Advice for London Theatre (and used CD stores)-- what to see Sept 9-13?

Hi everyone,
I am making my first trip to London in many years and was hoping to get some advice about what to see. I will be arriving on Tues, Sept 9 and leaving on Sat, Sept 13. I have already seen all the shows that have already crossed the Atlantic (The 39 Steps/Mamma Mia!/Wicked/etc) and do not want to spend one of my precious London show slots to see Billy Elliott when I can see it in the US soon. Somewhat bizarrely, The Woman in Black is doing a special series of performances in Japanese at that time, so that’s out as well.

The shows that are left are ones that I am really unfamiliar with, so any advice you can give would be really appreciated!

It sounds like Zorro is well-liked on the boards – do you think I should get tickets ahead of time or do you think I’ll be okay waiting until I get there (maybe at the half-price booth)? Do you think it’s the kind of show where it’s important to try to sit close and see facial expressions? Is it worth full price?

Is Never Forget dumb-but-fun (like Mamma Mia the movie) or just dumb?

Being a “groundling” at the Globe sounds like fun – the three current shows are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Timon of Athens – any thoughts?

And does anyone have any thoughts on Piaf, They’re Playing Our Song, Blood Brothers, Brief Encounter, Rain Man, or Marguerite? Or any other show or performer that one should not miss? I probably won’t be back to London for several years, so I want to make the most of this trip.

Also, I’m staying in the London School of Economics empty dorms on Drury Lane just south of Gt Queen St. I picked the location because it will be convenient to theater, but will it be incredibly noisy? Some street noise is to be expected, but is it a mistake to stay there if I’m not the soundest sleeper?

Thanks for reading this, and thank you for any advice you may have!

---

Updated On: 9/3/08 at 10:58 PM

Marguerite. It's closing soon

---

My Thoughts:

Somewhat bizarrely, The Woman in Black is doing a special series of performances in Japanese at that time, so that’s out as well.

Damn, I was going to recommend you see it anyway. I'll be going on the Friday myself; I'll be interested to see if it's scary in Japanese. :3

It sounds like Zorro is well-liked on the boards – do you think I should get tickets ahead of time or do you think I’ll be okay waiting until I get there (maybe at the half-price booth)? Do you think it’s the kind of show where it’s important to try to sit close and see facial expressions? Is it worth full price?

'Zorro' is tremendous fun. I don't think it really matters if you're close or not, but you do want to avoid sitting with too much of an overhang. I was in row Q of the stalls and wouldn't recommend any further back. It's a smaller stage than you'd expect for such an energetic musical, but they fill the space up and down as well as side to side. And I'd be very surprised if it weren't onsale at TKTS.

Is Never Forget dumb-but-fun (like Mamma Mia the movie) or just dumb?

I've not seen it, but I am VIOLENTLY opposed to it. It has its fans, but I firmly believe it is just dumb dumb dumb.

Being a “groundling” at the Globe sounds like fun – the three current shows are A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Merry Wives of Windsor, and Timon of Athens – any thoughts?

I hate 'Dream' so haven't seen it at the Globe. 'Merry Wives' is rather good fun; they're playing it as "forerunner of the modern sitcom, see how Page is like an Elizabethan Basil Fawlty!", but it's much better than that makes it sound.

'Timon of Athens' is a whole 'nother ballgame; there's a reason you don't see it very often. It's a sortof Lear-lite, but very little happens for the entire play. I mean, Bailey's done her best and has made it about as interesting as she possibly can, with a sortof "birds & dogs" motif running throughout; the men's costumes are to die for, and there are a couple of lines that have really stuck with me ("Thy mother's of my generation; what's she, if I be a dog?"), but the second half can be summed up as "grown man crawls around in his pants, flings poop around". Yes, poop. If that disgusts you, then avoid.

'Merry Wives' is probably your best Globe option, being good, entertaining, inoffensive, and nowhere near as ubiquitous as 'Dream'. Get your ticket sorted early though, preferably online before you go; those 700 £5 tickets go TERRIBLY quickly.

And does anyone have any thoughts on Piaf, They’re Playing Our Song, Blood Brothers, Brief Encounter, Rain Man, or Marguerite? Or any other show or performer that one should not miss? I probably won’t be back to London for several years, so I want to make the most of this trip.

'Piaf' is all sold-out. You could queue for a day ticket, but I wouldn't order you to. In fact, if you are the sort who would happily get up tremendously early in the morning to queue for a day ticket while on holiday, I'd send you across the river to the National Theatre for 'War Horse', which is also all sold-out (for September at least) but ridiculously worth seeing. I really can't recommend 'War Horse' highly enough.

I do love 'Blood Brothers', but I wouldn't advise anyone to see it. I have no interest whatsoever in 'They're Playing Our Song'. 'Brief Encounter' comes HIGHLY recommended, although I'm not seeing it until 14th. XD 'Rain Man' is actually getting a little positive word-of-mouth over at WOS, but I don't know. I'm still not convinced. 'Marguerite' is a tricky one. All the tickets are now £20, and it's wonderful to see an original musical in the West End, but I'm just so absurdly indifferent towards it. I've seen it once, and I just don't care. I mean, some people love it and have seen it upwards of twenty times, so it seems to have something going for it, but... I thought it was good, but just not good enough. :/

My List:

'Zorro'
'Merry Wives of Windsor'
'Brief Encounter'
'War Horse' if you're amenable to getting up very early and queueing for a day seat (which you SHOULD be!)
'Marguerite' if you would like to see an original musical for £20 and don't mind running the risk that you may not love or hate the show

---

Updated On: 9/2/08 at 06:28 AM

I second all recommendations for Zorro. It's great fun, and the dancing and sword fighting is fantastic.

