Hugh Jackman and his co-star Sutton Foster take their bows at the end of a performance of The Music Man on Broadway and the applause and cheers are thunderous. Let’s hope the walls of the 111-year-old Winter Garden Theatre are up for this, although in its day the grand place has been home to original productions of West Side Story, Funny Girl with Barbra Streisand, 42nd Street and Cats.

After the show, fans gather at the stage door for one last glimpse of the stars. Fifteen minutes ago, Jackman was in a marching band costume after 2½ half hours as the consummate triple threat (singer, dancer, actor) but now he emerges cucumber cool in all white and is gracious in the time spent with devotees as he edges toward his limo and exits into a hot New York night. Ah, if only a fellow Aussie could bask in reflected glory. Alas not.

The same scene is being played out at Broadway’s 41 theatres. Daniel Craig is leaving after a performance of Macbeth, Billy Crystal after Mr Saturday Night, a musical based on his film. That’s the magic of Broadway. [READ MORE]