Hi Kay,

Golly, has Wicked really been going for over 21 years? The London production of 'Cats' closed on its 21st birthday in 2002. It had, to be fair, been heavily subsidised by income from 'Starlight Express', which ran concurrently until January 2002, closing after only 16 years... the story of the closing of Starlight is best left for the relevant forum, but basically the theatre it was housed in was sold, and the usual structural survey revealed a lot of skate-race-related damage to the fabric of the building, so it had to close. Well, that's what we were told, anyway... and without the extra money from Starlight, Cats couldn't survive in the New London. It was a very sad few months for Cats and StEx fans.

It's nice to have someone with close links to the industry on the boards!

Golly, has Wicked really been going for over 21 years? The London production of 'Cats' closed on its 21st birthday in 2002.


Guess I didn't really make myself clear. The London-style "Cats" didn't make it over to the U.S., and it was a span of just a few years. I don't know whether the version I saw in 1982 changed while still playing in London, but the one I saw there was quite different than the one in Los Angeles in around 1985 or so.

That's what I meant when I said that "Wicked" has lasted longer than the London "Cats."

Kay

How can anyone criticize Stephen Schwartz's lyric when that ape Tim Rice still has show's with his lyrics running? Btw the idea that a musicals financial success is somehow separable from it's "quality" is complete preposterous and implies some sort of moronic idea of "objectivity" in music. If a lot of people love the music (which they do, it would be stupid to argue) then it's good and there is no "higher" standard to hold it to. That being said if you don't like it then you're entitled to that but please stay away from criticizing it with "authority".

Well said. A very good point there.

Thank you kindly, glad you agree