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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2019 16:53:56 GMT
I respectfully disgree and I'm impressed that while being merely in my 40s, I'm considered a dying breed. There have always been "teen shows" aimed at a new generation with shows like JCS and Hair being way more groundbreaking in their days than most of today's teen shows. And while I agree that it's good that smaller shows like BMC are being shown here, that's what they are: Smaller Shows that don't reach the mainstream: - Be More Chill was a massive flop on Broadway because it couldn't reach an audience beyond its core teen market - Heathers never made it TO Broadway and struggled during its limited run at the Haymarket - Mean Girls hasn't exactly set Broadway on fire as well and is struggling - Dear Evan Hansen has been doing very well in NY, but was a flop in Toronto, we'll have to see how it will do in London when the initial hype has died down - Six is a huge hit in a tiny fringe theatre and as much as I love it, I don't see it succeed on Broadway at Broadway prices either. Many shows manage to appeal to all generations: Hamilton for example uses modern music but the story appeals to adults as much as to young people, same as Six. Jamie centers on a teenage boy but the mother is given enough room for older people to care for them both too. Not that we can't care for teenagers, but there's a difference between Jamie's struggle for acceptance and trying to find his place in the world and all these American shows set in high schools, among teens, dealing with entirely teenage problems that grown ups are glad to have left behind. The biggest hits on Broadway currently are rather traditional shows aimed at the older "dying breed" audience - Moulin Rouge, which is all spectacle (and jukebox), Come From Away and Hadestown both with fairly mature stories, using rather old fashioned folk music elements. And over here, the very oldie 42nd Street didn't do all that badly recently. I'm happy for everyone who wants to see the American teen musicals here (and I have booked for BMC myself), but they are a niche rather than the new mainstream and this old dying breed lady here would much rather see a revival of a golden oldie than have yet another show with bland modern pop tunes about a bunch of unlikeable American high schoolers. Seconded. And though deffo interested in Be More Chill, even if it does sell out TOP (which it hasn't yet), it's small fry re mass appeal. Entire run there probs equivalent to selling out Palladium once lol. So I think we are jumping the gun slightly. Also, and this COULD be being out of touch who knows, but re the MUSIC, I just can't see any of the youth musicals having stand alone songs on the radio in 30/40/50 years. The music just isn't as good. Though the irony is not lost on me that for their fans, perhaps these scores are to them what Evita is to me. (Keep meaning to start a post on whether the importance of music in musicals has waned). |
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Oct 6, 2019 17:15:35 GMT
Well, I’ll not be going. It sounds very much not my thing. So my rather pricey advance purchase (money in the producers bank) stalls seat can wait to get discounted so someone can spend their pocket money on it 🙂.
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Post by danb on Oct 6, 2019 17:50:52 GMT
Well, I’ll not be going. It sounds very much not my thing. So my rather pricey advance purchase (money in the producers bank) stalls seat can wait to get discounted so someone can spend their pocket money on it 🙂. Or better still, it can stay unsold and I’ll move down into it from my £19.50 arse end seat. #goingbutdontwantto #kidseh? |
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Post by djp on Oct 6, 2019 19:45:26 GMT
^Yes, all shows that will appeal to a certain younger demographic...not fans of shows such as Showboat or Kismet for example.. Sure. Shows that have appeal to teens and others. But not teen shows. They would have to find a new business plan first - the teens are not going to pay £ 97 140 for what was a £ 50 -70 stalls ticket five years ago . You need to get younger audiences in but you won't get much of a show at prices they will like , producers and actors can't afford to subsidize them, and we need a lot better writers here and they need to produce fewer clunkers, fewer looking as if they ran out of money with half a job done , and fewer clones. That said But I'm a cheerleader looked good with a top cast at MTFEST, and Nerds looked like it could be good with some money thrown at it, a top line cast and some big numbers to make it look like it needed a big stage. |
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Post by djp on Oct 6, 2019 19:48:40 GMT
I enjoyed it. Will get the Heathers audience in. It's the kind of show that will work in a venue this size of The Other Palace, but struggles in a bigger and more mainstream venue. It can also be produced relatively cheaply. Carrie is in it? |
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Post by xanady on Oct 6, 2019 19:52:16 GMT
Really interesting debate on this issue from fellow posters...some fascinating perspectives in response to my original post...thanks all👍
djp raises a very pertinent point about pricing and subsidies.
