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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 7:54:19 GMT
I'm coming to London for my first solo trip (went before with a group when younger, so planning was fully out of my control) in December and want to make sure I do everything right! I'm a huge Harry Potter fan and of course theatre fan.
So far on my show schedule I have
Hamilton,
Cursed Child,
Hadestown,
Caroline or Change
and Company (haven't bought Company ticket yet).
I have two more slots open and am thinking they'll go to Dreamgirls and Everybody's Talking About Jamie, but no strong attachment to either, so if there's any other big show event I should see, let me know!
Would love any and all recommendations for theatre fan and just someone who wants to experience all of the (possibly tourist) things in London. Thanks for any help!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 8:09:26 GMT
I can strongly recommend keeping Jamie on your list. You've got a pretty good batch already there.  |
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 8:15:52 GMT
I can strongly recommend keeping Jamie on your list. You've got a pretty good batch already there. Yeah, feel pretty good about my choices! Jamie seems like the type of show I'd love (love pop scores), but it seems like there's a chance they'll be airing the filmed version in movie theaters this fall in the US. If I could see it here for cheaper, then I'd probably not have it take up a spot, unless I love it. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 8:38:13 GMT
I'd vote for Jamie over Dreamgirls as well. It's one of those situations where I feel Dreamgirls will always come around again, while Jamie is more a 'one of a kind' piece. Also seeing a new British musical on your first real theatre trip here would be fun.
If you love Harry Potter are you going to the studios? I highly recommend, and it's an easy trip on public transport from central London.
ETA that avatar is FABULOUS
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 8:49:24 GMT
I'd vote for Jamie over Dreamgirls as well. It's one of those situations where I feel Dreamgirls will always come around again, while Jamie is more a 'one of a kind' piece. Also seeing a new British musical on your first real theatre trip here would be fun. If you love Harry Potter are you going to the studios? I highly recommend, and it's an easy trip on public transport from central London. ETA that avatar is FABULOUS I actually have room for both Jamie and Dreamgirls! Great points you make about Jamie, I do love a new and contemporary musical (love Dear Evan Hansen). Yes, the studios has been on my hypothetical list for years! Thanks for the avatar love! Recently got back from a NYC Trip and saw over 20 shows (Cursed Child included) and Angels just towered above all. Really wish I could've seen it more than once, but it would've been hard to top my experience from the front row. |
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 8:53:06 GMT
I'd vote for Jamie over Dreamgirls as well. It's one of those situations where I feel Dreamgirls will always come around again, while Jamie is more a 'one of a kind' piece. Also seeing a new British musical on your first real theatre trip here would be fun. If you love Harry Potter are you going to the studios? I highly recommend, and it's an easy trip on public transport from central London. ETA that avatar is FABULOUS I actually have room for both Jamie and Dreamgirls! Great points you make about Jamie, I do love a new and contemporary musical (love Dear Evan Hansen). Yes, the studios has been on my hypothetical list for years! Thanks for the avatar love! Recently got back from a NYC Trip and saw over 20 shows (Cursed Child included) and Angels just towered above all. Really wish I could've seen it more than once, but it would've been hard to top my experience from the front row. Oh fab! the studios are super fun (get there for the earliest time slot if you can) And Dreamgirls is also great obviously! But if you felt like having an open slot and gambling on something random that's always fun too. And ah, a person after my heart. Angels is kind of my thing (as a quick stalk of my blogs/twitter links will show). Or indeed any read of the threads on here. (and the rest of you can shut up, I know I've bored y'all for 2 years but I just found a new victim I mean friend....  ) |
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 8:57:11 GMT
I love that! Just the best piece of written work possibly ever. Can't believe how much it moved me. Being 18, I'm very far removed from the crisis, but the play is bringing the major struggles to a new generation. This has become an Angels in America praise thread and I'm not mad about it! Will have to give your reviews and posts a read! Your blog seems great.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 9:11:33 GMT
I love that! Just the best piece of written work possibly ever. Can't believe how much it moved me. Being 18, I'm very far removed from the crisis, but the play is bringing the major struggles to a new generation. This has become an Angels in America praise thread and I'm not mad about it! Will have to give your reviews and posts a read! Your blog seems great. Oh you have just made my morning! I live for young(er) people discovering this play. I was 19 when I first discovered it. And it changed my life (possibly more than most normal people haha). Anyway, you are a fabulous creature and I apologise for hijacking discussion of London theatre trips. As you all were haha. |
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Post by viserys on Jul 25, 2018 9:19:58 GMT
British Panto was certainly a whole new world for this foreign tourist, so I'd definitely recommend! Might try and catch Snow White myself.
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Post by RedRose on Jul 25, 2018 11:17:23 GMT
What about A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic - a real heartwarmer and very British!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 12:31:25 GMT
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 12:40:55 GMT
If you're a huge Harry Potter fan then a day out to the Warner Bros studios Wizarding World is a must. Easy to get to (train to Watford Junction and then they have a special bus from the station that's included in the attraction ticket), and if you go early enough you can even be back for an evening show if you want to.
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 18:08:41 GMT
viserys, thanks for the suggestion! Was looking for a Sunday evening show and that might fit the bill!
RedRose, that would be fun to see, but not sure how well it'd fit in my schedule. Will have to look into it.
xanderl, perfect thread!
poster J, yes I am going! Will be going to the earliest time and then seeing Hamilton in the evening. Does it take about an hour to get back from the studios to Central London?
