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
Ooops. This had fallen down the back of the Whingers’ metaphorical sofa and now seems – strikingly like the Whingers themselves – almost ancient history.
But we were brought up in the distant days when writing thank-you letters was basic manners and although in our defence there has been much thanks given privately, the wonderful people who supported us must be publicly recognised. Read the rest of this entry »
If you don’t read veteran showbiz scribe Baz Bamigboye’s “It’s Friday” column on, er, Fridays in the Daily Mail you won’t have seen a piece mentioning a £100 bet with the West End Whingers.
And for those of you who did see it, the Whingers wish to set the record straight. Read the rest of this entry »
Yes we know. We are getting more insufferably grand by the day. And that grandness is tugging at the already fraying hems of the very fabric of the Whingers’ existence. That fabric being, of course, a fine Gentleman’s Harris Tweed and very old Bri-Nylon* in Phil’s and Andrew’s cases respectively.
But when Producer Sonia Friedman absolutely insisted that it just wouldn’t be a proper opening gala without the Whingers lending their presence at Legally Blonde, refusing might appear petty and churlish and make them appear even grander than they already believed themselves to be. What indeed were the boys expected to do? Read the rest of this entry »
OMIGOD! The Whingers’ biggest ever outing!
OMIGOD! 20 of them. 20 different opinions including one who famously “doesn’t do musicals”. How could one show possibly please this disparate bunch?
OMIGOD! Over the last few months Phil had been bombarded with pink envelopes with that irritating expression embossed in silver upon them as the publicity for Legally Blonde went into hyperdrive. The envelopes each contained a CD featuring (presumably the best) four songs from the show. Phil played a CD once and only once and passed onto Andrew with the words OHDEAR!
As the Whingers and their crew started the long trek down the stairs into the beautiful Art Deco Savoy Theatre they spotted signs telling them that the performance was being recorded and that if they didn’t want their images filmed they should have a word with the management. Would the Whingers’ cover be finally blown? Would they have to adopt their signature poses for the entire evening? How could they possibly find and tell the management in time?
Well they probably could have as the packed house (capacity 1,158) took some seating. Despite urgent entreaties that the performance would start in one minute the curtain went up 10 minutes late. Even worse, programmes were an absurd £6.50* and the show features Phil’s theatrical pet hate park benches – yes two of them! – it was going to take an awful lot of theatrical magic to turn the evening round for the Whingers. Read the rest of this entry »
A West End Whinger 