If you find yourself in London, making the most of Special Offers at London Hotels in 2020, then these are all the shows on for some non-stop entertainment. No big descriptions or fluffy reviews, but rather a comprehensive list of 16 – there are hundreds, though, and we can’t list them all… but we can certainly try.
Musicals
Waitress at The Adelphi Theatre
The story of Jenna, a waitress at an American diner, where she makes delicious pies and wonderful friends, who help her realise her life with her abusive husband has reached its end.
Wicked at Apollo Victoria Theatre
Ever wondered what made the Wicked Witch of the West so evil? Did you imagine there is a backstory that explains it all, including her friendship with the Good Witch of the North? Well, this musical prequeal knows the full story.
The Lion King at The Lyceum Theatre
Based off of Disney’s smash-hit, The Lion King is a powerful yet child-friendly telling of betrayal, love, the African desert and the wonderful animals who live within it.
The Book of Mormon at The Prince of Wales Theatre
The religion of Mormonism has been quite clouded and mystified throughout the years since its inception, and though The Book of Mormon isn’t really going to help with clarification, it offers a hilarious, tongue-in-cheek, cheeky version of events and the lives of Mormon Elders on their mission to convert Ugandans to join their faith.
Les Miserables at The Sondheim Theatre
Fondly shorted to “Les Mis”, Les Miserables is both devaststing and uplifting: the story of love and loss in the time of overwhelming poverty in France and set within the rumblings prior to the French revolution.
Hamilton at Victoria Theatre
This rap-through musical by Lin Miguel Miranda has not stopped filling seats since its start on Broadway and its journey across the sea to London. It is the story of Alexander Hamilton, one of the founding fathers of America.
Mary Poppins at The Prince Edward Theatre
Another Disney classic – they are just the gifts that keep on giving – Mary Poppins is a vibrant reminder of the absurdity and wonder in ordinary life and that everything is best consumed with a smile and a spoonful of sugar.
Aladdin at Prince Edward Theatre, moving to The Lyric, Hammersmith
Okay, the last from the Disney musicals (though it never really is, is it?) Aladdin, the Arabian Nights and the magical genie all take center stage and remind us that theatre can be a magic carpet ride of beautiful sets, exquisite singing and staging to transport you to a whole new world.
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at The Apollo Theatre
Something the West End has been hungry for, a break from traditional musical theatre – or at least a twist on it – Everybody’s Talking About Jamie is really what everybody’s talking about. The wonderfully uplifting story about Jamie, a 16-year-old boy who has a secret: he wants to be a drag queen.
Matilda at Cambridge Theatre
The film Matilda, adapted from Roald Dahl’s famous children’s story, is now a West End musical and it is as wonderful as you would expect. A joyous tribute to music, reading and childhood.
Plays
Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at The Palace Theatre
Harry Potter is a household name these days, so it causes great, unrivalled excitement to see that the most recently canonised play by Jack Thorne, John Tiffany and series mastermind J.K Rowling, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, has made it to the West End.
Nora: A Doll’s House at The Old Vic
Hendrick Ibsen’s A Doll’s House has been radically adapted for the modern age and is being shown at The Old Vic until 21 March – unfortunately plays don’t have quite the shelf-life as musicals, but it makes it even more important to get there before you miss your chance.
Adam Kay: This Is Going To Hurt at Lyric and Garrick Theatres
Adam Kay’s bestselling diaries of a junior doctor, This Is Going To Hurt has been such a roaring success, that he has taken to reading extracts from it on stage to a doting audience. He has also written a series of songs about the medical profession, which are utterly hilarious lyrics such as, “Take a look at me nan”, to the tune of Phil Collins’s Take A Look At Me Now.
Leopoldstadt at Wyndham’s Theatre
Leopoldstadt is on until 13 June 2020 and you need to hustle and bustle and make sure you get a ticket for this highly acclaimed, excellent show by playwright Tom Stoppard. It is the story set in the Jewish community of Vienna in the early 20th century, and the families that interact within it.
Uncle Vanya at Harold Pinter Theatre
Uncle Vanya is one of the success-stories of Russian playwright Anton Checkhov’s illustrious career, with this London-based adaptation starring Toby Jones and selling tickets like hot cakes. A story of glamour and the blend of rural and urban lifestyles – of friendship, wealth, betrayal, romance and the critical collision of all of these elements.
The Mousetrap at St Martin’s Theatre
The Mousetrap by Agatha Christie is the longest-running shows in the world – so you can hardly justify missing a trip to see it in London, where it opened in 1952, and adding to history and to your murder-mystery cravings (everybody wants to know whodunit, after all).
Hotels in Kensington are great for a number of reasons, starting with their Afternoon Indian Tea, and the list rolls on from there, including of course its proximity to all these wonderful shows. Let London entertain you: it knows what it’s doing.
