Equus- A Low Advance?

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:34am

So does anybody else find the advance sale for EQUUS surprising? The other day in the Michael Riedel column he said it only had a 3 million dollar advance. I find that suprising considering Equus is a limited 22 week run that has a 1million+ a week potential. I would have thought that this show would sell out before it even opened ala THREE DAYS OF RAIN or THE ODD COUPLE. So anybody else thing maybe Americans are not as excited as the British? Or maybe it is just the economy. But with the buzz from London and the stars involved I thought this would be sold out before the first show. Thoughts?
Updated On: 8/16/08 at 12:34 AM

[winston89]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:48am

I do too find it interesting that it has a low advance. I would have thought that sales would have been better with all the press this is getting in different magazines etc.

I do think that the British were more excited about this then the Americans are.

The one reason that popped into my head is this. Could it be that the show isn't selling so well because Radcliffe is known to an audience that is too young to see this play. Equus is an adult play and Radcliffe's major fanbase consists of people that are too young to go to this show. My guess is that if he were in something that was a little more family friendly then ticket sales might be different then they currently are.

Just my two cents on the matter.

Also, keep in mind that Julia Roberts was in a play that is aimed at the same age as her fans. This isn't the case for Radcliffe and Equus. And, Odd Couple sold out very well because Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick just finished their second stint in The Producers and people wanted a chance to see them again.

[Noel&Cole]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:51am

I think it could be the fact that Daniel Radcliffe fans are to young for Equus but that didnt seem to stop it from selling out in London. Maybe the British embrace the whole Harry Potter thing a bit more and Equus/Peter Shaeffer are a bit more bankable in the West End as well.

[winston89]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:04am

I agree. I think that Potter is a very popular thing in America but not as much as it is in England. I also think that plays are more bankable in England then they are in America on Broadway. Keep in mind that there are more plays in London then they are on Broadway and they don't have to do things like have a limited run to just make a profit.

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:06am

THAN!

[winston89]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:09am

Foster, I would stop if I were you. Clearly you heckling me isn't working and I'm not listing to what it is your saying. It's all just a waist of your time. Keep in mind that most people don't do what someone wants them to do because they are yelling/being mean towards them.

And, I have trouble believing that you have NEVER once made a spelling grammar error on this forum. Glass houses Foster. Glass houses.

[ray-andallthatjazz86]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:15am

*waste

[Wanna Be A Foster]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:16am

It's not an error.

You have proven time and time again that you do not know the difference between "then" and "than."

Learn it.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:22am

*you're

[BestOfBothWorlds]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 1:25am

Not to mention *listening.

[HBP]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 2:28am

They should just push the opening back to July 17, 2009. That'll solve everyone's problems.



****ing warner brothers.

[Parks]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:12am

I think HBP is right...

It could be because there hasn't been a Harry Potter movie released recently... (there was one more recent for the time Equus opened in London). That could be it...?

[COOOOLkid]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:31am

Is it just me, or do you guys always roll your eyes whenever you see Winston's post on BWW?

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 3:52am

Updated On: 5/2/09 at 03:52 AM

[Weez]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 5:19am

'Equus' wasn't a sell-out in London by any means. There was a lot of fuss about it, but it wasn't a sell-out.

It does seem like it's had less coverage in the US press though. I seem to remember a lot of angry Daily Fail readers in the UK going "OMG he's Harry Potter and he's got a penis and he's showing it off THINK OF THE CHYYYYYLDRUUUUUN!". But then, he's already done it once, so any concerned parent with an internet connection has probably already spewed their righteous indignation all over the webbernets back in 2007. (But then, UK parents are always ready to get angry at theatre that can possibly be connected to families; you should have seen their anger at 'Mary Poppins' being less saccharine than the film. XD)

Seriously, everything Winston says in his first first post about why he thinks it's not as big in the US as it was in the UK? Already covered in the UK back in 2007. I don't like the implication that the British are more excited by anything Harry Potter than the Americans. Could someone please remind me which of the two countries is building a Harry Potter theme park? (For anyone who cba with rhetoric, it's the US.) I'm also terribly disturbed by the implication that Radcliffe's main fanbase in the US is younger people; not because it's inaccurate, but because between the lines, he's suggesting that UK theatre-goers are all a bunch of... child-fanciers. In a bad way. If you catch my drift.

The only point he has that I think is valid is that the West End is a lot more play-friendly than Broadway. That is literally Winston's only good point. Savour it. (Although when you bear in mind how other plays with movie stars have sold out rapidly, it's only good up to a point...)

But anyway; apart from annoying people sharing ill-thought-out opinions with anyone who dares breathe (ooh, that bit was aimed at "concerned parents" by the way, not anyone in this thread, believe it or not), and apart from Broadway being big bright beautiful theme-park-land, it looks to be doing about the same on Broadway as it did in the West End. With the added sadness of the current economic downturn.

Updated On: 8/16/08 at 05:19 AM

[Scripps2]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:30am

Could it actually be because the play is very much of its period and the psychology in it is weak? Could it be because the events that build up to Alan Strang's breakdown don't actually justify it? And you can spot them coming.

If producers want a cruddy 70s play with uncut **** better to revive The Romans in Britain where there are six of them. Or, better still, revive a decent 70s play such as The Changing Room where you get a whole bloody rugby team.

Updated On: 8/16/08 at 08:30 AM

[Broadwayboy2631]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 8:53am

Well its not like Equus was ever written to be a profitable play. Having Daniel in the cast, definitely increases the plays appeal, but some Harry Potter fans are just too young to see his magic wand.

[frogs_fan85]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 9:20am

"And, Odd Couple sold out very well because Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick just finished their second stint in The Producers and people wanted a chance to see them again."

Wrong. There was about an year and a half gap between those two events.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:02am

A $3 million advance for a play is not low. It may not be what Julia Roberts in Three Days of Rain, Denzel Washington in Julius Caesar or Nathan Lane and Matthew Broderick in The Odd Couple racked up, but it is otherwise a very respectable advance for a play.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:11am

Maybe it may be the high prices for a straight play. All My Sons is not exactly setting the box office world on fire. Somehow ,I do not think crowds will be around the block for The Seagull. Gypsy has now been on TDF with Lupone in it.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:17am

>Somehow, I do not think crowds will be around the block for The Seagull.<

They will be once the reviews come out.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:18am

I will bet you on that one.

[Smaxie]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:24am

Are you the resident Joe Btfsplk of the BWW board?

[TooDarnHot]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 11:33am

well, I roll my eyes when I see your posts too COOOOOOLKID.

and same goes for MusicalMaster's.

oh yes and Winston's.

I, too, will roll my eyes at my very own posts. It all depends. What an odd paradox!

Winston -- I understand that grammar and spelling is not the most important thing on a forum but you really can't even form sentences correctly (because of the poor grammar/spelling).

Time to go back to schoool!!
Updated On: 8/16/08 at 11:33 AM

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 8/16/08 at 12:07pm

BTFSPLK?