2012 is a special year for the United Kingdom and theatre breaks, not just because of the London 2012 Olympic Games, but also because it’s the The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee year as well. That means a lot of extra activity and tourism in central London which will have an effect on the West End venues and on Theatre Breaks bookings.  Over twenty shows  have responded by extending booking dates early so that you can book early, right now, for all the popular musicals and plays right through into the 2012 celebration year, which may help a lot of people to combine tourism trips and spectating with theatre breaks in London. First the two main events of the year:

The Queen’s Diamond Jubilee

The Department for Culture, Media and Sports is responsible for coordinating the Government’s role for Her Majesty’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations.

Buckingham Palace will be coordinating the Queen’s programme for the Diamond Jubilee, including the arrangements for the central Jubilee weekend in the first week of June 2012.

For further information about the Diamond Jubilee and the events taking place during 2012, please visit direct.gov.uk/diamondjubilee

The London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic games

Olympic Games 27 July-12 Aug 2012

The London 2012 Olympic Games will feature 26 sports, which break down into 39 disciplines.

Paralympic Games 29 Aug-9 Sept 2012

There are 20 sports in the Paralympic programme for the London 2012 Games. Paralympic Cycling breaks down into two disciplines: Road and Track.

Cultural Olympiad

The London 2012 Cultural Olympiad is the largest cultural celebration in the history of the modern Olympic and Paralympic Movements.

London 2012 Festival

The London 2012 Festival is the finale of the four-year Cultural Olympiad, taking place from 21 June to 9 September 2012.

Complementing the sport events at the Olympic and Paralympic Games, the Festival will be the biggest party the UK has ever seen, with a huge range of events from leading artists from all over the world.

Theatre Breaks

To be honest, nobody really knows exactly what effect all of this is going to have on London theatre breaks during the 2012 celebration year. Obviously there is going to be a high demand for hotel accommodation and London is going to be prominent in the world’s attention.  People who are in London anyway may well wish to visit the West End theatres as part of the whole London experience, and there are certainly plenty of great shows on offer this year. Meanwhile the traditional theatre going public may decide to avoid certain dates in order not to get caught up in the crowds and busier traffic. In order to make the most of the 2012 opportunity presented though, the London theatres as a whole have announced extensions to the booking dates for more than 20 popular shows well in advance, so that those with Olympics tickets or other intentions can book theatre breaks as part of their overall London trip  of a lifetime. The shows which have extended so far are as follows:

Some of the shows announcing 2012 booking dates extensions are the following West End musicals and plays:

We Will Rock You

Wicked

The Wizard of Oz

Billy Elliot the Musical

Blood Brothers

Dreamboats and Petticoats

Jersey Boys

The Phantom of the Opera

Mamma Mia!

Legally Blonde the Musical

Ghost The Musical 

Les Misérables

Shrek The Musical

Disney’s The Lion King

Million Dollar Quartet 

The Mousetrap

The 39 Steps

Stomp

Thriller Live

War Horse

The Woman in Black

Rock of Ages 

Matilda The Musical

An occasional list post about current musicals and plays for London theatre breaks.  With a few shows closing at the end of October or in November the list of what’s on for December theatre breaks in the West End should look like this:

Musicals for Theatre Breaks

• We Will Rock You
• Jersey Boys
• Oliver!
• Flashdance
• Wicked
• Love Story
• Blood Brothers
• Dirty Dancing
• Love Never Dies
• Mamma Mia
• Billy Elliot
• Phantom of the Opera
• Lion King
• Les Miserables
• Priscilla Queen of the Desert
• Thriller Live
• Grease
• Chicago
• Stomp
• Legally Blonde

Plays and Other Theatre Breaks

• The Mousetrap
• War Horse
• Deathtrap
• An Ideal Husband
• Ghost Stories
• Yes Prime Minister
• Birdsong
• Onassis
• The 39 Steps

Theatre breaks in London are an excellent way of having a short holiday in the capital. You can combine a show with sight-seeing and a little shopping and turn a couple of days into a real mini-break.

When you are choosing your main show you need to decide whether you want to see a musical, a play or even an opera or ballet. There is lots of choice in the West End and you can be sure of finding something just right for you.

Choose Your Show

Many people have no clear idea of which show they want to see and are more fixed on what is available for their chosen dates. That’s a perfectly good starting point and most of the theatre breaks companies will let you search their site by date not just by show. If you are still not sure what you fancy then this is a brief guide:

If you like the classics then go for Les Miserables, Phantom of the Opera, Oliver! or Love Never Dies, which is the sequel to Phantom.

If you prefer something lighter then try Mamma Mia, Hairspray or the unexpected hit of the moment Legally Blonde.

Those of you who like a bit more rock in your musicals might enjoy We Will Rock You, Jersey Boys or maybe Grease.

Finally if you want something a little more steamy there are Dirty Dancing and Chicago.

