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Post by Deleted on May 24, 2018 13:46:54 GMT
I disagree, but thats just my meagre opinion.
GHD is an adaption of the movie - which I have not seen and have no point of reference to regard - not a verbatim transfer to stage, so to simply say "you can't" do this or that is rather deconstructive. I'm guessing the movie didn't have a 5 minute soliloquy from Nancy prior to Phil contemplating suicide, so by your logic "Playing Nancy" shouldn't have made it into the show at all.
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Post by 49thand8th on May 24, 2018 14:24:32 GMT
I saw the show twice on Broadway and I didn't feel like it was an adaptation of the movie (even though it literally is). It felt like the movie and the musical were both based on some previous work and they both took fairly different paths in adapting it. I liked how the show was darker and more cynical than the film, and though I didn't really understand Playing Nancy at first, I appreciated it the more the show progressed.
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Post by kathryn on May 24, 2018 15:19:50 GMT
Yes, it did feel like that, probably because Danny Rubin wrote both. The thing is he didn’t write the original story to be a piece of musical theatre so it doesn’t follow a traditional musical theatre structure. He didn’t write the story around there being an interval, so you don’t get an easy post-interval kick-off point in the story.
They wanted the adaptation to be faithful to Danny Rubin’s story and to expand on the film to deepen its resonance.
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Post by Stasia on May 24, 2018 20:29:50 GMT
Yes to Jon Robyns! (As Phil and in general)
He even looks very much alike to Andy Karl 😉
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Post by christya on May 24, 2018 22:31:50 GMT
Oddly, I found "Playing Nancy" one of the best songs in the show and very touching as it described perfectly how many women are trapped in such a role of being the cute sweet easy-to-have girl because it's their only way to find appreciation. But it was situated in a very bad position at the beginning of the second act and came pretty much out of nowhere. So if they find a better way to integrate it into the show and make us care more for Nancy I'm all for that. I don't necessarily think it's a bad song. It's actually a rather good one. But I just didn't think it was necessary that Nancy had a song at all. Felt like it came out of nowhere, and then seemed to promise development that didn't happen. Just...odd that it existed. The kind of song that I usually suspect of being a cover for a scene change or mass costume changes elsewhere. If they actually did anything much with Nancy after that I wouldn't mind it. |
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Post by raider80 on Sept 14, 2018 15:37:50 GMT
Any word about this show? Most of the musical houses are booked up for 2019 so, are the producers waiting for 2020 or are they still trying to find investors?
I've said this before in this thread that I suspect they are having a hard time finding investors because it flopped so badly on Broadway. I know it was a soldout hit but it was for a limited run and only soldout after the reviews came out and I worry if it could sustain soldout status for the long run.
We can all conclude that Andy Karl isn't going to come back with Pretty Woman being the million dollar hit on Broadway.
I also fear that the longer the producers wait to reopen the show more the general public is going to forget about it especially if it opens the same year as Dear Evan Hanson and Mean Girls.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 14, 2018 15:48:56 GMT
I doubt it will emerge in 2019 with Tim on the road in the latter part of the year. If there are any plans I suspect some detail may come in hand with his solo tour as a way of bumping interest in GHD, but as you suggest gaining investment maybe proving difficult as time goes on.
The Old Vic has been very busy this year with projects re the 200th birthday etc so I doubt we can expect much to have developed behind the scenes this year.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Sept 14, 2018 15:52:35 GMT
It might be that the best way to secure the future of this piece is to do a limited release to major amateur companies - build the profile that way. Then send out a tour.
I can't see a way for it to return to a major London theatre in the short-medium term.
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Post by Stephen on Sept 15, 2018 0:48:31 GMT
It's a real pity as I have connected to it more and more since seeing it. I think that's the genius of Tim Minchin. Songs like "Hope" and "Night Will Come" are really well written.
I hope to see it again in the future! I'd much rather see it go into the Pic than another turn of Curious Incident (not that I don't love the play) just give us something new here!
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Post by ellie1981 on Sept 15, 2018 9:13:25 GMT
I always wondered why it never tried its first(intended) open ended run in the UK to begin with. I know it’s an American film, but it’s just such a beloved story with almost everyone I know, I think it would have been more successful.
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Post by HereForTheatre on Sept 15, 2018 9:24:49 GMT
I think it could do well on tour, because of the name recognition. The set isn't really that challenging to tour in itself but i guess the revolve is the big issue. It ends up being quite important to how they tell the story and i don't know how easy a revolve would be to tour?
