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Post by anita on Jun 3, 2023 10:00:19 GMT
I should of mentioned the excellent "turn off your phone" announcement. The audience erupted into great laughter at the last mention.
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jun 15, 2023 23:25:06 GMT
I didn't like this much. Gabriel Vick does a great job but the show is not very exciting and a bit boring. The music is unmemorable and the choreography just not very good. What i hated the most was the portrayal of the gay characters.
It will never cease to amaze me how gay characters are still portrayed in many musicals as over the top camp stereotypes.
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Post by annette on Jun 16, 2023 1:35:12 GMT
I couldn’t agree more with what theatrefan77 said about the portrayal of gay characters in this show. It’s woefully dated and not the least but funny. It feels like watching something from the 1970s. Since this show tanked on Broadway, I’m surprised the producers are trying their luck with it here. I know some shows have triumphed here after failing to do so on Broadway, but I’m not sure why that would be the case with this one.
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Post by mattnyc on Jun 16, 2023 3:24:23 GMT
Before saying it “tanked” on Broadway, you need to understand everything that went on with the show, with it starting a few days before the shut down and then when it came back having to continuously stop for weeks and start again never building momentum or an audience and having ticket sales repeatedly stop cold. We’ll obviously never know if it would have been a hit or not but saying or hinting that it “tanked” because of a perceived portrayal of gay characters is completely disingenuous.
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Post by showtoones on Jun 16, 2023 4:09:10 GMT
Before saying it “tanked” on Broadway, you need to understand everything that went on with the show, with it starting a few days before the shut down and then when it came back having to continuously stop for weeks and start again never building momentum or an audience and having ticket sales repeatedly stop cold. We’ll obviously never know if it would have been a hit or not but saying or hinting that it “tanked” because of a perceived portrayal of gay characters is completely disingenuous. I haven’t seen the movie in a long time, but I know that in the movie, Robin Williams brother was Harvey Fierstein, who wasn’t over the top gay stereotype, which worked for the time. I wasn’t a huge fan of the show, not because of the gay stereotype, but just because it wasn’t very good. I haven’t seen it in London yet though, so not sure if it’s different or they’ve made any changes.
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Post by mattnyc on Jun 16, 2023 4:50:27 GMT
The brother and his partner are the same in London as they were on Broadway. I liked them both, not saying anyone else has to. My point was linking them to the shows failure is wrong.
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Post by annette on Jun 16, 2023 9:58:32 GMT
Before saying it “tanked” on Broadway, you need to understand everything that went on with the show, with it starting a few days before the shut down and then when it came back having to continuously stop for weeks and start again never building momentum or an audience and having ticket sales repeatedly stop cold. We’ll obviously never know if it would have been a hit or not but saying or hinting that it “tanked” because of a perceived portrayal of gay characters is completely disingenuous. Thank you for telling me what I need to understand about what went on with show before I can talk about it, but actually I think I’m fairly conversant with the relevant details. A closing date was announced a month after reopening- with 43 previews and 85 regular performances. I apologise if the word ‘’tanked’ offended you, but in my opinion, also having seen it in a theatre with an audience who in the main gave up trying to laugh very early on in the proceedings,it’s not an unreasonable word to use. I did not specifically say that the portrayal of gay people in the show was the reason why it had such a short life. What I do think, is that along with Tootsie, it felt incredibly dated full stop. This is obviously not the always the case with old films being adapted for stage if they bring something fresh or innovative to the party. Again, in my opinion, this adaptation doesn’t quite know what it wanted to do, it tries to both replicate and cack handedly update the material (all inevitable in the shadow of the original performance from Robin Williams). The end result is distinctly underwhelming with a patchwork script and unmemorable songs (shame Alan Menken didn’t stay with the project). This is why I was wondering about the producer’s thought process behind bringing the production to London. Of course it may well be a smash hit here in the UK and for everyone involved in the production,I do hope that is the case.
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Post by mrnutz on Jun 16, 2023 10:34:37 GMT
I'm seeing it tonight and looking forward to it!
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Post by sph on Jun 16, 2023 11:09:02 GMT
I suspect (and I've said this in this thread before I'm sure) that the film is perhaps more popular in the UK than the US. I remember it being a staple of TV airings and video rentals back in the 90s/00s. Perhaps the producers felt this might translate into better ticket sales and reception in London?
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Post by Mark on Jun 16, 2023 11:10:25 GMT
Before saying it “tanked” on Broadway, you need to understand everything that went on with the show, with it starting a few days before the shut down and then when it came back having to continuously stop for weeks and start again never building momentum or an audience and having ticket sales repeatedly stop cold. We’ll obviously never know if it would have been a hit or not but saying or hinting that it “tanked” because of a perceived portrayal of gay characters is completely disingenuous. Thank you for telling me what I need to understand about what went on with show before I can talk about it, but actually I think I’m fairly conversant with the relevant details. A closing date was announced a month after reopening- with 43 previews and 85 regular performances. Not quite, it reopened in the October but was hit pretty badly by the Omnicron wave (which forced retrospective closure of Jagged Little Pill and very fast closure of other such as Ain’t too Proud and To Kill a Mockingbird). It then announced hiatus to March, which eventually became April, and just never built the momentum and then announced closing. I genuinely think it would have had a decent run of a year or so bad it not been for the pandemic. I can see it doing very solid business in London, and out on US tour. The timing is certainly the reason for its Broadway failure.
