A couple of weeks ago I was lucky enough to see a couple of Musicals on Broadway in New York. They were the US versions of shows I’ve seen here, both in Manchester and in the West End. It was fascinating to compare the experiences on stage, in the audience and in the cities.
It sounds very glamorous to say I was on Broadway and in the West End but first of all I have to say that watching the shows in Manchester was every bit as good, if not better, than watching them in those more distant venues.
The great advantage of watching top class stage shows in our great City of Manchester is that you don’t have to negotiate the subway or tube and that you don’t have to walk through the overcrowded Times Square of Leicester Square. Don’t get me wrong, it can be quite exhilarating to be in the centre of the action in those two centres of population but trying to find somewhere to eat, a clean toilet or even just somewhere to sit down for five minutes can be exhausting.
New York and London are certainly exciting places to visit, though I wouldn’t want to live in either City. Their choice of theatres and shows is amazing and despite all the myths that audiences are different all over the World, my recent experiences suggest that they’re actually very similar.
It’s certainly fair to say that it’s much cheaper to see a show in Manchester. Tickets on Broadway are generally double the price they are in the West End, which are still more than in Manchester. Two of the shows I saw on my recent trip to New York were Back to the Future and &Juliet. Both opened at the Opera House before transferring to the West End. Both shows were exactly the same, as were the sets. I bought a ticket for Back to the Future for £19.55 in Manchester (albeit a gimmick price because that’s when they time travel to!), whereas the same seat in London is usually about £80 and more like $180 in New York.
One thing I really like about Broadway is that they give everyone a programme as they take their seat. It’s called Playbill and has lots of info about the cast and the show. They’re lovely to keep but also very informative. Here the programmes cost anything from £5 to £15 each.
As for the shows, well &Juliet is a jukebox musical, using the hit songs written by Swedish writer/producer Max Martin. It’s a funny show, based on Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. In England it had Oliver Thompsett as Shakespeare and he played the part perfectly with subtle humour and an authentic British accent. On Broadway, the same part was played by award winning US actor Stark Sands. He played Shakespeare with an American accent and the humour felt dumbed down for the US audience. The original UK version was much better. There’s a UK tour planned next year, I highly recommend it, if you get the chance to see it in Manchester.
Back to the Future has Roger Bart, who originated the role of the Doc in Manchester, reprising the role on Broadway and Hugh Coles has done the same as George McFly. They are both brilliant and the Broadway version was excellent.
In conclusion, if you get the chance to spend a few days on Broadway or in the West End, take it, but if you love musical theatre, just like I do, don’t ever undervalue the amazing theatres we have right here at home. The Palace, the Opera House, the Lowry and the Royal Exchange are amazing. They have a rich variety of ever changing shows that are as good as anything their more glamorous counterparts have on offer but without the hassle and cost. Never take them for granted. Enjoy live theatre, it’s amazing!
Don’t forget my radio show, Break-a-Leg every week, with interviews and music from all things Theatrical. There’s no business like show business!
