Shortest Running musicals of the last Decade

As we move into the new decade, we thought we'd look back at the past 10 years of theatre. Some of the most memorable theatrical moments of the decade were some of the less successful shows. We looked back and picked out some of the shortest musical runs of the past 10 years, excluding shows that played and fulfilled limited runs, we looked at shows that closed early. So take a look! Do any of these shows deserve revivals? Tweet us and tell us your favourite one! 

The Umbrellas of Cherbourg

This musical started life in the UK with a try-out at the Leicester Curve in early 2011 before opening at the Gielgud Theatre in London's West End on the 5th March 2011 with a cast that included Joanna Riding, Carly Bawden, Andrew Durand, Dominic Marsh, Meow Meow and Cynthia Erivo. The show closed on the 21 May 2011, making the run just over two months long.

Lend Me a Tenor

The musical, based on the play of the same name, played an out of town try out in Plymouth in 2010 before opening at the Gielgud Theatre in Londons West End on the 2 June 2011 with a cast that included Cassidy Janson, Matthew Kelly, Joanna Riding, Michael Matus, Damian Humbley, and Sophie-Louise Dann. The show closed on the 6 August, making the run just over 2 months.

Show Boat at the Bord Gáis Energy Theatre, Dublin | Review

Based on Edna Ferber's novel the musical Showboat follows the lives of the musicians, performers and workers aboard the Cotton Blossom, a showboat sailing down the Mississippi River in the late 1880's. With music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II Show boat is a love story set over a forty year period dealing with the difficult themes of racism, inequality and racial segregation. 

The show mainly follows the lives of two couples, the first being Julie LaVerne, the leading lady aboard the Cotton Blossom and her husband Steve. When it is revealed that Julie is mixed-race she and Steve are forced to leave the Cotton Blossom as their marriage is illegal. The second couple are Magnolia, daughter of the ship's captain who is needed to replace Julie as the ships leading lady and Gaylord Ravenal, a suave gamble who takes over as the ships leading man. The couple fall in love and are soon married but Gaylord's gambling leads to difficult and trouble times for the couple.