176 posts
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Post by unseaworthy on Sept 13, 2024 22:46:53 GMT
I’m kinda with Steve here. This is an absolute hoot and I was grinning ear to ear for pretty much the whole hour. It’s very topical and very much one for the musical theatre fans. The 5:30pm Friday makes it ideal to slot in before an evening show. How busy was it? |
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1,475 posts
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Post by Steve on Sept 13, 2024 22:51:26 GMT
I’m kinda with Steve here. This is an absolute hoot and I was grinning ear to ear for pretty much the whole hour. It’s very topical and very much one for the musical theatre fans. The 5:30pm Friday makes it ideal to slot in before an evening show. How busy was it? By whatever means, they had the Stalls mostly full at 8:30pm, and at least one row of the Dress was present. I'd say it was full enough to enjoy yourself in the Stalls, although the 5:30pm show looked much more sparsely booked on the website. If things don't pick up, and you want a good laugh, go soon. |
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4,778 posts
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Post by Mark on Sept 13, 2024 23:30:23 GMT
I’m kinda with Steve here. This is an absolute hoot and I was grinning ear to ear for pretty much the whole hour. It’s very topical and very much one for the musical theatre fans. The 5:30pm Friday makes it ideal to slot in before an evening show. How busy was it? It was pretty quiet. Maybe 40% full in the stalls and some people in the dress. Upper closed. |
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1,819 posts
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Post by stevej678 on Sept 14, 2024 6:18:39 GMT
By whatever means, they had the Stalls mostly full at 8:30pm, and at least one row of the Dress was present. I'd say it was full enough to enjoy yourself in the Stalls, although the 5:30pm show looked much more sparsely booked on the website. If things don't pick up, and you want a good laugh, go soon. I was at the 530 show and that was looking very sparse with a few hours to go but filled up a lot in the stalls (where the front half looked close to being full) and the front three rows of the dress circle where I was. More than enough people to make for a decent atmosphere in the end which was a relief. And the show was very well received. Press night is Monday, I think, so hopefully that will help get more people through the door. |
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Post by westendgirls on Sept 14, 2024 19:43:19 GMT
We were there this afternoon and the stalls were about 50% full. Quite a few latecomers brought in at several points in the first 15 minutes which was distracting and annoying for a show that only lasts an hour
We moved to a better seat as the doors closed and so did quite a few others
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Post by eveningprimrosess on Sept 17, 2024 10:49:48 GMT
It's not Chekhov, but this is a wildy good time. One of the funniest and funnest hours I've ever spent in a theatre.
Even with a smaller crowd the audience were totally onboard and LOVED it.
Silly and over-the-top, but also super heartwarming.
Wish this had more time to develop an audience.
Gala night last night - after brilliant reviews and the New York Times calling it a 'Triumph' maybe they won't need to re-review?
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2,476 posts
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Post by zahidf on Sept 17, 2024 10:57:54 GMT
A couple of good jokes, but i thought this was generally terrible tbh. The cast tried their best, but just nothing to it
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1,379 posts
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Post by BVM on Sept 17, 2024 11:15:14 GMT
Are there decent songs with decent melodies in this or not especially?
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Post by loathehydrangeas on Sept 17, 2024 11:58:17 GMT
I thought the songs were fun and lively during the show but I can't say I was singing them on my way out... very well sung though, Diana Vickers in particular. I was in the dress (upper circle closed) and although it was fairly sparsely populated, people were up for the laugh and even saw a few standing Os at the end. Some funny jokes, unfortunately a lot of internet/meme humour that already feels stale (eg "very demure, very mindful"). Not really sure why this is on the West End but it's a breezy hour and a pretty entertaining way to spend an evening if you can get a cheap ticket. I really liked the snow during the curtain call too!
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1,819 posts
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Post by stevej678 on Sept 17, 2024 12:06:12 GMT
Are there decent songs with decent melodies in this or not especially? A couple of Diana Vickers' songs in the show have been released on streaming platforms. It's the title track and a song called Gwynnocent. Worth checking out as a decent representation of the score. |
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Post by partytentdown on Sept 17, 2024 12:21:55 GMT
I hope the producers aren't paying much rent because this must be haemorrhaging money otherwise, I'm being offered comps and cut price tickets from all angles.
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Post by billy on Sept 18, 2024 20:02:26 GMT
Great fun, brilliant value at £15 second row (even if there ended up being papering offers lower than this in the end) and in a nice touch the fake dollars that fall from the sky have a QR code on them offering £10 off the show on the main website for the top two prices. Nicely busy this evening and as I arrived a bit early it was nice to stroll around the empty Criterion corridors for a while!
