Death Takes a Holiday
Charing Cross Theatre
SHOW TIMES
Opened: 16 Jan 2017 Booking from: 04 Mar 2017
Booking until: 04 Mar 2017
Duration: 2 hours 15 minutes (including interval)
42 MEMBER REVIEWS
Add a review >- RichardBayton 6"2 male 93 reviews 1 helpful vote
- paulfootie 6'3" male 60 reviews 3 helpful votesDeath Takes a Holiday, 24th January 2017I wanted to see this show and at last got a bargain ticket! Its an excellent show about Death and what happens in the world when he takes a holiday and becomes mortal for two days. Fantastic singers and a wonderful portrayal of the characters. Thoroughly enjoyed it! Will go again as from 11th Feb there is a cast change - Ken Christiansen plays Fidele and James Grant plays Death/ Prince Nikolai Sirki. I have seen James in this production and previously in the Titanic and he is excellent so this should not effect the show!Sat in Stalls R9A good sized seat and comfy. Leg room is good too and being 6'3" that's a consideration. The view is good although it may be far back for some but the seating is in two blocks with an aisle splitting the two blocks. All seats are also raised in the second section so that your knees are level with the back of the seat in front thus if a tall person was in front, you have some height advantage! When I saw the sow the row in front was empty too.
View from Stalls R9 - jamesatwill 178 male 53 reviews 1 helpful voteDeath Takes a Holiday, 14th February 2017I had previously really enjoyed Titanic when it was in this theatre, and thought I would give Death Takes a Holiday a go seeing as the music and lyrics and direction were the same as Titanic. I found it equally as enjoyable - beautiful soaring melodies, really great performances (I was aware that there was a cast change just the day before I saw this production, but the guy playing Death was outstanding - so if you're thinking of not bothering because Chris Peluso has left, think again!), brilliant lighting and costumes. The second act wasn't as strong as the first, and the book was a bit clumsy at points, but overall I found it very enjoyable.Sat in Stalls C1Brilliant seat - for this production this seat was in the second row. The stage is not too high so you don't miss anything, and you don't have to look up too much. The legroom is great, and as this is on the end of a row you can stick your right leg right out without annoying anyone else. You can also escape to the bar at the interval quickly from this seat
View from Stalls C1 - fifilou 5"7 female 175 reviews 2 helpful votesDeath Takes a Holiday, 11th February 2017I really wasn't sure at all about this show at all. The performances by all the cast and musical crew where brilliant, they could not be faulted. The set was beautifully designed and clever how it was pushed to and from the walls on hinges to different positions to create different scenes. I liked the music although it was very much the same throughout. I just think the story was a little bland and missing something?Sat in Stalls A10This was my first time sitting on the bench seats at the side of the stalls at the Charring Cross Theatre. In comparison to the stalls they are raised and at the same level as the stage. They are at the sides which means they do come with a restricted view but that is reflected in the price. The benches themselves are very worn and the seat I was on (far left of the stalls - so stage right) had a huge hole with the stuffing all over the floor. They where very uncomftable and offered very limited leg room. As for the view, I was the third person on the bench so close to the stage. The only part of the stage I couldn't see was the left corner (far stage right corner) and I was able to lean forward although this meant that the others on the bench had to do the same. My advice if you get a bench seat is to get there early (as there are no reserved spaces, so its first come first served) and get in the corner. This will allow you to see more of the stage (you really wouldn't want the end seat closet to the stage). In general the seats where cheap and you really felt a part of the production as you where on eye level with the actors and virtually sat on the stage, but as the balcony seats where the same price, I think next time I will try those for comfort alone.
View from Stalls A10
DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY SEATING PLAN
As a fairly intimate theatre, the Charring Cross Theatre generally offers good views and comfortable seating throughout most of the Stalls. If you like to be really enveloped into the action, then it is highly recommended that you sit at the front of the Stalls where you can really be engrossed, rather than the very back which can begin to feel slightly distant.
Due to their positioning, the Balcony seats can often be very side on to the action, as well as being quite uncomfortable. If it is possible therefore, we tend to recommend the best seats as being in the Stalls, unless you can get a real bargain.
Due to their positioning, the Balcony seats can often be very side on to the action, as well as being quite uncomfortable. If it is possible therefore, we tend to recommend the best seats as being in the Stalls, unless you can get a real bargain.
STORY
Death Takes a Holiday had its UK premiere at the Charring Cross Theatre in London’s West End in 2017. Written by Maury Yeston and with book by Peter Stone and Thomas Meehan, this musical is set to be a brilliant follow up to the huge critical success of Yeston’s Titanic in 2016.
