The holidays are over and there’s a new wind sweeping through the West End.

January and February are the time of change. We’re saying goodbye to some fantastic shows and welcoming new friends in our midst.

Let us introduce the new kids on the block;

Dolly Parton presents: 9 To 5 (28.01.19)
Based on the 1980 hit movie. Consolidated Industries is managed by the extremely sexist and self-important Franklin Hart Jr. Violet, a long-time employee, she’s always on top of things, Doralee is Mr Hart’s secretary, he makes advances to her which she constantly rebuffs. Judy has just started working at Consolidated but is struggling as she has no work experience. The women come together to teach Mr Hart a lesson and improve the company for everyone. They leave him hanging at home and decide to run the office their way!

Come from Away (from 31.01.19)

tells this magic tale of friendship, humanity, laughter and hope.

On September 11, 2001, 38 planes had to make unexpected landings in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador. Come from Away tells the story of what happened when the residents of this small community struggle to accommodate nearly 7,000 ‘plane-people’ as they and the world are reeling in the days following the attacks.

Only Fools and Horses (from 11.02.19)

From Peckham to the West End! Only Fools and Horses centred around Del Boy Trotter, an ambitious market trader from Peckham who was constantly cooking up schemes to make it rich. Jim Sullivan created this musical to honour the brainchild of his late father John Sullivan, starring comedian Paul Whitehouse as Granddad. He is joined by Tom Bennett as Del Boy and Ryan Hutton as Rodney. The show is to be directed by Caroline Jay Ranger.

SIX ( from 16.01.19)

The Queens are back in town. Divorced, Beheaded, Live in Concert

Welcome to the show, to the histo-remix… from Tudor queens to pop princesses, the six wives of Henry Vlll finally take the mic to tell their tale, remixing five hundred years of her-storical heartbreak into a celebration of sisterly sass-itude.

Following last year’s sell out pop-concert musical, SIX returns triumphantly again to the Arts Theatre powered by an all-female band. Strictly limited run.

Violet (14.01.19)

Violet’s face is disfigured since childhood and it has shaped her and her day to day life in more than one way. So she decides to take matters into her own hands. She takes all her savings and sets out to a cross country journey from North Carolina to Oklahoma where she hopes to find a cure. The people she meets on her trip are moulding her in ways she’d never expected. What will she find at the end of her road? Based on Doris Betts’ short story ‘The Ugliest Pilgrim’. Strictly Limited season.

Waitress (from 11.02.19)

London’s been waiting for their slice of heaven and here it is Waitress the Musical has arrived in the West End. Jenna doesn’t have much. She doesn’t mind her job as a waitress at the local diner but it isn’t going anywhere. Her husband Earl is abusive, their marriage at the end. To escape it all, she bakes but soon her pies aren’t the only thing the town’s talking about. Jenna needs a way out and a pie baking contest might be exactly that but things don’t go exactly as planned.

Music and lyrics by the fabulous Sara Bareilles and a book by Jessie Nelson based on the film of the same name by Adrienne Shelly. The musical made history as the first show with an all-female creative team.

All about Eve (from 02.02.19)

This is a chance of a life time to see Gillian Anderson perform in the West End. Based on the short story ‘The Wisdom of Eve’ by Mary Orr. Anne Baxter a willing, helpful young fan insinuates herself into the life of Margo Channing. Channing, a prominent yet ageing Broadway star, gets her life and career threatened by Baxter as well as all her personal relationships. Starring Gillian Anderson, Sheila Reid, Lily James and Monica Dolan. Strictly limited run.

Home, I’m Darling (from 26.01.19)

Katherine Parkinson proves again that she has a hand for picking the right parts. Don’t miss her in this fantastic new play.

Everything looks perfect; the dress, the appliances, the décor, the apron, the wife. And the husband. But how far do appearances go? While a bit of fantasy does keep your marriage alive it will only last so long when things start to get real. Starring Katherine Parkinson and Richard Harrington. Strictly limited run.

Songs for Nobodies (from 09.01.19)

This one woman show is unlike anything you’ve seen before.

For 90 minutes, accompanied only by live musicians, Bernadette Robinson single-handedly tells the tales of five everyday women whose lives are changed when they briefly encounter fame and the legendary singers who had such an impact on them. Bringing to life powerhouse voices across vastly different genres of music, Bernadette Robinson has a versatility that is truly astonishing. Watch as she brings Judy Garland, Patsy Cline, Billie Holiday and Maria Callas to life as you listen.

Bernadette Robinson’s talent is nearly unbelievable so don’t miss your chance to see it for yourself.

Pinter at the Pinter: Seven (31.01.19)

The Pinter at The Pinter season finishes with a bang. Two unmissable comedies that explore the political machinations of the powerful and the powerless.
When a mysterious figure enters their elegant country home, the lives of Flora and Edward are changed forever.
Gus and Ben, two hit-men, await their next job in a derelict building – but what is the cost of their quest for meaning?
A Slight Ache and The Dumb Waiter, both written in the late 1950s. Book now to see Martin Freeman and Danny Dyer at this fantastic finale of The Pinter at the Pinter season.

We hope your curiosity has been tickled and that you’ll check out our offers and options for tickets as soon as you finished reading. Go on, we wait while you have to decide now which one to see.

