What should transfer to the West End?
What should transfer to the West End?
#1What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 8:46am
Now that the broadway season for this year is over... What shows do you think will make the transfer across the pond?
I would like to see Bridges of Madison County, but I think that would be unlikely.
Anyone have any other suggestions?
#2What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 8:47am
ALADDIN
BEAUTIFUL
I hope GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE would be received well over there.
Words don't deserve that kind of malarkey. They're innocent, neutral, precise, standing for this, describing that, meaning the other, so if you look after them you can build bridges across incomprehension and chaos. But when they get their corners knocked off, they're no good anymore…I don't think writers are sacred, but words are. They deserve respect. If you get the right ones in the right order, you can nudge the world a little.
SomehowSondheim
Swing Joined: 12/31/13
#2What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 8:58amHonestly, I'm surprised GENTLEMAN'S GUIDE didn't transfer FROM there to HERE. Such a fun show from the looks of it. Can't wait to check it out in July, but until then, I can tell you the score holds up well enough to make it in England.
#3What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 9:03amDo you think Beautiful would be a success in the UK? Do enough people in the UK know who Carole King is?
#4What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 9:16am
Beautiful is rumoured to be coming over at the start of next year, but the West End is eating through shows and Carole King isn't a big enough name here to carry it. Aladdin is also rumoured to looking at theatres, but the Broadway version looks a bit... Cheap perhaps? We do panto over here (family musical-ish thing at Christmas) and Aladdin is one of the most popular stories, done at theatres up and down the country, so I think Disney would have to up the complexity if they wanted to convince people to come and see it.
I too am surprised Gentleman's Guide went to Broadway first, I think it would go down very well over here.
#5What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 11:11am
I agree that Aladdin wouldnt work in the UK. Too many pantomimes...
Do you think Rocky could transfer?
#6What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 12:02pm
Rocky might, things based off of films have done reasonably. But think it is more likely not to.
What I think genuinely might do well, but probably won't transfer, is Bullets Over Broadway. Jazz musicals with a plotline that is familiar have done very well over here. I know the story is inherently American, but think it could appeal to the slightly older audience that actually have the money to keep a West End show going at the moment.
#7What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 1:08pmI suspect Gentlemen's Guide is slightly too esoteric for our jukebox audience at the present. Despite reviews and awards it would still limp along unless it featured the music of One Direction or the star of 'Thank God I'm in the Jungle it Might Make Me a Celebrity Again'.
ajh
Broadway Star Joined: 5/6/11
#8What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 1:36pm
I'm not sure GGTLAM would fare that well in London as, with the honorable exceptions of Blood Brothers and Once, small to mid-scale musicals tend to struggle in the West End(even the Menier transfers of Night Music, Charity and Merrily found it hard to attract crowds, despite stellar reviews and lead performers with local name recognition). Also, I wonder if it might be hurt by being perceived as an inauthentically Americanised view of British subject matter. I certainly think that is one of the reasons why the exquisite Edwin Drood never got a foothold in the West End.
I think Beautiful could transfer successfully if they went down the same marketing route as Jersey Boys which, on paper, could look very NJ-centric but thanks to hype and some familiar (and wonderful) songs, has proved to be anything but. Not that I've seen it but Beautiful does strike me as having similar appeal.
I disagree with the earlier poster that Aladdin wouldn't succeed in London. Beauty And The Beast clocked up a decent run at the largest theatre in the West End (the Dominion) and I think Aladdin could do the same, with Disney's marketing muscle behind it, and the right venue (it screams Palladium to me!)
Would love to see Rocky transfer but given the amount of money the B'way production seems to be losing week on week I can't imagine anybody would take the risk, which is a shame.
mjohnson2
Broadway Star Joined: 11/2/13
#9What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 4:02pmNo disrespect to London, but right now the theatre scene over there is pretty sh**** so I wouldn't trust any good musicals to do well over there (aside from Matilda and Wicked)
Anything regarding shows stated by this account is an attempt to convey opinion and not fact.
#10What should transfer to the West End?
Posted: 6/10/14 at 4:10pmIt's not from this season but I think Cinderella would be well-received over there.
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