2017 Look Ahead

Chess? Golly. One great song. Nowt much else.

Open Air said they were going to do Jesus Christ Superstar again, unsure if this is their main musical though, or what they also tend to do is bring a previous show as the season finale, which then goes on tour or maybe this time go straight into the West End?

Chichester announces in January but it is Daniel Evan's first season, Elaine Paige stated on her show, that Diane Paulus' production of Pippin was going to appear, lets face it, you don't listen to Elaine Paige for gossip, so therefore I think there will be mileage here.

I thought Shirley Valentine was a major tour with Jodie Prenger. Is the Bath version different?

Superstar is being staged again prior to a tour.

2017 should be s good year in theatre

No Memphis tour, no good year.

Bit disappointed that other than JCS, American in Paris and Hamilton, the New Musical list looks a bit meh for me at the moment.

Don't think JCS quite counts as a 'New Musical'!  

Oh of course, and am excited to see what does get announced! also Follies and Whos Afraid of... I am looking forward too!

Wind in The Willows heading to Palladium Summer 2017.

Rumours of Finding Neverland at the Piccadilly, nothing confirmed just yet.

I think 2017 will be a great year for theatre!

Dreamgirls and The Girls are the shows I'm most looking forward to! However, there's also some good plays coming into London too!

Looks like the London 'circuit theatre' by which I mean, one that host a show for 3 - 4 months then move in another show such as the Vaudeville, Apollo, Wyndhams etc. The West End will vie an additional 4/5 slots with the freeing up of the Harold Pinter and Gielgud, obviously the Ferryman is tipped to take one of these but the others will need filling, which is good news for us theatre goers. Also the other circuit theatres need something.

So wonder what could come in? Surprised that The Nape, Chichester's Enemy of the People and Bristol Old Vic's Long Journey Into Night didn't come in. But regional and Broadway is always a good place to start and one of the staples for producing in the West End is Bath's Theatre Royal that has Shirley Valentine, What The Butler Saw, Abigail's Party and Pygmallion being primed. Chichester is another good source for West End material and I hear Strife is doing a tour, but could this have a place in the West End? Is it too late for Ross to come in?

Elsewhere from Northampton would Peter and the Starcatcher appeal to a wider West End audience? Sheffield's production of Annie Get Your Gun has been well recieved, but also Show Boat also got well recieved, so will be interesting to see what happens here. Leeds and Australia's Strictly Ballroom people on here saying there are possibilies. Young Frankenstein will be coming in from Newcastle or will it?

From Broadway The King and I rumour just seems that, but I would say Waitress would be a good punt, I would say the Aldwych will be free as Beautiful is hitting the road and Wimbledon, so a good sign there a show is on the way out. Play wise Humans would be hot favourite but will Blackbird come over as well. Heisenberg has been mentioned in the Marianne Elliott's company and it is one cracking play. Oslo seems To be one to end up at the National.

From London's fringe there has been no noise of Yerma making the leap, but could its sell out production of the Mountaintop be up for a revival? Also will the sell out revival of A View From The Bridge come back, like wise King Charles the III or Hangman. I would be surprised is She Loves Me doesn't make a move as Menier shows normally do. Oil got solid reviews for the Almedia, also Mary Stuart might be considered, Richard III was linked, but seems just that.

There seems to have not been a first rate production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof for a long time, same as Death and the Maiden. Pinter's The Birthday Party and Betrayal has been a long absence. Ayckbourn's Norman Conquests, Bedroom Farce and believe he has a new one just been done at Scarborough? For Noel Coward Present Laughter hasn't been done for a bit.

Nothing by Neil Simon has been done in the West End for years.

Waiting for Godot is another that seems to be revived a lot?

Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill and The River both have been on sale for the West End and cancelled.

New theatres due at Tower Bridge Hytner/Starr and one eventually to replace the Astoria and what is happening with the Ambassadors?

I have suggested a few and no doubt missed many, and like us all theatre lovers will be surprised by some announcements.