London in the eighties there is nothing quite like going to London to see a musical, the excitement of that childhood trip I remember well. Early mornings here in Liverpool and the anticipation of the Pullman train journey down to Euston station in London when my father had to go on business.

My mother, sister and I were promised a trip shopping in London coupled with a musical. A sense of anticipation grew as the day went on, arriving at the Cumberland hotel while mother adorned in here fur coat discussed what seats were available for which shows. I guess it was about 1982 and a host of Andrew Lloyd Webber productions were being staged in the West End, Starlight Express, Sunset Boulevard, The Phantom of the Opera coupled with the rock musical Time or Mutiny on the Bounty. How times have changed.

Then little girls wore long dresses and ladies in cocktail dresses whilst the men wore black tie and evening jackets a really sense of occasion and like all young children my sister and I simply loved getting dresses up.

Finally the moment arrived seated in the centre circle waiting for the curtain to raise my sister on my left with mum and dad seated to my right , opera glasses in hand star struck waiting for the orchestra to play that first note. It mattered not which musical or even which theatre just those stage lights and that compelling tune that fills the theatre. On this occasion it happened to Sunset Boulevard and the curtained began to raise.

I knew from the very first time I watched my first musical that I would be a life long theatre goer and would dream of one day performing upon that stage. The music filled my head and my heart and the show began. There is no experience quiet like it and the glamour of the eighties theatre nights were there for everyone too see.

Before you knew where we were it was the interval, as the ladies and gentlemen flowed into the bar there was a silver tray with the name Warwick upon it our order already for us at the bar in the theatre, refreshments for all . Cigarettes and cigars lit the room filled with chatter of the performances while the air filled with the smell of cigars.

Five minutes ten minutes who knows soon we were seated back in our velvet seats again waiting for the final encounter. I will never forget the performance of an aged Hollywood star trying to deal with the end of the silent era a wonderful story moving and yet enlightening. The music seemed timeless and the experience will forever stick in my memory, ever show as memorable as the last ever performance unique.

Finally the audience raised the roof with applause standing clapping endlessness as the performers re-entered the stage to take there curtain call louder and louder the theatre rang with applause. Peering over the centre circle to take one last look at the stage I can remember that feeling a slight tear in my eye produced by happiness and a slight yawn as it was way past my bedtime. A family experience that once taken you would never forget.

As I lay in my bed that night I can remember seeing the lights and hearing the music melodically soothing me to sleep.

When you’re looking for ideas as to what to see in the West End, consider all your options carefully. The fantastic musical “We Will Rock You” at the Dominion features the stirring music of rock group ‘Queen’. Alternatively, if you love a good cliff-hanger, the classic “The 39 Steps” should do the trick.

Meanwhile, if reality TV and the search for stars to appear in ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Grease’ and ‘Joseph’ has whetted your appetite – if so, make sure you secure a ticket for one of these un-missable shows. Or for something a little more traditional, opt for a trip to a stirring opera such as Verdi’s ‘Aida’ or maybe a trip to the ballet in Covent Garden.

The beauty of London’s West End, however, is that so much is packed into such a small area: theatres, hotels, restaurants, pubs, and shops are all conveniently located close together – making it a great place to visit for an action-packed break. Also, many restaurants in the West End offer a special value menu for theatre-goers wishing to eat before attending their selected performance, especially in the area around Leicester Square – so remember to take advantage!

Theatre breaks are not just a summer activity, but can be enjoyed all-year round. Moreover, London’s tumult of activity never ceases, so you’ll be able to see the sights whether you visit in the height of summer or the depths of winter. With many historic attractions, such as Buckingham Palace, Tower of London, Big Ben and the Palace of Westminster, plus far more besides, you will never be stuck for attractions to appreciate. Plus, many of the other marvellous sights of the country’s capital are just a short journey away from the West End, including London’s newly crowned number one tourist attraction – The London Eye.