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Post by capybara on Sept 18, 2024 20:09:40 GMT
Booked a ticket for this next month but, given the appalling advance ticket sales and what has just happened with Cake, I’m now a bit concerned this won’t be running by then…
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2,047 posts
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Post by Marwood on Sept 20, 2024 21:08:29 GMT
Saw it tonight, got a stalls seat for £12 (the seats next to mine were £69 on TodayTix): wouldn’t want to see it again but enjoyed it a lot: no memorable songs but then I’m not a showtimes type of person (although I enjoyed the music in this a lot more than what was served up in Wicked 🤣), I didn’t know who any of the cast are but it was an enjoyable way to spend an hour, maybe one to catch before seeing something else if you’re planning a big trip to London though.
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5,794 posts
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Post by mrbarnaby on Sept 23, 2024 11:18:07 GMT
Saw it tonight, got a stalls seat for £12 (the seats next to mine were £69 on TodayTix): wouldn’t want to see it again but enjoyed it a lot: no memorable songs but then I’m not a showtimes type of person (although I enjoyed the music in this a lot more than what was served up in Wicked 🤣), I didn’t know who any of the cast are but it was an enjoyable way to spend an hour, maybe one to catch before seeing something else if you’re planning a big trip to London though. Can I ask how you got that £12 seat? I kinda fancy seeing this, but not prepared to pay much for it honestly. |
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Post by darreno on Sept 23, 2024 19:06:35 GMT
Also interested in where the decent offers are as I have rescheduled CAKE for Saturday evening and some cheap skiing would be a nice way to add to the day!
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165 posts
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Post by Paulw on Sept 23, 2024 20:04:16 GMT
3 questions!
What have I just watched?
What’s happened to Diana Vickers?
Why is this in a West End stage?
I can’t bring myself to be negative over this but why is it shows like this and others are taking up West End real estate when there are so many great shows begging for a West End stage?
15 minute show stop tonight due to technical problems, a mic wend down basicly.
Highlight was probably the missing evidence pictures and the best you got from Diana Vickers was 3 notes repeated as she played the trumpet!
Why did this get the West end Stage, both this and Cake are PTM so after the Lyric run last year why not put this in TOP and give Cake the West End run, it was about 1/4 full in there tonight and personally I think Cake would have been the better seller in that location!
Sorry but it was awful and has no place in a main house this is fringe at best
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Sept 23, 2024 22:12:52 GMT
Also interested in where the decent offers are as I have rescheduled CAKE for Saturday evening and some cheap skiing would be a nice way to add to the day! I mean, you’re probably too young to recognise the reference, but that reads to me like you’re planning a drug fuelled bender. Maybe that’s why the shows aren’t selling? There’s a Brass Eye reference there. Regarding where to get discount tickets, if you’re signed up to the agencies aimed at the masses, you’ve likely had offers. I’m afraid I didn’t save them as this just doesn’t appeal, but I’ve had £12 and £15 offers. I’ve not personally seen direct seat filling, but I have seen discounted tickets advertised through such services. TodayTix has £25 rush tickets too. |
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7,050 posts
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Post by Jon on Sept 23, 2024 22:23:44 GMT
3 questions! What have I just watched? What’s happened to Diana Vickers? Why is this in a West End stage? I can’t bring myself to be negative over this but why is it shows like this and others are taking up West End real estate when there are so many great shows begging for a West End stage? 15 minute show stop tonight due to technical problems, a mic wend down basicly. Highlight was probably the missing evidence pictures and the best you got from Diana Vickers was 3 notes repeated as she played the trumpet! Why did this get the West end Stage, both this and Cake are PTM so after the Lyric run last year why not put this in TOP and give Cake the West End run, it was about 1/4 full in there tonight and personally I think Cake would have been the better seller in that location! Sorry but it was awful and has no place in a main house this is fringe at best If Cake couldn't sell the much smaller TOP then it'd died a even bigger death in the West End |
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3,325 posts
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Post by Dr Tom on Sept 23, 2024 22:38:14 GMT
If Cake couldn't sell the much smaller TOP then it'd died a even bigger death in the West End I don’t think it would have sold well in the West End, but there’s a massive advantage to being based in the West End to bring in the tourist crowd (and even to be promoted by the discount ticket booths). |
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Post by darreno on Sept 24, 2024 4:21:59 GMT
