sjmaxson has added a photo to the pool:

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Saturday 21st August 2010

Went to see the very funny Jeff Goldblum at the Vaudeville Theatre in The Prisoner of Second Avenue. Very entertaining!

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

Your Theatre Breaks issues dealt with one by one. This is one of a series of articles for Theatre Breaks Magazine FAQ which each deal with a specific question about planning, booking and enjoying theatre breaks. Today, What to pack for theatre breaks Packing for your theatre break photo credit Dwight Sipler via flickr

Theatre Breaks Suitcase Panic First time I went on a theatre break I  hauled out the suitcases and stared at them for a long time. I was thrilled  we were off to London for a romantic weekend to see a show. I’d been looking forward to it for ages but then I started to worry. ” What do people wear to the theatre in London these days? Do we need to dress up? What do I need to take? Oh dear, what if I pack the wrong stuff and end up looking silly?” If you’re feeling like I did then let’s see if I can help sort out those nasty ‘what ifs?’ about what to wear on your theatre breaks. Do we need to dress up? Not unless you want to! There is no strict dress code for any of the theatres in London. If you like to dress up and make it more of an occasion, that’s fine. Most people wear ’smart/casual’, some people may even be wearing jeans, few will be in full evening dress. Do wear something comfortable, that won’t crease and is not too hot. The theatres are warm places even in winter. If you do want to dress up

For women a day dress is fine. If you do want to wear an evening dress think cocktail dress rather than gown. It’s hard to beat a *LBD, ideally in something that doesn’t crease too badly. A shawl, pashmina, or short embroidered cardi is usually enough to keep you warm outside. Shoes should be comfortable enough to allow for a stroll round theatreland after the show. Heels should not be too high unless you are used to them. Take a small handbag and don’t feel you always need a raincoat and umbrella. (It took me about 18 months after moving here to realise that I rarely needed my umbrella!) On a cold night add a warmish coat but leave it at the cloakroom. It’s a real pain for you, and those around you, when you have to juggle it inside the theatre. For gents a suit or smart jacket and trousers will be perfect. Ties are definitely optional. There’s no need for an evening suit unless you really want to make an impression.

*LBD =little black dress 5 ‘must haves’ for your theatre break

Comfortable flat shoes for traveling and for sightseeing. Smart shoes for the theatre, still fairly comfy. A smallish handbag that you can wear crosswise – handy, leaves both hands free and easy to manage. This will also be more secure on crowded tube trains or buses. Needs to hold purse, keys, camera, tube map, bottle of water (optional) & not much else. Double points if your evening bag meets the same criteria! Dark glasses,  look glam even in winter and are vital in case of a slight case of morning after syndrome!

Final Word on What to Pack for Your Theatre Break What ever you decide to take and wear remember this is your theatre break. London is a very anonymous place and mostly no one will notice or care about your choice of clothes. Wear the kind of clothes you feel happy and comfortable in. If you like to dress up for social occasions then do so, if not you can still enjoy your casual style theatre break.

This post is part of a series answering questions about theatre breaks, following on from How to Book Theatre Breaks Online with Confidence and Theatre Breaks By Car. The full series will be available as the Theatre Breaks FAQ Today we are looking at the issue of how you get your hands on the actual physical printed cardboard tickets so you know after all the anticipation that you will be let into the theatre and are definitely going to see the show! How do I get my theatre break tickets? Theatre breaks agencies do vary a little, some send your tickets out by post, but most will have them left at the theatre box office for you to collect on the day. It may depend how far in advance you book your theatre break, but there’s really nothing to worry about. Once you’ve confirmed your booking and authorised payment there will be a seat with your name on it. Well, it’s easy for me to say that I know, because part of the excitement of going to see a big show is the tingling anxiety that builds up in the hours before the big day. One way to help with this is to turn up as soon as the box office opens, which is usually about an hour before the show, when the queue should be fairly short still, present your booking voucher or just tell them your name and booking reference and collect your tickets. Phew! You’ve now got an hour to enjoy a pre-theatre drink or a stroll around theatreland and you can keep getting your tickets out to look at them as often as you like. You might want to memorise your seat numbers as this will aid negotiating your way around the various entrances once inside the theatre and after your tickets have been torn in half by the usherette. In any case you should really collect your tickets at least 30 mins before the performance starts.