And no visit to London would be complete without a spot of shopping! Hot-spots such as Oxford Street, Regents Street, Carnaby Street and Knightsbridge are all ripe for a spot of retail therapy. From chain stores to exclusive designer shops you’ll find them all, but remember to get back to your hotel in plenty of time to change for curtain-up!

Perhaps your ideal theatre break involves adding romance to your theatre break with a stay in an intimate boutique hotel in London with your partner, or maybe you just want to plump for a budget hotel. Either way by booking a hotel in the West End you’ll never be far away from the spotlight.

London Theatre Tickets are one of the most resilient of animals having overcome a multitude of challenges to still reign supreme in the world of entertainment. All we had was theatre tickets for years and years then suddenly there are hundreds and thousands of new kids on the block. Movies, TV, the Internet and computer games all vying for the attention of a public who is being pulled this way and that. But still top shows sell out night after night, and this can really be put down to some great writing and amazing new shows that constantly hit the stage each month and year.

London Theatre – Not All Shows Created Equal…

Some of these shows are really special like Wicked and The Lion King which seem to transcend theatre and plant you in a world of magic and wonder! Other shows don’t hit the public imagination at all and are gone with the wind before they even get started.

The best shows for me start off with a small production touring the county and then get bigger and bigger as word of mouth spreads and causes more and more demand. Most of the time a successful show will run for maybe three years then clever producers will end the run when they see that sales are waning a little. Only to reopen a couple of years later when the public have forgotten they were ever getting jaded. OLIVER! is a great example of that.

You sometimes get really a monster hit like ‘Phantom of the Opera’ that runs for many years and show no sign of loosing pace. AND Mousetrap has now been on for a whopping 50 years!

Your first night in the West End will be a shining life long memory if you’re anything like me, probably you will have a pre-theatre meal at one of the many delicious restaurants spotted around Theatreland. Then make your way with butterflies in your stomach to the theatre and take you seat to the sound of the band tuning up. The first show I ever saw was Oliver at the Palladium and it was marvelous. My sister loved it so much in fact that she made me take her again the very next week. Even though we are all grown up now she still wants to see every show I get tickets for

Take the Kids!

Theatre Tickets can be a very rewarding gift for your children, you just have to look at the excitement in their eyes and see the sheer joy that young people get from good old showbiz. So much of what children consume these days is hurtful and violent, but theater is an altogether more wholesome experience showing the value of hard work, talent and confidence.

With that being said we’ve been going out more and more recently seeing all kinds of shows from all over the world, some great and some not so great but there have of course been our favorites: Sound of music, We will rock you and Billy Elliot all stood out as being far ahead of the competition. My next trip will defiantly be Zorro, what could be better than a mixture of swashbuckling action and gypsy kings music!

In my darker moments I really want to take my wife to Avenue Q as we were both big fans of the Muppets and I’ve herd it absolutely superb, like a total laugh-a-minute wet your pants kind of show. (If a little blue.)

I know that not everyone is going to like every show but I think the key thing is to get out there to keep trying things on for size. If we all stay at home and watch Eastenders every night we’re going to shrivel up and die. (Whoa I’m getting a little spiritual there!)

Theatre is most resilient of animals and none shall overcome…

The great thing about live theatre is that it has the power to take you to a lot of different places. Indeed, it is quite possible to forget you are even sitting in a theatre watching a play or musical at all. And when it comes to seeing some of the best performances on offer, you can’t do better than visiting London.

And of course being London, these theatres don’t just put on the best shows in existence – they also have a great history and presence about them. Take the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, for example. This has been open for nearly two hundred years, although the history of various theatres being in this area goes back a lot further than that.

It is this kind of history that adds to the excitement of taking a theatre break in London. For starters, it gives you a chance to take yourself out of your everyday life and experience something altogether different. You could be transported into fantasyland, or perhaps taken into the middle of a murder mystery.

It is also a nice way to treat someone for a special occasion. Most of the London theatres are located in the West End, which means you can arrange to stay in town somewhere nearby and then choose the type of show you want to see. In fact, whatever theatre you choose to visit it won’t be difficult to locate, and there are plenty of other things to do locally too.

