I love the theatre! I love the actors (most of the time), I love the scene changes and the puppets, I love the clever songs in the muscials and the suspense in the plays. I also love the buildings that house the theatre's, especially in London. We have some of the oldest theatres in the world and some of the best shows here in the UK, so what's not to love!
I do love a musical and although many people would tell you that I am not really into cheesy things, there is something about a clever musical and big belter of a song that entices me. I used to work in a theatre over in Reading called The Hexagon and although we didn't produce shows themselves it was amazing to see the back of house and learn more about what goes on. The downside is that now I can't just enjoy a show without thinking what the staff have to get up to, but I do give it a good go!
The picture above is just a selection of the shows I have been to (mostly in London), more and more besides, but just not bought the brochure - I can't buy them all! So I thought I would share with you a little about the shows above so that you can catch them if you want:
The Lion King and Matilda I think are my two favourite Musicals of all time (at the moment) as the set movements and actors are so great. Part of what is good also is that there are no 'famous' people in it and so all the attention goes to the brilliant theatre actors we have in this country in their own right. The Lion King has the most amazing large scale puppets and if you ever go to see it, make sure you don't miss the beginning. It follows the same story as the film, but its such a spectacle that it doesn't matter that you know what happens. Matilda is so clever its hard to explain, the songs have been done by Tim Minchen and to find out more, check out my blog post here.
Fame, I think was my first every musical and I have seen it a few times since, the original and more modern versions. The original is always the best though - and that includes the film. After seeing this I wanted to be a dancer, but soon realised it was not for me.
Wicked was great and a first for me of a show that came from America after it was so popular there. I challenge anyone not to sing along to 'Defying Gravity'. Elphaba has to spend the whole show with green make-up all over her and so I applaud her for that alone, but all the acting was great too.
The Dumb Waiter, I just had to go and see as I love Lee Evans and really wanted to see him in a dramatic play, rather than always playing the funny man. This was my first Harold Pinter play and it didn't dissapoint, the pull for me was Lee Evans and he was great playing a dramatic part, but Jason Isaacs was great too and they were both on stage all the time and never missed a beat on the very tiny stage at Trafalgar Studios.
Guys and Dolls is a typical Musical really, but one that had great Dance sequences. I love a good group dance piece and it was constant throughout with lots going on and lively music. I dreamt again of being a dancer, but alas by my 20's I think my time had passed - plus I have no co-ordination between brain and body parts when trying to learn a sequence!
Edward Scissorhands at Sadlers Wells was my first Ballet and it was adapted by Matthew Bourne, so if your going to see ballet, I guess he is the best to see. It was a lovely show and as I knew the story it was an easy one for me to follow. Great for my first try of Ballet.
Speed the Plow starred Kevin Spacey and Jeff Goldblum, both amazing actors and as Kevin was Artitsic Director at The old Vic at the time, I guess he had to do something amazing! It was a brilliant show with great actors and so good to see how they work off-screen and with no out-takes.
The Man of Mode was one of the shows that I went to when I used to live in London and go down to the National Theatre for the cheap tickets through Travelex. I love all the different stages at the National and everytime I have been, I have tried to get into a different theatre so that I can see them all. I have seen Shakespeare and many other plays here too so there is a wide range and when you get cheap tickets it can't be bad hey! You can even go on a backstage tour to see all the different stages and the Theatre as a whole, which is well worth seeing.
Also, this week I went to see Spamalot with my parents for my Birthday treat and as the family are Monty Python fans it would seem rude not to go and see it. The show was very funny and had some of the classic Monty Python sketches in it - 'the knights who say nie' for example. They had plenty of songs that were new and pulled the whole thing together and so there were plenty of laughs to be had.
So what's next? I have still yet to see Phantom or Les Mis and so they are on my list, also I want to see War Horse, but to be honest I will go and see most things as I just love the theatre, plus the Ice cream at half time!
Let me know what's your favourite in the comments below and I can add it to my list.
Live it
H
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