Big in New York, Flop in London (and vice versa?)

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 6:49am

Whatare some of the biggest examples of shows that were successful in New York but flops in London, and vice versa? Specifically I'm thinking of shows thatplayed both cities in the same production--so weren't reworked much or anything between cities.

It always seemed that, until the Chicago revival, London didn't really take to Bob Fosse. Sweet Charity with Prowse was a minor hit but even less so than New York, I've read Pippin was an utter flop in London (I can't even fidn out when it ran or who was in it) and then when London first got a Chicago they didn't even get the Fosse production (and it flopped).

[CapnHook]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 7:00am

RENT and AVENUE Q weren't as successful in the UK -- but both of those shows were tweaked.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 7:06am

I saw Rent in '99 in London and it was, I thought, virtually the New York production. AM I wrong? It closed a year or two later--so ti ran 2 or more years (3 or more?) but nowhere the US run--still I';m sure it recouped and there were rentheads when I went (unfortunately :P )

Maybe you mean the recent Rent Remixed fiasco of a flop by Kylie Minogue's designer/concert director, William Baker?

[legallysam]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 7:49am

Rent and Rent Remixed both flopped in London. I wouldn't say that Avenue Q is flopping here in London. Maybe it's not taken off as much as it did in NY but i'd say it's doing pretty well.

Thoroughly Modern Millie didn't do well here at all!

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 7:58am

I wasure Rent ran over 2 years... Maybe it closed soona fter I saw it then--anyone have the dates?

[DeNada]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:06am

Ones I can think of, mostly recent:

- Spring Awakening (only really because of the West End transfer)
- Sweeney Todd (ran three months in 1980)
- Drowsy Chaperone

Other way round:

- Coram Boy (big hit at the National)
- Starlight Express
- Sunset Boulevard (London turned a profit, Broadway never did)

[andymacca]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:23am

RENT in London ran at the Shaftesbury from May 98 to Oct 99 and whilst this isnt anywhere near the success seen in NYC I dont necessarily think it can be called a flop. 15 months is a fair run.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:34am

I forgot abotu Sweeney Todd--that's a rather infamous one. I didn't realize either that Spring Awakening had already opened and closed in the West End--how long did that run?


I saw Rent in London in Aug 99 then--it was still selling well so I'm surprised it closed so soon after.

Aspects of Love was a moderate hit in the UK and a massive flop in New York in the same production, wasn't it? Woman in White wa a big US flop as well, but I seem to remember it had an ok (sorta) run in the UK... hrmm

[goodoneinlou2]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:41am

I've heard that the original production of Grease on Broadway was such a hit that it had to change theatres to hold a larger audience. However when the original production opened a year later in London (with Richard Gere as Danny Zuko... Gere was Barry Bostwick's understudy on Broadway.) it was an utter flop lasting only like 200 performances. It even had Elaine Paige in the cast as Sandy during the run.

I suppose you could consider Mary Poppins in London a flop, but the Broadway production seems to have outlasted it. Not sure on actual timeframes but *seems* way more successful on Broadway.

Starlight Express ran for eons in London... not so much in the US. That could be said about other ALW shows too.





Updated On: 9/24/09 at 08:41 AM

[brochatkid]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 8:45am

Chess was big in London. A flop here.

[DeNada]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:00am

Spring Awakening ran for about four months in total, including the run at the Lyric in Hammersmith. It closed at the end of May.

brochatkid, Chess on Broadway was a completely different script, let alone physical production, from the London production. You're right that it was pretty successful here, though.

Poppins made a profit in London but not a huge one, from what I understand. It ran for just over three years (more if you include the Bristol try-out), and the show's only just reached the three year milestone on Broadway (opened end of 2006). I'm sure it's been more successful on Broadway, but not massively so.

The RUG shows are tricky. I have no idea if Woman in White made any money here (although we all know it was a disaster on Broadway); I wouldn't have thought so given the length of the run.

[whatever2]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:05am

Bombay Dreams?

Not quite a runaway in London, but definitely "big"; not quite a flop in NY (ran for 8 months), but definitely not a success.

[Unknown User]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 9:18am

Yeah my original intentinw as when they were the same, or virtually the same production--so Chess doesn't count (it ran 2 or 3 eyars in London?) Bombay Dreams was revised for Broadway too wasn't it? (of course this threadis general--so feel free to open it upto shows that had DIFFERENT productions over the sea and flopped :P )

Re my original listing, does anyone knowwhat the run of Pippin was in London? And how long did Chorus Line run--I know ti was a success but not on the Broadway level

[Texas Yankee]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:12am

Were Taboo and Chitty Chitty Bang Bang hits in London? They were notorious flops when they transferred to Broadway.

[sanda]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:43am

City of Angels

What a shame!

[HollyGolightly2]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 10:59am

Pretty sure Thoroughly Modern Millie and Drowsy Chaperone had very weak runs in the West End.

[roseaddams]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:05am

Eric -- according to the Wikipedia (so take this with a grain of salt =D) Pippin opened at Her Majesty's Theatre on October 30, 1973 and ran for 85 performances.

A Chorus Line in London had a fairly successful run. I don't know if it turned a profit, but it ran from July 22, 1976 through March 31, 1979. And fun fact -- Petra Siniawski, the London Cassie, is the only Cassie ever (well, in a Bennett production anyway =)) who didn't wear a red costume -- she wore a blue leotard onstage.

[philly03]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:10am

"The RUG shows are tricky. I have no idea if Woman in White made any money here (although we all know it was a disaster on Broadway); I wouldn't have thought so given the length of the run."

I remember reading an article that interviewed Sonia Friedman and she talked about how the London production would have been the most expensive of them all - most of the production costs for the images/etc. were put on that budget, not the New York (besides resizing minimal technical work / etc.); However, I don't remember it maing a profit in London just ran a whole year later.

[Justin D]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 11:24am

What about Blood Brothers? was that changed up for Broadway?

[Gothampc]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:05pm

The Mousetrap. I don't know if that actually fits the criteria. It's never played on Broadway and I'm not sure if there ever was a professional off-Broadway production.

Whistle Down The Wind. I don't know that I would call it "big" in London, but it has had a production and a revival. However, despite securing a theater and putting up advertising, it has never played Broadway. It had a tour of the US trying to get to Broadway, but not successful in coming to NY.

[gustof777]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:07pm

Festen

[muscle23ftl]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:31pm

I think that Millie was also a flop on Broadway unfortunately. Bombay Dreams ran for 9 months if we count the previews, feel free to correct me if I'm wrong.
Festen also flopped despite having a starry cast lead by Julianna Marguiles and wonderful performances.

[snarkywannabedreamer]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 1:53pm

Wasn't "We Will Rock You" huge over there too?

[Sant]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 2:19pm

THE PRODUCERS - huge hit in New York but not that successful in London. Don't know if it recouped the investments in London though.

SMOKEY JOE'S CAFE - ran for years in New York but not as long in London.

[Jonwo]

Posted: 9/24/09 at 3:18pm

The Producers ran for just over two years in London which is pretty decent considering it was at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane which is a barn of a theatre. Chitty was very successful in London and the longest running show at the London Palladium.