4,800 posts
|
Post by Mark on Apr 11, 2019 23:12:41 GMT
And if anything, the big big sellouts of the new shows that opened this year already are 9 to 5 and Only Fools!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 6:07:23 GMT
I am chuckling to myself ever so slightly as normally on here we complain bitterly about stunt casting, yet here we are with people calling for it. I do think if Waitress was that good, it wouldn't need a famous composer, a UK 'name' or a never ending marketing fund. I honestly don't think Come From Away has had any more marketing - and similarly is written by and stars people that the GBP will never have heard of. When something is GREAT, it catches on. Waitress, whilst I found a not unpleasant evening, is I feel mediocre and unremarkable. And re it doing better in New York - British taste is very different. You can't assume what works there works here, or vice versa. This is all completely subjective though. Your version of GREAT isn’t necessarily everyone else’s. The critical reviews for Waitress in the UK were generally much more favourable than those for CFA. So who decides what is great and what isn’t? I may be in the minority here but I found CFA to be enjoyable but overrated whereas I loved Waitress and think the score is much stronger. I agree that what resonates in the US doesn’t always resonate here but I feel that linking it to the quality of the show is simplistic and just wrong. If quality were an ingredient needed for success in the West End then ‘Thriller’ would have closed a very long time ago. I do hear you; of course subjectively 'great' is a personal thing! And Heaven knows I have loved enough stuff over the years that hasn't caught on and has disappeared without trace. But I do also think trying to be objective that there is nothing remarkable about Waitress. Compared to say the recent run of Company; Follies; Miss Saigon; Hamilton etc it's a different kettle of fish. For what it's worth I personally preferred Waitress to CFA - as the music grew on me and the CD is a pleasant listen. And KMP - what a great voice! I have tried but I just do not like the music of CFA AT ALL, and I just can't listen to the CD. Wouldn't revisit either, but would choose Waitress first if it came to it. Objectively though, I understand CFA will have a wider appeal (though jeez, it's the overhyped event of the season IMO!) |
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 12, 2019 6:20:37 GMT
And if anything, the big big sellouts of the new shows that opened this year already are 9 to 5 and Only Fools! Yes! These are the shows recognisable by the majority of the population and attract lots of people who rarely set foot in a theatre. |
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Apr 12, 2019 7:50:40 GMT
Anyone seen Waitress the last couple of days? Piers Bate has been on for David Hunter as Dr P, not sure why. Interesting to know what’s hes like. Not sure if he’s on for the rest of the week. Also Marisha is on hol after next week too.
|
|
|
|
Post by liv22 on Apr 12, 2019 8:20:51 GMT
Saw this last night after initially holding on from booking due to lack of offers/discounts, I went for a £25 upper circle seat but was upgraded to the Stalls anyway. While a pleasant surprise, I felt bad that levels are having to be closed this early on. Also received a free pie voucher when I collected my ticket which was another surprise!
I did enjoy the show, but unlike some shows I've seen recently where I've immediately wanted to book again, I think once is good for me. There were some great performances, SUTBM literally gave me full body goosebumps, but sometimes it felt a bit flat energy-wise and I was a bit bored. I loved Laura Baldwin and Marisha Wallace who I think made the show for me, plus Jack McBrayer was very funny but dear lord the singing was painful. I have nothing to compare Piers Bate's Dr P to, but I thought he did a good job and had good chemistry with KMP seeing as this was only his second(?) performance.
Bit random, but something that has bugged me since last night, but at the Curtain Call when Peter Hannah bowed he was booed. Obviously I know the character of Earl is horrible and he is disliked within the context of the show but I thought as a performance it was one of my favourites (not the character of Earl himself, but just acted very well) and I loved his voice on YWSBM (actually one of my favourite songs on the soundtrack - story and context aside!). I just felt a bit bad that the curtain call is to celebrate the performances of the actors, and he was met with booing. What are other people's thoughts of booing of a 'baddie' at CC?
