Hampstead)
Seussical** £12 (Southwark Playhouse)
True West** £20 (Vaudeville)

1 Star

The Divide* £10 (The Old Vic)
Strictly Ballroom* £25 (Piccadilly)
The Writer* £40 (Almeida)
Motown* £25 (Shaftsbury)
Genesis Inc* £12 (Hampstead)
Strictly Ballroom* £25 (Piccadilly)
Summer Holiday* £31 (Orchard Theatre, Dartford)

Hats off Phantom for stellar theatregoing and for writing all of this out - amazing! As a matter of interest, why did you go twice to Strictly Ballroom?!!

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0 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 15:07:02 GMT via mobile

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 15:07:02 GMT

265 things I seen

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0 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT via mobile

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

dontdreamit
Swing

1,194 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 15:20:06 GMT via mobile viserys likes this

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Post by dontdreamit on Jan 1, 2019 15:20:06 GMT

Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

Singalong Bat Out Of Hell last night! My first of 2018 was 42nd Street 🙂

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0 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 15:23:49 GMT via mobile

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 15:23:49 GMT

Jan 1, 2019 15:20:06 GMT dontdreamit said:

Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

Singalong Bat Out Of Hell last night! My first of 2018 was 42nd Street 🙂

I actually think 42nd Street was my first and last 😂

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0 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 15:25:09 GMT via mobile dontdreamit likes this

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 15:25:09 GMT

Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

Hamilton (way back at the end of November), which was also my first show of 2018!

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0 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 16:32:05 GMT

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 16:32:05 GMT

30th December. The Producers, Manchester. 2nd Visit.

ensembleswings
Swing

821 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 16:34:25 GMT via mobile dontdreamit likes this

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Post by ensembleswings on Jan 1, 2019 16:34:25 GMT

Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

Kinky Boots.
I both started and ended the year with that show. And I start this year with it as well.

sf
Swing

1,972 posts

Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 17:27:32 GMT

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Post by sf on Jan 1, 2019 17:27:32 GMT

Jan 1, 2019 15:18:38 GMT danieljohnson14 said:

What was everyone's last show of 2018? Mine was 42nd Street!

Oldham Coliseum's panto - Cinderella, starring the wonderful Sue Devaney as the evil stepmother - with my family on Boxing Day.

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Your 2018 Jan 1, 2019 19:13:24 GMT via mobile

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Post by Deleted on Jan 1, 2019 19:13:24 GMT

My last was Macbeth. After the year we've had, it seemed fitting.