Happy January.

November is busy this year. The list of shows opening are quite a sight over the next two months. So buckle up, sit back and let us show you what’s in store for the last two months of 2018.

November is being ruled by plays. The good stagy kind. We all dreamt of saving the world some day, or at least that piece of greenery around the trees next to the tube. So we’re calling all of you proud eccentric life lovers out there; come and check out how it’s done with the RSC’s new production of Don Quixote. Let us all head off on a rumbustious quest, on a hilarious journey across medieval Spain, defending the helpless and vanquishing the wicked. Chivalry has never been funnier. Join our two heroes on their quest while hopelessly unprepared and increasingly losing their grip on reality, with each calamitous adventure the two hapless heroes experience, the romantic ideal of QuixoteÍ›s books seems further away than ever. Based on the book by Miguel Servantes, this brilliant stage adaptation will tickle your peach and have you see windmills in a completely different light. Prices start from as little as £12.50. So grab your lance and sword, we’ll see you there.

The Pinter season keeps going and with it’s third and fourth part is introducing great names to the stage. Penelope Wilson will you the cast of THREE for a limited time of performances and she is joined by tour de force ladies Temsin Greig and Meera Syal while Lee Evans is coming out of retirement specifically to play some of his favourite monologues by Harold Pinter.

Phyllis Logan (Downton Abby) is coming back to the West End in a spellbinding thriller. Switzerland is all what you need for a chilling night out this autumn and winter. 1995, the Swiss Alps. Patricia Highsmith, the queen of the thriller, now ageing and ailing, hides away in her study, surrounded by her collection of books and antique weaponry. She’s finding solace in her seclusion, her cats and cigarettes. Vitriolic, bigoted and alcoholic, her eccentricities are the stuff of legend. A polished young man turns up, sent by her New York publisher to persuade the great writer to pen one final instalment of her best-selling series featuring the master manipulator, Tom Ripley. But as day breaks over the mountains, it becomes clear that the charming stranger is set on a far more sinister mission. Filled with razor-sharp dialogue, this chilling and sometimes hilarious two-hander unfolds into a gripping psychological thriller.

Caroline, or Change is the long anticipated musical the West End has been waiting for. Written by Tony Kushner, author of legendary play Angels in America, and with an exceptional, soaring score from Tony Award-winning Jeanine Tesori, Caroline, Or Change stars Sharon D. Clarke in an astonishing ‘virtuoso performance. To watch her seems a privilege’ (The Times).

Louisiana, 1963. Revolution is in the air, though not so much for Caroline, the poorly paid maid toiling endlessly in the sweltering basement of the Gellman household. It’s a fantastical, magical place amidst the piles of laundry and singing washing machines, especially for eight-year-old Noah Gellman who sneaks downstairs to see her whenever he can. Yet a simple gesture to leave more money in Caroline’s pocket is about to test who and how far the winds of change can ever really reach… opening for a strictly limited season at the Playhouse Theatre late November 2018.

Tennessee Williams’ rarely staged classic Summer And Smoke transfers to the West End due to popular demand. The production played a widely lauded run at the Almeida Theatre earlier in 2018, and now makes the move to the West End’s Duke of York’s Theatre. The full original cast reprise their roles. Set in small-town Mississippi, Summer And Smoke is an absorbing classic about love, loneliness and self-destruction, in which Alma, seemingly under the wings of an angel, meets John – and their worlds are turned upside down. Evoking the simmering passions of a sweltering summer, the duo soon find themselves trapped between fear, obligation – and their own sheer desire.

Guess who’s back in the West End? Kit Harington is back this winter, playing at the Vaudeville Theatre. He and Johnny Flynn star as warring brothers Austin and Lee in the West End Premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winner Sam Shepard’s ferociously funny, modern classic, True West. Austin is working on a movie script that he has sold to producer Saul Kimmer when Lee stumbles back in to his life. Never content to watch from the sidelines he pitches his own idea to Kimmer, an action which has far reaching consequences… Set in the searing heat of the Californian desert this critically acclaimed drama pits brother against brother as a family tears itself apart, exposing the cracks in the American Dream.

A hearty ‘Welcome Home’ to The Curious incident of the Dog in the Night-Time. The phenomenal play is back in the West End for a limited run at the Piccadilly Theatre, following an acclaimed UK and International tour. The play is based on Mark Haddon’s best-selling novel under the same title. Christopher, fifteen years old, stands beside Mrs Shears’ dead dog. It has been speared with a garden fork, it is seven minutes after midnight and Christopher is under suspicion. He records each fact in the book he is writing to solve the mystery of who murdered Wellington. He has an extraordinary brain, exceptional at maths while ill-equipped to interpret everyday life. He has never ventured alone beyond the end of his road, he detests being touched and he distrusts strangers. But his detective work, forbidden by his father, takes him on a frightening journey that upturns his world.

We have an autumn/ winter full of plays and we couldn’t be happier.

This is only the beginning.

Happy November, see you next month.

