LTW Family

Get tickets for family friendly West End shows during London Theatre Week.

London Theatre Week Family Shows

LTW Family - LON

6+ Children under 3 are not permitted to enter the theatre. Anyone under 16 must be accompanied by an adult and may not sit on their own. All persons entering the theatre, regardless of age, must have a ticket.

The Lion King [302] - LON

the-lion-king-lead-09-10-17

The Lion King

TLK Poster

1001-1631897535-lkmar21encore280x280

It's been fifteen years almost to the week that I first saw Disney's<a href="/show/the-lion-king"> The Lion King</a> in what was its first year in the West End. I don't think even Disney could have predicted that sixteen years later the show would still be London's most popular musical, selling out performances eight times a week and playing to packed crowds.Judging the show against the current climate of the West End, I worried some of the magic may have faded, but Julie Taymor's staging and costume design remains some of the most innovative, impressive and breath-taking to ever be seen on stage - musical or otherwise.Disney Theatricals have grown in strength and statue since the production originally opened on Broadway in 1997, but <a href="/show/the-lion-king">The Lion King</a> remains the jewel in the crown for theatrical integrity and pure spectacle. Seeing the show again in context of Disney's more recent efforts 'The Little Mermaid', 'Newsies' and '<a href="/show/aladdin">Aladdin</a>', you realise how they pail in comparison in terms of creativity and kick yourself for taking Taymor's work for granted.Based on the 1994 animated film, one of the last in the period of the 'Disney Renaissance', the heart-warming tale follows the lion cub Simba as he learns to take his place in the great "circle of life" following the murder of his father Mufassa by his evil uncle Scar. The show combines low comedy (side-kicks Timon and Pumba) with shades of 'Hamlet', resulting in a near perfect and original story that delights both children and adults.The level of detail in the costumes, make up and puppetry is utterly staggering and Taymor creates a visual feast for the eyes aided by Garth Fagan's authentic and energetic choreography that makes you forget you are watching humans. This is blended with the subtlety of the direction that at its most powerful shows a waterhole drying up with just the simplest trick and binds together a fully immersive technical feat. There is simply nothing like this musical on a production level and the fact it stands the test of time and is yet to be bettered is proof alone of its success.The show has had some tightening up in recent years, with one song trimmed ("The Madness of King Scar") and one deleted all together ("The Morning Report") to keep the run time to a family friendly level. All of the set pieces are there - from the opening section where the animals come together to celebrate "The Circle of Life" to the Wildebeest stampede and the battle for Pride Rock. The ingenuity however comes from scenes such as "The Lioness Hunt" and "One By One" that bring a fresh authenticity to the score and showcase a universally talented, athletic and agile ensemble.<a href="/show/the-lion-king">The Lion King</a> is an outstanding creative and emotional musical and will no doubt remain the King of the West End for many years to come. As Disney Theatricals continue to grow their stock and with a Broadway production of 'Frozen' on the horizon, I hope the show isn't taken for granted, as theatre practitioners the world over can learn from Taymor's alchemy.

The Lion King Review

Set against the majesty of the Serengeti Plains and to the evocative rhythms of Africa, Disney's multi award-winning musical will redefine your expectations of theatre.

At its heart is the powerful and moving story of Simba - the epic adventure of his journey from wide-eyed cub to his destined role as King of the Pridelands. 

The Lyceum Theatre dates back to 1834, but the current theatre opened in 1904. The 1904 renovation saw the auditorium almost completely rebuilt. After 25 years of presenting variety acts, Christmas pantomimes and a series of melodramas presented by the Melville Brothers, the building was closed in 1939 facing demolition. 

Fortunately, it was rescued and reopened in 1951 as the Lyceum Ballroom, a Mecca Ballroom which saw many famous bands perform through the 1970s, including The Who, The Police, Led Zeppelin, U2, Bob Marley and the Wailers. It closed again in 1986 but was restored to theatrical use in 1996, including the addition of an orchestra pit.

## Lyceum Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Royal Circle and Grand Circle. In the Stalls, the view of the stage is obstructed by the overhang of the Royal Circle from Row T onwards, but the Stalls generally offer a good view of the stage, with a rake from Row C.

In the Royal Circle, the view of the stage is slightly obstructed by the overhang of the Grand Circle from Row P onwards. The Royal Circle offers good views.

The Grand Circle is set very high in this theatre.

## Where is *The Lion King* in London?

*The Lion King* is at the Lyceum Theatre. *The Lion King* started its record-breaking run of performances at the Lyceum Theatre in 1999.

Lyceum Theatre - LON

Lyceum Theatre

Suitability: 6+. Under 4yo will not be admitted. Under 16s must be accompanied by an adult aged 18+.  Every customer must have their own ticket. To ensure everyone enjoys the show, little ones need to be able to sit in their own seat without any help.

Frozen Rush

Enter for a chance to purchase {display price} {show} tickets.

{display price} Lottery tickets

If selected, you will have [CLAIM LENGTH] to purchase [PRICE] [SHOW TITLE] tickets.

Enter for a chance to purchase {display price} {show} tickets, only in the TodayTix app.

I entered the [SHOW] Lottery for [DISPLAY_PRICE] tickets on @TodayTix! Tap here to enter: https://www.todaytix.com/[LOCATION]/shows/[ID]?share=enter

Unlock Rush for a chance to purchase £29.50 tickets.

£29.50 Rush tickets

Download the TodayTix app and unlock Rush for a chance to access last-minute tickets at exclusive, great prices.

Promotional terms for participants in the UK (any person who resides elsewhere is not eligible to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion).

The promoter of the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion is TodayTix, Ltd (the "Promoter"). This sales promotion is neither endorsed by nor in any way associated with: (i) Apple Inc.; (ii) Google Inc.; (iii) Facebook Inc.; (iv) Twitter Inc.; (v) any owner/licensor of any musical or theatrical performance for which tickets are available to purchase under the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion and/or (vi) the theatre in which it is performed.

By participating in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion, a participant will be deemed to accept these promotional terms and the Promoter's UK Privacy Policy (which can be accessed here) and agrees that the decision of the Promoter is final and binding in all matters relating to the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion.

All references to "app" in these promotional terms refer to the "TodayTix – West End Tickets" mobile application which is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices and can be downloaded from Apple's App Store (either iPhone or iPad version) or Google Play (Android version). Each participant must open a registered account via the app in order to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion – please see here [insert hyperlink] to open a registered account via the app.

Please note that in order to unlock and access the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, you will on each occasion first be invited (but not required) to post content about it to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. Although such content will never involve your endorsement of a third party product or service (other than the then-current musical/theatrical performance featured on the locked screen of the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app) please do not proceed to post such content unless you agree with all of it. Your decision to post content will not affect the ticket(s) available to you in the 'Rush' section of the app and/or their price. Regardless of whether or not you post content, the app will display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay to secure them.

Please note that the discounted price tickets sold through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app are for the stated performance time of the featured musical/theatrical performance which will always be later on the same date. The discounted price tickets are very limited in quantity and subject to availability sold on a 'first come first served basis'. If either there is:

less that 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold for it, then the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app – either for the same or a different musical/theatrical performance.

PROMOTION PERIOD. You may purchase 2 discounted price tickets for the featured musical/theatrical performance from as soon as these are marketed within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app. The closing time/deadline for the purchase of such tickets is either: 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold. In either case the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app.

Only 2 tickets may be purchased for any particular performance per person.

ELIGIBILITY. This sales promotion is open to anyone aged 18 years or over resident in the UK only, who selects the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, excluding employees of the Promoter and their families, the Promoter's service providers, agents and anyone professionally associated with this sales promotion.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SALES PROMOTION. To participate, please select the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app and post the proposed content about this sales promotion to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. If you decide to proceed and post such content then the app will then display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay and always within 1 hour of the relevant performance to secure them (otherwise you will lose the opportunity to purchase them).

