The Corner Shop
26th June 2018
Needless to say, Alice Saville’s recent Exeunt piece To all the shows I didn’t go to struck a chord with us Shoppers.
There’s just not enough hours in a day and days in a year to catch everything we want to see, and too often we find ourselves feeling blue over a missed theatre opportunity.
As Alice points out, we’ll never truly understand what we missed out on, because once a show has gone, it’s gone.
In light of this, take a look at some of the shows our Shoppers regret not seeing.
Angels in America
It was only last year but I already regret not seeing the National Theatre revival of Angels in America. I did try, but wasn’t quite committed enough to obtaining tickets and gave up far too easily. Every time I hear someone talk about how great it was, or I see it getting another award, I know I’ve missed out on something pretty big. I’m sure it will come around again sometime in the future, but I will always be royally gutted that I didn’t see that production.
Amy
Pippin (2013 Broadway version)
I really loved the intimate and hilarious Manchester Hope Mill version of Pippin that came to the Southwark Playhouse this year. It’s such a weird meta show with amazing Stephen Schwartz songs and fabulous Bob Fosse choreography. I’m sad I was not able to see the 2013 Broadway revival, a full-on circus show with acrobats and elaborate numbers. That comedy legend Andrea Martin was involved was the cherry on the cake I’ll never be able to eat!
Augustin
Angels in America Part. 2
I’ve always loved Angels in America – I’d read the scripts, watched the TV adaptation and was waiting for the day for it to come to London. That day came and I saw Part 1, – I knew I was going to love it but I was blown away more than I even imagined I would be. I was equally as excited to see Part 2… until I found out it was 4.5 hours long… I regret I didn’t brave it.
Charlotte
Jerusalem
It wasn’t for lack of trying, but that’s still not a good enough excuse for missing this show. I’m actually embarrassed to admit it, a little ashamed of not trying harder. It’s not just that it’s so seminal, it’s that even before it became the stuff of legend it had all the key ingredients I always look for. Often I’ll book a ticket based on one key ingredient (writer, director, company, actor). I did try, but I gave up too easily. I’ll survive, obviously, but I’ll never have the memory of seeing Jerusalem. I’ll never forget not seeing it.
Clair
Follies and Gypsy
I think Imelda Staunton is phenomenal and was desperate to see both of these but sadly never got the chance to. I think it was probably just because I was a student whilst both of these shows were running so funds were a little low – but thankfully Follies is making a comeback so I’m really excited for that and will definitely be trying to get tickets!
Lydia
Barber Shop Chronicles
I really have no excuse. After the incredible reviews came out, I entered Friday Rush… every week. In hindsight, I should’ve just booked it in the first place. Week on week, I’d speak to another Barber Shop enthusiast, which resulted in that ‘theatre ache’ you get in your belly when you feel like you’re really missing out. I won’t be making that mistake again.
Natasha
The Ferryman
Mine would definitely be The Ferryman. Everyone was telling me how great it was and it was on my list for the longest time until…until it was too late! My problem is I always book tickets last minute and then either cannot find ones on the day I want to go or they cost more than my bank account allows. Do I regret not seeing this? 100%! Most of the time if I miss out on a show I forget about it in a month but with The Ferryman I feel like I have missed on a true experience.
Nikola
Ben Platt in Dear Evan Hansen
After listening to the soundtrack a trillion times, I just wanted to see Ben Platt’s vulnerable cry-singing, that snotty voice-tremble and the puppy dog sadness of his face. But alas, I couldn’t afford a trip to NY, so my dreams are over. There are rumours that the show is coming to the UK, but let’s be
honest, I doubt Ben will be there.
Sam
Angels in America
Angels in America – and I had a ticket, well two, or in fact four counting my partner’s. I’d managed to get tickets the day of on-sale with a three-week gap between parts 1 and 2 and then I threw it all away to go and volunteer at a festival, and it wasn’t even Glastonbury. I’d like to say I spent loads of time seeing great acts there, but in reality I was mainly in a small and hot cabin rueing my discarded NT ticket among many other things between a drip-feed of entrants. My partner called me after seeing part 1 and, to quote, “I don’t want to tell you how good it was, and our seats were amazing, I’ve never been that close to such great actors before.” Then it went on to win an Olivier, then it transferred to Broadway where even more people saw it and it won a load of Tony’s. At the same time I also missed out on a stonking one-off UK hip hop gig with a dreamy line-up of K-Lashnekoff, Roots Manuva, Joe Buhdha, Blak Twang, Ty, Task Force… I could go on but I already have. Poor life choices.
Su-Ann
