★★★ REVIEW: The Time Traveller's Wife (Apollo Theatre) | 2023 new west end musical

[@vanessabennett1491]

Loving the time-traveling outfit changes in this review 😊

[@Shelindreaire]

I like TTTW story and loved the tv series, but cannot quite imagine it as a musical. I can tell you that the scene with Henry traveling back in time to have sex with himself comes directly from the book. You were right it is WEIRD.

[@salty_pearl05]

I remember the first time I heard about it my exact reaction was: 👁️👄👁️

[@emmyanne]

I love watching your videos. You have inspired me to become a Theater/ Show Critic. I’m just starting, but watching your videos are entertaining and helpful! Thank you!!

[@hoaxheaux]

I love that you stopped to consider if the 'science checks out' in regards to fetal/embryonic time travel lmao

[@hoaxheaux]

(also the book is excellent, it was my favorite book for many years)

[@Mahelva]

I agree with you about the rating, it is very tricky to understand and be emotionally engaged in a story where you are constantly jumping timelines and shifting people's ages and moving between decades. There is so much going on with the time travel that it does distract a bit. Although I loved the chemistry between Clare and Henry, and I think that makes up for a lot. Sometimes I was a bit confused about what was going on time wise but it was still beautiful to see them together. :) Regarding the wedding scene, the way I understood it is that he came straight back from the future where he was already married to Clare = had already experienced the wedding and that's why he remembered (although poorly) what she looked like.

[@joeevans5770]

That one guys who looks kinda like David Hunter from behinds agent: BOY DO I HAVE A AUDITION FOR YOU

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

In fact there are two of them!

[@Show_Guide]

I've just come out the theatre having watched this. Before I went in I watched this video and as such had low expectations. I came out having thoroughly enjoyed the show. The acting was great and m, as a 50 year old male, was somewhat surprised id be holding back tears in a theatre. I thought it was brilliant and I'd not read the book before.

[@christopherbutler1980]

Annie meets Newsies??? I want that show now!!😂

[@chuckoneill2023]

A time traveler having a relationship with himself was a fundamental plot point of David Gerrold's "The Man Who Folded Himself". I wonder if some adapter borrowed from that source?

[@LynnHermione]

Apparently that's from the book...

[@rachi5212]

Great costume changes!! Interesting to hear your take, personally I loved the show and would rate it higher. Not sure if it is because I read the book before first seeing the show last year in Chester, but I got all the timeline changes. And it is made clear why Henry is so upset in the Christmas scene. I like the fact they keep the show from Clare's perspective, which is why we don't see Henry as a child. And as Clare states at the start it is a look at that one relationship, with it's unique difficulties, but it is so relatable to others - such as sailors going to sea and leaving wives at home.

[@unsightedmelodies6801]

As someone who has read the book, the bulk of your confusion and misunderstandings make sense to me. The book provides us with ages for Clare and Henry throughout because we do delve into his past and get context and emotional weight for everything you're wanting the show to expand, so maybe if more of that backstory were used there'd be more reason to project at what ages we're seeing them, providing more relationship timeline context.

[@Nikki-tx6kh]

I was going to comment the same. The book is better at explaining the timelines. I suppose that theatrical time constrictions made it impossible to add those little details, even when they would have added to the story.

[@unsightedmelodies6801]

@Nikki-tx6kh It'd be interesting to see it knowing the source material. If you already know the timeline, is there actually dialogue that explains the timeline if you stop trying to puzzle it out? Henry never knows when he appears, so he should be as baffled as the theatre audience.

[@lisafalkner170]

So; I am going to see this show TODAY ! With a friend who works as a TV continuity advisor 😂 So I will let you know if they make any bloopers ! This was my favourite book for many years. I think we all know the film was absolutely terrible but I actually quite like the Sky series. I am going with an open mind as it's for a friend's birthday who is a MASSIVE Joss Stone fan. Will let you know what I think later x

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts - and the continuity report!

