Looks like you will be the first to tell us if you liked it or not, hope to catch it when it comes to London near Christmas, I have seen the show twice in New York and thought it was brilliant.
Will be seeing 9-5 but not until next May im afraid!
Only heard positive thigns about American Idiot, so hopefully iw ill enjoy. Is the concept easy to understand? because the cast recording doesn't give much story away and im aware that is sung through, although im sure it must be otherwise reviews wouldnt of been positive!
The plot is extremely hard to follow...but It is still amazing. Honestly when you are watching American Idiot, you have to think of it as a high brow performance piece, rather than a musical.
Just thought of something that Bob 30 reminded me of, be aware when you see American Idiot it only lasts for about 90-100 minutes and there is no interval.
I hope they can recreate the aerial choreography and Kevin Adams amazing lighting, which was done on Broadway.
Phantom of London: be aware when you see American Idiot it only lasts for about 90-100 minutes and there is no interval Mayflower Running Times: Approximately 1 hour 49 minutes, including one interval. Times given are for guidance purposes only and can change. Looks like they have added and interval or The Mayflower thinks they have!
American Idiot did have an intermission (interval) at one point during its initial run at Berkley, but at that point the show still had an actual book. Michael Mayer eventually decided it was better to let the audience guess at the plot than explain it to them, which is partly why I consider the show a performance piece rather than a musical. Unlike other rock operas, or even sung through musicals, there is no clearly defined plot, what happens when Johnny and his friends attempt to leave suburbia for the big city in a post 9/11 America. There is no conflict (antgonist). The characters names are rarely mentioned or even given (extrodinary girl, whatshername). The audience is simply searching for meaning in a similar way to the protagonists of American Idiot.
It ended with Heather and Will's breakup (Loved the physical theatre at this point) and Act two began with The Extraordinary Girl sequence, complete with aerial choreography.
Just got back and i LOVED this show, absolutely amazing the symbolism and contempary vibe was so unique and involving for the audience. The plot was pretty easy to follow due to Johnnys spoken interludes like diary entries, are these new or have always been there?
The harmonies during 21 guns are beautiful and the highlight of the show was "Favorite Son" the imagery and themes here where striking and beautifully done.
Seeing this in a few weeks in Manchester (along with 9 to 5) and cant wait. Sadly it's sales are not great in Manchester for the 2 weeks it's here, hopefully they will pick up. Bob the diary entries were always in and 21 Guns is STUNNING
I saw the show tonight and loved it. Still not really sure what happened or if it was a happy ending though! A very different audience to the normal theatre crowd, biggest queue I've ever seen at the merchandise stand and they wanted £10 for a programme (which looked like the American one with a cast list insert as far as I could tell).
Sales aren't great here either but a fullhouse tonight and a standing ovation that was thoroughly deserved, you'll love the show! 21 Guns gave me chills it was a masterpiece!
Did they still have a static set with a lot of televisions as the backdrop? Do they still dump a television into a shopping trolley, then hoist it to the fly area?
Glad everyone enjoyed it, I am sure tickets will pick up once positive notices start to come out.
Also saw it last night and LOVED it. I saw it on B'way bout 3 years ago, and from what I can remember the set was IDENTICAL. Including the shopping trolley with TV, girl hung upside down at the styart when they are watching TV, and the scaffold tower which flips over and is wheeled off through the massive door.
The cast were good, though a bit shouty near the start, though I feel there were sound issues throughout the entire thing. Behind me in the stalls, were a row of Americans with official badges and lanyards on, some of whom I recognised as the original Director and Producer, and they made a lot of notes, and I saw them talking in depth to the lighting and sound guys as they left, so hopefully things will become crisper and sharper as it goes on. The casts energy really was electric, and even though they have all been doing the show in USA, you could tell they were thrilled to be premiering the show in England, and ALOT of cheering could be heard backstage as we were leaving.
The programme is £10 and is the Broadway photo brochure with a current cast list insert.
The interval did come before the extrodinary girl sequence, and I quite liked having the interval there and I feel it did work, I just dont see how it is neccesary for a show of this length though.
I would reccomend it though and am in fact returning tonight, so will be intresting to see if things are sounding/looking a bit better!
I saw the show on Broadway a few times where there was no interval. I guess I could see how it would work given it's place in the storyline. However, considering that the show is only an hour and a half without one, and that the cast had been touring the show without one I am unsure as to what their reasoning was to put one in.
Loved the show so much that i have just paid double the price of my Southampton ticket to see it at the Hammersmith Apollo, on the 15th December. Cannot wait!!!!
At my most brutal, I thought it was something of a glorified rock concert that didn't make a strong enough attempt to theatricalise the score rather than just sing through it in the same order as on the album.
Alex Nee was terrific as Johnny, but it was hard for the rest of the cast, since none of the characters are especially endearing, half of them can't decide whether they want to take drugs or not and others spend an hour and a half sitting on a couch, complaining about it.
Also the interval was ridiculous, incredibly abrupt and nothing more than a blatant attempt to sell ice-creams, which is a little depressing.
Well, I have just seen this show twice this week in Cardiff and have one word: WOW.
American Idiot is quite simply one of the best things I have ever seen. Not only is the music incredible and the performances of this cast great, but the storytelling is so powerful and moving. If Brecht were alive right now, I have no doubt that THIS is the kind of theatre he'd be creating (haha)!
The band are amazing too, and Tom Kitt's arrangements are brilliant, the string arrangements especially are very beautiful, although I couldn't work out whether the violin was on the synth or a click track.
I feel so privileged to have seen this show twice and if anyone is even thinking about seeing it, GO, you will almost certainly not regret it.
Special mention to Alyssa Dipalma whose performance of "Letterbomb" is quite simply one of the most intense, spine-tingling moments I've ever experienced!
Also, though I wouldn't be bothered if it wasn't there, the interval worked and I didn't feel that it was an intrusion at all.
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joined:10/7/11
Posted: 10/7/12 at 12:16pm