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Post by Deleted on May 30, 2022 19:06:04 GMT
I don't think the movie would have had much impact as barely anyone saw it or even knew it existed.
I think due to covid we never saw the natural decline after the initial rush of its popularity over the first 6 months to a year. So it reopened and those who wanted to had seen it and it was no longer the hot new show in town. Plus there aren't enough tourists to help sustain it.
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Post by couldileaveyou on Jun 7, 2022 17:07:56 GMT
Closing on Broadway too on September 18th
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Post by partytentdown on Jun 7, 2022 17:08:28 GMT
Also closing on Broadway. That movie has a lot to answer for!
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Post by danb on Jun 7, 2022 17:28:26 GMT
I think people have just seen through its manipulative pseudo emotion and it certainly weakens with each visit. Day seats etc have a lot to answer for when it comes to the likes of DEH because I think once you’ve ‘felt’ it, it is rarely that good again, but the temptation is to go back for ‘only’ £25 just in case it does it again. First time I was underwhelmed due to Sam having laryngitis, second time from the worst seats ever just grabbed me and I felt every word & emotion conveyed, leading us to go back on day seats for a matinee which was just ‘meh’.
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Post by JJShaw on Jun 7, 2022 17:55:58 GMT
I'm simultaneously surprised and not surprised it is closing on Broadway, it seemed to have a much stronger footing over there. There was a very interesting article about it closing early in Toronto, about how it kicked out Come From Away which had been doing stellar (I assume it was a contract thing), died a death after 6 months and CFA came back.
People always say a movie kills the stage production but is this the first time we're actually seeing that? Chicago, Les Mis, Phantom etc their movies didn't impede the closing, Mamma Mia ran for a while on Broadway post movie before closing, can anyone this of a time where the movie did kill the stage show?
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Post by Deleted on Jun 7, 2022 18:39:47 GMT
I think people are vastly overestimating the movies impact. It was a massive flop that barely anyone saw. Vast majority of theatre goers won't even know it exists.
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Post by stuartmcd on Jun 7, 2022 19:15:09 GMT
I think people are vastly overestimating the movies impact. It was a massive flop that barely anyone saw. Vast majority of theatre goers won't even know it exists. That could be part of the problem though. It went from Dear Evan Hansen the critically acclaimed award winning show, to Dear Evan Hansen the critically hated box office flop. People don’t need to have seen it to know what the general consensus and opinion on the film was and it’s that opinion that will be fresher in the general publics mind. I don’t think it’s the only reason not at all. But it definitely won’t have helped. Whereas a good movie would have potentially boosted the box office.
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Post by Raven on Jun 7, 2022 19:21:41 GMT
I really don't think the movie is truly responsible for the show closing. As people have already pointed out, a lot of people didn't even know it even existed as it's never been widely promoted or even advertised on streaming services (I found it on Apple tv but had to search for it specifically). The overall mood and tone of the show is probably not what people were rushing to go and see when coming out of a pandemic, plus danb makes a great point that once you've seen it, there's no real incentive to see it again. I just think DEH has just naturally come to the end of its run, with a smaller target audience compared to other shows and with the not so uplifting storyline.
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Post by edelweiss on Jun 7, 2022 19:45:30 GMT
MickeyJoTheatre has done a good video on this, he makes some interesting points (some which have been mentioned here already):
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Post by Jon on Jun 8, 2022 0:53:44 GMT
The film probably didn't help but I suspect the appetite for angsty musicals has waned from 2016 when it debuted to now.
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Post by anthony on Jun 8, 2022 6:00:38 GMT
I still maintain that its biggest problem is that the stage show itself just isn't very good... I remember before it came to London, people, theatre fans and non-theatre fans were *obsessed* with the cast album. I was too. And I've genuinely never been more disappointed in a production ever. Cast aside, which were largely good, the plot itself (especially the ending) is just poor. It's a big problem when you realise that the main character is just a vile person... there is no likeability there. I remember a lot of the comments here being similar too.
I've seen it twice - once towards the end of previews and again just before the first lockdown and genuinely was really disappointed in both. I don't think Sam Tutty is great, either - both times I saw it, he was vocally very shaky and in some places was just outright screaming the lyrics. All hype, little substance.
