I couldnt see this mentioned anywhere on here but i noticed the advertisment for La Cage aux Folles had disappeared from the Mayflower website and apparently the whole tour has been cancelled. Anyone know the reason why?

Hmmm its still showing on all other websites that the tour was headed to.

On The Lowry website, you can't book any more and there's an official notice that the tour has been cancelled. I guess it is true then...

There were still loads of adverts for it in Bromley last night.

Perhaps the show's West End run will be extended instead?

yes it has been cancelled i was offered the show on tuesday then my agent called me on wed to say the producers have pulled with no reason...so angry they must off knowen they had plans to do this not fair or professional to waste my time and all the other acotrs they saw saw for this and give us hope of working for year.....thank god i have panto to fall back on.....

Yeah i know the feeling, im in the same situation, however the show is pulled due to casting reasons. Ridicolous i know.

Not ridicolous at all. They need some good names to sell this on the road, and if no one is free or willing then what else can they do. Its not been selling well at all without any cast names

This is The La Cage Aux Folles Guys, The show will sell, it looks like its only doing one week at the venues aswell, people would go to see this, i think its a good thing that the show does not have any names in it, that way we sure expected to see a good show with a good cast, its a shame, i was planning to do a college booking of 100 students to see it, would of been grat show to see. There is too much crap shows touring, and this one was a real turaround i thought.

of cource it would sell without star names it going to sundlerland for fucks sake!!! harldly the west end, shows long ago didnt need stars like the naff hamy john barrowman to ruin it, just good actors to make the role what it is a fantastic one with a well written book and great song ,all this fucken need to have a name shit, it pisses me off!!!....

As good a show as La Cage is (And it is a great piece) I think it would have trouble have had trouble selling on the road on the strength of "Look what a good show this is" as opposed to star names. The London production I believe experienced a dip in sales with Allam and Quast in the time between Norton and Barrowman. The producers must have felt sales with the leads available wouldn't have justified the expenditure

Having said that, it really sounds like they pulled the rug out from under you, offering and then cancelling. Rather poor form on their part

Well ive heard abig name was meant to do it, but has just pulled out, however loking at the tour shedule it looks like the premiere is in Bromley in Feb, which still gives them two months to find someone, so i assuming they will still be looking to put the tour back on

This seems to be very random, the tour looks so promissing, erm Beauty and the Beast, Chitty, all theese silly shows, that sell. on tour. BRING LA CAGE ON TOUR, OR KEEP IT IN TOWN.

I went to my local theatre where it is meant to be on next February and according to them it hasn't been cancelled - they said just the Monday show was cancelled due to the size of the set - takes a long time to put up apparently?!!! They double checked and said as far as they are aware it is still on.

where was that then?

Baghdad

is that in the uk x

Theatre Royal, Brighton

I could Not beleive this news when i found out, WHY,WHEN,WHO AND HOW. If David Grinrod or Pippa Allion was casting this they would of found someone by next week and we wouldnt have a problem, surely they havn't done much castings or search for this.

The 'Official news' states that the tour is postponed until further notice...

and times have now changed and as well as la cage may have done on tour, a star name is the difference between 900 seats and 1,500 and i'm sure the producer and receiving theatre would take the latter figure.

Where does it say the show is postponed until further noticed please?

La Cage Tour Cancelled, Lack of 'Suitable Stars'
Date: 23 October 2009

The UK tour of the multi award-winning Menier Chocolate Factory revival of La Cage aux Folles, which was due to commence in February 2010, has been postponed until further notice.

A statement from producers reads: “Due to the non-availability of suitable star artists for the particularly challenging lead roles in La Cage aux Folles, the producers have regrettably decided to postpone the forthcoming UK tour.”

The sad fact is that this show would not sell in the provinces without big names in the leads. As a theatre we held off booking the show until we had a confirmed cast. Many other venues will have done the same so clearly audiences would feel likewise. I think we often forget, on this board, that the majority of the population is neither as well informed as us or as London-centric!

