Quantcast

Terri Paddock
By Terri Paddock

Boss Blog: The Lure of the Longrunner - & Other Tourist Tales

Date: 29 March 2011

My 18-year-old nephew visited me from California this month. Over the ten days of his holiday visiting his Aunt Terri (he arrived early the morning after the Oliviers – that was a fun, bleary-eyed trip to Heathrow), there was no question that he’d be seeing a fair share of theatre, more theatre than he’s probably seen in the past ten years. And though he’s not a regular theatregoer by any stretch, he was up for it. Not just in terms of getting a taste for London life, but more specifically getting a taste for his favourite aunt’s London life.

So I rolled out the red carpet, literally. I wangled us first night tickets, complete with after-parties, to two premieres – Neil LaBute’s two-hander In a Forest, Dark and Deep on his first night and Kneehigh’s The Umbrellas of Cherbourg on his last night – as well as tickets to that quintessential English comedy, Noel Coward’s Blithe Spirit. And, as an added bonus, he got a private tour of the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Andrew is a 6’1”, 19 stone, American football defensive linesman – he’s a big guy, mad about sports, history, rap music and his college girlfriend. Some of the things that impressed him surprised me, some didn’t.

He’d never heard of either Neil LaBute or Noel Coward, so meeting the former and seeing one of the latter’s best-known plays was no big deal. For In a Forest, Dark and Deep, he was however delighted to be able to text his friends that, at the after-party, not only did he get to meet “Jack from Lost and Bruce Willis’ wife from The Sixth Sense” but also, attending the opening, Idris Elba, aka “Stringer Bell in The Wire and the slick boss from The Office (that’s the US version, his girlfriend’s favourite TV show).

Liza Minnelli, who sent the paps and gay men at the Umbrellas opening into a tizzy, didn’t register at all with Andrew – he only vaguely recognised the name as one that comedians sometimes joke about. The explanation that Minnelli is Judy Garland’s daughter was also lost on him.

And while I didn’t think musicals, let alone sung-through French musicals, would be his thing, he absolutely adored The Umbrellas of Cherbourg - and was dismayed to hear that most critics didn’t share his adoration. Most surprising of all, while I busily made arrangements for access to all these great new London offerings, guess what it was that Andrew most wanted to see?

Having travelled across a continent and an ocean, my nephew’s must-see was the West End’s longest musical long-runner, that other sung-through French musical on Shaftesbury Avenue, Les Miserables. When he saw the posters on the Tube broadcasting Les Mis’ three Whatsonstage.com Award wins for its 25th anniversary celebrations last year, he was insistent. (He took photos of those posters, Legally Blonde, Wicked and any others he could find mentioning Whatsonstage.com Awards, bless him.)

In truth, this shouldn’t be surprising at all. While those of us who work in theatre inevitably get caught up in the constant race towards the next big opening, the next big hit, for the vast majority of visitors to London and other audience members, it’s the long-runners with a hard-won international reputation, and an almost mythical aura, that are the real draw. “I saw Les Mis in London!” Andrew was keen to brag to his friends and family, not “I saw the world premiere of a new play”.

Our Awards provide annual proof long-runners are the bread-and-butter of the West End, of course. And, at the Oliviers too, there was a telling moment when the winner of the Radio 2 Audience Award, their prize for long-runners, was announced as We Will Rock You - polite but largely disinterested applause from the celebs and industry guests in the stalls, catcalls and the biggest cheer of the night from the public seats in the upper levels at Drury Lane. If anyone in the stalls had seen We Will Rock You, it probably hadn’t been since it first opened in 2002. More fool, us.

Other theatre things that got the nephew’s enthusiastic thumbs-up: cloakrooms (“how cool, you can pay them £1 and not have to worry about your coat all night!), him being old enough to buy booze at the bars, him being able to take said booze back into the auditorium after the interval (when he could find a plastic cup), chandeliers and other period features (“these theatres are pretty old, huh?”), haunted stories and Whatsonstage.com press quotes on hoardings.

With his history buff hat on, and particularly as a World War aficionado (our itinerary also included a trip to the D-Day beaches in Normandy, the Cabinet War Rooms, the Imperial War Museum and a night in watching DVDs of Saving Private Ryan and The Longest Day), Andrew was disappointed not to able to fit in War Horse or stay long enough for our Whatsonstage.com Outing last night to Flare Path (he does know who Sienna Miller is and loves “the guy who played Marc Antony in Rome, aka James Purefoy). He’s hoping to come back this summer.

- by Terri Paddock


Any opinions expressed above do not represent the view of Whatsonstage.com nor any of its staff or contributors beyond the bylined author.



