Olivier Awards London

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 11:45am

So were The Book of Mormon and Finding Neverland not eligible for this season? Or what?

Updated On: 3/26/13 at 11:45 AM

[greeny11]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 11:50am

No, Book of Mormon opened too late for this year's awards, and Finding Neverland never made it to London so isn't eligible either. There wasn't much in terms of new musicals this year - only really the 4 nominated plus Viva Forever, which got shocking reviews.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 11:55am

Interesting. Seems weird to open a big brand new musical right after the deadline, right? I mean, I'm sure it will be fine and win next year, but just seems weird. And I was wondering about Neverland. I remember reading Reidel's article. I guess they got cold feet.

[greeny11]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:00pm

Next year we have Book of Mormon, Once and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, so it's already looking better.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:10pm

Yeah, I haven't even heard of most of those New musicals. I guess Bodyguard is the shoo-in?

[greeny11]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:25pm

Yes it is, though personally I thought Loserville was the best from the list.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:27pm

Realistically though the Olivier Awards dont mean much here to a shows success. In fact they often go to shows that have closed. Unlike the Tonys where an award can really boost a show, the Oliviers (or any award really) dont have much of an affect.

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:29pm

^ True. Famously, in 2011, Legally Blonde won Oliviers for Best New Musical, Best Actress in a Musical and Best Supporting Performance in a Musical and the show had long closed by that stage. And now look at Sweeney Todd, a show that closed long ago, and it looks like Ball and Staunton are going to win gongs for their performances in that show.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:32pm

Legally was still running when it won.


Top Hat may pull through and beat The Bodyguard. its an outside chance but possible
Updated On: 3/26/13 at 12:32 PM

[Musicaldudepeter]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:44pm

Oops it was probably that Sheridan Smith and Jill Halfpenny had left the show - my mistake. But it is the case with Sweeney this year.

[bjh2114]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:50pm

Ugh Top Hat was terrible. I can't imagine that it will beat the other 3. Is Imelda the favorite for Actress in a Musical? She was sublime. Or will it go to Headley or Waddingham, both of whom got very good reviews too.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 12:54pm

I would say Imelda is favourite (and deserves it more) but HEadley could sneak it.

Id say Top Hat was on a par with Bodyguard.

[06s091]

Posted: 3/26/13 at 1:33pm

Yeah, both Imelda and Michael are the front runners in their categories and I'll honestly be shocked if they don't win. (as well as win best musical revival).

Sweeney Todd had the same "problem" that Once and Book of Mormon are having now. They opened shortly after the deadline expired. Michael and Imelda hosted the Olivier Awards last year - less than a month after they had opened in Sweeney.

[E.Davis]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 12:06am

I hope that Paul Chahidi wins, his Maria was brilliant!

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 11:23am

Does London have as many 'flops?' Would Legally Blonde be considered a flop over there or did it make some money, etc? I feel like because there are so many more theaters in the West End, it's hard to keep it all straight.

How is ONCE doing over there? I know London tend to skew more towards spectacle, so I'm not sure how ONCE will do.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 12:30pm

Blonde was a big hit here and made its money back and got rave reviews.

[DeNada]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 1:57pm

Actually, SADM2, although you're right it was very popular and got great reviews, I don't know if Legally DID make any money. Although obviously as we don't have announcements when that happens in the West End it's not for me to say for certain. There are lots of shows that run for years yet don't turn a profit - most famously Sunset Boulevard, of course - but it was always easy to get discounted tickets and the theatre was never full when I was there.

I don't know how Once is doing. We all know how Mormon's doing because they keep issuing press releases about how much money the show is making!

We do have a lot of flops, but because we don't have "seasons" in the same way Broadway does it's easier to lose track.

Updated On: 3/27/13 at 01:57 PM

[peachesr82]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 2:10pm

Legally Blonde ran for three years in London which I think is quite a lot more than it did on Broadway, I can't remember if it recouped but I do remember it taking something like £2million in advance tickets before they opened.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 2:51pm

There are plenty of empty seats (rows) at Once but its not discounting so will be intereting to see how reviews are. Its opened atthe wrong timw, mormon and charlie are taking all the press and buzz and its a year until the next awards in the hope of any publicity off that.

[ratherbewhaling]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 3:50pm

Didn't Spring Awakening and The Drowsy Chaperone famously flop on the west end?

Interesting to hear about how theatre works differently over there. I was a bit confused to learn that the revival of Merrily is transferring to the West End but not until next month. I guess I'll have to hope that it is remembered at the awards next year.

[RippedMan]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 4:02pm

So I guess you don't all have the onslaught of shows opening in the 2 months leading up to the awards?

[EricMontreal22]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 4:42pm

"Didn't Spring Awakening and The Drowsy Chaperone famously flop on the west end? "

There are so many examples of this (as well as vice versa,) going way back. Fosse restaged Pippin in the West End which had the great Patricia Hodge (Miranda's mom :P ) as Catherine, Paul Jones of Manfred Man as Pippin, etc, andit ran 85 performances.

Are the Oliviers televised still? I know they seemed to be some years and not others...

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 3/27/13 at 5:29pm

Shows tend to open throughout the year. Id say maybe the big musicals tend to open Autumn and run up to Xmas, or in the Spring. But thats not a set rule, plenty of examples that contradict that.

One thing i find odd about the US is regional theatres have seasons, and can go weeks and weeks with nothing on.in the UK most theatres dont operate on a season basis and most regional theatres have something on every week (with the occasional dark week)

Spring Awakening had a very successful run at the Lyric Hammersmith in London (not West End) but the transfer was a disaster. They transferred too quick, no time to drum up business and it closed. They shot themselves in the foot. Drowsy was a huge flop, but to be honest I dont understand how anyone would have thought that could have worked in London

The Oliviers haven't been televised in ages, and even before they were always a non event. They have never been like the Tonys. They are slowly returning to TV and trying to make them more of an entertainment piece ala the tonies