The Phantom Spreads His Adumbration Across The US. — Page 2

The beautiful Curran Theatre.



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The truly stunning Geary Theatre.
Almost totally destroyed in Frisco's last big earthquake.



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The Orpheum Theatre.



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The Golden Gate Theatre.
This is one theatre that needs a lot of money spent on it, one of the coldest, most lifeless theatres I've ever been in.
Its still the one big shows choose to play when they play San Francisco.



Those are San Francisco's main theatres open today, it has many other fringe and cabaret venues. A pretty neat city for any type of entertainment.

One of my visits there, about 15 years ago, had me watching 'The Will Rogers Follies' direct from Broadway one night and the following night, 'Jeff Stryker Does Time' direct from .... well, thats anyones guess, but he sure knew how to say goodnight to his audience!!!!!

Updated On: 5/21/10 at 12:11 PM

It is a week since I have left San Francisco and since then I have driven nearly 2000 miles, which is more than half way London to New York, I think I have covered every inch of California via Redwood, Yosemite and Sequoia National Parks, I can state I never want to see a American Diner again, there is only so much pancakes and burgers one can take and to boot free coffee.

I have now ended up in the playground of mankind Vegas, the city of no sleep, but hey it is a break from the endless miles of driving I have done.

Anyway 1st show up tonight is Phantom the Las Vegas spectacular and indeed it was a spectacular, I thought this shortened version of Phantom would have glaring gaps it the show, honestly I could not tell you where the gaps are, a stunning show the only gutter I missed the Chandelier go up in the first two minutes.

Next for the 10pm late show was The Blue Man Group, which I have not seen before and I didn't enjoy this, as found the show when not too loud, too boring, a bit like Stomp really, which seems to run on similar parallels which also did not captivate me, however for all my selfish bitching, I admired the diversity of imagination to create such a show.

Just gone 1am and in Vegas terms it is going to be a early night for me.

I've now seen 4 or 5 different productions of 'Blue Man Group' inc Vegas. The Boston production is by far the best one and I'm told this by others who have seen other presentations too.
The recent London production was just awful and so in the wrong theatre.

Still in America.

On Saturday night, I managed to grab a ticket for a The Cirque du Soleil hottest show on the strip 'O', it was alright, nothing very amazing, three scenes captivated me, the other parts I just thought get on with it.

Now back in Vegas, after spending a couple of nights at The Grand Canyon, as I missed the important first 5 minutes of Phantom, I went again, yes the first 5 minutes were brilliant and as I saw the show 3 days before I was a bit bored except for key scenes.

The Phantom Theatre was about 15% full which was very poor, where the Friday performance was 95% full, however there was mitigating circumstances, such the 9:30 performance on a Tuesday is not the norm, as the day before was bank holiday fro memorial day, so the Monday late performance was cancelled. so no doubt the mask maybe leaving the strip soon?

Tonight I wanted to see 'Ka' but performances this week are off, as the performers are on leave, however I made up for it by see Mandalay Bays new show 'The Lion King' and boy was the show packed to the rafters, this will run and run on the strip, so it should as it is a brilliant piece of theatre.

http://www.tix4tonight.com/shows/index.php

Website for discount show tickets, what it does not tell you, that discounts are available for Jersey Boys, The Lion King and Phantom, the only show that does not go up there often is cirque du soleil 'O'.

A gripe about Vegas, I am staying in 2 of the best resorts on the strip, The Venetian and Wynn's and both have the audacity to charge me about $13 to get Wi-Fi, I have stayed at $30 motels in the last couple of weeks and guess what? The Wi-FI is free, what a piss take, that is why I am sitting in Mcdonald's, with a cup of tea, next to circus circus typing this up.

Hope you both do, great place in small doses.

That is the set for 'A Chorus Line' all ways has been.
I've got the Jane McDonald star in my house. Took me ages to get it up!

After sseing the excellent South Pacific, next to the Pacific at The Ahlmanson Theatre, Los Angeles, last Sunday, I have been driving up to Santa Barbara and the big sur back to San Francisco.

Landed back at Heathrow yesterday, with lots of jet-lag, minus a case, but good news it is being delivered this evening. What a great month in the USA, some fabulous theatre and theatre's, great cities and Californian countryside.

Round up, what I have seen.

Little Shop of Horrors - Ford Theatre, Washington
In The Heights - Curran Theatre, San Francisco
Wicked - Orpeheum Theatre, San Francisco
Blue Man Group - Venetian, Las Vegas
Phantom of the Opera x2 - Phantom Theatre, Venetian, Las Vegas
'O' - 'O' Theatre, Bellagio, Las Vegas
The Lion King - Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
A Chorus Theatre - Pantages Theatre, Los Angeles
South Pacific - Almanson Theatre, Los Angeles

Now back to my favourite theatre, The West End.