Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Honestly, I feel like I've been here before...
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Honestly, I feel like I've been here before...
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Honestly, I feel like I've been here before...
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Honestly, I feel like I've been here before...
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Honestly, I feel like I've been here before...
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
Rob Howell's designs also look the same, although they're missing the quadruple revolve that was such a famous element of the original, and such a technical nightmare on Broadway. Fortunately, it's none the worse without it.
Phil is the star TV weatherman who hates his job, particularly the part of it that sends him to Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania every February 2nd to cover the titular local custom in which a rodent forecasts the next six weeks' weather. He doesn't hide his contempt for the town, its people or his co-workers, and is angry when a blizzard traps him there for an extra night. But instead of waking up the next morning, he wakes on Groundhog Day again and repeats oh look, I know one of my unwritten rules is to always give a synopsis however well known the story is but you know what this is, Groundhog Day has well and truly entered the language, it's a time loop and he spends an estimated 33 years and 350 days reliving it.
In fact it's so much part of the language that it feels downright weird when Phil decides to spend one of his days explaining the loop to his new producer Rita (understudy Aimée Fisher,) and he can't save a lot of time by just saying "you know, it's like Groundhog Day." Rita is the love interest and nominally at the heart of Phil's redemption, but it feels particularly clear watching the story this time around that she's only part of the puzzle (and in one of the sadder scenes, the perfect day Phil has with her doesn't break the loop.)
Instead the solution is to try and help as many people in the small town as he can, and in the process rediscover his place among other people that's been lost in his sardonic misanthropy. Like many people I've seen the film multiple times, although not for many years now, but seeing Rubin and Harold Ramis' story in a different form does clarify why it works as well as it does: The repetition of events, encounters and conversations are crucial in setting up the premise and the comedy as Phil tries to change events in different ways every time. But they also make for an undestrated way of slowly building depth in seemingly minor characters like Ned Ryerson (Andrew Langtree) and Nancy (Eve Norris.)
The loss of the revolve has, if anything, forced Warchus' production to be even more visually inventive in its storytelling - highlights include the drunken truck drive with Gus (Chris Jenkins) and Ralph (Nick Hayes,) and the lurch into incredibly dark humour (and illusions that seemed to fool the woman sitting in front of me Every. Time.) when Phil despairs and makes multiple suicide attempts (all of which end with him waking up on Groundhog Day again.) For the most part the music comes quite far behind the comedy and the visuals in terms of highlights, but the second act does up its game in terms of catchy and varied songs. This remains a fun night but with a genuine touch of melancholy that adds depth, and Karl's increasingly warm and human performance shows why it was obviously such a dream role for him that he returned to it after all these years - to repeat it every day all over again.
Groundhog Day by Danny Rubin and Tim Minchin, based on the film by Danny Rubin and Harold Ramis, is booking until the 19th of August at the Old Vic.
Running time: 2 hours 40 minutes including interval.
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan.
I promise I didn't scroll to the end I read every word...10 times at least!!
ReplyDeleteNo idea what you're talking about. I, and everyone else, experienced this as a perfectly normal review, one and done.
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