All instructions within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app will form part of these promotional terms.

THE PROMOTER'S LIABILITY. Except that the Promoter does not exclude or limit its liability for personal injury or death caused by its negligence or for fraudulent misrepresentation or any other liability that may not, by law, be limited or excluded, the Promoter accepts no liability in relation to a participant's participation (or inability to participate) in this sales promotion, including without limitation any use made by a participant of (or inability to use) the purchased ticket(s).

If this sales promotion cannot be executed as planned due to technical problems or circumstances beyond the Promoter's control, the Promoter shall not incur any liability and no payment or ticket(s) of any kind will be awarded.

The Promoter's determination and decision on all matters will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Any dispute or situation not covered by these promotional terms will be resolved by the Promoter's management in a manner it deems to be the fairest to all concerned and, subject to the following section, that decision will be binding on all participants.

APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION. This sales promotion and these promotional terms shall be governed by English law, and a participant agrees that any dispute between him/her and the Promoter regarding this sales promotion or these promotional terms will only be dealt with by the English courts, provided that, if a participant lives in a part of the United Kingdom other than England, the applicable law of that part of the United Kingdom will govern and any dispute will only be dealt with by the courts there.

If any part of these promotional terms is found to be unenforceable as a matter of law, all other parts of these promotional terms shall be unaffected and shall remain in force.

Any queries and comments concerning this sales promotion should be directed in writing to "TodayTix Rush", TodayTix Ltd, UK Limited, 5 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3TW United Kingdom

I unlocked £29.50 Rush tickets for Frozen The Musical on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/23585-frozen-the-musical?share=unlock

Frozen the Musical - LON [23585]

frozen_jul21_todaytix_1500x900.jpg

Frozen the Musical 

23585-1627376721-frozenjul21todaytix600x900px.jpg

23585-1627376742-frozenjul21todaytix280x280

Elsa must feel at home in London, where the weather can turn faster than you can say "let it go." After a blustery and blue summer (Elsa, is that you?), the sun emerged for the first 30-degree day in months on the press night for <a href="/show/frozen">Frozen</a>, a winning sign for a bright new Disney musical in the West End.&nbsp;The legendary ice queen likely feels at home in the completely redone <a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/theatre-royal-drury-lane">Theatre Royal Drury Lane</a>, which feels positively palatial with vaulted ceilings, detailed frescos, and golden accents. All it takes for a journey to the kingdom of Arendelle is a step inside its doors, or rather, gates.&nbsp;Add to that an expanded and updated story and additional music and magic, and Frozen seems to have found its ideal home in the West End, where it deserves to stay for many years to come.&nbsp;The Disney classic won the hearts of children all over the world for its story about two princesses torn apart by tragedy and yearning to reconnect, but the story's staying power rests with the adults in the room, who are drawn to the powerful message of sisterhood and embracing your true self. Spoiler alert: You don't need a prince to save the day.&nbsp;Director Michael Grandage's production leans more into the gravity of the story, and the stakes feel much higher. Whereas that tone felt somewhat limiting in the Broadway premiere, the musical has more room to breathe here and plays grander.&nbsp;Although very little in Jennifer Lee's tight book has been changed from her original screenplay, there's something about watching two young children separated by a terrible accident who then lose their parents and are forced to live in isolation that hits a little harder onstage, especially after the year we've had. &nbsp;Grandage's storied background in Shakespeare and opera have helped create a spectacle on a new level ​​— the effects are bigger, the jokes land harder, and the emotions are heightened. Along with choreographer Rob Ashford, Grandage has created a series of tableaus through dance and movement that keep the show pulsating and coursing.The entire affair is much bigger than its initial Broadway outing, which felt more intimate. While the production featured some gorgeous performances and interesting storytelling, Grandage has scaled up his initial work enormously, with the addition of new set pieces, songs, and of course, magic. (Jeremy Chernick's special effects and Finn Ross's projections are pure delight.) You truly feel like you're on an epic journey.All of Robert Lopez and Kristen Andersen-Lopez's songs from the film are here, along with an expanded catalogue that allow characters like Prince Hans (a smarmy Oliver Ormson) and Kristoff (a loveable Obioma Ugoala) a little more back story and development. The new music particularly benefits Elsa, who only really has one number (albeit the biggest one) in the film and spends most of her time off screen in an ice castle. Here, her internal struggle blossoms in two new ballads, one before her coronation and a second act belter. Elsa comes to life in a new way (and now parents have two new songs to add to the Frozen rotation.)There's also a new duet for the sisters, where they actually sing together instead of through a closed door about a snowman. Their connection is the central love story here, so it feels imperative to explore that relationship through song. This number, "I Can't Lose You," has been added since the show's Broadway premiere and really levels up the storytelling.&nbsp;And with Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon, that story is in excellent hands. Barks's Elsa is serious and scared, and you can see every emotion travel across her face and through her body as she seems to haunt the stage. And of course, she nails the prerequisite for the role by hitting every note and riff in "Let It Go," not to mention the expert magical costume change into one of designer Christopher Oram's fairytale fever dream gowns.&nbsp;McKeon possesses effervescent bubbly, goofball energy, and her Anna revels in physical comedy and one-liners, a fitting foil for Barks's more grounded Elsa. The yin and yang energy is what makes their familial chemistry sizzle. The other leads round out the company nicely, and Craig Gallivan's Olaf is a true crowd pleaser and Mikayla Jade and Ashley Birchall make puppetry magic, courtesy of designer Michael Curry, with Sven.&nbsp;There's even great dimension to secondary roles like the Duke of Weselton, courtesy of a comedic and lively Richard Frame. At the performance I attended, Asanda Abbie Masike and Tilly-Raye Bayer stole the show as Young Anna and Young Elsa.&nbsp;The weather certainly blessed London and Frozen's West End opening, and after what feels like a veritable ice storm of a year (or two), not unlike the "surprise summer blizzard" that overtakes Arendelle, it's nice to remember that the gates will open, the sun will shine on, and we'll stand in the light of day again.&nbsp;<a href="/show/frozen">Frozen is at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Book Frozen tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.</a>Photo credit: Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon in Frozen (Photo by Johan Persson)

'Frozen' review - a magical spectacle full of humour and heart

The Theatre Royal Drury Lane opened on 10 Oct. 1812. However, this was not the first theatre on this site – there have been four theatres at this location since 1663. 

Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals played in succession from 1947 starting with *Oklahoma!*, *Carousel* in 1950, *South Pacific* in 1951 and *The King and I* closed the series with a three year run ending in 1956. 

The transfer of musicals from Broadway continued in 1958 with Lerner and Loewe’s *My Fair Lady*, starring Julie Andrews and Rex Harrison. The writing duo followed this up in 1964 with their next musical, *Camelot*.

Another three-year tPrize-winningransfer danced its way into Drury Lane in July 1976 - the Pulitzer Prize winning *A Chorus Line* came to London with its original Broadway cast and played for almost three years. Stephen Sondheim’s *Sweeney Todd – The Demon Barber of Fleet Street* also made the move across the pond in 1980.

It was the arrival of the tap-dance heavy *42nd Street* in 1984 that saw the theatre packed and reignited the flame for long-running shows. The show played for five years, before *Miss Saigon* moved in and played over 4,000 performances over a decade. 

Recent musicals at Theatre Royal Drury Lane include *[Charlie and the Chocolate Factory](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/charlie-and-the-chocolate-factory)* and an acclaimed revival of *[42nd Street](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/42nd-street)*. After two years of refurbishment, the Theatre Royal Drury Lane reopened in 2021 with the West End premiere of *[Frozen](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/frozen)*.

