The Wizard of Oz received four nominations in the 2012 Whatsonstage.com Awards. During the past month, more than 10,000 London theatre goers have been busy nominating their favourite productions. The shortlist was announced on Friday 2nd December today at the Cafe de Paris in London, and voting is now open for theatre fans to choose their winners at the Whatsonstage.com website. Voting closes on 31st January 2012, and the winners will be announced at a special ceremony on 19th February. The Wizard of Oz’s four nominations are:

Best Musical Revival – The Wizard of Oz London Newcomer of the Year – Danielle Hope Best Supporting Actress in a Musical – Hannah Waddingham Best Set Designer – Robert Jones

CLICK HERE to cast your vote!  

Whatsonstage.com Awards – Theatregoers Choice Awards

Today July 27th being the start of the one year countdown to the London 2012 Olympic Games in Stratford, East London as part of the countdown launch, a large number of West End theatres have announced new extensions to the period for which the most popular shows can be booked. This is to allow London Theatre breaks to be booked well in advance for the period of the Olympics, and indeed the Olympic year 2012 as a whole, during which there are all sorts of special events laid on. Some of the shows announcing 2012 booking dates extensions are the following West End musicals and plays: We Will Rock You Wicked The Wizard of Oz Billy Elliot the Musical Blood Brothers Dreamboats and Petticoats Jersey Boys The Phantom of the Opera Mamma Mia! Legally Blonde the Musical Ghost The Musical  Les Misérables Shrek The Musical Disney’s The Lion King Million Dollar Quartet  The Mousetrap The 39 Steps Stomp Thriller Live War Horse The Woman in Black Rock of Ages  Matilda The Musical

War Horse at the New London Theatre Now Booking to to 18 February 2012. War Horse is a thrilling and spectacular production based on the celebrated novel by Michael Morpurgo. Now at the New London Theatre, in its fourth year, Nick Stafford’s adaptation of Michael Morpurgo’s book has been playing to packed houses with theatregoers from ordinary families to playwrights, politicians, rock stars and royalty. The First World War is the backdrop for this exciting tale of bravery, and the extraordinary bond between a young recruit and his horse.

This week’s new theatre includes a Mike Leigh play, Shakespeare, David Eldridge and more. London theatres mentioned are in Islington, the Almeida, Hampstead Theatre

This article titled “This week’s new theatre” was written by Mark Cook & Lyn Gardner, for The Guardian on Saturday 5th March 2011 00.07 UTC Ecstasy, London So successful has Mike Leigh been as a film director, with international hits such as Secrets And Lies and the most recent, Another Year, that it’s easy to forget he started out in theatre. He’s still best known for the cult play Abigail’s Party, which premiered at Hampstead Theatre in 1977. Leigh, using his improvisational approach, has staged three more plays at Hampstead, and now he returns to direct one of them. Ecstasy is set in 1979, when Margaret Thatcher is set to change the country. In a north London bedsit, political turmoil is reflected in the maelstrom of a group of friends. Expect pain and humour in equal measure. Hampstead Theatre, NW3, Thu to 9 Apr Mark Cook The Cleansing Of Constance Brown, Birmingham Who is Constance, and how can she be everywhere and nowhere at the same time? In Stan’s Cafe’s intriguing show, first seen back in 2007 and performed without words in a 14 metre-long corridor, Constance is a mysterious presence. She’s the figure just glimpsed at the edge of the frame in a TV news story, the unidentified figure in a painting or photograph of famous people, the person nobody notices as momentous events unfurl. The corridor is the corridor of history, where the Tudor maid and the Jewish victim of the Nazis co-exist and where women are peripheral to the power machinations of men. But Constance is always there, a silent witness, unnoticed but taking note. AE Harris Factory, to 19 Mar Lyn Gardner The Knot In The Heart, London David Eldridge returns to the Almeida with a world premiere, the first since his adaptation of the Danish film Festen, which went on to conquer the West End and Broadway. He seems to have a penchant for the Scandinavians, having translated three of Ibsen’s works, but on this occasion his new play is rooted in the here and now – in fact it all takes place within a mile of the Islington theatre. The Knot Of The Heart stars Lisa Dillon – recently at the Old Vic in Design For Living and A Flea In Her Ear – as Lucy, a successful children’s TV presenter who seemingly has always had everything but gets addicted to heroin and finds her life beginning to unravel. The part was written for Dillon, and is unusual in that the character is not defined by her relationship with men. The play is ultimately about love but, says director Michael Attenborough, it defies stereotypes. Almeida Theatre, N1, Thu to 30 Apr MC From Newbury With Love, Newbury Red Cape’s The Idiot Colony, about women incarcerated and forgotten in mental asylums, put them on the map in 2008, and this new piece was also inspired by a true story. In 1971, at the height of the cold war, 73-year-old Newbury resident Harold Edwards and his wife, Olive, sent a postcard to seven-year-old Marina, the daughter of an imprisoned Soviet dissident. The result of a letter-writing campaign by Amnesty International, it led to a 15-year correspondence between the families that lasted until Harold died. By then Marina was 24. The production draws on the original letters, which were a lifeline to Marina and her family in the knowledge that there was somebody who cared about their plight. Corn Exchange, Wed to 12 Mar LG The Tempest, Stratford-upon-Avon Once seen, never forgotten, Little Angel Theatre’s collaboration with the RSC on Venus And Adonis even had hardened theatre critics professing a love of puppets. Here, Little Angel tackles Shakespeare’s late play in a shortened version for children and adults. Playwright Phil Porter has adapted the original and Peter Glanville’s production makes use of puppetry and music to create the magical isle where Prospero rules by magic. The fantastical nature of the story should lend itself well to puppetry in what should be a spellbinding spectacle. Swan, Fri to 26 Mar LG Yerma, Leeds Surprisingly, West Yorkshire Playhouse has never produced a play by Federico García Lorca, and this new adaptation has a distinctly Irish bent. Directed by Róisin McBrinn, the Trinity College Dublin-trained director whose production of Novecento was recently seen at Trafalgar Studios in London, and adapted by the Irish writer Ursula Rani Sarma, it stars Kate Stanley-Brennan, who has appeared in plays at the Abbey including Mark O’Rowe’s Young Vic-bound Terminus. Stanley-Brennan plays Yerma, a young woman who has been married to Juan for years but who has not had the child that she so desires. Desperate and fearing the lonely years ahead in a passionless marriage, she takes matters into her own hands with tragic consequences. West Yorkshire Playhouse, Sat to 26 Mar LG Diary Of A Nobody, Northampton Holloway clerk Charles Pooter really is a nobody. Condemned by class and education to be part of the faceless grind of Victorian London – unexceptional, unrecognised and unremarked upon – Charles is determined to be a somebody. So he decides to keep a diary, pointing out why he is a cut above his fellow clerks, and you are going to hear the sparkling gems within, whether you like it or not. George and Weedon Grossmith’s late-Victorian satire really is a timeless comic gem, detailing Charles’s small acts of rebellion, social gaffes and attempts to make himself appear more important than he is. This new version by Hugh Osborne is performed as a physical theatre farce by a cast of four. The Royal, Sat to 19 Mar LG Sex Idiot, Manchester There are not many shows where you learn something new: such as the fact that you can make a fake moustache out of pubic hair. That’s exactly what performance artist Bryony Kimmings does in this bonkers but really rather lovable little show, which was inspired by her experience of contracting a common sexually transmitted disease. The pubic hair belongs to members of the audience who are invited to offer it up mid-show – and many of them do in a real spirit of generosity. This probably isn’t a night out for those who hate audience participation or who are easily embarrassed, but for all its cheerful wackiness this is a serious and upfront show about love, sex, one-night stands and broken hearts. Contact, Sat LG

