subject: A Guide to What Musicals are Showing in London's West End [print this page] A Guide to What Musicals are Showing in London's West End
London's West End currently offers some great musicals. Depending upon your tastes, there's probably a show just right for your entertainment needs and you can often find half price theatre tickets. Musicals with a historical fiction base include "Blood Brothers," by Willy Russell at the Phoenix Theatre; and a World War II version of "Cinderella," as interpreted by Matthew Bourne, with music by Prokofiev, showing at Sadler's Wells.
Musicals based on historical figures include "End of the Rainbow," a musical about Judy Garland's life, on at Trafalgar Studios 1 Theatre; and "Fela!", which covers the story of Fela Kuti, an Afrobeat celebrity and political activist, showing at the Olivier, National Theatre.
Hollywood hits brought to the musical stage include "Flashdance" at the Shaftesbury; "Ghost" at the Piccadilly; and "Legally Blonde" at the Savoy.
Musical theatre classics currently showing on the West End include "Oliver!" by Lionel Bart, at Drury Lane, Theatre Royal; "Grease" at the Piccadilly, "Les Miserables" at Queen's Theatre; "The Lion King" at the Lyceum; "Wicked" at the Apollo Victoria Theatre; and "The Phantom of the Opera" with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyrics by Charles Hart, at Her Majesty's Theatre. ("Love Never Dies," a sequel to "Phantom" with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, is showing at the Adelphi.)
Shows about popular music include "Dreamboats & Petticoats," a homage to such singers as Roy Orbison and Chuck Berry, the Playhouse; "The Go! Go! Go! Show" at the Leicester Square Theatre Basement; "Jersey Boys," telling the story of Frankie Vallie and The Four Seasons at the Prince Edward Theatre; "Thriller Live," with songs by Michael Jackson and The Jackson 5, at the Lyric; and "We Will Rock You," the Queen musical about Planet Mall, currently showing at the Dominion. "Christmas with the Rat Pack--Live from Las Vegas" is coming to London for a one-night engagement on 19 December at Drury Lane, Theatre Royal.
Musical fables include "The Gruffalo," on at the Garrick; and a revisiting of "Hansel and Gretel," showing at Queen Elizabeth Hall beginning on 16 December.
Other shows include "Billy Elliot: The Musical" at Victoria Palace Theatre; "Chicago" at the Cambridge; "Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage" at the Aldwych; "Love Story" at the Duchess; "Mamma Mia" at the Prince of Wales Theatre; "Priscilla, Queen of the Desert" at the Palace; and "Stomp" at the Ambassadors Theatre.
With such an assortment of brilliant musical offerings, the only thing that could make your experience better, perhaps, would be to pay less for this enjoyment. How do discount theatre tickets sound?
