The Toxic Avenger: Southwark Playhouse/Arts Theatre

[firefingers]

Apr 2, 2016 11:27:26 GMT Mr Wallacio said:

I saw online that this is a one act 90 minute piece (from Broadway), is this true?

My friend has very selfishly moved her birthday party to the weekend when I'm seeing the matinee of this and because I am such a good friend am sacrificing my evening theatre slot to go to her party so am trying to work out the best coach to book.

It has been performed with or without interval, with a running time varying between 1 1/2 to 2 hours, so I suggest emwilung Southwark and see if they know how it is going to be performed.

[firefingers]

I'm a bit of a film buff, and so I've seen some really cool tie in events and stuff for this. The Prince Charles Cinema in Leicester Square (which I'm a member of) is screening Citizen Toxie: The Toxic Avenger IV on the 1st of May, with a Q&A with Lloyd Kaufman (who wrote and directed the original film and its sequels). Kaufman is then doing a post show Q&A at Southwark on the 3rd. I've also had an email from Picturehouse cinemas (again which I'm a member of) with a competition for tickets. Always interesting when one's interests collide.

[westendwendy]

This is being discounted already? Bad news...

[charliec]

Anyone else going to the first preview tonight?

[synchrony]

I was there!

It played with an interval, but was still relatively short (out before 10pm).

I thought the cast and production were really good.

I have possibly NEVER experienced such an appreciative, enthusiastic audience! Everyone else seemed to laugh all the way through it, and most ovated.

It's like a mash up of Bat Boy and Urinetown. Very easy to draw comparisons. If you liked Bat Boy, you'll probably like this too as the concept and humour is very similar.

If you DIDN'T like Bat Boy (which, to be fair, I didn't as it's just not my sense of humour) then, whilst the production is good, you most likely won't like this either.

Lots of musical in-jokes that I found amusing to spot. I thought I saw /heard nods to Hairspray, Phantom, Rocky Horror Show, Addams Family, Bat Boy, Urinetown, Les Mis and Grease.

[geweena]

Apr 22, 2016 21:51:45 GMT synchrony said:

I was there!

It played with an interval, but was still relatively short (out before 10pm).

I thought the cast and production were really good.

I have possibly NEVER experienced such an appreciative, enthusiastic audience! Everyone else seemed to laugh all the way through it, and most ovated.

It's like a mash up of Bat Boy and Urinetown. Very easy to draw comparisons. If you liked Bat Boy, you'll probably like this too as the concept and humour is very similar.

If you DIDN'T like Bat Boy (which, to be fair, I didn't as it's just not my sense of humour) then, whilst the production is good, you most likely won't like this either.

Lots of musical in-jokes that I found amusing to spot. I thought I saw /heard nods to Hairspray, Phantom, Rocky Horror Show, Addams Family, Bat Boy, Urinetown, Les Mis and Grease.

Thanks for the update.... I'm going tomorrow and loved Bat Boy, so think I'm going to like this one!

[partytentdown]

I really enjoyed it. Total chaos with actors and props flying everywhere, and skirting on the edge of PC at times!, but I think it could become quite the camp, cult hit.

[charliec]

I don't know the source Material at all and I've never listened to the Broadway recording, I enjoyed it much more than I expected! It's fun and the cast are great and working very hard. Wasn't sure by some of the choreography and it is pretty un-pc but people were properly loving it. There were people around me singing along a little bit so obviously some big fans in the house.

[westendcub]

Off to see this at the matinee this afternoon

[Mr Wallacio]

Finding this quite funny, but I've never seen so many people get up and leave the auditorium in the middle of an act before. Especially when you have to walk across the stage to get out.

Thankfully the bad behaviour isn't ruining the show too much.

[geweena]

Ok....officially loving this!

