How Long till Hairspray in London Flops

So, it was just announced that Hairspray will play the cursed shaftsbury theatre in the fall. For those of you that don't know the shaftsbury theatre for years had shows that only ran at most 9-10 months before closing. The only show in the past ten years to play there that ran over a year was RENT. Other then that it has been filled back to back with closing show after closing show.


But, Hairspray being put in this theatre would not bode well for it. I am not that big a fan of this show. But, putting it in the shaftsbury is a bad idea for anyshow.

So, back on topic. How long do you guys think it would take for this prodcution of hairsparay to cloes?

---

Winston, the fact that you're not a fan of the show doesn't mean that it won't do well. Most people *love* HAIRSPRAY. It is not only a feel-good show, but it has a great message. Add to that upbeat music, a big black lady, and a man in drag hamming it up. I can't imagine this show being anything BUT a huge success in a large, eclectic theatre-going city as London.

---

Updated On: 3/10/07 at 02:56 AM

Hairspray is a success here, but what people like here doesn't necessarily reflect the tastes of people in London.

---

Oh come on

London loves shows like Hairspray, the big fun shows do so well here especially the ones which aim at a youthful audience(Fame,Footloose, Saturday Night Fever, Dirty Dancing)

Hairspray will be a massive hit here

---

I think Hairspray will experience the opposite of a backlash because of Wicked: Wicked was hated and I think UK critics will say that Hairspray is a bit Broadway show that is everything Wicked is not- ie it has something to say and a witty way of saying it.

Cast well- and that means Des Barrett as Edna- the show will have at least 2 years at the Shaftesbury. I worked there years ago and I love it. It's a great venue with great visibility. All it needs is a great show... like Hairspray!!!

'Wicked' is no more hated in the West End than it was on Broadway. I seem to remember reception being mixed on both sides of the Atlantic.

I think 'Hairspray' could really work over here. I know that it's pretty different to 'Caroline, Or Change', buuut critics really liked 'Caroline...' (and kept comparing it to 'Wicked', which led to a silly period where my housemate and I would say "that green thing's okay, but this is BETTER because it's BLACK!" about anything and everything after a particularly silly article in the Guardian one day) and I remember audience reception being good too. If 'Caroline...' (a modern American musical with a fair ol' bit to say about race) can work, why can't 'Hairspray' (ditto), which is a much brighter, far more fun show? If anything can break the Shaftesbury curse, I reckon 'Hairspray' could. As long as it PUSHES itself and manages to sell the required amount of tickets!

---

Updated On: 3/10/07 at 09:29 AM

Lets be honest the whole cival rights thing in the show is secondary to this been a fun show

and the UK are a lot more accepting of fun shows than broadway is.

If stuff like the wedding singer, all shook up etc would hve played in london they would have done very well and i think the same will be true about Hairspray.

---

If they can sustain four or five returns of the dreadful "Fame - The Musical" in the West End, then they should be able to support a quality show like "Hairspray"!

---

Hairspray is such a wonderful, fun-filled show, that I can't imagine it flopping anywhere ! I think it will be a HUGE Hit in London !!!

jjoey076 - you pretty much missed my entire point there. We may not have had the '60s civil rights movement of the United States of America over here in the UK, but we do know about it and we did love 'Caroline, Or Change', so there's no reason that it would stand in the way of our enjoyment of 'Hairspray'. :P

---

Updated On: 3/10/07 at 11:28 AM

"I'm just wondering if the release of the motion picture version which should be hitting the UK on or before the stage versions opening date will hurt it's box office. Why pay more for essentially the same thing that's showing at the local cinema."

I guess it depends on how good the movie is. When the Rent movie came out, attendance at the Broadway show went up phenomenally. I heard that people wanted to see the real thing because they were so disappointed with the film. There's also the live factor - people will definitely pay more for a fun night out seeing a show they're familiar with. You can see the film anytime you want, but how often can you see the real thing acted and sung onstage? Look at how many people are flocking to Dirty Dancing, when the film is on television every five minutes and free!

The only 2 good ones on that list were Rent and Tommy

---

Hairspray has majorly flopped in both the Toronto and Las Vegas sit-down companies.
It is entirely possible, and probable.