## Theatre Royal Drury Lane Seating Information

The auditorium has four levels – Stalls, Royal Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony. 

The Stalls do offer great views of the stage and the legroom is very good.

In the Royal Circle, the view of the stage is affected from Row H onwards by the overhang of the Grand Circle. The seats do feel quite set back from the stage, but the view is generally very good.

The Upper Circle feels relatively close to the stage for its height and views from this level of the theatre are surprisingly good.

The Balcony is set very high up and although a strong rake helps to give good sightlines to the stage many people have suffered from vertigo at this level.

## Where is *Frozen* in London?

*Frozen* is at Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London. Theatre Royal Drury Lane is located in Covent Garden. It's close to West End theatres including the Fortune Theatre and the Novello Theatre.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane - LON

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Recommended 7+. Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult (18+) and may not sit on their own. Children under 3 years will not be admitted. Please aim to arrive 60-90 minutes prior to the event. Latecomers will be admitted at a suitable point.

Wicked Rush

Unlock the Daily Dozen for a chance to purchase £29.50 tickets.

£29.50 Daily Dozen tickets

I unlocked The Daily Dozen for tickets to see @WickedUK on @TodayTixUK! Tap to unlock: https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/313?share=unlock

Wicked [313] - LON

Wicked Header LON

Wicked

Wicked Poster LON

As Glinda descends from the rafters in her bubble, the audience cheers immediately. As Elphaba defies gravity as she flies over the stage, the audience gasps with disbelief. It’s impossible not to be swept away in *Wicked*’s pure theatricality. More than 15 years after Wicked flew into the West End, the Olivier Award-winning musical is still an evening of sheer musical theatre bliss. 

Over 11 million people have visited the land of Oz across 6,000 performances and counting. The musical has won 13 awards, including the Olivier Award for Most Popular Show, and *Wicked* has become one of the most successful musicals of all time. Often when a show has been playing for a long time, it can lose some of the initial magic, but *Wicked* is still as lively and dynamic as ever.

Based on Gregory Maguire’s prequel novel of the same name, *Wicked* imagines an Oz before Dorothy followed the yellow brick road, one in which the “Wicked Witch” Elphaba and the “Good Witch” Galinda are roommates at school. *Wicked* is a story of an unlikely friendship and how the truth isn’t always what meets the eye. Add spine-tingling ballads, a dragon, and stage magic into the mix, and Wicked sets the bar for what musical theatre can be.

Winnie Holzman’s multilayered book peels back L. Frank Baum’s *The Wizard of Oz* to shine more light on what happens along the way. Every time you watch Wicked, you’ll hear a new line, or see a new character approach that uncovers more information; it’s no wonder that Wicked fans — Ozians — visit the land of Oz dozens of times to unpick the hidden truths about the lion, the scarecrow, and the tin man.

*Wicked* wouldn’t be complete without [Stephen Schwartz’s influential score](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/stephen-schwartz-musicals); and songs like “For Good” now transcend popular culture as pop stars, like Leann Rimes and Delta Goodrem, cover the iconic duet. But there’s no place like home, and that’s hearing Schwartz’s anthemic songs live, complete with a 23-piece orchestra. Pair Schwartz’s music with Wayne Cilento’s explosive choreography, especially in the show-stopping “Dancing Through Life” when the students go to their first dance, and Wicked is poetry in motion.

Eugene Lee’s intricate and moody scenic design extends into the auditorium, thanks to a giant smoking dragon and flying monkeys climbing up the walls. Kenneth Posner’s lighting design and Tony Meola’s sound design amplify the tension, especially when the animated wizard mask comes alive and the wizard’s booming voice reverberates around the auditorium. But there’s plenty of brightness too, especially in Susan Hilferty’s viridescent Ozian costumes and Galinda’s kaleidoscopic wardrobe.

Elphaba has become a coveted role for thousands of performers. From Idina Menzel winning the Tony Award for originating the role on Broadway to Kerry Ellis, Rachel Tucker, and Louise Dearman, each performer has put their own spin on the role and the iconic ballads: “The Wizard and I,” I’m Not That Girl,” “Defying Gravity,” and “No Good Deed”. Lucie Jones comes into her own as the green witch, deftly moving from frustration to sweetness to fury, as Elphaba navigates the world around her and quickly learns that not everyone means what they say. Helen Woolf is bubbly perfection as Glinda, with her sweet soprano and dry wit.

There’s something in *Wicked* for everyone. From the childlike wonder at the magical world of Oz to the political undertones about our leaders’ role in society to the universal message that true beauty lies within, *Wicked* leaves the audience with food for thought and also, wanting more. It’s no wonder that the musical has captured the hearts of so many over the years and will continue to do so for many years to come. *Wicked* is certainly here to stay in the West End for good. 

*Wicked is at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Book Wicked tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=1587&content_product_id=1587&venue_id=138)

‘Wicked’ review — the West End hit flies high at the Apollo Victoria Theatre 

Read our five-star review of *Wicked,* the Stephen Schwartz musical starring Lucie Jones and Helen Woolf, at the Apollo Victoria Theatre. Get *Wicked* tickets now.

“London’s No.1 show” (LBC) is back! Celebrating 16 triumphant years at the Apollo Victoria Theatre 

The Apollo Victoria Theatre first opened as the New Victoria Cinema in 1930, and housed films, variety acts, and big bands. Closing at the start of World War II, the theatre reopened in May 1941 and shows continued to entertain audiences until it closed in 1976. 

The theatre reopened in 1981 with a Shirley Bassey concert. Since then, musicals at the Apollo Victoria Theatre include *The Sound of Music* starring Petula Clark, and an 18-year run of *Starlight Express* boasting a redesigned auditorium to allow for race tracks to go through the audience. *Wicked* opened at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in September 2006.

## Apollo Victoria Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels - Stalls and Dress Circle. This is a very wide auditorium. The overhang of the Dress Circle affects the view of the top of the stage from seats in Row Y and onwards.

The Dress Circle in this theatre is very deep, though the view is still excellent and the spectacle of the current production is still very much apparent from these seats. 

## Where is *Wicked* in London?

*Wicked* is at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in London. The Apollo Victoria Theatre is located on Wilton Road. It's close to West End theatres including the Victoria Palace Theatre, and The Other Palace.


Apollo Victoria Theatre - LON

Apollo Victoria Theatre

6+. Anyone under the age of 16 has to be accompanied by an adult aged 18+. Under 4s will not be admitted

Back To The Future Rush

I unlocked £29.50 Rush tickets for Back To The Future @TodayTixUK!  https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/22396-back-to-the-future?share=unlock