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Post by danb on Oct 6, 2019 20:24:40 GMT
Lest we forget that the main route into these shows is day seats and Today Tix lotteries for less than thirty quid. Nobody is getting rich from that.
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Post by viserys on Oct 7, 2019 6:21:08 GMT
(Keep meaning to start a post on whether the importance of music in musicals has waned). Please do! I'd be really curious to hear other people's opinions about this, too, as I often wonder whether I'm the only one who misses the days of full orchestras, soaring ballads and smart lyrics. |
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Post by xanady on Oct 7, 2019 7:49:47 GMT
^There have been some ‘lyrically challenged’clunkers even in classic golden oldies...
who can forget such immortals as Clambake,Farmer and the Cowman,Shuffle Off To Buffalo,Lonely Goatherd,Happy Talk,Bushel And A Peck and many hundreds of others...? Mind you,one of Heathers big tunes is Freeze Your Brain (about consuming flavoured ice drinks)...lol
Agree about lush orchestrations...tired of seeing a band of three trying to cover something written for forty or more musicians...
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Post by stagebyte on Oct 7, 2019 17:20:27 GMT
Offers on Today’s Tix
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Post by Rukaya on Oct 7, 2019 22:03:47 GMT
Don't think they have any offers ie discounts, just full price plus booking fee tickets. Probably better off buying via The Other Palace site still. |
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Post by Theatre Fan on Dec 4, 2019 14:05:24 GMT
Luke Bayer will reportedly join the cast. No info in what role x
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Post by danb on Dec 4, 2019 14:40:10 GMT
Will Bobby Davro be playing his dad? Will Luke play Bobby Davro too? Has anyone ever seen the two of them in the same room? Just putting it out there lookielikey fans... Davros Shirley Bassey is nearly as good as Joe Longthorne’s was, ie better than Shirleys. More excited by this than watching the show.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 5, 2019 0:47:22 GMT
Will Bobby Davro be playing his dad? Will Luke play Bobby Davro too? Has anyone ever seen the two of them in the same room? Just putting it out there lookielikey fans... Davros Shirley Bassey is nearly as good as Joe Longthorne’s was, ie better than Shirleys. More excited by this than watching the show. I once threw a Jaffa cake at Bobby Davro. |
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Post by ukpuppetboy on Dec 5, 2019 1:39:24 GMT
I once threw a Jaffa cake at Bobby Davro. This needs to be the start of a whole new thread on ‘most random showbiz encounters’. |
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Post by ABr on Dec 9, 2019 10:42:27 GMT
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Post by viserys on Dec 9, 2019 10:50:41 GMT
Blake  Now I'm glad I booked, even if it's gonna be mayhem central with the ladies from Six. |
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Post by Theatre Fan on Dec 9, 2019 11:07:01 GMT
Luke Bayer will reportedly join the cast. No info in what role x My source got mixed up lol Meant Millie from Soho Cinders, not Luke. Ah well. Great cast 💖 x |
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Post by sparky5000 on Dec 9, 2019 11:42:09 GMT
^Putting the pedantic semantics of an earlier poster aside,I’m really impressed that ALW and his people have their fingers on the pulse in giving youth-driven/teen shows like this a chance to shine.ALW knows where the future and the money lies in MT.Punters who were fans of shows like Oklahoma,Showboat and other golden oldies are literally a dying breed.MT has to re-invent itself and speak to new generations of theatregoers and whilst the new cult of obsessive fandom is alarming in some ways,it is also a comforting reminder of the power of MT as a genre.BK’s teaser advertising for Heathers has cleverly tapped into the new youth-driven social media feeding frenzy for shows such as that. Only Toby and Lucy in the UK seem to have found the Midas touch whilst the Americans seem to be more switched on altogether.Shows like JCS and Evita simply had to be re-imagined or they would face becoming nothing more than