Charring Cross Theatre’s Artistic Director, Thom Southerland, directed this new version of Death Takes a Holiday. Best known for his work on Me And Juliet, Grand Hotel and Mack and Mabel, Southerland had recently received huge critical acclaim for his London production of the Maury Yeston’s Titanic. As he takes on putting on yet another of Yeston’s works on the West End, this is a combination that is bound to get critics talking yet again.
Set in Northern Italy a short while after the First World War, during the roaring 20s, the lonely Death tries to understand human emotion and find out why life is so prized yet death so dreaded by disguising himself as a likeable and good looking young prince. When he surprisingly falls in love with a woman who is set to be married however, this mystery man soon begins to find out that love can often be stronger than death.
Death Takes a Holiday is adapted from the 1924 Italian play by Alberto Casella, La Morte in Vacanza which had previously been adapted into a film in 1934 before also being transformed into the 1998 Hollywood blockbuster Meet Joe Black starring Brad Pitt.
Maury Yeston and Peter Stone began writing their musical version of Death Takes a Holiday in 1997, shortly after their success with Titanic, opting for creating a more intimate production compared to their previous work’s large scale. Yeston incorporated jazz, the Shimmy and other period musical styles into his modern score in order to create a balance between the modern musical and its original setting.
Death Takes a Holiday premiered Off-Broadway in 2011 and way nominated for 11 Drama Desk Awards.
The musical stars Zoë Doano (Les Miserables) alongside Mark Inscoe (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) and Chris Peluso (Miss Saigon).
Having come to the London’s West End for the first time at the Charring Cross Theatre, Death Takes a Holiday was one of the most exciting underground musicals of the year, with performances having began on the 16th January 2017 and having run until 4th March 2017.
Charring Cross Theatre’s Artistic Director, Thom Southerland, directed this new version of Death Takes a Holiday. Best known for his work on Me And Juliet, Grand Hotel and Mack and Mabel, Southerland had recently received huge critical acclaim for his London production of the Maury Yeston’s Titanic. As he takes on putting on yet another of Yeston’s works on the West End, this is a combination that is bound to get critics talking yet again.
Set in Northern Italy a short while after the First World War, during the roaring 20s, the lonely Death tries to understand human emotion and find out why life is so prized yet death so dreaded by disguising himself as a likeable and good looking young prince. When he surprisingly falls in love with a woman who is set to be married however, this mystery man soon begins to find out that love can often be stronger than death.
Death Takes a Holiday is adapted from the 1924 Italian play by Alberto Casella, La Morte in Vacanza which had previously been adapted into a film in 1934 before also being transformed into the 1998 Hollywood blockbuster Meet Joe Black starring Brad Pitt.
Maury Yeston and Peter Stone began writing their musical version of Death Takes a Holiday in 1997, shortly after their success with Titanic, opting for creating a more intimate production compared to their previous work’s large scale. Yeston incorporated jazz, the Shimmy and other period musical styles into his modern score in order to create a balance between the modern musical and its original setting.
Death Takes a Holiday premiered Off-Broadway in 2011 and way nominated for 11 Drama Desk Awards.
The musical stars Zoë Doano (Les Miserables) alongside Mark Inscoe (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) and Chris Peluso (Miss Saigon).
Having come to the London’s West End for the first time at the Charring Cross Theatre, Death Takes a Holiday was one of the most exciting underground musicals of the year, with performances having began on the 16th January 2017 and having run until 4th March 2017.
SUITABLE FOR
Anyone who has seen the recent Titanic production at the Charring Cross Theatre and has loved it, should definitely be sure to also check out Death Takes a Holiday. With both written by Maury Yeston and directed by Thom Southerland, this is surely going to be another brilliant combination which will garner the admiration of fans and critics alike.
It’s also highly recommended for anyone who loves musicals that are slightly different than the standard West End glitz, such as Fiasco’s recent production of Into The Woods. Expect the same smaller in scale, yet huge in creativity, brilliance from the team at the Charring Cross Theatre.
Age Recommendations: May not be suitable for very young children
It’s also highly recommended for anyone who loves musicals that are slightly different than the standard West End glitz, such as Fiasco’s recent production of Into The Woods. Expect the same smaller in scale, yet huge in creativity, brilliance from the team at the Charring Cross Theatre.
Age Recommendations: May not be suitable for very young children
PHOTOS AND VIDEO