There’s a fresh new wind blowing through the West End. Time to take a look into the future. 2019, what’s in store for the musical theatre lover? Let’s kick off 2019 with some new shows. Starting with Come From Away. In case you missed it, or have been living under a rock, Come From Away was the first to announce it’s opening in the west End late January next year and they will be kicking of a great season 2019/20. On September 11 2001, when 38 planes have to land, due to security reasons, in a remote community, the small town of Gander, Newfoundland and Labrador, the residents suddenly find themselves in a mass of people and even bigger struggle to accommodate those nearly 7,000 ‘plane-people’ as they and the world are reeling in the days following the attacks.

October is the month. We have had the utmost luck at the end of September to witness the official launch of Waitress – The Musical in the West End. Heading into the velvety soft hues of sultry red at Ronnie Scott’s in Soho, we were swept away by a life performance of singer/ songwriter extraordinare Sara Bareilles.

Waitress is the highly anticipated and long awaited Broadway hit we have been waiting for.

Jenna doesn’t have much, she doesn’t mind her job as a waitress at the local diner but it isn’t going anywhere. Her husband Earl is abusive, their marriage at the end. To escape it all she bakes, but soon her pies aren’t the only thing the town’s talking about. Shortly after discovering she is pregnant, the very last thing she wants to be, Jenna begins an affair with her new OBGYN, Dr Pomatter, who is also married. Jenna needs a way out and a pie baking contest might be exactly that but things don’t go exactly as planned.The musical made history as the first show with an all-female creative team.

We simply cannot wait until it opens it’s door early February next year, still tickets are already on sale, so book them while they’re hot.

Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 musical is hitting London next year in late January. The girls around Doralee are moving into the Savoy Theatre. Consolidated Industries is managed by the sexist and self-important Franklin Hart Jr. Violet, a long time employee, she’s always on top of things, Doralee is Mr Hart’s secretary, he makes advances to her which she constantly rebuffs while Judy has just started working at Consolidated but is struggling as she has no work experience. The women come together to teach Mr Hart a lesson and improve the company all around, so naturally they leave him hanging at home and decide to run the office their way! We think a worthy follow up to it’s pre-successor smash hit for over two years; Dreamgirls.

And can we please talk about the reopening of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time and Mary Poppins? Ah, we’re already making notes in our diaries, old and new, so we won’t miss a thing.

The Curious Incident is back for a limited 12 week run at the Piccadilly Theatre in late November 2018 after coming abck from a fantastic World Tour.

Another lady’s coming home. Mary Poppins will be back in autumn 2019. After years of being away from the West End, the revival of the popular musical will hit town early October next year in perfect sync with the new movie coming out Mary Poppins 2. It will move back into it’s old home at the Prince Edward theatre.

Last week only it has been confirmed that Dear Evan Hansen will jump over the big pond and will land in the West End November 2019. Well, Waitress had us ecstatic, this one leaves us near catatonic. The season 2019/20 is waiting with many a gem for the theatregoer.

Still, with so many new shows opening it is also a time of heartfelt fare wells and teary goodbyes. The earliest one is strictly Ballroom which closes its doors at the end of this month as well as Eugenius. This gem of a show got sadly cancelled last minute for their West End run as an investor pulled out. Crowdfund or Kickstarter anyone? There is something we could do, is there not?

So hurry if you want to see them both.

Meanwhile the Royal Drury Lane theatre will close for a bit after 42^nd Street ends early January 2019. They will undergo a beauty makeover, you can apply for their lottery to give one ore more of the old theatre seats a new home from late November onwards. Others will swap in and out in true West End fashion.

 Let us tell you a few shows you should catch  before it’s too late;

 Eugenius

 Strictly Ballroom

 Foxfinder

 The Importance of Being Earnest

 Heathers The Musical

                                                   42^nd Street

                                                   Chicago

                                                   Dreamgirls

                                                   Kinky Boots

                                                   Motown

Just a hint for all play lovers; The Pinter at the Pinter season is progressing nicely. David Suchet and Russell Tovey are filling the house and we will expect nothing less of Tamsin Greig, Meera Syal and Penelope Wilson for the next instalment. A note to all Martin Freeman fans out there; hurry. His Pinter at the Pinter part sells fast, and there are only so many days in a month. Book now to see him in February 2019.

We’ll see you next month and then we will see what the new season 2019/20 has in store for us on the play side of the West End. Gillian Anderson anyone? Oh yes please.

Until then.

Summer’s nearly over and we’re jumping right in into the new season.

We’re seeing shows go, casts changing and new exciting plays and musicals opening.

Eugenius for example is back at The Other Palace for its now second re-run. For us there is nothing better than fighting crime with your best friends and getting the girl at the end. This high energy, laughing-out-loud, feel-good musical should have been on your list ages ago. It’s the perfect first date show as well as a great night out with friends. This time you can watch it until 07/10/2018. Always Tuesdays-Sundays. Ages 12 and older.

It has been 10 years since Harold Pinter passed away, for the Jamie Lloyd Company a perfect reason to celebrate this extraordinary man. Last week opened for a six month period of Pinter at the Pinter. All 21 of his one act plays are going to be staged in a course of six months. This is a star-struck season with a fresh new concept bring Pinter’s dark humour and excellent social criticism to a newer and younger crowd while celebrating him for everything we was famous for. Cast includes: Tamsin Greig, Meera Syal, Martin Freeman, Russell Tovey, David Suchet and at certain performances Penelope Wilson. The company was lucky enough to raid his personal belongings and so they produced a fabulous exhibition throughout the whole theatre of private and unseen pictures of Pinter and his work. From 06/09/2018

Following its sold-out run at the Bush Theatre, Arinzé Kene’s acclaimed, “big popular hit” (Evening Standard) MISTY transfers to London’s Trafalgar Studios for six weeks only.

