LONDON TIDBITS LONDON THEATRE MAY 2010
London offers an astonishing variety of things to see for those who love the theatre. It is mind-boggling to decide which to choose. Before leaving home, you can begin to do a bit of research by looking on the internet. If you experiment with key words such as theatre London, new plays, musicals, etc you can delve ever deeper into reviews that will help you make your choices. It is also helpful to find what plays are scheduled to begin since it is fun to see a show that is just opening, particularly if it is by one of your favorite producers or features one of your favorite actresses or actors. Tickets can also be purchased online.
Tickets to London’s theatres are expensive, but you are buying much more than just the play; you are buying a memorable experience. Many of the older theatres are opulent masterpieces. It used to be great fun to buy a cup of tea from one of the ladies at intermission, however, now it seems that ice cream is the favorite treat. Also, in the past every one appeared at the theatre splendidly attired with men in three piece suits and ladies in elegant dresses. Nowadays, most everyone arrives in casual attired.
You can book London theatre tickets in advance on the internet. Or you can email ahead to the concierge at your hotel and ask if he can pre-book plays for you. London hotels pride themselves on having the finest concierges in the world. Some concierges spent a career discreetly catering to distinguished guests and became quite famous (some retired quite wealthy, one I heard even bought the hotel he had worked in). The concierge where you are staying can likely give you some great tips on where to go and what plays to see. Not only have they usually seen most of the current plays, but also listen to hotel guests’ comments on their favorites. On this trip to London we stayed at the ever wonderful Dukes Hotel on St. James Place. The staff in general could not have been more accommodating and the concierge was tremendously helpful in securing our theatre tickets. A gold star for the staff and concierge at Dukes Hotel!
Dukes Hotel, London, England
If you want to economize, on Leicester Square in the Clock-Tower Building you can buy tickets at discounted prices. Purchases can be made on the day or the show, or up to a week in advance. The disadvantage is that if you have your heart set on a particular show, you might not be able to secure tickets.
Going to the theatre in London is a far greater event than just seeing a show. Do as the British do and make it a whole evening affair. The majority of the theatres are located within walking distance of Covent Garden, which is especially convenient since the “tube” (London’s subway system) has a stop there. If you go by the tube, as soon as you leave the station, you will be immediately immersed in the London theatre scene. Just a few steps away are colorful pubs bustling with jolly patrons. Many of whom stand outside on the sidewalk in small groups laughing and chatting as they drink beer and perhaps a snack while waiting for the show. The colorful Covent Garden area abounds with every-so-cute, picturesque pubs.
Instead of joining into the partying going on outside of the pubs, we usually opt to arrive on the scene about two hours before the shows begin (most start at 7:30 pm) and have dinner at some small restaurant or at a pub (many pubs squeeze diners into the bar area or have upstairs dining rooms). It is fun to stroll the roads and choose a place that looks especially alluring. Many places have a theatre menu which is a set price 3-course meal that is very reasonable. Another choice for where to eat is at one of the many colorful restaurants within Covent Garden.
IN MAY 2010 WE SAW THE FOLLOWING PLAYS:
OLIVER, Royal Theatre Drury Lane: We previously saw Dickens’s wonderful tale “Oliver” in 2009 and were so enchanted with the performance that we couldn’t resist going again this year. The acting, singing, pacing, lighting, color, costumes, and stage settings are brilliant. The appeal of the cast of adorable, ever-so-talented young boys is irresistible. You will come out of the theatre smiling and singing “Consider yourself at home: Consider yourself part of the family.” This is really a “must see” show. We will probably go back again when we are in London next year.
LOVE NEVER DIES, Adelphi Strand Theatre: We felt lucky to be in London soon after Andrew Lloyd Webber’s sequel to Phantom of the Opera opened in 2010. If our expectations had not been so high, we would probably have liked the show more than we did. But although the singing was extraordinary, overall we were disappointed. The plot seemed disjointed and rather trite. Who would expect the Phantom to end up in Coney Island? Although we were lukewarm about the show, to be fair, most of the audience loved it and demonstrated their enthusiasm with relentless clapping and “bravos.”
LEGALLY BLOND, Savoy Strand Theatre: We had seen the movie “Legally Blond” and thought the stage show might be worth seeing. We really didn’t expect much and were surprised to find this such a wonderful, happy production. There is nothing profound or intellectually inspiring about the show. Rather, it is just plain old fashioned fun with lots of music, talented singing, excellent acting, cute costumes, good staging. Plus, there was a very satisfactory ending where the “god guys” win and the “bad guys” have their comeuppance. You come away happy and smiling.
BILLY ELLIOT, Victoria Palace Theatre: “Billy Elliott” has already established itself as a very popular show in New York and London. However, if you have not yet seen it, the London production is superb. The story of a talented young boy from a poor mining town in Scotland who wants to go into ballet follows an expected storyline. Of course his father and his macho miner friends are totally against dancing classes for a boy. However, Billy’s dancing is remarkable and the audience is soon cheering for him, as the whole town does before the play is over.
WAR HORSE, New London Theatre: We would never have chosen War Horse without the advice our concierge. The reviews sounded rather silly. The theme of a young boy and his horse, battles in World War I, and life-sized metal horse puppets prancing around the stage sounded a bit silly. However, Ian, our concierge, highly recommended it as a show that all the guests came back raving about. He was absolutely right. We too were captivated by the stage settings, the interesting plot, the fine acting, the music, and above all horses. This play is really one you should see. It is a wonderful play, but you should see if for no other reason than to see the remarkable battle scenes performed by astonishing life-size puppets.