There are usually at least twenty big shows on offer in the West End so there should be something for everyone.

One Night or Two

Once you have chosen your show and hotel you will often see that it is easy and very reasonably priced to add an extra night. This is a great idea if your budget can run to it as it lifts your theatre break from a quick trip into a mini-holiday . It opens lots of opportunities for other things to do in London.

I’ve included a few ideas for what to do with the extra time:

See more shows

theatre breaks in London

If you have only got a limited time in London and you are a big theatre fan you might even want to see more than one show. The best way to do this is to book your main show as part of your theatre break package, see the show on your first night and then the following morning pop down to Leicester Square and look for the official discount ticket booth. You want the official one in the middle of the square.

There are others but that is where you get the best deal. They have a large digital display of all the discount tickets available for that day and if you are early enough you can often get a real bargain, especially for weekday matinees. I usually like to book a blockbuster musical as my main show and see either a comedy or a serious play on the following afternoon. Try to choose something you would happily pay full price for and then you will really feel you have got a bargain. There are often tickets for Blood Brothers or 39 Steps matinees at good prices and these are both excellent shows.

Sightseeing

You might want to cram in a little sightseeing in London and that can be quite hard work. London is a busy working city and quite spread out to get around on foot. Luckily there are several other ways of seeing the sites. My favorite way of seeing London is a river cruise but open top bus trips are good fun too. If you are feeling adventurous you can even try the Duck which is an amphibious truck that combines both a road and river trip. You can book bus trips, river trips and even the Duck at the same time as you book your theatre breaks package and usually get quite a good discount.

Other Attractions

• The Southbank including the National Theatre
• London’s famous street  Markets
• Dennis Severs House
• 21 top attractions to add to theatre breaks in London

Billy Elliot London

Billy Elliot London

Billy Elliot the musical started in London in 2005 at the Victoria Palace Theatre. It was based on the 2000 film Billy Elliot with a book by Lee Hall (who wrote the original screen play) and music by Sir Elton John. The film was a hard act to follow. Everyone remembered Julie Walters as the ballet teacher and Gary Lewis as Billy’s coal mining father and it was tricky to see how Billy could ever become a musical. Despite any worries the show was an instant hit with both the public and the critics and it has remained so ever since.

The Story of Billy and of the Miners Strike

Billy Elliot is a young boy who develops a passion for ballet growing up in County Durham in the early 1980s at the time of the miners’ strike. It’s quite strange to see a time I vividly remember portrayed on the stage and they do play slightly with the chronology of events. You really don’t need to know the history of the miners strike to appreciate the show. Your emotions and sympathies are guided through the passage of the story and in some ways knowing too much about the real events of the time can get in the way.

It is interesting to note that two of the best loved musicals on in London at the moment both have their origins in Northern working class sensibilities (Billy and Blood Brothers). Both shows focus on the warmth and humour of the North but neither shies away from some fairly grim aspects. The musical show tells the human story of Billy and his family with great compassion and clarity. I’m not going to go into the plot in great depth here as there may be some people (from Mars?) who don’t already know the story. suffice it to say the story is moving and entertaining.

The Music

The music is stunning. Elton John was definitely on top form when he wrote this and it’s really hard to pick out one or two numbers to share with you. So I decided to go for this medley to give you a flavour of the show:

The Billys

The role of Billy Elliot is hugely demanding of young actors. Billy has to be between 9 and 13 years old, 5′ or less, a terrific dancer and have a beautiful unbroken voice. To find one boy like that would not be easy but the role is actually shared between at least 3 or 4 Billy Elliots. This allows the boys to work within the UK legislation regarding child actors. Whilst there are several children in West End shows at the moment few carry the weight of the show in the same way that the child who plays Billy must.

Typically the boys who have play Billy are aged around 12 and have usually been dancing for at least 3 years before auditioning for the show. Often they will have studied ballet, tap, jazz and contemporary dance, competed in several competitions before they eventually audition for Billy Elliot London. Auditions for the show go on continuously and successful applicants move to London live in Billy Elliot House. There they continue with their normal school studies in addition to working on their singing and dancing.

Hotels for Billy Elliot

Billy is not in the main area of the West End but in Victoria, near to the Apollo (Wicked). You can either decide you want to stay somewhere closer to the shops or look for a hotel that’s handy for the theatre. I’m quite fond of the area round Victoria so I’d probably opt for a hotel near the theatre if it was just overnight. There are lots of nice little places to eat, there’s St James’s Park if you fancy a walk, you are not far from the river and Tate Britain if you feel like some art. Actually the restaurant in Tate Britain is lovely for lunch, a little pricey but very pleasant! Victoria is also very convenient for public transport and at weekends buses provide a surprisingly good way of getting round the city. I’m not a huge fan of the tube and London buses do give a chance to see where you are going!