In a playful, profound and unique take on modern life in London, Arinzé, known for Girl from the North Country, Lion King and EastEnders delivers a powerhouse performance blending theatre and song, on a constantly shifting stage, with live music. Book it now before it’s too late. 08/09-20/10/2018

This is what we’re excited for in September. Stay tuned for more in October or if you can’t wait, call us to get all the info you need and book your tickets with us while you’re at it.

Happy September.

Everyone’s making plans for the summer. Holidays are booked, sunscreens are applied and books are sorted through to be read at the beach.  We’re all waiting for July to be finally here.

Let us show you a great way to pass the time and make your dreams come true.

Not only is June 1^st International Children’s Day; it also marks the start of Aladdin’s No Booking Fee period. So, come along for the ride.

Throughout the whole of June, you can watch Aladdin’s epic tales of friendship, bravery and love from as little as £25 pp. Who says you can’t go see it twice? It makes a great gift for the youngsters, a last spurt to give it their all before summer rolls around.

The adults enjoy the magical moments, woven into colourful costumes and the secure knowledge that magic does exist. Dream yourself way to warm Arabian Nights, walk the streets of Argrabar with Aladdin and his friends.

Watch Jasmine and Aladdin overcome it all to find each other. Dance with the Genie and discover the depths of the magical cave.

Plus with our great prices you can see it way before everyone else does over the summer holidays. You’d be too busy enjoying the sun and telling everyone what a great show it is and what amazing seats you had.

The best thing is; you can book already for June. Seats and prices are subject to availability, but with 30 days ahead of you, everyone will find their perfect time to see this magical tale.

Book now on our website to join in on this colourful magical spectacle of Arabian nights and so you can finally say; #MyWishWasGranted.

It is March. Spring is almost here. You can see it, feel it and smell it. This year that means Easter is just around the corner. We want to share with you our hidden gems in this year’s Easter basket. Here are our top picks to see over the Easter Holiday period:
The Best Man: Two opposing presidential party candidates are neck and neck in an unscrupulous battle for the nomination. The only thing that separates the ex-Secretary of State and his populist opponent is an endorsement from a respected ex-President. But where does compromise end and corruption begin? And who in the end will be proved to be ‘the best man’?
One of the UK’s best loved actors, Martin Shaw leads a star-studded cast.

For all you dance romance fans out there, if you liked Dirty Dancing, you’ll love Strictly Ballroom; a spirited place of hot-blooded passion, hard-won dreams and vibrant self-expression. Based on Baz Luhrmann’s legendary movie Strictly Ballroom, the soul-stirring musical stars the popular newcomer Jonny Labey (Winner ITV’s Dance Dance Dance) and Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins) as the star-crossed, dance-crazed lovers Scott and Fran. When maverick championship ballroom dancer Scott defies all the rules of competition to follow his heart, he teams up with left-footed partner Fran to win the Pan Pacifics his way. The musical features the film’s classic break-into-song numbers such as Love is in the Air, Perhaps Perhaps Perhaps and Time After Time alongside electrifying new songs.

For you fun lovers out there; Ruthless! Is back. Some people will do anything to get their chance at the spotlight. Tina Demark is dying, or killing rather, to be in her school play. Will a star be born or will everything go wrong? A cult classic that pokes fun at Broadway musicals like Gypsy and Fame, Ruthless! Has been winning awards and catching the attention of audiences since the 90s. This wickedly funny musical is coming to London’s Arts Theatre for a strictly limited 14 week run starting March 16th. Age: 10+

A bit more drama to the West End will add the return of Chicago to the Phoenix theatre. This classic will show up with polished moves and revamped style, following male lead CUBA GOODING JR. into a flapping and scandalous season in the West End. Not only will it be here in time for Easter, Chicago will also celebrate its 21st Birthday this year.

Or try QUIZ; THE COUGHING MAJOR MILLIONAIRE SCANDAL
For the real chill drama, there’s always Quiz. Following a sold out run at Chichester Festival Theatre, QUIZ – the sensational new comedy from James Graham (This House, Ink, Labour of Love) – transfers to the West End for a limited 12-week run at the Noël Coward Theatre.
A provocative re-examination of the case against Charles Ingram, the ‘coughing Major’, for cheating on Who Wants to Be a Millionaire?, QUIZ ‘highlights the dangerous blending of entertainment, politics and justice today.’ (Sunday Times).

QUIZ is a fictional imagination based on real events which took place in 2001 following an episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? It is not in any way connected with the makers of the programme or any of the individuals portrayed.QUIZ is a fictional imagination based on real events which took place in 2001 following an episode of Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? It is not in any way connected with the makers of the programme or any of the individuals portrayed.

