22 replies to this topic

[theaterfan14]

I personally am overjoyed with this rumour as i love this show when i saw it on broadway and thought it was really good but my one problem is that it might not last as long as it should because america has that real 80's metal following that i dont think that england has but i hope that it does come over here.

http://www.whatsonstage.com/gossip/theatre...g%3F%3F%3F.html

[Aranel]

I think there is a market for it, even with WWRY.
I think part of the reason WWRY has lasted 7 years so far is because it's one of the only musicals that you can take 'non-musical people' to see!! (ie, blokes who don't do musicals cause it's too 'gay' can justify seeing a musical based on rock songs because it's....well, Rock!!).

Also in the current climate where people aren't so daring when it comes to seeing new musicals, it helps to be full of songs that people know and love.

I personally thought it was ok. Just ok. I thought We Will Rock You is a lot better but not so similar that you couldn't have both running at the same time. There were more songs I didn't recognise in Rock Of Ages than in WWRY but the soundtrack may appeal more to someone slightly older than me (I was born in 1981).
It's a fun show and it would be interesting to see if they bring their drinks policy with them to the West End (they serve during the performance to try and imitate a bar or rock club environment).

I don't think they could go for a big theatre - it is designed for an intimate environment (see above sentance) and I don't think it'd sell well enough to go big.

Will be interesting to see how this develops though.

[Laughingmonsta]

Ive only recently got the soundtrack to this and think its brilliant, cant for the life of me understand why I saw Mary PLOPPINS instead of this when I was in NYC - Please let this be true - only problem I can think of is finding a suitable venue, as its done with table service and bar throughout!

[josh]

Please god no. No. This is exactly the kind of crap that will clog up a lovely west end theatre for 10 years...

[RH1234]

Not another jukebox musical!! We already have 6 playing in London at the moment.

[Weez]

Because original musicals go down SO well at the moment. People were lining up round the block for Marguerite! The New London was crammed to the brim with punters for Gone with the Wind and Imagine This! And need I remind you of the tremendous roaring success of Too Close to the Sun?

Just done a quick rundown of the listings at TheatreMonkey. I count eight musicals/plays-with-music that have jukebox scores, versus thirteen musicals with specifically-written scores (although it's early in the morning, so apologies if my count is off). The original musicals column may be clogged with old shows, revivals, and Broadway transfers, but it still wins.

Jukebox musicals may not be to everyone's taste, but wouldn't you rather see a theatre filled with unoriginal fun that keeps cast, crew, and theatre staff in work, as opposed to empty houses that maintain everyone's artistic integrity but don't put food on the table?

Besides! We may go to the theatre all the time, but the theatre isn't just for us who see as much as we can and support the artform in any way possible. It's also for the once-a-year punters who want to have a great night out at Mamma Mia! or Jersey Boys. They may not go as often, but the success of the shows they go to speaks VOLUMES for their importance as audience members!

I don't know why I'm so defensive of jukebox musicals lately. I'm sorry. But if Rock of Ages wants to come to the West End, and if people want to see it, then there's absolutely no reason to behave like that is a terrible terrible thing. It's not like there's only three theatres in the entirety of London and we're going to lose out on a whole mess of genius by this one show setting up shop for a while.

[cat123]

The ONLY way I would ever see this if it came to the West End would be if they cast Jon Boydon!! He's said himself he wants to be in it!!

[Laughingmonsta]

Well Said Weez! couldnt agree more!

[josh]

I don't know why I'm so defensive of jukebox musicals lately. I'm sorry. But if Rock of Ages wants to come to the West End, and if people want to see it, then there's absolutely no reason to behave like that is a terrible terrible thing. It's not like there's only three theatres in the entirety of London and we're going to lose out on a whole mess of genius by this one show setting up shop for a while.

No no no. Sorry but we have to keep labelling crap as crap. Why should the once-a-year punters only deserve mindless pap like Rock of Ages and Mamma Mia, when once upon a time equivalent shows might have been Hello Dolly or 42nd Street, shows that are fluffy but are actually well-crafted and don't insult the audience's intelligence.  If we just say "ah well, it's not harming anyone" then we are letting rubbish onto the stage uncriticised, and if we do it for long enough, then eventually we won't have anything else, because lazy,  crowd-pleasing rubbish is the cheapest, and the most profitable, to produce...