London Theatre Advice.
 

I will be in London next week and would like to see a show while I am there. I have checked out the websites but I'd like some recommendations. I am a huge theater buff and have seen many of the shows currently playing in London:
Anything Goes
Blood Brothers
Chicago
Complete History of Shakespeare
Joseph and Amazing Dreamcoat
Les Miserables
Mousetrap
Noises Off
Phantom of the Opera
Thoroughly Modern Millie
Woman in Black

I like musicals and plays. Any one have any suggestions? I would love to see His Girl Friday but the dates are wrong for me.
Has anyone seen Chitty Chitty Bang Bang? I loved the movie as a kid. What about Tell Me on a Sunday? I saw Song and Dance on Broadway with Bernadette Peters (and loved it) and since it is essentially the same show, I don't know if I should see it again.

Thanks--Laura

I saw Chitty last year with my grandaughter. It was during school half-term holiday so everybody was with children. Chitty is for kids. It's cute but weak and nothing special. I would recommend seeing something (anything) else. The movie was much, much better. Even my 6 year old grandaughter said she like Lion King much better.

I'm a theatre nut and participant so I somewhat enjoyed Chitty. . .mainly for the spectacular car effects, especially when it literally comes out into or above the audience. I saw it early in the run and was disappointed that Michael Ball wasn't there and his understudy was pretty weak. In fact the whole show is weak -- is there not a single good musical number? There are some terrific dances, and lots of bells and whistles, but that's about it. Yes, it is definitely more for kids that true theatre goers.

I didn't see Tell Me On Sunday, but I do understand the performance is excellent. Again, not a whole lot to the show itself in my opinion.

Too bad about His Girl Friday -- I'm aching to see it.
What about dates for Jerry Springer, the Opera? It really sounds interesting, but again I haven't seen it.

To be perfectly blunt, right now it's a rather dull season of offerings in London, other than the long runs. I'm hoping it will pick up.

Thanks Elainee and Patrick for your insight. I may see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang but I'll keep my expectations low.

What about the Lion King?

I only went because it was one of the few Sunday shows, and loved it. It was my favorite of the 4 West End shows I saw last year.

Keith

Just realized your list doesn't include Mama Mia. This is a must!!! Still a hard ticket, I think, but I'd go to the box office and look for cancellations.

I've seen the Lion King Keith just forgot to put it on my list. Thanks for the suggestion Patrick. I think I'll see if I can get a ticket for Mamma Mia. Everyone I know that saw it, liked it. And I liked the number I saw from the show on the Tony Awards.

Do you like Oscar Wilde's plays? If you do, "A Woman of no Importance" is playing these days.

I agree with Patrick's suggestion of Mama Mia. I had put off going to see it each time I was in London because I had read that you needed to be an Abba fan to enjoy it - which I'm not.

I finally went this year and it is absolutely great - don't miss it.

By all means, Mama Mia. Saw it in London in May. Absolutely fantastic!

I just returned this past Monday (10/20) and while I was in London I saw the following shows:

Throughly Modern Millie (terrific)
Lion King (Good)
Stones in His Pocket (a wonderful comedy about a Hollywood film company in a small Irish village) Two guys play all of the parts. Would recommend this to everyone. Got cheap tickets at hot tixs booth on the day of the performance. Small theatre-no bad seats.

Hope this helps!

edkchicago,
What made Millie so terrific? I am thinking of getting tickets to it for our visit in April and was wondering how people felt about it.

Have any of you seen Anything Goes? I am wondering about that one too, altho I am not a Cole Porter fan.

We've seen just about everything that has been playing in London over the years as we go every spring and for anyone who has not see it get tickets for Mamma Mia - it is terrific, you leave the show feeling good.

In addition to concurring with what others have said about Mama Mia and Stones in His Pocket, I'd also recommend After Mrs. Rochester - amazing acting and a moving story. I saw it a few weeks ago at the Duke of York Theatre and found it a great eveing. -- Enjoy

Why was Millie terrific?

Great cast (wonderful voices and good acting), upbeat music and tempo, good punchlines (silly but funny).

A good nights entertainment. What else can I say.

Remember this is only one person's opinion.

Edkchicago

Jerry Springer the Opera got good reviews actually!

Lori, I've always loved Anything Goes -- but mainly for the incredible Cole Porter score. If you don't like his songs, maybe it isn't for you. But there is also a whole lot of dance -- tap and other. The book is a whole lot of silliness. Maybe that's another reason I like it.

Come to think of it, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a very similar type musical -- and while I loved it, the score can't begin to match Anything Goes in my humble opinion.

Yes, don't let the Jerry Springer title fool you. This is a major piece that was presented to great aclaim at The National, has transferred to the West End and will also be making the move to Broadway.

Patrick & edkchicago,
Thanks for the input, I do appreciate it. I'll have to give a little more thought to Anything Goes tho, probably will get ticket to Millie. I've been trying to find out what may be scheduled into the Royal Haymarket this spring -- anyone know? Likewise, the Savoy (love that theater!!)they don't even allow smoking in the lobby :-)

Lori, I'm not familiar with a theatre called "Royal Haymarket", but A Woman of No Importance, mentioned above is booking at the Haymarket through January. (I'm not trying to be smart, but that "Royal" title is something they make a big deal of).

Pirates of Penzance is booking at The Savoy until mid or late March. And I agree with you about that theatre -- it really is lovely!

You can go to www.officiallondontheatre.co.uk
enter your dates and you will find everything that is booking for then. You can also click onto "by theatre" and find what is scheduled for any theatre.

Thanks again everyone for all the great suggestions. I really like the idea of Mamma Mia and Stones in his Pockets--two shows I have heard very good things about. I am not much of an Oscar Wilde fan so I think I'll skip a Woman of No Importance.

I saw both Anything Goes and Thoroughly Modern Millie on Broadway. I agree that Anything Goes has a silly book but a great score. It helps to be a Cole Porter fan which I definitely am. I loved Millie. I laughed so hard at some scenes that my stomach hurt. It is a wonderful old fashioned boy meets girl: boy loses girl: boy gets girl back again musical.

Thanks again for the advice. It will definitely help a few days from now when I am in London-can't wait!

Patrick,
I know you are not trying to be smart :-) I'm the one who got the theater name wrong. It's Haymarket Theater Royal (and it is a lovely theater - nearest tube is Picadilly for those who care). We will be in London in April again this year so I was wondering what was going to be on in that particular theater. They never seem to do a long running show there for some reason.