Ljyoung

I've asked about Chitty Chitty Bang Bang or London Ghost walk. Sounds like the majority would pick the former for my family w/ 2 girls ages 8 & 13. Next question, would you say that the theatre is a good choice for a London evening or should we look to do something deemed to be more unique to the city. Maybe Chitty Chitty IS a great choice...I don't know that we could do that anywhere else!And theatre in London - well, can it get much better? Thanks for this last bit of input on this subject ( I'm really having to convince my husband that this is the way to go! ).

jenifer

London is THE place for theater - even more so than Broadway in NYC. You seem convinced of this, so maybe it will help us if you can explain why your husband thinks it's a bad idea. He may have some legitimate concerns, or maybe he's misinformed about something and the record can easily be set straight.

janis

I agree - Theatre is a major reason many people travel to London from all over the world. Does you husband think theatre isn't a unique and fundamental part of the fabric of London?

Theatre is much more a part of every day London than some made up "ghost" tour.

rj007

Jenifer is right. London is THE place for the theatre. Why not just do Chitty Chitty one night and do the Ghost Walk the next? This is why I love London. There is so much to do and see in this city.

WillTravel

Maybe your husband can do something else while you and your daughters go to the theatre.

ira

Hi Li,

Tell hubby to find a pub while you and the kids go to the theatre.

Kate

Going to London and not going to the Theatre is like going to Rome and skipping the Roman ruins. What puts off your husband? If it's musicals he's not keen on, then there's plenty of other theatre choices (comedy, drama, dance...)

It can be as high brow or as lightweight as suits you.

WillTravel

Much as I love theatre, some people just aren't into it - any type, anywhere, any actors, any show. They really would see attending as a form of torture. If that's the case, why spend the money on his ticket?

MFNYC

Speaking of London theater. Any comments on the 'abridged' comedies (Shakespeare, Amer. History & the Bible). We only have 3.5 days there and my son, almost 13, is not into musical theater (but loves a good comedy). My 15 yr old daughter is more flexible.

jenifer

We saw shakespeare and amer. history last year and found them both funny. Someone with absolutely no Shakespeare knowledge may miss out on a lot of those jokes, but it's still fun.

If you do a search here for them, I know they've been discussed before - many people find them to be very enjoyable and funny!

Patrick

The Unabridged Shakespeare is indeed very lively and very funny. We also went to the Complete History of America and frankly, it was a dud. There was less script, a lot of improvisation that didn't work, and some just plain silliness that wasn't funny. There's a good reason the theatre was packed for multi performances of each week of the Shakespeare show, but half empty houses for the one or two performances of the History of America one.

sandykins

Maybe it's not theatre itself but the idea of watching "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang" that's putting off your husband? If so, I would ask him to peruse the list of theatre shows in London and see whether something else appeals to him.

Also, I'm a big fan of family members splitting up at some point during a trip and each doing whatever he or she wants. My husband and I even spent an afternoon apart in Paris on our honeymoon because he did not want to visit a fashion museum that I was intent on seeing; he went to a military museum instead. If your husband doesn't want to watch a show, he can do something else that interests him.

Ljyoung

Thanks for the continued input. My husband is kind of an "outdoorsy" guy. His parting words this morning were, "are you sure you want to go to London to sit in a theater?" Typically, I make plans to attend a concert, play, sporting event...whatever, and once he has been thanks me for the idea afterwards. Some guys just need more of a push than others I guess ( probably true of some women also ). At this point I'm taking up the idea of Chitty Chitty in London if everyone agrees that I'm making a good choice for a "family oriented" production. Thanks again...........

rj007

"Are you sure you want to go to London and sit in a theatre?*

Patrick will have something to say as he, Kate, myself and several Fodorites can't imagine going to London without going to the theatre. However,as WillTravel states "Some people are just not interested in the theatre". I work with someone who is in London and has no interest in the theatre, but at least he is there. His wife stayed home as she has no interest in visiting London. Go figure.

Lyoung - enjoy the show!

flanneruk

Personally, I can't understand either why anyone puts up with our overpriced, cramped, ill-equipped theatres, or why they expect a spouse who doesn't like the damn places to trot along.

Most of us never go near them. A holiday in London that doesn't involve theatres strikes me as a lot better than one that does.

Alternatives? Well, the universal answer is to buy Time Out a few weeks in advance and research what's on. And, amazingly, there really are other alternatives than ghost walks.

Depending on the time of the year, this might include:
- evening sporting events. Horse-racing at Windsor, Lingfield or Kempton Park (yes, children DO go horse racing here), football or cricket.
- boat trips
- theatre and such other than plays. I don't mean gay. Try the Hackney Empire, for example, for interactive, music hall style stuff. Or ballet or opera. Open air concerts -take a picnic.
- Non-classical concerts
- evening openings of museums, art galleries or blockbuster shows.

There are roughly three-quarters of a million children in London. They aren't dying of boredon, and they aren't all stuck in front of their gameboys. Do what they do.

And steer clear of those awful West End theatres.

Ljyoung

Thanks everyone for your thoughts. Thank you too, flanneruk, for your perspective - many good ideas there. I appreciate it..........

Patrick

I've never understood pushing someone to do something they don't enjoy. The idea that you will "make" someone enjoy an evening of theatre when he has been to theatre numerous times before and clearly doesn't like it is just wishful thinking on your part. It's OK for someone not to like it, don't push them. It leaves more good seats for those of us who do love it.
Incidentally, being involved in theatre I've known two different husbands who never even came to see their wives perform a lead in a show because they just didn't enjoy watching a "bunch of people pretending to be someone they aren't". That was always hard for me to understand, but I sure see why someone who doesn't like it would want to stay away if he didn't know anyone in the cast!
By the same token, I find baseball the most boring way to spend a couple hours in the world. But some think that if they'd take me to a "really good game" that I'd like it. How wrong they are! Why try when my mind is made up.

Ljyoung

Thanks Patrick: It's not that my husband dislikes theatre, it's more that he hates to make plans, in advance, to do most anything. I'm quite sure that he would enjoy theatre in London, I just think he suspects that he might enjoy some other things more. I, on the other hand, am a planner. If we decide that we want to do this I want to be sure to get good seats. I'm told that Chitty Chitty doesn't go to the 50% boothe ( in the event that we wanted to wait and see how we're feeling when we get there )- that they are typically sold out. Funny, one of our best friends is a successful theatrical actor here locally. We attend all of the productions in which he plays a part and my hubby enjoys them, some of them a lot.
The real problem is that there is so much to do in London and we just don't have enough time. We'll just have to hope to make another trip!!!
Thanks again for the input...... L.

Patrick

Well, that's different then. By the way, Chitty Chitty is almost always available at the half-price booth these days. I just looked at the website and saw it was today as usual. Good seats, too.

Ljyoung

You know, I had called the Box Office this morning to check on seats, prices etc.... The salesman is the one who said that they never send any tickets to the half-price booth. He's a salesman right - but I still held off on the purchase. Do you think I would stand a good chance in Mid-July to snag some good seats( Tues. evening show ) for that show - if we decided to wait? Also, do you have to stand in line for quite awhile to get some tickets? Thanks Patrick for the feedback above....... L.