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Shows you would recommend

(84 Posts)
kittylester Wed 25-Oct-17 07:52:21

On the 'Good Morning' thread Mick often gives us reviews of shows he has seen - especially musicals.

I thought it might be good to have a thread for recommendations.

So, what have you seen that was good....or bad?

Helenleeds Thu 26-Oct-17 12:26:03

Went to see Cabaret at the Grand Theatre in Leeds yesterday. Great performance & Will Young as the Emcee was exceptional!

Jane43 Thu 26-Oct-17 12:17:07

Another vote for Blood Brothers, I’ve seen it twice. The first time was in London for my husband’s 50th birthday - he wasn't a fan of musicals but Barbara Dixon was in it and he was a big fan of hers. Carl Wayne, who was in The Move in the sixties played the narrator and was fantastic. We both thought it was amazing and bought the CD.

More recently I’ve seen The Kite Runner which was very good and One Man Two Guvnors starring James Corden which was very funny.

icanhandthemback Thu 26-Oct-17 11:41:33

If you can handle smutty, The Book of Mormon is hysterical. I haven't laughed so much in ages.

susieken Thu 26-Oct-17 11:02:07

Blood Brothers... love it! The Play that goes Wrong.. the funniest theatre I’ve ever seen! Out of Order, also great. Recently saw High Society at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, great production. I have an ATG theatre card which gives priority booking with no fees and advance notice of performances in Scotland, use it a lot and it is worth the annual cot as it saves quite a lot.

pennyh47 Thu 26-Oct-17 10:42:03

Seen Blood Brothers about 6 times. Loved Sunny Afternoon as we are both Kinks fans. Also Jersey Boys. One of the funniest I've ever seen is The Book of Mormon but don't go if you are easily offended!

brunswick Thu 26-Oct-17 10:41:45

Yes Terrystred I want to see it again

brunswick Thu 26-Oct-17 10:41:00

42nd Street. Absolutely fantastic. Loved the tapping. It brought tears to my eyes as I always wanted to be a dancer. Especially tap. A tip for anyone who can be bothered. If you turn up at the Drury Lane Theatre at 10am. for a Wednesday matinee which starts at 2.30. You can get really good seats for £15. My friend and I did that and were in the stalls six rows back. They say first come first served but when we got there there was no queue and we just paid at the box office

Terrystred Thu 26-Oct-17 10:37:11

42nd Street - best show I've ever seen. Unbelievably good singing and dancing and wonderful set and costumes. Seen it twice already!

SueDoku Thu 26-Oct-17 10:32:02

Went to see 'The Play that Went Wrong' recently with some friends. Haven't laughed as much in a theatre EVER (& I saw 'One Man Two Guvnors' twice)..! We came out weak and with aching sides because we'd laughed so much. I'd thoroughly recommend it smile

KatyK Thu 26-Oct-17 10:25:04

Oo yes you're all reminding me now. Billy Elliot was fantastic as was Sunny Afternoon. We are real Kinks fans and still go to see Ray Davies when he tours.

LizHand Thu 26-Oct-17 10:07:47

Met uni DD for day out in Birminghan (from London) as we both adore Gershwin musicals and managed to organise to catch Tom Chambers touring in Crazy for You. Fantastic dancing with Gershwin classic and 2 perfect stalls seats for the price of 1 in the gods in town. Advanced booked train trip for £12 (haven't qualified yet for other discounts!!). Going to look out of town more often and booked with own mother to catch Cabaret at Churchill in Bromley next......next London gig is the new Oscar Wilde season at the Vaudeville.

kazziecookie Thu 26-Oct-17 10:01:29

I love Les Mis and know the words to most of the songs as I have sang them in amateur shows.
Chicago is also one of my favourites
The last show I saw was Crazy For You with Tom Chambers and Caroline Flack. I really enjoyed the show and it was nice because the Dad one of the cast members was staying in our guest house and she joined him for breakfast.
We have some of the orchestra from the Birmingham Ballet staying with us this week as they are at my local theatre here in Plymouth.

Cosafina Thu 26-Oct-17 09:58:37

Saw Beautiful last month (Carol King story) which we really enjoyed. The Play That Went Wrong is brilliant, and I loved We Will Rock You which made me into a Queen fan!

lorraineuk Thu 26-Oct-17 09:57:16

Which musical depends on taste but I have enjoyed 4 this year so far.
Mamma Mia was in Norwich earlier this year and I went for my birthday; it was funny and fun and a great sing a long, feel good evening.
Bat Out of Hell the Musical we saw in London; if you love Jim Steinman and Meatloaf you will love this again a fantastic sing a long evening.
In August I went to New York for the first time with my daughter and we saw The Lion King and Phantom. The Lion King is recommended for all of the family. Great music and fab costumes. I had never seen Phantom and always wanted to so enjoyed the music in this so much though my daughter lost the story line and asked me afterwards to explain!
December 30th I am going to Les Mis in London for the first time with my son and can't wait.