Our two sure fire crackers this Easter are:
The Play that Goes Wrong
Is stumbling into its 4th disastrous year. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society has decided to perform a murder mystery play. However, it soon becomes apparent that the cast are incredibly hopeless as mishap follows mishap. The only thing being murdered here is the play they are valiantly trying to stage. Everything that can go wrong, as the title of the comedy suggests, does go wrong. The show has been a resounding success wherever it as played and has left audiences in helpless fits of laughter.

Or their other gem;
The Comedy about a Bank Robbery
From the creators of The Play That Goes Wrong comes The Comedy about a Bank Robbery, a new West End comedy about one enormous diamond, eight incompetent crooks and a snoozing security guard. What could possibly go right?

Also, don’t forget our monthly giveaway. Just check our social media for updates and more info on those.

www.facebook.com/TheatreBookingsUK
 @TheatreBookings

Happy Easter Egg Hunting.

January is done and Valentine’s Day is upon us. For all you big planners out there who have counted all their eggs already, kudos to you. Anyone else who likes to live a bit more adventurous, we have a last minute list of shows you could surprise your better half with this Valentine’s.

Oldies but Goldies,

The phantom of the opera is one of the classics and does fit with it’s dramatic story and concept of undying love beautifully into your loved up day. It recently celebrated it’s 31^st Birthday in the West End and has still not lost any of it’s charm, beauty and magic. The story is concerned with the entwined fortunes of an opera company and a ghostly phantom that haunts the show – seemingly determined to rid the production of its leading soprano and to supplant her with talented chorus girl Christine Daae.

Christine could become a star in her own right if she had the right training. Now she is actually being tutored by the Phantom who has fallen in love with her, only to see her old childhood sweetheart, Raoul, arrive on the scene and capture her heart.

Les Miserables is the second longest running play in the West End and with good reason. It cleverly weaves several interlocking stories and yet at the defining centre is the tale of Jean Valjean (prisoner 24601), the reformed criminal, previously convicted and sentenced for 19 years for stealing a loaf of bread.

This stunning musical is set against the June Rebellion of the 1830’s and the Student Uprising in Paris. The absolute poverty and deplorable conditions suffered by the citizens of the city are witnessed through the eyes of such desperate souls as Fantine and of course Valjean, who is embarked on a heroic struggle for redemption and also to evade capture after he breaks the conditions of his parole.

If you want to dance the night away to upbeat music, so come and meet those dancing feet on 42^nd Street.

Young Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the bus from small-town America and just another face in the chorus line on Broadway’s newest show. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy might just have the shot at stardom she’s always dreamed of…

Would you like to woo the love of your life with a play, these are a sure hit;

Lady Windermere’s Fan, is the second in the Vaudeville’s Oscar Wilde season. This romantic comedy is the perfect treat for Valentine’s, a great story and a cast to boost. A strictly limited run. You gave me this fan today; it was your birthday present. If that woman crosses my threshold, I shall strike her across the face with it.’ The day of Lady Windermere’s birthday party, and all is perfectly in order. Until her friend Lord Darlington plants a seed of suspicion. Is her husband having an affair? And will the other woman really attend the party?

A classic, with a second run now in the West End. Girl From The North Country is set in 1934, and, in the midst of the Great Depression, a Duluth, Minnesota family sits on a knife edge, their future indeterminate. Lost and lonely people drift through the rooms of their guesthouse, as the future of the community teeters on a knife-edge. The owner of the guesthouse, Nick, owes more money than he can ever repay, his wife Elizabeth is losing her mind and their daughter Marianne is carrying a child no-one will account for. And, when a preacher selling bibles and a boxer looking for a comeback show up in the middle of the night, things start to spiral beyond the point of no return… But Nick thinks he’s seen a way out.

If you want to cry laughing, then we have this one for you; The Play that Goes Wrong. Now in it’s 4^th disastrous year. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society has decided to perform a murder mystery play. However, it soon becomes apparent that the cast are incredibly hopeless as mishap follows mishap. The only thing being murdered here is the play they are valiantly trying to stage.

Everything that can go wrong, as the title of the comedy suggests, does go wrong. The show has been a resounding success wherever it as played and has left audiences in helpless fits of laughter.

We hope this gives you some ideas on what to do on that special night. These are our picks and there’s more where they came from. We can offer tickets to all major West End shows. So have a browse and if you’d like to talk to us in person, feel free to call us on 02070872920. Monday to Saturday. 10.00-19.00.

Happy Valentine’s Day.

2018 has just started and we’re already in for a treat. After the holidays with all its glorious food and family traditions, granny snoring softly on the sofa and Uncle Kyle telling us what exactly is wrong with the world, the tube and our mum’s bread sauce. We’re finally ready to embrace the New Year.
Just like a family reunion at Christmas, this year will bring us back some gems into the west end, we’ve missed dearly.

First off is CHICAGO! That baby’s turning 21 this year and what a better way to celebrate this with a revival in the West End. The host this time is the Phoenix Theatre right in the heart of the West End. Pre-sales are already on and we cannot wait for it to start.

After they dug their toes into Australia’s sandy beaches and got an eyeful of the beauty of Canada BAT OUT OF HELL is coming back to London. This Meatloaf and John Steinbeck love-child was years in the making and is now ready for its second run in the West End. This time, the Dominion Theatre will provide the perfect backdrop for this dark, fast paced Rock’n’Roll homage.

