Greatest show... or cabaret night?
THEY were promised “a truly unforgettable experience”.
But parents who paid to see ‘The Greatest Show For Families’ claim what they got was more like “a cabaret night at Butlins”.
Advertising for the touring show, which appeared at at Newcastle’s Utilita Arena on Saturday, described “an immersive journey through songs from the box office smash [The Greatest Showman], as well as a host of other musical favourites including Moulin Rouge, Hairspray, Wicked, and Disney classics”.
But eager audience members claim they were confronted with “non-existent staging” and songs few children knew. Producers say they “tried [their] best to make a magical show” and have taken the negative comments on board.
Kelly Marku, from Washington, said the £29.95 tickets, bought as a Christmas present for her 11-year-old daughter, were “a rip-off”.
She said: “For the money that we paid, and from what was advertised, we were expecting this fantastic stage show. You’d be expecting singing and big choreographed dances.
“We got a black backdrop and and inflatable elephant that had already started to deflate when it started. It was more like a cabaret night at Butlins or somewhere all inclusive.”
Leanne Risk, from Newcastle, shelled out over
£200 to take her three children and a friend’s son ,as well as her mum and her husband Phil, to the show.
“We were so excited,” she said. “My son had been counting down the days, and when we got there, we thought, ‘is this it?.’ The full performance was done against a black curtain at the back, with some lights and some singers.
“There was no staging to it at all, and what was starting to make us uncomfortable was there were so many people leaving. A full family of eight in front of us left – the dad had been asleep on the end of the row for half of it.”
Leanne, 35, said the pace started to pick up in the second half, after several audience members had left, and she called the singing itself “pretty good”.
With advertising for the show offering a chance to “see Hugh Jackman’s hit musical brought to life by a talented troop of singers, dancers and aerialists”, Leanne said she’d expected something closer to the jaw-dropping performances featured in the film.
Kelly added: “I’m more angry at the way it’s been advertised, because what they promised this show to be and what we received were poles apart.”
A spokesperson for the show, which was produced and commissioned by International Show Ltd, said: “We are sorry to hear that there has been mixed reviews regarding our show performed last night.
“We tried our very best to create a magical show for a family audience, even giving away a holiday to Disneyland Paris in the process. Some people feel the show wasn’t as advertised. We take all comments on board, good and bad, and will use them to work on the content of the show for future productions. “Anybody who wishes to make a complaint regarding this, please reach out to us by writing a letter to International Shows Ltd, Unit 1a, Stanley Road, Back Reeds Road, Blackpool FY1 4QL.”