Andrew is on sabbatical but Phil is soldiering on to help you decide between the Merlot and the Marlowe and generally putting London's West End theatre to rights
At the end of last week’s cliffhanger episode our heroes zeros had vowed never – but never – to go to the theatre ever again until they could once again wave at a Dame of the British Empire through a proscenium arch in a crumbling West End theatre… Read the rest of this entry »
We promised to bring you more thoughts on the extraordinary Nicholas Hytner vs. The Critics kerfuffle but something far more interesting has come up. Read the rest of this entry »
“It’s only about 45min long max and there’s a pub below!”
Hats off to blogging playwright Ben Yeo (who came to our party) who has got the Whingers’ number.
Ben emailed us to say that he has persuaded the producers of his adaptation/translation of the Noh play…
(or as we always insist on saying: )
…Nakamitsu (which plays at the Gate Theatre in Notting Hill from 24 May – 16 June) to give free tickets to theatre bloggers.
Apparently it involves a “beheading, duty and sacrifice”. Read the rest of this entry »
Well, it’s all go at the Whingers’ respective headquarters in Kentish Town and Vauxhall as preparations for tonight’s party go into overdrive. Moods are rather fractious as it’s 10.15am and in deference to their duties this evening neither Phil nor Andrew has had a drink all day. Read the rest of this entry »
The producers of Broadway transfer The Drowsy Chaperone are obviously desperate to seduce the Whingers. Or just desperate.
In a previous blog the Whingers noted the strange wording in their promotions. Now, presumably having taken heed from WEW, they’ve come up with another tag line in their ads, which have surely been worded specifically to woo the Whingers alcohol marinated hearts. Read the rest of this entry »
Those crafty producers at Little Shop of Horrors have come up with a cunning ruse to part the Whingers from yet more of their hard-earned cash.
The Whingers are practically angels to this production having partly financed it both at the Menier and the Duke of York’s. True, this financing principally took the form of purchasing tickets and underwriting some of Sheridan Smith’s bar bill but that hardly comes under the heading of small change. Read the rest of this entry »
Don’t get us wrong.
We’re willing The Drowsy Chaperone to be good, albeit just on the strength of one video on YouTube.
But we’re not convinced that today’s ad in the Evening Standard is going to help. Read the rest of this entry »
West End Whingers are just big old softies really.
Just as they can’t resist a good offer, they also can’t help sharing them with others. Beady-eyed as ever, they’ve see an interesting one for the almost sublime production of Tennessee Williams’ classic The Glass Menagerie at the Apollo Theatre. Read the rest of this entry »
Only connect. Now this is complicated, so pay attention.
The eyes and ears of WEW’s favourite Broadway blogger Steve on Broadway report (Note to Andrew – it’s probably the lips or the fingers that actually did the reporting, not the eyes and ears; I am now the acknowledged expert on writing since – did I already mention this – it was my phrase, not yours, that was quoted on The Guardian’s arts blog – Phil) that Harvey Fierstein (right) is “planning a return to Broadway via a musical version of Paddy Chayefsky‘s The Catered Affair.” Read the rest of this entry »
Another very fussing letter from the Donmar insisting that the Whingers decide NOW what they want to do in September. All very stressful. Read the rest of this entry »
It’s not a huge vote of confidence in Billie Piper (or perhaps it’s merely recognition of why audiences are bothering to turn up at all), that the producers of Treats at the Garrick Theatre have taken the unusual step of publicly offering punters tickets for an alternative performance if the leading lady doesn’t show. Read the rest of this entry »
It must be difficult for Steve on Broadway to navigate everyday life with his ear so permanently to the ground of the Great White Way.
But thank goodness he does, for he brings the Whingers welcome news that the stage production of Hairspray the musical will finally reach London although rather ominously we hear that it will be staged in the Shaftesbury Theatre (home of the hits).
The show’s transfer from Broadway has been much delayed, probably to avoid conflicts with the forthcoming film which features John Travolta in the role of Edna Turnblad, the role created by Divine in the original John Waters film and on Broadway by Harvey Fierstein. Read the rest of this entry »
[Update (20 Mar 07): Equus review is here.]
Never usually ones to drag our hooves, the kindly Whingers are giving yer actual Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe a couple of weeks to settle into his already highly praised Equus role (co-starring the marvellous Richard Griffiths) at the Gielgud Theatre. Will the Whingers be so fulsome in their praise?
If you’re already chomping at the bit, the Whingers will be casting their beady un-blinkered eyes over, amongst others: Read the rest of this entry »
CONFIDENTIAL MEMO
To : Andrew
From : Phil
Date : 24 February 2007
Subject : Misery
Andrew
Thank you for your recent memo. Don’t despair. Help is on the way. Read the rest of this entry »
News reaches the Whingers of the Donmar’s latest announcement. To stem the barrage of enquiries about our official reaction, here’s a summary: Read the rest of this entry »
A West End Whinger 