What about the Hotel? Hotels don’t issue tickets but you may receive something called a “Hotel Voucher” as part of the email confirmation you get back stright away when you book theatre breaks online. There’s no need to print this out if you don’t want to though, you can just quote the booking reference and your name when you arrive at the hotel. Earliest check in time is usually about 2pm so if you arrive early in London on the day of the start of your theatre break it’s best to take advantage of the opportunity to settle in, dump your luggage and then go out again for the afternoon or early evening. Rail tickets booked with theatre breaks Show and Stay is one theatre breaks agency that offers discount rail tickets when booked in advance with a theatre break. It’s a good deal because you can save up to 40% on the travel costs and arriving in central London by rail is really the best way to do it in most circumstances. These rail tickets will be sent out separately by first class post in plenty of time before you travel.

London Eye Tickets The London Eye is the most popular add-on attraction booked with theatre breaks packages so how do you get your ‘flight’ tickets? This can get a bit complicated so please read your email confirmation carefully. If you book the London Eye River Cruise option, which is a lovely thing to do, then there’s a telephone number you need to ring to tell them when you want to go and arrange the booking. Do so as soon as you have decided upon your itinerary in order to be sure of getting your ideal flight times, and at least 72 hours in advance. You’ll also get a “London Eye Flight Only” voucher and in both cases you are asked to retain this section of confirmation to give to the London Eye people as proof of pre-booking, so in this case you probably will need to print it all out. For the Fast Track and Champagne flights, you still need to book in advance but you can turn up only 15 minutes before your flight at the fast track check-in desk and exchange your voucher for tickets there and then.

Your Theatre Breaks issues dealt with one by one This is the second of Theatre Breaks Magazine’s FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) which each deal with a topic that might get in the way of planning, booking and enjoying theatre breaks. Mr Notsure’s Dilemma Mr Notsure and his partner were off to London for a romantic weekend to see Phantom of the Opera. He’d found a web site that promised good value. He booked right away, dismissing the idea of going by train without a thought. Later that night he started to worry. “What if the taking the car means I get stressed out driving there? What about parking in London? Oh dear, and what about that congestion charge too? Let’s see if I can help  Mr Notsure’s  sort out those ‘what ifs?’ about theatre breaks by car. What if the taking the car means I get stressed out driving in London? To avoid getting stressed out on the journey:

Allow yourself lots of extra time. Use the AA online route planner if you don’t have Sat Nav. Try to avoid arriving anywhere near London at peak times. These last longer than you might assume as people try to spread their travel times. Aim to arrive and leave after 10am, before 3pm or after 7pm. Check for any known road works on your route before you set off.

Theatre Breaks by Car Congestion Charging The congestion charge applies in Central London between 7.00am and 6.30pm, Monday to Friday

Basic fee- £8 per day if you pay the charge on the day of travel.

Pay on the first charging day after travel you pay £10.

If you do not pay the charge by the end of the first charging day after your journey you will be subject to a  penalty charge which is a whopping £120 !