[@lisafalkner170]

🤣 @mickeyjotheatre well, you will be glad to know that there were no continuity errors ! We were in Row D which is now Row B so very close to the stage and missed a bit as the stage was very high. A bit put-off by the movers and shakers in Journeyman not wearing gloves and face coverings 🙄 Wonder if the effect was any better from further back or higher up ? 🤔 We saw understudy Alex Lodge as Henry who was lovely but almost came a cropper stepping off the revolve in one scene 🤣 🤣 Spitting image of David Hunter so see what you mean about the body doubles !!

[@jessineilsencarreno]

I was so happy with the tv show finally being closer to the book, then they were cancelled! I’d like to see the musical to see if I like it.

[@Wyrdgrrl]

Re: "time travel plot hole" older Henry saying he forgot how beautiful Claire was. I haven't seen the musical but I have read the book and seen both the movie and tv show. I take this to mean that Henry "forgot" in general how beautiful Claire was at that age, rather than on that particular day. Or perhaps it was just an important line because in all three other media forms he did see her on that day before the wedding. Either way, a touch of poetic license rather than a plot hole, IMHO

[@itskatharinequinn]

Thank you for this--have been so so curious about this show! Hope I get to see it.

[@lisafalkner170]

Loving the t-shirt changes 😂

[@RachelMay1989]

THE BEAR PLOT SUMMARIES ARE BACK!

[@daisyadamson_xo]

saw the show in Chester last year fell I live with the whole show, then saw it again on the first ever preview in the Westend and fell more in awe of the show and the cast, just the way they do the whole show is amazing, I can't wait to be back for more shows!

[@MarkRozzano-tu1te]

I really enjoy your reviews!! Very smart and I always seem to agree with your thoughts! As an American, it’s always fun to see a new West End musical. The biggest problem I had with the preview performance that I saw is that just like the HBO mini-series, it gets Really complicated and confusing. Trying to figure it all out definitely impeded my enjoyment….and if you really think it through, the story doesn’t really make any sense at all! Still an entertaining evening at the theatre so bravo to everyone involved!!!

[@Jalicia95]

I saw it a few weeks after it opened and agree with your rating. I didn’t have many issues understanding the plot personally (even though I hadn’t read the book) but I really wasn’t enamoured by the music. I thought the lyrics were pretty unremarkable - it was the staging that won it back for me.

[@Jalicia95]

Also I assumed he meant “forgot how beautiful you looked 9 years ago”

[@lbb5106]

Having seen closing night I was sorry it was closing. The performances were amazing and the songs, as stand alone peices where pretty good (ignoring some abstract lyrics here and there). That said I do agree with you about oppotunites missed to explore Henry's relationship with his parents both as a child and as an adult who gets to travel back to see them. There were scenes we did not need (Henry 'reciting his goodbye letter' in the meadow. Henry finding an unpset teenage Claire in the meadow before running off to fight her attacker) His death would have been so much more powerful if we'd had him turning up dead and watching everyone cope with that THEN the monolgue of him reading the letter (sang possible) next to an emotional Claire reading it in her studio. We really didn't need to see how it happened (only those who had read the book would have understood that it was her father and brother who shot him). I do so wish this show had had more development time. I really wanted it to work. I was also dissapointed that some of the music felt diconnected and there seemed to be different writing styles present. That said I did still really enjoyed it and will moarn its loss to the West end.

[@rburns5495]

Bravo the return of the bears!

[@charliem8538]

There was no warning about the frequent strobe and glitch effect lighting across all three websites so we had to leave in the interval because it's a seizure trigger. Luckily spotted the warning on the wall in the theatre beforehand so the lovely front of house staff provided a timesheet of them all, but it was constant throughout and there was no warning at the point of booking that they'd use strobing to such a degree. (Plus...it was just a bit naff?! And I loved the book! So much tonal jarring between the tragedy and the boppy songs.)

