A year by year listing of musicals that have graced the West End stage. I've started with 1980 and will go on from there but will list earlier years if requested.
So, here are the shows that opened all the way back in... «1980» ************
'On The Twentieth Century' Her Majesty's Theatre. Opened 19 Mar for 165 perfs. Julia MacKenzie
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Umbrellas Of Cherbourg' Phoenix Theatre. Opened 10th April fro 12 perfs. Martin Smith ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Barnardo' Royalty Theatre (now Peacock) Opened 21st May Closed after 43 critic and public hated performances. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Tomfoolery' Criterion Theatre. Opened 5th June for 486 perfs. Robin Ray ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Sweeney Todd, Th Demon Barber Of Fleet Street' Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Opened 2nd July for 157 perf Sheila Hancock Denis Quiley ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Oklahoma! Palace Theatre. Opened 17th Oct for 457 perfs. Produced by Cameron Macintosh. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Colette' Comedy Theatre. Opened 24th Sept for 47 perfs. Cleo Laine ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Pal Joey' Albery Theatre (now Coward) Opened 23rd Sept for 327 perfs. Sian Phillips Dennis Lawson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Biograph Girl' Phoenix Theatre. Opened 19th Nov for 57 perfs. Sheila White ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'They're Playing Our Song' Shaftesbury Theatre. Opened 1st Oct for 584 perfs Tom Conti Gemma Craven ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'The Streets Of London' Her Majesty's Theatre. Opened 21st Oct for 122 perfs. Katherine Evans ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Suburban Strains' Roundhouse THeatre. OPened 2nd Feb fro 31 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Best Little Whorehouse In Texas'. Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Opened 26 Feb fro 221 perfs. Broadway cast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'I'm Getting My Act Together And Taking It On The Road' Apollo Theate. Opened 31st March for 42 perfs. Diane Langton Ben Cross ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Cats' New London Theatre. Opened 11th May for 8949. Elaine Paige Wayne Sleep Nicola Hughes ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Ipi Tombi' Cambridge Theatre. 12th May for 38 perfs. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'Billy Bishop Goes To War'. Comedy Theatre. Opened 3rd June for 53 perfs. LIMITED RUN Canadian cast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Barnum'. London Palladium. Opened June 21st for 655 perfs. Micheal Crawford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Eastward Ho!' Mermaid Theatre. Opened 7th Jul for 45 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'On Mo' Time' Cambridge Theatre. Opened 14th July for 486 perfs. Transfered to Phoenix Theatre, Nov 1981 to end of run. Broadway cast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'One Night Stand' Apollo Theatre. Opened 21st July fro 47 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'With A Little Help From My Friends' Duke Of Yorks Theatre. Opened 31st July for 12 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Sound Of Music' Apollo Victoria. Opened 17th Aug for 451 perfs. Petula Clark Micheal Jayson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Mitford Girls' Globe Theatre (now Gielgud). Opened 8th Oct for 179 perfs. Patricia Hodge Julia Sutton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Swan Down Gloves' Aldwych Theatre RSC. Opened 22nd Dec. Christams season of 22 perfs. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Worzel Gummidge' Cambridge Theatre. Opened 18th Dec, Christmas season of 87 perfs. LIMITED RUN Jon Pertwee Una Stubbs ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thanks. Well, I get messages and emails on an almost daily basis asking when this opened, when that opened, when that closed, how long did this run for etc. Now, I know that besides me there are a few on this board like Dev, Phantom and many others, who like all the facts and figures of a shows run. I thought about including the plays that opened but it proved too much very fast and I feared my laptop crashing. Maybe later on another thread. I've really only included real West End shows but have included any that were major shows that opened in Hammersmith or the Roundhouse in Camden and the like. What i loved about starting this was being reminded how short a run a lot of shows did back then when they are so well remembered as being hits! and visa versa!!! Its not just today shows disappear after a run of 20 shows etc. Also how many shows opened one year and how few the next, as few as 8 or 9 some years with as many as 20 the next! Anyways, enjoy. Curtain up!
Brilliant thread Mama thanks so much! Are you doing this from memory/personal record? I ask in a geeky/academic context as my research involves a lot of date plotting of plays.