Back to the Future: The Musical - LON

Back to the Future LON

Back to the Future: The Musical

BTTF poster

BTTF Poster Image LON

​​Great Scott! <a href="/actor-profile/roger-bart">Roger Bart</a>, whose positive Covid test kept him from opening night earlier this month, is once again bringing his 1.21 gigawatts of zany energy to Doc Brown. I went back to <a href="/show/back-to-the-future">Back to the Future</a> to see Bart in action (<a href="/theatre-news/west-end-features/mark-oxtoby-back-to-the-future-doc-brown-opening-night">after catching his understudy Mark Oxtoby</a>), and, in both versions of the time-space-actor continuum, enjoyed a show that is, indisputably, a fantastic night out.This West End musical incarnation of the 1985 movie is over a decade in the making, following lengthy development and, of course, a global pandemic, which created a big gap between its Manchester Opera House debut in March 2020 and the London transfer.Yet if any show can manage a time lag, it's surely this one. Film fans should be reassured that this is a faithful adaptation, with the movie's Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, and Alan Silvestri all returning for the musical - joined by co-composer Glen Ballard and director John Rando.Small tweaks make it more palatable for 2021. The Libyan terrorists are gone, and Lorraine is given slightly more agency, although it's best not to examine the gender relations too closely. (Is&nbsp;beating people up really the only way to prove your masculinity and your worth as a partner?)And, in truth, it's not exactly a musical in the traditional sense. After two viewings, I'd be hard pressed to reproduce much of the original score; the songs that stick are the pop hits used in the movie and triumphantly reprised here, "Johnny B Goode" and "The Power of Love."Likewise, Chris Bailey's choreography includes explosive tricks, along with a shift from breakdancing to swing, but the numbers never build to a climax. Yet both music and movement do enough to serve the story, and this toe-tapping retro-pastiche fun (Grease meets Footloose) slips down as easily as chocolate milk.Most effectively, there's a balance of wit and sincerity. When Marty arrives in 1955, he's greeted by an irony-laden number about the wonders of smoking, asbestos, and white men having their cake and eating it too. Doc Brown later dreams of a utopian 21st-century future with no war or disease (hoho). The show trades on nostalgia, while slyly deconstructing it.The same with the form. A superbly deployed ensemble provides continual backup, but at one point a fourth-wall-breaking Doc Brown suddenly "sees" the dancers and wordlessly ushers them out the door. That goofiness is endearing, and feels like a proper embrace of this new medium.But there's still a rollicking adventure in here, too, anchored by the Michael J Fox-evoking <a href="/actor-profile/olly-dobson">Olly Dobson</a>. He and Courtney-Mae Briggs are instantly believable as the loved-up teens, providing Marty with added motivation to return home, and Dobson reacts brilliantly to the madness around him - particularly his Oedipal nightmare.As Doc Brown, Bart goes full vaudeville. With his lightning-fast changes of mood, voices and physical tics, plus snappy ad-libs, he's like Robin Williams at his most playful. But he also finds stillness for a wistful ballad dedicated to the dreamers. It links up these two worlds of sci-fi and theatre.Rosanna Hyland is an assured, sweet-voiced Lorraine, Hugh Coles a comically awkward and endearing George, Aidan Cutler a satisfying boo-hiss villain, and Cedric Neal provides the musical highlight with the aspirational, gospel-tinged "Gotta Start Somewhere."And yes, the car is a star too: that iconic DeLorean roaring onto the stage and accelerating to 88 miles per hour to blast through time (if petrol is a bust, perhaps we should all switch to plutonium). The audience is totally immersed in that thrilling ride thanks to a crack creative team (Tim Hatley, Tim Lutkin, Gareth Owen, Finn Ross, and Chris Fisher) and it even extends into the auditorium, with strips of LED lights creating a giant fizzing circuit board. There's also a climactic trick that I genuinely can't explain. Theatre magic: how I've missed it.Booking has already extended to July next year. Clearly, this time-hopping spectacle with a heart is also the show of the moment.<div><a href="/show/back-to-the-future">Back to the Future is at the Adelphi Theatre. Book Back to the Future tickets on LondonTheatre.co.uk.</a></div><div>&nbsp;</div><div>Photo credit: Roger Bart and Olly Dobson (Photo by Sean Ebsworth Barnes)</div>

'Back to the Future' review - sci-fi and theatre blend to create genuine magic

When Marty McFly is transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the past and send himself... back to the future.

The Adelphi Theatre that exists today is the fourth theatre on the site. The Adelphi Theatre opened in December 1930 with Lorenz Hart and Richard Rodgers' *Evergreen*. 

The Adelphi Theatre is heavily associated with musical theatre: shows include *A Little Night Music* in 1975, Cameron Mackintosh’s first production of *My Fair Lady* in 1982, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s *Sunset Boulevard*, and *Chicago* from 1997 - 2006. 

Recent shows at the Adelphi Theatre include the Olivier Award-winning production of [*Kinky Boots*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/kinky-boots), set at a Northamptonshire shoe factory where the owner taps into the world of drag to improve business. The Broadway production of [*Waitress*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/waitress) also ran at the Adelphi for two years. [*Back to the Future*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/back-to-the-future) made its West End premiere at the Adelphi Theatre in 2021.

## Adelphi Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle. The raking of the seats is not particularly substantial in any part of the theatre.

In the Stalls, the overhang of the Dress Circle affects the view of the top of the stage from the seats in Row P and onwards. 

In the Dress Circle, patrons may miss action at the top and front of the stage in Row N due to the shallow rake of the seats in front and the overhang of the Upper Circle.

The Upper Circle is set fairly high in this theatre, though is not as far from the stage as in other theatres.

## Where is *Back to the Future* in London?

*Back to the Future* is at the Adelphi Theatre in London. The Adelphi Theatre is located on the Strand. It's close to West End theatres including the Savoy Theatre and the Vaudeville Theatre.

Adelphi Theatre - LON

Adelphi Theatre

HP LON Lottery Settings

Enter the Friday Forty for your chance to purchase exclusive £40 tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

£40 Friday Forty

Download the TodayTix app to purchase tickets!

No purchase required to enter. You can only win the Lottery for each performance once. Entrants are selected at random. By entering your phone number you are giving TodayTix permission to contact you via SMS Text, Email or Phone per our privacy policy.

Your participation in any of the lotteries in the series is subject to our standard terms and conditions, which you can view [here](https://www.todaytix.com/terms/uk). The Promoter of this series of lotteries is TodayTix, Ltd.

This is a series of promotional prize draws and the term 'lottery'/'lotteries' is only used in a brand sense. No gambling is involved.

To enter the Lottery you must either reside in United Kingdom and/or be able to attend the relevant scheduled performance in London and be aged 18 years or older. Any entries made from outside the UK will be subject to UK law.

No purchase is required to enter but if you win you will need to pay for each ticket.

You can earn one extra entry into the same lottery that you have entered if you share the auto-filled post on Facebook, another if you share the auto-filled post on Twitter, and another if you share the auto-filled post on Instagram.

All winners are drawn at random by a computerised process. There are a limited number of discounted price tickets available as prizes for each lottery in the series, which are always drawn in two stages.

All tickets available are drawn at random and assigned to winners. If a winner declines or fails to claim their tickets within thirty minutes, these tickets will be re-assigned at random to another entrant. Choosing to enter for either 1 or 2 tickets holds no bearing on your chances of being drawn as a winner.

When the winners are drawn for each Friday Forty in the series, the same computer process will be used to randomly select "reserve" winners. If you are a "reserve" winner and the original winner does not claim the tickets, you will be sent an email to let you know that you’ve been assigned as a winner. All replacement winners are selected from the drawn "reserve" at random.
TodayTix takes no responsibility for undelivered ‘winner’ emails or push notifications.

Please note that your entry into a Friday Forty for the chance to purchase 2 tickets for a particular performance will not be rolled-over to any Friday Forty for another performance.

__Tickets cannot be exchanged, refunded or resold.__

Employees and their immediate families of the Promoter, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the Promoter are not able to enter.

It is also possible to enter by emailing lotteryentries@todaytixgroup.com with your name, e-mail address, phone number, post-code, number of tickets required (1 or 2 tickets) and desired performance dates/times. You can only enter for performance dates that feature within the ongoing Friday Forty draw, no advance entries into future draws will be accepted. 


