Another booby hits the West End

"Did we really need to see her breast?" my friend asked as we left the theatre."

Probably not, but it got your attention."

I was reminded the other day of my conversation about "Maguerite" which was on a few months back at the Haymarket in London. It had plenty of passion, but a ridiculous plot that fails to work on stage.

I still don't know what the script was trying to achieve, and I don't have space here to list all the problems. But it's a good example of what's wrong with the West End at the moment - at least in part.

Don't get me wrong. There are some excellent musicals and plays out there, but the big guns seem to be firing blanks.  Woman in White, Jersey Boys, The Sound of Music (or as my friend likes to call it - The Sound of Mucus) - they're all perfectly OK and bring in the crowds. But they lack a certain creativity.

I want to be surprised, excited, challenged. It's the LITTLE theatre companies who taking the BIG risks - and winning.  Take the parody "The 39 Steps" at the Criterion, or the slightly surreal "Brief Encounter" at The Cinema Haymarket.

Both produced by tiny production companies that weren't asking "How much can we make from this?" or "Will the American's get this story?"

I thoughtfully booked at seat for my friend to see Les Miz, who was visting from Canada. I haven't seen it for years, but it's one of the few musicals I really like. I felt quite jealous that he was going to see it while I was at work.

Strangely, when I met him later that day he wasn't impressed. In fact he was furious. He told me he walked out after the first act. The audience was packed. But everyone seemed to be munching McDonalds, unwrapping sweats, texting with their mobiles, or having the entire show translated into Japanese. No surprise then that the performance was also underpar. If I were an actor, I wouldn't bother either.

Perhaps then we get the musicals we deserve?