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Theatre Breaks by coach are  perfect for no-fuss theatre trips. They have three main advantages, convenience, capacity and cost. Usually you will pick up the coach quite near your home and be whisked off to London in some comfort. Modern coaches are usually quite luxurious so you can just sit back and relax. No worries about dragging your luggage around on the tube, parking in London, or getting back to the hotel after the show. Arriving back is less stressful too for the same reason, particularly on a Sunday when there are so many problems with train services. Then there is how much you can fit in to your break. Of course you want to make the most of it but it can be hard to find time to do everything you want. Finally, and maybe most important there is the cost. Not just the cost of rail fares, parking or congestion charges. There are all those hidden extras like taxis, extra meals and entertainment. They all add up. A coach break can give you a much cheaper way of doing everything you want without worrying about extra costs. Check Availability for Your Theatre Break by Coach Helping you find the right theatre break by coach We know that people are coming to our sites looking for theatre breaks by coach and until recently we’ve not been able to help much. We are very happy to introduce you to our new partners Omega Holidays who have lots of experience in providing theatre breaks from all over the UK. They are offering our readers some very good value London Theatre breaks by coach. (They also offer rail and even theatre breaks with flights but that’s for another post!) What you can expect on your theatre break Your break will include a stay in a top quality hotel, usually in outer London. They offer excellent value particularly for 2 or 3 day  theatre breaks by coach. The  breaks come with dinner and dancing included in the price. The weekend breaks include a Saturday matinee performance of the top West End show, and then enjoy dinner at your hotel followed by an evening of dancing. You still get plenty of free time in London for sight seeing, shopping or whatever takes your fancy. A typical 2 day Theatre, Dinner and Dance Coach Trip A typical 2 day Theatre, Dinner and Dance trip looks like this: Day 1 – Early morning departure from your local area, arrive in central London around lunchtime/the early afternoon. You will be dropped off near to your theatre where you will be able to enjoy a matinee performance of your chosen show. After your show, the coach will pick you up from the same point and transfer you to your hotel. Relax and then enjoy dinner in the hotel followed by an after dinner disco. Day 2 – After breakfast you will be dropped off in central London for a morning of sightseeing or shopping. Later you’ll be picked up by your coach make your journey home during the afternoon. Of course the 3 day break is more leisurly with more free time in London The Cost of Theatre Breaks by Coach It has to be said, theatre breaks by coach are not only convenient but also a considerable saving on breaks by rail. For example a 2 day coach break ,with dinner and dancing to see a top show like Billy Elliot, will cost from around £119.95 per person. The same deal by rail starts at around £179 each. If you are rushed for time you can even do an overnight Saturday Night trip, with no extras from just £102 each! 3  Reasons to Choose Theatre Breaks by Coach. Just to repeat myself for a moment, consider:

Convenience – easy pick up points, no luggage to carry round, no worries about tubes, trains, black cabs or parking. Capacity – this is all about making the most of your trip. With these breaks everything is laid on. No worries about restaurants, tickets for shows or other entertainment arrangements. Cost – theatre breaks by coach are just a lot cheaper than breaks by rail. You often get a better class of hotel in outer London for a lower rate. You’ve no hidden extra  costs like late night black cabs or after-show restaurant bills.

