Is the 2.30 performance of a show worse than the 7.30..

Good to know, i suspect then some of the leads wont do both shows in a do.

Must be like sheep though for them, the same performance over and over - its tough/glassy eyed no doubt / beats sitting behind a desk i suppose.

They should be the same and I've never noticed a difference personally.

But I do remember Luke Evans saying on Graham Norton how you should never go to a matinee as basically the cast are saving themselves/can't be bothered. But to be honest he just came across as an arrogant dick.

I go to a lot of matinees because it’s easier to get home (evening shows I often get home past midnight because trains) - and honestly performance-wise you often can’t tell, the performers are professionals after all! Sometimes energy levels aren’t as intense as evening shows, but it’s not something you really notice unless you’re a regular.

Audience-wise you might get some more interesting (read: vocal, chatty, theatre-etiquette breakers) but it really is the luck of the draw mostly

Doesn't sound the worst thing Barrowman's ever done.

I think casts are generally professional. I do know some are rather tired by the evening performance, especially after three shows in a row (Friday evening, plus two on Saturday), or even five where there are two Sunday shows.

The audience is often worse at a matinee, if that's a consideration.

For some shows, there are alternates used to help the lead maintain their voice. Jersey Boys, for instance, never has the same Frankie on twice in a day (the alternate usually does the matinee, but sometimes they do the evening). But it's not always the matinee where the alternate gets swapped out. Get Up Stand Up has the lead on for the Sunday matinee and the alternate on Sunday evening.

Around Christmas, with the changed schedules, there will be lots of random swapping around and covers going on, especially with the performance schedules being condensed and people wanting breaks.

Personally, I generally find the shows fresher when some of the covers are on. I would think it makes it more interesting and dynamic for the cast too. But I know there are people desperate to see all the leads, which is easier said than done at this time of the year, for many reasons.

Really think this purported mat/eve difference should be the last thing to worry about (personally don't think it exists)!

Also lots of other things that can't be forecast that will affect individual performances & overall cast energy- debuts or covers/swings on (especially around holiday season), family/friends/industry people in the audience, some random backstage happening that influences the vibe of the day, making everyone perform at their 200%...

One of the best performances of a show I see regularly was a random weekday matinee (then at my other regular, the dullest performance I've ever sat through), so I usually just pick any show that suits my schedule then go in and enjoy!

I don’t know honestly, there’s pros and cons.

Pros: The cast haven’t fallen into a routine yet, being in the show is still a novelty. The show might not be frozen so you get extra bits that get cut.

Cons: Potentially more mistakes. The cast might not have fully fleshed out their characterisation. If the show isn’t frozen yet there might be bits that don’t work / you don’t get the same experience of someone seeing the show later.

"is it best to go to a production earlier or later in the run?"

I saw Judi Dench at the beginning and at the end of the run of A Little Night Music at the NT. At the start of the run, I thought she was good, but not special. At the end of the run, I found her extraordinary. Everything about the performance had deepened, she had become her character completely; so much more real, alive and even mesmerizing. Only time this happened to me to such a degree.
I'd say don't go to previews. They're in draft form, works in progress and haven't had time to settle in. One preview I went to years ago, didn't even include the ending.

Having seen 3x 2.30 showing and twice 7.30 showing this last week, have to say, levels appeared the same. Perhaps..the 1pm christmas eve show maybe had a little more energy..hard to say..a few errors crept in there, the young lad who gets hoisted up the rope didnt work ( think too long to be clipped in ), and a short scene missed - according to daughter - i didnt notice that.

So, apart from a short goodbye, thanks from Cameron at the 7.30 showings, both shows seemed fine. And cast came out, happy at both 2.30 and 7.30. Couple of the other actors didnt really stop..personally i loved there grounded scenes, but the girls all dig the dancers i guess. Seeing them occasionally in Wemberly , lunch, laughing one another etc...great they all seem to get along.