Great Comet in London
Great Comet in London
macbeth
Broadway Star Joined: 5/7/03
#1Great Comet in London
Posted: 12/14/24 at 3:43pm
Has anyone gone yet? I'm thinking about a trip over...
Owen22
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#2Great Comet in London
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
Leading Actor Joined: 2/20/20
#3Great Comet in London
Posted: 12/14/24 at 4:46pm
They deyassified it. The Great Comet? More like The GRAY Comet!
#4Great Comet in London
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.
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
#5Great Comet in London
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
Stand-by Joined: 1/8/24
#6Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 9/27/21
#7Great Comet in London
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
#8Great Comet in London
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?
The idea is to work and to experiment. Some things will be creatively successful, some things will succeed at the box office, and some things will only - which is the biggest only - teach you things that see the future. And they're probably as valuable as any of your successes. -Harold Prince
#9Great Comet in London
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.
"You can't overrate Bernadette Peters. She is such a genius. There's a moment in "Too Many Mornings" and Bernadette doing 'I wore green the last time' - It's a voice that is just already given up - it is so sorrowful. Tragic. You can see from that moment the show is going to be headed into such dark territory and it hinges on this tiny throwaway moment of the voice." - Ben Brantley (2022)
"Bernadette's whole, stunning performance [as Rose in Gypsy] galvanized the actors capable of letting loose with her. Bernadette's Rose did take its rightful place, but too late, and unseen by too many who should have seen it" Arthur Laurents (2009)
"Sondheim's own favorite star performances? [Bernadette] Peters in ''Sunday in the Park,'' Lansbury in ''Sweeney Todd'' and ''obviously, Ethel was thrilling in 'Gypsy.'' Nytimes, 2000
Sammy232
Stand-by Joined: 8/3/23
#10Great Comet in London
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.
#11Great Comet in London
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.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
Georgeanddot2
Leading Actor Joined: 2/20/20
#12Great Comet in London
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.
#13Great Comet in London
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.
"...everyone finally shut up, and the audience could enjoy the beginning of the Anatevka Pogram in peace."
schubox
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/16
#14Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 2/24/11
#15Great Comet in London
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....
#16Great Comet in London
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
Leading Actor Joined: 2/20/20
#17Great Comet in London
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
Stand-by Joined: 1/17/16
#18Great Comet in London
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.
#19Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 10/4/04
#20Great Comet in London
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.
#21Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/26/16
#22Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 11/12/14
#23Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 4/22/21
#24Great Comet in London
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
Broadway Legend Joined: 5/16/16
#25Great Comet in London
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
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