Starlight eyes Shaftesbury run

[AnythingGoes23]

Burn the Floor is holding a dreary advance and word on the street is that it will not last its 6 months season which starts in a few weeks thru to August when From Here To Eternity comes in.

Rumours are circulating that Bill Kenwright, denied a run a The Phoenix in favour of Broadway transfer of musical Once, is eyeing to bring Starlight in straight off tour and is awaiting for Burn The Floor to open burn thru its advance and announce a quick closure...

I think Starlight has a much better chance at packing them in over the Spring/Summer than Burn The Floor.

[jaqs]

Interesting, the westend was never going to be able to fill both Midnight Tango and Burn the floor at the same time.

Starlight would sell well on TKTS to tourists I guess.

[FireFingers]

Won't it look tiny in the Shaftesbury?

And the Starlight at the Pheonix thing was a joke that escaleted. I know the guy who started it.

[philitalia]

I was thinking the same thing. I love Starlight Express, but I'm not sure about seeing a scaled-down version.

[Princeton Returns]

The Starlight tour has played far bigger venues on tour so it shouldnt be an issue. i never understood whu Burn The Floor was going to do such a big run. i still cant see here to eternity lasting unless they pull a casting coup out of the bag

[JamieHT]

If it does go there - which I would love - I hope they put a bit more money in than the tour and have a small track of some description into the audience, if it's going to be there for 3 months or more, surely it would be possible. If they have to use 3D for the races, hopefully they'll refilm them. Some songs could be reinstated . . .

[CATSNYrevival]

I just wish they'd make a cast recording. Even if it's live. Just do it. How long has it been? A lot of the newer material has never been recorded.

[Phantom of London]

"If it does go there - which I would love - I hope they put a bit more money in than the tour and have a small track of some description into the audience, if it's going to be there for 3 months or more, surely it would be possible. If they have to use 3D for the races, hopefully they'll refilm them. Some songs could be reinstated . . ."

This is a Bill Kenwright production right? Then the production should think itself lucky he has splashed out on Roller-skates.
There is no way they would ever consider going into the audience, this would cost serious money and the show would be on a limited run.

The production in Victoria was unique that it did go into the audience, this wasn't possible in New York, where the skaters stayed firmly on a track that didn't extend into the audience from the stage, the production had that 'iconic' bridge that was flawed from a engineering perspective and eventually failed beyond repair and was left in the one position until the show closed at the Gershwin Theater running nearly 2 years and was a mega-flop.

If you want to see a true spectacular production you have to travel to the Starlighthalle, in Bochum, Germany where a theatre was build especially to house the production and opened June 1998, where it is still running today. Unfortunately if you plan to see the show, you have to sit through it in German.

I wouldn't mind seeing the show myself in Germany, however I am not a real fan of the show.

[FireFingers]

Sadly I think you're right Phantom. There will be no additions or changes if the tour comes in, unless they can do it for free. Maybe a skate park will close at the right time...

I'll just pray for a 30th anniversary celebration thing with a more grandiose staging, or in my head, the track going round the various levels of the Royal Albert Hall, or even the 02.

Well I can dream, can't I?!?

[songanddanceman2]

Make Starlight Express go away, it had to be one of the worst shows i have ever seen an even worse on tour. Dreadful piece of theatre

[JamieHT]

I've seen it in Germany and of course, that is the ideal venue. The 2004-2005 tour had a small catwalk/runway out into the audience. There was a Scandanavian tour which had a small loop into the audience I think, so even for short stops it it possible.

[Jonwo]

Would have thought that if Burn the Floor closed early, something like Derren Brown would be able to come in for a month like he's done in the past. He's touring again this year so I imagine a London run is likely either this year or next if one of the bigger theatres are available,

[alterego]

Is there still an audience for an old warhorse of a show like STARLIGHT EXPRESS? I'd have thought we all buried that along with the other 1980's juggernaut CATS.

[Leadingplayer]

Was the London Starlight or the Broadway Starlight more elaborate?

[Princeton Returns]

considering how well it sold on tour id say theres an audience

[AnythingGoes23]

Cats?! Buried?! Your kidding... Shows like Starlight, Saigon, Phantom and Mis will take generations before being buried, if at all.

They may not ever achieve success as original production but they are hugely bankable tiles hugely well known in the public domain.

[alterego]

Oh I wish they were buried. STARLIGHT was a huge Arena tour in Australia...and was a huge flop, frequently playing to around 2,000 in 14,000 seat arenas.

[coxy84]

I really hope if it does come back to the West End it's a larger scale production. The 3D film really is a bit naff. I've seen the tour twice over the last few years and although the current, updated production is by far the best it's been, it still needs a bigger stage so the cast can actually skate somewhere!! People are always commenting on how good it was in London and how it's not the same. Maybe now is the chance to give people the production they really want to see!! The Shaftsbury could do with a show like Starlight to stay awhile and get rid of it's apparent 'curse'!
ALW was always on about finding a permanent home for it in London, like they have in Germany. I hope they spend a bit of money on it. I know it's a silly show really but it was the first west end show I saw and it will always be one of my favs! I'm sure a lot of people saw it when they were young too and got in to theatre afterwards...

A promo video from the German production here. Very different from the UK tour!!!

Starlight Promo, Bochum

[songanddanceman2]

Please never mention Miss Saigon in the same breath as the dire Cats and Starlight lol

[West_London]

"Please never mention Miss Saigon in the same breath as the dire Cats and Starlightl"


*takes big breath

"misssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcatsmisssaigonstarlightcats"