The Scottsboro Boys

[bob8rich]

Posted: 10/9/14 at 5:42pm

Just saw The Scottsboro Boys at the Garrick. Totally blown away on every level. Saw it on Broadway and loved it then - tonight reminded me what an inspiring, inventive, thought-provoking while also stunningly entertaining piece of musical theatre this is and also reminded me (not that I really need reminding) of the pure genius of Kander & Ebb.

I missed it at the Young Vic - left it too late booking and then could not get a ticket for love or money - so really glad I got to see it tonight on a West End stage where it truly belongs. And this cast is amazing!

Also fantastic to get to see Brandon Victor Dixon as Haywood.

And really great that I managed to get a front row day seat for £20 - though this is one of the few shows in the West End at the moment that I would gladly pay top price for.

Updated On: 10/10/14 at 05:42 PM

[jaqs]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 7:06am

Good to hear. I thought it was incredible at the young vic but have held off booking again as its also a tough watch.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 7:41am

Probably hard with out spoilers but why is it a tough watch? Is it emotional like Parade or is it graphic/gruesome in someway?

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 8:23am

I am lucky enough to of seen this both on Broadway and the Young Vic, a very good musical, certainly not your feel good show, but based on a tragic fact how the USA was racially segregated and black people suffered appalling injustice especially in the south, I wasn't completely blown away even though it was based sadly on truth, probably it was too truthful. Where Hairspray is a feel good show and again based on truth, but carried an anti racist message in a completely different way, in a very light hearted way, this did blow me away.

When I saw the Young Vic production Kyle Sutcliffe completely knocked it out of the park and was beyond excellent, seems Cameroon Mackintosh agrees as he subsequently cast him in Les Miserables on Broadway.

I hope to see this again, but in no rush to see this again.

[mrkringas]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 10:31am

I found it difficult to watch with a feeling of dread because many scenes/songs are tricking your heart into an exciting place but your head is saying "hold on this is brutal".

Hard to explain unless you see it. One spoiler. There is a tap number that is terrific to watch but the context can only be described as inhumane.

Also its one of those shows where you react in horror to what you can only assume are some audience members laughing at racist humour because they are racist. Which is kinda the point.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 11:33am

To think that a quality show like this lost the Best Musical Tony to the monstrosity called Book Of Mormon.Hated Mormon with a passion.Sophomoric,tasteless and bad taste galore.

I know I am in the minority here but ....

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 10/10/14 at 3:27pm

Not as such, as I agree to an extent. I enjoyed Mormon for what it is, but it didn't live up to the hype at all and I don't understand why people find it so original. Many of the jokes could be seen a mile off, and many were repeated over and over.

[Owen22]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 11:29am

Roxy, it's not just that you're in the minority is that you missed the point of Mormon altogether. You can argue what is tasteful (and, incidentally sir, how can a show have bad taste and be tasteless at the same time?) but Mormon is quite a sophisticated piece of storytelling(sophmoric?). How it gets to its profound point blows Scottsboro's narrative out of the water. Do you know how easy it is to write a Scottsboro (a perfectly fine show) and have it be "profound" and "moving" using obvious forms of irony? But Mormon's point is just as profound and moving in such surprising and unique (and hilarious) ways. It's embarrassing to read such crap from a fellow theatregoer.

[TBFL]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 4:20pm

What's really embarrassing is you trying to put someone else down just because you don't agree with their opinion.

There is absolutely nothing profound about what the BOM is trying to say.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 5:09pm

Don't theater critics do this all the time?

That poster, like you, is entitled to their opinion.

[Owen22]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 5:41pm

This has nothing to do with opinion. You're both just plain wrong. I'm tired of people saying on these boards that everyone is entitled to their opinion. Everyone is entitled to POST their opinion, yes. But when one points at a blue sky and says "it's green", their stupidity needs to be harshly remarked upon.

[TBFL]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 6:13pm

Why does it need to be 'harshly' remarked upon?? and if we're pointing out stupidity, please enlighten me as to what is so profound about the BOM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 10/11/14 at 10:30pm

Absolutely nothing. Nada.Zilch

[kp]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 5:50am

I enjoyed Book of Mormon a great deal though it isn't as funny a show as it thinks it is. One thing it is not is profound and to say so, to quote Owen22 , 'is just plain wrong". He rather lost me when he asked "do you know how easy it is to write a Scottsboro?". Not easy at all as the many who have failed would tell him.
Everyone is entitled to POST their opinion, yes. But when one points at a blue sky and says "it's green", their stupidity needs to be harshly remarked upon.
If I had been voting for best musical, The Scottsboro Boys would have had my vote just ahead of Mormon, which as I said I did enjoy a great deal, without ever realising how profound it was. Silly me!

Updated On: 10/12/14 at 05:50 AM

[Mark_E]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 10:25am

Really can't wait to see this!

[Phantom of London]

Posted: 10/12/14 at 3:24pm

Owen you seem tired of either when someone states 'they are entitled to their opinion', but it also comes across you tire just as quick when someones opinion differs from yours.

Updated On: 10/12/14 at 03:24 PM

[Owen22]

Posted: 10/13/14 at 1:02pm

well...that's simple. As stated above....it has nothing to do with opinion. I'm right and they're wrong.

[devonian.t]

Posted: 11/1/14 at 4:46am

Anyway, back to the point of the thread and not boys arguing over who has the biggest willy; I saw the show last night.

For me, this is what musical theatre should aspire to achieve: it is a hugely entertaining show- I can't imagine anyone who came in- even by accident- not enjoying the score and the magnificent staging- but it is also wildly audacious in what it says and the way it uses a discredited form (the minstrel show) to make its satirical point.

I was in heaven- and hell- which is, I suspect, exactly what the creative team wanted to achieve.

Bravo! Really, bravo!

[rjm516]

Posted: 11/2/14 at 11:06am

I cannot wait to see this here. I hope this show gets the acclaim and credit it deserves over here.

[frazer]

Posted: 11/8/14 at 1:57pm

saw this a couple of weeks ago. I was really excited, and although the production still delivered, it was a very messy show that night. Understudies were on for mr tambo and mr bones - lots of line drops and missteps as the cast readjusted. Richard Pitt as mr bones managed to misjudge pretty much every line nd sucked the comedy from the role. might've been the first time he was on, but it was a very nervous performance.

[rjm516]

Posted: 12/2/14 at 11:20am

Closing Feb 21. What a shame. The cast was really hopeful for an extension when I saw it a few weeks ago. But what a fantastic job they have done.