Seb

who thinks its going to be coming back

I do

The tour has been canceled due to funding issues and Graham Norton not being able to commit to the run.

its got nothing to do with funds, and if so, im sure David Ian can find someone to back the show, i think its totally to do with Graham pulling out at last minute

How far had negotiations gone, Guest starlex?

Ok well i cant see why they wouldnt have funds

they have a set already

costumes already exist

the venues it was going to all belong to ambassordors

the show has already been created.

i can go on,

Erm no they dont, it wasnt just going to their own theatres

Clearly you have no understanding of producing a show

I have no idea if they had funding problems or not but the above is a ridiculous statement. Just because you have a set and some costumes doesnt mean you dont have to raise the capital to actually run the show.

I understand what starlex is trying to say, theese things listed does help in a way, The less things they need to spend money on the better it is for producers and backers to fund the shows, i.e its cheaper. than starting all over again. besides the statement of what the producers are syaing has nothing to do with funds. so i think we should shy away from this.

As has been pointed out on the general set design thread, a touring show needs a new set, sometimes 2 new sets depending on the venues being played; West End sets are not designed for touring. A touring production needs a new cast, full rehearsals, new publicity, new band calls, sometimes new orchestrations. And the running costs on tour include subsistence, touring allowance, overnights for the crew for taking the set down and putting it up. So it might be cheaper but not by as much as some people here might think.

Well like i said its not a funding problem, its` to do with casting

Well i have viewd this post and also been veiwing best and worst of 2009, and La Cage seems to be coming as Favourite alot guys, and its ending when its doing so well, I do not understand, obv we dnt know what happens behind the scene, But i hope there was alot of effort into to preventing this from happening

This La Cage seems to have been a favourite among those who saw it, but it also doesn't seem to have been selling very well - there were lots of discounts available for Douglas Hodge/Denis Lawson and Graham Norton/Steven Pacey, and they were practically giving the tickets away for Roger Allam/Philip Quast. Although it's selling much better with Barrowman, I don't think it's selling out, and it's hardly a big theatre. I can see why they're worried about this selling on tour.

Its also worth pointing out that some shows recruit new orchestra members at each venue, meaning that sometimes there can be a band call at every venue.

Been on the road for 10 years - never heard of this happening on a UK tour. What shows were you thinking of?

Very, very true.

I am reluctant to use the term "provinces" as to me it's derogatory, but I don't think the show would have such appeal in non-cosmopolitan cities. It's a bit of a hard sell.

Saw the show last week and although I loved seeing Miss Barrowman live on stage, I thought the piece itself was decidedly average - lightweight fluff.

Well, i thinj James Dreyfus, please forgive my spelling lol, would make a fantastic albin

Greese for one thing did it, footloose to.

I played in the orchestra for the Grease UK tour from 2005-07 and the band barely changed during this time other than holidays taken, illness etc...

Well grease lets be honest has toured extensively over many years, although i amn't trying to be argumental, i am just trying to add more points to the thread apolgies of my facts aren't as correct as i first thought.

Who was going to be the six cagelles does anyone know?

Well i can not say, however i do know who the 6 Cagelles are, i can safely say, they are hott and very good, even stronger then the present cast now. UK was in for a treat!!!!

I am totally confused - checked yet again with my local theatre where production was due in February and they are still saying it is on - first night definitely cancelled though. I said I heard one of the "main" stars had pulled out but they said there were three other "well known names" ready to take the role - not sure what to think about it all!

Hey, i heard it might be back on too, so the theatre said there is hree well known names

The Lowry have issued refunds to all who have bought tickets! My guess is the theatre is hanging on to your money for as long as possible gain some interest with you money before having to give it all back!!!

Yes, however this doesnt explain the three known names, the show has in mind, the show is scheduled for feb, there is still time to find someone

if that was the case the producers would not have issued a statement saying its not happening and allowing the theatres to give money back, cancelling a show, then re-opening a show will royally piss off the punters!

Face it - the tour isn't going to happen - im as gutted as most people but that is Life!