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Post by mrnutz on Jun 17, 2023 8:24:30 GMT
Saw this last night in a not-that-full Shaftesbury Theatre (on a Friday night?!).
This is a three-star show with a five-star lead - Gabriel Vick is a superstar.
The show is the theatrical equivalent of fast food - it's quick, dirty, and only satisfies you temporarily.
The plot is thin (but true to the film), the score unmemorable, the pace and scene-changes impressively quick. But Vick really does make it. I laughed out loud a number of times.
Wouldn't rush back, but glad to have seen it.
4/5
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Post by richey on Jun 17, 2023 12:11:20 GMT
I didn't like this much. Gabriel Vick does a great job but the show is not very exciting and a bit boring. The music is unmemorable and the choreography just not very good. What i hated the most was the portrayal of the gay characters. It will never cease to amaze me how gay characters are still portrayed in many musicals as over the top camp stereotypes. Glad you posted this, I felt exactly the same after seeing it in Manchester and was beginning to feel I was in a minority for not liking it.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 17, 2023 12:25:42 GMT
Thank you for telling me what I need to understand about what went on with show before I can talk about it, but actually I think I’m fairly conversant with the relevant details. A closing date was announced a month after reopening- with 43 previews and 85 regular performances. I can see it doing very solid business in London, and out on US tour. The timing is certainly the reason for its Broadway failure. I agree, in Manchester it was constantly sold out, so there is definite interest in the show. I think if the show had opened in Broadway now, it would have a decent run and do well in award season, the stop start due to covid, and people's initial fear to return to theatres definitely stopped it getting any traction.
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jun 17, 2023 15:17:52 GMT
I can see it doing very solid business in London, and out on US tour. The timing is certainly the reason for its Broadway failure. I agree, in Manchester it was constantly sold out, so there is definite interest in the show. I think if the show had opened in Broadway now, it would have a decent run and do well in award season, the stop start due to covid, and people's initial fear to return to theatres definitely stopped it getting any traction. As well as the pandemic, I think the show suffered on Broadway because it came quite soon after Tootsie closed. I personally loved Tootsie, but despite being praised as a show and winning some Tonies it was quite heavily and publicly criticised by the transgender and non binary communities for its outdated portrayal (and play for laughs) of its central man in a dress. Mrs Doubtfire definitely suffered as a result since the general feeling seemed to be that producers had learnt nothing from the Tootsie controversies. Some Like it Hot, on the other hand, is currently running and has not only taken note of all the issues raised around Tootsie/Doubtfire but actively made it a show which reflects and celebrates our current understanding of trans people. As a result, it's being hailed in a way Mrs Doubtfire totally failed. I should add that I'm not trying to say all three shows deal with the same issue, or even find laughs in the same trope, but the discussion around them has been similar. Gender is a huge topic in the USA (moreso than over in the UK) and I do think Mrs Doubtfire's failure to learn from Tootsie's mistakes was a factor in its failure in the USA. In the UK it doesn't have that same battle because a) we haven't had Tootsie, and b) through panto dames and our own self deprecating drag culture, we're generally less sensitive about using gender bending and cross dressing within comedy.
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Post by steve10086 on Jun 17, 2023 16:18:35 GMT
Mrs Doubtfire has nothing to do with trans issues, and it’s ridiculous that it’s been caught up in it.
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Post by sph on Jun 17, 2023 16:43:58 GMT
I consider myself a supporter of the trans community, but never understood the connection with this particular show. The central character is not trans. He is a man pretending to be a woman for a specific reason, which is not what a trans woman is at all.
Certainly the original film includes a some jokes at the expense of trans people which will no doubt have been omitted from the stage version, but the central character is really no different to a drag performer, which is certainly not what a trans woman is.
Is it a little dated to laugh at the idea of a straight, cisgender man in a dress? Yes, I suppose so, but much of the comedy comes from the actual character of Mrs Doubtfire. The naughty old lady behaviour, the exaggerated accent, the farcical elements of having to be two people at the same time etc.
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Post by fluxcapacitor on Jun 18, 2023 5:01:28 GMT
I consider myself a supporter of the trans community, but never understood the connection with this particular show. The central character is not trans. He is a man pretending to be a woman for a specific reason, which is not what a trans woman is at all. Certainly the original film includes a some jokes at the expense of trans people which will no doubt have been omitted from the stage version, but the central character is really no different to a drag performer, which is certainly not what a trans woman is. Is it a little dated to laugh at the idea of a straight, cisgender man in a dress? Yes, I suppose so, but much of the comedy comes from the actual character of Mrs Doubtfire. The naughty old lady behaviour, the exaggerated accent, the farcical elements of having to be two people at the same time etc. I totally agree. I should have made clear in my original post that I don’t agree with the backlash, but I think the timing for Mrs Doubtfire was unfortunate on Broadway given the vocal criticism of Tootsie (a show I loved!) which meant the discussion was active and raw and Mrs Doubtfire producers didn’t really do anything to help difuse them. Had it opened in isolation I don’t think it would have been such an issue, and between that and Covid the show was rather cursed from the start just due to timing. I can’t see it being a factor here.
