What is hot in London this season? I spent five days in London last week and enjoyed a broad range of new musicals and straight plays. Aside from the blockbuster musicals that are also big on Broadway (Wicked, Lion King, Jersey Boys, Mamma Mia) the shows that are playing to full houses are an odd bunch.
Matilda is a Hit
The Royal Shakespeare Company production of MATILDA THE MUSICAL transferred to the West End in November and has been selling out ever since. I could not even get one ticket. MATILDA is based on Roald Dahl’s story about a girl with extraordinary powers. JERUSALEM with Mark Rylance has already had a successful run in New York and has few tickets available through the end of its run in January. At the 300-seat Cottlesloe in the National Theatre, COLLABORATORS stars Simon Russell Beale as Stalin and Alex Jennings as the playwright Mikhail Bulgakov. This SRO production will soon be moved to the 1100-seat Olivier and will run through April.
Ghost isn't scary, but it is a lovely production
GHOST THE MUSICAL isn’t selling out, but had a full house when I saw it on a Saturday night and has been getting much attention from the press. This theater version of the 1990 movie will open on Broadway in March. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new WIZARD OF OZ has been running since March, stars the most famous Phantom of the Opera Michael Crawford and delighted the young audience I sat with for a Sunday matinee. Dorothy is played by first-time actress Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC smash hit talent show Over The Rainbow.
Flying witches & monkeys and Michael Crawford as the Wizard
My favorite show was a Beatles play with music, based on a 1994 movie, BACKBEAT. It tells the story of the five-man group that did not include Ringo and had its first success in the seedy red light district of Hamburg, Germany. BACKBEAT has posted an early closing notice and will end in February, but a Canada production is rumored for Toronto in the summer of 2012. THREE DAYS IN MAY is political drama at its British best.
Backbeat - the young Beatles
DREAMBOATS AND PETTICOATS is a nostalgic jukebox musical based on music of the 50’s and 60’s, with songs from artists like Roy Orbison, Everly Brothers, Chuck Berry, Cliff Richard and Del Shannon. It is based on a series of successful CD compilations and has toured the UK. And OFFICE PARTY is the TV show “the Office” transformed into a Tony & Tina’s Wedding interactive theater piece. If you want to drink a lot, dance to bad disco, listen to bad jokes and meet strangers, it is the perfect show.
Nostalgia and Oldies
Which of these shows will Broadway in Utah audiences get to see? Maybe GHOST, if it is a big hit on Broadway. Maybe Matilda, if it gets to Broadway. I did hear that the long-running We Will Rock You may tour the US in a year or so. This musical, based on the music of Queen, has run in London for nine years, but has never played New York or toured the US.
I guess the next blockbuster musical hit won’t come from the West End this season. Maybe next year…..
Picadilly Circus
