The Musical Genre in London Theatres
There are some major musicals in London Theatreland and you will be hard pressed to find a better musical than on these streets. Some productions have been running for years like Blood Brothers, Chicago and Dirty Dancing. Others have had to face stiff competition like those in a new format like John and Jen, an original new musical about relationships against the backdrop of changing America. Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre is about Franki Valli and the Four Seasons.
Enjoying an Established Musical Night
Just because it's an established musical doesn't mean it won't be up to date or as enjoyable as the new latest musical. In fact choosing to see an established long running show is sometimes the safest option, especially for first time London theatre-goers. Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre is one of the longest and greatest loved of all musicals in the West End. Willy Russell's story is about Liverpudlian twins separated at birth whose different backgrounds influence them later on in life. It won the Laurence Olivier Award for best musical in 1983 and then in 1988 the Laurence Olivier Award for Outstanding Performance of the Year by an Actor in a Musical. Another traditional choice is Grease at the Piccadilly Theatre whose recent star Ray Quinn was runner up of The X Factor. This story is well known - Sandy meets Danny and falls in love for the first time before they are awkwardly reunited on the first day of high school. Danny Zuko as the coolest guy in high school is unsure of how Sandy, who is rather more twee, will affect his reputation. All the 1978 film's songs are featured in the musical like You're the One That I Want, Summer Nights and Hopelessly Devoted. Mamma Mia opened in 1999 and still draws in big crowds. The songs of ABBA are set to Catherine Johnston's story about the mother of a young woman on the eve of her daughter's wedding day. Songs like Take a Chance on Me, Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen and Super Trouper are all featured. Phyllida Lloyd who directed the film, along with a creative backing team, managed to turn the musical into the recent popular film of the same name. She has directed many other shows, one of which is The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie at the National Theatre.
A More Diverse Choice of Musical
Billy Elliot The Musical on at the Victoria Palace Theatre reunites the team behind the film and puts it to the music of Elton John. The musical is suitable for theatre-goers aged eight or older as some scenes might be deemed offensive or unsuitable for children. Betty Blue Eyes at the Novello Theatre, a production based on Alan Bennett's film, A Private Function, is set in austerity Britain, and contains a wedding and an illegally reared pig. To continue along a light-hearted theme see Legally Blonde The Musical starring Elle Woods.This translates well to an international audience at the Savoy Theatre.