Theatre, Shows & Concerts

London is no stranger to theatre and captivating an audience's imagination on-stage; so naturally, I took advantage of living close to London's West End (like Broadway, but British), home to 40 theatres throughout a radius from Covent Garden, Trafalgar Square, Piccadilly Circus and Tottenham Court Road. Check out this full map of all of London's theatres. For more information about London's West End, read this well-written blog for more tips. 

I mentioned attending the two-part play based on the Harry Potter series in a previous post, which takes place 19 years after the trio graduated from Hogwarts. 

Of course, London is home to so many more off-West End, "indie" theatres, as well (and of course, without the extravagant ticket prices). 

Mischief Theatre

The Play that Goes Wrong

I'm a HUGE comedy fan, so when I heard about The Play that Goes Wrong, I knew I had to get tickets. The story line follows a murder mystery format, with the characters attempting to find the culprit, but utter chaos occurs with the set and stage malfunctioning constantly. Lines are forgotten or repeated, props are inarticulately replaced and the set even catches fire! This play was laugh-out-loud funny and very, very well done. 

My Rating: 4.9/5

The Comedy about a Bank Robbery

The next play in Mischief Theatre's repertoire is a tongue-in-cheek take on a few "bad guys" planning a heist. Mix in a little love story between the main characters, and stunning use of the stage, and you've got it.    

My Rating: 4/5  

Peter Pan Goes Wrong

Playing just before Christmas holidays, this production combined the children's classic with Mischief's Goes Wrong formula, which created a not children-friendly play. Many jokes were geared to an older audience, despite there being many kids in the audience.     

My Rating: 3.5/5  

Groan Ups

This next play centres around a group of friends who grew up together and attended the same schools. It brings to the forefront a big theme of "What if...?" as the characters look back on their lives and imagine what could have been. 

My Rating: 3.9/5  

Magic Goes Wrong

In the guise of a telethon magic show run to raise funds, the audience becomes unknowing participants of a tragic fundraiser. You're caught at the end of your seat wondering how this will end

My Rating: 4/5  

My tip for any Mischief Theatre production is to get to your seats as soon as they allow you, as each show as "pre-show" treats and audience interaction. Visit their website for more information on this theatre company.

Panto Theatre

Pantomime, or panto as its become affectionately known as, is a British take on fairy tales - mixed with cross-dressing actors and exaggerated makeup and costumes, songs, audience participation, and tons of sarcastic (and adult) humour.

Bad Cinderella

My first panto experience was watching Bad Cinderella in an intimate venue, The Cockpit. I will be honest, as I didn't realize exactly HOW raunchy these adult-themed pantos would be! If dirty humour and tackiness isn't your thing, maybe miss watching a panto.    

My Rating: 2/5  

Aladdin and the Feast of Wonders

This panto took place in a hidden-away venue, called The Vaults, which is around the corner from Waterloo Station under a repurposed tunnel of underground graffiti art and boho eateries (Leake Street Arches). It's a cool place to check out if you enjoy street art and a bit of grunge culture. 

Going back to the show, this was a dinner theatre production, with Asian-inspired flavours. While watching the performers, in-between audience interaction, you can enjoy a feature alcoholic beverage, and have your meal. The play itself was, as pantos are, silly and full of innuendos. 

My Rating: 2/5  

Other Theatre & Shows

The London Cabaret Club

An evening of extravagance, stunning acts and big voices, The London Cabaret Club is one word: swanky. With extortionate prices for this dinner theatre show, you really are reminded that you're in London. 
Although costly, the show does NOT disappoint with a variety of acts and talents showing off in the centre of the room, from acrobatics, to singing and dancing and instrumental excellence. The same can't be said of the food, as I ordered from an à la carte menu and the portions were very sad.   

My Rating: 4/5 

Home, I'm Darling

Starring The IT Crowd's Katherine Parkinson, it was a bit of a treat to see her onstage in this semi-serious satirical take on 1950s fanatics. The play follows a couple who are embodying the spirit of the 50s with the man bringing home the bacon, while the woman stays home to cook and clean. 

My Rating: 4/5  

Ed Gamble

I was introduced to Ed through a parody show he co-created called Almost Royal which follows two siblings in the royal bloodline whose father passed away. It was their father's dying wish for his aristocratic children to see America. The siblings are documented travelling across the country, having interviews (and misadventures) with Americans along the way in a half-scripted/half-improvised setting. Comedic genius, if you ask me! 

I had 2 amazing opportunities to see Ed Gamble's comedy live! The first was an unscripted intimate show for him to release on vinyl. Let's just say I stupidly sat at the very front row, and was able to have a small conversation with the comedian! 
The other chance was to see his scripted routine in a larger venue in my neck of the woods. His jokes were so funny - he's a great storyteller - and it was great to hear some of his material live (rather than on YouTube). His dad has given him some fantastic content to laugh about. 
My Rating: 5/5  

Céline Dion

My only concert while in London was to see the French-Canadian mogul, Céline Dion, when she performed at Hyde Park. She sounded phenomenal live, and of course, donned a different outfit throughout the duration of the performance. As it was Pride Week during the time of the concert, the singer sported solid colours representing the rainbow (clever costuming, for sure).     

My Rating: 4/5  

DesignMyNight

If you're interested in more than just dinner, theatre and shows, there's a great site dedicated to spreading the word about thousands of events happening across the UK. It's free to join, and you can earn points towards a discount off a future event. 

I booked a few fun nights out, and some new experiences, as well. Check out DesignMyNight.com for something different.

Central Tickets

You can also support smaller theatres that are "off-West End" as a seat filler by signing up for free. There may be a small ticket fee, but nothing at all extravagant. Your wallet and the theatre will thank you!  

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