Broadway Breakdown – "Matt’s London Trip w/ Mom"

Date: June 13, 2024
Host: Matt Koplik
Guest: Tanni "Ticketing" Koplik (Matt's Mom)
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Episode Overview

Matt and his mother Tanni sit down for a deep-dive, day-by-day recap of their recent six-day theater trip to London. With Matt’s signature passionate, irreverent tone, the duo break down London theatre, sightseeing, food, and local culture, delving into the four West End shows they saw (Operation Mincemeat, Standing at Sky’s Edge, Guys and Dolls, and The Hills of California), British audience quirks, and travel tips. Expect opinionated analysis, family banter, and plenty of four-letter words.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Travel & Arrival in London

• Both Matt and Tanni managed jet lag well with "No Jet Lag" homeopathic pills (00:45)
• Stayed in Holland Park/Notting Hill area; used "One Fine Stay" luxury Airbnb service (03:45)
• Discovered a love for Tesco Express (“favorite spot in London”, especially for odd-flavored crisps – 04:35)
• First dinner at Joe Allen’s (Covent Garden), compared to NYC’s iconic Joe Allen’s; found London’s to have less character, more personable but chatty staff, and baffling Broadway show posters (07:57)

2. Show #1: Operation Mincemeat (Fortune Theatre)

(10:15–34:55)

• Went in with high expectations after Olivier Award win for Best New Musical.
• Plot Recap: WWII British ruse to mislead Germans about Allied landings, involving planting secret documents on a dead body.
• Both struggled with jet lag during the first third (“nodded off…because I wasn’t terribly enjoying it” – Matt, 14:00).
• Found it “quaint,” clever in concept (5 performers, lots of cross-gender casting, minimal set/projections), but unsatisfying in execution.
• Humor, language, and references were “too British,” with much lost in translation for American viewers (“the vernacular is just so British…so much inside baseball” – Tanni, 14:46).
• Liked some moments, especially the song "Dear Bill," but found score mostly forgettable (“there are a lot of jokes I saw coming from a mile away” – Matt, 17:45).
• Noted the show’s playful self-awareness (making fun of itself as a musical, poking fun at audience Pavlovian reactions).
• Serious moments didn’t always land; emotional stakes undercut by “absurd” ending and lightweight tone.
• Both skeptical the show will translate to Broadway unless it’s “rethought” or rewritten for an American audience.
• Quote: “Save your money, there’d probably be a lot of other things worth the ducats.” (Tanni, 34:16)

3. Show #2: Standing at Sky’s Edge (Gillian Lynne Theatre)

(35:54–66:01)

• Jukebox musical using the back catalog of Richard Hawley.
• Tracks decades in a Sheffield housing project (Park Hill): newlyweds in 1961, Ghanaian immigrants in '89, and a modern gentrifier in 2015.
• Technical theatrical device: timelines interweave, characters cross over generations; visualized with “scoreboard”-like year markers.
• Spoke with local Sheffielders at intermission—got audience background and insight into regional references.
• Found it “far more British” than even Mincemeat (“References…you and I had to ask our seatmates during intermission” – Matt, 41:43).
• Noted British theater habits: eating ice cream and drinking full wine glasses at seats.
• Enjoyed atmospheric use of songs, though rarely did scenes break into traditional numbers.
• Praised for layered, emotional storytelling, “sadder In the Heights.”
• Applauded depiction of queerness (relationship of Poppy & Nikki) and generational change.
• Acted more as an atmospheric epic rather than a “plotty” musical; admittedly slow at times, but “never bored.”
• Both agreed it’s unlikely to succeed if transferred to the U.S. due to its Britishness and hyper-local focus.
• Quote: “I liked it. [It’s] a big uptick from the night before…a high pass or good B-minus.” (Tanni, 65:29)

4. Show #3: Guys and Dolls (Bridge Theatre)

(74:26–90:18)

• Experiential, environmental production at the Bridge (audience seated around/within the action, with dynamic, mechanical stage pieces).
• Classic musical, plot as in traditional productions.
• Immersive staging wowed at first (stage pieces rise/fall), but “blew the magic a bit” by revealing all tricks in the overture.
• Strong supporting cast, especially Tamika Ramsay as Adelaide (“bodalicious... a pair of pipes” – Tanni, 77:10).
• Bit let down by an understudy as Sky Masterson whose voice and physical presence didn’t fit (“didn’t inhabit the character physically…voice was…too high” – Tanni, 83:45).
• Noted that British theater feels less precious—boozy, casual, focused on overall experience for audience.
• Overall, fun if not earth-shaking: “Sure thing…a good chunk of fun. It didn’t blow my mind. We had fun.” (Matt, 89:56)

5. Show #4: The Hills of California (Harold Pinter Theatre)

(94:23–130:05)

• New play by Jez Butterworth, directed by Sam Mendes. Has announced a Broadway transfer.
• Flashback/forward family epic about four sisters and their overbearing, show-biz-mom, drawing on Andrews Sisters-type acts, echoes of Gypsy (“she’s a British Mama Rose”).
• Structure: family prepares for dying mother’s death, with secrets coming to light about eldest daughter’s trauma and why she left.
• Found first two acts fast-paced, “engaging” and “well-written.”
• Third act slower, dwelling on “broken, horrifying” eldest daughter (“it kept going on and on,” felt excessive – Tanni, 107:41).
• Poignant ending with no total resolution; praised for performances, especially Laura Donnelly (who memorably plays both mother and, in the third act, broken daughter Joan).
• Quote: “It’s engaging, well written, you just feel you’re inside the dialogue.” (Matt, 130:05)
• Grievance: Annoying audience member behind them, “dumb shit” asking basic questions.