That is the advantage of seeing a London show. You don’t just have to see the show itself – you can turn it into a weekend away as well. For example, you can arrive in London sometime on Saturday; enjoy the sights before going for an early dinner, and then seeing the show you have tickets for. And once you have done that you can relax in a nearby hotel room, re-charging your batteries in readiness for a nice relaxing Sunday.

Of course, such breaks can prove a good idea for a birthday or anniversary; but it is also the perfect way to spend any weekend when you have time to spare and you need a break from the norm.

Indeed, combining London breaks with a theatre trip can prove a worthwhile idea. No matter whether you prefer a taste of classic musicals or modern ones, or a choice between serious or comic plays, you will find something that tickles your fancy.

And remember that you don’t have to get the most expensive seats in the house to get a good view – you could save that money for a drink after the show instead!

Opened in 1910 after the old building was burned down, Theatre Royal Windsor is located directly across the road from Windsor Castle. History with regard to this theatre indicates that it was built in the high street in 1793. It was this theatre that was attended by George III when he was residing in the castle and he was provided with spacious armchairs and playbills printed on silk whenever he came to enjoy a play at the theatre. A fire in 1908 resulted in burning down the theatre which resulted in the destruction of main parts of the building. But the theatre lovers were lucky enough that they were able to see the same kind of setting in the new building which was an idea of the owner of the theatre to keep it similar to its old setting.

This theatre boasts of its position as the only unsubsidised producing theatre to operate all year round in Britain. It is also one of Britain’s leading theatres and is renowned for the quality of productions. Therefore theatre lovers have the luxury of witnessing the newest productions before they are shown in London’s West End and before they tour around the country. The success of this theatre lies on the fact that it launches a range of new schemes for both businesses and regular theatre lovers.

For those of theatre lovers a visit to Theatre Royal Windsor will guarantee a day of maximum entertainment. While you visit this intimate theatre make sure that you find Windsor accommodation at a comfortable Windsor hotel. One such recommended hotel with easy access to Theatre Royal Windsor is Millennium Uk.

With so much content beaming freely across the web, consumers have never had such unfettered access to entertainment. Dilating bandwiths have meant data transfers have shrunk to infinitesimal speeds and, as entire fleets of pirate P2P websites and media data streamers career off all over the place, the notion of actually paying for entertainment is quickly becoming rather odious.

With a West End theatre seat costing you easily in excess of 20GBP, the economic future of live drama is looking decidedly well, shaky. Pair this with the increasing dependence that West End shows have on celebrity and many have forecasted murky waters ahead.

Matt Wolf from the Guardian describes the recent Hollywood invasion of the West End as the “visiting celebrity cavalcade” come to rescue the dwindling audiences dribbling through the gate. A few years ago, Sheriden Morley described in the New York Times how the influx of celebrity had “turned London audiences, once the best and most perceptive in the world, into mindless stargazers.”

Pretty stern stuff isn’t it? But then, that might not be the whole story. After all, can we really declare that traditional theatre has lost its bite?

It certainly hadn’t just over ten years ago, when Sarah Kane’s Blasted premiered at the Royal Court. The fury that splashed over the front pages of nearly every national newspaper the next morning was burnt into the mind of anyone that dared to assume that theatre had lost its power to shock. The violence in the play is no worse than is found in the tamest of Tarantino flicks so why the outrage?

Quite simply, in the cinema, on television or on DVD, the action happens elsewhere, in a shifting world behind a screen. In the theatre, the action is right in front of you; you can hear it, feel it and, if you were really so inclined, you could reach out and touch it. You can watch actors enact the most brutal or intimate scenes on hi-res plasma screens anywhere, but only in the theatre can they watch you right back.