[@Upndouin]

To me (in terms of books!!!!) this was similar to “50 Shades of Grey” - everybody was reading it on the tube 😂 - what a moment to be living in!

[@TXMusicalNerd]

When are we gonna get a review for Two Strangers?! I have been obsessed with NY by sam tutty. I’ve been playing it on repeat. Going to nyc on Friday!!!

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

When it has opened haha! I'm very intrigued by it!

[@kozmaz87]

I have seen the show now twice and I think literally everyone got emotionally invested in it both times. It is you, Mickey. Everyone else was crying :)

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Glad to hear you enjoyed! Maybe I'm dead inside 😅

[@kozmaz87]

@@MickeyJoTheatre LOL Don't worry I take you out for a show one of these days or have you watch sappy movies with me and we find the tap for those waterworks. :D Btw. about Rebecca you were right. I have seen it in Hungary many times with its magnificent set and this one, while the leading lady was amazing, the set seriously belongs in a skip :D

[@kozmaz87]

btw. have you seen the Rachel McAdams movie?

[@DarthTingleBinks]

The HBO series does a wonderful thing when showing the time travel that oddly enough not even the film does. It lists the ages of the characters on the screen, so you can keep track of both Henry and Clare's personal chronological timelines. There's some makeup and hair work done on Theo James, the actor who portrays Henry in the series to help out, but the clear age listings make it way easier. And I can imagine how difficult that would be to pull off correctly in a musical or general stage setting. As for the fetuses time traveling out of the womb, the time traveling genetics that Henry somehow has (it's never explained why, I don't think), don't just make him travel in time, but also through space. And even parts of him that are already gone, like teeth, nails, or strands of hair travel. Even his own blood after it has spilled out of him. So a fetus, or even a developing embryo would certainly be able to travel as well in this very specific non-specific circumstance. And, obviously, it would not be able to survive outside the womb. It's an interesting and creative way to discuss miscarriages without actually discussing miscarriages.

[@Showtunediva]

I have not read this book yet so I will have to check it out. Is there a cast album for the musical?

[@lbb5106]

available on spotify and Apple music

[@IloveHeartlandX]

I didn't find the time travel hard to follow at all, I felt it was always very clear when and where he was, but then I have read the book so do have prior familiarity with the material, but even then, the projection design with the various ages was pretty clear for me in setting the scene of when we were supposed to be. I thought the set and projection design was very clever and I actually loved the whole Journeyman section and how that was staged. I certainly agree that the performances were fabulous and can only echo your thoughts on what a revelation Joanna Woodward was-I saw David Hunter in Waitress so I was more familiar with him/his voice but she was a real surprise as I'd never seen her in anything before! I loved the scene with Henry's dad and the song he gets, I do agree I wish that relationship was explored more. I can't remember if it was in the book or not, but you do get more from Henry's mother in the book. I agree that the ending song was a bit limp, I actually feel like the song before that, the duet between Henry and Claire was much more powerful and emotionally resonant but I can see why they might have thought ending it there was a bit of a bummer! It's a very hard book to adapt, honestly at this point, I really did think it was unadaptable but I think they did a good job with tricky source material overall.

[@MsDaphne13]

Ooh, Sorelle Marsh is in it? I didn't know that, got to be worth a look then!

[@Vertigotheatre1]

Good review.

[@mwmheps]

I think the most annoying time travel plotline (though I puzzled over the wedding dress line too) is that he can't control when he appears, but yet he somehow has a lottery ticket bought for the very same day he happens to land (at a very convenient time too!)

[@IshScout]

Being in the US I won't be able to see it but I've enjoyed listening to the recording for the most part. Obviously as with most adaptations for books/longer series time is not your friend to bring it down to the length of a musical. We always wish we could get more time with a character to flesh them out a bit more & corners are cut to make the story smoother. I never read the book but enjoyed the recent TV series & feel like the heart is still there from what I've heard. In the end that may not make for the "best" version of a show v if it went in an entirely original direction with the source idea but it makes for a really good one with a few flaws. Ones we can ignore to still have an enjoyable time.