6. Family & Theater Conversation

• Interleaved throughout are discussions about their theatre tastes, generational shifts, and what makes a “game changer” in the art form (e.g. Les Miz, Hamilton, Stereophonic).
• Side convos: watching British TV detective dramas, clothing for London weather, audience etiquette in both UK and US.
• Travel logistics, highlights, and mishaps (e.g. difficult airbnb, tube system, lack of VAT refund, love for Tesco, packing layers, Sunday roast tradition, surprising British absence of tea compared to coffee).

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On British theater over-accessibility:
  “I thought perhaps London, because theatre is so prevalent in a niche way, would be a somewhat more discriminating audience…but I was surprised to see standing O’s.” (Tanni, 32:07)
• About Operation Mincemeat’s ending:
  “All of these red herrings… None of it matters. And a lot of the songs also felt like filler...” (Matt, 21:12)
• Advice on Operation Mincemeat for Americans:
  “If it’s about the original company, then the material isn’t as good as you’re trying to sell me on it.” (Matt, 34:32)
• On audience behavior:
  “They eat ice cream… and brought a bottle of wine. This is very normal. We get here, maybe a covered cup; there: full blown wine glass… with stems.” (Tanni, 41:43)
• On The Hills of California’s casting reveal:
  “Joan is played by the same actress, Laura Donnelly…went from high energy, manipulative mom to low energy, manipulative daughter.” (Tanni, 110:00)
• On British unstylishness:
  “It is a remarkably unstylish city, I will say that.” (Tanni, 138:04)
• Matt’s sense of self:
  “I have the frame of a mouse and the voice of a lion.” (Matt, 74:22)

Breakdown of Podcast by Key Timestamps

• 00:00–03:14 — Cold open & intro; arrival in London
• 03:15–09:44 — Getting settled, first impressions, Joe Allen
• 10:15–34:55 — Operation Mincemeat deep-dive
• 35:54–66:01 — Standing at Sky’s Edge discussion
• 66:02–73:08 — Audience etiquette, British vs. American theatergoers
• 74:26–90:18 — Guys and Dolls breakdown
• 90:19–94:23 — Other meals and sightseeing, Notting Hill, Sunday Roast
• 94:23–130:05 — The Hills of California: detailed analysis
• 130:06–140:22 — Recap, trip tips, travel anecdotes
• 140:23–end — Reflections, rankings, thank-yous, and outro

Show & Trip Rankings (129:02–129:41)

• Operation Mincemeat: 5/10 (Matt), 5.5–6/10 (Tanni)
• Standing at Sky’s Edge: 7.75/10 (Matt), 7–8/10 (Tanni)
• Guys and Dolls: 8/10 (would have been higher with the main Sky)
• The Hills of California: 9.5/10 (even with a long Act 3, “can get cleaned up”)

London Travel Takeaways

• Pack layers. Weather was cool, even in June.
• Oyster card (tube) is a must. Tube system highly praised.
• Be aware of inattentive foot traffic. “People do not care about you.”
• Shop elsewhere. Post-Brexit, VAT refund is gone; not great for value shopping.
• Skip “luxury” Airbnbs. Their flat was restrictive and too “personal.”
• Favorite snack stop: Tesco Express for water, coffee, and crisps.
• Tea over coffee? Not in modern London: “Every sort of kioski…everything was coffee.”
• **Do: Afternoon tea at small hotels, walk through markets and parks, experience pub roasts.

Memorable Moments

• Tesco adventures: “Tesco: Best coffee, everybody. That's a hot tip from my mother to you.” (145:50)
• Star guest cameo: Listener Thomas (or Tomas) says hi at the Bridge Theatre (133:43)
• Audience behavior: Full glass wine drinking, bottle sharing, ice cream eating, “all very normal.”

Final Thoughts

• Each London show outdid the last; their viewing order had them going from least to most successful by the end.
• London theatre strikes them as more relaxed, communal, and unconcerned with status than Broadway.
• Both would recommend The Hills of California above all, while “Operation Mincemeat” drew skepticism for Broadway potential.
• Their tasted and analysis integrate family history, New York comparisons, and a clear-eyed love for the best of theater.

For New Listeners:

This episode is a goldmine for Broadway (and West End) fans interested in cross-continental comparisons and warts-and-all show reviews. With warmth, wit, and occasional shade, Matt and Tanni paint a vivid picture of modern London theatergoing—crisps and all.

Ending note:
After bonus banter, mom and son agree to play out with “a Broadway diva” by listener’s choice—Philippa Soo.

(Outro begins at 149:11)