Any Musicals in line for the National, Donmar or Menier?

The 3 you mentioned and the Watermill seem to be the heartbeat of theatre, we should be proud that these institutions make great theatre

Watching the society of theatre website, to see who wins what at the Oliviers, have to say I have not heard of any of them yet.

Also watching the Cricket from the Caribbean!

Trevor Nunn left....
OK they weren't all his, but he did tend to do one each year. After he left there was a bit of a reaction against the NT doing big musical shows and they returned more to the drama.

Updated On: 3/8/09 at 04:47 PM

They only do serious new stuff now like Jerry Springer and Caroline or Change.

The National has a couple of new shows in development, I believe - one with Grant Olding (although after Simply Cinderella who knows what's happening there?) and one with Damon Albarn (although that was due for '07, I suspect he got distracted by Monkey in the meantime). Many of the Nunn shows were essentially commercial productions (several with Cameron Mackintosh), which sort-of goes against the spirit of the National, so I can understand why Nick Hytner has moved away from them (even though he directed Carousel!).

The Menier will undoubtedly do another Christmas show this year, and probably something else in the Summer like They're Playing Our Song last year. Most of their musicals have done well for them either critically or commercially. I'd guess they're more likely to do A New Brain than Spelling Bee purely because spelling bees, although familiar to us from TV, don't really have any resonance with UK audiences. How did Make Me A Song do last year, anyone know?

As for the Donmar, well, we've only just had Piaf really. Once the Donmar West End season is over I suspect Michael Grandage will have something musical lined up unless they plough straight back into another one. Not sure what show they'd do - most of the "old classics" are either on the road or have been in town fairly recently it seems to me.

There is/was talk of the Donmar doing Sweet Charity or maybe Pippin

Can I just put in a plea for Adding Machine which I whined on about several months ago. The cast recording is superb, and I'd love to see a production.

For the person asking about Make Me A Song, it all but flopped - it was on the seat filling organisations for the entire run.

A shame about Sweet Charity as it would be a good one for the Donmar to reinvent in a similar style to Guys and Dolls. I think the Menier should consider getting the rights and reinventing like they did with Little Shop of Horrors and La Cage.

It's strange that the revivals of show like Little Shop, La Cage and Guys and Dolls work better over here than they do on Broadway.

Neil Hannon from Divine Comedy was workshopping 'Swallows and Amazons' last year but that's gone quiet.

PS Did we know Nick Hytner calls him home Ho Chi Minn city, as it was paid for by Miss Saigon?

At the Donmar, Pippin would be lovely, and A Man of No Importance, Marie Christine and LaChiusa's Wild Party. Come on someone, get on with it or I'll have to do it!

I avoided the Broadway revival of 'La Cage', despite my fondness for Gavin Creel, because (unpopular opinion ahead!) I really don't like Gary Beach at all and couldn't imagine him doing any justice to that role at all. From what I've heard (even from some of his fans) I think I was right.

Shame about 'Sweet Charity', I've never seen it on stage (love the film, though) and was hoping that rumour would be true. I was going to see the Sheffield production a few years ago but health, money and most other things were conspiring against me and I didn't get the chance.

Updated On: 3/9/09 at 02:09 PM

Re. "Make Me A Song" flopping in London - I saw it and loved it (and Frances Ruffelle was simply awesome). Unfortunately Bill Finn is not sufficiently "known" in the UK for a revue of his songs to sell well. So it would be great if Spelling Bee were to be done by the Menier/National/Donmar. Or, better still - FALSETTOS, which is for my money one of THE all time great musicals. I honestly think William Finn is one of the few genuine genius composer/lyricists who has ever written for musical theatre - and it's time UK audiences got a chance to see just how great his work is.

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