Also interested in where the decent offers are as I have rescheduled CAKE for Saturday evening and some cheap skiing would be a nice way to add to the day! I mean, you’re probably too young to recognise the reference, but that reads to me like you’re planning a drug fuelled bender. Maybe that’s why the shows aren’t selling? There’s a Brass Eye reference there. Regarding where to get discount tickets, if you’re signed up to the agencies aimed at the masses, you’ve likely had offers. I’m afraid I didn’t save them as this just doesn’t appeal, but I’ve had £12 and £15 offers. I’ve not personally seen direct seat filling, but I have seen discounted tickets advertised through such services. TodayTix has £25 rush tickets too. I always listen to Bruno Brookes and Bernard Manning when it comes to my drug avoidance. 😂 Just checked back through my email and you're right, I had offers that I hadn't even noticed! |
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165 posts
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Post by Paulw on Sept 24, 2024 8:54:02 GMT
3 questions! What have I just watched? What’s happened to Diana Vickers? Why is this in a West End stage? I can’t bring myself to be negative over this but why is it shows like this and others are taking up West End real estate when there are so many great shows begging for a West End stage? 15 minute show stop tonight due to technical problems, a mic wend down basicly. Highlight was probably the missing evidence pictures and the best you got from Diana Vickers was 3 notes repeated as she played the trumpet! Why did this get the West end Stage, both this and Cake are PTM so after the Lyric run last year why not put this in TOP and give Cake the West End run, it was about 1/4 full in there tonight and personally I think Cake would have been the better seller in that location! Sorry but it was awful and has no place in a main house this is fringe at best If Cake couldn't sell the much smaller TOP then it'd died a even bigger death in the West End I don’t agree I think Cake is better suited to the bigger stage and think it would have sold better in a better more well known venue and I Wish You Well is far better suited to a smaller fringe venue as a novelty show, If you look at the 2 shows which one has the better chance of longevity? I Wish You Well is an in the moment thing that will be long forgotten about in the not to distant future |
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77 posts
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Post by avfan on Sept 27, 2024 20:59:35 GMT
This was fun. The cast were great overall but found Diana Vickers performance a bit underwhelming compared to the other 3 who were superb with special mention to Tori-Allen Martin. The only thing more paper thin then the subject matter is the set. It’s cheap even by PTM standards. It’s a fun way to spend an hour but glad my ticket was free however had I paid £20 or below I would’ve still enjoyed it. It has no place in the West Endlooking that cheap though. The 8:30pm show was about 1/2 full in the stalls and the first 2 rows of the dress. 3 stars purely for the performances.
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Post by matttom0901 on Sept 27, 2024 23:08:38 GMT
This was so funny. Tori was the star, her acting and singing were superb!
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Post by capybara on Oct 4, 2024 23:56:49 GMT
This is a lot of fun, pitched perfectly at just the 60 minute running time. There is a tendency for fringe productions to pad out shows following West End transfers but I Wish You Well has remained short and pretty sweet to boot.
Rick Pearson’s score has a couple of catchy numbers but, for the most part, it is a generic pop-belt mix. There’s not a huge amount of creativity with the music. However, the cast really makes the most of it and all four are excellent at acting through song.
There’s pop/MT culture references galore. I must have been the only person in the half-full (not including the closed upper circle) to laugh out loud at Tori Allen-Martin’s Patti LuPone-inspired “… and it’s a musical!”.
But some of the references are a little tired now (please no more 24601 jokes and I think the Glasgow Wonka experience is kind of done). Plenty of the humour does land though, particularly the aforementioned Allen-Martin, who absolutely steals this show.
Having seen her shine in the terrible Wild About You concert, I’m pleased to report she has taken it to a whole new level here. Her lawyer character Kristin is easily the funniest thing in this production.
Diana Vickers is great as Gwyneth Paltrow and gets a lot of laughs too. She just didn’t have quite the charisma to pull off the lead role in the way that Zizi Strallen would have done, had she been available this time around.
I Wish You Well is a decent musical and an enjoyable way to spend an hour in London. The 5.30pm matinee slot is ideal. However, despite discounted pricing, it’s hard to justify its place in the West End rather than fringe theatres.
I also can’t help but look at this show and then look at the wonderfully creative and razor-sharp Cake and think Paul Taylor-Mills has made a terrible call in closing the latter, if the money only stretched so far. This is hardly pulling in more ticket sales either. Did he not want an early West End closure on his CV or was his close friendship with Vickers what swung it?
Either way, it is fascinating because, despite some terrific comedy and the wonderful Allen-Martin, Cake was streets ahead. Baffling.
Three stars.
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