London Show Help

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 10/12/15 at 6:11pm

My wife and I will be in London next March (around Easter) and would like to go to 2-3 shows while in London. We both agreed on "The Curious Incident" but was wondering what other shows would be good to see. I believe we have seen most of the musical shows that were on Broadway (Les Miserables, Kinky Boots, Lion King, Billy Elliot etc) and would like to see something that would not be on tour in the United States. We like musicals of all kinds so we are quite open. I would appreciate some opinions if everyone gets a chance.

[bob8rich]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 3:16am

BEND IT LIKE BECKHAM is well worth seeing – it’s “different”, has a ravishing Howard Goodall score and is packed with high energy and brilliant performances from its highly talented cast.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is totally hilarious – and, unlike most West End shows,  has a Sunday evening performance.

Shame you will just miss MISS SAIGON – it’s simply awesome! If you did not see BILLY ELLIOT on Broadway, don’t miss it – for my money, it’s still one of the best shows in the West End.

And there will be lots of amazing stuff in Fringe theatres (equivalent of Off-Broadway) which will not have been announced yet – you’ll need to check nearer the dates you’ll be travelling. For musicals, especially check out the Union Theatre and the Landor theatre – and there will be a play or a musical at the Southwark Playhouse (which are always pretty much West End standard productions).

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 7:50am

Thanks for the help, it is appreciated!! Is "Bend It Like Beckham" enjoyable even for someone like my wife who does not really know much about soccer/ futbol? Does "The Play That Goes Wrong" have humor that American tourist will understand? We did see "Billy Elliot" on Broadway and loved it, dancing was amazing !! BTW - the lead (Eva Noblezada) in Miss Saigon went to the same HS as my daughters (Northwest School Of The Arts). My daughters graduated a bunch of years before her.

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 8:09am

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of football and yet I loved Bend in like Beckham... It's almost more on "gender roles" and family than on football actually... the football is almost incidental! The score is delicious and the choreographies are great, it's really big fun!

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 9:21am

Imeldasturn - thanks for the information, sounds excellent !!

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 10:53am

There will be no issues with an american understanding The Play That Goes Wrong.  I describe it as Noises Off without the plot.  The show is exactly what it's title describes - a play that goes wrong and wronger and even wronger.  It is hilarious!  Oh, and be early, because the show actually begins about 15 minutes before curtain.  You may be enticed on stage.  There were some early sightline issues if you were on the left side of the theatre facing the stage - but I hear they have fixed some of those issues.

Hopefully, Beckham will still be playing when you go.

If you like The Kinks - then check out Sunny Afternoon - which surprisingly won the Olivier.  I don't think it will come to the US.  It is not quite a jukebox musical - it's a blend of a jukebox and a biomusical - where some Kinks songs are sung as Kinks songs and some are sung as character songs.  

Other fringe theatres to check out are Menier (you will just miss Funny Girl which ends March 5 unless it extends), Hampstead (not announced for March ); Almeida (Uncle Vanya through March 26); Donmar (not announced).

And bookmark www.theatremonkey.com which has seating charts for many theatres as well as information on discounts and day seats.

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 11:29am

Mrs. Henderson Presents is transferring from Bath and starts February 9.  This got excellent reviews in Bath. It is a stage version of the film.     http://www.mrshenderson.co.uk/

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 9:46pm

"a play that goes wrong and wronger and even wronger.  It is hilarious!  Oh, and be early, because the show actually begins about 15 minutes before curtain.  You may be enticed on stage.

Sounds like a great time. If you are enticed on stage does it mean you will sit there as "part" of the show or you just are a member of the audience on stage.

"If you like The Kinks - then check out Sunny Afternoon - which surprisingly won the Olivier.  I don't think it will come to the US.  It is not quite a jukebox musical - it's a blend of a jukebox and a biomusical - where some Kinks songs are sung as Kinks songs and some are sung as character songs.  "

I like the Kinks so that could be interesting. Not all jukebox musicals are bad, we loved "Jersey Boys" for example.

