"Caroline, or Change" Going to London

[OrdinaryJukebox1]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:13pm

Did anyone else see the story on playbill.com? It's going to London, and I for one, couldn't be more pleased that this show is getting the life it deserves. It should have stayed on Broadway MUCH longer than it did, but I'm glad it's getting out there. Anyone know it Tonya will be playing it out there? It's a gift role for her, and a gift to watch her perform it!

-Vincent

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:15pm

Only gives me more reason to get my ass over there. Once Evita, Sunady in the park with george, and Caroline or change all get started up, I am taking a much deserved vacation

[ALWrules]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:18pm

A show about American racial issues that did bad as it was in the states. What makes the producers think that it will be doing well in London?

[mrkringas]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:20pm

Its going to be running at the National Theatre.

It doesnt need to be a financial smash as the purpose of this subsidised venue is to produce challenging works of theatre that are not going to get done elsewhere..... all supported by tax payers money, dont you just love the UK?

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:22pm

Because I bet Britons could appreciate issues more relevant to us even more than we can. I respect their audiences a lot more and believe they can have more patience for it than we did. ANY country could let this piece thrive more than we did cause it was just a pretty pitiful run here. In My Life almost ran as long as it did. Thats not good.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:29pm

Your logic is pretty convoluted C is for Company. The whole point of the show (which I didn't like) was to relate Americans to their racial issues. Though maybe some Britons know about the civil rights movement and such, they won't be able to connect to the show quite as much. IN addition, the R&B/ Gospal Music of C or Change is not as familiar of a style to Britons as Americans. Notice that the jukebox musicals haven't been a big thing in Briton, excepting those based on artists they know well. The main contributor to the success of a show is how it relates to its audience.
Great shows don't need "patience." Great shows are shows where you know you have just seen something extraordinary. Even though it is supported by the taxpayers, if it isn't doing well, then it won't stay open.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:41pm

My point is that it is only intended to be a limited run, And it will run for its full schedule of performances (say 3 months) and if its a huge hit it would transfer to a commercial theatre for a longer run.

As for British audiences not knowing about the civil rights movement.... I dont know where to begin! It was certainly a popular topic in high school and seeing as american culture dominates the movies etc I think even the non university educated will know something about it Oh and finally the National isnt the sort of venue where the average joe is going to wander into and see some new musical.

R+B is also quite popular over here last I checked....

BTW under previous Artistic Directors the National has had smash hit revivals of Oklahoma! (with Hugh Jackman), Anything Goes and My Fair Lady. It was also the location of the sell out run of Jerry Springer The Opera (how American can you get?) before it transfered to the West End.

[BlueWizard]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:46pm

The Brits enjoyed the Brian Dennehy revival of DEATH OF A SALESMAN well enough, even though it's a deeply American work. And ANGELS IN AMERICA -- which takes place in a complicated, American historical context -- was a big hit in London before it hit Broadway. Not to mention MISS SAIGON (though one could argue MISS SAIGON was a distinctly foreign interpretation of a Viet-American phenomenon).

I'd say CAROLINE OR CHANGE has enough universal themes for it to be appealing to British audiences. If it fails, I don't think it'll be because the Brits don't get it.

Updated On: 1/24/06 at 11:46 PM

[MargoChanning]

Posted: 1/24/06 at 11:55pm

The show didn't do well on Broadway due mostly to receiving mixed notices from Brantley, Kissel and several other critics who just didn't get it. Frank Rich of the Times, John Lahr of The New Yorker and John Heilprin of The Observer hailed it as a masterpiece, but that wasn't enough to overcome the rest (and a misguided marketing campaign). After Broadway, the OBC went to LA and San Francisco, received rave reviews from the critics in both cities and proved a popular hit with audiences. Moral of the story -- the NY critics are a bunch of old incompetent hacks who need to retire and be replaced. I am willing to bet it'll receive a positive response at the National from critics and audiences.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:11am

"the OBC went to LA and San Francisco, received rave reviews from the critics in both cities and proved a popular hit with audiences"

I saw the show in LA on a Saturday Night, and the theater was half empty. In addition, I saw around 100 people leaving at intermission. The show itself was not received heartily at the end of the performance as well. I stayed only because I have never walked out of a play in my life. My father, who works in Hollywood, also talked to a bunch of people who saw the show, some of whom were regular theater goers. About half of them walked out at intermission, and none of the rest liked it either. So it wasn't incredibly popular with my experience.
All the shows you mentioned mrkingas (With the exception of Jerry Springer) are classics, so of course they are going to be received well. Certain works can be universal in their theme, but in my opinion Caroline or Change was not good enough to warrent this universal theme. Caroline won't really relate to them as well. And Gospel never was as popular in London as it was in New York and London. Jerry Springer is an exception, and everyone could get that show because of the international success of the show.

[C is for Company]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:15am

Well that brings up a very justifiable argument that just because a show is received one way by a few certain people, doesn't damn its chances elsewhere. That is why I am interested to see the reactions come October and how it gets taken by an entirely different kind of audience.
It has already been shown that you can take it to the opposite end of the country and it receives praise so I wouldn't be surprised if it at least gets slightly better reception in England than NY

[respeck]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:16am

I know people who live in San Diego that drove up two, three, even four times to see the show. So how about we all agree to disagree.

[ALWrules]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 12:20am

So it goes....
I'm sure, as with opinions of the show, our experiences vary.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 2:08am

I was not comparing those classics to Caroline, Or Change merely seeking to point out that the National has produced a wide variety of musicals over the years and its starting to focus now on new musicals rather than revivals.

I still totally disagree with the idea that shows are not as "relevant" to a British audience. Theatre is universal. London is the most diverse city in the world and I am sure there were be an audience for it especially once it receives critical praise from all the high brow theatre critics.

Current hot ticket in London is "Sunday in the Park with George". Superb revival of a great show. Also seem to recall Assassins running a hell of a lot longer over here than it did on and off Broadway.....

[algy]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 7:11am

*nb - UK poster - hasn't seen Caroline or Change, simply responding to posts*

I think every kid in secondary school in the UK will have covered Civil rights at some point- I personally spent 18 months studying Twentieth Century American History. English Literature also covers 20th Century American Literature - I did To Kill a Mockingbird and Roll of Thunder hear my Cry before 16 (when English Lit is compulsory) and others did similar titles.

The National Theatre tends to do specialist productions - they run three theatres of various sizes - some of their productions transfer - they did an adaptation of the His Dark Materials Trilogy and currently, the History Boys has returned there, and they're premiering a Mike Leigh play - they do a diverse range of shows (and some good price deals) and hopefully I'll get to see Caroline...

http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/?lid=171

[hen88]

Posted: 1/25/06 at 9:50am

I say to each his own. Some people really hated Caroline. But many people also really hated Woman in White. That's all ok.

You can definitely keep your Phantom and Woman In White, that leaves more Caroline for me to feast on. YUM!