Shop Merch Add a Show Listing

Home For You Chat My Shows Register/Login Games Grosses

Hairspray

Welcome Guest. Please Login or Register.

Email

#1

Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 8:56am

I had to go to the Cuban Embassy yesterday to get a visa for when I am going on holiday in three weeks time, if you do not know where the Cuban embassy is, it is right next door to the Shaftsbury Theatre..............what luck, at 11:00 I tried for a day ticket and to my amazement one ticket was available.

WB said on another thread about the Shaftsbury Theatre that he expected Hairspray to have a good 4 year run, making this show the longest running show in this theatre history, as much as I love and admire WB, I think he was still being a bit dis-generous, when you consider a load of crock like Chicago has run over 10 years, I think Hairspray will run until 2062!!!!!!!!!!!!

Obviously you all agree with me that Hairspray is the greatest show to grace a Broadway and West End stage?

Updated On: 9/24/08 at 08:56 AM

#2

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 9:40am

If Hairspray runs till 2062 you wont find a happier person than ME! When i threw 4 yrs in to the ring I was just being careful in regard to the Shaftesburys curse on all shows. This curse has so been broken by the success of Hairspray that over 4 years would be wonderful. When MR Ball leaves it will be as they say 'all in the casting!'

HAIRSPRAY is Fantastic- one of the best shows to hit London in years! Everyone knows how I feel about it and its backed up by my constant demand for a cast recording! (which we ain't getting!)

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#3

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 1:49pm

I am glad you mentioned cast recording WB, I was going to introduce this a bit later in the thread, I have noticed that they are still selling the Broadway version, which suprises me, I would be one of the firstto buy the West End version, especially as I am no fan of Harvey!!!!

The West End CD would do great business.

#4

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 2:35pm

It is a shame about cast recording but cast change time is almost upon us.

Doubly annoying that the kiddie show get to record some of the songs and not the wonderful Ball and Jones.

#5

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 3:17pm

There's a swimming pool opposite the Shaftesbury and we used to go swimming there every week when I was little, and it seemed like every week it was a different show! I'm glad Hairspra is doing so well =)

#6

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 4:54pm

Oh I think the ghost of doom at the Shaftsbury has finally been expelled, which has seen loads of shows packing such as Tommy, Modern Millie, Kiss of a Spiderwoman were prematurely halted at this haunted venue, even the ghostly Phantom of the Opera had a disastrous run here!

I think there is a risk of the ceiling collapsing again, as it has the biggest and hottest party in town!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

#7

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 5:02pm

it truly is one the funnest shows in town, its so big and exciting and colourful and glittery and camp :) you cannot leave that theatre without feeling 10times happier about your life and singing "uh uh oh woke up today..." the whole tube journey!

#8

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 5:29pm

My only wish for the West End production is that it can run as long as (if not longer) then the Broadway production without having to go down the stunt casting road. I would love it to be a show where it plays for six or more years and doesn't do any stunt casting. Sadly that isn't the case for the US production of the show. It has already played six years and has a lot of stunt casting going on.

I saw the Broadway production over the summer for the first time in a couple of years. When I went I thought that it wasn't going to be as good as I remember it and that I wasn't going to have a good time etc. When I left I was VERY happy because I had one of the best times I have had in the theatre in a long time.

As much as I would have loved to have an OLC of Hairspray after hearing Ball sing via videos on youtube etc. I just don't see it as a smart business move. It is the same reason why they don't do Broadway recordings of West End transfers. A majority of people who buy the CDs are tourists who aren't really going to know the difference between the people on the CD singing the songs VS the people on the stage singing the songs. So if it is two different casts then they aren't really going to know the difference.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#9

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 5:33pm

They would buy it for Michael Ball alone.
I think they would know the difference between Harvey and Michael esp as the score was almost rewritten for Michael's sing!
This has been covered a few times on other 'Hairspray' threads

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#10

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 5:50pm

Cast recording PLEASE!!!! :)

I too find it sad that the sky childrens version will get to record (although that is great for them). Yet we are not going to get an OLC. Tourists trade going to the theatre would have bought it from the box office. I'd bet some have bought the OBC without realising it is not the show they have just seen. Michael Ball's fanbase would have bought it to add to there collection, as a keepsake or because they can't get there to see it and owning a cd is the next best thing. That's just two markets. There's also the other performers involved fanbases and Hairspray fans wanting to complete their collections. All those Olivier nominations and the four it one. Almost every award going. An OLC recording would have gone around the world in one way or another. Michael Ball said in a recent interview that he didn't think it would happen now because soon they would no longer be the original cast. He said he was very disappointed and that he'd have done it for nothing lol!!!