3 great reasons to choose Theatre Breaks by Coach. Theatre Breaks by Coach was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

Love Never Dies By the time many people read this the free tickets competition will be over, so I’ll write about why I think you might like to consider Love Never Dies theatre breaks anyway. I guess you may have already seen The Phantom of The Opera ? The most successful piece of live entertainment ever, it’s been on long enough. Or maybe your parents enjoyed it thirty years ago when Michael Crawford played the Phantom. Well Love Never Dies is a continuation of the story, but with completely new twists. The scene is set ten years after the incident at the Paris Opera House, and the Phantom is now presiding over a huge entertainment complex at Coney Island, New York. He manages to manipulate Christine and Raoul into sailing across the Atlantic and into his lair. But there’s much more than that…

Some of the music in Love Never Dies comes from the operetta genre, some from light entertainment and some even from a rock background. This is the fusion which Andrew Lloyd Webber does so well. The staging, sets and costumes are magnificent, so you really do see a big musical theatre event up there on the big stage. This is certainly not one of your small cast and minimalist aesthetics plays, like many even in the West End, not that there’s anything wrong with that. Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess are both star quality singers in the lead roles and it’s nice to hear the full orchestra getting a proper work out. Did I mention the free tickets? Love Never Dies Tickets Competition One pair of top price tickets have been donated. That’s worth around £180 normally. Now, you’d need to be able to get to the London Adelphi Theatre for tomorrow night, Saturday 9th October 2010. So if you are in London anyway, and can clear out all of your prior engagements to be free then you’d do well to nip over and quickly enter the simple competition on the Love Never Dies blog. The odds are not against you! Here’s the link again… http://www.loveneverdiesphantom.co.uk Love Never Dies Theatre Breaks If you don’t have easy access to the capital then buying London theatre breaks packages with the tickets and convenient hotel room plus optional discount rail travel is nearly always the best way to go.

Other London Theatre Breaks to see West End Musicals

Theatre Breaks The Wizard of Oz The Phantom Of The Opera Les Miserables Ghost

Thanks for subscribing to Andy Roberts blogLove Never Dies London Theatre Breaks

Related posts:7 Best London Theatre Breaks Theatre breaks in London Theatre Breaks

London Theatre Breaks The current Musicals for theatre breaks in London We have collated some useful facts, tips and information about London theatre breaks, starting with the most popular current West End musicals:

Avenue Q Billy Elliot Blood Brothers Chicago

Dirty Dancing Dreamboats And Petticoats Flashdance Grease

The Jersey Boys Love Never Dies Legally Blonde Les Miserables

The Lion King Mamma Mia Oliver Phantom of the Opera

Priscilla Queen of the Desert Sister Act Stomp Sweet Charity

Thriller Live We Will Rock You Wicked

And these are the biggest current plays for London Theatre breaks

The 39 Steps Birdsong The Country Girl Deathtrap

Ghost Stories The Mousetrap Onassis

War Horse When We Are Married Yes Prime Minister

I wish I could tell you about South Pacific. Where it will actually be. The huge set. The enormous orchestra. The music, lovely beyond description. The waiting. The timeless repetitive waiting…. According to an article in the Guardian Harold Panter, head of the Ambassador Theatre Group said: “We are going to be bringing over the Lincoln Centre’s wonderful production of South Pacific – extraordinary moving piece of work, basically about men at war,” he says. Only with some nice songs? “Mr Hammerstein and Mr Rodgers knew a thing or two about creating wonderful music, yes, but the core of it is that it is about something. It is wrong to lump all musicals together.” Personally I can’t wait. I love South Pacific and grew up listening to it’s gorgeous melodies. Song like Bali’hi, Nothing Like a Dame, Happy Talk and I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Out of My Hair were part of the soundtrack of my childhood. However it seems there is a problem. If we are to see the lavish Lincoln Centre production complete with huge orchestra rather than the smaller touring production the show will need to go into one of the largest London theatres and none of them are free for the foreseeable future. While we wait you can at least enjoy the whole of a small screen version of the Lincoln Centre production courtesy of Youtube I’m off to wash my hair
Click here to view the embedded video. South Pacific comes to London was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

Two Shows for Theatre Breaks In London 2011 I’m going to suggest two shows that I think will be very popular for theatre breaks in London by the end of 2011. The first has already been mentioned in passing at the end of the previous post about New Season Theatre Breaks in London and that show is The Wizard of Oz. The new musical of The Wizard of Oz just has so many things going for it that it’s hard to see how it can fail. The first thing is the timeless popularity of the film and the book and all of the amateur and professional adaptations of the Wizard of Oz that have been produced over the years. Building on a heritage such as this is unadventurous, sure but it gives the venture a head a shoulders start. The next cunning ploy was to use a TV casting show to gain loads of pre-publicity and to guarantee that you already have a star who the public adores! That star is Danielle Hope and she shone through with a wonderful natural talent in all departments despite being up against a host of really high quality competitors. In fact the Dorothy who came a close second, Sophie Evans is set to play Dorothy as understudy every Tuesday, so it’s two TV selected Dorothy stars for the price of one. Well, it would be for the price of two if you wanted to book theatre breaks in London to see both of them, but you know what I mean. Just being an Andrew Lloyd Webber production is another huge factor in the show’s favour, but this is more than that since it’s the reunion of the formidable music and lyrics team of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber no less. Tim Rice is writing the lyrics for about four new songs including one for, wait for it…..   Michael Crawford. Casting Michael Crawford as the Wizard has to be the piece de la resistance but there could well be more. Who will be the Tin Man, Scarecrow or the cowardly Lion? Ghost London Theatre Breaks

Ghost London Musical The second show is one you may not have heard of yet, but rest assured you will have done by 2011. It’s Ghost the Musical, an adaptation of Ghost the movie, but with a solid rock music soundtrack supplied by Dave Stewart of the Eurythmics. Another film to stage adaptation, Ghost London is sure to be a hot ticket in 2011. Dates for Ghost And Wizard of Oz Theatre Breaks in London Theatre breaks in London to see The Wizard of Oz can be booked for dates from March 2011 while Ghost will arrive in London for theatre breaks from June 2011 after a run in the Manchester Opera House first.

