West End Recommendations

[djoko84]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 7:42am

Hi everyone, I am visiting London and would like to know what people on here recommend to see at the West End (my first time ever). I'll be seeing a show Dec. 8 and 9 and from everything I've read the shows to see are Follies and The Ferryman. I really wanted to see Dreamgirls with Amber Riley, but is it true she's only there till Nov 18?

[imeldasturn]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 2:04pm

Yeah it's supposed to be her last show, but cheer up: it's very hard to find her on even when she's scheduled to be

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 6:28pm

I did a search here:  

http://www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk/london-shows/#/?rows=10&q=&sort=previews_from_dt%20asc&start=110

Only musicals (which will be playing on your dates) that caught my eye are:

- Follies (although I've heard heard some dismissive comments about this production on the threads)

- Hamilton (I usually avoid Broadway mainstays transferred to London; I also am trepidatious about musicals and plays whose themes are rooted in America as I have had mixed results with these in London, but I loved Funny Girl, The Glass Menagerie, and In The Heights on the West End. However, Ham will begin previews on Dec, 6 so I suspect tix will be hard to come by). 

Sadly, that's all that caught my eye in regard to musicals. Several plays are playing though that are promising. Do those interest you or only musicals? 

Updated On: 9/13/17 at 06:28 PM

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 9/13/17 at 6:52pm

- I also almost saw Les Miz when I was in London in April, but three other shows won out instead. So if you've never even a theatrical presentation of it, that might be an option. 

In case non-musicals interest you, you might consider:

- Oslo

- Long Day's Journey into Night

- Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (beware it's a two-parter)

- Cat on a Hot Tin Roof

- Waiting for Godot

- Ink

- Heisenberg

 

[djoko84]

Posted: 9/14/17 at 6:51am

Thanks so much for the replies! I got tickets for Follies on Dec 8 and The Ferryman on Dec 9. I tried to stay away from shows that I've already seen on Broadway (because nothing compares to Broadway) so Hamilton, Les Miz, Oslo, Matilda, Wicked, and many others were crossed off my list. I'm going to see Harry Potter when it comes to Broadway early next year so I wanted to see something else. The only other show I really wanted to see was Dreamgirls with Amber Riley, but since she's done in November I'll wait till it transfers to Broadway.

[Miles2Go2]

Posted: 9/14/17 at 10:25am

djoko84 said: "Thanks so much for the replies! I got tickets for Follies on Dec 8 and The Ferryman on Dec 9. I tried to stay away from shows that I've already seen on Broadway (because nothing compares to Broadway) so Hamilton, Les Miz, Oslo, Matilda, Wicked, and many others were crossed off my list. I'm going to see Harry Potter when it comes to Broadway early next year so I wanted to see something else. The only other show I really wanted to see was Dreamgirls with Amber Riley, but since she's done in November I'll wait till it transfers to Broadway."

Great choices! Enjoy!