Theatre recommendations in London

[geoherb]

We're going on another transatlantic cruise in September. This year, though, we'll have just a couple of nights in London before our cruise. Anyone have shows they'd recommend seeing? I'd prefer something British and not one of the blockbuster musicals that's playing Broadway or touring the U.S. Last year we went to Everybody's Talking About Jamie and the year before to Half a Sixpence. (We went to some other shows as well last year that don't fit my question for Britishness: Hamilton, Heathers, and A Comedy about a Bank Robbery.)

[GastroGnome]

The play that goes wrong at the Duchess? Absolutely hysterical!  Austentatious at the Fortune?  If you are there on the right night (and can get tickets as they are selling fast)  Stephen Fry's Mythos.  The Only Fools and horses is, I suppose, arguably quintessentially British - although I wouldn't personally be interested.

 

Or... what about Mousetrap?  THE longest running west end play.  I don't know if it has toured - I suspect it might not.  But that is an absolute British institution!

[gnome12]

18 minutes ago, GastroGnome said:

The play that goes wrong at the Duchess? Absolutely hysterical!  Austentatious at the Fortune?  If you are there on the right night (and can get tickets as they are selling fast)  Stephen Fry's Mythos.  The Only Fools and horses is, I suppose, arguably quintessentially British - although I wouldn't personally be interested.

 

Or... what about Mousetrap?  THE longest running west end play.  I don't know if it has toured - I suspect it might not.  But that is an absolute British institution!

It wasn't a touring production, but Mousetrap played in Toronto for over 26 years. (Considerably less than in London, but not to be sneezed at either 😉.

http://www.playbill.com/article/torontos-mousetrap-snaps-shut-jan-18-after-more-than-26-years-com-117348

 

I saw one part of Stephen Fry's Mythos at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario last summer. It was incredible.

 

[orchestrapal]

7 hours ago, geoherb said:

We're going on another transatlantic cruise in September. This year, though, we'll have just a couple of nights in London before our cruise. Anyone have shows they'd recommend seeing? I'd prefer something British and not one of the blockbuster musicals that's playing Broadway or touring the U.S. Last year we went to Everybody's Talking About Jamie and the year before to Half a Sixpence. (We went to some other shows as well last year that don't fit my question for Britishness: Hamilton, Heathers, and A Comedy about a Bank Robbery.)

 

We feel like Londoners after 44 lengthy theatre trips there.

i have always used WWW.Londontheatre.co.uk where there is all the information you are looking for.

You can find “what’s on” by date.

FYI we both hated the Play What Goes Wrong....not recommended by us.

[WisRiver]

We were in London in May, 2019.  We enjoyed Come From Away.  We bought our tickets online directly from the theatre.  We also  saw Witness For the Prosecution with tickets purchased from the the Half Price Ticket booth.  Finally we saw The Play That Goes Wrong last year.  I liked the play, it was stupid funny.

[geoherb]

Thanks, everyone. We're not there at the right time for Austentacious and Mythos. We picked up two of the shows we saw last year at the TKTS booth. With the tight timeframe this year, I'll probably get tickets in advance for whatever we see. I'm glad we saw Hamilton last year, but there seems to be a ton of tickets available for it this year. I'm now thinking about a concert at St. Martin-in-the-Fields one of the nights. I'll have to check with DH.

[GastroGnome]

If you are there at the right times check out Udderbelly.  Not a theater as such - but certainly an experience!  An inflatable pop up theater (ish) on the south bank (which happens to be shaped like an upside down purple cow thanks to a previous sponsorship with Milka).  40 - 50 seats the closest inches from the stage.  Hosting avant garde productions.  Some family suitable, some less so.  Really immersive.  It goes up in May and stays to mid September.  Popular performances sell out in minutes.

 

 

[fadedpages]

If you're looking for something British and up for something a bit different, try Six.  It's a pop-concert style musical about Henry VIII's six wives.  I'd recommend booking as soon as you can, though - it's a small ~350 seater theatre and is pretty much sold out for the next month or two.

[frenchhorn]

fadedpages, 

Thanks for the recommendation of Six.  We were looking for something to see in May prior to our UK cruise, and it's just been extended.  We just bought tickets and think we'll love it. 

[josh_hutchings]

It has to be Les Mis for me!!! :)

[ducklite]

On 9/21/2019 at 2:44 AM, josh_hutchings said:

It has to be Les Mis for me!!! 🙂

I absolutely adored Les Mis!  One of the best shows I've ever seen (and having spent 12 years living an hour outside of Times Square, I've seen many!)

[MMDown Under]

Geoherb - What did you end up seeing in September?

 

I was in London for a fortnight in September and saw seven excellent shows.  I didn't get to the National Theatre this time, but they can be relied on for high quality theatre.  As can theatres with short runs off West End. 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2019 by MMDown Under

[phabric]

We did Fawlty Towers - dining experience, a take off of a British show.

[geoherb]

We ended up going to Fame and The Play That Goes Wrong. I bought the tickets at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square. One consideration was that I was nursing a sore heel and wanted shows within easy walking distance to our hotel (Strand Palace). Fame was a fun show for the first night. It would have been hard to stay up for something serious after flying in that afternoon. The Play That Goes Wrong was hilarious. We saw The Comedy about a Bank Robbery last year, which is by the same company--Mischief Theatre. 

[MMDown Under]

5 hours ago, geoherb said:

We ended up going to Fame and The Play That Goes Wrong. I bought the tickets at the TKTS booth in Leicester Square. One consideration was that I was nursing a sore heel and wanted shows within easy walking distance to our hotel (Strand Palace). Fame was a fun show for the first night. It would have been hard to stay up for something serious after flying in that afternoon. The Play That Goes Wrong was hilarious. We saw The Comedy about a Bank Robbery last year, which is by the same company--Mischief Theatre. 

I know what you mean about choosing shows based on your circumstances.  I always buy a coffee before a show and at interval , to stay awake, if I have been travelling.

A friend has seen The Play That Goes Wrong twice, as she loves it so much.  I smiled every time I walked past the theatre, as there was a photo of Tom Cruise outside, with the message Tom would not be performing that night!