[@andrewstorm8240]

Many tops

[@ryanschwartz4959]

3:19 Except, of course, for skin-colored underwear both for modesty and so his actor has something to clip his mic pack to. Also, I saw the show in early December, and there were some scenes where he pops in bleeding from a gunshot wound, but it looked like he still had his full outfit on.

[@chloethorn7137]

It’s such a shame you didn’t love it! I thought it was incredible!

[@alisoncoss50]

Totally agree with all you said! Went to see this tonight and would give it three stars too. I just didn’t feel like cared enough about what happened. I didn’t love or hate it… just left a bit flat. Totally agree with the opening song of act two and the men carrying Henry around! Bit odd! Such a shame as wanted to really like it but I just didn’t connect with the characters enough.

[@willeamer]

39 costume changes. 29 costumes.

[@LynnHermione]

The best version of TTW is in Doctor Who.

[@samcotton9611]

I saw it last night and I left at the interval :(. I would have given it 2 stars - it wasn't bad, in fact, part of it I appreciated, but couldn't quite put my finger on what was wrong. I'm reflecting today that I think I would have worked better as a play. The music (although pleasant), didn't ever drive the story and the show was stilted because they kept halting the narrative to break into song, instead of having more time to explore the depth of characters. I didn't feel anything when I watched it (except feeling annoyed by the now-obligatory Prosecco guzzling chatty middle-aged women behind me).

[@SeanHill-j3s]

I don't you can fully review this show not reading the book My opinion is its definitely a 5* show with amazing music and the staging is excellent

[@Show_Guide]

I hadn't read the book before I went to see it, but I'd give it 5 stars.

[@scottdavis7730]

This review left me puzzled as you kept time traveling and I could never tell when you were.

[@rikaniebangbang]

I had tickets to see the show and was intending to go in without hearing any of the music. Now that it got cancelled I listened to the cast recording and I hated how unspecific and, honestly, silly some of the lyrics are. I feel like my favourite book will never get a good adaptation in any medium.

[@Vertigotheatre1]

During my play Porno Chic, my cast had 127 costume changes between a cast of 9. 😊

[@lizlilliman3644]

I must admit when I saw this was going to be a musical I was worried. This is one of my favorite books. I think each chapter starts with Henry is 44 and Claire is 12 so you get an idea of where this is in time . Maybe having that projected on the stage would of helped. It's an incredibly sad story in its heart.

[@xtheaceofspades]

I saw the musical and it is projected on the stage!

[@Show_Guide]

Yep...at each and every point when the timeliness changed. Luckily that made it such an easy to follow story.

[@k1d9a8w9g]

I was sitting behind you when you saw this, but didn't want to disturb you to fan out. Hahaha! I am glad I saw it, but it wasn't my favorite thing I have ever seen. I loved the finale. That got me emotional, but the rest I was like "Meh."

[@nickie745]

Is there swearing in the show? Is it a lot?

[@antonybeney]

I have answers for your time travel plot hole! Hurrah

[@MickeyJoTheatre]

Please share!

[@antonybeney]

@@MickeyJoTheatre ok I’m not a scientist but when time travel is used in film//tv etc it’s often explained as a loop and not a straight linear timeline so I believe the events of the wedding would always be looping and have to happen in order to continue the loop so he would always know about and experience that moment. I’m not the best at explaining it. Shows like family guy, Rick and Morty or any film containing time travel explain it better. Avengers endgame and Loki season 1/2 have an easier explanation but it does make sense x 🥰😊

[@lisafalkner170]

Audience sounds really sparse 🙄

[@andthatsshow-biz]

Is it possible that he meant "I forgot how beautiful you looked" at this age? Like at the TIME we got married?

[@andthatsshow-biz]

Or referencing photos etc etc from that time?