The Stage

Producer Trachtenberg claims critics are ‘narrow-minded’ about musicals

Published Monday 8 December 2008 at 13:35 by Alistair Smith

Producer Beth Trachtenberg has blamed a “narrow-minded” critical response for the early closure of Imagine This at the New London Theatre.

The show posted closing notices this weekend and will end its West End tenure after a run of less than two months on December 20. The musical opened on November 19, following previews from November 4, and received generally poor reviews with some critics questioning its choice of subject matter. The show takes place in the run-up to the Holocaust in occupied Warsaw.

Trachtenberg commented: “Night after night, we have seen audiences stirred to the depths of their emotions by this show. Fundamentally, I do not think the critics should be making a moral judgment over the subject matter and moreover that they are generally not prepared to embrace musicals.

“I’ve witnessed the public’s response to the show that is directly opposed to a narrow-minded critical belief that musicals are limited in their emotional impact and ability to deal with meaningful subject matter in a powerful and sensitive manner. I am enormously proud of Imagine This and of the wonderful cast and crew.”