[liverpool54321]

That was unbelievable. Funniest show I have seen in years and definitely one of the hardest ever working casts. Still in preview so expect the odd mishap - but they simply added to the quality of the show. Best moment probably when the blind girl shouts "go screw yourself" and inadvertently sends her vibrator flying across the floor. Took her a while to regain composure from that one. Yes it flys very close to PC but clearly a hit with the audience this afternoon with very load cheers all round at the end.

Hope the critics "get" it. I will be telling all my theatre friends to grab a ticket.

[Mr Wallacio]

Apr 23, 2016 17:04:41 GMT liverpool54321 said:

That was unbelievable. Funniest show I have seen in years and definitely one of the hardest ever working casts. Still in preview so expect the odd mishap - but they simply added to the quality of the show. Best moment probably when the blind girl shouts "go screw yourself" and inadvertently sends her vibrator flying across the floor. Took her a while to regain composure from that one. Yes it flys very close to PC but clearly a hit with the audience this afternoon with very load cheers all round at the end.

Hope the critics "get" it. I will be telling all my theatre friends to grab a ticket.

Me thinks that isn't inadvertent. Can't decide if that was acted corpsing as to me it was probably the idea to send it flying to draw attention to what it was.

And yes, now hearing Hot Toxic Love it is basically Love Will Stand.

There are still plenty of tickets left for this show so if people can they definitely should go see it.

[westendcub]

Had a ball at the matinee!!

Out with friends so will write more tomorrow but that was big fun, camp & oh so un-pc!!

Think they have another word of mouth show on there hands again!! Grab a ticket, leave brain at the bar & just have fun!!

Anyways one or two things to go in detail about (including bad behaviour that the staff dealt with & no troubles in Act 2)

[Mr Wallacio]

Apr 23, 2016 18:06:40 GMT westendcub said:

Had a ball at the matinee!!

Out with friends so will write more tomorrow but that was big fun, camp & oh so un-pc!!

Think they have another word of mouth show on there hands again!! Grab a ticket, leave brain at the bar & just have fun!!

Anyways one or two things to go in detail about (including bad behaviour that the staff dealt with & no troubles in Act 2)

The trouble makers were made to sit with 'teacher' in the second act like naughty kids. Not the sort of thing you expect from 3 grown adults.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2016 15:29:23 GMT Mr Wallacio said:

Finding this quite funny, but I've never seen so many people get up and leave the auditorium in the middle of an act before. Especially when you have to walk across the stage to get out.

Thankfully the bad behaviour isn't ruining the show too much.

I noticed a fair bit of bad audience behaviour too, from the chatting in the top far corner to the man sat next to me getting his phone out ten minutes in, only to clear his apps and generally faff with it. He then began humming along to songs, and later on in act 2, he fidgeted so much his ugly hat fell off his lap onto my shoe. I passed it back to him when I noticed he couldn't find it, and he just took it without any acknowledgement of a thanks. Yet he was happy to whisper to his partner throughout!!

But onto the show itself, the actors who multi role in this were absolutely show stealers. Fantastically comically timed expressions and clear distinctions in behaviour between each role they were playing. At one point the "white dude" grabbed me by the knees, I didn't know how to react!! The comedy is genius and that special duet was pure entertainment. The story here really isn't overly clear - or important - more gag after gag. Still a great night out though!

[liverpool54321]

If you sit in the front row then be prepared to be part of show at some point. Had my head and glasses well and truly pawed by blind girl. Will be interested to hear if the blind girl fall during the chase is normal. Couldn't decide at the time but certainly worked as a routine.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2016 18:51:24 GMT liverpool54321 said:

If you sit in the front row then be prepared to be part of show at some point. Had my head and glasses well and truly pawed by blind girl. Will be interested to hear if the blind girl fall during the chase is normal. Couldn't decide at the time but certainly worked as a routine.

Totally! Not a complaint, it always catches me off guard though! 

[liverpool54321]

On the bad behaviour - never understand why people buy a ticket and then behave the way they do. Loved the way theatre referred to the 3 as the naughty boys and got one of their volunteers to sit with them for 2nd half.

