Opening Night
Closing: July 27, 2024Opening Night - 2024 West End History , Info & More
Gielgud Theatre
(Piccadilly Circus) Shaftesbury Avenue London
The incomparable Sheridan Smith returns to musical theatre in the world premiere of Opening Night from the creative minds of Rufus Wainwright, one of the most acclaimed songwriters of his generation, and celebrated director Ivo van Hove.
Based on John Cassavetes' legendary film, Opening Night follows a theatre company's preparations to stage a major new play on Broadway. But drama ignites behind the scenes when their leading lady is rocked by tragedy, and her personal turmoil forces everybody to deliver the performance of their lives.
This beautifully rich new musical premieres at London's Gielgud Theatre for a strictly limited run from 6 March 2024.
__Access performances__
Audio Described & Captioned: TBC
Signed: Saturday 20 April 2024 2.30pm
Opening Night - 2024 - West End Cast
FEATURED REVIEWS FOR Opening Night
Opening Night review: Sheridan Smith exquisitely self-destructs in weird meta-West End musical
6 / 10
Anyone who bought tickets to Opening Night in the hope of seeing its star Sheridan Smith treating us to a bit of thespy, Funny Girl-style razzle dazzle is in for a serious shock. Belgian avant-garde theatre director Ivo Van Hove’s musical, set backstage during a show, is determinedly unflashy and oblique, dimly illuminated by singer-songwriter Rufus Wainwright’s operatic torch songs. In fact, it feels a bit like the whole cast is trolling musical theatre fans: they linger like bedraggled pigeons in the corners of a vast unornamented stage, capturing the inertia, rather than the glamour, of backstage life. It’s flawed, but intermittently haunting.
Opening Night with Sheridan Smith in the West End review – a baffling waste of talent
3 / 10
In transferring the film to the stage, Van Hove, who is adaptor as well as director, deliberately disrupts an already jagged story still further – introducing a documentary film crew who beam the cast’s reactions onto huge screens. Sometimes the screen shows what we are seeing on stage, sometimes it is a little behind. And sometimes, confusingly, it moves our attention to an action that is happening at the edge of things. The focus is always shifting, so that there is never an opportunity to get to understand any character before the next development lands. At the same time, Jan Versweyveld’s cluttered set, with mirrors and a table where the crew meet and chat, often doesn’t differentiate between scenes onstage in the play within the play that is being previewed to an audience, and the chaos backstage that is caused by Myrtle’s meltdown.
Category
1 - 10 of 10
OPENING NIGHT Starring Sheridan Smith Will End its West End Run Early
by Stephi Wild - April 11, 2024
by Stephi Wild - April 11, 2024
The new musical John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT will now end its run at the Gielgud Theatre on Saturday 18 May 2024.
Review Roundup: Ivo Van Hove, Rufus Wainwright Musical OPENING NIGHT Opens In London
by A.A. Cristi - March 26, 2024
by A.A. Cristi - March 26, 2024
Read reviews for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith.
Review: OPENING NIGHT, Gielgud Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan - March 26, 2024
by Aliya Al-Hassan - March 26, 2024
Now a stage musical, John Cassavetes’ 1977 film Opening Night was a commercial flop when it was released, later becoming something of a cult classic of American independent cinema. Director Ivo Van Hove specialises in bringing work to the stage that may be called “challenging”. Challenging can be hugely successful, but I’ve rarely seen a production more determined to confuse and frustrate an audience.
Photos: First Look At Sheridan Smith And More In John Cassavetes' OPENING NIGHT
by A.A. Cristi - March 22, 2024
by A.A. Cristi - March 22, 2024
See photos of the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith.
Photos: First Look at OPENING NIGHT Starring Sheridan Smith
by Stephi Wild - March 12, 2024
by Stephi Wild - March 12, 2024
All new photos have been released from the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo Van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith. Check out the photos here!
Listen: Sheridan Smith Performs 'Magic' From New Musical OPENING NIGHT
by Stephi Wild - February 29, 2024
by Stephi Wild - February 29, 2024
Performances begin next week for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes’ Opening Night, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright, starring Sheridan Smith. Smith recently appeared on the Front Row podcast from BBC, where she performed the song 'Magic' from the musical. Listen here!
No Booking Fee: OPENING NIGHT, Starring Sheridan Smith
by Aliya Al-Hassan - January 25, 2024
by Aliya Al-Hassan - January 25, 2024
No fees to pay for Opening Night tickets.
Benjamin Walker, Rebecca Thornhill, and More Join the Cast of the World Premiere of OPENING NIGHT
by Stephi Wild - January 18, 2024
by Stephi Wild - January 18, 2024
Full casting has been announced for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes' OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright.
Shira Haas, Hadley Fraser, Amy Lennox and More Join OPENING NIGHT at the Gielgud Theatre
by Stephi Wild - December 14, 2023
by Stephi Wild - December 14, 2023
Further casting has been announced for the World Premiere of John Cassavetes' OPENING NIGHT, a new musical with book by Ivo van Hove and music and lyrics by Rufus Wainwright. Find out who is starring in the show here!
Tickets From £24 for OPENING NIGHT, Starring Sheridan Smith
by Aliya Al-Hassan - November 14, 2023
by Aliya Al-Hassan - November 14, 2023
The incomparable Sheridan Smith returns to musical theatre in the world premiere of Opening Night from the creative minds of Rufus Wainwright, one of the most acclaimed songwriters of his generation, and celebrated director Ivo van Hove.
Opening Night FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
How long has Opening Night been running on the West End?
Opening Night opened at the Gielgud Theatre on Wednesday Mar 06, 2024 and has now been running for 1 month.
Opening Night History
Other Productions of Opening Night
| 2024 | West End |
West End |
Videos