I went to see Mamma Mia! the London stage show last night at the Prince of Wales Theatre in Piccadilly and enjoyed the show immensely. Jessie May as Sophie was captivating right from the opening scene and as soon as she opened her mouth the most beautiful sound came out, which then continued perfectly throughout the show. Having already seen the film version with Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosman, Julie Walters et al, the rather fanciful plot held no surprises but the London stage version portrayed the younger characters much more sympathetically than the slightly annoying americanised teenagers in the film. The set is very appealing in a rustic Mediterranean sort of way but it’s not the colours and lights that transport you to a Greek island, it’s the acting and the costumes. Coming out of the theatre I was totally surprised to be dumped back into a somewhat chilly spring night on the dazzling streets of London Theatreland.

So I’d definitely recommend Mamma Mia for theatre breaks, and not just for single sex groups or Abba fans either. Anybody who remembers the 1970s or has dreamed of running away to a Greek Island, will have a great time at this so called “feel good show” that really lives live up to the promises. a

Love Never Dies the new Phantom musical will open in London on Tuesday 9th March, just one week’s time. So what will the critics and press reviews make of it? Well in many ways, it doesn’t really matter because, having seen one of the early previews and loved it all, especially the score, I’m certain that the great British musical theatre going public is going to really enjoy this musical extravaganza. It’s a modern production that builds on the language of musicals and delights the eye and ear, while twisting the emotions appropriately as the plot unfolds. There were one or two effects that didn’t work quite as well as others, but from all accounts the show had already improved considerably on the first preview, and it’s now a case of tweaking a show that is ready for the world rather than implementing any big last minute redesigns. Maybe if you go and see Love Never Dies in three months time, for a summer theatre break, it will be a more mature production, perhaps with a new final ensemble or something to smooth over any slight disappointments, but the characters are set and most importantly, the music is a final piece that holds together very well. I’ll be throroughly recommending Love Never Dies as a new musical top choice choice for London theatre breaks.

Technorati Tags: extravaganza, london, london theatre, Love Never Dies, March, music, musical, musicals, phantom, score

Ruthie Rocks in Chicago Want to earn some extra brownie points with your significant other? How about a romantic Valentine’s Day weekend in London with tickets for a great show and a night in a charming hotel? It costs less than you might think! Chicago makes a great choice for Valentine’s Day theatre breaks. It’s such a fun, sexy show with moments of real romance and just enough raunchiness to keep everyone in that special mood! I just happen to know that a couple of the theatre break agencies still have tickets so get them while you still can! Ruthie Henshall Plays Roxy in Chicago London One of the best reasons to see Chicago at the moment, is that West End superstar Ruthie Henshall is playing Roxy. She’s played the part when the show opened and it’s lovely to see her back on the West End stage. She’s doing a strictly limited run and it will finish on February 28th. The performance is just stunning  have a listen to this:

Chicago London Facts and Figures

Chicago is the longest running Broadway musical on the West End. In London it has played to an audience of over 4.5 million people and more than 4,000 performances. The musical transferred from the Adelphi Theatre to the Cambridge Theatre in April last year. After it opened almost 10 years ago at the Adelphi Theatre the show won the 1998 Laurence Olivier Award for ‘Outstanding Musical Production’ and the 1998 Critics Circle Drama Award for ‘Best Musical’. Based on a play by Maurine Dallas Watkins with a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse. The music is by John Kander and the lyrics by Fred Ebb. The West End production is staged by the original Broadway creative team.

How to get there Cambridge Theatre is on Earlham Street, London, WC2 9HU It’s in the area near Covent Garden now known as Seven Dials. Don’t try to get there via Covent Garden tube as it’s currently partially closed! Walk from Tottenham Court Rd, if you have to use the tube, or Charing Cross station if you can get a train. Theatre Breaks - Covent Garden Alternatively try to make sure you get a hotel within easy walking distance of the Covent Garden area. Actually that’s good advice anyway as the area is great . There are lots of yummy shops to browse, a Sunday Market, cafes and restaurants to have a leisurely lunch, it’s one of my favourite areas of London. There is always lots going on in the area and you can just wander round or be amused by the constantly changing street performances. That makes it the perfect romantic area for a Sunday stroll after your hotel breakfast and before you catch your train home. Check Availability for  Chicago London Theatre Breaks ** Chicago London Theatre Breaks via Show And Stay ** a

