TodayTix Staff Picks: 2017 Shows!

As 2017 comes to a close, the TodayTix team are looking wistfully out of rainy windows clutching mugs of hot chocolate, thinking about all the great theatre we’ve seen this year.

Of all of the shows that played in London this year, we’ve seen some incredible productions that are long-running shows we finally got to see, both classic stories and shiny new ones and some short-lived gems we’re grateful to have experienced.

Then again, that is the beauty of theatre – seeing something live and possibly fleeting that may never be repeated. On that note, here are the TodayTix team’s favourite shows of 2017!

Yerma, Young Vic

“The Young Vic’s return of Yerma was a masterclass in acting (led by Olivier-winner Billie Piper), but also a tour-de-force of direction and design, which was thrilling, terrifying, and tragic. Quite simply, the production took my breath away and still has me thinking about it many months later.” – Merritt

Romantics Anonymous, The Globe’s Sam Wanamaker Playhouse

“It’s got to be Romantics Anonymous for me, purely because I didn’t realise just how good it was going to be. The fact that it was in such an intimate setting at the Globe made the production even more magical. All of the cast members shone and worked together to deliver a beautifully sweet story. Fingers crossed it gets a West End transfer!” – Leah

An American In Paris, Dominion Theatre

“I loved An American in Paris, it was a visual feast from start to finish. The all-singing, all-dancing cast had such incredible energy and matched with George Gershwin’s sumptuous music created a tour de force spectacle not to be missed. The sketch drawings projected onto the stage mix beautifully with Christopher Wheeldon’s striking choreography, and it brought the city of light to life. It’s a contemporary classic.” – Tom

Ink, Duke of York’s Theatre

“I thought the energy, pace and snappy transitions in Ink were faultless. The performances (main roles and supporting) were all amazingly strong, with Bertie Carvel’s Murdoch leaving me surprisingly thoughtful about views I didn’t think I could’ve been budged on. It’s worth seeing for his hand acting alone!” – Jessie

Oslo, Harold Pinter Theatre

“My favourite show this year was Oslo. My perception of the play was so different from the actual experience. It was gripping from start to finish, intelligent and very funny. Critics have already praised it as a marvel of theatrical staging and deft exposition and I would whole heartedly agree.” – Brendan

Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, Duke of York’s Theatre

“Hands down, my favourite show of the year is Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour. I loved how the story showed teenage girls as just as wild and hilarious as boys. The characters’ stories revolve around sexual identity, teen pregnancy, surviving cancer and losing a parent, and yet it still managed to be hysterically funny. It was the best night I’ve had in a theatre this year.” – Emily

Hamlet, Harold Pinter Theatre

“Hamlet was a truly remarkable production, enhanced no end by being sat on the front-row and having Andrew Scott deliver spell-binding soliloquies from a matter of feet away. It managed to be both unsettling and elegant at the same time – beautiful theatre, brilliantly executed.” – Marc

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Harold Pinter Theatre

“I might be slightly biased as I was working at the HP at the time, but Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Edward Albee’s four-hander play was a veritable tour-de-force. The cast all delivered stellar performances that created an exhausting night of frivolities. You couldn’t help but be drawn into the voyeuristic cruelty that Martha and George thrive upon. Without a doubt, I’ll remember Imelda Staunton’s distraught wail at the climax of Act Three for years to come.” – James

“Brilliant for the sheer level of intensity and awe that four actors can bring to a stage. The chemistry between Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill is so believable, the energy between them is almost tangible. ” – Philip

Half A Sixpence

“Half a Sixpence was definitely one of my favourites this year. Bursting with catchy songs and lively choreography, this feel-good show also helped unearth the talents of award-winning leading man, Charlie Stemp. This rising star is undoubtedly one to look out for in the future!” – Nicole

2017 really was a wonderful year for theatre, bring it on 2018!

Want more? Check out our guide to Winter theatre in London.