Operation Mincemeat - New Diorama/SWP/Riverside/Fortune

This "marketing survey" is being discussed quite a bit on the Broadway message boards as well. There seems to be some thought that perhaps the venue that the producers were looking at may or may not be available when they were expecting it to be so perhaps this survey is being sent out to see whether or not they can risk putting the show into a bigger venue?

I wonder what theatre they've booked for Broadway, I think the Booth would give the intimacy plus the capacity they need to make money.

Sorry to say but this was dire, I loved ‘Dear Bill’ hated the rest.

This had flashes of good when it was being serious & playing to emotional beats, the farce of it was not for me.

I truly think it would be a mistake on Broadway but wilder things have happened I guess, not for me!

2 stars, one for ‘Dear Bill’ & one for a hard working ensemble cast but I didn’t enjoy this one!

Opera Ghost?

In the email this is the strangest part:
"or can we join the ranks of Six, Les Mis, and Oliver… to name a few that have successfully crossed the pond?"
Then the survey asks if those same shows can be successful in the USA, when they've just told us they are/were. If it had slipped any Brit's attention that 'Oliver!' was a success on Broadway it's understandable, so you might otherwise click 'No' on that one, but no Broadway backer would be unaware (though it was way back in 1984 for the last revival and a lot's changed in the culture since then). 'Me And My Girl' is added to their list in the survey itself (11 Tony nominations, 3 wins) but it also ran in the mid to late eighties - relevant still?

The whole survey seems to be inviting us to join in an exercise in confirmation bias to make them feel better about doubts they've heard.

They're a great company, and I found so much to enjoy in the show - but haven't they already taught the industry and themselves the path to production? Start small, and let it grow like crazy to whatever level it reaches. I wouldn't be surprised if that was a Broadway house eventually (and quite rapidly). 'Hadestown' grew their way: development productions, then Off Broadway 2016, Canada 2017, London 2018, Broadway 2019 etc.

So interesting to see the dilemma when the 'plucky outsider' that cultivates a team of 'agent' supporters has to decide whether to parachute in as the conquering hero, or approach by stealth again taking a covert route to victory.

This show will never recoup on Broadway and the producers know it.

My guess (I would love anyone with inside info to chime in):

They and their new producers had a place booked. Producers are getting nervous for some reason and told them they went from a green light to a maybe.

Reasons I think this:

The odd way of announcing the cast change IMMEDIATELY made me think something came undone as solid inside rumours had already said this was a green light for Broadway. The drip drip of new cast and holding out on cast change was a way to buy time. THEY know it would have worked better marketing-wise to announce it all at once.

It's happened before. My Son's A Queer was literally about to LOAD IN TO THEIR THEATRE on Broadway when it got "postponed".

You have to understand that the US theatre industry is much less healthy than the British theatre industry right now. Investors are nervous, not taking risks, things are getting more and more and more expensive. Some of this is legitimate (performers are paid muuuuuch better), some of it isn't. Producers in NY are also much more insular, profit driven, and boys club-y over there. I am sure this show has some champions but someone (or several people) who are key to it happening got cold feet.

I also would not be surprised if there are some disagreements on producers wanting changes being made either to the show or the desired cast. As much as I love this show, it could be slightly tightened and there are one or two people who I would understand if the producers wanted to recast.

I’m sure there a loads of reasons but Broadway salaries and theatre rental is exponentially more expensive in New York than London. It’s always been higher but something has happened especially post COVID where the costs have spiralled and it’s starting to get concerning about how viable the New York market is. But there typically is no shortage of rich investors who are willing to gamble on the likely losses (most shows in New York never recoup).

Are the standing tickets any good for this? I’d have thought they’d be too far away to get so much from it.

Salaries are *massively* different. West End principles might make 45k a year. On Broadway it's something like 125k.

I'd be amazed if there really is any doubt in the Broadway minds; they just want a load of pull quotes to put on the Broadway marketing strategy while capturing more emails for the mailing list. The whole impressive strategy thus far has been about mobilising and motivating a fan group to do the marketing for them, based around the idea that they're 'the little show that could...' and nothing motivates harder than feeling like you're on the side of the underdog. Whoever heads up the Mincemeat marketing team should go into politics.

I bet standing is preferable to any of the seats in this theatre