West End Drowsy To Close in Aug.

[mll85]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:11pm

From Playbill

[Yankeefan007]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:11pm

And to think I was planning on seeing it when I'm in the UK. Oh well.

[bare_nakedlady]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:17pm

I'm not terribly surprised but I wish the cast and crew luck with future endeavors.

Now who was it that argued with me about how having Elaine Paige in the cast would ensure not only a new cast recording, but also that the show would have a looooong healthy run? *think*think*

[Wicked63]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:20pm

So many people have argued about this show and how great it is and what amazing business its doing and that they work there and its running till next summer. Wrong! if you dont have close contacts then you dont know the truth. Sometimes step back and listen to people who work in the business!!

[Steve2]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:22pm

Wow, that was fast.

[WithoutATrace]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:25pm

i'm shocked

[Steve2]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:34pm

Maybe the Brits are getting even for Coram Boy closing so soon.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:40pm

The times they are a-changing...

[ErinDillyFan]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 2:51pm

It is interesting to see what works on one side of the pond and not the other. I would have guessed that The Drowsy Chaperone would click with London audiences. Too bad.

[Princeton78]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:03pm

Look at the numbers for the Broadway production now that Sutton, Georgia and Bob are gone. I think we have another Producers situation here where the original cast had some magic and without that original cast, there's just not that much there.

[jakebloke]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:04pm

I'm not too surprised it didn't do well in London, but I thought it would last longer than a few months. It'll be interesting to see how Grey Gardens does in London. I could be wrong, but I have a hard time seeing it find an audience there.

[best12bars]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:05pm

Since I don't live there or visit often...

What are the really big draws in London these days? What type of shows are winning them over in recent years?

[DottieD'Luscia]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:07pm

I'm shocked as well. What kind of reviews did it get?

[Wicked63]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:07pm

If they are careful they should give Grey Gardens a limited season only and sell it on that and and the Tony awards it won. If, and i hope it does play London it wil not have a long life past a limited season.

[Wicked63]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:10pm

Mark my words! 'The Lord Of The Rings[ is the next departure from the West End. Its playing to around 1000 a night in a 2400 seat theatre. The top 2 levels, out of 4 have been closed almost every performance except weekends. I reckon from what i hear 2 or 3 months

[Auggie27]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:22pm

For many, DROWSY is too precious by half, a show that arrived late after a succession of send-ups of musical comedy tropes and treasures. It's just too minor and rarified a work to be a sure thing, no matter who is playing it. These are expensive times, and the DROWSY material, post-BOYFRIEND-ish, is not everyone's big night on the town. Even its biggest fans might see that this was always a possibility.

[BDavis0092]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:25pm

That makes me terribly sad. I hope that doesn't forshadow things to come in NY. At least the a tour has been announced.

[wonderfulwizard11]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:28pm

I don't think this bodes well for Grey Gardens. If they do decide to transfer, it would probably be best to do a limited run.

[jennyish]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:34pm

So will there be no Drowsy London cast recording?

[postergirl]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:38pm

Gee, do you think?

[KJisgroovy]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 3:42pm

"I don't think this bodes well for Grey Gardens."

What? Why? The two shows are pretty much completely different. Different tones, different styles, different themes, different types of performances, different genres.

Do you think this doesn't bode well for musicals?
Do you think this doesn't bode well for things that happen in a theater?
Do you think this doesn't bode well for things you buy tickets for?
Do you think this doesn't bode well for things from America?


kmc

[miss pennywise]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 4:01pm

This is extremely sad to me. The reviews were quite good, and audiences love the show. I'm very surprised.

[Tkt2Ride]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 4:14pm

This is too bad for the Cast. Maybe they think it won't survive without Bob which very well may be true. He was always planning on leaving to do the Toronto run. Janet will just be a new Mother so that will help the two of them some. It probably suffered from not reaching the right Audience and ticket prices.

Maybe their Cast just wasn't as alluring as our "Chaperone" and "Aldopho" are? Also remember that attempted bombing over there. A lot of things could be scaring away a good audience. They will miss it when it is gone.

I have the NY Album so I am not missing out on the London one here. I just hope we get more of the Cast on Broadway here in SF. Though I can't help it, I think they are just smashing! I will of course accept replacements since Sutton already left but whatever original cast members we get is just fine with me. I love them all. If New York wasn't so far away, you know I would be a regular at this show because it is so very funny and it is always a good time on the Town.

We will have to see. Bye-bye London, hello Toronto!

[mallardo]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 4:30pm

I doubt if Grey Gardens will ever play the West End. There's just no market there for anything that's not a revival or based on a well-known movie.

Musicals currently in the West End: Chicago, Les Miz, Phantom, Cabaret, Dirty Dancing, Lord of the Rings, Billy Eliot, Wicked (also rumored to be in trouble) and, for a limited run, Kismet! Plus Joseph and the Technicolor Nightmare and some jukebox junk. Not an appetizing menu to say the least.

[postergirl]

Posted: 7/6/07 at 4:36pm

I can't imagine that Bob's departure has anything to do with it. He's completely unknown over there. In fact, they might have been better off to start with Steve Pemberton who has a following in that country. I agree that the bombing probably didn't help matters.
Please don't get your hopes too high for the original cast.