west end shows that would never make it on broadway, and vice-versa.

Jerry Springer, the Opera will probably never make it to Broadway, unfortunately. I also doubt that we'll ever get We Will Rock You in a Broadway theatre.

---

When I was in London in the summer, I saw a hilarious production of a 40s British farce called SEE HOW THEY RUN. I absolutely loved it, and wondered why I'd never even heard of the play before. I looked on IBDB and other web sites to see if it had been staged in NY before and far as I can tell it hasn't, despite being considered by critics there to be one of the finest of all English farces and being a perennial favorite all over the UK, receiving hundreds of productions in the past 60 years. In trying to figure out why it's not been done here before, I've heard from several people that it's considered "too English" in its humor to appeal to American audiences. I don't know -- I thought it was hysterical, but I take it we may never see it staged here over on this side of the Atlantic.

---

I unfortunately don't get to London NEARLY as much as I'd really like to (I wish I could afford to come over every couple of months), so I haven't seen either of those. However, I am a HUGE fan of Elton's Black Adder series (I have most of the episodes on DVD) and look forward to seeing whatever he comes up with next.

---

I saw a fairly mediocre production of RUN FOR YOUR WIFE several years ago, but other than that I haven't seen his work.

---

I love SEE HOW THEY RUN. I think its been done by a few regional theatres in the U.S. but certainly never on Broadway or in a major staging.

Aida has, thankfully, never played the West End. Never say never, but it missed it's prime chance whilst the show was on Broadway.

I don't think the new London production of Cabaret will transfer so soon after the Broadway incarnation closed, and because it's style is a little more . . . peculiar than audiences may be prepared for.

Jerry Springer the Opera will never make it Broadway - the religious right just wouldn't allow it - but is opening somewhere in the US this year.

You only get the 'best' of our plays - there are many more good plays in London that won't make the leap simply because Broadway is not really the right market (not without star power behind them, anyway)

So when are we getting The Light in the Piazza then?

Updated On: 2/19/07 at 09:13 AM

It seems like we're still not getting Hairspray in the UK! And shows like Sweet Charity, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, Little Shop of Horrors... I hope they do come to WE even they're now closed on Broadway.

---

Anyway, Dady cool, far from being a musical masterpiece is a real piece of crap !

---

Updated On: 2/19/07 at 11:42 AM

Any of the great mystery plays by Anthony Armstrong, such as "Ten Minute Alibi" and "Mile Away Murder" have never made it. Ten Minute was on broadway for about ten minutes - 89 performances in the 30's. They are clever pieces a la Agatha Christie. In Mile AWay Murderer, the killer TELLS the hero he comitted the crime and challenges him to prove it as his alibi is airtight (he does prove it, BTW) and in Ten Minue Murder, the killer is the hero. He comitts the seemingly perfect crime, then we have to watch him evade discovery and arrest.

---

Well, BLOOD BROTHERS has been running in London for 20 years. It ran, what, a year in New York. What's that about?

Re. Aida: The producers tried to bring it to the West End but couldn't because of some sort of run-in with the unions.

And, if we're talking about shows that did well in one country but poorly in another, Rent has been playing on Broadway for 10 years and is one of the most successful shows there. It was in the West End for 18 months and considered a flop.

Well, Piazza, Hairspray, and Aida must not come, I guess.