'Controversial' exports

[SoonerOrLater]

I was reading about the ill-fated Broadway run of 'Enron' again earlier and I started wondering what other London exports have either flopped or been generally 'controversial' when taken across the pond?

Have any musicals had this effect? I vaughly remember The Full Monty attracting some kind of aghast reaction when it first opened? (something along the lines of us filthy Brits....)

[Scripps2]

I think there were nerves about The American Dream sequence in Miss Saigon.

[EricMontreal22]

I'm confused--The Full Monty was re-located to the US when it opened, and had already been a well received movie in the US. I don't think it got much of a "filthy Brits" reaction... :P

There may have been some nerves about The American Dream (though I think it's pretty tame), though of course the larger controversy was about casting, something I'm assuming was less of one in London.

If we're talking mere flops, there are a lot more examples I can think of than exports that proved controversial--

[SoonerOrLater]

The Full Monty thing, was something from the depths of memory-I seem to recall some reaction to it being more 'controversial' because of the nudity/subject matter (despite it being a successful movie) Anyway can't remember anything else about it so maybe I imagined it....

And I was thinking more about controversial shows, rather than just plain flops. So Miss Saigon was a prime example-the controversy over Jonathan Pryce as the Engineer as well as the content of it.

[philitalia]

The original Jesus Christ Superstar was quite controversial

[philitalia]

Rocky Horror Show

In the 70's some shows (British and American) were controversial because they were really pushing boundaries and changing theatre.

[Nickhutson]

The production of Jerry Springer: The Opera was (and is still) too controversial for Broadway audiences. (Which is why Book of Mormon isn't as groundbreaking as some think... JSTO is a lot more adult). It was still staged as a one off at Carnegie Hall.

[SoonerOrLater]

I'd forgotten that JSTO hadn't been properly staged on B'way. There was enough controversy when it went on tour in the UK-I remember the protesters outside the WMC in Cardiff!

[EricMontreal22]

Wasn't JCS first fully staged on Broadway--so the London one was after? I know the London one was less controversial/out there and ran much longer, though the Broadway one wasn't really a flop.

Interesting topic Sooner--I'm sure there must be some examples, particularly non-musical, I just can't think of.

[philitalia]

JCS opened on Broadway in 1971 and in the WestEnd in 1972.
I seem to remember there were protests outside the Palace Theatre at the time

[SoonerOrLater]

Yes there were certainly protests in London for JCS.

Jerry Springer when broadcast on the BBC attracted 55, 000 complaints! Which also makes me think a few thousand people with nothing better to do....

[EricMontreal22]

There were protests outside JCS in the US too