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Post by Stephen on Sept 15, 2018 13:43:52 GMT
I think it could do well on tour, because of the name recognition. The set isn't really that challenging to tour in itself but i guess the revolve is the big issue. It ends up being quite important to how they tell the story and i don't know how easy a revolve would be to tour? Well when it broke on Broadway they were on the phone to a country in Europe to work out how to fix it. I'd assume it's complex. Maybe a simpler version? |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 14:07:12 GMT
I think it could do well on tour, because of the name recognition. The set isn't really that challenging to tour in itself but i guess the revolve is the big issue. It ends up being quite important to how they tell the story and i don't know how easy a revolve would be to tour? Well when it broke on Broadway they were on the phone to a country in Europe to work out how to fix it. I'd assume it's complex. Maybe a simpler version? I've posted this in this thread before, but I'll post it again. In terms of structure and complexity it breaks down into components fairly easily. It's fundamentally 5 steel circles and 5 drive motors. The difference between the UK and US production is different fabricators were involved as a result of the tender process. |
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Post by Stephen on Sept 15, 2018 14:10:21 GMT
Interesting. And the outer section doesn't move? We really didn't get to see any of this from the front stalls!
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 14:13:20 GMT
That complete circle rotated inside of the main stage (square) structure as well if my memory serves me right. And yes Stephen I can imagine it being quite a different visual experience sat front stalls. Glad I saw it from the Circle to fully appreciate it. Examples of the belt drive motors:  |
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Post by david on Sept 15, 2018 14:15:34 GMT
Having watched the video, I am quite surprised. I always thought they used hamsters or small children (depending on what was available) in very large hamster wheels to drive the revolve.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 14:19:10 GMT
So if you take what you see in the first video and imagine that quintet of circles where the wooden circle is here, thats the component GHD revolve system.
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Post by raider80 on Sept 15, 2018 14:49:56 GMT
I always wondered why it never tried its first(intended) open ended run in the UK to begin with. I know it’s an American film, but it’s just such a beloved story with almost everyone I know, I think it would have been more successful. Honestly, I think the producers got cocky following the highly successful Old Vic run that it would be a repeat on Broadway. When the producers made the decision to go straight to Broadway, Dear Evan Hanson was an unknown off-Broadway show, The Great Comet was only going to run as long as Josh Groban was in the show, and Come From Away was on nobody's radar. GHD thought is would be massive hit on Broadway with all these unknown shows. I think the producers should have went straight to the West End to build a bigger profile and become a must see in New York when they announce the Broadway transfer. |
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2018 17:21:51 GMT
I think the best thing for this show would be to do another season at The Old Vic - which would hopefully raise the hype again, then off the back of that, take it straight to the Noel Coward or Gielgud - or at the largest the Piccadilly.
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Post by kathryn on Sept 15, 2018 20:08:42 GMT
I always wondered why it never tried its first(intended) open ended run in the UK to begin with. I know it’s an American film, but it’s just such a beloved story with almost everyone I know, I think it would have been more successful. Honestly, I think the producers got cocky following the highly successful Old Vic run that it would be a repeat on Broadway. When the producers made the decision to go straight to Broadway, Dear Evan Hanson was an unknown off-Broadway show, The Great Comet was only going to run as long as Josh Groban was in the show, and Come From Away was on nobody's radar. GHD thought is would be massive hit on Broadway with all these unknown shows. I think the producers should have went straight to the West End to build a bigger profile and become a must see in New York when they announce the Broadway transfer. No, the decision to go to Broadway was made before the Old Vic run. The Old Vic was essentially its out-of-town tryout. They had Scott Rudin on board to produce, but he pulled out when the creative team made it clear that he wasn’t going to get creative input in the show, because as far as they were concerned that development work had been done. Possibly when Rudin pulled out they should have reassessed and decided to go for a West End run and transfer off the back of that with a new producer. I rather suspect they got tangled up with Broadway politics. Maybe we’ll find out one day. |
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2018 14:33:03 GMT
It appears intention is still there!  |
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Post by Mark on Dec 30, 2018 14:48:59 GMT
Plenty of mid-sized venues available in the fall (Savoy, Piccadilly, Shaftesbury). I really hope it happens.
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Post by happytobehere on Dec 30, 2018 15:46:00 GMT
I’m gutted that I missed this the first time round, so I would absolutely love for it to return asap! & as mentioned above, it’s not like there’s a shortage of empty theatres in the near future, surely it’d fit nicely into one of them.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 30, 2018 15:50:35 GMT
I've always felt the Piccadilly is the place for this show. Hopefully we will see it happen.
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Post by Mark on Dec 30, 2018 16:05:39 GMT
I've always felt the Piccadilly is the place for this show. Hopefully we will see it happen. I agree! |
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