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Post by theatreliker on Jun 8, 2022 6:10:53 GMT
Groundhog Day was robbed
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Post by stagebyte on Jun 8, 2022 6:41:57 GMT
Some describing it closing as ‘a flop’ on this board Can we describe it such? DEH began its Broadway run on Nov. 14, 2016, and opened Dec. 4, 2016. At the time that it closes, it will have played 21 preview performances and 1,678 regular performances. West end incarnation opened in 2019. 21 months of shutdown due to Covid Compare this to Cinderella which lasted less than a year and opened to ‘critical acclaim’
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Post by stuartmcd on Jun 8, 2022 6:53:00 GMT
Some describing it closing as ‘a flop’ on this board Can we describe it such? DEH began its Broadway run on Nov. 14, 2016, and opened Dec. 4, 2016. At the time that it closes, it will have played 21 preview performances and 1,678 regular performances. West end incarnation opened in 2019. 21 months of shutdown due to Covid Compare this to Cinderella which lasted less than a year and opened to ‘critical acclaim’ In my post I called it a flop but to be clear that was in reference to the film not the stage show. I think on Broadway it has had a pretty decent run.
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Post by Being Alive on Jun 8, 2022 10:59:53 GMT
The amount of people who saw the film was minimal as it had such a limited release - it was theatre people and not a lot else - so we can't blame the film for its demise.
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Post by Jon on Jun 8, 2022 11:10:05 GMT
Some describing it closing as ‘a flop’ on this board Can we describe it such? DEH began its Broadway run on Nov. 14, 2016, and opened Dec. 4, 2016. At the time that it closes, it will have played 21 preview performances and 1,678 regular performances. West end incarnation opened in 2019. 21 months of shutdown due to Covid Compare this to Cinderella which lasted less than a year and opened to ‘critical acclaim’ A 4 year combined run is more than decent, it's fantastic. Even the West End run of 17 months is not to be sniffed at either.
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Post by sph on Jun 8, 2022 11:15:49 GMT
It wasn't a flop at all, but I think it's a bit of a shock to see how quickly it went from being a hit show before the pandemic to literally dying on its ass afterwards. Pre and post-pandemic ticket sales were just DRASTICALLY different.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2022 11:48:06 GMT
The lack of tourism is obviously hurting theatres, but I also think Dear Evan Hansen just isn't the type of show that majority of people want to see after the toughest two years most of us have seen in our lifetimes. If you are going to spend hundreds on a night out, most people at the moment want to be uplifted and also have somewhat of a guarantee that their money will be well spent. So shows like Frozen, BTTF and Moulin Rouge (plus the long runners) off some spectacle, nostalgia and brand recognition. People can spend a lot of money in the comfort that they are more than likely going to have a good time.
I think the London run could possibly be classed as a flop (in that its unlikely to have returned its investment) but not as big a flop as the Toronto production
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Post by Jon on Jun 8, 2022 11:58:41 GMT
The lack of tourism is obviously hurting theatres, but I also think Dear Evan Hansen just isn't the type of show that majority of people want to see after the toughest two years most of us have seen in our lifetimes. If you are going to spend hundreds on a night out, most people at the moment want to be uplifted and also have somewhat of a guarantee that their money will be well spent. So shows like Frozen, BTTF and Moulin Rouge (plus the long runners) off some spectacle, nostalgia and brand recognition. People can spend a lot of money in the comfort that they are more than likely going to have a good time. I think the London run could possibly be classed as a flop (in that its unlikely to have returned its investment) but not as big a flop as the Toronto production I agree to an extent but there are shows selling out which aren't feel good or uplifting like To Kill a Mockingbird and Prima Facie,
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Post by MusicalTalk on Jun 8, 2022 12:58:28 GMT
I think everyone who wanted to see it - saw it. Then - when 2020 happened and it closed - it probably wasn't missed very much.
Then the film came out and really showed the flaws of the musical (not likeable lead, pretty bland and clichéd songs) and the demand for it was lost. It's good it had its audience here and it won some awards but, I guess, its time has come!
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Post by Deleted on Jun 8, 2022 13:32:44 GMT
The lack of tourism is obviously hurting theatres, but I also think Dear Evan Hansen just isn't the type of show that majority of people want to see after the toughest two years most of us have seen in our lifetimes. If you are going to spend hundreds on a night out, most people at the moment want to be uplifted and also have somewhat of a guarantee that their money will be well spent. So shows like Frozen, BTTF and Moulin Rouge (plus the long runners) off some spectacle, nostalgia and brand recognition. People can spend a lot of money in the comfort that they are more than likely going to have a good time. I think the London run could possibly be classed as a flop (in that its unlikely to have returned its investment) but not as big a flop as the Toronto production I agree to an extent but there are shows selling out which aren't feel good or uplifting like To Kill a Mockingbird and Prima Facie, True but again they have built in recognition in being a famous and often studied novel, and a star lead. So while not uplifting they do offer audiences something to attract them.