[Mr Wallacio]

Apr 23, 2016 18:51:24 GMT liverpool54321 said:

If you sit in the front row then be prepared to be part of show at some point. Had my head and glasses well and truly pawed by blind girl. Will be interested to hear if the blind girl fall during the chase is normal. Couldn't decide at the time but certainly worked as a routine.

I think the way the fall was covered that it's intentional, but it was an impressive face plant.

[Mr Wallacio]

Apr 23, 2016 18:51:24 GMT liverpool54321 said:

If you sit in the front row then be prepared to be part of show at some point. Had my head and glasses well and truly pawed by blind girl. Will be interested to hear if the blind girl fall during the chase is normal. Couldn't decide at the time but certainly worked as a routine.

Oh you got seriously face groped. I was laughing so much at that.

[Mr Wallacio]

Apr 23, 2016 18:22:54 GMT @tom89 said:

Apr 23, 2016 15:29:23 GMT Mr Wallacio said:

Finding this quite funny, but I've never seen so many people get up and leave the auditorium in the middle of an act before. Especially when you have to walk across the stage to get out.

Thankfully the bad behaviour isn't ruining the show too much.

I noticed a fair bit of bad audience behaviour too, from the chatting in the top far corner to the man sat next to me getting his phone out ten minutes in, only to clear his apps and generally faff with it. He then began humming along to songs, and later on in act 2, he fidgeted so much his ugly hat fell off his lap onto my shoe. I passed it back to him when I noticed he couldn't find it, and he just took it without any acknowledgement of a thanks. Yet he was happy to whisper to his partner throughout!!

But onto the show itself, the actors who multi role in this were absolutely show stealers. Fantastically comically timed expressions and clear distinctions in behaviour between each role they were playing. At one point the "white dude" grabbed me by the knees, I didn't know how to react!! The comedy is genius and that special duet was pure entertainment. The story here really isn't overly clear - or important - more gag after gag. Still a great night out though!

Were you the 'ho'?

[partytentdown]

Apr 23, 2016 18:51:24 GMT liverpool54321 said:

If you sit in the front row then be prepared to be part of show at some point. Had my head and glasses well and truly pawed by blind girl. Will be interested to hear if the blind girl fall during the chase is normal. Couldn't decide at the time but certainly worked as a routine.

It is in the script, but on the first preview she genuine slipped a second time to a giant gasp from the audience!

If you're familiar with the off Broadway version or the cast recording, there are a couple of new songs in this and I think it's slightly longer. Plus some updated references in the book.

It took me a while to warm to the mayor being a sexy younger type (when I saw this in NYC it was played by Nancy Opel as a slightly more mature seductress) but the actress really grew on me.

[Deleted]

Apr 23, 2016 19:44:29 GMT Mr Wallacio said:

Apr 23, 2016 18:22:54 GMT @tom89 said:

I noticed a fair bit of bad audience behaviour too, from the chatting in the top far corner to the man sat next to me getting his phone out ten minutes in, only to clear his apps and generally faff with it. He then began humming along to songs, and later on in act 2, he fidgeted so much his ugly hat fell off his lap onto my shoe. I passed it back to him when I noticed he couldn't find it, and he just took it without any acknowledgement of a thanks. Yet he was happy to whisper to his partner throughout!!

But onto the show itself, the actors who multi role in this were absolutely show stealers. Fantastically comically timed expressions and clear distinctions in behaviour between each role they were playing. At one point the "white dude" grabbed me by the knees, I didn't know how to react!! The comedy is genius and that special duet was pure entertainment. The story here really isn't overly clear - or important - more gag after gag. Still a great night out though!

Were you the 'ho'?

That, I was.

[westendcub]

Oh bless that was you, I was 3rd row but yes f you are yet to book & hate any interaction from the cast then don't sit in the front row..you very may will be petted & touched (all over ?)