I love going to the theatre.
Even though I moved away from it as a career, I still love the magical feeling of walking into the foyer of a fancy London theatre and settling in my seat to watch a performance.
Last year I saw Romeo and Juliet (one of the best productions I’ve ever seen), The Cursed Child (twice!), and Phantom of the Opera.
This year, things are looking a bit leaner on the theatre front (because hi Japan and mayyyybe Barbados), but that’s not stopped me from keeping an eye on the listings!
Luckily for me, a lot of London theatre shows offer cheap ticket deals via third party websites like Box Office, and I’m usually able to find £25 tickets (or less!) if I look for them early enough.
So here are the five shows I’ve got at the top of my priority list for 2017!
1. Katie Brennan’s Quarter Life Crisis
Katie Brennan’s Quarter Life Crisis is a comedy-cabaret, blending my friend Katie’s sparkly personality (and jumpsuit), with witty jokes, touching stories and some BELTING tunes (literally)
I’ve seen the show three times now and loved it every single time. Last time I watched it, I cried like a baby. Then I went home and drafted the resignation letter for my old job.
Honestly, it’s like actual therapy.
If you are, or have ever been, a twenty-something; if you left university and got lost along the way; if you’ve ever had bad sex; if you’ve ever been sick in the shower; if you’ve hated your job, got your heart stomped on, struggled with anxiety, or rapped the Fresh Prince of Bel Air theme song, then this is the show for you.
The songs are a mixture of old-school pop (her 90s medley is MAJESTIC), musical theatre, and original work created by musical director Joe Atkins. He’s taken the words from some of her funniest blog posts and put them to music, and the end result is hilarious.
She’s performing it tomorrow for the last time, so if you happen to be in London and at a loose end at 7pm, get yourself down to Le Crazy Coqs at Brasserie Zedel (Piccadilly).
You won’t regret it.
2. Much Ado About Nothing
I have a soft spot for Shakespeare.
Having grown up in Spain, I never got to study his work in depth like they do in British schools. I first started reading Romeo and Juliet on my own when I was about 12 and have since been working my way through as many of the other plays as I can. They’re really so much better live though.
I think the problem with Shakespeare is that so much of the humor and wittiness is lost on the page. When you have actors actually speaking the words out loud, that’s when the magic happens!
I’ve never actually read or seen Much Ado, but the production’s had brilliant reviews and I think it will be a great one to finally tick off my list!
3. The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time
This play has been open for what feels like FOREVER and I can’t quite believe I haven’t seen it yet.
It’s closing in June though, so I need to get my bum in gear!
It’s about a 15 year old boy called Christopher, who is a brilliant mathematician, but has behavorial difficulties and trouble understanding the world around him. He sets off to solve the mystery of his neighbour’s murdered dog, and along the way learns a few secrets of his own.
The book is fantastic, and if you’ve not read it yet, I really recommend it.
4. Half A Sixpence
I went to uni in Chichester, so I always keep an eye on what’s showing at the Chichester Festival Theatre.
They’ve had a BANGING couple of seasons, with Sweeney Todd, Kiss Me Kate, Gypsy and now this, all transferring to London’s West End. I never managed to get tickets for Gypsy, so I’m determined to catch this one!
Half A Sixpence is a musical I actually don’t know very well. The only memory I have of it is the annoyingly catchy theme tune, and my mum telling me she did the play at her school once. That’s it.
But I looked up the plot, and it’s basically just pure light-hearted fun. It’s the kind of show you’d take your mum and grandma to, and you’d all come out of the theatre singing the songs, and spend the rest of the day talking in a silly over-the-top cockney accent for the rest of the day.
My favourite kind of musical.
5. On The Town
This was our first proper show at uni. We did it in my second year and I was in the chorus. I got to wear a pencil skirt and ringlet curls and the music is amaaazing and I love it.
And that’s pretty much why I want to see it.
Plus it’s on at the Open Air Regent’s Park theatre and I want to FINALLY see a whole show there. (I got rained off three times from Seven Brides for Seven Brothers in 2015. I never got to see past the first half hour, and I’m still not over it).
The story follows three navy dudes who have 24 hours leave from their ship, to spend as they please in New York.
It’s old-school, golden-era musical fun, and I really reaaaally want to go.
*This post was sponsored by Box Office.