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Post by BurlyBeaR on Jul 25, 2018 18:24:16 GMT
42nd Street before it closes!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 25, 2018 19:43:42 GMT
Does it take about an hour to get back from the studios to Central London? Yes if you get the non-stop train from Watford Junction to Euston, once you factor in the bus to the station. It will probably be longer if you get the Overground as that has lots of stops in between Watford and Euston. I would be leaving the studios at about 4.30pm to give you time to get to Victoria, get something to eat and get in to the theatre comfortably without rushing. |
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 25, 2018 22:21:40 GMT
Poster j, thanks! I will be doing the earliest at 10 am, so unless I end up spending more than six and a half hours there, sounds like all will be fine!
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 26, 2018 6:00:00 GMT
Another question to pose, I'd love to see as much theatre as I can, but of course want to explore the city.
I get there Sunday afternoon and I'll most likely be exhausted, so I'll do some light exploring, but nothing expansive,
I have all of Monday to explore with an evening show,
Tuesday will be Harry Potter Studio tour for the most part and Hamilton at night,
Wednesday will be Harry Potter Walking Strawberry Tours and then Cursed Child,
Thursday is a possible matinee or not to leave room for exploring, with Hadestown at night,
Friday is more exploring and Caroline or Change in the evening
Saturday is most likely a matinee with an evening show, so time to explore before 2:00.
What I'm wondering is should I leave Thursday afternoon open to have more time to explore, or will Monday and Friday suffice as being the only full exploration days? Ideally I'd hope I could do all I want to do Monday and Friday, so I could see another show Thursday, but if you'd advise against that, let me know!
(I saw 22 shows when I was in New York for two weeks, so I love to pack them in)
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Post by Someone in a tree on Jul 26, 2018 6:51:04 GMT
See Jamie. dreamgirls is a bit meh!
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2018 7:01:06 GMT
Are you likely to come back to London? I like to visit New York, and I've got some weirdly big gaps in the list of tourist attractions I have yet to see, but because I know I'm likely to return, I don't see that there's any great rush. If it's a once in a lifetime special trip, you probably would want to focus on seeing things more than shows, but if you're likely to come back, well, the Tower of London's been going a lot longer than even The Mousetrap...
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 26, 2018 7:10:57 GMT
Baemax, the trip is actually costing me much less than I was expecting, so I've already thought about how I could go again! Probably wouldn't be for a few years, but depending on how much I love it, a trip would probably happen within the next five years. It wouldn't matter much if there was wide availability for shows I wanted to see Thursday, but if I decide to see a Thursday matinee, I'd want to book it in advance (most likely Company). Guess I could always leave the Saturday matinee open!
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Post by kathryn on Jul 26, 2018 8:20:03 GMT
What I'm wondering is should I leave Thursday afternoon open to have more time to explore, or will Monday and Friday suffice as being the only full exploration days? Ideally I'd hope I could do all I want to do Monday and Friday, so I could see another show Thursday, but if you'd advise against that, let me know! Well, it really depends what your interests are. London is huge and absolutely packed with things to see, but not all of that appeals to everyone. You can tick off the main tourist photo opps in central London (Big Ben, Trafalgar Square, Buckingham Palace, Westminster Abbey, etc) in a day easily enough, but if you are a museum or gallery person, or someone who enjoys delving into historical sites, then you will need to make some choices, as that sort of thing takes longer (and, IMO, there's only so much of it you can take in before you hit museum-fatigue). But as Baemax says, none of the major attractions are going anywhere, so you might be best off checking if there's anything on you want to see that is temporary, schedule that in first and then plan free time backwards from there. |
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Post by priorwalter on Jul 26, 2018 8:47:10 GMT
I was really set on seeing Company Saturday night so think I've decided I'll stick with that and leave Thursday open to anything. Here's what my theatre schedule looks like now with all the advice! Monday: Jamie Tuesday: Hamilton (bought) Wednesday: Cursed Child (bought) Thursday: Hadestown (bought) Friday: Caroline, or Change (bought) Saturday matinee: Christmas Carol or Dreamgirls or 42nd Street (or would love any other suggestions) Saturday Evening: Company I'll probably continue to use this thread throughout these next few months to ask any questions or for suugestions Thanks for all the help and kindness! |
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Post by Elle on Jul 26, 2018 9:17:49 GMT
My suggestion is to keep at least one slot open for the TodayTix Black Friday sale. Last year I got a great front stalls ticket for Dreamgirls for only £15, I couldn't believe it! Loved the show. In regards to sightseeing just seeing London all lit up for Christmas will be magical. The days are cold and short so perfect for enjoying warm drinks, mince pies and the lights.😍
I will be going to London in December too and this time I don't want to miss A Christmas Carol. However I'm quite dubious about Snow White and not sure if I would enjoy a panto? Is it like slapstick?
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Post by Deleted on Jul 26, 2018 9:29:48 GMT
I hate to be That Person, but pantomime is far better experienced than explained. For me, though, it's catharsis. I spend the year sitting quietly in theatres, applauding politely and never making noise beyond a reasonable amount of laughter where appropriate. Seeing a pantomime, where my role as audience member is to shout and cheer and even get up and dance when instructed, it is very much a celebration and an explosion of sheer exhausting joy. As a general rule, I like to avoid big flashy expensive pantos though, a lot of them just plain lack the heart. I think the Palladium pantos get it, but I'd still rather go to the Lyric Hammersmith or the Hackney Empire.
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Post by kathryn on Jul 26, 2018 10:27:01 GMT
You can find whole dissertations on panto, on its roots and place in British culture. It's an institution, a tradition, a foundation of the British psyche (partly because just about everyone will first go to it as a young child) and a deliberate subversion of all of that. It's constant and yet ever-changing.
And, when done well, it's an absolute HOOT. It breaks all the normal rules.
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