Related Content

Booking Tickets & Show Listings
Les Miserables Listing Page
In a Forest, Dark and Deep Listing Page
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg Listing Page
Other Posts By Terri Paddock
Boss Blog: WOS 15th birthday: Reporting on the Oliviers over the years - 24th Apr 2012 blog
Boss Blog: WOS 15th birthday, counting years & stats - 2nd Apr 2012 blog
Boss Blog: ETA for New-Look Whatsonstage.com = March 2012 - 26th Sep 2011 blog
Boss Blog: Theatre's Debt to Comedy - 11th Aug 2011 blog
Boss Blog: She-wee, He-wee, We all wee for She-wee - 4th Aug 2011 blog
Boss Blog: Are You Part of Whatsonstage.com's Future? - 11th May 2011 blog
Boss Blog: Friday Capers & Our Twitter Milestone - 12th Apr 2011 blog
Boss Blog: Who's Squealing Like a Stuck Pig? - 5th Apr 2011 blog
Boss Blog: Oliviers 2011 - My View from the Stalls - 13th Mar 2011 blog
Boss Blog: A Personal Awards P.S. - 22nd Feb 2011 blog
 More...
 
Internal Links
Video: Les Mis flash mob crusades at St Pancras - 15th May 2013 tv
Shows extend: Jersey Boys, Viva Forever! & Les Miserables - 5th Mar 2013 news
Les Miserables film breaks UK box office record - 16th Jan 2013 news
Musicals Extend: Les Mis, Phantom & Wicked - 1st Oct 2012 news
Les Mis film cast share details of 'groundbreaking' shoot? - 20th Sep 2012 gossip
Photos: Alexandra Burke performs at Les Miserables for Children in Need - 19th Sep 2012 photos
Burke, Blue & Halliwell join West End casts for Children in Need - 16th Aug 2012 news
Sierra Boggess joins cast of Les Mis? - 15th Jun 2012 gossip
Danielle Hope is new Les Mis Eponine, Tam Mutu plays Javert - 9th Mar 2012 news
Cast: Shannon & Rauch play Jean Valjean, new Jersey Boys - 14th Feb 2012 news
Will more of original Les Mis cast join Ruffelle & Wilkinson on big screen? - 27th Jan 2012 gossip
Phantom Star Ramin Karimloo Tours Solo Show in May - 29th Dec 2011 news
Brief Encounter With ... Alfie Boe - 7th Nov 2011 interviews
Karimloo Stars as Jean Valjean in Les Mis, from 29 Nov - 27th Oct 2011 news
Les Mis Mutters, Pilbrow Praised - 12th Sep 2011 blog
Photos: Tenor Trumps Les Mis In West End Tug of War - 14th Jul 2011 news
Tenor & Les Mis Battle In West End Tug of War??? - 13th Jul 2011 gossip
1st Night Photos: New Les Mis Cast, Boe & Lucas - 24th Jun 2011 photos
Alfie Boe 'Bored Stiff' When He Watches Opera??? - 7th Jun 2011 gossip
Musicals Cast: Full Les Mis, Trafalgar Betwixt! - 31st May 2011 news
Cast: Wilkes Chicago, Sheen Fantine, Union Fings - 5th May 2011 news
WOS TV: Liza Dances 'Ding Ding' with Umbrellas Cast - 11th Apr 2011 tv
Boss Blog: Who's Squealing Like a Stuck Pig? - 5th Apr 2011 blog
Umbrellas Posts Early Closing Notices, 21 May - 4th Apr 2011 news
Wood's Tiger Comes to Tea at Vaudeville, 6 Jul - 25th Mar 2011 news
Karamazov Brothers Fly into Vaudeville, 20 Jun - 24th Mar 2011 news
Review Round-up: Umbrellas Open for Kneehigh - 23rd Mar 2011 roundup
1st Night Photos: Liza Minnelli Shares Umbrellas - 23rd Mar 2011 photos
The Umbrellas of Cherbourg starstarstarstar - 23rd Mar 2011 reviews
Opening: Umbrellas, Incredible & Remembrance - 21st Mar 2011 news
Longrunners Extend: WWRY, Mousetrap, Les Mis - 21st Mar 2011 news
Stars Rain on WOS Outing to Cherbourg - 17th Mar 2011 blog
Review Round-up: Were Critics Lost in the Forest? - 16th Mar 2011 roundup
1st Night Photos: Fox & Williams Open In a Forest - 15th Mar 2011 photos
In a Forest, Dark & Deep starstarstar - 15th Mar 2011 reviews
Opening: Forest, Ecstasy, Rosenbergs & Knot - 14th Mar 2011 news
Show Photos: Matthew Fox & Olivia Williams in Forest - 10th Mar 2011 photos
WOS Radio: Williams, Fox & LaBute in Dark Q&A - 10th Mar 2011 radio
LaBute, Fox and Williams Go Dark & Deep in Q&A - 10th Mar 2011 blog
Mackintosh Makes Acting Debut with Lucas & Boe??? - 2nd Mar 2011 gossip
Alfie Boe & Matt Lucas Confirm for Les Mis, 23 Jun - 23rd Feb 2011 news
Photos: Fox & Williams Prepare to Premiere Forest - 18th Feb 2011 photos
Photos: Rice Rehearses Cast for French Umbrellas - 3rd Feb 2011 photos
WOS Radio: Edward Seckerson Talks to Alfie Boe - 20th Dec 2010 radio
Jean Valjeans Raise Funds for Troop Tickets??? - 13th Dec 2010 gossip
Alfie Boe Revisits Les Mis in West End, Jun 2011 - 26th Nov 2010 news
Musicals Cast: Falls, Love Story, Gates Les Mis - 14th Oct 2010 news
WOS TV: Les Miserables Marks Epic 25th Birthday - 4th Oct 2010 tv
Photos: Les Mis Company of Companies for 25th - 4th Oct 2010 photos
WOS Blog: Les Mis Celebrates In Style at The O2 - 4th Oct 2010 features
Artist Seeks Likeness in Les Mis Cast??? - 1st Oct 2010 gossip
Final Tickets for Les Mis at The O2, Tube Strikes - 1st Oct 2010 news
Les Mis at O2 Broadcast to Cinemas, NT Expands - 29th Sep 2010 news
Who Would Have Dreamed? Les Mis Hits 25 - 13th Sep 2010 features
Extensions: Sheridan Smith's Elle, Boheme & Mis - 26th Aug 2010 news
One Day More for Les Mis Celebrations??? - 14th Jul 2010 gossip
Nunn Sparks Row Over Anniversary Les Mis Tour - 30th Jun 2010 news
Photos: Jonas Brothers Cause a Stir at Les Mis - 22nd Jun 2010 news
Les Mis Has 25th at O2 with Lucas, Boe & Salonga - 2nd Jun 2010 news
Cast: Nick Jonas Joins Les Mis, Quinn Gets Dirty - 28th May 2010 news
Mackintosh Slashes May Musical Prices by 45% - 14th May 2010 news
Les Mis Tour Visits Barbican for 25th Anniversary - 15th Mar 2010 news
Les Mis Marks 25th Birthday with Major New Tour - 16th Jun 2009 news
- 1st Sep 2000 green+room
Les Miserables starstarstar - 1st Nov 1997 reviews


