Category Archives: Theatregoers short-changed

Everyone’s a critic: preview reviews are in for Benedict Cumberbatch as Hamlet

Posted on August 10, 2015 by rageoffstage

Two of our favourite topics collided this week in the ‘outrage’ at newspapers publishing early reviews of Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet.  Yes, it’s the circular argument about whether it’s OK to review a preview, of which we have already written, and … Continue reading →

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Hello? The Book of Mormon tops the league table for overpriced tickets….again

Posted on July 18, 2015 by rageoffstage

According to The Stage, there’s a new league table in town, and theatres seem to be clammering to be at the top of it. Yes, this is The Stage’s new annual ticketing survey, which declares ‘The Book of Mormon’ winner … Continue reading →

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Many ways of going forward, but only one way of standing still*: Things we want to say about disability and theatre

Posted on March 24, 2015 by rageoffstage

Last month we went to see a play at the Park Theatre, ‘Kill Me Now’. We enjoyed the play and the production, but we did question whether an able-bodied actor was the only option to play one of the key … Continue reading →

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Car crash theatre: Why won’t the critics defend quality in the West End?

Posted on December 15, 2014 by rageoffstage

Apparently, Lindsay Lohan has finished her West End stint as Karen in David Mamet’s ‘Speed the Plow’, and she is so delighted with how it all went that she is now contemplating a second Mamet play.  ‘One Mamet down’ she … Continue reading →

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The Stage 100 – movers and shakers or users and takers?

Posted on January 15, 2014 by rageoffstage

It’s probably fair to say that we are not exactly the target audience for the Stage 100 list, a list of ‘movers and shakers’ in the theatre world published annually by ‘The Stage’ since 1997.  We’ve never been great fans … Continue reading →

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Pandora’s box office: Theatre ticket agencies go viral

Posted on December 9, 2013 by rageoffstage

Do we even need to write a post on this topic, we ask ourselves?  After all, most of the time, we avoid ticket agencies as much as we can. However, seeing this picture of Sir Howard Panter in the papers … Continue reading →

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A winning formula? Cameron Mackintosh reveals the secrets of his success in Musical Theatre

Posted on November 29, 2013 by rageoffstage

We commented recently in a post about previews that the wrong people seem to be in charge of theatre, and in a recent episode of the highly entertaining Channel 4 series The Sound of Musicals we saw a perfect example of … Continue reading →

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West End previews: Audience-sponsored rehearsals or public performances?

Posted on November 2, 2013 by rageoffstage

With the opening of Tim Rice’s new show ‘From Here to Eternity’, we had the rather interesting juxtaposition of Rice, outspoken as usual, criticising the practice of endless previews, whilst the producers of the show did their best to convince … Continue reading →

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Nothing will come of nothing: why actors need to be paid for their work

Posted on June 16, 2013 by rageoffstage

Here’s a question: what’s the one thing you can’t do without if you want to put on theatre?  Actors.  And which category of worker is least likely to get paid when budgets are tight?  Yes, you’ve guessed it, actors.  Why … Continue reading →

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Tom Hooper’s movie puts the misery back into ‘Les Miserables’ and takes the ‘musical’ out

Posted on January 14, 2013 by rageoffstage

Having expressed our views about the hype surrounding Tom Hooper’s new film version of ‘Les Miserables’, and our concerns that the casting would prove as disappointing as it was for the 25th Anniversary concert, we felt it was time to give … Continue reading →

Posted in Franchise musicals, Reviews, Theatregoers short-changed | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The pain goes on and on: Will it be a ‘Les Miserables’ new year for fans of musical theatre?

Posted on December 11, 2012 by rageoffstage

Ever since Cameron Mackintosh announced that he favoured Alfie Boe to play Jean Valjean in the film version of ‘Les Miserables’, declaring that screeching musical theatre voices wouldn’t work, we have had to face the possibility that this film might not be for … Continue reading →

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We un-happy few: Are there really ‘so few leading men?’

Posted on August 9, 2012 by rageoffstage

Andrew Lloyd Webber caused some consternation by declaring that there are ‘so few leading men’ during the semi-final of his casting show ‘Superstar’ a couple of weeks ago.  Are leading men really an endangered species?  And what is a ‘leading … Continue reading →

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Beware the false prophet: Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Superstar

Posted on July 22, 2012 by rageoffstage

There is something oddly touching about Andrew Lloyd Webbers’ move to ITV for his latest casting show Superstar.  It’s as though he’s found his spiritual home.  What a relief it must be not to have to pretend that there is … Continue reading →

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Small is beautiful: a study of theatre pricing as if theatre mattered

Posted on April 22, 2012 by rageoffstage

In his book ‘The Undercover Economist’, Tim Harford investigates the question, why can you never seem to get a decent meal in a tourist area.  His answer is interesting.  It is not just to do with the obvious connection between … Continue reading →

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Give ’em the old razzle dazzle: Are TV casting shows here to stay?

Posted on February 15, 2012 by rageoffstage

According to Wikipedia, Noel Coward is attributed with the following quotation:  “The moment you have arrived in the profession is when you realise you don’t have to read ‘The Stage’”.  Now there’s an incentive for aspiring actors.  We can’t help … Continue reading →

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