My first choice would be the 4* Crown Palace London St James. It’s a lovely hotel, usually offers a full English breakfast in with the price and is handy both for the theatre and for St James’s Park. It’s less that 1/4 of a mile from the theatre and offers a bit of surprisingly affordable luxury. Keep in mind that a more central 3* hotel could end up costing more per person and often does not include a substantial English breakfast.

Seats at Billy Elliot London

When you book with some agencies they will give you quite a wide range of seating options. It is often the case that you get what you pay for with these deals, lowest cost seats will be further away from the action. Having said that it would be very unusual for the theatre break package companies to offer tickets with a restricted view without telling you in advance. Other agencies offer a choice of top seats ( in the stalls or dress circle) or best available seats (stalls, dress circle, or upper circle). The upper circle is known as the grand circle in the Victoria Palace Theatre.

The Victoria Palace is an old theatre and my recommended seats are undoubtedly those in the middle of the stalls as they offer the most leg room, a good view and good value for money.

So there you go, a quick guide to Billy Elliot, London, an ever popular choice for theatre breaks. You can click through to read more about Billy Elliot London

West End Live

West End Live is an annual event usually held in Leicester Square towards the end of June. Most of the big musicals take part and extracts are performed live on a stage in the Square. The whole event is free and, although it can get very busy, well worth a visit. If you are in London for a theatre break anyway it’s a great way to add even more excitement to your trip.

WEST END LIVE 2009

When- Sat 20th June, 11am to 6pm and Sunday 21st June 12 noon to 6pm

Where – Leicester Square

This summer as usual some of the biggest shows on in the West End and Off will be taking part in the free entertainment.

You can expect to see performances from all these shows, plus some surprises.

• Wicked,
• We Will Rock You,
• Thriller LIVE,
• Stomp,
• Sister Act,
• Priscilla Queen Of The Desert,
• Oliver!,
• La Cage Aux Folles,
• Jersey Boys,
• Hairspray,
• Dirty Dancing,
• Carousel
• Avenue Q.

Now in its 5th year West End LIVE offers world class free entertainment. There will be lots of cool activities, stalls and freebies. The event is expected to be attended by 150,000 people.

I’ll add a running order as soon as it’s available.

When you are planning a theatre break often the safest option is to pick a classic show that you know will deliver a good night out.
These are the shows that have been running the longest and have the best established productions. Theatre breaks to these shows are often a little bit easier to get for specific dates (like half-term or during the school holidays). Sometimes these classic shows can also be very good value for theatre breaks as they are not quite as much in demand as new shows like Priscilla or Oliver!

You still get a wide range of shows to choose from, from the more operatic style of show to rock classics. There’s something to suit most tastes and I’m going to make a few suggestions to help you decide.

5 Classic Shows for Theatre Breaks

• Les Miserables – huge, epic score, big cast, amazing almost operatic songs. Les Mis is still going strong after all these years
• Phantom of the Opera – smaller cast, less complex plot, but high production values, great score and another ‘operatic’ show.
• Blood Brothers – another long running show but this one has a very different feel. Willy Russel’s story of a pair of Liverpool brothers and the twists and turns of their lives has a depth that’s kept it amongst the best loved musicals for theatre breaks many years.
• Billy Elliot – another epic story with great ensemble set pieces. Billy is heart-rending but ultimately uplifting.You’ll come out feeling amazing! A perfect choice for theatre breaks.
• We Will Rock You – if you were a Queen fan or even if you weren’t this is the ultimate rock opera. It has all the fun of a rock concert without any of the unpleasantness!

Any of these shows could form the centre piece of a theatre break anyone in the family could enjoy.

In the heart of the West End of London is an area sometimes called ‘Theatreland’. Traditionally it is bordered by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east.
Important streets with theatres include :

• Drury Lane,
• Shaftesbury Avenue,
• The Strand.

The area contains around forty of London’s largest theatres.They tend to show mostly musicals, with a few classics, new plays,and comedy performances.

West End Guide to the Theatres

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Most of the theatres were built in the late nineteenth and early twentieth century. All of them are privately owned.
All of the older theatres have great architectural character and range in style from the grand neo-classical to the very ornate rococo. They usually have luxurious, detailed interior design and decoration, with lots of gold and plush.
Occasionally the older theatres have limited leg room and restricted views from some parts of the theatre. Tickets for these areas are usually sold cheaper and are not usually offered as part of theatre breaks.
Audience facilities such as bars and toilets are often much smaller than in modern theatres.
The buildings are all listed and this can make it hard to make improvements. However several theatres have introduced modern comforts such as air conditioning and new sound systems.

The Largest Theatres in The West End

The largest theatres in the West End seat over 2,000 theatre-goers.

• The Palladium – currently about to show Sister Act – 2286 seats
• The Apollo, Vcctoria – Wicked – 2208
• The Theatre Royal – Oliver!- 2196 seats
• The Dominion – We Will Rock You – 2163 seats
• The Lyceum – Lion King – 2100 seats

I’ll be posting more soon on our West End Guide