Motown the musical UK

[dickiemint]

The. Motown musical opens in London on February 11th 2016 do you think that any of the Motown hierarchy will attend the UK Premiere ?

[theboyfromxtown]

Do you mean the artists? Cal hasn't got an invite...yet!

[dickiemint]

Anyone really Berry Gordy Suzzane d Passe Smokey Diana Gladys ? Wish they would bring along the Velvelettes Brenda Holloway Martha Reeves Mary Wilson and give them their dues for keeping the Motown legacy alive in the UK I know Mary and Thelma Huston are in the UK at the end of January

[Bluebrock]

Anyone really Berry Gordy Suzzane d Passe Smokey Diana Gladys ? Wish they would bring along the Velvelettes Brenda Holloway Martha Reeves Mary Wilson and give them their dues for keeping the Motown legacy alive in the UK I know Mary and Thelma Huston are in the UK at the end of January
I think Berry Gordy is attending, and i would expect Mary Wilson to be there whilst she will be on tour. Thelma ? Maybe, but much as a love the lady she isn't really a Motown legend to the uninitiated. Diana has no plans to attend so i'm told.

[dickiemint]

I think a star studded opening would publicize the show, is it creating a buzz in the London West End as it did on Broadway ? I have only. Heard one interview by Berry with Graham Norton

[jobeterob]

Ross is appearing somewhere in the USA that night or the next so she'll be a no go.

[Bluebrock]

I would imagine Smokey will attend if his schedule permits.

[lakedistrictlad1]

It would have been nice if just for one night Ross could have taken a night off from her endless tour and come and said hello to her British fans.

You would think it would have made a nice change for her!

[Bluebrock]

It would have been nice if just for one night Ross could have taken a night off from her endless tour and come and said hello to her British fans.

You would think it would have made a nice change for her!
Yes you would but she seems quite content to continue touring the States with the same tired old set. I can understand her wanting to be near her family at her time of life, and i'm afraid she did not even consider attending the UK premiere. We need to move on and see just who will make the effort.

[copley]

Martha should be invited as she's the voice of Motown in the UK.

[Roberta75]

Martha should be invited as she's the voice of Motown in the UK.

Shes the Global voice and face of Motwon Records. i just checked her schedule and she's free that week. The First Lady of Motown Records should walk in with Mr Gordy.

Roberta

[jobeterob]

Shes the Global voice and face of Motwon Records. i just checked her schedule and she's free that week. The First Lady of Motown Records should walk in with Mr Gordy.

Roberta

Forgive me Roberta, but I gotta throw this in:

"Mr. Gordy ONLY walks in with The Queen".

Smile!

[Bluebrock]

Martha should be invited as she's the voice of Motown in the UK.
That would be nice, especially as she spends such a lot of time over here these days.

[Roberta75]

Forgive me Roberta, but I gotta throw this in:

"Mr. Gordy ONLY walks in with The Queen".

Smile!

Well Queen Diane is on tour as is Mary Wilson so Mr Gordy MUST walk in within the fabulous First Lady of Motown Records Dr Martha Reeves who IS the voice and the face of Motownn

Roberta

[jobeterob]

Well Queen Diane is on tour as is Mary Wilson so Mr Gordy MUST walk in within the fabulous First Lady of Motown Records Dr Martha Reeves who IS the voice and the face of Motownn

Roberta

I agree.

As the sun sets on Motown and many of the Queens, Diane gives them all their moment to shine.

[dickiemint]

Managed to get tickets for opening night so hopeful that there will be a few legends on the red carpet roll on February 11th !!!

[wichmanne]

I think the red carpet might be out on March 8th. That is "press night" according to the original press release.

[dickiemint]

That would be just my luck !! Thanks for the heads up wichmanne

[lester]

I think the red carpet might be out on March 8th. That is "press night" according to the original press release.

Didn't see anyone famous or even anyone that I knew at last nights' opening night, but what an outstanding show on all counts.

Having been a Motown fan for over 50 years, and having all the TMG single 45s, all the TME extended play EPs, all the TML and STML albums, all the TMGT 12'' singles an ZB series 12'' singles on both vinyl and CD, etc. etc. Seen all the live shows, all the movies, have all the autographs, got all the books and magazines, visited the museum on Detroit and the cafe in New York, but last night was phenomenal. There was just so much talent on that stage. I hate to single out any one of them. Costumes, lighting, vocal performances everything about the musical was absolutely spot on. I was expecting the show to be like a "Seaside Special" but forget that completely, last night I witnessed 50 years of my life flashing by me in just 2 and a half hours.

