5 Must See Shows before Summer Ends
Posted on 23 August 2017
For those of you who find yourself in London this summer (It is far warmer than Edinburgh, I promise) there are many new and exciting productions. Ranging from musicals about wartime love to revivals of classics, there is something for everyone in London’s West End theatre. Here are some hot summer tickets you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
- Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, Apollo Theatre
Tennessee Williams’ play was his personal favourite and this West End revival has a lot of Hollywood Glamour in the form of Sienna Miller and Jack O’Connell. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday. The scorching heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell.
Currently booking now thru 07 October - I Loved Lucy, Arts Theatre
As a fan of American sitcoms featuring sassy women (Bea Arthur in Golden Girls is my Bae) I cannot wait for I Loved Lucy. It is a personal portrait of an iconic comedic entertainer whose public face is all too well known. But what was Lucille Ball really like? And how did she choose to live at the end of her life? Out of the spotlight. Based on his best-selling memoir, Lee Tannen’s funny, bitter-sweet play reveals the real-life Lucy portrayed by the remarkable Sandra Dickinson, and what it was like being her friend to the end.
Currently booking now until 02 September - The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole, Menier Chocolate Factory
I read this book when I was 9 and this stage adaptation will introduce a new generation to the story as well as reignite the memories who haven’t read the books in a while. Set in 1980s Leicester, Sue Townsend's The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 3/4, follows the daily dramas and misadventures of Adrian's adolescent life. With dysfunctional parents, ungrateful elders, a growing debt to school bully Barry Kent and an unruly pimple on his chin, life is hard for a misunderstood intellectual who is only 13 3/4...
Currently running until 09 September - Evita, Phoenix Theatre
One of the greatest moments of my life was seeing Elaine Paige singing Don’t Cry for Me Argentina at Royal Festival Hall. Whilst Dame Elaine (I have given her this honour even if the Queen hasn’t) is not taking on the title role it is in the safe hands of Emma Hatton, who is direct from playing Elphaba in Wicked, has been wowing audiences and critics across the country with her portrayal of Eva and now brings her portrayal to Phoenix.
Currently booking now until 14 October - Apologia, Trafalgar Studios
Whilst I swear this article isn’t just themed around strong women that I love I couldn’t resist seeing Stockard Channing (Grease, Six Degrees of Separation) in the flesh. Joined by Freema Agyeman (Doctor Who), Olivier Award winner Desmond Barrit, Laura Carmichael (Downton Abbey) and Joseph Millson (The Last Kingdom) in a new production of Alexi Kaye Campbell’s darkly funny play about family and its secrets, directed by Jamie Lloyd. Kristin Miller (Stockard Channing) is a firebrand matriarch and eminent art historian. As a darkly funny evening to celebrate her birthday progresses, secrets emerge about the sacrifices she has made and the price paid by those she loves.
Currently booking now until 18 November
By Shanine Salmon
Shanine Salmon was a latecomer to theatre after being seduced by the National Theatre's £5 entry pass tickets and a slight obsession with Alex Jennings. She is sadly no longer eligible for 16-25 theatre tickets but she continues to abuse under 30 offers. There was a market for bringing awareness that London theatre was affordable in an era of £100+ West End tickets – Shanine’s blog, View from the Cheap Seat, launched in April 2016, focuses on productions and theatres that have tickets available for £20 and under. She is also quite opinionated and has views on diversity, pricing, theatre seats and nudity on stage. Her interests include Rocky Horror, gaming, theatre (of course) and she also has her own Etsy shop. Shanine tweets at @Braintree_.