WORKING London - First Preview

Does anyone know if this is exactly the same as the 2011 Chicago version, or if Lin has added anymore additional material?

Kinda on topic, but I'm in working the musical from the 1990s, and the company that I working with ( pun not intended), looked in to the new one but they didn't enjoy what that saw, also they where trying to find the original version because it is the best version ( in my opinion) because there's a story line and there are more amazing songs,so I always get flustered when I here about the new version, but all to there own!

GavestonPS said: "If there was a "story" in the 1970s version, I missed it. I mean I saw the show, just didn't pick up on anything I'd call a story. It's possible a character turned up in somebody else's monologue, but it was very much a revue. The score was of mixed quality, but the performances were great! I've seen a college production since and it worked better without all the trappings like a firetruck on stage.



I didn't mean a full story, I mean for example the news boys mother was the millworker basic ideas like that that tie everything together

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I just saw it this afternoon and I have to disagree. Lin's songs were great, and everything that the older man (who kind of looked like Bob Hoskins!) did was great, but everything and everyone else felt boring and lackluster. For such a short show it dragged on and on. I'm glad I saw it but it definitely doesn't rank very high on my list. Considering everything the Southwark does is usually absolutely stellar, I'm surprised at how amateur it felt.



edit: oh and unless I really missed some subtle cues, there's nothing tying the story/monologues/songs/various characters together, aside from the fact that they are people with jobs. It's presented just as a showcase of songs and monologues. And one actress messed up her lines 4 times.

Updated On: 6/3/17 at 01:44 PM

Mister Matt said: "If it wasn't mediocre and forgettable, then it sounds better than the Chicago production. I enjoyed Miranda's numbers and there were a few nice songs, but in Chicago, the show was pretty bland and left no impression. Personally, I think the show itself just hasn't aged well. I really think it needs to be a folksy period piece and not attempt to pretend it's currently relevant in any way.



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I don't think the problem is aging. It was always mediocre and mostly forgettable. As I said, it worked a little better as a chamber musical, but the original Broadway production was over-produced to the nth degree. James Taylor's "Millwork" is done beautifully by Bette Midler on one of her albums, but I don't even remember it on Broadway. Lenora Nemetz stopped the show with her waitress number at the top of Act II.

But in another Taylor number, as soon as you heard the phrase "brother trucker", you knew what was coming next. Every single time.

The whole thing was really an evening of "What were they thinking?!"