Women on the Verge...

[thespian geek]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 8:36pm

Looks like Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is heading to London's Playhouse Theatre this Christmas. Any thoughts on who might fill out of the rest of the cast? Personally I'd really like to see Fra Fee as Carlos, but the rest of the characters I'm not sure.

https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Tamsin-Greig-to-Star-in-WOMEN-ON-THE-VERGE-OF-A-NERVOUS-BREAKDOWN-in-the-West-End-This-Winter-Bartlett-Sher-to-Return-in-Directors-Chair-20140619

Updated On: 6/19/14 at 08:36 PM

[GusS]

Posted: 6/19/14 at 9:03pm

After seeing Victoria Hamilton-Barrit as Daniela in In The Heights I think she'd be great as Candela.

[DeNada]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 2:55am

TAMSIN. GREIG. YES.

(can she sing? She might be able to invest Pepa with a personality!)

Cannot wait to hear the rest of the casting for this. Hope they've managed to fix the show after the crazy mess of the Broadway production - scaling it down could work very nicely.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 6:21am

I absolutely adored this show when I saw it on Broadway - hilariously funny (I literally ached all over from laughing so much for 2 and a half hours) and the score is seriously brilliant. And the entire Broadway cast was pretty fantastic.

I have to admit I do not know Tamsin Greig at all (googled her and she appears to have an impressive CV - but I've never seen any of the stage productions or TV programmes she's been in!). Will be very interested to see the rest of the casting for this. And I agree with GusS that Vix would be an amazing Candela.

Updated On: 6/20/14 at 06:21 AM

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/20/14 at 8:56pm

Frankly, I don't think the show needs much fixing, it was pretty damned great as it was. One of the best musicals on Broadway in the last couple years, a victim of harsh Internet buzz (for some reason) which seemed to trickle down and bias a lot of the critics (there were some who did hail it, however). I'm glad I got to see it twice and am looking forward to flying over in Feb to see it with Tasmin.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 12:20pm

I can't wait! I love the cast recording.

Posted: 6/21/14 at 1:26pm

It is a strictly limited run until 9 May 2015.

[thespian geek]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 5:15pm

A 5 month run is pretty decent though for a limited engagement, I think.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 5:23pm

Unless it sets the box office on fire, which it won't, so therefore see the rationale having this as a limited run. This will struggle because;

Obscure musical, not well known composer over here, the book it is based on by Pedro Almodvar is also very esoteric.

Theatre is in the poorest location and has very poor footfall.

Opening at the slowest time of year after Christmas.

I hope the London critics are kinder than New York.

Not withstanding the above it might make it to May.

I was very underwhelmed when I saw this in New York, found it to be plodding and the taxi driver to be tiresome, so glad is role is being cutback for the West End, I look forward to seeing this again though.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 6:37pm

Where did you read that they are trimming the Taxi Driver role?

Also, how was Dirty Rotten Scoundrels received? I see that it is still playing.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 7:23pm

Read that in the Daily Mail.

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is much more well know, with bigger stars in it.

Unless you live in London, which you don't you will struggle to understand what I am talking about.

[ljay889]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 7:45pm

That's not what I asked. I asked if DRS was well received? Is it a success so far?

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 9:18pm

The show isn't offering any discounts, but is rumoured to be closing soon, so those 2 statements contradict each other, so who knows.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/21/14 at 10:19pm

DRS is actually starting to do much better apparently so could be around a bit longer than expected. You have to remember as well that Women on the Verge is a very celebrated movie.

[DeNada]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 3:26am

Indeed; I would venture that Women on the Verge is actually more famous than Dirty Rotten Scoundrels as a property nowadays.

I don't know why I'm surprised that bob doesn't know who Tamsin Greig is. Undoubtedly he'll be best mates with whoever's playing second cover Marisa or similar, though... :p

Posted: 6/22/14 at 6:34am

Maybe more celebrated but certainly not more famous. Its not that well known.

[DeNada]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 10:54am

Fair enough - I would argue that nor is Dirty Rotten Scoundrels any more. The film's 25 years old now and hasn't exactly passed into a pantheon of classics, whereas Almodovar still draws media attention with new work (unlike, say, Steven Martin!).

Perhaps it's just my squiffy perceptions but for some reason Women On The Verge carries more clout as a title than DRS.

[Owen22]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 12:52pm

Damn Phantom of London is a nasty negative dick.

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 1:38pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundrel isn't a West End hit yet and may well shut soon, it be interesting to see who be in the recasting, needs to be stunt casted all over again.

Woman on A Verge of a Nervous Breakdown, was a limited run and still closed early, despite a starry cast and subsidised by the Lincoln Center. Oddly enough, when this opened on Broadway, fall 2010, it opened with 2 other musicals that went on to flop and close very quickly, Spider-Man was also supposed to open, but got delayed because of technical issues, the other 2 musicals to open were Scottsboro Boys and Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson, the later to receive the most critical acclaim, all closed very quickly, so strange we have 2 that are being revived this time on the West End, I eat my hat if Bloody Bloody Andrew Jackson announces it also going to open any time soon.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 4:08pm

Owen as per usual that was uncalled for

And Phantom you are forgetting that Women had huge problems on Bway, the word of mouth was terrible, that killed that show. The team have obviously rewritten

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 6/22/14 at 6:30pm

I don't think Woman on a Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is a more popular film than Dirty Rotten Scoundrels per se, but I happen to think that people who appreciate Almodvar works are people that would lean to appreciate the arts in general, so therefore are more likely to attend the theatre.

Updated On: 6/22/14 at 06:30 PM

[mrkringas]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 7:43am

This is a wonderful score. Looking forward to seeing the full cast announcement. Heard some positive buzz about the reworked version and no one knows what makes a successful run or not this far out!

I had no idea who Tamsin Greig was either (don't really watch British TV) until I saw her in "The Little Dog Laughed" - hilarious. And then clocked that she had been in "God of Carnage". I guess she must be pretty well known to secure top billing.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 8:21am

Everyone should watch the TV show Episodes, she is brilliant in it.

[ukpuppetboy]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 9:54am

"Unless you live in London, which you don't you will struggle to understand what I am talking about."

I live in London and it's not clearing things up for me.

[DeNada]

Posted: 6/23/14 at 11:49am

Tamsin Greig won the Olivier for her Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing in 2007 or so, and has done loads of other theatre - she was the lead in Jumpy last year, was in Gethsemene at the National etc. etc.

Mostly she's well known for her lead roles in classic 00s Channel 4 comedies Black Books and Green Wing.