Charlie's Factory looks like it will move, Memphis finds it home & Rocking out of London?

[AnythingGoes23]

Gossip, Gossip, Gossip! Had a few meets and chats with some biz people and found some pretty juicy stuff...

It is now widely expected that Charlie and the Chocolate Factory will now open at The Theatre Royal, Drury Lane in May 2012. Shrek is expected to close a few weeks into January.

By no means official as yet but things will firm up this month ahead of Charlie officially launching ticket sales to the public in the first week of October.

It looks like Finding Neverland is gunning for The Palladium, which I can't believe but hey, Good luck to it! Talks also are ripe with ALW putting in JCS and a run of 42nd Street... it seems very messy at the moment there...

Memphis may have found a home at The Savoy from April 2012.

Both Memphis and Neverland are also keeping an eye open on The Shaftesbury. Rock of Ages is starting to slow down and the film's impact lasted weeks on the box office if that. There is talk of it scaling down to a smaller venue like The Duke of Yorks/Garrick...talking of the Garrick, Looserville is trying to raise funding to get in there, but it is struggling...

[Jonwo]

AG, any truth in the rumour of Blood Brothers moving to the Playhouse?

Interesting that Charlie may be moving to Drury Lane, Is the Palladium not big enough?

[devonian.t]

Charlie was originally aiming for the Lane, because of better backstage space.

[ClapYo'Hands]

You'd imagine a show like Charlie needs the bigger facilities offered by The Lane!

[Princeton Returns]

Charlie moving to Drury Lane would make sense, Finding Neverland at the Palladium less so, unless they are recasting and do have Gwyneth Paltrow on board for the West End run. I just cant see it having a wide enough appeal to fill such a large venue, and it's not really a family movie as such

[THEATRE FAN]

Yes, Charlie for the Lane.

Palladium totally up in the air. JCSS or A CHORUS LINE looking likely both would be strictly limited seasons.

Blood Brothers will move at some point to Playhouse.

Rock of Ages for Garrick I hear.

VIVA and BODYGUARD both have good advances so those theatres won't be free

[CATSNYrevival]

Is ALW still planning on bringing the Des Mcanuff JCS to the West End or is the plan now to bring in the arena tour?

[ClapYo'Hands]

There's now a rumour that Spider Man wants The Lane!?

[THEATRE FAN]

Charlie is def the lane. Spiderman is a long way off.

JCSS will not be the Mcanuff production.

[bdn223]

Spiderman will never play another house besides the Foxwoods unless its an arena....there is no way producers wpuld waste at least 20 million dollars to bring the show to London where it would take them twice as long to recoup...sice its not the people that are expensive its the electricity.

[Jonwo]

I think if Spider-Man goes beyond Broadway, it'll be an arena tour although I could see at the Dominion but would they risk so much money on a West End transfer?

[AnythingGoes23]

Spiderman are a while off launching other productions due to complications around the amount of producers or investors. I imagine a separate company will buy UK or European rights to stage the production. It would really only work as it is in the 02 for a months run. The Dominion has been spoken about, but that faded.

The rumour about JCS is the arena tour being amended to work on stage at the Palladium.

Regarding Blood Brothers, no news to confirm or deny. ATG want more bigger theatres to houses musicals, like 9 to 5 and they maybe co-producing Memphis, so it makes sense.....the trouble lies with Bill K office, they take a lifetime to sort anything out.

Neal Street wanted to keep Shrek and Charlie open at The Palladium, but Shrek just hasn't got to staying power so they are keeping a hold at the Lane at putting Charlie in there.

Finding Neverland I don't know, it seems such a gamble....nobody knows until we see it if could ever work on such a big space.

[Jonwo]

The Phoenix would benefit greatly from a refurbishment but its only 1000 seats so I wouldn't surprised if ATG increased the capacity to make it a viable musical house. I think if ATG wants more midsized musical houses, they should consider buying the Victoria Palace or the Shaftesbury but I doubt their current owners would sell.

[AnythingGoes23]

Now confirmed Charlie as said will open at The Drury Lane

[rockyhorrorfan]

Rumours that JCS will go into Palladium after Arena tour.

[rockyhorrorfan]

Saw a tweet yesterday, I think from Time Out, that JCS arena tour will not be playing the West End.