City of Angels

Did it actually start previews or closed before it started? I've lost track of things

Does anyone think this could happen again but at another time?

Yes I'm sure she was probably pretty happy never to have to walk on that stage again. She never once looked like she wanted to be there the night I saw it. It was very awkward...

I would love this to happen at a later date, perhaps it could then coincide with Peter Polycarpou being available just to make it that bit more special for me!

Same here!

Another case of sh*tty producers, when multiple posts appeared across social media, including mine, about the cancellation of the remaining dates. I had a couple of people from the production, none the wiser it seems.

How can you send out thousands of emails to customers, informing them the remaining dates have been cancelled but not tell your production first??

From what I've heard, after all the palava, Stephen Mear (choreographer) tweeted that they are all working on bringing it back.

Sources are telling me, they're aiming for March 2021. We shall see, obviously. Can't predict anything currently x

If that's the tweet you're talking about, he has also stated they all knew it wasn't coming back.

My reading of it was that it was pretty obvious, or perhaps should have been, to nearly everyone that the production would not be re-opening prior to its original closing date of 5th September. How could it in the current circumstances without social distancing?

It was always going to be a limited season as the Garrick was then due to host The Drifters Girl. I think the nasty surprise element was the Twitter rumour mill suggestion, with no obvious foundation or source, that the production wasn't ever going to come back at all. Hadley Fraser has re-tweeted Stephen Mears' tweet that talks are ongoing. So fingers crossed. But it is always helpful if, despite difficult circumstances, producers make clear to, firstly, their people, and secondly, their audiences, what their plans are for a show's future before the rumours start flying and people get upset or annoyed.

I thought there was a small chance that it might return for a month or so because The Drifters Girl had postponed their dates that were meant to be prior to the Garrick ergo they would be postponing going to the Garrick. But unfortunately it is understandable and im sure this wasn't a decision they made with pleasure.

A shame for all involved and those who loved the production five years ago and were elated to see it come back, if they can bring it back in any capacity that will always be marvellous in my mind! I am very glad I called in sick at work and saw it while it did play in the Garrick.

Unbelievable how many producers are letting social media know before cast and crew, and especially since DEH got called out on it first!!

With all due respect, the problem may have been that you reported on social media that all future performances had been cancelled, prompting those tweets from peeved off people.

The issue is not that the remaining dates (ie to 5 September) have been cancelled which is factually correct (as you said on your site Shaun - and you've been quick to update the story) - rather that some social media have interpreted and reported that as "will not return when theatres open". There is a great deal of work going to to try and ensure that it willing in fact return when theatres open - and most of the cast and team are aware of this - so it's unfortunate that there's been a degree of editorialising in the 'reporting'. Perhaps those working on the show who have been taken aback by today's story are concerned because having been told that up to now that the producers are doing what they can to restart the show - they've been faced with 'news' that it will not return. If there has been poor communications from the top then that is unacceptable - as those working in theatre are particularly vulnerable at the moment - so even more care needs to be taken.

That said there's a difference between telling ticket bookers that they are going to get a refund tickets for five weeks of performances - and announcing a production will never see the light of day again. It's certainly a bit different to cancelling six months of an open-ended run without telling cast and crew - though no less distressing to those directly affected.

There's a set and costumes sitting in the Garrick Theatre and there's no longer any other production lined up to go into the theatre. They are well placed, cast availability notwithstanding, to get up and running once there is some clarity about timelines and what is permissible in terms of safety, though clearly they aren't going to make any sort of announcement now given current uncertainties. There's even the possibility that it could be the first West End show to have an opening night given they were so close to it before lockdown. That would be a good tweet to read.