I entered the Friday Forty for £40 tickets on @TodayTix! Tap here to enter: https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/21176?share=enter

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Both Parts [21176] - LON 

hp-lead-14-01-20.jpg

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One & Two

Harry Potter LTW

7698-1630405650-hp21q2041ttgbuttons240x240

Just as <a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/hamilton">Hamilton</a> has been all-pervasive on Broadway since it opened there last summer, there's been little talk of anything but Harry Potter's official stage debut over here since the first announcement was made revealing that it was on its way over a year ago. (There was previously a small two-man fringe show called Potted Potter that raced through all the books to date in 70 minutes that transferred from the Trafalgar Studios small house to the Garrick where it was Olivier nominated in 2012, and then off-Broadway).When tickets finally went on sale for the initial run at the 1,400 seater neo-gothic pile that is the <a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/palace-theatre">Palace Theatre</a>, they sold out almost instantly, long before the show had even gone into rehearsal. (A new batch is set to be released imminently).There's been a drip-feed of news ever since that, through to the casting and J.K Rowling tweeting drawings of the show's swords, and the revelation of the front house displays, each fuelling the air of anticipation around it. So now that it is finally here, does it deliver?   The first and most important thing to say is: And how! This is absolutely tremendous family entertainment that brilliantly and evocatively brings Harry Potter from the page to the stage -- but instead of adapting an existing story, does even better and continues the story, 19 years from where we left it at the end of the 7th book, to take it further forward in all sorts of spellbinding (in every sense) directions.Theatregoers are being urged to #KeepTheSecrets -- we're even given a badge to remind us! -- but this much I can say: some of our favourrite -- and a few of our less favourite -- characters are all here. Harry Potter is now 37 and a father of three, and Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley now married with children of their own. Albus Potter, Harry and Ginny Potter's middle child, is leaving for his first term at Hogwart's, along with Hemione and Ron's daughter Rose. One of the first people they meet on the train is Scorpius, son of Draco Malfoy.We are immediately plunged into another of J.K Rowling's ingeniously plotted rabbit holes of collisions between the natural and supernatural worlds, Muggles and mystery, Wizards and wonderment, and good and evil. An overriding theme here is parenting, with Harry Potter wrestling with being a good father to his son Albus when he, an orphan, has no model to follow.Some of this is deeply poignant: it reminded me at times of the great Sondheim musical Into the Woods (itself being revived in London at the moment at the Menier Chocolate Factory), which is also about parents and curses and outside forces threatening the world. But of course this isn't a musical, though there's an attractive electronic soundscape and propulsive movement from Steven Hoggett.If you're not quite a Potter-head, the programme has a helpful summary of the first seven stories. But you don't really need it, either: the story stands on its own feet (though you may miss some of the references that cause the audience at points to collectively and loudly catch their breaths with surprise).It's a show rich in theatrical magic as well as evoking magical powers, but also deeply human, too, with fantastic performances from a brilliant ensemble cast, led by Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Sam Clemmett as his son Albus, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione, Paul Thornley as Ron, Alex Price as Draco Malfoy and Anthony Boyle as Draco's son Scorpius.A group of theatre makers at the very top of their game bring it all to impressive 3D life, from the brilliant designs of Christine Jones (cleverly using the auditorium of <a href="/theatres/palace-theatre">Palace Theatre</a>&nbsp;itself in one scene), evocatively lit with architectural splendour by Neil Austin, to Steven Hoggett's propulsive movement.The result is a work that will thrill new audiences as well as regular theatregoers alike -- some 50% of the audience is reported to be first-timers -- and could inspire and encourage a whole new generation to make theatre part of their lives.<a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-parts-i-ii">Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets</a><hr /><h3>What the Press Said...</h3>"It's a spectacle for the theatre, one that is filled to the brim with fan service and magical imagery that will amaze. For any Potterhead who can get their hands on a ticket, it will no doubt be a fantastic experience..." Jack Shepherd for the Independent"This is a production that thrills at the aura of possibility lurking in the Victorian splendour of the theatre itself, a bygone age of smoke and mirrors." Dominic Cavendish for The Telegraph"It's convoluted, but the latest expansion of the Potter universe is thrillingly staged, with time travel and age-old quests given a dash of post-Freudian guilt." Michael Billington for The Guardian"For once the so-called theatrical event of the year really is just that...a feast for fans, packed with pathos, dazzling choreography and moments of pure enchantment." Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard<hr /> External links to full reviews from popular press <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-review-palace-theatre-a-magical-experience-tailor-made-for-the-a7155381.html">Independent</a> - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-is-pure-magic---review/" target="Top">The Telegraph </a> - <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jul/26/harry-potter-cursed-child-review-palace-theatre-london" target="Top">The Guardian</a>

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, review of Harry Potter play at London's Palace Theatre

There’s magic in every moment at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the most awarded play in history and “one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade” (Forbes). And now, the 8th Harry Potter story is bringing the magic back to London’s West End from 14 October.

The Palace Theatre opened in 1891. It was first known as the Royal English Opera House, intended to stage operatic productions. After the closure of its first production, the theatre was sold to Sir Augustus Harris, who changed the name to The Palace Theatre of Varieties. 

From 1921, Charles B. Cochrane took over the reins and ran the theatre as a cinema. The 1930s saw Fred Astaire grace the London stage for the final time in Cole Porter’s *Gay Divorce* before making his move to Hollywood.

In 1968, Judi Dench played Sally Bowles in *Cabaret.* Long-running musicals include *Jesus Christ Superstar* and 7,602 performances of *[Les Misérables](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/les-miserables)* from 1985 – 2004.

A host of musicals have followed, but the theatre’s latest tenant is the world premiere of *[Harry Potter and the Cursed Child](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-parts-i-ii)*, which officially opened in July 2016.

## Palace Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has four levels - Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle, Balcony. The seats in the Stalls are lightly raked, and most notably from Row N onwards.

In the Dress Circle, the view is impaired in Row H onwards by the overhang of the Grand Circle. 

In the Grand Circle there isn't as much legroom as in the lower levels of the theatre, and this level is considered to be quite high. 

The seats in the Balcony are extremely high.

## Where is *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* in London?

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* is at the Palace Theatre in London. The Palace Theatre is located on Cambridge Circus. It's close to West End theatres including the Phoenix Theatre and the Prince Edward Theatre.

Palace Theatre - LON

Palace Theatre

Recommended 6+. No children under the age of 4 will be admitted and every customer must have their own ticket. To make sure everyone enjoys the show, little ones need to be able to sit in their own seat without any assistance.

