Saying Goodbye To A Show You Love

For the months of feverish anticipation, excitement on the night, and for totally exceeding expectations it has to be Sunset Boulevard at the ENO.

In the Heights for me, that was such a fabulous show, but I've heard through the grape vine we will see it back sooner rather than later. And when the Rent tour ends, that will be tough, but again, I wouldn't be surprised if it nabs a limited run in town.

Could you send that message to Thriller and Stomp please and thank you.

It is always very sad when you say goodbye to an old friend, bit of a bereavement.

A couple of weeks ago I saw Billy Elliot in Birmingham and have seen this a good few times, however I know I will never see it again and it won't ever be revived.

It was fun while it lasted.

I tend to not feel sorry when shows I like close (unless they close prematurely, then I feel sorry that they didn't find the audience they IMHO deserved). There are always fresh shows to discover and love and personally I cannot understand how people might see the same show 30 times, but don't go and see new shows - who knows what gems you may discover that way?

When it comes to endless runs like Les Mis and Phantom right now - again, my thought is that it would often be better to shut them down and bring back a fresh revival in 10-15 years. Right now I feel no temptation whatsoever to revisit these shows, having seen them so often that I can basically close my eyes and know what's happening in every scene. But if they'd be gone and return in a fresh version 15 years from now, I'd be keen to re-discover the show.

I felt like that with Rent for example - I loved it in the 90s and saw it 6-7 times in different places, including catching it live in New York late in its long run there (a dream come true). Then it was gone... okay... new shows came along which I loved... and when I saw the recent tour at the St. James it was simply wonderful, like saying hello to old friends.

I am also pretty jealous of Broadway right now, a bumper season full of different, exciting, creative and moving new shows - while London has so many longrunners and few new shows, especially TRULY new shows like The Girls, not imports like American in Paris or revivals like 42nd Street.

I wondered if it would be hard for me if Starlight Express in Bochum closed which was my first musical way back in 1989 and has been an (ever-decreasing) part of my life since. However, when I finally saw it again after a longer break this spring, I realized that the show and I have grown apart. It has changed a lot since my "fan days" and so have I. So I will always fondly remember the pleasure it gave me back in the 90s, but if it closes now, that would be okay by me.

I share so many of the sentiments expressed here. Memphis was easily my favourite show until that point, and I'm disappointed it didn't at least tour. Like Viserys, I too wish we had multiple new shows that open per season. I felt spoilt for choice in April when I went to NYC, although it was expensive! At least while we do have the dull long runners like Thriller and Stomp at least my bank balance doesn't suffer!

I was personally sad to say goodbye to Miss Saigon, I watched that revival with that cast three times and adored it. I know Cam Mac does a good tour, but I know it won't be the same. Great thread and opening post by the way! Very well worded.

Interesting one. As someone that's only been interested in theatre for around five years, it hasn't happened to me too many times yet. There have been shows I've liked that have closed, but not many that I've truly loved.

I saw Fun Home on Broadway in 2015 and then decided to see it again in 2016 as I had a feeling it would close shortly afterwards and sure enough a couple of months later it had. That one was probably the most saddening to see go, but I had a feeling we'd see it pop up in London soon enough and now we are going to have it next year. It's hard to be too sad when you get to see a first class production like that twice with the original cast, despite it taking place on a different continent to the one you live on.

I suspect it has more of an effect the longer the show has been open. I can imagine if/when the Broadway production of Hamilton closes, I will be very nostalgic and sad, just because I've been following its progress from the beginning. I got to see it for the first time before the cast recording even came out and then saw it again the first show after the Tonys when it was really at its peak. I hope it will be a show that I will be seeing time and time again for years to come so it's hard to think about that one not being around anymore.

Saying goodbye gets easier when I am getting older. I remember crying my eyes out, when we had our Russian versions of WWRY (2005), Mamma Mia(2008) and Beauty and the Beast(2010) closing. Then there was a show I worked for, and it was a dream job, and I felt the huge part of my heart missing since 2011 till end of 2013, when I got Once in it. Saying goodbye to Once was the most difficult of all the London shows, with In The Heights coming close second.
Funny thing is, through all my London-visiting years I always had my "special" show to revisit. since Heights closed, I only have a couple of "nice ones I could go if I have nothing to do", but not "I need to see this one more than once in a week otherwise I won't cope another 3 months" ones.

For me it was We Will Rock You - I'm not ashamed to admit it was my guilty pleasure and the last performance, aside from basically being a rock concert, was quite emotional. Also seeing Memphis and Once for the final time - neither were closing nights, but both times I was sad to think I'd never see that fabulous production again.

I suspect if/when Les Mis eventually closes I will be extremely emotional - I haven't seen it for about 5 years now, but it was the show that got me into musical theatre so it has a special significance for me. And I have no doubt it will be the same for Wicked as well.

For me to was so hard to say goodbye to 'Blood Brothers' in the west-end back in 2012.

It was a show I feel in love with as a young lad and the countless times I went back (of course it has a healthy Your Life and I have seen it in Manchester, Brisbane, Torquay, Windsor, Croydon etc so I still get to see it) and as it was no longer to be a staple and long-runner.

'Made in Dagenham' was tough too, I feel in love with it from a preview performance and glad I relished many an opportunity to go back to see it and was at its closing night.

That too is a show I have now seen on the fringe and Am Dram scene so there are opportunities to see the shows you love if you are patient and willing to go the extra mile to see them!

I think mine was Jersey Boys because it'd been around for so long and was like a comfort blanket to me whenever I was feeling sad! OR happy! I first saw it on tour 10 years ago in San Francisco, and thanks to a lot of cheap rush/TKTS/lotto opportunities, I didn't spend a ton of money to see it a lot on both coasts. (Also London and Melbourne, but I worked those into vacations.) It's still touring the US, but it's strange and a little sad to me that I can't just go pop by the August Wilson and see it when I get the urge. Even though I know this is just how live theatre works.