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Why Theatre breaks in London Theatre breaks in London are an excellent way of having a short holiday in the capital. You can combine a show with sight-seeing and a little shopping and turn a couple of days into a real mini-break. When you are choosing your main show you need to decide whether you want to see a musical, a play or even an opera or ballet. There is lots of choice in the West End and you can be sure of finding something just right for you. Choose Your Show Many people have no clear idea of which show they want to see and are more fixed on what is available for their chosen dates. That’s a perfectly good starting point and most of the theatre breaks companies will let you search their site by date not just by show. If you are still not sure what you fancy then this is a brief guide: If you like the classics then go for Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Oliver! or Love Never Dies, which is the sequel to Phantom. If you prefer something lighter then try Mamma Mia, Hairspray or the unexpected hit of the moment Legally Blonde. Those of you who like a bit more rock in your musicals might enjoy We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys or maybe Grease. Finally if you want something a little more steamy there are Dirty Dancing and Chicago. There are usually at least twenty big shows on offer in the West End so there should be something for everyone. One Night or Two Once you have chosen your show and hotel you will often see that it is easy and very reasonably priced to add an extra night. This is a great idea if your budget can run to it as it lifts your theatre break from a quick trip into a mini-holiday . It opens lots of opportunities for other things to do in London. I’ve included a few ideas for what to do with the extra time: See more shows theatre breaks in London If you have only got a limited time in London and you are a big theatre fan you might even want to see more than one show. The best way to do this is to book your main show as part of your theatre break package, see the show on your first night and then the following morning pop down to Leicester Square and look for the official discount ticket booth. You want the official one in the middle of the square. There are others but that is where you get the best deal. They have a large digital display of all the discount tickets available for that day and if you are early enough you can often get a real bargain, especially for weekday matinees. I usually like to book a blockbuster musical as my main show and see either a comedy or a serious play on the following afternoon. Try to choose something you would happily pay full price for and then you will really feel you have got a bargain. There are often tickets for Blood Brothers or 39 Steps matinees at good prices and these are both excellent shows. Sightseeing You might want to cram in a little sightseeing in London and that can be quite hard work. London is a busy working city and quite spread out to get around on foot. Luckily there are several other ways of seeing the sites. My favorite way of seeing London is a river cruise but open top bus trips are good fun too. If you are feeling adventurous you can even try the Duck which is an amphibious truck that combines both a road and river trip. You can book bus trips, river trips and even the Duck at the same time as you book your theatre breaks package and usually get quite a good discount. Other Attractions

The Southbank including the National Theatre London’s famous street  Markets Dennis Severs House 21 top attractions to add to theatre breaks in London

A Very Happy New Year for 2010 from Andy and Linda at the London Theatre Breaks blog. We’re looking forward to another year of West End ins and outs, hits and flops, make or breaks and helping thousands of people to choose how best to have happy time in London by taking in a classic musical or play and staying in our fabulous capital city where there’s always something for everyone. To wrap up the year, here’s a repost of most of Linda’s 2009 review as published earlier on the Theatre Breaks magazine blog: The West End Shows In terms of shows one or two have closed early but the old favourites like We Will Rock You carry on. Avenue Q was saved from oblivion by popular demand and has moved to a new theatre. The Lion King is as popular as ever and proudly boasts that it is so well booked that it has NEVER released tickets to the reduced ticket agencies.

Some good shows reached the end of their natural life and wonderful though Spamalot was it really was time for it to say goodbye. It’s been replaced by Priscilla and that has been a fair swap. Carousel never really quite hit the spot and its closure wasn’t any great surprise. It was sad to see the end of Cabaret and a shame they couldn’t take a leaf out of Chicago’s book and find a constant stream of new familiar faces to keep us going back.  Joseph went too and no doubt was mourned by thousands of Lee Mead’s fans but it was another how that seemed ready to go. No doubt it will be back someday. One show I thought should have done better was Spring Awakening, which I just loved. All that energy and a theatre full of young people the night we went. I felt positively ancient, and that’s a good thing! (honest!) Oliver has of course been a total triumph with Jodie Prenger making a real name for herself. Who would have thought she’d still be there doing 8 shows a week nearly a year later? What a star. I saw her at West End live this year and she has a super voice and a lovely stage presence. She managed to upstage Christopher Biggins, to great comic effect and that takes some talent for comedy! I think we’ll see more of Jodie once she moves on but for now she seems happy where she is. She’s on her 3rd Fagin and this is the one I’d really like to see. I think Griff Reese Jones will make a great Fagin and be well worth the trip. Hairspray has seen some major changes with the departure of Micheal Ball. Still Phil Jupitous is doing a grand job and Brain Connely was very well recieved in the part. I wonder how long Micheal will stay away, I’m sure I heard somewhere that he’s thinking of coming back to Edna. We hope! Wicked is going from strength to strength and is the most popular musical at this witchy time of year. Kerry Ellis is just a distant memory now and Alexia Kadhim has made her own interpreation of Elphaba. I think she has a lovely voice, quite different to Kerry’s but wonderful all the same:

New year shows coming into the West End and available for theatre breaks include Legally Blonde which I was less than keen on when first announced. Since then I’ve had a good look at the videos on youtube and listened to the cast recordings and I might just change my mind. It might be fun and has the sort of casting that makes me want to see it. What to say about Love Never dies (apart from “I can’t wait!!”)? Well it’s definitely going to be a huge event and it should be a spectacular in the best Andrew Lloyd Webber tradition. The Coney Island setting should give it a great atmosphere, you know how creepy fairgrounds can be. We’ve all seen Scoobydoo It’s got two faboulous stars in Sarah Boggess and Ramin Karimaloo (I’ve been doing this so long I can now spell these names without flinching!) Have a wonderful 2010 everybody! a