And like every family party, they all brought their better halves. If 2017 was the year of the plays, 2018 will carry on with this dynamic legacy.
Harold Pinter’s’ Birthday Party is going first and opening 9th Jan at the Harold Pinter Theatre. A star struck cast will help us transition into the New Year and it is going to be a blast. The setting of a rundown seaside boarding-house, a little birthday party is turned into a nightmare on the unexpected arrival of two sinister strangers. The play has been classified as a comedy of menace, characterised by Pinteresque elements such as ambiguous identity, confusions of time and place, and dark political symbolism.

The Vaudville is going straight on with its third play in their Oscar Wilde year, Lady Windermere’s Fan is opening on Friday (12th Jan) with a spectacular cast and just in time to beat that winter blues with some well-crafted dialogue and mean pointers. The story concerns Lady Windermere, who suspects that her husband is having an affair with another woman. She confronts him with it but although he denies it, he invites the other woman, Mrs Erlynne, to his wife’s birthday ball. Angered by her husband’s supposed unfaithfulness, Lady Windermere decides to leave her husband for another lover. After discovering what has transpired, Mrs Erlynne follows Lady Windermere and attempts to persuade her to return to her husband and in the course of this, Mrs Erlynne is discovered in a compromising position. The best-known line of the play sums up the central theme:
We are all in the gutter, but some of us are looking at the stars.
— Lord Darlington

Juliette Stevenson and Lia Williams are both back in the West End with another classic. After a sold out run at the Almeida, they are on for a limited run in the West End at the Duke of York’s Theatre. Mary Stuart by Friedrich Schiller, next to Goethe the most influential writer of the Weimar classicism, is bound to make our winter months unforgettable. Imagining the meeting of Queen Elizabeth I and Mary Queen of Scots during her imprisonment in the Tower. Watch those two powerful women circle each other in a tug of war that hasn’t yet met its match. Juliette Stevenson and Lia Williams are going to be spell bounding.

We’re in for a treat this year and this is just the beginning.
So go on, call us or check our website for more info on tickets.

Happy January.

Autumn’s here and sometimes there are grey days not even crisp colourful leaves or hot chocolates can save. For those days, we have here a perfect Mix&Match list to get some sparkle back into your life.

#1
on our list, of course WICKED. Not only our October giveaway prize, but also something magical and so spectacular that it’s always the perfect time to be WICKED, ahm see WICKED of course.

Based on the best-selling book by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is the extraordinary musical performed at the Apollo Victoria Theatre that focuses on the plight of one blond, popular girl and a green-faced brunette who are feted to become the most celebrated witches in history.
In this remarkable fantasy world of wizards and witches the audience will be spell-bound by this unique tale of friendship. Our two magical girls are about to attend Shiz University where they will make choices that we see them fulfil separate futures. Only then will you suddenly realise that you know only a part of the story of Oz.

#2
Has to be ANNIE. Not only are the kids fantastic, but the part of Miss Hannigan will soon be played by Actor and comedian Meera Syal who takes control of the orphanage from 27 November, just in time for Christmas!
Set in 1930s New York during The Great Depression, brave young Annie is forced to live a life of misery and torment at Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Her luck changes when she is chosen to spend Christmas at the residence of famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Meanwhile, spiteful Miss Hannigan has other ideas and hatches a plan to spoil Annie’s search for her true family… With a much-loved score including the classics. It’s A Hard Knock Life, Tomorrow and Easy Street, Annie will charm and delight audiences of all ages.

#3
Just fresh out with previews starting this Thursday (26/10/2017)
GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS is not to be missed. Christian Slater leads a killer ensemble cast in the return of David Mamet’s cult classic play Glengarry Glen Ross, which sees a team of cut-throat real estate agents strive to close sales – by any means necessary. Pitched in a high-stakes competition against each other, four increasingly desperate employees will do anything, legal or otherwise, to shift the property. As time and luck start to run out, the mantra is simple: close the deal and you’ve won a Cadillac; blow the lead and… The trailblazing modern classic, directed by Sam Yates, runs at the Playhouse Theatre for a strictly limited 14-week West End season.

#4
OSLO this beauty transferred from the National to the West End and is playing their season at the Harold Pinter theatre.
In 1993, with the eyes of the world watching and the global press gathered for a momentous occasion, the leaders of Israel and Palestine shook hands on the lawn of the White House. But few observers could have known that the negotiations leading up to this iconic moment started secretly in a castle in the middle of a forest outside Oslo. This political thriller shows how one young Norwegian couple, arranged and orchestrated high-level meetings between the State of Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organisation, ultimately culminating in the historic signing of the 1993 Oslo Accords.

#5
VENUS IN FUR is about to set new standards in theatre and at home at the Royal Haymarket Theatre for its limited season. Natalie Dormer and David Oakes star in the West End premiere of David Ives’ critically acclaimed Broadway smash hit, VENUS IN FUR. Enigmatic actress Vanda Jordan appears unannounced for an audition with director Thomas Novachek. She’s determined to land the leading role in his new production – despite seeming wrong for the part. Over one evening in downtown Manhattan their charged meeting becomes a seductive dance to the end. Directed by Patrick Marber, VENUS IN FUR is an intoxicating dark comedy of desire, fantasy and the innate love of fur.

