The West End is “Booming” since covid.

[BurlyBeaR]

I was listening to The Rest Is Entertainment pod last week (the one titled Is The Bear Really a Comedy) which has at the start a discussion about the success of musicals based on films. After squirming somewhat at Marina Hyde’s not quite correct list of such shows currently playing in the WE I heard her go on to say that the west end is in “rude health” after covid and the expert on everthing, always right, never wrong Richard Osman interjected with “booming”. 
Conversely, she claimed, Broadway is not doing so well and there followed a discussion about how many US producers are opening shows in London because the costs are much lower, with the intention of transferring if it flies. 
There’s further chat, some of it pretty uninformed to my own very uninformed ear about various stuff you may find interesting.

But, is the west end booming? Seems to me producers are always complaining about how hard it is. 

[kathryn]

As is often the case, Richard and Marina sound terrifically clever and expert until they start talking about a topic you know really well. 😂

I have no idea whether they are correct about the West End, but I do now realise they know nothing about Creative Commons.

[kit66]

I agree.Although I normally like this podcast when they start quoting "wobbly" information I start to query whether any of their "facts" can actually taken as gospel.

[properjob]

There is lots of discussions on here about shows that want to come in not being able to find a theatre because they are all full. Shows must be making money or they would be closing and vacating their theatres. So it is going well for some people at least?

[Rory]

Sept 23, 2024 20:04:33 GMT properjob said:

There is lots of discussions on here about shows that want to come in not being able to find a theatre because they are all full. Shows must be making money or they would be closing and vacating their theatres. So it is going well for some people at least?

I don't believe there are loads of great shows 'helicoptering' over theatres waiting to come in at the minute. I get the sense many theatres have struggled to get really quality stuff in recently, e.g. 2:22 yet again at the Gielgud, Your Lie in April at the Pinter and now I Wish You Well at the Criterion.

[Jon]

Shows have long lead times so getting things to coming in at fairly short notice in the case of the Gielgud where Opening Night closed early is difficult. Most producers can't put a show on for a month, they need ideally 10-12 weeks to recoup and you can't just plop a show into a theatre without marketing. 

People always moan about filler shows but without them, you'd just be left with dark theatres and I know people think you can transfer everything from places like Bath or Chichester at a moment's notice but it's never that simple. 

[Dr Tom]

I feel the West End situation now is very similar to 2019. Not booming, but there are shows that do very well and others that underperform. You could argue it’s marginally better now as there are more theatres.

Now, I feel touring shows are not doing quite as well as they were, but I have no firm evidence.

We do seem to have more tour shows slotting into a London venue for a few weeks, which is good from the perspective of someone living in London, but may make a different impression on tourists expecting massive productions. It must be harder to make these profitable though. I guess shows are being more careful with their advertising budget judging by the number of posters for closed shows still up on the tube network (I even spotted as Jersey Boys one the other day).

[Phantom of London]

Marina Hyde sounds like one of these Covid deniers, which given the podcast sounds accurate as Covid deniers seems to struggle with any facts.

[aspieandy]

None of the public transport options are back to pre-Covid levels - bus, tube, overground, DLR, etc. The only option 'booming' is the Elizabeth Line. Difficult to read too much into the monthly numbers as you can't drill down, so you can't say what is work vs. what is leisure (times of the day, day of the week, etc). There will be an annual set later which gives those options.

I see the currency is doing well vs. USD and euro, which won't please promoters.

I was surprised at how many were out and about tonight - the 10pm Primark massive took over TCR

Monthy data is here - charts included: data.london.gov.uk/dataset/public-transport-journeys-type-transport

[lynette]

Not booming. If no serious downturn in the economy and people begin to feel they can spare the cash, it will recover. But when I can log on and get a tic for a popular show for any time I like, it ain’t boomin’.

[sf]

Sept 23, 2024 17:53:37 GMT kathryn said:

As is often the case, Richard and Marina sound terrifically clever and expert until they start talking about a topic you know really well. 😂

I have no idea whether they are correct about the West End, but I do now realise they know nothing about Creative Commons.

I particularly enjoyed it a few weeks ago when she suggested Spielberg's West Side Story was a frame-by-frame remake of the original. Nope. What that discussion told me is that she either hasn't seen the remake, or she hasn't seen the original film, or she hasn't seen either of them.

[thedrowsychaperone]

I'm a huge fan of the podcast and both of them, but I also shuddered when she mentioned that Wicked is based on the book by Winnie Holzman... I'm sure it was just a blip with her maybe not knowing the MT terminology of "book", but they could never make me hate you, Marina.

[Jon]

Sept 24, 2024 11:38:24 GMT thedrowsychaperone said:

I'm a huge fan of the podcast and both of them, but I also shuddered when she mentioned that Wicked is based on the book by Winnie Holzman... I'm sure it was just a blip with her maybe not knowing the MT terminology of "book", but they could never make me hate you, Marina.

Richard must be one of the few people in TV who doesn't look down on low brow shows but he was an exec at Endemol so it makes sense,

[BurlyBeaR]

She also said that Wicked the book was written by Winnie Holzman which of course it was but I think she thought she was the author of the novel. I might be doing her a disservice but I got the strong impression that many of the facts she was coming out with had been hastily looked up. After the “rude health” and “booming” comments they went on to completely contradict themselves several times. It was all over the place, really.

Of course, given that Richard Osman is taking his Thursday Murder books to the west end stage I suppose we must now bow to his knowledge on all matters relating to theatre. The man truly knows everything, or at least gives that impression.

[happysooz2]

They mention a show that is making the two creators a six figure sum per week. Am I right in thinking that they are talking about Six? Why so coy?

[BurlyBeaR]

Sept 24, 2024 12:34:38 GMT happysooz2 said:

They mention a show that is making the two creators a six figure sum per week. Am I right in thinking that they are talking about Six? Why so coy?

That’s what immediately sprung to mind. The Vaudeville is small but that tour seems to be perpetual, currently running through to Xmas ‘25 and filling much bigger theatres. I can quite believe they’re coining it. 

[thedrowsychaperone]

I'd love a general "The Rest is Entertainment" thread if there are lots of listeners on here?

[sf]

Sept 24, 2024 12:54:21 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Sept 24, 2024 12:34:38 GMT happysooz2 said:

They mention a show that is making the two creators a six figure sum per week. Am I right in thinking that they are talking about Six? Why so coy?

That’s what immediately sprung to mind. The Vaudeville is small but that tour seems to be perpetual, currently running through to Xmas ‘25 and filling much bigger theatres. I can quite believe they’re coining it. 

Plus royalties (a percentage of the weekly gross) from Broadway/the US tour/other international productions.

[blamerobots]

Sept 24, 2024 15:48:01 GMT sf said:

Sept 24, 2024 12:54:21 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

That’s what immediately sprung to mind. The Vaudeville is small but that tour seems to be perpetual, currently running through to Xmas ‘25 and filling much bigger theatres. I can quite believe they’re coining it. 

Plus royalties (a percentage of the weekly gross) from Broadway/the US tour/other international productions.

Licensing as well, as the teen edition and production rights will surely be bringing in the money for years to come.