Your best night EVER at a show...!

[Michael]

My first time seeing Newsies on Broadway. I've listened to the cast recording before and loved it, but hearing those songs performed live was so much better, and even the "odd" songs (Medda's That's Rich) made suddenly sense. During Seize the Day, I sat there in complete awe still not believing whether I had just seen all those incredible dance moves or just imagined them. Breathtaking didn't even come close. That song got a mid-show standing ovation - well-deserved.

And I'm also with BB and alece10: Xanadu. I knew very little about the show, but I had the time of my life and loved every second of this show. Funny, absurd, bonkers, great score - and the cast enjoyed themselves. Still wonder how they could perform without grimacing. If there is a theatre God out there: Please bring back Xanadu.

[d'James]

I've been thinking about this for a while and I've tried to think of an actual full show but I keep coming back to one, so . . .

For me, not sure if this counts, but it was the Apollo Victoria 80th Anniversary Gala. So many special performances throughout the night and the the anticipation and electricity in the atmosphere growing throughout the evening as the Starlight Express performance drew closer. The reception it got was so intense. I just wish the videos were still on YouTube.

In second place would have to be the closing night of Sister Act at the Palladium (less than three weeks after the above Gala). Again the atmosphere was intense.

Third has to be Glenn Close in Sunset Boulevard recently. I'd never been to the Coliseum and loved the auditorium, but the atmosphere yet again trumps that along with Glenn's stunning performance.

[Being Alive]

Jun 17, 2016 13:19:54 GMT CBP1 said:

Rachel Tucker's first "last" Wicked show. The atmosphere was amazing. People openly blubbing at the interval. I managed not to cry until she changed the line to "for the last time I feel wicked". Then I lost it. My emotional state probably wasn't assisted by having had very little sleep* and seeing both the mat and evening performance in one day.

*Yes, I was one of those people. In my "defence", I only camped for one night and spent much of it thinking I wasn't quite mad enough to be in that queue.

I count Rachel's last in London (first time) as one of the greatest evenings of my life. That Defying Gravity was electric. As she flew, it was the electricity had been bolted through the seats and the entire stalls stood for the whole of that final section (so if you care to find me onwards). 

Its funny when you look back on it now, but there were people hugging strangers, sobbing, clinging on to chair arms to keep themselves upright! Really was one of those ridiculous theatre evenings that will live on in my mind forever.

(I'm not one of the crazies that camped for a week!)

[Deleted]

Faith Brown in Sunset Boulevard on tour with Andrew Lloyd Webber sat directly behind me shouting Bravo to Faith.

Final night of Gypsy

Glenn in Sunset Boulevard.

All a bit predictable but utterly outstanding.

[mikey]

Like a lot of people have already said, Sunset Boulevard at the ENO was pretty special. The first time I went, I also had a fun time spotting Andrew Lloyd Webber and Graham Norton.

Another highlight was Streetcar Named Desire at Young Vic. I'd never seen the play before. Going in cold, I was blown away by Gillian Anderson. She had the entire audience captivated. It was incredible!

[theatremadness]

Miss Saigon is FAR from my favourite musical, but I still grew up in awe of the (now legendary) performances from the original cast, mainly thanks to countless re-watches of Hey, Mr Producer!, but I saw the most recent West End revival 2 times:

1st time on Press Night, I was a little underwhelmed.

2nd time was at the 25th Anniversary Performance, and that half hour gala after an already fab performance will certainly take some beating. Jonathan Pryce, Lea Salonga, even Simon Bowman! The atmosphere in that theatre during that performance will probably stay with me forever. All the free champagne, the free 25th Anniversary souvenir brochures. It just was perfect.

[shady23]

Loving reading all the stories in this thread.

Mine was probably the first time I saw Wicked (sorry, that show again...) which was on a "big birthday" in New York. Kendra, Kerry and Aaron were the leads. I just sobbed throughout and caught the theatre bug. Seeing everything and anything since and travelling all over the country to get my fix.

All because of that special night at the Gershwin!

[Deleted]

I think it's a close one. For me, the first time I saw Book of Mormon, knowing literally nothing about the show (except the inclusion of Mormons, obvs) I remember coming away thinking I'd never had such a hilarious - and unexpectedly so - evening at the theatre. Especially on reflection when going the second time. The shock value really provides the laughs with that show, as second time around I found it amusing, but less hysterical.

Beverley Knight tearing the roof off the London Palladium on the closing night of Cats is a close second though, her voice literally enveloped me and made every hair stand on its end. I was in floods. It only gets second place for me though because of the ridiculous lack of leg room in the UC.

[CG on the loose]

Hard to pick a 'best ever' - so many nights have been special for very different reasons, but the big Anniversary shows - Les Mis at the O2, Phantom at RAH and Miss Saigon are all right up there for occasion, spectacle and just 'being there when'. But on a more personal level - Memphis on New Year's Eve, with the whole audience linking arms to join the cast in singing Auld Lang Syne was a real 'warm and fuzzy', especially when the lady next to me, who'd I'd been chatting to during the interval, threw new arms around me at the end and hugged me hard, saying "you have a GOOD year, OK?"

[Mr Wallacio]

Best night is very difficult.

Closing night of Gypsy was amazing. Sitting front row centre with Imelda staring right at me during that intense pause in Rose's Turn and the ovation at the end of the number.

But one performance that I keep coming back to was Cynthia Erivo in Dessa Rose at Trafalgar Studios 2. I knew nothing about the show and booked a couple of days previously as I had a spare slot and it was cheap. I was front row and the closing of act 1 had so much emotion that the lights came up and I had to quickly compose myself I had cried so much. Same performance Cynthia inadvertently stamped on my foot as she was running off stage during a blackout. I tweeted her after saying that I forgave her because she was amazing and she was very apologetic. Now look, she's a Tony winner.

[Deleted]

Over the years I have seen so much amazing theatre it is almost impossible to narrow it down to one performance. Worthy mentions have to be Company with Stritch and Larry Kert; Private Lives with Maggie Smith and Robert Stephens; Long Day's Journey Into Night with Olivier, Constance Cummings, Denis Quilley and Ronald Pickup; Gypsy with Angela Lansbury and the most recent with Imelda Staunton; Evita with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin to name but a few.
I suppose the one performance or show that has really stayed with me over the years was Liza Minnelli at the Rainbow back in the early 70s. It was at the time of Cabaret and Liza With A Z and was sheer magic. I remember near the end of the performance thinking I am going to stand up and cheer my heart out when this finishes only to be beaten by most people in the stalls of the theatre who not only stood up but surged towards the stage. The atmosphere to say the least was electric and the adoration of the crowd was so heartfelt. I don't think anyone wanted to leave. For me Liza's performance that night was the definitive theatrical experience.