p.s I'd be interested in the plays listings particularly to help me with said research
Maybe I'm on nobody's side
http://phdconfessions.blogspot.com/
'Underneath The Arches' Prince Of Wales Theatre. Opened 4 Mar for 538 perfs. Christopher Timothy Roy Hudd ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Guys And Dolls' NT Olivier Theatre. Opened 9th March in rep for 187 perfs. Julia MacKenzie Bob Hoskins Ian Charlston Julie Covington ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Boogie, Woogie, Bubble And Squek' Mayfair Theatre. Opened 25th March fro 3 perfs. Off Broadway cast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Wild, Wild Women' Astoria Dinner Theatre. Opened 29 March for 29 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Song And Dance' Palace Theatre. Opened 7th April for 781 perfs. Wayne Sleep Marti Webb ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Mr Cinders' Fortune Theatre. Opened 27th April for 527 perfs. Dennis Lawson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Pirates Of Penzance' Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Opened 26th May for 687 perfs. Tim Curry Oliver Tobias Bonnie Langford ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Marry Me A Little' Kings Head Theatre. Opened June 12th for 48 perf. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Windy City' Victoria Palace. Opened 20th July for 250 perfs. Dennis Waterman Diane Langton David Heally ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Poppy' Barbican Theatre. Opened 25th Sept for 97 perfs. LIMITED RUN Returned later at the Adelphi for an unsuccessful West End run. Nicola Macaulife ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Andy Capp' Aldwych Theatre. Opened 28th Sept for 99 perfs Trevor Peacock Tom Courtney ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Destry Rides Again' Donmar Warehouse. Opened 30th Sept for 40 perfs LIMITED RUN Jill Gasquine Alfred Molina ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Mata Hari' Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Opened 10th Oct for 51 perf. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Camelot' Apollo Victoria. Opened 21st Nov for 180 perfs. Richard Harris Fiona Fullerton ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Jingle Jangle' Shaw Theatre. Opened 22nd Nov for 6 perfs Norman Wisdom ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Yakety Yak' Astoria Theatre. Opened 18th Dec for 36 perfs Eve Ferrett The McGann Brothers ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Nightingale' Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Opened 22nd Dec for 53 perfs. LIMITED RUN Sarah Brightman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Call Me Madam' Victoria Palace Theatre. Opened 4th March for 88 perfs. Noel Gordon ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'I' Piccadilly Theatre. Open 16th March for 5 perfs. Reopened as 'Y' on 14th April for 269 perfs. Arturo Broccetti ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Marilyn! The Musical' Adelphi Theatre. OPened March 17th for 214 perfs. Stephanie Lawrence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Blood Brothers' Lyric Theatre. Opened 11th April for 224 perfs Barabra Dickson ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Noel And Gertie' Kings Head Theatre. Opened 9th May for 32 perfs. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Bugsy Malone' Her Majesty's Theatre. Opened 26th May for 302 perfs. Catherine Zeta Jones ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Fiddler On The Roof' Apollo Victoria Theatre, Opened 29th May for 151 perfs. Topol ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Singin’ in the Rain' London Palladium. Opened30th June for 894 perfs. Tommy Steele Roy castle ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Jukebox' Astoria Theatre. Opened 14th Jul for 176 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'John, Paul, George, Ringo and Bert' Young Vic Theatre. Opened 8th Aug for 78 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Our Day Out' Young Vic Theatre. Opened 30th Aug for 39 perfs. LIMITED RUN ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Snoopy - The Musical' Duchess Theatre. Opened 20th Sep for 84 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Blondel' Old Vic THeatre Opened 28th Sept for 87 perfs. Transfers to Aldwych Theatre for another 278. Paul Nicholas Cantable ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Little Shop Of Horrors' Comedy Theatre. Opened Oct 14th for 813 perfs. Ellen Greene Barry James ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Dear Anyone' Cambridge Theatre. Opened 17th Oct for 65 perfs Jane Lapotaire Stubby Kaye ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Dancin' Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Opened 14th Nov for 84 perfs. U.S Touring cast ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Jean Seberg' NT Olivier Theatre. Opened 1st Dec for 74 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Abbacadabara' Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Opened 13th Dec for 62 perf. LIMITED RUN. Elaine Paige ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Hi-Di-Hi' Victoria Palace Theatre. Opened 22nd Dec for 84 perfs. LIMITED RUN. BBC TV Cast Updated On: 8/27/11 at 05:18 PM
'Hello Dolly' Danny La Rue Prince Of Wales Theatre. Opened 3rd Jan for 121 perfs. Danny La Rue ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Starlight Express' Apollo Victoria. Opened 27th Feb for 7461 perfs. Stephanie Lawrence ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Peg' Phoenix Theatre. Opened 12th April for 146 perfs. Martin Smith Ann Morrison ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Phantom of The Opera' Theatre Royal Stratford E15. Opened 9th May for 40 perfs. LIMITED RUN. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 'The Importance' (based on 'The Importance of Being Earnest) Ambassadors Theatre. Opened 31st May for 29 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Little Me' Prince Of Wales Theatre. Opened 30th May for 334 perfs Russ Abbott Lynda Barron ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'On Your Toes' Palace Theatre. Opened 12th June for 478 perfs. Tim Flavin Honor Blackman ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Ratepayers Iolanthe' Phoenix Theatre. Opened 25th Jul for 86 perfs. LIMITED RUN. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Bashville' Open Air Theatre Regents park. Opened 31st July for 25 perfs. LIMITED RUN. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'42nd Street' Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Opened 8th Aug for 2212 perfs. Paul Nicolas Margaret Courtney ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Pump Boys And Dinettes' Piccadilly Theatre. Opened 20th Sept for 197 perfs. Later transfered to the Albery for an extra 127 perfs. Clodagh Rogers Paul Nicolas ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Boy Friend' Albery Theatre. Opened 25th Sept for 156 perfs. Anna Qualye ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Blockheads' Mermaid Theatre. Opened 17th Oct for 27 perfs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Hired Man' Astoria Theatre. Opened 31st Oct for 164 perfs. Clare Burt ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Wiz' Lyric hammersmith Opened 11th Dec for 88 perfs. LIMITED RUN Eirleen Bently ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole' Wyndams Theatre. Opened 12 Dec for 497 perfs.