[Bluebrock]

I think the red carpet might be out on March 8th. That is "press night" according to the original press release.

I think you are correct there wichmanne. Perhaps a few legends will be in attendance that night.

[theboyfromxtown]

Didn't see anyone famous or even anyone that I knew at last nights' opening night, but what an outstanding show on all counts.

Having been a Motown fan for over 50 years, and having all the TMG single 45s, all the TME extended play EPs, all the TML and STML albums, all the TMGT 12'' singles an ZB series 12'' singles on both vinyl and CD, etc. etc. Seen all the live shows, all the movies, have all the autographs, got all the books and magazines, visited the museum on Detroit and the cafe in New York, but last night was phenomenal. There was just so much talent on that stage. I hate to single out any one of them. Costumes, lighting, vocal performances everything about the musical was absolutely spot on. I was expecting the show to be like a "Seaside Special" but forget that completely, last night I witnessed 50 years of my life flashing by me in just 2 and a half hours.


I am glad you enjoyed it Lester.

Maybe there were some people there that you did know but perhaps you didn't recognise them!

[dickiemint]

Hi all. I attended the opening night of the musical on Thursday evening and I didn't notice anyone from the Motown family and I did look there was a bit of confusion before the start of the show and they kept the doors closed until after 7pm and there were a lot of people squashed into the foyer of the theatre and I did notice some of the show cast were amongst those waiting to get in.
As for the show itself it was very good with a polished performance from the main characters and great support from the ensemble, members of the Temptations were also countors Commodores and Jackson 5 !!! But they all sang and danced their socks off for the casual fan it is a great show , I noticed a few time line errors and glaring omissions from the show [[ I don't believe that Martha Reeves and the Vandellas were mentioned by name even tho Dancing in the Street was one of the highlights of the first half and I was pleasantly surprised to hear the Velvelettes get a name check early on in the show) for me the standout performers were the young Michael Jackson Berry Gordy and Smokey Robinson who was not utilized enough, most disappointing was Diana Ross she was portrayed as a caricature of the real person which was a bit annoying by the end of the show . The staging and costumes were great and although a bit soulless the music was ok it's a 7 out of 10 from dickiemint .

[theboyfromxtown]

Oooooo.....that name check might persuade me to go!

[bradsupremes]

Interesting the timeline errors weren't corrected. I thought for sure the UK was going to see a slightly different show with improvements for the better. Maybe they'll work it out while its there before it returns to Broadway later this year. The show certainly needs Motown Historian eyes to make the corrections.

[florence]

Has received mixed reviews in the UK.

Here is a link to a few of these:

http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/motown-the-musical-divides-the-critics-_39925.html

Got a good 4 star review in my daiy paper this morning - The Daily Telegraph - but it doesn't appear to be on-line yet.

[jack020]

http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/berry-gordy-smokey-robinson-opening-motown_39923.html?cid=relatedstories
Smokey was there!

[marv2]

So was Mary......

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[TomatoTom123]

I'm seeing the musical this evening!!! Can't wait!! :)

[Circa 1824]

Hey, that's my bath towel !!

[TomatoTom123]

Well...

I LOVED it! It was brilliant. They were all excellent singers and dancers I thought! The guy playing Berry was very good [[he did a lot of singing), Diana was good, and so was Smokey! Loved seeing Holland-Dozier-Holland, Norman Whitfield and Barney Ales in it too! Even The Velvelettes got a mention!!! Most of it was about Diana and Berry with a fair bit of Stevie, Smokey and Marvin - however, The Marvelettes, The Contours, Junior Walker & The All-Stars, Gladys Knight & The Pips, Martha Reeves & The Vandellas and Mary Wells all got a song, which was great! As much as I would have loved to see The Elgins, Undisputed Truth, Velvelettes, Jimmy Ruffin, Marv Johnson [[etc) each sing their big hit I still enjoyed it very much :)

Actually... When I got there all I could see was Motown "M" signs, Motown t-shirts, Motown mugs, Motown EVERYTHING! I thought I had entered some sort of Motown paradise. And then the show started and I was utterly blown away by a brilliant Four Tops-Temptations medley. I thought I had died and gone to heaven... Lol

[TomatoTom123]

Has anyone else seen it and what did they think of it? :)