Ideally you should pay in advance, either online or by post. You can download a free map of the Congestion Charge Zone from Transport for London What if I get lost in London? It can happen to anyone, including Londoners! Even if you have sat.nav and a current A-Z you will inevitably take a wrong turn, encounter unexpected road works or meet some other problem that takes you off your planned route. If you decide you are hopelessly lost, and London signage isn’t always terribly helpful if you are, then according to a new web service, The Knowledge , there is an answer. You can ask a cabbie! The Knowledge is a  24 hour helpline  manned by licensed London taxi  drivers and provided by Knowledge Capital Limited. By calling 0906 265 6565 you will be connected directly to a licensed London taxi driver. The promise you the assistance of an off duty cab driver. The calls cost £1 per minute from a BT landline and are likely to be much more from your mobile. I cannot imagine you’ll be ringing from your landline so expect it to be expensive!  I’ve never used the service but it might just be worth it if you are driving round lost and in a panic. DON’T CALL WHILE YOU ARE DRIVING! Pull over somewhere safe and make the call. What about parking in London? If the hotel offers parking it is always mentioned in the description. Often it will mean an extra charge, usually between £15 and £20 per day. You need to arrange this with the hotel. Give them a ring and they’ll usually be quite happy to sort it out for you. Parking in Central London, especially near theatreland is very difficult. To be quite honest I simply would not recommend you even attempt it! Choosing Your Hotel for Theatre Breaks by Car Traffic near theatreland can be heavy. Park your car at the hotel One good solution can be to drive to your hotel, park the car and use black cabs or the tube to travel around the city. For this to work best you should choose a hotel outside the congestion charge and use the tube or black cabs to get into and out of the centre. That way you can avoid the worst of the central London traffic and still have the comfort of your own car for the journey home. This gives you  much more flexibility and means that you don’t have the stress of driving in the worst of the city traffic. Theatre Break Magazine FAQ This was the second post of Theatre Breaks Magazine’s FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) each of which  deals with a specific topic that might come up when you are planning, booking and enjoying theatre breaks. (Photo Credit – Archangeli cc image via flickr)

Things to do in June Flaming June comes around just after Spring has well and truly sprung, but before the main Summer holidays, which is in some ways ideal for theatre breaks with outdoor things to do in London. The river trips and topless bus tours come into their own at this time of year, as do the green spaces and parks.

West End Live

For the West End, there’s one special event which comes around each year usually around the third week and that’s West End Live. It’s a free entertainment festival put on in central London’s Leicester Square, right in the heart of theatreland, which serves to promote individual shows which take part and the West End as a whole. Participation varies, for example with Hairspray sending a full cast in costume to perform one number to kick of the show in 2009, and others such as Oliver and Wicked sending along one star to do a big number solo.

West End Live takes place over one weekend towards the end of June and I’m not suggesting anybody hangs around for the whole thing from start to finish, especially if your time in London is limited. Standing up for that length of time is exhausting enough and there’s a certain amount of waiting about between acts. It’s not really worth arriving early and queuing up to get inside the square for the start either, as the queues do build up to quite a length with people wanting to bag a place near the front but it definitely is worth dropping in for an hour or as proceedings get going and the crowds stabilise , and catching any shows you particularly want to see by keeping an eye on the programme of events. This will be found each year on the London Theatre Breaks blog in the West End Live section and they do stick very closely to the times stated because the singers and dancers need to know exactly when they will be on so they can schedule it in amongst rehearsals and even matinee performances on the Saturday. To give a sample of the happy atmosphere and the kind of performances to expect live in the square here are a few crowd videos from theatre breaks youTube.

Wicked Theatre Breaks

Alexia Khadime from Wicked sings The Wizard and I.

Priscilla Queen of The Desert

All singing All dancing All camp Priscilla

We Will Rock You

Every year the cast from We Will Rock You put on a big show with a full cast in costume doing several numbers Oliver!

Jodie Prenger from Oliver sings As Long as He Needs Me Chicago

In 2009 the cast of Chicago included none other than Jerry Springer Other Things to do in June Long light evenings are conducive to wandering about outdoors and pavement cafe meals in interesting side streets. Hyde Park and Regents Park are best known but the smaller St James Park is close by Victoria and Westminster and features a bandstand with live music sometimes, an airy Inn The Park with beautiful roof terrace, and a lake with exotic ducks geese and pelicans.

