theatre dead????

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theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 3:07pm

i saw a post on another west end board asking about the death of theatre. And alot of stuff that was said was very intersting ive collected some stuff together what u guys think?

hmm, i think corporate musical theatre is what is killing musical theatre. The problem being that huge musicals have so many producers and so many finacial backers that there are so many peopkle who want there say.

It also means that directors cant take any risks for fear of losing ther funding. I think its really sad that in the uk we dont really have any 'off west end' musical. off broadway is packed with so many experimental and exciting things. Not all good ofcourse but its filled with small scale stuff taking risks.

In Britain we seem to think of fringe as a mere stepping stone ie 'oh well if it does well it will move sumpl;ace bigger' but why? Why cant a show enjoy huge success in a smaller venue as they do in the USA?

We need lots of small exciting musicals to sweep london BUT we need to educate audiences that YOU CAN WATCH A PIECE OF THEATRE FOR ITS STORY!!! YOU DONT NEED HUGE SPEACIAL EFFECTS!

hmmm...i havwe to say i agree. It paints asad picture of alot of theatre fans!

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 3:39pm

The "IS THEATRE DEAD?" debate has been going on both sides of the Atlantic for years and years. I am getting slightly bored of hearing "grass is greener" stories from both sides, because it just isn't true.

There are plenty of off-West End and Regional musicals, plays and other theatre (experimental included) going on in the UK all the time. Admittedly, they don't get the coverage beyond their own mailing lists a lot of the time and are not usually long-running (unless tours). I still think that people who claim there are no small-scale experimental theatre productions going on all over the place are simply not looking for it.

Do we think of Fringe as merely a stepping stone?? The Edinburgh Fringe is the largest theatre festival in the world (Chichester is another good one here too) but most of it is small-scale and only a few shows go into the Festivals to try and get a West End transfer out of it (and usually already have producers backing them as opposed to just a group of actors/writers). In fact I think only Blackbird (the play) has transferred to the West End this year from the Edinburgh Fringe.

I think you are confusing "success" with "long-running". The one does not equal the other. Even a two-week run can be hugely successful, as is proved over and over again by one of my local theatres and Fringe venues in London.

The West End will never be swept by small exciting musicals. It is a commercial arena and small experimental gambles have no place there. However, the rest of London and the suburbs are full of lovely theatres, the number of which greatly outweighs the number in the West End. Do you think they are dark all the time? No. There are talented people, creative teams, artistic directors, actors and communities working with and supporting each one. And fantastic stuff can happen at these smaller venues. You just don't get to hear about it if you are concentrating on the musical "scene" which is confined to the West End.

In short, I totally disagree with that post.

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 4:15pm

I think part of the problem is;

People go to the theatre for special occasions and not just because they want to. If you only go once a year, it may not make you as critical because you have less to compare it to.

The West End is full of names of famous Films and audiences are sticking to what they know – why can’t they take a chance with a new name/synopsis? Although, show’s used to be based on books, so maybe it’s not that different (Only society, perhaps views books as more intelligent then cinema).

I find so much theatre is also not very engaging, fourth walls are very firmly put up, audiences are spoon fed naturalism by the bucket full and everyone just becomes so passive.

The pricing for plays is only slightly less for musicals, which I feel is very unjust. For a musical you often get so much more value for money, orchestra’s sets, and larger casts. For this reason, I won’t see a play in the West End.

Also so many of the West End theatre are ming, old, dirty and cramped. Go to a nice public theatre, see something far more experimental, in a better environment and pay a tenner.

Life is a big show tune

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 6:15pm

well firstly if you read correctly i was gathering views from another site just to start conversation (im so very sorry) plus i was fighting the cause that success doesnt mean long running. I totally totally agree and my point was its a shame we dont have as many successful fringe musicals in london. Not regional in london. Not at the ed fringe in london. in short in london.

I understand about commercial theatre and why somthing small wont sweep the west end but i was merely talking about musicals from an artistic point. Plus there are no small musicals in london name one!

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 6:27pm

maybe brand the title 'corporate theatre'

small musicals in london; define small please?

i would class,mack and mable, sunday, personals and the up and coming last 5yrs and into the woods as small. so i think london does have a handful of those shows.

don't forget the semi staging of the lost musicals season

plus the musical of musicals, which is cabaret although based on musicals.

Life is a big show tune

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/8/06 at 7:54pm

no i haven't ive heard great things about it though

Life is a big show tune

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/9/06 at 6:43am

good lord io was trying to start conversation. i guess i didnt word everything properly so sorry about that. however no need to be rude. ill make sure i prrof read in future.

whats the harder they come?

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/9/06 at 6:45am

also either of you know about ENCHANTED at covent garden that people are talking about?

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/9/06 at 8:06am

hey ulla.

Theres not much more to know they still havnt fully opened the site but theyve now attached a contact thingy. mysteriuos is obviuosly what theyre going for. i emailed them and got what i think is a standard letter back. this is what they said-

'Thank you for your interest in ENCHANTED THE MUSICAL

The musical will be playing a three week tryout June 13th – July 1st at The Courtyard Theatre Covent Garden (no Mondays or matinee performances)

Our website is currently under construction but we vwill keep you updated

Many thanks

Webmaster'

i have personally seen a workshop of it and its very good. go on ther websirte and send them a message and they will add you to the mailing list.

www.enchantedthemusical.com

x

#10

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/12/06 at 10:15am

THEATRE DEAD?

I could write an essay but to sum up: NO

Just look at the West End this season - most definatly alive

#11

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/12/06 at 12:19pm

"i think corporate musical theatre is what is killing musical theatre"

How ridiculous. Just because there may not be much around for you, personally to enjoy, does not mean it is dead. There is truly several things to suit everyone's tastes. Without "corporate theatre" there would be little interest in the industry from the majority of the paying public and it most certainly has not killed it. Look at new, smaller-scale musicals that are proving popular. Mind you, talk to a lot of theatre-goers who are into plays, they would say that musicals themselves have killed theatre.

As for directors taking risks, they do that ALL THE TIME. Nothing is a guaranteed success. Nothing. Even something that has been phenomenally successful on Broadway (depending on how you define "successful"), does not mean it will be here. And theatre is a business first and foremost, and we are talking many millions of pounds to invest. Not casual throw-away money on a whim.

In terms of the US, the very same arguments rage on their theatre boards about the apparent death of theatre, and other melodramatic claims. Often US posters claim that Broadway could learn lessons from the West End, (and vice versa of course). The grass is always greener........

#12

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 4/14/06 at 8:25pm

I know the off-west end theatre exists but i just wish it was recorded...

i know it wouldnt get enough sales to uphold its costs but its such a shame the performances cant be saved...i remember seeing that March of the Falsettos was done in the west end a while ago and i just felt gutted that i did not even know it was put on!

#13

re: theatre dead????

Posted: 5/3/06 at 6:56pm

Definitely not dead but theatre has to find new ways to market itself to new audiences all the time. It cannot be complacent. I've been promoting theatre online for 5 years and I recently moved into creating e-zines, video trailers and magazine style TV programmes because no-one else was doing it. I've now got 4500 members who support the service and last year we hit our first million (hits that is), so I think the Internet will help significantly.
UKTheatre.Net

_________________ www.uktheatre.net

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