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Theatre Breaks Agents Theatre breaks agencies come in many shapes but here at the London Theatre Breaks blog we like to work with three in particular. We get a small commission from each reader who books a theatre break through our links and that helps to fund our blog. The theatre breaks agents offer somewhat differing services and the best one for you depends on what you are looking for when you start searching for a theatre break package. You need to decide what your priorities are first before you look at the various deals on offer because you are not really comparing like with like. (If you need help with this have a look at this post on our sister site Theatre Breaks Magazine.) The agencies specialise and offer various options, they often work with particular hotels or a particular level of ticket. Some agencies have offers on rail fares which you can bundle in with the cost of your tickets, other optional extras like meals can also be added. Often agencies offer discounts on London attractions when they are booked with your theatre break. We only work with reputable agencies where we can be sure that not only will you get a good deal but that your tickets and hotel room will be honoured. Some of the other theatre breaks companies add lots of hidden extras, like booking fees, on to your final bill. We think this is not acceptable so we only recommend the following package deals: Show and Stay Theatre Breaks

Show and Stay is a long-established theatre package company. They are part of the larger Holiday Extras group and we have been working with them for the last 2-3 years. Feedback from customers has been very positive and we continue to recommend them. Show and Stay really specialise in getting you top quality tickets at a good price and combining them with a good choice of 3 or 4* hotels. They also offer a very good deal on rail tickets, with up to 40% discount as standard. Show and Stay often has the hot tickets that no one else has. For example when Jodie first appeared and Oliver! London was the hottest ticket in town, Show and Stay was able to offer Saturday night, best seats, when there was no other way to get them and everyone else said the show was sold out. Now despite what I’ve said about them offering top quality tickets don’t assume that Show and Stay only do expensive theatre breaks. Their breaks are very competitive. For example someone just booked a midweek evening at Oliver! and 1 night in a 3* hotel for 2 people for only £213.96.

Superbreak Theatre Breaks

Superbreak is where you go for bargains. They offer a range of ticket prices so if you don’t mind being in the Upper Circle you can get a very good price indeed. They have more limited availability sometimes, than Show and Stay but if you are looking for particular dates rather than a specific show they can be very good value. The hotels they work with are just as good as Show and Stay and are usually 3 or 4*. Superbreak are a large company and they do all sorts of London breaks and breaks to other cities too. They are less specialised than Show and Stay but they still offer a good service. Their web site can be a bit harder to find your way around, as it is so large, but if you persevere you can definitely get some great deals. TheatreBreaks.com

TheatreBreaks.com is a smaller company established thirty years ago. They’ve been online for over ten years. They have pretty good availability, work with good 3 and 4* hotels but where they really excel is in their personal touch. They are they people to go to if your needs are at all outside the ordinary. Maybe you want to do a large group with an odd number to see Dirty Dancing on a specific weekend. Perhaps you have limited mobility and need to know that your hotel, and your theatre seats, are fully accessible. They are the best people to help you. You just phone them up quoting your reference number from the website and they will go out of their way to make sure your problems are sorted out. a

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Today I’m looking at Oliver! the hit West end musical, as I continuing my series for the magazine of my top 5 classic shows. These are the shows that I think everyone could enjoy whatever their musical taste, and I feel that should definitely hold true for Oliver! London today is still  in some ways related to the brutal city that Dickens portrays, but Oliver’s magic comes from more than just the story. It is the heart, passion and spectacle of the production that keeps Oliver! London’s own popular choice for musical theatre breaks. Oliver! London Theatre At It’s Best I think Oliver! is a great choice for a theatre break. The elements of an emotional story from the master storyteller, a superb cast and  wonderful songs we all already know and love is hard to beat. Add in some delightful urchins, a backdrop of semi-familiar London sights and you have got a real treat! The Story, Oliver! London musical The musical version of Oliver! is not quite as bleak a vision as that of the book. Fagin is transformed and although still a rogue he does have moments of being almost lovable. We are treated to some marvelous set pieces like the scene in the orphanage and of course Fagin’s Den with his band of ragamuffins. What happens to Nancy is still a shock but in the end good triumphs over evil and we all have the feeling we’ve just enjoyed a wonderfully satisfying meal with all the trimmings. The Cast of Oliver!

Oliver London We all followed the story of Jodie Prenger as she fought her way through each round of I’d Do Anything but few of us realised what a great Nancy she would actually be. Since the show started back in December 2008 Jodie has consistently given stunning performances. She has provided the chore around which a number of Olivers and Fagins have been able to weave their own interpretations of Dickens’s heart-breaking story. Without a totally believable, warm and lovable Nancy the whole story would fall flat.  Jodie has filled that role with a passion. Soon, though, Jodie is moving on and the next few months will give us our last chance to see her in the role.  That alone would be enough to make this a ‘must see’ show but the exciting news is that the wonderful Kerry Ellis is going to take over in the role. Kerry has a very different quality to her voice and I think she will give us a much more waif like Nancy. In some ways her fragility with that inner steel that she showed so well in her performances as Elphaba (Wicked) will be much closer to Dickens’s vision. It’s going to be an interesting transfer and  one that will definitely be worth seeing. The newest member of the cast at the moment is Griff Rhys Jones who has just taken over as Fagin. He will be in the show for at least the next 6 months and seems to be relishing the part of the wily, old scoundrel. Jones has a good strong voice and plenty of West End experience having won a double Olivier award for his roles in Charlie’s Aunt and An Absolute Turkey Also new in the current cast  is Stephen Hartley, though he is far from new to the role of Bill Sikes. He played Sikes in the Palladium production of Oliver in the 1990s. Physically he is closer to Dickens’s description of Sikes than the role is sometimes played and none the worse for that. The Music I think I’ll just let the music speak for itself!

