8/1/2019
Hi everyone, hope the working week is so far so good, keep going, the weekend is coming!!
What’s better than a Tuesday blog post right, and today I thought I’d do one about West End shows! Now it’s no secret that I love West End shows, and have been lucky enough to see quite a few amazing ones. Most recently of course was Bat Out Of Hell which I saw a total of 5 times, and was desperately hoping to see it one final time on closing night (5th January 2019) except I had no one to go with (actually crying inside!) I couldn’t even persuade my boyfriend Luke to watch it one final time with, (feeling super sad about that). Moving on though (honestly I’m over it…..) I started thinking about what West End shows I’d like to see Moving forward.
So here is a little list of 5 shows that I would like to see.
The Book of Mormon
This is a good one to start with as I am actually going to see this in March, thanks to my sister and her boyfriend who got Luke and I tickets for Christmas. Winner of nine Tony Awards, The Book of Mormon comes from South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone, so I am pretty sure Luke will like this show! I’ve read the reviews and seen clips of it on YouTube, and I have to say it looks pretty awesome, and very funny, so I’m excited.
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat
Originally released as a concept album in 1969, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the worlds most iconic musicals, featuring songs that have gone on to become pop and musical theatre standards, including Any Dream Will Do and Go Go Go Joseph. The show has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway. Joseph is set to return to the London Palladium from June 2019 for a limited run until around September. I am hoping to get tickets so I can cross it off of the list. The show has only a few lines of spoken dialogue; it’s almost entirely sung-through (something I think Luke will hate) so maybe he’s not my number one option to go with!!
ON YOUR FEET!
This smash hit Broadway musical is the inspiring true love story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan which charts their journey from Cuba, onto the streets of Miami and finally to international superstardom. The musical features some of the most iconic pop songs of the era, including‘Rhythm is Gonna Get You’, ‘Conga’, ‘Get On Your Feet’, and ‘1-2-3’. My mum was/is a Gloria Estefan fan so this music brings back happy memories of when I was little, listening to my mum playing the songs. Actually I think this is more of show my mum would like, with all the dancing, and I’m pretty sure she’d sing along! This is another show coming to London for a strictly limited season…. I think I need to book!
Hamilton
This seems to be the show that everyone is raving about at the moment, and after seeing a small clip of it on the royal variety performance last year, I think I can see why! Hamilton is the story of America’s founding father Alexander Hamilton who became George Washington’s right-hand man during the Revolutionary War. What I think will certainly set this musical apart is the score, which blends hip-hop, jazz, blues, rap, R&B and Broadway, it really does sound amazing!!
The woman in black
Although not a musical it’s still a London stage play, and one that I am desperate to see! I love the film the woman in black and I have read the best reviews about the stage show. It is notable for only having two actors perform the whole play and is described as a gripping theatrical exploration of terror with a blend of suspense, drama and bold stagecraft! It opened in London’s Westend back in 1989 and is still running today which makes it the second longest non-musical play in Westend history! It’s a show surely not to be missed!!
West End shows come and go, and I am hopefully going to try and make my through as many as I can! Shows that I can tick off of the list are
- Rock of ages (twice)
- Phantom of the opera
- Grease
- Starlight express
- Nativity the musical!
- Legally blonde
- Hairspray
- Chicago
- Wicked
- Happy days the musical
- Lion king
- Aladdin
- Cirque du soleil
And of course most recently and by far my favourite show Bat Out Of Hell, which I have seen 5 times! Once in 2017 and four times in 2018! Sadly it has now ended it’s run at London’s dominion theatre, and I wasn’t in the audience to witness the final show, something I genuinely think I will forever be sad about
Although my favourite and arguably the best ever musical has ended, I am certainly looking forward to seeing some more great shows, even if they won’t live up to Bat. And with the closing of Bat, 42nd street, dream girls and Chicago this month I am looking forward to 4 more brand new shows hitting London’s West End, whatever they may be.
Please do let me know what your favourite musical’s are? Are there any that should be on my list? Leave me a comment below
Hamilton is amazing if you can get tickets you have to go!!!
It really looks good, and very different to other shows. Fingers crossed I can get tickets! ?
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My top two favorite musicals are Wicked and Les Mis. I saw Wicked four times: once on Broadway and three times on tour in Charlotte. I saw Les Mis five times: three times at community college, once in the West End, and once in Greenville on tour.
Those are not my only favorite musicals I saw in person: Newsies, Phantom of the Opera, Lion King, Sound of Music, Pippin and Annie for example. I saw all of them on tour. Living in the United States, but not close enough to NYC means you have to see musicals on tour.
Amazing! You’ve seen quite a few! Les Mis is one I have contemplated but have never seen, I know lots of people who really like it but I didn’t enjoy the film, I wonder if seeing it on stage is better?. Miss Saigon is one I would love to see but it’s currently not showing in London. I bet the sound of music was good.
My Les Mis journey began with the film. I recommend the stage show. Give Les MIs a 2nd stage- I had to give Les Mis a 2nd chance before I became a fan of it.
Miss Saigon is a musical I am seeing next month on tour- coming to Charlotte. I live in Charlotte, NC. Miss Saigon has a US Tour at the current moment.
Please let me know what that’s like, it looks amazing, but I missed it when it was here in London! There are quite a few shows I wish would either tour in the uk or return to London, like Cats, Oliver! And Mary Poppins. Maybe les Mis is with another go, London tickets get sold out really quickly, so I figure I am the only one missing out xx
Maybe get tickets sooner than you usually do- just saying. My blog is musical-theatre themed. I review a musical each time I see one.
You do know- Les Mis is one tour in the UK
I’ve just had a look at your blog, I couldn’t find the link to follow it, I love musicals so it’s an interesting read for me ?
Yes your right, I do need to get organised and get tickets earlier. Especially as I like sitting fairly close to the front ?
Over in the United States, I have to be willing not to sit near the front only because season ticket holders get the first seats, and everyone else has to wait longer. I rely on tours due to living in NC.
I just looked through my blog- you will find it if you look at a blog post individually. If you want to follow my blog.