?The satirical show Forbidden Broadway is heading back into London in June to stick a few pins into musicals. I can see Priscilla, Oliver! and a few others as perfect targets.
The show will star Anna-Jane Casey, Sophie-Louise Dann, Alasdair Harvey and Steven Kynman. It will run at the Menier Chocolate Factory from June 25 until September 13.
The revue was a hit in New York, as New Yorkers are steeped in theatre in a way Londoners aren't. But David Babani, the Choc Factory's chief, says you don't need to be schooled in the West End to like Forbidden Broadway.
DO you know which version it is? I saw SVU in the summer and it was great! -megs
Shows seen in 2011: Rock of Ages (WE, Shaftesbury Theatre - 7 Oct), Jersey Boys (WE, Prince Edward Theatre - 1 Sep), Cirque du Soleil: Zarkana (Broadway, Radio City Music Hall - 26 Aug), RENT (Broadway, New World Stages - 25 Aug), Hair (Broadway, St. James Theatre - 24 Aug), The Book of Mormon (Broadway *WON LOTTO*, Eugene O'Neill Theatre - 24 Aug), Dress Circle Benefit Gala (WE, Her Majesty's Theatre - 7 Aug), Derren Brown: Svengali (WE, Shaftesbury Theatre - 6 July), Lend me a Tenor the Musical (WE, Gielgud Theatre - 3 June), Lord of the Flies (WE, Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park - 2 June), In a Forest Dark and Deep (WE, Vaudeville Theatre - 31 May), Jersey Boys (WE, Prince Edward Theatre - 28 May), The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (WE, Gielgud Theatre - 2 May), Priscilla Queen of the Desert (WE, Palace Theatre - 29 Apr), Les Miserables (WE, Queens Theatre - 20 Apr), Thrill me (WE, Tristan Bates Theatre - 14 Apr), Ghost the Musical (Manchester, Opera House - 13 Apr), Million Dollar Quartere (WE, Noel Coward Theatre - 5 Apr), The Lion King (WE, Lyceum Theatre - 16 Mar), The Exonerated (WE, Charing Cross Theatre - 15 Mar), The Children's Hour (WE, Comedy Theatre - 14 Mar), Clybourne Park (WE, Wyndhams Theatre - 12 Mar), Company (WE, Southwark Playhouse - 12 Mar), The 25th annual putnam county spelling bee (WE, Donmar - 2 March), Jersey Boys (WE, Prince Edward Theatre - 11 Feb), Million Dollar Quartet (WE, Noel Coward - 9 Feb), Love Story (WE, Duchess Theatre - 7 Feb), Lance Horne:First things last (WE, Garrick Theatre - 30 Jan), La Boheme (WE, Soho Theatre - 29 Jan), Legally Blonde (WE, Savoy Theatre - 10.Jan)
Fantastic news! I've seen a couple of incarnations of this show in New York since first reading about it on BWW and can't wait to see what they make of the current West End scene (or what the London audience makes of their take on it).
Anna Jane Casey? Is this confirmed casting? She's going to be playing the young Viv in Spend, Spend, Spend at the Watermill during the summer.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
I think the last time it was in London (1999) it played the Jermyn Street Theatre and was such a success it moved to the Albery where it ran a further couple of months.
David Babani's 1999 Jermyn Street / Albery production was a brilliant mixture of highlights from the US versions and brand new UK content - I remember it well!
A friend of mine is in the cast of Spend Spend Spend and Anna Jane Casey was definitely cast in that. Maybe she's decided to do FB instead, in which case I'll have to find out who's replaced her at the Watermill.
THEATRE 2020: CURTAINS**** LET'S HEAR IT FOR THE GIRLS***** WICKED***** KEITH RAMSAY TAKING NOTES WITH EDWARD SECKERSON***** KAYLEIGH MCKNIGHT CONCERT***** RAGS***** ON MCQUILLAN'S HILL** DEAR EVAN HANSEN***** THE JURY***
I've seen FB many times in NY and it's often been the highlight of the week - certainly good value for money based on the number of laughs it packs in. I hope they do Les Mis - always hilarious.
Phantom of london I urge you go. I guarantee you will love it. I was always like that, then when i saw it it was possibly the best night i'd had in a theatre for years!!!
WHY? WHY? WHY? Its never been a success in London despite its incredible success in New York. It first played the Fortune in 1996 and closed after just 2 months! It played the Jermyn Street and transfered to the Albery (now Cowerd) and ran just 3 weeks. How much did that transfer cost???? This just not a London show. Three months at the Menier will see it selling so badly I wouldn't be surprised if this is their first 'flop'! I've seen many versions in NY and they are so brilliant but that just does not work in the UK. Updated On: 4/18/09 at 03:48 PM
"incredible success" hardly describes the New York run either. The last time I saw it in New York -- there were 17 of us (yep, counted them) in the audience! And presumably all the others were with deeply discounted tickets as I was. It has had a very long run in New York in a variety of small theatres, but it has now closed "permanently" there. However, I am a fan. Always enjoyed it -- some editions more than others. I will never be able to sit through Les Miz without giggling at the turntable and the little kid on shoulders after the Forbidden Broadway version. The whole cast with vertigo and a big doll strapped to the shoulders of one being knocked all over the place -- hysterical stuff.