museum pieces.Good luck to BMC...hope it’s a smash and hope all the shows I mentioned in an earlier post also cross the pond and are successful.The future is the youth! Amen. The issue though, that others have said, is that for the most part British MT just isn’t being given a chance, or the backing, which is a real shame. ALW is a businessman and of course he is going to back a US show like BMC which did great guns when it was off-broadway, is already established and has a built-in fanbase and rabid social media following - just woulda been nice to see TOP taking a chance on homegrown talent. They can’t get that same following if they are never given the chance. |
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Post by djdan14 on Feb 12, 2020 19:45:12 GMT
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Post by fiyero on Feb 12, 2020 20:30:43 GMT
I'm not there until 14/03 but I want that slush cup! I think more shows should do them |
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 12, 2020 23:45:43 GMT
Excellent show tonight! I saw this on Broadway, enjoyed it and found it just as good in the UK. A much better musical than Dear Evan Hansen.
Sold out for this night (and many others) with an audience that made Heathers' fans look normal, but they behaved well, with only the odd bit of cheering and clapping during songs. An instant standing ovation from the entire audience at the end, followed by sustained clapping and the all important audience selfie.
The second row £15 seat was a bargain. Stage level, perfect view. The front row fans who paid premium prices got a goodie bag, which as far as I can tell had a certificate and a badge, maybe other bits.
The Broadway set was basic, this even more so, but you didn't really notice. The set is a large screen in the background. Lots of line art and digital graphics.
If there is one thing to improve, it's that they haven't got the sound levels sorted yet. Very quiet in some songs, some microphone rustling etc. But there seemed to be a lot of people hanging about who were working on the show, so I'm sure they'll sort this.
I think the highlight had to be Blake Patrick Anderson as Michael. Having seen this show in the States, it looked strange to have a white Michael here, but he did a great job and really nailed Michael In The Bathroom.
Scott Folan was good in the lead role as Jeremy. I'm not sure all the songs were in the right key for him, but he had nerdy teen down a tee.
And Stewart Clarke is excellent in everything he does.
Overran a bit tonight, finishing just after 10pm (the advertised run time is 2 hours 15 minutes). So bear that in mind if you're planning travel.
Definitely worth going to see. It won't be for everyone, but it's a lot of fun and a good change to the traditional teen musical. And don't be scared off by the fanbase. If tonight's audience is anything to go by, a lot of them know the show well from the soundtrack and were all just really excited to see it play out on stage.
And, if you can't see it at The Other Palace, I suspect, even at this early stage, it's due a transfer. I'm glad I booked up my tickets for return visits early.
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Post by theatre241 on Feb 13, 2020 7:17:37 GMT
The broadway production if I remember had automation to bring set pieces on, is this still the same for the other palace or is it replaced by a screen?
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Post by Dr Tom on Feb 13, 2020 8:47:06 GMT
The broadway production if I remember had automation to bring set pieces on, is this still the same for the other palace or is it replaced by a screen? There's a big screen at the back, most of the width of the stage. There are small items like desks used, but they're wheeled on. |
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Post by theatre241 on Feb 13, 2020 12:07:17 GMT
The broadway production if I remember had automation to bring set pieces on, is this still the same for the other palace or is it replaced by a screen? There's a big screen at the back, most of the width of the stage. There are small items like desks used, but they're wheeled on. Ahh thank you, are there any moving Collums |
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Now I'm glad I booked, even if it's gonna be mayhem central with the ladies from Six.