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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jan 31, 2024 10:11:01 GMT
To not do Fiddler because of its Jewish story would be deeply problematic. I agree about this, but to not do Fiddler because it's less than five years since the last successful London revival would be a completely acceptable - if not sensible - decision! I'm personally very disappointed in the Fiddler announcement. It just feels... lazy? In fact all their recent attempts feel rather as if a group of people just reeled off some hit musicals off the top of their heads in an ad-hoc meeting and picked one, rather than actually researching countless musicals from the past which are crying out for a revival and could so uniquely benefit from being staged in that space. Such a missed opportunity.
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Post by Jon on Jan 31, 2024 10:36:36 GMT
To not do Fiddler because of its Jewish story would be deeply problematic. I agree about this, but to not do Fiddler because it's less than five years since the last successful London revival would be a completely acceptable - if not sensible - decision! I'm personally very disappointed in the Fiddler announcement. It just feels... lazy? In fact all their recent attempts feel rather as if a group of people just reeled off some hit musicals off the top of their heads in an ad-hoc meeting and picked one, rather than actually researching countless musicals from the past which are crying out for a revival and could so uniquely benefit from being staged in that space. Such a missed opportunity. I don't think it's lazy to do a musical just because it was done elsewhere especially considering the Open Air is very different to the Menier. Also, there is also a chance they can't get the rights to other musicals and to be blunt some simply won't sell.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jan 31, 2024 11:05:28 GMT
fluxcapacitor can i ask what shows you think they should be staging?
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jan 31, 2024 13:08:28 GMT
I agree about this, but to not do Fiddler because it's less than five years since the last successful London revival would be a completely acceptable - if not sensible - decision! I'm personally very disappointed in the Fiddler announcement. It just feels... lazy? In fact all their recent attempts feel rather as if a group of people just reeled off some hit musicals off the top of their heads in an ad-hoc meeting and picked one, rather than actually researching countless musicals from the past which are crying out for a revival and could so uniquely benefit from being staged in that space. Such a missed opportunity. I don't think it's lazy to do a musical just because it was done elsewhere especially considering the Open Air is very different to the Menier. Also, there is also a chance they can't get the rights to other musicals and to be blunt some simply won't sell. That's not what I'm saying, though. I'm saying it feels lazy to not look outside the box when staging a new revival. The Menier is actually quite good at doing just that - look at The Boy Friend, or Bridges or Madison County; as is the Donmar - e.g. the covid-victim City of Angels, Band's Visit or the (now transferring) Next to Normal. I just personally feel like the Open Air doesn't bother looking for something different with their revivals. It feels like they settle on something recognisable and trust it's enough that the space/approach is different - and I personally feel that's not very exiting. I'm sorry, but I also don't believe for a moment it's to do with rights. Highly likely it's much easier to get the rights to something more obscure than it is for Fiddler or Legally Blonde. fluxcapacitor can i ask what shows you think they should be staging? I'm not an expert in any way, but I just know there's a huge number of shows outside the usual box that haven't been done in a long time which I'd love to see get an airing - especially in a new guise like this theatre can offer. The rumour of Brigadoon sounded - to me - the perfect vehicle: a popular show that hasn't been done in a while, which lends itself beautifully to being performed outside and could benefit from some reworking. The Secret Garden, Annie Get Your Gun (yes, I know there were one off concerts of both), The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas could work; as could Urinetown, Steel Pier, The Boy From Oz... I mean, the list is endless, but that's exactly my point - if I was personally an artistic director at any venue looking for a musical, and my first choice had already been done very recently, I just think I'd automatically set a wider net to try and mount something different. That's all I'm saying. That's what frustrates me about the Open Air's recent announcement. I get equally frustrated at the endless Hamlets and Midsummer Night's Dreams (and Twelfth Night, but I've attacked the Open Air enough!) that are mounted when a venue fancies putting on some Shakespeare
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Post by Jon on Jan 31, 2024 13:27:56 GMT
The Open Air Theatre may be a charity but they still need bums on seats which is why you're not going to see big risky shows there. Urinetown and Steel Pier would die a death there.
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Post by Being Alive on Jan 31, 2024 13:37:06 GMT
The Open Air Theatre may be a charity but they still need bums on seats which is why you're not going to see big risky shows there. Urinetown and Steel Pier would die a death there. Precisely. You have to play to your audience and Regents Parks audience (from what I can tell from previous years and sales) want a classic musicals they know, with songs they know, rather than something like Legally Blonde (which comped its way through a good portion of it's run)
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jan 31, 2024 13:38:38 GMT
I knew as soon as I was asked which shows I’d stage that someone would immediately lift some and tell me how unsuitable they are. You make a fair point that they need bums on seats. I was just listing shows off the top of my head which haven’t been staged in the UK for a while and which I feel are ripe for a new production, in order to demonstrate the reason for my frustration at what I personally perceive as lack of imagination in the Open Air’s latest choice of revival.
This is really snowballing from a personal opinion I shared in a hastily typed reactive post. If you’re happy with Fiddler, I’m glad for you. Honestly. It’s a great show when done well. Personally, I just don’t feel the need to see another production so soon and would have preferred something we haven’t seen in a while. That’s all.
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Post by Jon on Jan 31, 2024 13:45:04 GMT
Precisely. You have to play to your audience and Regents Parks audience (from what I can tell from previous years and sales) want a classic musicals they know, with songs they know, rather than something like Legally Blonde (which comped its way through a good portion of it's run) Legally Blonde was an odd choice although I think one year they should do Spamalot as it's the sort of show would lend itself to the setting. There are times they do something different and it doesn't pay off like Once on This Island and Ragtime.
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Post by ladidah on Jan 31, 2024 14:07:22 GMT
I think it's an impossible task to pick a show that appeals to diehard MT fans and yet will also attract tourists.
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