Hotels for Oliver! London Theatre Breaks As Oliver! plays at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane I’d go for a central hotel, somewhere like the 4* Strand Palace would be ideal. It is definitely a bit of affordable luxury and is close to the theatre and to the shops, restaurants and bars of Covent Garden. If you are on a slightly tighter budget the 3* St Giles Hotel is only 1/2 a mile away and is jolly nice. So there you have it, a quick guide to Oliver! London, one of my top 5 choices for theatre breaks. You can click through to read more about Oliver! London.

London theatre packages come in a variety of shapes and sizes but they all have one thing in common. They make delightful gifts! Choosing presents for loved ones is never easy and when it’s for a much loved Mum and Dad it can be really hard. What can you get the couple who have everything? A giant food hamper perhaps? Well, maybe, but it’s just food. Might be, dare I say it, a little dull? After all your Mum is just going to add it to that already overstocked pantry and freezer and while your Dad might enjoy the bottle of malt whisky it doesn’t really show much thought does it? London theatre packages are much more interesting and entertaining. First of all you get the fun of choosing what show you think they’ll enjoy. I’ve got some more advice about that in a minute. Then you can pick them a nice hotel, maybe throw in a pre-theatre dinner, and book their train journey as well. If there are a few of you sharing the expense you could add in an extra night and maybe one of those river cruises with dinner if it’s an extra special occasion. By now you are probably thinking this is going to cost a fortune but theatre break packages for London are really quite good value at the moment. You can get weeknight tickets for Les Miserables and one night in a 3* London hotel for under £100 at the moment. Adding  an extra night only adds around £35 each! Dinner is around £15 – 20 per person. All very affordable really. And just think of the brownie points on Christmas morning! London Theatre Packages Choosing a show

So how do you choose what they’d like to see? Sometimes it is obvious and easy to just choose their favourite show. If your parents are not quite so predictable I’d start with their music collection if I were you. Here’s some tips: Lots of classical stuff, some light opera, SuBo’s new CD = Les Miserables or just possibly Phantom of the Opera. If you are feeling adventurous book for Love Never Dies so they can brag to their friends about being the first to see it! Not much after 1965, except maybe some Shawadiwadi. Your Dad goes a bit funny when anyone mentions Olivia Newton John – they are going to love either Jersey Boys or Grease! Your Dad’s rock collection is rivaled only by your Mum’s passion for Freddie Mercury – has to be We Will Rock You Your Mum knows all the words to Dancing Queen and still has all her signed photos of Bjorn. Your Dad liked the film – Mamma Mia of course

I expect you get the idea by now. You could always surprise them and choose tickets to Chicago (still the sexiest show in town) or even Dirty Dancing. They’d have a great time at either whatever their musical taste. That’s the thing really. All the shows that are on in London are worth seeing. Oh and it’s not just musicals, you can get London theatre packages to see plays, opera and even ballets! a

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London Theatre Break I’m just running through a few options here for a London theatre break. It’s going to be fun and I’m getting excited already at the thought of going back up to the West End for what seems like the first time in ages. The last time we went to see a big musical was around this time last year when we went on a short London theatre break to see Oliver. Jodie Prenger was great and Fagin was good too, I think we caught the show at a good time after they’d all relaxed into their parts and before the Fagins kept changing. Still you can’t blame any of these people for whom the London stage is perhaps not their main sphere of activity for not wanting to carry on and do really long runs. It was definitely the singing and classic song that made the show so I think that makes up my mind which genre I’d like to book up this time around. Musical London Theatre Break Much as I do appreciate a bit of Shakespeare , Oscar Wilde, Pinter or Beckett if I’m going to splash out on the whole London theatre break thing with a posh hotel, meal out and everything like that then I like to know with absolute certainty that I’m going to laugh and cry and dance in my seat, and come away with several great chorus lines ringing in my ears so once again it’s going to be a Musical London theatre break this year. Now there would appear to be about 25 musicals on offer in theatreland at present so that doesn’t really narrow down the choice of show very much does it? I’ll list them down, then cross off the ones that aren’t really my cup of tea shall I? Avenue Q, Billy Elliot, Blood Brothers, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Dreamboats And Petticoats, Grease, Hairspray, The Jersey Boys, Legally Blonde, Les Miserables, Lion King, Mamma Mia, Oliver, Phantom of the Opera, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The Rise and Fall of Little Voice, Sister Act, Stomp, Thriller Live, We Will Rock You, Wicked So what does that look like? Well obviously we can cross out Oliver as we saw that  one last year. Out of the rest, I think it’s got to be either Phantom or Grease. Different ends of the spectrum in some ways, but we know some of the songs from Phantom after hearing the CD whereas Grease is a musical we could perform half of by heart without any mugging up at all! OK, we plumped for Phantom  of the Opera, and if it comes up to expectations then we might just go and see Love Never Dies for next year’s London theatre break, or even earlier if some of my investments come through in time. Next we need to choose a Hotel and dates. That’s the slightly precarious part because it all depends on availabiity. Choice of  Hotel for a London Theatre Break I like to be near the City of London, which is a bit further east from the West End but only a short cab ride away, but I’m going to be flexible and if something comes up in Holborn, Westminster or the Strand that’ll be fine for a weekend London theatre break. We are lucky enough to be able to take Mondays or Thursday off too though, or any day really, so access to the City next day would be convenient, if I can get away with it. Right, I’m off to check the online theatre breaks booking sites now, wish me luck! This was a guest post by a reader from London Theatre Break who wishes to remain anonymous

Here are a few tips to bear in mind when booking theatre breaks. 1) Try to be flexible about your dates. This is really going to help you get to see the show that you want at the the price you can afford so even if there is a special anniversary coming up or something like that it’s well worth investigating several days either side of the exact date. It’s also worth think carefully about whether your London theatre break really needs to be on a weekend or a weekday because the difference can be surprising and it’s not always in the direction that you might think.