Ok they've all but missed the boat for the OLC recording, then call it the UK cast or West End cast recording. most of the main cast members are staying, so it still wouldn't be that far off.

aka Ria

Updated On: 9/24/08 at 05:50 PM

#11

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 5:53pm

Hiya Ria!!!!!!

CAST RECORDING
CAST RECORDING
CAST RECORDING
CAST RECORDING

Welcome back! x

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#12

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:05pm

Hiya Wicked (hope that's not being to familiar) thanks for the welcome

I'm painting a placard and getting collection tins sorted out as we speak. LOL!!

Yep Cast recording

aka Ria

#13

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:20pm

It wouldn't be a smart business move just for one singer. I am sure that other then Firestein who has a recgonizable voice. There would be people who saw the show in London who might not be able to tell the difference between Jones in the London cast and the original Tracy Melissa Jarret Winoker.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#14

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:28pm

Yea OK winston whatever!

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#15

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:34pm

lol!!! how was "come dancing" wicked?

**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#16

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:35pm

FAN F******* TASTIC!

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#17

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 6:37pm

so thats a recommendation then!!

**You Can't Beat A Matcham!**

#18

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 10:14pm

Wickedboy, Disney learned the hard way that it just wastes money to have more then one cast recording in the same language. When Beauty and The Beast came out Disney recorded all the english language productions. The Broadway production the Sydney production the London one etc. They weren't selling well because there wasn't much difference between them.

Your right that the only major noticable difference between the Broadway cast recording and the London production is Firestein and Ball. But, I think that other then them, most people might not be able to really tell the difference between them.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#19

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/24/08 at 10:16pm

Yea OK!!!!!

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#20

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 12:33am

There would be a difference between people who actually go to the theatre and know the cast that they are seeing. But, I doubt that there would be a difference to the tourist just coming to London for a few days and is seeing theatre while they are there. I don't think that they could even name the cast of whatever show they are seeing. This is why I think that making an OLC is just a waste of money.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#21

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 1:55am

Granted your casual theatregoer might not be up on who's playing who but if the OLC version had been recorded and was on sale at the box office. That would be the version that the audience would be buying. By the sheer fact that that was the available recording. If half the Broadway cast had come over with the show then I would agree that there would be less point to recording the Shaftesbury production but that isn't the case. This is a completely new multi award winning cast. A cast and production that got pretty much universal praise from the critics when it opened and won pretty much every award going last year. Besides the captive audience seeing the show on a day to day basis, you have the other markets mentioned earlier and Michael Ball's involvement which guaranteed it a Lucrative market on it's own. It would have made absolute sense to record it.

aka Ria

Updated On: 9/25/08 at 01:55 AM

#22

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 6:26am

Look how many different versions of Sunset Boulevard CDs are out there.

As mentioned in the thread Michael Balls name will sell loads and loads, so agree with this.

I don't expect another show on at the Shaftsbury for a very very long time, it probably does not cost much to produce a CD anyway and easily would recoup its costs, there would be a lot of punters that would buy the London CD and noth the Broadway one.

#23

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 8:32am

Personally, I would buy the OLC for Ball if they made one. I am not saying that I don't want one. I am just saying that I don't think it's a smart move.

I mean the last show I saw on Broadway to transfer from London was Poppins. It's not like Disney did anything to trick the audience that they were buying the OLC VS the OBC. Despite changing the artwork to the new Poppins artwork for Broadway it still says Original London cast recording. But, despite it saying that in decent size letters on the front. I have still heard people refer it to being called the Broadway album or the album to have the Broadway singers on it. And, I don't think that they were going to be able to tell the difference between the two. If anything having Gavin Lee on it might confuse them and they might start thinking that they are seeing the same cast that is on the album because on person sounds the same.

"If you try to shag my husband while I am still alive, I will shove the art of motorcycle maintenance up your rancid little Cu**. That's a good dear" Tom Stoppard's Rock N Roll

#24

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 8:36am

Laura Michelle Kelly is NOT album selling name nor is the girl who opened 'Poppins' on Broadway
- Michael Ball IS

A young actress with Noel coward after a dreadful opening night performance said to him 'Well, i knew my lines backwards this morning!'' Noels fast reply was ''Yes dear, and thats exactly how you said them tonight'!'

#25

re: Hairspray

Posted: 9/25/08 at 8:56am

Winston, Disney recorded the MELBOURNE production of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST (with Hugh Jackman), not the Sydney production which came14 months later after the show had closed in Melbourne.

All this talk of cast CD's aside at least you guys get to have the show there. One of the Broadway/National (and London?) Producers is SEL/GFO an Australian producing organisation...but they have shown no interest in doing the show here in Oz.

← Back to Message Board

View all Videos

Ticket Central

Ticket Central

Hot Show

Tickets From $59

Hot Show

Tickets From $70

Hot Show

Tickets From $59

Hot Show

Tickets From $101