London Theatre Breaks in Summer Do you head for the beach in the summer or enjoy the city life at its best? Are you a Sun lizard or a culture vulture? Newquay rave parties or London theatre breaks? Well I like both really, always have done. Wide open skies, summer breezes and casual attire are not only to be found at the coast though. Modern London is full of outdoor seating, cafe terraces and the numerous parks and green spaces are appreciated by people of all ages just enjoying the warm sunshine, with city workers on their lunch breaks joining the tourists, families and digital nomads. ** book London Theatre Breaks **

Riverside Theatre Breaks I know I tend to bang on about the riverside quite a lot but that’s because it’s such a cool place to be and nearly everything happens within a half mile or so or the Thames in London. The Thames is big, and it’s tidal and salty.

The National Theatre is on the Southbank for example, next to the Royal Festival Hall within a short riverside stroll of London’s Tate Modern and Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. Maritime Greenwich is always worth a visit and so is the London Bridge, Borough Market, County Hall and Tower Bridge area. You’re in a huge metropolis but Ice-creams, picnics and sitting on the sea wall are the things to do, as well as people watching and Pimms. Theatreland in Summer In the theatreland area of London, around Soho, you can have a restaurant meal or drinks served at a little pavement table, just like in Paris or Barcelona and the choice of cuisine is actually wider. For the real night birds there’s at least one street where the bars and clubs stay open all night. You can easily get away from all the fuss if you want though, just dive down a side street and walk ten minutes and you will often find yourself in a quiet mews area with with a leafy square and shady benches. Top Shows for Summer Theatre Breaks

Musical Theatre Breaks London theatre break deals combine top tickets to one of the big West end musicals or a play, with at least one night’s hotel stay plus any optional extras such as discount rail fare, London Eye reservation etc. So the first question is which show to choose. The chances are, you already have something in mind that you’ve always wanted to see on the London stage such as Les Miserables, Grease, Chicago or Phantom of The Opera. Perhaps the new Oliver or Wicked. There are a couple of less well known show you could also pick, such as Sister Act ready for the sumer season, and Spring Awakening which has been throughly recommended. For something that’s already been proven elsewhere you might go for Priscilla the musical, if you like that sort of thing - and who doesn’t? Favourite musicals are probably going to be Hairspray, We Will Rock You, Dirty Dancing and Jersey Boys. West End Plays

Musicals dominate the West End but there are a few more plays to choose from this year, although usually for shorter runs so it depends more on your possible dates for drama theatre breaks. Look out for short runs of Alan Bennet plays, Harold Pinter, Shakespeare’s Othello with Lenny Henry and Samual Becket’s Godot. Calendar Girls runs until September 19th 2009 while Woman in Black, The 39 Steps and The Mousetrap seem to run and run forever. Check Theatre Breaks Availability Select the show and choose a date first, then enter the hotel details and rail travel.

When you press “check availability” you’ll be taken to the results on the Show and Stay site, from which you can make further searches if necessary until the perfect package is made up for you. Or use the following link to begin a new search from London Theatre Breaks: ** book London Theatre Breaks **

Thanks for subscribing to Andy Roberts blog Summer Theatre Breaks

Related posts:New Year Theatre BreaksTheatre BreaksTheatre breaks midweek

West End Guide - where is “Theatreland”? In the heart of the West End of London is an area sometimes called ‘Theatreland’. Traditionally it is bordered by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east. Important streets with theatres include :

Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, The Strand.

The area contains around forty of London’s largest theatres.They tend to show mostly musicals, with a few classics, new plays,and comedy performances. West End Guide to the Theatres .

Most of the theatres were built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. All of them are privately owned. All of the older theatres have great architectural character and range in style from the grand neo-classical to the very ornate rococo. They usually have luxurious, detailed interior design and decoration, with lots of gold and plush. Occasionally the older theatres have limited leg room and restricted views from some parts of the theatre. Tickets for these areas are usually sold cheaper and are not usually offered as part of theatre breaks. Audience facilities such as bars and toilets are often much smaller than in modern theatres. The buildings are all listed and this can make it hard to make improvements. However several theatres have introduced modern comforts such as air conditioning and new sound systems. The Largest Theatres in The West End The largest theatres in the West End seat over 2,000 theatre-goers.

