Gentlemans Guide coming over?

[AnythingGoes23]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 4:57pm

Courtesy of a rather influential gentleman of the westend...

Rumour is for end of the year

[Jonwo]

Posted: 2/22/15 at 8:26pm

Guessing either the Noel Coward or Wyndham's if this influential gentleman is Cameron Mackintosh.

[lotiloti]

Posted: 2/23/15 at 6:04am

Great news (if true). Loved the show.

[thespian geek]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 4:32pm

Hope they bring Scarlett back to London to originate that role there after playing it in NYC.

[JackOBrian3]

Posted: 2/24/15 at 8:05pm

I think this will do really well in the west end.

[ajh]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 7:40am

I hate to be a doubter but I'm not sure this will necessarily do that well in the West End unless it has at least one bona fide bums-on-seats star in it (and gorgeous as she is, that wouldn't be Scarlett Strallen). It is very much an American take on an English themed story and that did the original Mystery Of Edwin Drood, a Tony winning smash hit on B'way, no favours despite having Lulu and Ernie Wise (both massive stars at the time) in it. Furthermore, and although not a show with an English setting but still an example of a critically lauded and awarded NYC musical comedy, Drowsy Chaperone bombed in London, and that had Elaine Paige in it. I'd love GGTLAM to succeed in the West End but I think it could be a tough sell.

[lotiloti]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 9:22am

I don't if you have seen it ajh. But it doesn't need 'stars'. It needs Jefferson Mays. Finding another actor who could pull this off, may be difficult. As I assume, it was written with his talents in mind. I thought when I saw it, that if I had seen this in the West End first. I would have said, it would never transfer to Broadway, it's to 'English'.

[ajh]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 1:02pm

Fair enough lotiloti but the point I was making is that to SELL it to enough people to make it a commercial hit in the West End may be difficult without a big star attached. I know Jefferson Mays is an amazing talent having seen him in I Am My Own Wife (which he did in the West End to huge critical acclaim but zero audience interest) and The Best Man on B'way. While ideally he should come and do GG in London the general public outside those with a specialised interest in and knowledge of, theatre don't have a clue who he is.

[lotiloti]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 3:10pm

The West End rarely 'sell' shows, with 'big stars'. Unlike the US, where they seem to obsess about so called 'stars'. JM's performance is, the star of the show. If you must have 'stars' ajh, who would you suggest? Perhaps Ant & Dec, they could alternate.

[Princeton Returns]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 5:29pm

You're kidding, right? The west end is always using names to sell tickets. Now that maybe a pop band name for jukebox musicals, a known movie brand, or a star/celebrity (or in The Bodyguards case all three ). A musical opening without any of those unique selling points is going to be a very hard sell. Tony wins mean nothing here. Considering how many shows have struggled in the last year or so it's not a great climate to come into. Clever marketing and pricing will be key, and I would say Cameron Mackintosh is the ideal man to help make it succeed but even his new shows have flopped in recent years

[ajh]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 6:22pm

Completely agree with you, Princeton Returns. And Lotiloti, I wasn't saying that *I* want to see a star name in GG instead of JM, but that your average ticket buyer probably does. The thought of Ant & Dec alternating is pretty funny though. But not a good idea obviously

[ajh]

Posted: 2/25/15 at 6:22pm

Completely agree with you, Princeton Returns. And Lotiloti, I wasn't saying that *I* want to see a star name in GG instead of JM, but that your average ticket buyer probably does. The thought of Ant & Dec alternating is pretty funny though. But not a good idea obviously

[Eurotrash]

Posted: 2/27/15 at 7:15am

It doesn't seem to me, from listening to the cast recording, that the lampooning of 'posh-Britishness' would be ill-judged for a UK audience, party because it's set a fair while in the past. But admittedly haven't seen the whole thing - looking forward to it though!