Matilda The Musical [305] - LON

326661 Matilda the Musical March 2022 cast Team 1 2022 RT

Matilda The Musical

Matilda Poster LON

2906-1634727473-matencore500x500

Note: There has been cast changes since this review!We are rapidly drifting into that peculiarly English time of year when even the sanest of actors and production companies seem to take leave of their senses. Men dress up as women, women dress up as men and well-worn jokes that never ought to have seen the light of day in the first place are resurrected with abandon.Yes, panto season is with us once again. But '<a href="/show/matilda-the-musical">Matilda The Musical</a>', even though it is being aired during this silliest of seasons, isn't really a panto, even if it has some hallmarks of that genre.Based on Roald Dahl's novel 'Matilda' (first published in 1988 and turned into a film directed by Danny DeVito in 1996) the musical was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and has book by Dennis Kelly and music and lyrics by Tim Minchin. It is the story of an unwanted daughter who turns out to be something of a prodigy. Mr Wormwood is a dodgy second-hand car salesman who rather foolishly sells clapped-out bangers to the Russian Mafia. Mrs Wormwood has a penchant for Latin American dancing and dresses in garish costumes. The Wormwoods dislike their daughter Matilda intensely. They do not understand her interest in books and encourage her to be like her older brother and fall comatose in front of the 'telly'. And Mr Wormwood even goes so far as to refer to Matilda as 'boy' even though she repeatedly corrects him. When Matilda heads off to school she surprises her teacher Miss Honey with her mathematical skills and intelligence. But she falls foul of the child-hating headmistress, the former hammer-thrower Miss Trunchbull.A small army of children tackle the numerous roles, with multiple child actors rotating the parts at different performances - a nightmare I would think for the production staff, having to rehearse so many actors. But a quick glance through the biogs in the programme tells you that many of the small actors in this cast have more experience than a lot of actors get in a lifetime. They've done it all from The Sound of Music through Peter Pan and Oliver!, covering Macbeth along the way. And this wealth of talent and experience shines through all the performances, including those actors making their professional débuts. There's terrific support from the bigger actors too. In particular, Bertie Carvel makes the most of the plumb role of Miss Trunchbull making her a controlled, but incredibly sadistic head who delights in putting children into the 'chokey' cupboard. Melanie La Barrie is a wonderfully mumsy, story-loving librarian, and Paul Kaye is equally well-cast as the pushy, second-hand car dealer.On the occasion I saw the show, Cleo Demetriou took the lead as Matilda. Ms Demetriou is an enormously talented young actor with a charming singing voice to match. She combines in the role intelligent confidence with a certain intellectual aloofness, but finally shows she is just a child who needs a cuddle now and then too.One mum sitting near to me declared the show 'brilliant' and her offspring sat wide-eyed and transfixed throughout as if ET had just landed in person on the stage. In fact, all the children in the audience seemed totally mesmerised even though some of them were barely of school age. Not only that, but many seemed surprisingly clued-in to some of the more adult jokes which are sensibly injected at various points to keep the adults as happy as the smaller members of the audience. However, if my ears served me correctly, there were a couple of lewd comments from Mrs Wormwood which seemed unnecessarily gratuitous given the audience composition.The second half does not quite match up to the first in terms of the humour and tends towards the sentimental even if the final message about there not always being happy endings has much to commend it. So, I would not go quite as far as my neighbour in describing it as 'brilliant', but <a href="/show/matilda-the-musical">Matilda the Musical</a>&nbsp;is nevertheless hugely enjoyable and cracking Christmas fun. <a href="/show/matilda-the-musical">Matilda Tickets</a> are now on sale. &nbsp;"It is the best new British musical since <a href="/show/billy-elliot">Billy Elliot</a>." Charles Spencer for The Telegraph"It's an evening of unadulterated bliss." Lyn Gardner for The Guardian"A beasty baddie and stonking songs" Quentin Letts for The Daily MailExternal links to full reviews from popular press <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/london-shows/8913998/Matilda-Cambridge-Theatre-review.html" target="Top">Telegraph</a> - <a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/stage/2011/nov/25/matilda-review" target="Top">Guardian</a>

Matilda The Musical Review

Matilda The Musical is the multi award-winning musical from the Royal Shakespeare Company, inspired by the beloved book by the incomparable Roald Dahl.

The Cambridge Theatre opened in 1930. The theatre occupies a triangular site on Seven Dials. 

The Cambridge Theatre opened with a production of *Masquerade*, a revue type show by André Charlot. In 1984, the theatre was renamed "the magic castle of Seven Dials" in the hopes of bringing magic shows to the West End — the scheme ended after a year. 

In 1999, the building became part of the Really Useful Group Ltd portfolio of theatres. Andrew Lloyd Webber premiered *The Beautiful Game* in 2000, with musicals including *Chicago* and *Jerry Springer – The Opera*. [*Matilda*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/matilda-the-musical) opened at the Cambridge Theatre in November 2011.

## Cambridge Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Royal Circle and Grand Circle.

Stalls seating is not affected by the overhang from the Royal Circle.

The Royal Circle is set far back, and with a shallow rake in the seats the audience seated here may feel detached from the action. 

The Grand Circle is steeply raked which offers good sightlines.

## Where is *Matilda The Musical* in London?

*Matilda The Musical* is at the Cambridge Theatre Theatre in London. The Cambridge Theatre is located in Seven Dials. It's close to the Shaftesbury Theatre, the Gillian Lynne Theatre, and the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Cambridge Theatre - LON

Cambridge Theatre

& Juliet Rush

Unlock Rush for a chance to purchase £25 tickets.

£25 Rush tickets

I unlocked £25 Rush tickets for & Juliet on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/14834?share=unlock

& Juliet [14834] - LON

AJ2022JP 08215 lores

& Juliet

ANDJULIET JAN23 TTGShow-ConciergeGuideListingImage 1440x960mm 35976SB Vis1a (002)

The biggest hit, by far, of the current Broadway season, so far, is Moulin Rouge, a compilation musical that folds extracts from over 70 pop songs, from multiple sources, into telling a story set in the eponymous Parisian nightclub. Now, the new musical <a href="/show/and-juliet">&amp; Juliet</a> that has just received its world premiere in the West End after a try-out run in Manchester, tries to replicate some of the same formula, only using a more economical track listing of some 30 songs. It is also likewise set in Paris - and yes, the Moulin Rouge and its windmill are even referenced in an onstage set model, too, plus the use of similarly prominent title signage.But this time the songs are heard in more complete (if not necessarily as complex) versions than the songs in Moulin Rouge, though there's a similar relentless and restless forward propulsion to how they're integrated into the plot by David West Read's book, which has Shakespeare (with a big assist from his wife Anne Hathaway) re-writing Romeo and Juliet in a way that keeps both of them alive - and gives Juliet a lot more agency. It also throws in a new gay subplot for good measure.But this is no Kiss Me, Kate, the 1949 classic which gave a backstage musical spin to a troubled out-of-town production of Shakespeare's The Taming of the Shrew, set to one of Cole Porter's most scintillating scores; nor is it West Side Story, which already adapted Romeo and Juliet to the streets of 1950s New York to Leonard Bernstein's sinewy, brassy music.Here, instead, all the songs originate from a single songwriting source, the Swedish pop hitmaker Max Martin, whose songs for the likes of Britney Spears, the Backstreet Boys, Katy Perry, Celine Dion, NSYNC&nbsp;and Justin Timberlake, amongst others, have placed him behind only Paul McCartney and John Lennon in achieving the global record for number one singles on the Billboard charts (22, to McCartney's 32 and Lennon's 26).That ensures a high level of familiarity for pop fans (and even me, who doesn't follow the genre much); like the songs of ABBA&nbsp;that kicked off the penchant for folding existing pop catalogues into new stories with <a href="/show/mamma-mia">Mamma Mia!</a>, there's already a lot of identification and love for material that has been impossible to avoid in popular culture. &nbsp;And this likeable and sometimes spectacular production - directed by Luke Sheppard and choreographed by Jennifer Weber with vigour and discipline, gives them a full-bodied and full-blooded outing. Frequently resembling a series of pop videos come to life - thanks to performance platforms that come out of the floor, or benches that take on an aerial life of their own in Soutra Gilmour's sets, aided by Andrzej Goulding's dazzling projections - it is performed with a glinting knowingness and powerful pop theatre voices.The company is led by the extraordinary Miriam-Teak Lee in the title role of Juliet, who brings a sizzling presence, incredible vocals and moves to turn her into a force of nature.&nbsp;There's also powerful vocal work from two of our best pop theatre performers, Oliver Tompsett and Cassidy Janson, as William Shakespeare and Anne Hathaway, and likeable support from Jordan Luke Gage as Romeo, Melanie La Barrie as Juliet's Nurse and Arun Blair-Mangat and Tim Mahendran as the gay couple. &nbsp;A popular hit made from popular hits has been born.<a href="/show/and-juliet">&amp; Juliet</a> is booking at the <a href="/theatres/shaftesbury-theatre">Shaftesbury Theatre</a> until 30th May 2020.&nbsp;<a href="/show/and-juliet">&amp; Juliet tickets</a>&nbsp;are available now.&nbsp;

Review - Max Martin musical & Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre

[**_& JULIET_** ](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/14834-and-juliet-tickets) 
**THE MOST FAMOUS LOVE STORY OF ALL TIME. REMIXED.**   

What if Juliet’s famous ending was really just her beginning? What if she decided to choose her own fate?