#6
BIG FISH is going to be a hit. The latest coup from The Other Palace theatre this musical will also be your winter favourite. What is it to really know your own father? Meet Edward Bloom, an ordinary man, and an extraordinary father. He has always told his son tall tales filled with beauty, love and imagination but when his son confronts him about what is truth and what is fiction, they go on a life-affirming journey that will change them forever. This gem is bursting with heart and humanity, Big Fish The Musical will leave you holding on to your family and friends just that little bit tighter.

#7
School of Rock. Already a classic and the perfect half term treat. Based on the iconic, hit movie, this irresistible new musical follows Dewey Finn, a failed, wannabe rock star who decides to earn an extra bit of cash by posing as a substitute teacher at a prestigious prep school. There he turns a class of straight–A pupils into a guitar-shredding, bass-slapping, mind-blowing rock band. But can he get them to the Battle of the Bands without their parents and the school’s headmistress finding out? SCHOOL Of ROCK is a musical treat for all ages. So please, bring your air guitar and unleash your inner rock god!

#8
The sassiest of them all. KINKY BOOTS is now in its third year in the West End and still rocking it. Kinky Boots takes you from a gentlemen’s shoe factory in Northampton to the glamorous catwalks of Milan. Charlie Price is struggling to live up to his father’s expectations and continue the family business of Price & Son. With the factory’s future hanging in the balance, help arrives in the unlikely but spectacular form of Lola, a fabulous performer in need of some sturdy new stilettos.

#9
For all those MOTOWN fans out there, this is for you. Can’t decide if The Supremes are better than The Marvelettes or if Smoky Robinson is your Marvin Gaye, than this musical is for you. The Musical brings its tale of Motown founder Berry Gordy and the acts he discovered to the Shaftesbury Theatre. The Broadway hit charts the story of how Gordy, with just $800 borrowed from his family, goes from featherweight boxer to heavyweight music mogul, discovering and launching the careers of artists including Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Smokey Robinson and Marvin Gaye. Uncovering the true story of the legendary record label that changed music history and created the soundtrack of a generation, Motown The Musical features a score of 50 Motown tracks including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The Name Of Love, My Girl, I Heard It Through The Grapevine and For Once In My Life.

#10
This is our hidden gem, opening in November it’s the perfect thing for those grey days. This coming-of-age musical is a modern day fairy-tale based on the true story of a 16 year-old with a secret to tell – and dreams to realise. Everybody’s Talking About Jamie tells the tale of Jamie New: sixteen, not quite fitting in on a council estate in Sheffield – but with a bit of help, supported by his brilliant loving mum and surrounded by his friends, Jamie overcomes prejudice, beats the bullies, and steps out of the darkness into the spotlight to become a sensation, in a fearless, funny, fabulous brand new musical sensation.

Nothing on the list you liked? Not a problem, we have more shows and plays we can offer. Just browse the website or ring us on 02070872920. You can chat with us on Facebook or Twitter to connect with us and other customers to find your perfect show this autumn.
Happy Halloween and we see you for the Christmas season.

We know summer’s the perfect time to get everyone together and enjoy a fantastic show in the West End. Though what is there to see?

Have you ever looked a bit further than Matilda, The Lion King or Aladdin? If not, we have the perfect guide for you to explore the many show London West End has to offer. This will bring a smile to your face and  make your kids happy.

This is our list of fabulous summer treats for the whole family. WARNING! Spontaneous outbursts of joy and laughter might happen during reading.

(images: https://www.windinthewillowsthemusical.com/gallery)

LITTLE BEASTS are taking over The Other Palace theatre every Thursday, Friday and Saturday for July and August. The dark and imaginatively comic musical follows a selfish little girl who runs away from home and discovers a magical menagerie filled with animals that used to be children before their naughtiness brought them to untimely ends. When the menagerie’s menacing proprietor tasks her to choose one animal to set free, she must decide which one, if any, has learned its lesson. But things are not what they seem, and is any child truly naughty? Age recommendation 7+ yrs.

(image: www.theotherpalace.co.uk)

WHAT THE LADYBIRD HEARD lands this summer at the Lyric theatre. Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun! Hefty Hugh and Lanky Len have a cunning plan to steal the farmer’s fine prize cow. But they reckon without the tiniest, quietest creature of all: The Ladybird has a plan of her own!

With live music, puppetry, plenty of audience participation and lots of laughs! A glittering treat for all the family. Recommended 3+ yrs.

(images: Twitter @LiveLadybird)

The Garrick theatre has two fabulous show on this summer. Gangsta Granny and Horrible Histories.  Both promise heaps of delicious fun for all ages.

GANGSTA GRANNY

Ben is bored beyond belief after he is made to stay at his grandma’s house. She’s the boringest grandma ever: all she wants to do is play Scrabble and eat cabbage soup. But there are two things Ben doesn’t know about his grandma.

1) She was once an international jewel thief.
2) All her life, she has been plotting to steal the Crown Jewels, and now she needs Ben’s help…

(images: google)

HORRIBLE HISTORIES : BARMY BRITAIN TWO

So it’s time to prepare yourselves for Horrible Histories live on stage with the all-new production of BARMY BRITAIN – PART TWO!