What’s more, It might not just be the available ‘experience’ that saddles defiantly in theatre’s corner. Theatre, it seems, has quietly started embedding itself within popular culture. Although slightly fewer than its predecessors, Ofcom insists that the BBC’s hunt to cast a new West End version of Oliver!, “I’d Do Anything”, steadily attracts over 5 million viewers. Match this with the recent crop of copycat shows like “Hairspray: The School Musical”, which is currently preparing to air on SkyOne, and it may look like there’s fight in the old girl yet.

To many, theatre may not seem like the most viable economic prospect; who would want to pay for entertainment when they can get huge budget content streamed to their home for next to nothing? But then that may be the whole point, where as ‘content’ can be zipped, transfered and then unzipped at any computer the world over, theatre cannot.

Theatre will be affected by technological advances, of course it will, and it may need to change in order to progress, but it cannot be trampled over by the digital stampede because it is a totally different entertainment animal. Streamers may supersede television schedules and force licence fee funded institutions into remission, but it cannot replace what it cannot do to begin with. Theatre is temporal, magical, immediate, personal and not, under any circumstances, available to download.

westendtheatre.com rounds up what looks hot in London theatre in 2009

If theatre mirrors life then you would expect 2009 to be a bad year for the performing arts in London: economic downturns and credit crunches sound like gloomy news for our discretionary entertainment spending. But West End theatre box office figures have kept on going up in recent years, and the huge number of new productions sailing into town during 2009 could mean that Theatreland manages to buck the trend.

THE GREAT REVIVAL

The RSC, National Theatre, Donmar and Old Vic dominated straight drama in the West End in 2008, and they haven’t finished yet. Big hitters coming to town include Judi Dench in the Donmar in the West End’s Madame de Sade at the Wyndhams; Jude Law offering us his, hopefully fighting fit, Hamlet; Gillian Anderson in Ibsen’s A Doll’s House at the Donmar Warehouse; and a number of crowd-pleasing revivals at the Old Vic, no more so than Dancing at Lughnasa, Brian Friel’s hugely successful play starring Andrea Corr, and Sam Mendes directing Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard and Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale, both featuring Simon Russell Beale and Sinead Cusack.

STAR POWER

Other stars shimmying into town include Ian McKellen and Patrick Stewart in Samuel Beckett’s Waiting for Godot at the Haymarket, Ken Stott in Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge at the Duke of York’s, heavy-hitter Pete Postlethwaite as King Lear at the Young Vic, and Antony Sher giving us his Prospero in the RSC’s The Tempest. The Gavin and Stacey phenomenon continues to roll on, as we see Joe Orton’s delicious romp Entertaining Mr Sloane at the Trafalgar Studios starring Gavin himself, Matthew Horne, alongside Imelda Staunton; whilst Gavin’s onscreen Mum Alison Steadman plays a barking Leeds housewife in Alan Bennett’s Enjoy at the Gielgud Theatre.

NEW PLAYS

The sharp eyed amongst you will notice that all of these plays are revivals rather than new work, keeping audiences firmly in their comfort zones. That said, new plays may be thin on the ground but not absent all together, with the National offering up Richard Bean’s England People Very Nice, following two lovers across four centuries, and Samuel Adamson’s Mrs Affleck set in the 1950s. Jez Butterworth has two new plays in pre-production, with comedy Parlour Song at the Almeida and Jerusalem at the Royal Court. Also at the Royal Court, Mark Ravenhill will bring his new play Over There. Plus Hollywood man of the moment James McAvoy is to star in Richard Greenberg’s acclaimed play Three Days of Rain at the Apollo, and at The Old Vic Richard Dreyfuss headlines the world premiere of American playwright Joe Sutton’s new play Complicit, directed by Kevin Spacey.

“BASED ON A FILM”

In musical theatre, 2009 promises to be a year of great big fabulous and familiar shows, surely enough to see us through the dark times? And it’s no coincidence that many of them are based on hugely successful films.

Oliver! will be well and truly steaming ahead through 2009 at the Drury Lane Theatre Royal with Rowan Atkinson and Jodie Prenger; La Cage Aux Folles will continue camping it up at the Playhouse but with Graham Norton taking over from Douglas Hodge; and at the Adelphi Theatre Lee Mead will bow out of Joseph to be replaced by Gareth Gates.

