New West End GUYS AND DOLLS

Hate to start a thread about this here but someone asked about it and I told them I’d let them know my thoughts and I can’t find the thread. Anyways, the first preview was tonight and it’s one of the best things I’ve seen in quite a while. So if anyone is going over to London in the next few months be sure to get a ticket to this because the space isn’t huge and it’s going to sell out.

I sat in the gallery and would say that’s best. The entire stalls is the “immersive” bit which really is just 200 or so people standing tightly being shuffled around by staff to make room for moving set pieces. It looks exceptionally uncomfortable. But it IS cheaper I believe than gallery seating and if that’s what your budget allows for, I say go for it just so you can see this show.

The seats are “high” (i was in gallery 1) but nothing where i I’d say “wow that’s high”. I’d still prefer them over standing down there. Personal preference, is all.

I think you’ll be fine. There should be some pics on seatplan you can see from your seat. It’s also a small space so instead of being farther back like in a normal “mezz” you’re a bit higher.

I am intrigued by those seats that are labeled as "high." They sound a bit like bar stools with backs given that they also have foot rests, but who knows?

I’m confused by Jordan’s statement that “The entire stalls is the immersive bit”. It’s late at night, and I’m probably just being dense, but on the Bridge’s website, it shows “Immersive tickets — standing stage area” as one option, and then it lists three separate options for seated tickets: Stalls, Gallery 1, and Gallery 2. From the photo on the website, it looks like Stalls is on the same level as the “immersive” area where people are standing and moving around, but that there are seats in the area designated as Stalls.

Also, the seats in Stalls are higher-priced than the seats in Gallery 1, so presumably the Bridge thinks Stalls seats are more desirable than Gallery 1 seats, but I’m wondering if the view from Gallery 1 might actually be better because it wouldn’t be blocked by people standing in the “immersive” area. Any thoughts on that?

On a mildly trivial note, can I just say how much I love the Bridge PDF ticket?

It is ad-free, visually uncluttered, and contains a simple but useful map showing the theatre's locations with the crossroads clearly labeled and the two nearest Tube stations highlighted.

Further, it folds into quarters for easy placement in a pocket and they even provide a diagram showing you how to do exactly that.

Genius!

I think you have to post it on one of the free third-party hosting sites (like imgur.com) and then put that URL in after you select the photo/image icon in a post's menu bar.

If you Google, "how to post a pic to broadwayworld" you should get results with several previous threads that provide more detail than I have here.

Updated On: 3/4/23 at 08:31 AM

Back in London myself and am seeing this at the end of the month. A friend Whatsapp'd me tonight after seeing it and raved and raved. Looking very much forward to it!

mememe said: "Not to be ‘that guy’ but this isn’t in the West End. Things will get confusing if you are in the West End of London, asking a cab to take you to this! ? It’s in a theatre near London Bridge"

Also not to be "that guy," but if you go to London Bridge, you will also be in the wrong place because the "bridge" in "Bridge Theatre" is actually Tower Bridge. Tower Bridge is the very famous extravagant one. London Bridge is a rather pedestrian bridge just down the river.

Updated On: 3/5/23 at 05:03 AM

Jordan Catalano said: "jacobsnchz14 said: "Thanks for sharing, Jordan! I have a West End trip planned for the summer and need to send you a private message eventually to ask for recs. Did you happen to get any pics of your trip to G&D?"

Sure thing, message me anytime. Always happy to help/advise. And I did take pics last night but I don’t know how to post them here. If anyone can direct me on how, I will."

It is frankly unbelievable that this is a dominant Broadway forum and the site is so bad. I think eventually this will die to reddit or something else since the site owners are seemingly unwilling to modernize. Honestly this is much like a relic of old sports forums for me.

A taste of the music courtesy of Charlie Rosen, who did the new orchestrations:

An Afro-Cuban arrangement of the title song for the exit music: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpSwpPcOI7P/?hl=en

The overture: https://www.instagram.com/p/CpxoNYUjXjM/?hl=en

This is probably one of my least favorite shows ever - having only seen the Platt revival - but I love the director/designer of this, so very interested. If you take away the immersive experience, is there anything new? Or is the sho the immersive experience? If that makes sense. Also, where would this end up here? Likely the Circle?