Anything Goes - Barbican / U.K.Tour

I sat in row B stalls end of row and it was great. You just miss whatever happens far left of stage but I don't think it was anything to worry about.

As nights at the theatre go, tonight was just perfect and I couldn’t have asked for any more. Some great weather, a lovely pre-show meal at the Barbican restaurant and sat with some really lovely people to watch a breath taking show. Having never really used the rush ticket facility on TT prior to tonight, I was really sceptical that I’d get a seat as trial runs prior to today had come up short, but with some fast fingers I got a central row T stalls seat and for £25 I got a fantastic seat and for 2 hours and 40 minutes I was in musical theatre heaven.

Having never been to the Barbican Centre to watch a show (I’ve only ever been on the backstage tour and for exhibitions), it’s a wonderful venue and despite getting lost briefly in the Centre at the interval (Is it really a true Barbican experience if you don’t get lost?) the show was just pure gold. For me it had everything - an insanely talented cast that had the audience in stitches the entire night, show stopping numbers, fantastic costumes (those frocks, especially for SF were just beautiful), a wonderful 15 piece orchestra that was sublime, great staging and lighting, dancing sailors and a stuffed toy dog. I mean what more do you need to have a great night out at the theatre?

Those two big dance numbers - “Anything Goes” and ‘Blow, Gabriel, Blow” really were stunning and throughly deserved the rapturous reception they got from the audience. The atmosphere in the auditorium after those numbers was just electric.

With the casting, that was just perfect. I’m sure there will plenty of gongs coming their way when awards season arrives. I just couldn’t fault them. With the veterans of Wilmot, Lindsay and Kendal having the audience in the palm of their hands the entire night and with Sutton Foster’s seemingly unending energy, myself and the people sat near me were just in awe at what we were watching.

As well the big production values, it was the little touches that made tonight special. For example, having MD wear a Captains hat during the overture and the little doggy life vest.

No question a 5⭐️ production and a throughly deserved standing ovation. After 18 months, if theatre land ever needed a feel good show, the Barbican Centre is the place to go to see it.

My first standing ovation at the end of Act1. Well not for me but for the fantastic cast.

I'm now in love with Sutton Foster, a true Broadway legend.

In the rush I got R15 and the view was fantastic. I forgot how good the rake is in the barbican.

From the moment of looking at the show curtain I had a feeling that I was going to adore it and I did. Especially the title song, Gabriel & Gypsy. Although anything with sailers and a dog is going to get my vote

There are always Rush seats. Watch the countdown and hit the button. If you are unlucky keep watching for the next 20 minutes or so because sometimes people don’t complete their purchase. Eventually it will say “sold out” if there really are none left.

For various reasons I tried Rush for this on 6 different days, I got tickets on 4 of those (but released them twice and the show was cancelled once). Good luck !

Clearly Ms Foster had a coffee or three during the interval, as the dancing in Act II was like it was from a completely different show! Gosh she has the dancing flexibility of someone 20 years her junior! And she and Robert Lindsay have unbeatable comic timing.

Now I understand the raves a bit more, and given there were a few missed mic cues I wonder how many of my issues with the Act I dialogue and lyric placement were actually sound issues (the words seemed constantly behind the music).

4 stars from me, and I have a return visit booked in a few weeks so will be interested to see if the sound issues are sorted and it pushes it up to 5.

I’m heading to see this tomorrow with guests who only have the one vaccine. Are there any checks before you go in to the theatre?

Nothing when I went either

Nothing on the website, I looked the other day as going on Saturday. When i was on the site there was a pop up asking if they brought in a covid passport would it put me off visiting

I could put any test result in and unless you have to carry your passport with you i could have anyone's vaccine status on my phone 🤷

Jess Buckby has now joined the cast as an Angel!

Was there last night. There’s some sanitiser by the entrance, which most people walk straight past, and that’s about it. I’ve been to 8 different theatres this week, and not one of them did any kind of covid check.

Hell of a show though, and not just for the song and dance sequences, which are great, but it’s also incredibly funny.