|
|
4,800 posts
|
Post by Mark on Apr 12, 2019 8:35:45 GMT
Anyone seen Waitress the last couple of days? Piers Bate has been on for David Hunter as Dr P, not sure why. Interesting to know what’s hes like. Not sure if he’s on for the rest of the week. Also Marisha is on hol after next week too. David is sick according to twitter. |
|
1,046 posts
|
Post by jgblunners on Apr 12, 2019 8:38:48 GMT
What are other people's thoughts of booing of a 'baddie' at CC? Totally inappropriate. Curtain call is for thanking the actors and showing your appreciation. Booing is acceptable at panto, where the whole thing is a send-up and the actors are in on it, but nowhere else. Of course this is just my opinion and some actors go along with it - when I saw the Lion King, Scar got boos and he was lapping it up. |
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Apr 12, 2019 13:24:05 GMT
Saw this last night after initially holding on from booking due to lack of offers/discounts, I went for a £25 upper circle seat but was upgraded to the Stalls anyway. While a pleasant surprise, I felt bad that levels are having to be closed this early on. Also received a free pie voucher when I collected my ticket which was another surprise! I did enjoy the show, but unlike some shows I've seen recently where I've immediately wanted to book again, I think once is good for me. There were some great performances, SUTBM literally gave me full body goosebumps, but sometimes it felt a bit flat energy-wise and I was a bit bored. I loved Laura Baldwin and Marisha Wallace who I think made the show for me, plus Jack McBrayer was very funny but dear lord the singing was painful. I have nothing to compare Piers Bate's Dr P to, but I thought he did a good job and had good chemistry with KMP seeing as this was only his second(?) performance. Bit random, but something that has bugged me since last night, but at the Curtain Call when Peter Hannah bowed he was booed. Obviously I know the character of Earl is horrible and he is disliked within the context of the show but I thought as a performance it was one of my favourites (not the character of Earl himself, but just acted very well) and I loved his voice on YWSBM (actually one of my favourite songs on the soundtrack - story and context aside!). I just felt a bit bad that the curtain call is to celebrate the performances of the actors, and he was met with booing. What are other people's thoughts of booing of a 'baddie' at CC? Ahhh glad Piers did well! The audience booing of Peter Hannah when I’ve been there was kinda lowkey but totally good humoured and he took it in good humour so I don’t really think it’s an issue personally. It’s not hostile and the audience is still clapping for him. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 14:07:15 GMT
Saw ‘The Bodyguard’ once when the stalker was met with intense and aggressive boos in the curtain calls.He may have needed his own bodyguard at the stage door!
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 14:17:29 GMT
I mind a little but not too much when the antagonist of a musical gets boo-ed at the curtain call. I don't think it's polite, I think applause is more appropriate, but if they're the clear villain of the piece and the audience are doing it in that spirit then I get it. It's unfair when people boo Javert though.
|
|
|
|
Post by danb on Apr 12, 2019 14:20:07 GMT
Saw ‘The Bodyguard’ once when the stalker was met with intense and aggressive boos in the curtain calls.He may have needed his own bodyguard at the stage door! When I went to see the tour the other day the stalker just got phwoarrs and wolf whistles as he was some hench looking himbo type. So odd. |
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 12, 2019 14:39:10 GMT
Hasn't Ike been getting booed alot at Tina during the curtain call? I've heard reports saying so?
|
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Apr 12, 2019 14:41:18 GMT
Hasn't Ike been getting booed alot at Tina during the curtain call? I've heard reports saying so? Yeah he was booed when I went to see it! |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 14:55:59 GMT
While I'm not arguing that Sara is famous enough to sell ALL the tickets might I argue that similar to Wicked alumni knowledge this isn't the place to gauge that? She is popular, and very well known to a certain demographic. And while she's hardly Madonna, she's not a nobody in the UK. Certainly more known than KMP.