Witzend Thu 26-Oct-17 09:51:06

War Horse was brilliant - the stage show, I haven't seen the film. Yet we only went because a friend from Devon* badly wanted to see it.
Went with same friend to see The Lion King - again his choice. I found it very disappointing and unmemorable - maybe more suited to children. Friend enjoyed it, though, thank goodness, since the tickets were our birthday present to him.

*Funnily enough, while reading the War Horse programme at the time, I learned that Michael Morpurgo had got the idea while talking to a very old man - WW1 veteran - in the same Devon pub where we'd often been for a meal with the same friend!

keriku Thu 26-Oct-17 09:48:20

We are just back from our annual trip to London. We always book the Saturday night show in advance. This year we were in the 2nd row for 42nd Street- it was phenomenal! We like a bargain, so we got matinee tickets for American In Paris for only £20 each from the Today Tix app. Then on Sunday night we went to see Comedy About A Bank Robbery- we got cheap tickets from Leicester Square TKTS office - it's from the folk who did The Play That Goes Wrong & Peter Pan Goes Wrong, which was on tv last year. Very funny! I also saw Blood Brothers in Dunfermline on Tuesday, plus we are going to Million Dollar Quartet in Edinburgh tonight. I hardly ever pay full price - keep an eye on Itison & Groupon for offers. I will then be staying in for a few weeks!

Elenkalubleton Thu 26-Oct-17 09:45:35

Blood Brothers is fantastic,seen it twice, my neighbour seen it 9 times!I didn't like cats(but I do love them)Didn't like wicked took granddaughter she loved it.Husband fell asleep.But we where up in the gods.

Totallylost Thu 26-Oct-17 09:43:06

Les Mis, 1st 2nd & 3rd......do t know why anyone would not love it.
Also Warhorse , both very powerful, but it depends if you want light entertainment or thought provoking

Humbertbear Thu 26-Oct-17 09:23:49

42nd Street is absolutely wonderful. It’s the best production yet. The dancing is amazing. Follies at the National is also great. If you want a serious play then Oslo just transferring to the West End. Matilda is going on tour and my DS highly recommends it. They took the children twice. I think Wicked is like Marmite. I wasn’t that excited by it but my DD has seen it six times.

Tessa101 Thu 26-Oct-17 09:22:40

Depends if you like the music from that era but Motown story was brilliant.

Coconut Thu 26-Oct-17 09:20:37

Now that the grandchildren are older I like to do day trips to London with sightseeing, a Theatre show and a meal ... instead of Xmas gifts that are soon forgotten. They get little photo albums as a reminder of our day too. The 3 boys, I took to see “ The Snowman” and they were totally rapt, eyes out on stalks when the snowman flew across the stage ! The 2 girls, we went to see “Mamma Mia” and they so loved it. I saw “ 42nd Street” yesterday, wonderful 1930’s Hollywood glamour with amazing dancing and costumes. Then in Dec am back to London for the “ Rat Pack Christmas Show” which is always brilliant.

cwasin Thu 26-Oct-17 09:20:04

War Horse. It’s simply superb. I’m not really a fan of musicals although I’ve seen quite a few and they’re always good. I prefer a good play but WH is something else. I’ve always loved Michael Morpurgo novels, he’s poignant but never overly sentimental. The play is a most wonderful adaptation of the book and MUCH better than the film which was less than average. The music is entirely appropriate and provides a kind of narrative and nobody bursts into a stupid song at a crucial moment. It’s merely a backdrop to the action. I’ve seen it more than once and I’m looking for another family member who hasn’t seen it so I have an excuse to go again. If you haven’t read the book, it’s teenage fiction really but hey, it’s well worth the read.

Jenb60 Thu 26-Oct-17 09:16:15

I love going to the theatre and have enjoyed lots this year, the musical plays Follies at the National and The Girl from the North Country were marvellous. GftNC is going to the West End soon, really wonderful. Also loved The Ferryman which is still on and a great production by the Hull truck company at the RSC in Stratford, The Hypocrite, if it tours go and see it, so funny. Some very good productions at The Park theatre in North London and The Almeida, Mary Stuart was fab

Chrishappy Thu 26-Oct-17 09:15:48

Les mis is amazingly poignant. Have seen it 5 times.blood brothers I've seen 8 times and still cry like a baby!! A good new one is ' the bodyguard' fantastic performance by Alexandra Burke I loved it. I too found cats boring with no storyline

dizzygran Thu 26-Oct-17 09:04:11

I've been to see Red Shoes and Beautiful (The Carol King Story) fairly recently - loved both of them. We are so lucky to have such a choice both locally and London not so far away.