What an excellent thread. I remember being taken to see Hi Di Hi at the Victoria Palace theatre for my birthday. I wasn't impressed though, I wanted to see Bugsy Malone
'Me And My Girl' Adelphi Theatre. Opened 12th Feb for 3303 perfs. Robert Lindsay Emma Thonpson
'Look To The Rainbow' Apollo Theatre. Opened 16th Mar for 39 pefs. LIMITED RUN.
'Guys And Dolls' NT Production Prince Of Wales Theatre. Opened 19th June for 279 perfs. Lulu Clarke Peters
'Seven Brides For Seven Brothers' Old Vic Theatre. Opened 3rd July 45 prfs.
'Mutiny' Piccadilly Theatre. Opened 18th July for 374 perfs. David Essex Frank Finlay
'Kern Goes To Hollywood Donmar Warehouse. Opened 22nd July for 78 perfs. LIMITED RUN. David Kernan
'Are You Lonesome Tonight?' Phoenix Theatre. Opened 13th Aug for 354 perfs. Martin Lewis ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'The Cradle Will Rock' Old Vic Theatre. Opened 14th Aug for29 perfs. LIMITED RUN. Patti Boulaye ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Gigi' Lyric Theatre. Opened 17th Sep for 240 perfs. Beryl Reid ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
'Les Miserables' Barbican Theatre. Opened 30th Sept or 72 perfs. Transferred to the Palace Theatre. Opened Dec 4th still on stage. Micheal Ball Patti LuPone Colm Wilkinson
'Lennon - A Musical Biography. Astoria Theatre. Opened 2 Nov for 165 perfs.
'Peter Pan' Aldwych Theatre. Opened 20th Dec for 73 perfs. LIMITED RUN. Bonnie Langford
'High Society' Victoria Palace Theatre. Opened 15th Jan for 420 perfs.
'The Secret Garden' Kings Head Theatre. Opened 16th Jan for 171 perfs. LIMITED RUN.
'Lady Day' Donmar Theatre. Opened 25th Feb for 53 perfs. LIMITED RUN Transferred to Piccadilly Theatre. Opened 21st for 60 perfs. LIMITED RUN.
'Nunsense' Fortune Theatre. Opened 23rd Mar for 342 perfs,
'March Of The Falsettos' Albery Theatre. Opened 24th Mar for 29 perfs.
'Spin Of The Wheel' Comedy Theatre.April 7th for 36 perfs.
'What About Luv?' Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Opened 8th Apr for 29 perfs.
'The Mystery Of Edwin Drood' Savoy Theatre. Opened 7th May for 68 perfs.
'Kiss Me Kate' Old Vic Theatre. Opened 19th May for 227 perfs. Transferred to Savoy Theatre. Opened 15th Jan 1988 for 269 perfs.
'Up On The Roof' Apollo Theatre.June 8th for 19 perfs.
'Blues In The Night Donmar Warehouse. Opened 12th Jun for 51 perfs LIMITED RUN. Transferred to Piccadilly Theatre. Opened 28th Sept for 387 perfs.
'Black Heroes In The Hall Of Fame' Shaw Theatre. Opened July 17th for 26 perfs. LIMITED RUN. Transferred to Hackney Empire for 28 perfs. Transferred to Astoria Theatre for 152 perfs playing every other week! Transfered to Shaw Theatre for 26 perfs.
'Follies' Shaftesbury Theatre. Opened 21st July for 645.
'Bless The Bride' Sadlers Wells Theatre. Opened 11th Aug for 54 perfs. LIMITED RUN.
'Pacific Overtures' London Coliseum. Opened 10th Sept in repertoire for 42 perfs.
'Girlfriends' Playhouse Theatre. Opened 16th Oct for 43 perfs.
'Peter Pan' The Broadway Musical Cambridge Theatre. Opened 12th Nov for 129 perfs. LIMITED RUN.
'Lyle The Crocodile' Lyric Theatre Hammersmith. Opened 3rd Dec for 46 perfs.
'The Wizard Of Oz' Barbican Theatre. Opened 17th Dec for 81 perfs.