The Palladium - currently about to show Sister Act - 2286 seats The Apollo, Vcctoria - Wicked - 2208 The Theatre Royal - Oliver!- 2196 seats The Dominion - We Will Rock You - 2163 seats The Lyceum - Lion King - 2100 seats I’ll be posting more soon on our West End Guide

London breaks What is it about the grand hotels and theatres that makes London breaks ever popular? Something more than just the convenience I’m sure. Old fashioned style, social aspiration, romance maybe? The anonymous but attentive service combined with an expectation that everything you could possibly need will be there ready and waiting, or easily conjured up via room service. Modern life is relentless and for the most part let’s be honest, it can consist of following a series of rather dull routines so you don’t have to be an art intellectual or wealthy bon vivant to feel attracted by the idea of just one or two nights break in a smart central London hotel as a complete escape from the same old four walls, kitchen, relatives and other humdrum at home. The West End It’s not that I have any illusions as to what the image of London conjures up in many people’s minds. It’s a great big, busy, noisy city where the citizens are often tired and frazzled from over-stimulation, pressure and travel. They’d like a break too! London as a capital is nothing like Paris, Edinburgh or Cardiff and there can be resentment that so much political, financial and cultural leadership seems to be assumed to begin and end in London. That’s unfortunate in some ways, but then the sheer weight of population, history and connection gives London a momentum that cannot be ignored. Regional theatre may be more innovative in its creativity, and perhaps more intimate in the performance but it’s only when a show makes it to the West End that the bigger name stars can be attracted and the investment comes in for the stunning sets and longer runs. It’s the same story for music, fine art, dance etc. So people come on short breaks to London to see the best shows and soak up the West End atmosphere. London Theatreland

You see, London’s theatreland is quite a small area in the central part of the city which is a stamping ground not just for Londoners (many of whom may not go there for months on end) but for all people from every city, village and nation. On any day, weekend or midweek the culture vulture crowds are present in large numbers, ambling about in groups or couples, plenty of singles too. The lights and buzz hold an attraction for young people as much as the distant familiarity does for people who have been visiting London occasionally for one reason or another over decades. And much of theatreland has not been spoilt. That’s because the classic old theatre buildings themselves have been classed as grade two listed, both exterior and interior. So even when there is a poor year for theatre bookings, as happens from time to time, they cannot be pulled down or turned over for a completely different use. London Map This first map is just to give an idea of how London breaks up into distinct geographical areas with the red central area so much smaller than the great connurbation where the majority of Londoners live and work.

And theatreland is only a part of that centre. Arrival by intercity train for London hotel theatre and train breaks will mean a short journey from one of the famous mainline rail terminals into the centre and then you may not need to venture outside again or set foot in a tube or taxi until it’s time to return home, as long as you book a hotel which is inside the zone. Getting to the Theatres Here’s the street map of London Theatreland clearly showing each of the Theatres by name so it’s easy to find your way around. The same goes for the Hotels and restaurants which can be booked for pre-theatre meals, often very reasonably as part of a show, hotel and travel deal.

Top Musicals

Oliver! Phantom of the Opera Dirty Dancing Joseph Billy Elliot Sound Of Music Hairspray Lion King We Will Rock You Grease Jersey Boys Blood Brothers Mamma Mia! Les Miserables

Plays * God of Carnage by Yasmina Reza (ART!) with Ralph Fiennes, Tamsin Greig (Black Books, Green Wing, Love soup and Debbie Aldridge from The Archers) * The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie still going strong decades later - who dunnit? * The Vortex by Noel Coward with Felicity Kendal Pre-Theatre Dining on London Breaks Overall, London simply has a wider selection of fine international restaurants than any other world city. You can pre book as part of a London theatre and hotel breaks package, or just wander round for a short while until you are tempted. So ‘bon appetit’ and enjoy your capital. Stumble It!

Posted by Andy Roberts London breaks with theatre show and hotel