Which isn't exactly the point. I mean honestly I'm more salty about Jack's casting- 30 Rock was hardly a mainstream hit here either, and it's been how many years off the air now?
|
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 12, 2019 15:03:01 GMT
While I'm not arguing that Sara is famous enough to sell ALL the tickets might I argue that similar to Wicked alumni knowledge this isn't the place to gauge that? She is popular, and very well known to a certain demographic. And while she's hardly Madonna, she's not a nobody in the UK. Certainly more known than KMP. Which isn't exactly the point. I mean honestly I'm more salty about Jack's casting- 30 Rock was hardly a mainstream hit here either, and it's been how many years off the air now? and also not forgetting Jack is in a MUSICAL and hasn't got a note to sing that isn't off-key or just off. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 15:17:35 GMT
Sara more well known than Kat?How are you measuring that?
|
|
131 posts
|
Post by eliza on Apr 12, 2019 15:24:09 GMT
Sara more well known than Kat?How are you measuring that? I knew who she was because Love Song was quite popular in 2007 and I bought the single but not from anything else. I don't know anyone who watched American Idol and had never heard of Kat before Waitress. Not sure anyone I know would know her. |
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 15:25:13 GMT
While I'm not arguing that Sara is famous enough to sell ALL the tickets might I argue that similar to Wicked alumni knowledge this isn't the place to gauge that? She is popular, and very well known to a certain demographic. And while she's hardly Madonna, she's not a nobody in the UK. Certainly more known than KMP. Which isn't exactly the point. I mean honestly I'm more salty about Jack's casting- 30 Rock was hardly a mainstream hit here either, and it's been how many years off the air now? I came across 30Rock around 2008 on Channel 5, it was dropped in 2009 after 2 series. I often lament its lack of success over here but it could be getting a new lease of life as All4 have the rights and it keeps getting advertised on SkyPlus. |
|
1,931 posts
|
Post by LaLuPone on Apr 12, 2019 15:29:44 GMT
I think to the younger generation Sara is definitely bigger than Kat. I think if I sung some of "Love Song" or "Brave" to most people my age they'd know the songs/singer and most of my friends (who aren't musical theatre fans) know exactly who Sara is by name alone. Katharine McPhee, Smash and Scorpion gets a load of blank faces when mentioned!
So no, Sara isn't Bette Midler in Hello Dolly but I think Waitress would be in a better position right now if she'd opened the show.
|
|
559 posts
|
Post by danieljohnson14 on Apr 12, 2019 15:29:53 GMT
I'd agree Sara is more well known in the UK than Katharine.
|
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Apr 12, 2019 16:13:36 GMT
This is a really weird argument to be having lol! I think we can all agree that neither Sara or Katharine are very well known names to the general public over here that would by their name alone sell the show or sellout the Adelphi every night. But do I think their name would sell more tickets than say if someone like Rebecca Trehearn as Jenna would have (to pick a not widely known to the public West End star)? Then yes of course, especially Sara.
My sis in law had zero clue who Sara was when I mentioned Waitress to her, but knew Katharine. My bestie knows who Sara is but not Katharine. My bro had heard of neither but knows Jack McBrayer from 30 Rock! 😆
|
|
|
|
Post by sparky5000 on Apr 12, 2019 16:26:56 GMT
Also, i dont know what the % of American tourists who visit the West End is over the summer, but it’s def a shame that Katharine’s run ends mid June in that respect, because she would def have attracted American tourists to the show that might not otherwise have seen it.
Changing topic tho, lol at this clip of Marisha singing Bad Idea from Waitress karaoke 😂
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 18:43:33 GMT
Indeed, for women of Sara's own age (hallo) and a bit younger, there's a general knowledge of her, and a dedicated fanabase...and erm possibly record sales is what I'd base that off if I could be bothered to dig that information out. As it is we'll have to settle for good old fashioned opinion.
As a side note I watched that series of AI, hell I even saw Taylor Hicks in concert (I judge me) and I still had no recollection of her before i watched Smash.
Also yes Jack is in a MUSICAL ffs...I'm not getting over that any time soon it seems.
|
|
|
|
Post by Deleted on Apr 12, 2019 19:00:55 GMT
Don’t think you could put either Sara or Kat above the title and sell out personally...it needs to be a ma-hoosive film starry name but who? who? who? Anyway I reckon it’s too late.The show will limp on and probs close before Xmas.Hope the producers have v deep pockets and are good at learning lessons!
|
|
4,361 posts
|
Post by shady23 on Apr 12, 2019 19:11:27 GMT
I can't imagine the majority of people I know have the slightest idea who any of them are.
They'd know if someone from Corrie was in it though and that is the problem theatre has. How to appeal to the masses.
|
|
