*FOR T&CS SEE P187
London
need to know
(
120
)
number of West End and regional
theatres in London
(
61
)
years Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap
has been running
(
9
)
Number of Tony Awards won by
Book of Mormon
easyJet
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Two nights B&B at 3* Central Park
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07
Anna Nicole: a comment
on media hype?
08
The naughty puppets of
Avenue Q
“ON POSTERS IT SAYS:
‘BRING A RAINCOAT’...
ARE YOU SERIOUSLY
SAYING
PEOPLE
MIGHT GET COVERED
IN BLOOD
?”
South Park,
which grossed over £2million on its
opening day, breaking West End records and going on
to become London’s smash-hit musical of 2013.
It’s given the whole industry a boost, reports Alain
Airth, Deputy Managing Director at theatrical
marketing agency AKA. “Those musicals that are edgier
attract musical lovers, but also that core regular theatre
audience in London who see mainly plays, but choose to
go to that one musical everyone’s talking about.
“There was a period when people felt the success of
mega musicals was the death knell of straight plays in
the West End. I think that the balance has now been
redressed, which is great, particularly for tourists
coming to London. They can quite easily see a straight
play followed by an edgy musical.”
So what does the future look like? Hopefully, says
Alain, we can expect more of the same. “When people
see the success of shows like the
Book of Mormon
and
Avenue Q
, it inspires more creative teams to be
adventurous. When they see that audiences can
embrace something different, it inspires a whole
generation of other people.”
In fact, 2014 already looks bright for quirky musical
theatre, with US import
Urinetown
– an unlikely
dystopian musical about toiletry access – opening in
February, and
American Psycho’s
eagerly anticipated
second run going on sale on 5 December.
There are already rumours of a West End transfer, but
for now, back at the Almeida, rehearsals are still in full
flow. And I have just one more question for Sheik. “On
posters it says: ‘Bring a raincoat’... Are you seriously
saying that people might get covered in blood?”
He thinks for a moment, then smiles before
answering. “I’m sure my colleagues will find a way to
stage the violence that is compelling and cool and really
intense, and...” he pauses for dramatic effect, “won’t
require dry cleaning.”
PHOTOS
EYEVINE, MELISSA CADBY, REX
07
08
0 9 0
A L T P A N T O
L O N D O N
