First to Hit The Rocks

[Phantom of London]

With Ghost closing earlier than expected, despite being really good, admittingly it does have the occasional floor and too many ballads, however I saw this yesterday afternoon for the fourth time and still enjoyed it.

Two musicals are going to open later this year, one replacing Ghost and the other replacing Sweeney Todd, which was always going to be a limited run.

You probably guessed I am talking about 'The Bodyguard' based on the music of the late Whitney Houston and 'Viva Forever' which is another jukebox hit based on the music of the Spice Girls, however from reading the relevant threads, there doesn't seem to be much love for both these shows from fellow board-members and I include myself very much in this.

With 'Ghost' hitting the rocks quicker than unexpected, which one of these shipwrecks of these two do you think will hit the rocks first?

[devonian.t]

So, which of two shows which have yet to start rehearsal will close first?

Perhaps we can also decide which of two shows as yet unwritten will transfer to Broadway first?

[Childcatcher]

How horrible!

Lets see them first and then comment, must be slightly worrying for actors/producers etc, who I'm sure read these forums, to read such unnecessary negativity about a show they hold in their nervous little hands.

GIVE THEM A BREAK!

I am actually excited about both shows.

[MusicalBoy]

...they aren't even in previews?!

One of them isn't even cast yet!

Good lord!

For the record, I'm keeping an open mind about Viva Forever, and I'm thrilled about the Bodyguard, I'm also glad to have broadway stars in west end shows :)

[songanddanceman2]

Not looking forward to Viva at all but i aint gonna start betting if it will flop, let the show open first at least

[bob8rich]

Have zero interest in Viva Forever but still never wish any show to flop. Really looking forward to The Bodyguard - even though I did not much care for the movie! With not just one but two amazing Divas in the cast (Heather Headley and the incredible Debbie Kurup) - can't wait to hear the vocal powerhouses in this show.

[Phantom of London]

I probably will see both of these, as I am a theatre fan and enjoy seeing shows for different reasons, but saying that I still haven't seen Dreamboats and Petticoats and don't plan to.

As with these two show I don't care if they fail and close quickly, its not that the respective theatres will be empty for long.

I personally would prefer if they were filled with better shows, such as shows that haven't transferred from tour such as:

Chess
Me and My Girl
Gypsy
Company
9-5

Or shows that haven't transferred from Broadway such as:

Aida
The Color Purple
Anything Goes
How To Succeed
The Addams Family
Promises, Promises
Follies
Next To Normal
In The Heights
Memphis
Catch Me If You Can
The Pirate Queen
Rebecca

Or other original written musical.

The success of The Bodyguard and and Viva Forever will just open the floodgates for other gaudy musicals based on a other bands music, with a forgettable story and a few cheap recycled gags. The success of these shows will just bankroll Davis Ian and Judy Craymer who have both made a packet from theatre, but without contributing anything meaningful to the West End. it is a self fulfilling prophecy.

How long "Delilah" based on the music of Tom Jones or "Candle In The Wind" based on Elton John or "Club Tropicana" based on the music of Wham (actually that would be quite good, we keep that between us).

I hope these 2 tacky musicals will not make it to Christmas.

[Mark_E]

Disagree with you there. I'd much rather have Viva and Bodyguard in the West End than some of the other crap that is playing.

Viva could be very good..

[bob8rich]

There is actually a Tom Jones life-story musical in the works - it's currently being workshopped by the WMC. I don't think it's called "Delilah" though lol

[devonian.t]

But again, how do you know what these two new shows are going to be like?

It is simply prejudice- you have prejudged shows that have not even left the page yet.

[rjm516]

I'm so thrilled to have Heather Headley coming over.

[Princeton Returns]

Why is it that shows with songs by well known bands etc are awful, yet a musical without an original story and yet another movie on stage is ok, just as long as the score is new thats what counts. A musical is about more than just it's songs.

Also one mans crap is another mans masterpiece.

[THEATRE FAN]

Phantom -how can you refer to "better shows" when you haven't seen either THE BODYGUARD or VIVA FOREVER. How do you know? This is the sort of naive un-educated bitterness that makes me recoil and this board sometimes. Wait until you have seen them-

[devonian.t]

Linking to my 'Make it like it was' thread, this is just the kind of thread which looks like the kind of ambulance-chasing you find on the Broadway board. It's not surprising some people get fed up with the negativity and leave.

[THEATRE FAN]

devonian - i agree - i actually think its horrible especially for "theatre lovers" judge these shows after they have opened. Phantom's comments are dreadful

[THEATRE FAN]

Princeton - thank god for someone with a level headed opinion on here! well said. Bravo!

[songanddanceman2]

I won't see Viva because i hate the music of the Spice Girls, that's just my opinion. However i have nothing against the Bodyguard or Viva for that matter, i wish them well.

Phantom it is kind of funny that one of the shows you would 'rather' see is 9 to 5 since it's based on a film and has many songs Dolly did not write for the show but used in the show, oh and it was trashed by the critics in New York.

[THEATRE FAN]

hooray - more sensible people - songanddanceman2 - well said!!!!!!!!! and a great point. lets bring in a flop from new york rather than two new shows created here. the phantom comments are laughable

[devonian.t]

I hope we never see Crazy for You again- after all, that was made up of a load of pre-existing Gershwin songs.

^
sarcasm

Oh and that Love Never Dies must have been rubbish because it had songs not originally written for that show...

um...

[tenorboyo]

Pardon my antipodean ignorance, but who is Davis Ian?

[songanddanceman2]

lol i think he means David Ian

And Phantom David Ian was involved in the superb La Cage revival, the very funny play Seminar and the Sound of Music revival, i also personally enjoyed Flashdance. So i would disagree that he does not contribute anything meaningful. And just because you do not like a show does not render his work meaningless

[peggyb2]

Way to go Phantom!A wonderful list of shows with most of my favourites there.And as for condemning shows we haven't seen?I'm certainly not going to go to the trouble and expense of coming down from the frozen and flooded north on the offchance that someone has managed to render the Spice Girls music less vile.I hate The Bodyguard film but I might listen to the music online and see what people are saying on the forums before probably rejecting it.The only reason for not wanting stuff like this to fail is that people's jobs are involved.So stop ganging up on him.

[devonian.t]

Yeah, 'cos hating something before it exists is totally reasonable.

The point is, both shows may well be awful; it's just immature, unecessarily negative and too entirely hypothetical to be remotely viable as a discussion, to talk about their relative failure at this stage.

[Princeton Returns]

Theres nothing wrong with not wanting to see it (although Phantom is the one that usually says he/she sees everything). Its the reasoning behind wanting to get rid of them.

Doesnt interest you? dont go, why spend time hating on something

[devonian.t]

I agree. I had several friends in Dirty Dancing but I never saw it- I knew it wasn't for me. Fortunately my friends understood (I'm predictable that way).

I never demanded its closure though- with over 50 theatres in London, I'm fairly sure there is room for everything.

I can think of barely any show that truly never made it to London due to lack of a venue, (though that is sometimes used as an excuse)