With London theatres gearing up to reopen from the 17th May, I’ve been thinking about which shows I’m most excited to book a seat for.
I was luckier than many last year with my theatre ventures. In the middle of the shutdown, I managed to see The Last Five Years at the Southwark Playhouse. That’s one more show than most people can say. On the other hand, I had my Les Miserables concert tickets cancelled in January. You win some, you lose some!
Some of the shows that made this list were open pre-pandemic but I didn’t have the chance to see them before the shutdown.
AMELIE
They say times are hard for dreamers but they’re not for Amelie! Following a critically acclaimed sold out tour, Amelie has finally landed in the West End. I saw this show on Broadway but have had word that this is quite a different production. Part of me is happy to hear this as the Broadway production was slightly underwhelming. But with the rave reviews the UK Tour received, I can’t wait to get my bum on a seat in this theatre!
Opening 20th May 2021 at the Criterion Theatre.
BACK TO THE FUTURE
Be transported back in time with this adaptation of the iconic 1985 film Back To The Future! When Marty McFly accidentally uses Doc’s time machine to go back to the 1950s, he accidentally changes the course of history. It becomes a race to set things right again before sending himself back to the future. I’m especially excited to see how they do the time machine on stage, and have only heard wonderful things about this aspect from it’s run in Manchester.
Opening 20th August 2021 at the Adelphi Theatre.
PRINCE OF EGYPT
We’ve had the cast recording to get us through the shutdown, but it will be nice to see this show reopen after such a long period of closure. I’ve heard some great things about the spectacle of this show. I can’t wait to experience the breathtaking choreography and set designs with my own eyes.
Re-opening 1st July 2021 at the Dominion Theatre.
FROZEN
The cold never bothered me anyway… but further delays to the opening of this show might! The excitement to see Samantha Barks as the ice queen is unreal. We got a glimpse of her Elsa at the Royal Variety Performance last year, and I know I speak for everyone when I say we are ready for the full performance. I have friends who saw this show on Broadway and have said the magic is worth it!
Opening 27th August 2021 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane.
JON & JEN
This announcement only happened the other day, but anything that stars the Olivier Award winner Rachel Tucker has my attention. This two person show is going to be an emotional ride, but I love a good Andrew Lippa score. It’s also just to see something every so often in a more intimate space. I’ve already snagged my tickets for this one to see the first preview performance and I can’t wait.
Opening 28th July 2021 at the Southwark Playhouse.
MOULIN ROUGE
One of my friends is in love with this show. She flew to New York specifically just to see it (and Aaron Tveit). The proudction photos from the Broadway production look absolutely incredible, and it should be a fun time. Really hoping I can snag some table seats for the full experience.
Opening Autumn 2021 at the Piccadilly Theatre.
PRETTY WOMAN
Making the move from their previous home at the Piccadilly Theatre to make room for the incoming Moulin Rouge, you’ll now be able to experience Pretty Woman the musical at the prestigious Savoy Theatre. This is going to be one I wait to see with my mum as she is a huge fan of the classic film. I’m actually glad I waited to see this now as I feel like the Savoy Theatre will be a much more glamours setting for a show set in Beverly Hills.
Re-opening 8th July 2021 at the Savoy Theatre.
CINDERELLA
My desire to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new show is driven more by intrigue over anything else. I haven’t been completely sold by the songs that have been released so far, but I am interested to see what they have done with the story in this adaptation. I have been more inclined to the idea of seeing it since it was announced Rebecca Trehearn would be playing the Queen (as she deserves).
Opening 25th June 2021 at the Gillian Lynne Theatre.
What theatre shows are you excited to say when they are able to re-open? Let me know in the comments!