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Post by sph on Jun 8, 2022 13:43:18 GMT
Also, To Kill a Mockingbird has arrived on the heels of the Black Lives Matter movement which makes it somewhat timely, even for a classic.
And Prima Facie is a limited engagement, not a long runner, so its ticket sales are going to be a lot more "condensed" per se.
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Post by j85 on Jun 30, 2022 7:12:58 GMT
Saw this last night in one of the 15 quid seats in the grand circle. Got to see more than I thought I would by leaning forward (I was in AA14 so there was no one to get in the way of) and by some creative looking through the rails! There were a few empty seats in the stalls that I could see and a few in the grand circle. Annoyingly some people in the stalls kept checking their phones which was distracting….
Great performances, I knew the soundtrack before hand and the songs I expected to be a bit dreary were, but the big numbers felt even bigger and more impressive. The ‘social media’ voices during You Will be Found were far too loud though. I was distracted by the screens - mainly as they showed so much but also so little (if that makes sense) and one screen seemed to be having a few issues as a techie kept sneaking on to do something to the bottom of it.
It really is a problematic story with no real consequence for Evan, but I’m glad I got to see it, and Sam is fantastic as Evan Hansen.
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Post by A.Ham on Jun 30, 2022 13:11:09 GMT
I saw DEH from that seat too! Wasn’t sure how much I’d like it so opted for a cheap seat on the basis if I loved it I’d go back and see it again from a better seat. Sadly it didn’t blow me away so I’ve not been back, but glad to have seen it, and YWBF was fantastic. I just found lots of the rest of it dragged a bit 😞
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Post by thesoberpanda on Jul 1, 2022 6:30:20 GMT
I get the criticisms about Evan not really having any major consequences apart from losing Alana as a friend but I tend to view it from the mental health aspect of how Evan grows stronger and learns from his mistakes by the end. I can see how it would drag but having listened to the cast recording a lot since its release it's as much about the music for me which for some reason hits me with the feels on so many levels. IEvery key change, harmony and how songs build to a crescendo really gets me. Although Break in a glove seriously needs to get in the bin ... It's a terrible song !!
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Post by jacob on Jul 20, 2022 17:33:16 GMT
finished watching the show today for the first time, won’t go into huge detail as similar comments have already been made .. very pleased with the trip !! Friendly ushers, generous legroom, perfect view, immaculate sound .. I could go on Albeit act 2 is paced strangely and the conclusion is somewhat weak, the cast was superbbb and the songs pleasantly enjoyable +sobbed a little too much
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Post by danb on Jul 20, 2022 18:33:33 GMT
I get the criticisms about Evan not really having any major consequences apart from losing Alana as a friend but I tend to view it from the mental health aspect of how Evan grows stronger and learns from his mistakes by the end. I can see how it would drag but having listened to the cast recording a lot since its release it's as much about the music for me which for some reason hits me with the feels on so many levels. IEvery key change, harmony and how songs build to a crescendo really gets me. Although Break in a glove seriously needs to get in the bin ... It's a terrible song !! I used to think this re: Glove. However once I’d seen the show I realised that it’s all we really get to build Larry’s character and for him to form a relationship with Evan. Knowing a little bit about him and seeing him interact with a male teen that isn’t Connor makes his breakdown in YWBF all the more affecting.
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Post by robertb213 on Jul 22, 2022 8:11:19 GMT
Agreed on Glove, it's definitely my least favourite song and I generally skip it but I understand its place and purpose for the Larry relationship. It could be better though.
I saw the show for the second time last weekend. My first viewing was January 2020, thought it was great but didn't move me emotionally. I've since fallen in love with the show more and seeing it for a second time really hit me. I teared up several times in the first act, and from the start of Evan's confession through to the end of So Big/So Small I was just a crying wreck which I wasn't prepared for. I'm not saying it's a perfect show but nothing gets me 'in the feels' (as the kids say) like this one.
Marcus was on as Evan and he was brilliant, he played it slightly more awkwardly than Sam and didn't quite have the same ease with the high notes, but he was still fantastic, as were the rest of the cast.
I wish they'd incorporate the film ending into the show, with Evan actively trying to learn more about Connor and being able to give the Murphys something real about their son.
I will try and see it a third time before it closes in October. I just need to remember to take tissues now apparently!
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Post by filendile on Aug 27, 2022 14:13:01 GMT
Lisa Brescia from Broadway is playing Heidi today in London.
Anyone know the backstory here?
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Post by anthony40 on Aug 27, 2022 18:16:47 GMT
That's where I know her rom. She's on the cast recording of Ordinary Days
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