Reader Comments


CommentDate
Ah! Bless... - Richard Voyce

29 Mar 11


Write a Comment
Give us your opinion on this entry
Comment:
Name:
Required, will appear on website
Email:
Required, will not appear on website
Confirm: Please type in
Please enter this number > SEVENTY-EIGHT < Just the two digits only, without any spaces.

Free Newsletter

Subscribe to our free newsletter


Featured Video

Twitter

Featured Editor's Picks

Jonathan Coy, Felicity Kendal, Kara Tointon & Max Bennett. Photo: Dan Wooller1st Night Photos: Kimberley Walsh & Denise Van Outen toast Tointon in Relatively Speaking
Strictly Come Dancing stars Kimberley Walsh, Denise Van Outen and Artem Chigvintsev toasted former S...

Tom Hiddleston. Photo: Dan WoollerDonmar stages Nick Payne premiere, Wesker's Roots & Tom Hiddleston in Coriolanus
The Donmar Warehouse has announced its new season, which features the premiere of Nick Payne's new p...

Kara Tointon. Photo: Nobby ClarkLive Tweeting: #WOSOuting to Kendal & Tointon in Relatively Speaking with Q&A
Tonight (21 May 2013) we're taking almost 140 Whatsonstage.com theatregoers to see Relatively Speaki...

Sealed with a kiss: <em>Spiderman<em>ATG acquires Broadway's largest theatre The Foxwoods, home of Spider-Man
In another significant step for transatlantic theatre relations, the UK’s biggest theatre ...

Video: Sheila Hancock shows wild side in Barking in Essex trailer
As this new trailer reveals, Sheila Hancock has had a dramatic TOWIE-style makeover for her forthcom...

Kara Tointon in Relatively Speaking Review Round-up: Critics convinced by Relatively Speaking?
Lindsay Posner's revival of Alan Ayckbourn's Relatively Speaking opened at the Wyndham's Theatre las...

Felicity Kendal. Photo: Nobby ClarkRelatively Speaking
starstarstarstar
Goodness knows why Alan Ayckbourn's debut success has had to wait 46 years for its first West End ...

Matilda on BroadwayMatilda on Broadway wins five Drama Desk Awards
The Broadway transfer of Matilda The Musical has won five gongs at the 58th Annual Drama Desk Awards...

Ayad AkhtarPulitzer winner Ayad Akhtar: Islam is 'ripe territory' for drama
Ayad Akhtar's play Disgraced, which won the 2013 Pulitzer Prize for Drama, receives its UK premiere ...

Ripe for revival? The Pirate QueenTen of the Best: Theatre 'flops' ripe for reinvention
Defining a theatre 'flop' is no straightforward task. A general rule of thumb could be that it mak...
>> More Editor's Picks
>> Most Recent Stories
>> Most Popular Stories

Follow Us

Facebook Twitter Google Plus YouTube