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Top Hotels for your London Theatre Break

London theatre breaks are a great way treat for your loved one this winter, maybe for an early Christmas present. But the thought of choosing which show or musical to see is daunting due to the amazing selection, and that’s without considering which hotel to stay in to complete your theatre break. The obvious choice would be to select a hotel in London that is situated close to the venue you are visiting. No one wants to ruin their night by having to travel half way across the city to get to bed. In this blog post, we are going to look at some of the top shows and musicals currently playing in London and some of the top hotels you could stay in on your break. Grease Barely needing any introduction, Grease, the smash hit musical is in its fourth year at the Piccadilly Theatre and is still going strong. The world famous story of high school sweet hearts Danny and Sandy is bound to bring a smile to anyone’s face. Currently starring Matthew Goodgame and Lauren Samuels, this sing along show features all your favourite songs from the film including “Greased Lightnin’”, “You’re the one that I want” and “Summer Nights”. But where is best to stay after you have boogied the night away with the T-Birds and the Pink Ladies? Less than a quarter of a mile away and just off Trafalgar Square is the four star Royal Trafalgar hotel. It’s not only close to many of the theatres in London but also is perfect for shopping on Oxford Street and Regent street. London theatre district A slightly cheaper option, though a little further away, is the three star Curzon Plaza Mayfair. Located just half a mile from the theatre (a fifteen minute walk) you can either hit the hay or head out and enjoy the nearby nightlife of Leicester Square. If you have enough energy for shopping the next day, you will be well set to hit the streets of both Regent Street and Bond Street. Jersey Boys The Tony Award winning Jersey Boys is another great show to see as part of a London Theatre Break. The story follows the rise to fame of Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons from their humble beginnings in Newark, New Jersey to the success they found singing hits such as “Can’t take my eyes off you” and “Oh, What a night”. Winning awards for “Best Musical”, “Best Actor in a Musical”, “Best Featured Actor in a Musical” and “Best Lighting Design of a Musical” you know you are in for a good night seeing Jersey Boys. Currently playing Prince Edward Theatre on Old Compton Street, there are plenty of Hotels to choose from when booking your Theatre Break. The Grade 1 Listed Thistle Charing Cross is a 4 star contemporary hotel located on the Strand. This stunning hotel is centrally located, making it not only easy to reach from your theatre but many of the great London Landmarks like Buckingham Palace are a short walk. Another option when going to see Jersey Boys, is staying at the Elegant Kingsley Hotel. With a three star rating and location in the heart of Bloomsbury, the hotel is under half a mile from the Prince Edward Theatre and has a rich history due to it once being home to the British Library and attracting legendary authors such as Dickens and WB Yeats. Nearby attractions include The British Museum and Covent Garden. Mamma Mia Over 40 million people have seen the sensational musical Mamma Mia, and it was London where the show was first shown in 1999. Now adapted into a smash hit movie, even more people are queuing up to see the hit musical. Incorporating the songs of Abba, Mamma Mia tells the story of a women’s journey to identify her father on an Island that they had last visited with her mother 20 years ago. Prince of Wales Theatre on Coventry Street has many hotels within a short distance for you to stay in on your theatre break. If you really want to treat your loved one, then the 5 star Royal Horseguards is under half a mile from the theatre. London Eye Sitting on the banks of the Thames and styled on a French château, this hotel really is impressive, especially as it has just been awarded the AA London Hotel of the Year 2010-2011. Like most central London hotels, the Royal Horseguards is a great base for seeing the sights of the city. It really is worth booking a London Hotel and theatre tickets together in a Theatre Break package as you will be able to make considerable savings over buying them separately. Top Hotels for your London Theatre Break was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

November 5 2010, 12:52pm | Comments »

Oliver! London

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.

December 17 2009, 12:42pm | Comments »

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