13 going on 30

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 12:00pm

Ah well, I had hopes for this. The main London papers were not kind.  I am expecting this to follow Fickman to the New World Stages but maybe not with that size cast - looks like around 35 people?

https://www.thetimes.com/culture/theatre-dance/article/13-going-on-30-musical-review-kqwdzcj2f

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 12:26pm

Never really cared one way or the other, but when I read AI was involved I actively wished for it to fail.

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 12:34pm

How was AI involved? Not a fan of that. 

 

Jay Lerner-Z said: "Never really cared one way or the other, but when I read AI was involved I actively wished for it to fail."

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 12:49pm

It wasn't used in any vital way, like songwriting… as far as I know. More the ageing and de-ageing stuff projected onto screens such as high school yearbooks. Not a HUGE deal, I guess, but I’m just totally allergic to AI intruding into the creative process in any way.

You can hear more about it in this YouTube review.

 

[Jay Lerner-Z]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 12:52pm

 

[ozone81]

Posted: 10/6/25 at 2:04pm

I saw both this and 50 First Dates last weekend.  I thought both were good, not great. I also liked Pretty Woman so maybe I'm not best to judge musicals based on film.  To me the music was much stronger in 13 Going on 30 than 50 First Dates.  The AI used in 13 Going on 30 was for a slide show that Matt makes for Jenna for her birthday and it looked pretty bad. 

It does seem that 13 Going on 30 is selling well.  The run is short but it looked to be close to full for the show i went to in the 1,900 seat Manchester Opera House.  50 First Dates capacity is only 325 and they are offering discounts and tickets were pretty cheap to begin with.    I could see 50 First Dates playing at a New World Stages type of theatre and 13 Going on 30 playing in a Broadway house, but don't think either would be a hit in the current state.  

[Ensemble1711444445]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 9:05am

Sadly my friends on the show said it has struggled to sell tickets in Manchester and they have been doing a lot of discounting and papering.  
 

ozone81 said: "I saw both this and 50 First Dates last weekend. I thought both were good, not great. I also liked Pretty Womanso maybe I'm not best to judge musicals based on film. To me the music was much stronger in 13 Going on 30 than 50 First Dates. The AI used in 13 Going on 30 was for a slide show that Matt makes for Jenna for her birthday and it looked pretty bad.

It does seem that 13 Going on 30 is selling well. The run is short but it looked to be close to full for the show i went to in the 1,900 seat Manchester Opera House. 50 First Dates capacity is only 325 and they are offering discounts and tickets were pretty cheap to begin with. I could see 50 First Dates playing at a New World Stages type of theatre and13 Going on 30 playingin a Broadway house,but don't think either would be a hit in the current state."

 

Updated On: 10/7/25 at 09:05 AM

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/7/25 at 12:22pm

I guess the Six Chicks viral dance is not enough to make the show a hit.