Also, even though you don't want to see anything that has crossed the pond, I do recommend Hairspray. It's a great cast, headed by Michael Ball as Edna. Well worth a visit!

High Holborn on Drury Lane is extremely convenient - and it isnt that noisy really. I came out from my friend's at midnight once and it was well quiet.

---

Thanks again for all the advice! I'm still not sure I completely understand how the discounts work,but it sounds like you guys think lastminute is a reputable company.

On a completely unrelated topic: my other big interest besides theater is music. Any suggestions for any good used CD stores in London (or in Nottingham near the University there, where I'll also be spending a couple of days)?

---

The shop at the National Theatre is good for CDs (though similar stock to Dress Circle) and other theatre related memorabilia.

No idea about the Globe. The Cinema Haymarket may have a stage door or employee entrance, or the actors may just leave through the front doors as it IS a working cinema. Your best bet will be to ask.

I recall the stage door at the National being a bit hard to find, can't help you there, other than to point out that all three of the National's theatres use the same one so be aware that you're as likely to get people from other shows exiting as from War Horse.

I think the Savoy's stage door is also difficult to find from the street, but I've never had a reason to go looking for it.

The Garrick's is the big fugly gate by the main entrance. If you're in the circles, chances are good you'll exit the theatre via that path. The night I went the guy playing Zorro actually came out on his motorcycle thinking he could just leave. Unfortunately for him traffic was bad at the moment and he got MOBBED by fangirls - and this was during previews.

Lastly, just beware that unlike in the US, there are no free Playbills here and you can be expected to hand over £2-£4 per show.

The National stage door is easy. When you go out of the main entrance, turn right and follow the signs for the Cottesloe. Don't go in, just keep going, turn right down the side of the building so your back is to the river, and you'll get to it. If you turn left out of the main entrance, then it's a little bit further away, but there are signposts, which amuses me. XD

---

'Cheapo Cheapo Records' on Rupert Street has used CDs but these days not too many. Back in the 80s and 90s you would find almost every LP of every show in this little shop opposite Rupert St Bar and the stage door of the Gielgud Theatre. The DVD collection is pretty good too! They have the rudest shop staff in London- I've have had 100s of slagging matches with them in there! You'll need to take a shower after being in there too! LOL
Further up Rupert Street you then get to Berwick Street that has 3 or 4 second hand shops there that deal in LPs and CDs.
Ultimately these days in London, Dress Circle is your best bet- CDs are cheaper there now than they were 7 or 8 years ago.
HMV opposite the Prince Of Wales Theatre has a pretty good selection and some at good prices.
There you guys I've just given away all my daily haunts!

---

Updated On: 9/9/08 at 06:43 AM

I saw Midsummer at the Globe today as a groundling. Word of advice, stand by the stage, as you are partially sheltered from the rain.

I cannot wait to see War Horse! Not sure how to get tickets.

I would also love to see Hamlet with Stewart and Tennant at the RSC.

If you can't pre-book for War Horse, they sell a limited number of day seats (first row stalls and last row circle) and then standing tickets when the box office opens at 9:30-9:45 (forgot which). Be warned that you WILL need to queue early as a big hit or celebrity means everybody comes crawling out of the woodwork for tickets. If you get there by 8:30 you have a pretty good chance but 8AM is *usually* a certain thing.

Ahhh, Michael Morpurgo. :3 He's not exactly a JK Rowling, he's more subversive. He's written well over 100 books, he's a firm fixture in classrooms, bookshops, and literature festivals, but he keeps himself to himself and is a recognisable name but nowhere near a celebrity (although he's not anywhere near as beautifully retiring as Allan Ahlberg, who writes for a younger age group, but is all the things I said about Morpurgo to the power of at least fifteen). It's highly feasible for British children to read at least three Morpurgo books in their lifetime and not notice they've done it.

He should be a household name, and probably is in the houses of families who read, but if you went into the street and said "Michael Morpurgo?", I wouldn't necessarily expect an instant reaction. He doesn't seem to have famous individual books; I expect 'War Horse' may well now be one of his most famous, because of the play, and if school children are reading it, it's because they've heard about or are going to see the play. Or are studying WWI. Although while the play is faithful to the spirit of the book, it takes great narrative liberties. I like the play better, because I enjoy puppets and don't so much enjoy novels told from the point of view of an animal.

Put it this way: I'm a big reader and I worked in a bookshop for a few years. I've known the name of Michael Morpurgo for years and years and years, but I can only say for certain that I've read three of his books ('War Horse', 'Alone on a Wide Wide Sea' which is SUPERB, and 'The Ghost of Grania O'Malley'). He writes for the 9-12 age range, and doesn't seem to attract as much of an audience as he should outside that age bracket (unlike your Rowlings and Pullmans). He's well awarded though, and big in schools.

As for your superficial differences, I'm not surprised by them. I don't think it's that theatre-goers dress up more in the West End so much as theatre-goers dress down more on Broadway. And I'm not at all surprised if National audiences dress up more than the rest of the West End generally.

I'm ever so glad you had a good time. It's almost like we were useful!

---