Great Comet in London

[macbeth]

Posted: 12/14/24 at 3:43pm

Has anyone gone yet? I'm thinking about a trip over... 

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/14/24 at 4:24pm

I'm seeing it in January.  Some of the comments on the London Theatre Board haven't been great, which is surprising as I like the director (Tim Sheader).

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 12/14/24 at 4:46pm

They deyassified it. The Great Comet? More like The GRAY Comet!

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/14/24 at 4:46pm

I'll be going next Monday. I'm intrigued to see the differences between this and the original Broadway production. It's hard to believe it's been almost 8 years since I saw it, and I remember it like yesterday. The only actors I know of in the cast are Jamie Muscato and Cedric Neal.

[TheatreMonkey]

Posted: 12/14/24 at 6:59pm

Here's the London cast performing the Prologue, it sounds good -- different, as the original had some unique voices, but I'd see it. 

Updated On: 12/14/24 at 06:59 PM

[MezzoDiva47]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 3:18am

perfect opportunity for the Oak rehabilitation tour

until they decide to replace him with prince harry

cue the cancel vultures

the end

 

[BoringBoredBoard40]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 3:52am

MezzoDiva47 said: "perfect opportunity for the Oak rehabilitation tour

until they decide to replace him with prince harry

cue the cancel vultures

the end

"

shut up

[Dylan Smith4]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 4:39am

MezzoDiva47 said: "perfect opportunity for the Oak rehabilitation tour

until they decide to replace him with prince harry

cue the cancel vultures

the end"

What the hell is your problem?

[binau]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 6:47am

Tickets have been shockingly difficult to get for this - made next to normal look like childs play. So will be a couple months before I can get in the room but very excited. I wouldn’t say I’m Dave M’s biggest fan but the score seems truly special. 

[Sammy232]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 9:41am

Georgeanddot2 said: "They deyassified it. The Great Comet? More like The GRAY Comet!"

The production photos that they put out actually seemed interesting to me. This is a bummer to hear.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 9:43am

Sammy232 said: "Georgeanddot2 said: "They deyassified it. The Great Comet? More like The GRAY Comet!"

The production photos that they put out actually seemed interesting to me. This is a bummer to hear."

They haven’t seen it. 
 

I thought the production photos were intriguing, as well. 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 10:20am

I haven't seen it, but it looks hideous and misses the point of the show. Bad design.

[Kad]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 10:46am

Georgeanddot2 said: "I haven't seen it, but it looks hideous and misses the point of the show. Bad design."

It's a different production in a different venue in a different country with different approaches to material.  I'm not sure how that makes it "bad design" or shows that the production misses the point. The show doesn't need the sumptuous  maximalist design it had on Broadway- it certainly didn't have it at Ars Nova and it still worked extremely well.

[schubox]

Posted: 12/15/24 at 8:48pm

The production in Chicago at the Writer's Theatre put on earlier this year was pretty great

[Owen22]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 3:17pm

schubox said: "The production in Chicago at the Writer's Theatre put on earlier this year was pretty great"

I second that!  And it was tinier than I believe the Donmar's production to be.  I almost think I preferred Writers Theatre to the Broadway production....

[sm33]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 3:41pm

binau said: "Tickets have been shockingly difficult to get for this - made next to normal look like childs play. So will be a couple months before I can get in the room but very excited."

Genuinely so glad to hear this! 

If any LA area theaters put this on, I'd absolutely be a repeat attendee. This may be my favorite show, period, and while the Broadway version was incredible, I can see it thriving anywhere with the right cast and director. 

[Georgeanddot2]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:00pm

Kad said: "Georgeanddot2 said: "I haven't seen it, but it looks hideous and misses the point of the show. Bad design."

It's a different production in a different venue in a different country with different approaches to material. I'm not sure how that makes it "bad design" or shows that the production misses the point. The show doesn't need the sumptuous maximalist design it had on Broadway- it certainly didn't have it at Ars Nova and it still worked extremely well."

Blah blah blah. The maximalist opulence is thematically essential to the piece. I wasn't expecting a direct recreation, but this ugly gray design misses the entire point of the show and the time in Russian history in which it is set (even with all the anachronisms).

[conealpetterson]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:01pm

Cygnet Theater in San Diego did a fantastic production this summer.  I live in LA and drove down, but if I lived in San Diego, I would have seen it multiple times.  I adore this show. 

[steven22]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 6:52pm

schubox said: "The production in Chicago at the Writer's Theatre put on earlier this year was pretty great"

Couldn’t agree more. It was fantastic. 

[Matt Rogers]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 7:02pm

Kad said: "Georgeanddot2 said: "I haven't seen it, but it looks hideous and misses the point of the show. Bad design."

It's a different production in a different venue in a different country with different approaches to material. I'm not sure how that makes it "bad design" or shows that the production misses the point. The show doesn't need the sumptuous maximalist design it had on Broadway- it certainly didn't have it at Ars Nova and it still worked extremely well."

It has to have a completely different production design or the litigious original producer will send them a cease and desist and/or sue them. He has done this in the past.

[Play Esq.]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 7:50pm

steven22 said: "schubox said: "The production in Chicago at the Writer's Theatre put on earlier this year was pretty great"

Couldn’t agree more. It was fantastic."

The Writer’s Theater production of Next To Normal was my absolute favorite of the three that I’ve seen. Would have loved to see Great Comet there!

Any early word on the Frida production in 2025? https://www.writerstheatre.org/Frida-A-Self-Portrait

[bear88]

Posted: 12/16/24 at 9:39pm

While I loved the Broadway production, my wife enjoyed the West Coast premiere at Shotgun Players, a small theater in Berkeley where Dave Malloy staged several of his earlier shows, even more. It was a very good production, and while it had a certain level of opulence despite budgetary constraints, the intimacy of the show made me realize why people fell in love with it at Ars Nova.

It’s a musical that doesn’t need to be big to work.

[chrishuyen]

Posted: 12/17/24 at 1:09am

I didn't get a chance to see it on Broadway, but I also enjoyed the Shotgun Players production of the show and thought it created a really nice environment with the characters and being able to connect with them more.  

I'm a bit surprised at how much people don't like the pictures released from the London production, as they're going in a very different direction than Broadway but I'm definitely intrigued by it.  It seems like it's possibly leaning into an electronic dance club style to really emphasize the anachronisms, and I think it could work as a contrast for Natasha coming from the country into the bustling city of Moscow and how she gets caught up in all the new experiences, as well as Pierre disillusioned from all the mindless drinking/partying.

Will be curious to hear reports from people that go!

[JasonC3]

Posted: 12/17/24 at 8:10am

Strong praise in about 2/3rds of comments/ratings on theatreboard.co.uk.  About 1/3 did not like it much. 

The few published reviews so far are 4 or 5 stars.

[schubox]

Posted: 12/17/24 at 7:30pm

bear88 said: "While I loved the Broadway production, my wife enjoyed the West Coast premiere at Shotgun Players, a small theater in Berkeley where Dave Malloy staged several of his earlier shows, even more. It was a very good production, and while it had a certain level of opulence despite budgetary constraints, the intimacy of the show made me realize why people fell in love with it at Ars Nova.

It’s a musical that doesn’t need to be big to work."

I saw it on Broadway, at Berkeley and at the Writer's Theatre in Chicago. I think the Berkeley one was my least favorite, but I still really enjoyed the intimate setting of it