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 10/13/15 at 11:09pm

yankeefan7 said: Sounds like a great time. If you are enticed on stage does it mean you will sit there as "part" of the show or you just are a member of the audience on stage.

It's a preshow bit - but to write more could ruin it.  

 

 

 

"

 

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 10/17/15 at 11:30pm

Ok, understood. I appreciate you not spoiling it if we went to the show.

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/10/16 at 8:49pm

How is "Charlie And The Chocolate Factory"? My family wants to see it but I am voting for "Bend If Like Beckham"?

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/11/16 at 12:55am

my opinion: do not waste your time with Charlie.  We saw it in early 2014.  It was loud and incoherent.  Act One is dull.  They do not get to the factory until Act II.  And, even then it's not a lot of fun.  The American accents were all over the place and, well, "bad".  The sets are not even that imaginative compared to the sets for, say, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.  There is only one song from the movie - Pure Imagination - everything else is new and not exceedingly memorable. Not necessarily "bad."   The show is being revamped for its Broadway engagement - new director, new songs, new staging - so take that as a statement that the current show does not measure up.  I don't know how successful financially the London version is - we had no trouble getting tickets.  I just think your family will be very disappointed by Charlie.  My then 12 year old was disappointed.  You would be better off taking a chance on Beckham - especially as there reportedly are lots of discounts available - and there are day seat available.  

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/11/16 at 12:37pm

Thanks for your help, gives me time to work on the family - lol.

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/11/16 at 6:05pm

Frankly, bag the musicals and see The Play That Goes Wrong.  You can show your family the Royal Variety Clip.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DOWO4gq-whg  If that doesn't entice them, then never mind.

 

[ggersten]

Posted: 1/13/16 at 12:39pm

Apparently, Beckham is closing March 5.  You can't buy tickets after that date.  I still wouldn't spend the money and time on Charlie.  

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 1/17/16 at 8:08am

"Frankly, bag the musicals and see The Play That Goes Wrong.  You can show your family the Royal Variety Clip. "

 

My wife bought the tickets for this last night - lol

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 12:01am

"There will be no issues with an american understanding The Play That Goes Wrong.  I describe it as Noises Off without the plot.  The show is exactly what it's title describes - a play that goes wrong and wronger and even wronger.  It is hilarious!  Oh, and be early, because the show actually begins about 15 minutes before curtain. "

 
Got back Friday from London and wanted to thank you about "The Play That Goes Wrong". It was very funny and we had a great time !! Thanks for your advice about being early also, that was funny also about looking for the dog.

Updated On: 4/4/16 at 12:01 AM

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 12:14am

"Curious Incident" was fantastic even with the understudy (Kaffee Keating) in the role of Christopher Boone. It is not often that I care about the staging of a show but this one was so good it made a big difference. My oldest daughter had a "prime number" seat but she did not get a prize - lol. 

 

We had seen "Matilda" on Broadway but my daughters wanted to see it again so we got tickets and enjoyed it very much. We had seats in the 4th row (Stalls) and it was wild that when they were on the swings they were almost right above us. The cast was excellent but one thing I noticed was a couple of the children seemed a bunch older that the others.

I would also like to mention I like the West End programs so much better than the "Playbill" on Broadway. I did not mind paying four euros because it is a high quality souvenir.

[ggersten]

Posted: 4/4/16 at 10:14am

Sounds like a great trip.  And glad you enjoyed The Play That Goes Wrong!  I don't remember a dog bit, so maybe they changed up the pre-show.

Also glad they put back the "prime seating".  They had that when I saw it at the Apollo but not when I saw it at the Gielgud.  

We just saw the Matilda tour in Chicago (and had seen it on Broadway before) - but I think the best version I saw was the London staging!.  And of course, the British accents were much better in London.  

[yankeefan7]

Posted: 4/7/16 at 6:46pm

"And of course, the British accents were much better in London.  "

Without a doubt - lol !!