Join Juliet on this sensational journey of self-discovery and second chances, told through some of the most glittering pop anthems of the last three decades from legendary songwriter **Max Martin**, including …_Baby One More Time_, _Since U_ _Been Gone, Roar_, _Everybody (Backstreet's Back)_, _Love Me Like You Do_ and _Can’t Feel My Face,_ all brilliantly arranged by the Tony and Grammy Award-winning orchestrator **Bill Sherman**.

The Shaftesbury Theatre opened as the Princes Theatre on 26 Dec. 1911. The theatre changed its name to the Shaftesbury Theatre in 1962, reopening with the Broadway musical *How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying* which became the theatre’s first long-running musical. 

The musical *Hair* opened in September 1968 when the ban on theatre censorship was lifted, and went on to a run of just under 2000 performances. The show and theatre were forced to close when parts of the ceiling fell in on 20 Jul. 1973. 

Reopening in 1974, the Shaftesbury's housed a line of musical productions, starting with *West Side Story*, *Rent* and *Hairspray.*

## Shaftesbury Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – the Stalls, Royal Circle and Grand Circle.

The Stalls seats are on a very shallow rake which means that sightlines can be problematic

In the Royal Circle, the seats are gently raked which might impact on the sightlines depending on certain productions.

The Grand Circle does feel far away from the stage, but the central seats do offer good views of the stage.

Shaftesbury Theatre - LON

Shaftesbury Theatre

Cirque Berserk! - LON [27181]

Cirque Berserk!

Cirque Berserk! - LON [27181] Poster

Riverside Studios sits on the former site of a Victorian iron works, which was converted into a film studio in 1933. Many classic films were made there, such as *The Seventh Veil* (1945) starring James Mason and *Father Brown* (1954) with Alec Guinness. 

In 1954, the studio was taken over by BBC Television and became home to many of their most iconic programmes, including *Hancock’s Half Hour* (1957-60) and *Doctor Who* (1964-68). Riverside brings the world to West London, with a dynamic programme of international theatre, dance, visual art, television, comedy and music. 

After five years of redevelopment, the Riverside Studios reopened in 2019 with three studios and a cinema.

Riverside Studios - LON

Riverside Studios

All ages. Everyone, regardless of age, must have their own ticket to enter the theatre. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticketholder who is at least 18 years old. Children under the age of 3 will not be admitted. 

The Great British Bake Off Musical Rush

I unlocked £25 Rush tickets for The Great British Bake Off Musical on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/26643?share=unlock

The Great British Bake Off Musical - LON

GBBO-117

The Great British Bake Off Musical

GBBO TTG 480x720

Sugar, butter, flour… No, not *Waitress*: the West End has a new baking hit on its oven-gloved hands. Transferring to London following its Cheltenham debut last year, [*The Great British Bake Off Musical*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26643-the-great-british-bake-off-musical) (drawing from the same successful recipe as the TV institution) is part love letter, part gentle send-up, with a slice of romance and a soupçon of showbiz satire. And the resulting mixture, briskly stirred by director Rachel Kavanaugh, goes down a treat.

You don’t have to be a *[Bake Off](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/everything-you-need-to-know-about-the-great-british-bake-off-musical-west-end)* superfan to enjoy it, but it’ll definitely help. That way, you’ll appreciate all the detailed homages here: from the pastel work surfaces, bunting, and gleaming mixers in the Edenic tent, through references to Star Baker, soggy bottoms, and eyebrow-waggling innuendo, to headline-making Bake Off moments (watch out for Bingate), dramatic injuries, increasingly complicated challenges (“Make a focaccia of your face!”), and even including the most delectable of contestant putdowns: no-nonsense Nancy dismissing Paul Hollywood as “the male judge”.

Hollywood and Prue Leith are here too, in the guise of Phil Hollinghurst (perma-tanned, motorcycle-riding, prone to Zoolander-ing down the camera lens) and Pam Lee (colourful fashion, giant statement jewellery, likes a drink or two – actually, is that more Mary Berry?). You’ll recognise all the contestant types as well in this spot-on pretend series: the lovable nan, the vegan hipster, the hyper-competitive posh student, the engineer who spends as much time constructing elaborate presentation stands as he does the actual food.

Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary’s lively pastiche score is well organised into, essentially, a succession of skits – winking riffs on different aspects of *Bake Off*, with a range of musical styles to suit. So there are big diva ballads, jazzy vaudevillian numbers with bouncy grapevines, a wry lament that’s pure Victoria Wood, and (my favourite) earnest 90s pop crooning complete with dry ice and air grabs as the contestants share their desire for a Hollywood – sorry, Hollinghurst – Handshake.

The show does stray into syrupy territory whenever it turns baking into a metaphor for life, though. So childless Italian fashionista Francesca uses it as a substitute for her missing “bun in the oven”, widower Ben sticks to his late wife’s recipes until he decides he’s ready for a new taste, and shy carer Gemma hopes she can find the right ingredient to give herself confidence. More effective is Syrian teen Hassan (an instantly lovable Aharon Rayner) describing, in straightforward, non-simile-battered terms, how baking won him social acceptance. 

But, if the songs feature some knowingly sketchy rhymes (“action” matched with “Michelin”), they’re brilliantly tailored to the characters, creating a mini showcase for each performer. Grace Mouat is deliciously villainous as scheming, ambitious student Izzy; Claire Moore twinkles as naughty grandmother Babs; Michael Cahill is a hoot as camp inventor Russell; Jay Saighal brings alarming intensity to eco-conscious Dezza; and Cat Sandison sells Francesca’s emotional turmoil through sheer force of will – and soaring vocals.

The treacly burgeoning romance between Russell and Gemma (with an assist from the former’s precocious nine-year-old daughter) would make your fillings ache if Damian Humbley and Charlotte Wakefield didn’t bring such gentle sincerity and soulful singing to it. And it’s offset by John Owen-Jones’s brilliant skewering of Scouse judge “Phil”, slapping around his phallic-looking strudel dough with ridiculously macho swagger.

He’s joined for the West End run by the wonderful Haydn Gwynne, who gets a new number complete with scarlet sequinned frock and impressive cartwheel (next stop: *Strictly*). The pair give good behind-the-scenes spoofing too, staggering around hungover after the Baftas, or comparing mouth-watering commercial opportunities. And *Bake Off* should seriously think about employing [Scott Paige](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/interviews/scott-paige-the-great-british-bake-off-musical-love-letter-tv-show), here acting as host alongside Zoe Birkett, for real: his comic timing is immaculate.

Georgina Lamb enjoyably employs bowls, whisks and spoons in her whimsical choreography, while Alice Power not only re-creates the series’ aesthetic perfectly but also whips up showstopping creations. Yes, you might wish for a tad more spice to balance out the sweetness, but it’s hard not to melt when you see the contestants helping each other, or hear a lyric so English that it should be added to the national anthem: “Cake is the key/ And it comes with a cup of tea.” Bliss.

*The Great British Bake Off Musical is at the Noel Coward Theatre through 13 May. Book The Great British Bake Off Musical tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=26643&content_product_id=26643&venue_id=128) 

*Photo credit: Jay Saighal and Haydn Gwynne in The Great British Bake Off Musical (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

'The Great British Bake Off Musical' review – the TV institution has become a scrumptious West End treat

Read our four-star review of *The Great British Bake Off Musical* at the Noel Coward Theatre, running through 13 May. Get *The Great British Bake Off Musical* tickets on London Theatre.

