Motown

[daniel]

Has anybody who's criticising it actually seen the show? I agree, I don't have much hope for it but it's a little premature to write it off without seeing it don't you think?

[BurlyBeaR]

Feb 15, 2016 11:08:56 GMT Michael said:

From all I've heard, Motown is a cheaply produced song revue with next to no set and no story whatsoever. When such a show runs for longer and is more successful than an original show (take Memphis as example, but many new shows failed recently), this will discourage people from trying out or funding new shows and more such shows will be put on.

The West End deserves better shows.

But don't producers have to make money on more populist things like this, in order to fund "better" shows? We keep being told how much money is lost even in a quite risk averse industry as it is. The money has to come from somewhere.

[viserys]

Feb 15, 2016 11:29:18 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

Feb 15, 2016 11:08:56 GMT Michael said:

From all I've heard, Motown is a cheaply produced song revue with next to no set and no story whatsoever. When such a show runs for longer and is more successful than an original show (take Memphis as example, but many new shows failed recently), this will discourage people from trying out or funding new shows and more such shows will be put on.

The West End deserves better shows.

But don't producers have to make money on more populist things like this, in order to fund "better" shows? We keep being told how much money is lost even in a quite risk averse industry as it is. The money has to come from somewhere.

Yes, that's true, of course, but ever since Mamma mia became a veritable cash cow in the late 90s, the West End has been awash with jukebox musicals (even more so than Broadway) and every new success will just encourage producers to bring MORE jukebox musicals in - all of them clogging up theatres that could be filled with bona fide new musicals, transfers from Broadway and so on.  And the more new musicals fail to take off (even though, perhaps, they artistically deserved to fail because they weren't very good) while a jukebox musical does well, the more danger I see that more and more jukebox musicals will push "proper" new musicals aside because producers aren't willing to take risks anymore.

[Michael]

Couldn't have said it better myself, even though I'd restrict it to song revue shows as Thriller and Let it Be.

Personally, I don't mind jukebox shows. Heck, they can be great shows if they're well done. Take Jersey Boys and Beautiful as example. Despite being bio-musicals, they are (technically) jukebox shows. Or one of my favourite shows: Rock of Ages which didn't take itself seriously and broke the 4th wall (and at least pretended to have a story).

[HereForTheatre]

When i went to see Memphis, staff were handing out flyers for Motown upon exit and i heard many people say they liked the look of it and wanted to go. I also heard many people say that they thought Memphis was going to be classic known songs rather than all new songs. It seems there is an appetite for this kind of thing.

[theatre-turtle]

The worst recent one I've seen was the Commitments, which I didn't see the appeal of at all, yet everyone around me seemed to love it?!

[BurlyBeaR]

I've booked for the tour of that

[Michael]

Feb 15, 2016 12:31:15 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

I've booked for the tour of that

Has the tour cast been announced yet?

I really enjoyed The Committments when the OLC was still there (both Killian Donnelly and Ian McIntosh were great as Deco), but the show felt really flat and less energetic after cast change.

[BurlyBeaR]

I know. I'm going on my own in case it's completely rubbish.

[djp]

Feb 15, 2016 12:47:53 GMT BurlyBeaR said:

I know. I'm going on my own in case it's completely rubbish.

Its got familiar successful songs - and Keisha and Cleo - who have been singing out successful careers since I'do Anything on TV. I might have  a look.

i agree its a bit worrying if almost anything new that tries for a story, and new songs  fails , and pure  juke boxes sell. A bit of story would be nice even if its WWRY type  - story. Abi  Finley had a lot of story to act out in Leader of the Pack - the Ellie Greenwich  story -  last year and got lots  of 4/5 star reviews for it, - its a shame something like that couldn't transfer.  

[Deleted]

Have none of us actually seen this yet? This must be some kind of record for these forums... the longest time from opening that someone has actually seen the show! Usually at least one of us gets in by the first or second preview

[Michael]

Maybe those who have are too ashamed to admit it?

[alece10]

Someone at work has booked for April and was asking me what people were saying about it. Had to admit that I didnt know anyone who had seen it so far and nothing on the forum either.
Have they had press night yet?

[westendcub]

Keep completely forgetting it exists and is playing...not heard anyone mention it!!

It's not on my radar!!

[viserys]

I just looked at the website to see how it's selling and was shocked to find so much "limited availabilty", especially considering the outrageous prices.

I can't help thinking that the proper West End is becoming more and more a "tourist park" with jukebox musicals and long-runners that by now aim squarely for the tourist market, whereas all the interesting stuff happens elsewhere - Menier, Southwark, now the Charing Cross Theatre's new season, new stuff being developed at the National, Old Vic or outside London... Just sad really, but good for my purse I guess...

[DebbieDoesDouglas(Hodge)]

But the west end IS a business so of course they want to make money. If artisticness is involved then that's just a lovely bonus!

[Anniek]

Hoping that the ridiculous prices and limited availability is a trick to actually make people buy tix, and that in a month time I can go for like 15 quid. I want to see it, but not for more than 20 quid.

[westendwendy]

I saw this last week. Its a good show and is entertaining. It's not Memphis. If Memphis was called Mowtown it would also had ran for years, its a better show!

Audience was packed with middle working class white people aged 40 - 70 and tourists. This is a show that will sell.

It was an enjoyable night and it's a nice show to watch. The girl who played Diana Ross was excellent but too many songs! Crazy! About 60 or so...

[greeny11]

I saw it during half term week. Cast are excellent and do well with the material they've been given. However, the plot is weak and they've crammed in 53 songs, which means only 5 or 6 songs last more than 30 seconds. Audience participation was rather embarrassing to be honest - felt sorry for the 2 who had go and sing with Diana Ross (Lucy St Louis) as you could sense their embarrassment. However, the rest of the audience seemed to love it.

[mrcurry]

I was passing and bought a standing ticket for 10 pounds for a matinee. The place was full of 50+ middle aged white people paying high prices. There are some wealthy people about. The show seemed like it was still in previews. Dancing was not in sync, not sure if this was how Motown performers actually danced in the 1960s. Story was a bit sixth form. It is the songs and performances that matter. They could be better. I imagine in a couple of months they will get the song performances spot on, imho.

Highlight of the show is Diana Ross. The cast is young and can only get better. Lowlight is watching Barry Gordy in a cardigan, sat in an armchair watching TV, feeling sorry for himself.

[Deleted]

The Diana Ross role was highly acclaimed on the Broadway Production too, even earning her a Tony nomination.

[Phantom of London]

I love my musicals, but was never inclined to see this on Broadway and said I see it in London if it came, but wind on a couple of year and the show is now in London and I am still not inclined to see this.

£5 million at the box office does sound great, but that soon will dry up and shows that fans of the genre have flocked ASAP. Be interesting what the reviewers think of this or will they give it a extra star or two, of they smell a decent marketing budget.

[Deleted]

Well the set is basically just a screen by the looks of it, so it wouldn't take much for this to recoup, which is why it was probably so successful on Broadway!

www.westendframe.com/2016/03/pics-motown-musical-at-shaftesbury.html

[mrbarnaby]

Has there every new so little interest in a musical on a message board dedicated to musicals?!

[Deleted]

Mar 7, 2016 22:35:24 GMT mrbarnaby said:

Has there every new so little interest in a musical on a message board dedicated to musicals?!

This does seem to be a first for a new musical.