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Post by BVM on Jun 18, 2023 9:19:17 GMT
I couldn’t agree more with what theatrefan77 said about the portrayal of gay characters in this show. It’s woefully dated and not the least but funny. It feels like watching something from the 1970s. Since this show tanked on Broadway, I’m surprised the producers are trying their luck with it here. I know some shows have triumphed here after failing to do so on Broadway, but I’m not sure why that would be the case with this one. A long running bugbear of mine - portrayal of gay characters in musicals is abysmal and I remain appalled by how it's failed to move on over decades (and seriously - an industry with so many gay creatives....) As for Broadway vs here - am not massively surprised they felt they could take a punt on the West End. Film musicals that mainly involve slapping a well loved film straight onto stage, adding a serviceable unremarkable barely memorable score, generally fare pretty well in London. Better than on Broadway I'd say. So I think one could expect Doubtfire to do better here. In fact in general, in the current post pandemic era, I do think Broadway is doing a better job bringing in new and varied things (Shucked, New York New York, Here Lies Love, Kimberley Akimbo, Sweeney Todd, Some Like It Hot etc etc currently) than the West End. We've had quite a bit of decent fringe/subsidised sector (some of which has transferred) but the jukeboxes and films still dominate. Which does sadden me slightly.
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Post by BVM on Jun 18, 2023 9:23:44 GMT
Mrs Doubtfire has nothing to do with trans issues, and it’s ridiculous that it’s been caught up in it. Totally agree and that's the point really - Mrs Doubtfire simply has nothing to do with trans issues. I'd always defend equal rights for trans people but my gut feeling is that this show is in no way connected. (Happy to listen with an open mind to trans people who feel otherwise though).
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 18, 2023 17:16:41 GMT
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Post by Figaro on Jun 18, 2023 18:23:53 GMT
Does anyone know of any discounts yet apart from today tix rush? I know it’s early days…
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Post by Mark on Jun 18, 2023 23:15:16 GMT
Does anyone know of any discounts yet apart from today tix rush? I know it’s early days… They also have in person dayseats and have had some discounts on TKTS
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Post by corblimey on Jun 22, 2023 23:14:02 GMT
Sorry if anyone has mentioned this before but the Front Row A is a waste of money even at £30,the stage is higher than any other I’ve ever experienced in the many front rows I have sat in.
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Post by Dr Tom on Jun 23, 2023 8:57:52 GMT
I saw this from the front row on Wednesday. Just as good as in Manchester. Gabriel Vick has new jokes and impressions (not sure how often they change). For an American, Daniel Hillard has rather an obsession with Boris and Charles! Gabriel is such a talented actor.
I don't remember the Mrs Doubtfire mask being as scary looking before, especially with glasses hanging off at an odd angle for much of the time!
Always good to see the Heathers' alumni in the cast. Vicki Lee Taylor is so underused, but I guess she's cover Miranda.
The front row is rather difficult. At 5'8" and sat bolt upright, I could see enough to the point I was happy. I did feel rather sorry for a mother and two young children (maybe 7 or 8 years old) sat at the other end of the row. All three of them stood up at various points, and the children could only just see over the top of the stage even standing. They were very well behaved considering.
I paid (I think) £27.50 for the front row, which is fine, but they have these seats priced up to £60 (depending, I suspect, on the date and dynamic pricing), which is mad. I'll likely try for Rush next time.
This is a real feelgood show.
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jun 23, 2023 12:02:02 GMT
The reviews I've read so far comment on gay identity but none on the creepiness of a guy disguising himself - is that addressed in the show ?
Call me woke, I really don't care!
They also praise the costume changes but not the score. Oh dear
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Post by theatreian on Jun 23, 2023 12:28:16 GMT
Gabriel is such a talented actor. Yes I remember seeing Gabriel in Promises Promises. Thought he was excellent.
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 23, 2023 12:39:57 GMT
Gabriel is such a talented actor. Yes I remember seeing Gabriel in Promises Promises. Thought he was excellent. I also saw him as Henrik in the Menier's A Little Night Music. I also saw him in Once and the Kinks Musical. He also played the son who brings home his fiance in La Cage aux Follies.
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Post by alece10 on Jun 23, 2023 13:29:46 GMT
He also directed Miss Atomic Bomb at St James Theatre. I loved that musical as it was totally bonkers and Simon Lipkin had a brilliant comedy role in it.
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Post by evilmat360 on Jun 23, 2023 16:00:08 GMT
With the reviews now out, looks like they've announced an extension beyond the original January 2024 booking period. With tickets on sale up to June 2nd 2024.
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Post by anthony40 on Jun 23, 2023 16:43:11 GMT
He also directed Miss Atomic Bomb at St James Theatre. I loved that musical as it was totally bonkers and Simon Lipkin had a brilliant comedy role in it. Yes, I remember that. In fact I still have a postcard stuck on my fridge!
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