2) How important are the seats? Not all seats are created equal by far, and for some people the experience sitting in the middle of the stalls is much superior to that at the back of the circle. I think it comes down to personal preference and experience though, so think carefuly about your previous theatre experiences and then check out which kind of seats are being offered as part of your theatre break. Some offer “Best seats available” which sounds like it could mean anything but actually that’s one of the better offers. Others offer “Top Tickets”  or “2nd price and 3rd price” but if there is a seating plan then with a little bit of imagination you can get a pretty god idea of what your seats are going to be like. Don’t forget also that there’s a huge difference in the size of some of these London theatres, with quite small intimate vintage theatres in listed building in the heart of theatreland, and then some quite huge auditoriums for the really big shows like Wicked and We Will Rock You. 3) Transport to London. I know how much people value their own personal space in their car but London really is the exception in our car-dependent world. Getting around cantral London can seem like a jungle to the unaccustomed driver and there’s nearly always nowhere to park. So you’ll end up in some undergound car park that costs nearly as much as a theatre ticket and you’re still miles away from the theatre. So the best bet is usually to arrive by train and the get about on foot, by taxi or even on the tube.

4) Musicals or Plays. You might have a show in mind when you start looking online but don’t be put off if you can’t get the most famous musical on the dates you planned, there are always new shows coming into the West End and sometimes it’s more fulfilling to go and discover something new that hasn’t been reproduced on tour or elsewhere yet. One of the best things about the London scene is that you can often get to see some very famous actors and actressese performing in classic plays by the great authors, so that’s something to consider as a change from the latest blockbuster music revival with the original Broadway cast.

For more tips and advice to get the most out of London Theatre breaks you might visit the Theatre Breaks Magazine

Theatre Breaks Reviewed for 2009 Linda looks back on 2009 for London Theatre Breaks as the top of the year approaches: Winter 2009 is here and I’m just wondering what sort of a year this has been for theatre breaks. There’s been a recent survey that assures us reality TV has actually boosted ticket sales. The box offices are claiming the credit crunch has had little effect on bookings, with most theatres usually full. But what has been the reality? The West End Shows In terms of shows one or two have closed early but the old favourites like We Will Rock You carry on. Avenue Q was saved from oblivion by popular demand and has moved to a new theatre. The Lion King is as popular as ever and proudly boasts that it is so well booked that it has NEVER released tickets to the reduced ticket agencies. Priscilla Queen of the Desert Some good shows reached the end of their natural life and wonderful though Spamalot was it really was time for it to say goodbye. It’s been replaced by Priscilla and that has been a fair swap. Carousel never really quite hit the spot and its closure wasn’t any great surprise. It was sad to see the end of Cabaret and a shame they couldn’t take a leaf out of Chicago’s book and find a constant stream of new familiar faces to keep us going back.  Joseph went too and no doubt was mourned by thousands of Lee Mead’s fans but it was another how that seemed ready to go. No doubt it will be back someday. One show I thought should have done better was Spring Awakening, which I just loved. All that energy and a theatre full of young people the night we went. I felt positively ancient, and that’s a good thing! (honest!) Oliver has of course been a total triumph with Jodie Prenger making a real name for herself. Who would have thought she’d still be there doing 8 shows a week nearly a year later? What a star. I saw her at West End live this year and she has a super voice and a lovely stage presence. She managed to upstage Christopher Biggins, to great comic effect and that takes some talent for comedy! I think we’ll see more of Jodie once she moves on but for now she seems happy where she is. She’s on her 3rd Fagin and this is the one I’d really like to see. I think Griff Reese Jones will make a great Fagin and be well worth the trip. Hairspray has seen some major changes with the departure of Micheal Ball. Still Phil Jupitous is doing a grand job and Brain Connely was very well recieved in the part. I wonder how long Micheal will stay away, I’m sure I heard somewhere that he’s thinking of coming back to Edna. We hope! Wicked is going from strength to strength and is the most popular musical at this witchy time of year. Kerry Ellis is just a distant memory now and Alexia Kadhim has made her own interpreation of Elphaba. I think she has a lovely voice, quite different to Kerry’s but wonderful all the same:

New shows coming into the West End and available for theatre breaks include Legally Blonde which I was less than keen on when first announced. Since then I’ve had a good look at the videos on youtube and listened to the cast recordings and I might just change my mind. It might be fun and has the sort of casting that makes me want to see it. What to say about Love Never dies (apart from “I can’t wait!!”)? Well it’s definitely going to be a huge event and it should be a spectacular in the best Andrew Lloyd Webber tradition. The Coney Island setting should give it a great atmosphere, you know how creepy fairgrounds can be. We’ve all seen Scoobydoo   It’s got two faboulous stars in Sarah Boggess and Ramin Karimaloo (I’ve been doing this so long I can now spell these names without flinching!) In the next part of this annual theatre breaks review I’ll be looking at the travel implications and prospects for London theatre breaks into 2010.