London theater recommendation(s)

Old Nov 13th, 2014, 06:34 AM
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London theater recommendation(s)

I hope someone will offer more before our brief stopover this summer.

Here's mine: Knight of the Burning Pestle, starting tonight and for the next two months at the Sam Wanamaker Theatre.

We saw it this spring at this delightful candle-lit indoor mini-Globe adjacent to the Globe. It's hilarious, and beautifully done. Good tickets went fast as I dithered over which night, since the theatre's so small. We ended up in the upper gallery next to the musicians, which was fun, with limited but decent sight lines if you leaned forward a bit. Players lowered the chandelier past us during intermission, candles blazing. I'd go see it again, but this time jump early on better seats.

I would expect that the currently running 'Tis a Pity She's a Whore is also excellent.

http://www.shakespearesglobe.com/the...burning-pestle
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Old Nov 13th, 2014, 05:28 PM
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Thanks for the tip.
The last show I saw in London was Music Man and starred Van Johnson. It was 1961. I wish I could see it again.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 06:13 AM
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Ha, thanks Bob. Burning Pestle has music, but alas no trombones and no Van Johnson.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 06:39 AM
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In 2010 we saw The 39 Steps at the Criterion in Piccadilly Circus. It's still there. Loved it!

Four actors play all the parts in a spoof of Hitchcock films.

SS
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 12:55 PM
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Hi STOKE,

I would recommend the only show I saw in London last June - "HANDBAGGED" at the Vaudeville Theater on the Strand. From my June trip report:

"The play dramatized the thorny, amusing relationship between Queen Elizabeth and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher over their decade plus association. Two women played each character - the younger and older versions of themselves. While the younger Queen and PM re-enacted their conversations of thirty years ago, the older versions circled around the stage making witty remarks and asides with humorous interactions . It was very clever - so British..."

I am not into West End musicals and extravaganzas. I think it would be your "cup of tea." Enjoy London.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 01:42 PM
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Hi, ssander. My older daughter and I saw 39 Stops at the Criterion just around that time, and also loved it. Another one worth repeat visit.

Aw, thanks, Lateday. I do remember that from your TR, and it does sound fun. We're just passing through both ways, total three nights.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 01:45 PM
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We saw Perfect Nonsense in June and loved it, but I don't know if it will still be playing next year.

Lee Ann
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 10:19 PM
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Thanks, ElendilP. I seem to remember that you and I have similar tastes in literature, from Wodehouse to P. O'Brien.
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Old Nov 14th, 2014, 11:17 PM
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Your problem, at least six months ahead, is that it's practically impossible to forecast how long your preferred shows (highly professional straight plays or similar) will stay on.

The ONLY group of such plays are in the subsidised reps, who publish their programmes at least six months in advance and stick to them. Just browse the NT, the RSC's London season at the Barbican, the Royal Court and the Almeida.

Sadly for your purposes, once their productions move into private-sector theatres, and among fully for-profit productions aiming at the same market, a host of imponderables crop up that make forecasting availability nine months out impossible.

The single best example of the genre right now (Sophocles' Electra at the Old Vic, with Kirsten Scott-Thomas in the title role, however improbable that might sound) has to come off in December, for example.

It doesn't help either that much subsidised theatre winds down in summer, because its audience decamps to support our neighbours' struggling economies.

Nonetheless, their theatres do stay open, and tickets don't all sell out the day the booking season opens.
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Old Nov 15th, 2014, 12:25 AM
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My favorite theatre in summer is the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. We've seen some wonderful productions there.
Seeing A Midsommer Night's Dream in the park on a beautiful summer evening with a glass of wine can't be beat.

You have to be a bit lucky with the weather though. And if you wait till last minute, it may be sold out. I did get a last minute ticket this summer for Porgy & Bess, on a weekday.
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Old Nov 15th, 2014, 03:26 AM
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Flanneruk, as usual, makes a good point. It's usually hard to predict how long any show will last -- though really good/popular ones tend to hang on quite awhile...you can be sure The Mousetrap will still be there.

We'll be heading to London in the spring, so we will keep an eye on this thread (it's till fun to see reviews and suggestions) as well as relevant others we get closer to the departure date.

SS
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Old Nov 15th, 2014, 01:30 PM
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Yes, yes. Of course flanner makes a good point as usual. Possibly skimming only my first sentence, he may have missed my own main point, which is recommending the current very fun offering at the Sam Wanamaker Theatre. This time I am on the offering rather than the beseeching side.

Even though a mere American hinterlander, even I know not to start looking for June quite yet. I'm barely in the lodging and air ticket stage for us.

But thanks, dear valued comrades. I will look for Regent's Park schedule when the time comes, Tulips; I like that idea.
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Old Jun 7th, 2015, 05:49 AM
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It turns out we'll only have four nights in London, and my husband is not interested on plays, so my daughter and I will probably only get to The Beaux' Stratagem at the National Theatre. Restoration comedy, well reviewed.

We'd never been to a play at the NT before, but my impression is we can hardly go wrong. Our daughter H arrived in London Friday for her year studying there, and by yesterday late afternoon GMT she called me from the Tate Modern asking for a nearby inexpensive play recommendation. (She knows I'm a natural born concierge.) I suggested The Red Lion, just previewing at the NT, £15 available seats.

Here's her review emailed this morning:

I am SO GLAD I went to see the Red Lion last night. It was an incredible play! So well written, I loved the actors and the set was incredible. Despite being a lot about soccer , I really related to the story line and was just enthralled by the whole thing. It's also just so exciting to see a brand new play on preview. Full house too.
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Old Jun 9th, 2015, 08:19 AM
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Reviving this thread for those who haven't departed to London yet...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was simply amazing -- saw it a couple of weeks ago during our trip to London. It's at the Gielgud on Shaftsbury Ave.

I understand that the US version won five Tonys this weekend. The UK version won a bunch of Olivier Awards the year it opened -- in 2012 I think.

SS
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Old Jun 9th, 2015, 09:01 AM
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Thank you, ssander. That's good to know.

Tulips, my daughter plans to see Peter Pan in Regent's Park Thursday night; hope they can get tickets. I see it's been well reviewed. I'm bringing her a jacket this weekend, since she didn't realize how chilly it would still be in the evenings.
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Old Jun 10th, 2015, 12:05 AM
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I love the Regent's Park Open Air theatre. Saw Porgy & Bess last year. And the Sound of Music 2 years ago was fantastic.
There's nice food too, English desserts like Eton Mess. Hope the weather is good!

High Society at the Old Vic should be really good too, we have tickets in July.
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Old Jun 11th, 2015, 01:29 PM
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Here's my daughter's take on Peter Pan in Regent's Park:

Peter Pan was incredible -- I am so glad that I went. Such a FUN show with a great set, story line, there were tons of kids in the audience so there was so much energy in the house. If I were here all summer, I would definitely get the £25 tickets for all the shows at the open air theater.
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Old Jun 11th, 2015, 09:08 PM
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The Curious Incident of the Dog is quite good and I agree with the recommendation.
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Old Jul 7th, 2015, 08:02 PM
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We saw The Beaux' Strategem at the National Theatre, enjoyed it very much. A fun Restoration comedy, with live music, singing that really add to the fun.
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