The Noël Coward Theatre opened as the New Theatre on 12 Mar. 1903. In 1973, the theatre’s name was changed from the New Theatre to the Albery Theatre, as a tribute to the theatre’s long-serving manager Sir Bronson Albery. Sir Cameron Mackintosh acquired the theatre through his company, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, in 2005 and renamed the theatre in memory of the famous playwright, Noel Coward.

The theatre famously played host to two theatre companies whose theatres were destroyed during the Blitz – the [Old Vic](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/old-vic-theatre) and [Sadler’s Wells](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/sadlers-wells) both performed at the theatre until their new theatres were built in the 1950s. 

The theatre also played host to the premiere of Lionel Bart’s world famous musical *Oliver!* The show was a huge success, running for 2,618 performances.

Several notable actors have appeared in productions at the theatre, including [Judi Dench](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/judi-dench), [Helen Mirren](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/helen-mirren) and [Patrick Stewart](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/patrick-stewart). 

## Noël Coward Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has four levels - Stalls, Royal Circle, Grand Circle and Balcony.

The Stalls offers excellent views throughout. The high setting of the stage allows for good views.

The view from the Royal Circle is completely unobstructed and the seating is well raked.

The Grand Circle is set fairly high, but again offers unobstructed views of the stage. 

Whilst the Balcony is high, the seats are well raked and comfortable with a good amount of legroom.

Noël Coward Theatre - LON

Noël Coward Theatre

Do not miss the multi award-winning international smash hit THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG now the longest running comedy in the West End.

The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! As the accident prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue!

Hailed *“a gut-busting hit”* by the New York Times, Mischief’s THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is stumbling through its eighth chaotic year at London’s Duchess Theatre, and has unexpectedly received a host of celebrity endorsements from the likes of Joanna Lumley *“We laughed until the tears ran down our faces, it has to be seen”* to Ant & Dec *“The funniest show we’ve seen! If you can get a ticket, go!”*

Don’t miss this brilliantly funny comedy, guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter.

The Play That Goes Wrong [345] - LON

The Play That Goes Wrong - LON

The Play That Goes Wrong

[Poster] The Play That Goes Wrong - LON

3942-1631897937-pt18053encore500x500pxls3

The theatre loves nothing more than itself, especially when things aren't going to plan: this kind of self-sustaining narcissism has made hits of everything from The Producers and <a href="/show/monty-pythons-spamalot">Spamalot </a>to Michael Frayn's Noises Off. And in The Play That Goes Wrong, we're here to prick the pomposities and artifice of theatre yet again in a bustling portrait of an amateur dramatic company from Cornley Polytechnic, as they attempt to put on a 1920s murder thriller called Murder at Haversham Manor.The result is far, far funnier than <a href="/show/the-mousetrap">The Mousetrap</a> ever was and that's now in its 62nd year, so I think that its creators Mischief Theatre - a group of graduates from LAMDA who began as an impro comedy troupe - may have a substantial little hit on their hands, built on the shifting sands of its own insubstantiality.It's a beautiful theatrical paradox, and that it should have now come all the way to the West End from humble beginnings in the upstairs room of the <a href="/theatres/old-red-lion-theatre">Old Red Lion pub theatre</a> the Christmas before last is also a genuine thrill. The underdog can triumph - even if their dog called Winston has gone missing (and instead has to be represented here only by his lead).Everything that can go wrong, it seems, does go wrong for this play, its players and particularly its wobbly, fragile set. But the more it does, of course, the funnier it becomes. It's divinely daft, gloriously preposterous and utterly silly. But it's also not for everyone: anyone with slightly more sophisticated comedy palettes may baulk at the relentlessness of it all.Yet I also think you cannot fail to admire the ceaseless energy of the cast or the wildly caricatured yet minutely detailed comedy performances they deliver. Just to watch co-author Henry Shields's face, crossing from bafflement to wide-eyed pleasure at how he's managed to cover yet another gaffe is priceless.He's one of a terrific ensemble of young actors who give it impeccable timing and daring physical energy. The stage mechanics are expertly choreographed by director Mark Bell, as is Nigel Hook's design which is unquestionably giving the best performance by a set in the West End at the moment.<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dY8E1z46jk?rel=0&amp;controls=0" width="560"></iframe>"This set is a bloody deathtrap," complains the stage manager at one point, and before the evening is out, it's hardly a spoiler to say that it will have collapsed almost entirely. It starts falling apart before the play even begins, so it's not much of a surprise. But the real surprise is just how well-sustained the joke is. When it first premiered it was seen in a one-act version that ran for not much more than an hour. Now it has been expanded into two acts that runs for double that time, including an interval. The pleasure may not quite have doubled - I was left wanting less, not more - but I was still impressed. <a href="/show/the-play-that-goes-wrong">The Play That Goes Wrong Tickets</a> are now on sale.<hr />"All in all, it's a great-looking, brilliantly performed piece ... My only qualm about The Play That Goes Wrong is that in getting their play so dreadfully wrong night after night, they are also getting it absolutely right." Tim Walker for The Telegraph"one of those breakneck exercises in idiocy that make you laugh till you cry, despite yourself." Ben Brantley, New York Times"It's not sophisticated and it's certainly over-extended; the show's one-act Fringe origins aren't hard to spot. Yet, along with the rest of the enthusiastic audience, I laughed continually. Director Mark Bell also offers some ingenious, not to mention precision-drilled, physical comedy." Fiona Mountford for The Evening StandardExternal links to full reviews from popular press <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/11106181/The-Play-That-Goes-Wrong-Duchess-Theatre-review-delightful.html" target="Top">Telegraph</a> - <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/01/london-theater-journal-laughing-wall-to-wall/?_r=0" target="Top">New York Times</a>

The Play That Goes Wrong Review

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong... does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences!  

The Duchess Theatre opened in London in 1929. The following year, *The Intimate Revue* opened and closed at the Duchess Theatre on the same night!

Fortunately, the theatre’s luck turned around with long running productions such as Noel Coward’s *Blithe Spirit* in 1942, the musical *Oh! Calcutta!* in 1974 and Marc Camoletti’s *Don’t Dress For Dinner* in 1992. Many stars have appeared in shows at the Duchess Theatre including [David Suchet](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/david-suchet) and [Mark Rylance](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/mark-rylance).

## Duchess Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels – Stalls and Grand Circle.

In the Stalls, seats curve inwards towards the end of each row and the seats are not raked until Row G. The Grand Circle overhangs the Stalls from Row G onwards.

The Circle offers good views throughout, and it is a very intimate theatre so does not feel removed from the action.

## Where is *The Play That Goes Wrong* in London?

*The Play That Goes Wrong* is at the Duchess Theatre in London. The Duchess Theatre is located on Catherine Street. It's close to West End theatres including the Novello Theatre and the Aldwych Theatre.

Duchess Theatre - LON

Duchess Theatre

The SpongeBob Musical - LON

The SpongeBob Musical

SpongeBob TodayTix 480x720px

SpongeBob TodayTix 1080x1080px

The building was originally opened in March 1967 by Her Majesty the Queen and this historic restoration was possible through generous support from Arts Council England and the Heritage Lottery Fund. Queen Elizabeth Hall reopened in April 2018 following almost three years of renovations with world class, environmentally-improved new facilities for audiences and artists. The building also houses Purcell Room — a smaller, more intimate space.


Queen Elizabeth Hall - LON

Queen Elizabeth Hall - Southbank Centre

London Theatre Week Family Friendly

See the best family-friendly shows in the West End. Book family theatre tickets during London Theatre Week on TodayTix.

London Theatre Week Family Shows

Get tickets for family friendly West End shows during London Theatre Week.

Explore popular cities

Resources

Get more TodayTix

Download the app

Follow us