Can you beat battling Boudicca? Has William Wallace met his match? Can evil Elizabeth entertain England? Will King Charles keep his head? Would you stand and deliver to dastardly Dick Turpin? Escape the clutches of Burke and Hare and move to the groove with party Queen Victoria! Don’t miss this horrible history of Britain with the nasty bits left in!

After the sell-out success of Barmy Britain comes the return of BARMY BRITAIN – PART TWO for a special summer season!

Running time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Recommended age 6 to 106!

(images: google)

And for more grown-up kids, there are;

DISCO PIGS

Marking the 20th anniversary of its explosive British debut, Enda Walsh’s Disco Pigs comes to Trafalgar Studios starring Evanna Lynch and Colin Campbell. Born at the same time on the same day in the same hospital, Pig and Runt have been inseparable ever since. They speak in their own language, play by their own rules, and create a world for themselves in which boundaries blur between truth and illusion. Until, on their seventeenth birthday, they discover something more. As night falls, and the disco and drink take hold, they spiral violently out of control. As we follow these two extraordinary teenagers through the streets of Cork City, drinking and dancing their way into the night, we witness with startling clarity how the nature of friendship can be changed forever.

IMPORTANT INFO: stroking lights during the show. Age recommendation 14+yrs.

(image: google)

OUR LADIES OF PERPETUAL SUCCOUR

Its story takes us to Edinburgh and it is set over the course of one day. We are introduced to a group of six Catholic girls whose world has so far been confined to a small Scottish town. Now they find themselves in a large city and they go through all of the emotions that life can throw at them. It is a coming of age story about friendship that has captured imaginations and left audience members with smiles on their faces.

Along the way there are also musical numbers, many of which from the back catalogue of Electric Light Orchestra, but also pieces by Mendelssohn, Bach and Bob Marley.

IMPORTANT INFO: rude language, flashing lights, pyrotechnics, sexual references, excessive drinking, and extensive use of the smoke machine.

(images: google)

HALF A SIXPENCE

A fresh new perspective for an old classic. At the beginning of Half A Sixpence Arthur Kipps is an orphan who works a draining job and by the end of it he has been through many ups and downs as he is granted a major change that brings some big decisions.

An inheritance grants him a huge windfall and this new wealth brings him into contact with Helen Walsingham, who is providing him with a new look, whilst someone from his old life, Anna Pornick looks on.

A beautiful production and charming coming of age story who casts its magic over audience and cast alike. Not to be missed as it closes its doors September 2^nd.  Age recommendation: 8+ yrs (images: google)

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN

Another smash hit at the Garrick theatre this year. YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN is opening its doors at the beginning of September. The story introduces us to New York City-dweller Frederick Frankenstein, a man often annoyed at people asking about his more famous grandfather Victor Von Frankenstein. But whilst he tries to escape this aspect of his family’s legacy he soon finds his life turned around by it as he inherits his grandfather’s Transylvania property and heads out to Europe to investigate. Soon he realises that he has a bigger passion for his grandfather’s work than he ever realised!

The parody horror musical also contains some memorable songs that range from He’s Loose to Transylvania Mania, which are certain to bring the house down.

Age recommendation: 16+ yrs.

(image: google)

Classic summer shows are also always a hit. Take THE LION KING, the story of Simba and his friends. Who overcome all obsticales to make him the true ruler of the jungle. Age recommendation: 3+ yrs.ALADDIN. The story of  love, friendship and a flying carpet. Agrabar is now in the heart of the West End. Beautiful songs, full of colours and a genius Genie. A recipe for success.  Age recommendation: 3+yrs.

Both Disney productions enchant thousands of theatre goers every year around the globe.

As well as ANNIE. Miranda Hart stars as Ms Hannigan in the new production until September 17^th.  Annie with the heart of gold who in search for her lost parents encounters friendship and a new parent in a cold-hearted billionaire.

Age recommendation: 5+ yrs.

WICKED got two new witches this summer and it is still a joy to see. The two witches from The Wizard of Oz. In Wicked, we learn how these two characters came to be. One of them is Glinda, a beautiful and popular girl with high ambitions, whilst the other is Elphaba – cursed with pearl green skin, shunned by her classmates and full of intelligence. Pretty soon their relationship develops into a bitter playground rivalry, one that will mirror the battle between the two later in their lives as they both grow up to become figures we recognise from Dorothy’s adventure – Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch of the West.  Age recommendation: 7+, under 5 year-olds will not be permitted.

MATILDA tells the story of the title character – a girl that has been bestowed with extraordinary intellect from an early age. Having read all of the books in her house before the age of 5 she proceeds to the local library and reads all the children’s books there, before moving on to school where her intellect continues to give her advantages and disadvantages. Then she happens upon another gift – psychokinetic powers – which she is able to use to punish all of those that deserve it.  Age recommendation: 6+yrs. Under 6 year-olds will not be permitted.

You can book really easy with on our website or by calling us on 02070872920 (10.00am-7.00pm). Why not try our new ‘book now’ feature button on our facebook page. www.facebook.com/theatrebookings.com