Jason Donovan will be donning the wigs and lip gloss to take us on an Australian power-mince in Priscilla Queen of the Desert at the Palace Theatre. And Sister Act at the London Palladium will be doing its best to recreate the fun of the film, helped along by Whoopi Goldberg as co-producer. And not quite a musical but as good as, Calendar Girls the stage play will up the naked flesh quotient in the West End, starring Patricia Hodge and Lynda Bellingham at the Noel Coward Theatre.

KIDS RULE

Kids should also see a good year in 2009 with an enormous live theatrical production of Walking with Dinosaurs coming to a stadium near you, and War Horse transfers from its successful run at the National Theatre to the New London Theatre.

Book these shows here

If you fancy a short trip away that offers plenty of culture then a theatre break could be the ideal solution. Here you simply book the hotel and theatre show as a package in order to benefit from discounted rates – this saves time and money when compared to searching for and booking the different activities separately. Therefore, you can take in a theatre show and have a break in the capital city of Britain, all at the same time.

By booking one of London’s top shows and combining it with a stay in a well located London hotel, you get to see a high quality production as well as being able to access and explore some of the capital city’s most popular attractions.

The West End is the largest theatre district in the world and at the centre of Britain’s commercial theatre scene. The West End name originally came from the fact that it was situated to the West of the city of London.

A vast majority of London’s West End theatres are easily identified due to their location in the area commonly known as Theatreland. Theatreland is bordered by The Strand, Oxford Street, Regent Street and Kingsway, whilst Shaftesbury Avenue is considered to be at the heart of all the theatre activity. A few theatres fall outside of these boundaries but are still considered to be in the West End; the Victoria Palace, the Apollo Victoria, the Old Vic and the National Theatre all fall into this category.

Once you’ve had your trip to the theatre you certainly won’t be spoilt for choices of things to see and do in one of Europe’s most popular cities.

A trip to Chinatown is an authentic experience where you can enjoy some traditional delicacies and wander through the paper lantern lined streets. Bordering Chinatown you can find Soho, which is a busy and bustling district.

If you wish to experience more culture then you could visit the city’s many museums or art and photography galleries. The Southbank has an exploding arts scene, nice walking paths along the riverside and famous landmarks such as the Oxo Tower and London Eye. St Paul’s Cathedral is another great sight to behold and the nearby East End is an interesting area to explore whether for the renowned curries of Brick Lane or the legacy of Jack the Ripper.

If you fancy making the most of your time then you could take a guided tour by foot, bus or river. Furthermore, a day in one of London’s many parks offer a welcome solace from the hustle and bustle of the city streets.

So, London theatre breaks not only offer a chance to catch some high quality shows but also to sample some of the other top attractions London has to offer.

The Broadway Theatre district is situated in Midtown Manhattan.  The area is dotted with Broadway theatres including restaurants, hotels, movie theatres and other entertainment venues in the vicinity.

The district begins from 40th Street to 54th Street, and extends from east of Sixth Avenue to west of Eighth Avenue, and includes Times Square as well. The area of Broadway which flows through the theatre district is commonly called the Great White Way. In ‘Theatre Row’, which is an area on 42nd Street from Ninth Avenue to Eleventh Avenue, comprises many Broadway theatres, may also be considered to be an extension of the Broadway Theatre District, although it is not considered so officially.

Broadway theatre, simply known as Broadway, refers to theatre performances acted out at one of the 39 large professional theaters located in Manhattan.

Broadway Theatre is the equivalent of London’s West End theatre, and is usually considered to showcase the highest quality of commercial theatre in the English-speaking world.

The theatre district is a popular tourist attraction in the city of New York. According to New York’s Broadway League, the Broadway shows have sold approximately $937 million worth of tickets in 2007 and 2008.

When in New York it is only natural to want to watch a Broadway show and these shows sell roughly a billion dollars worth of tickets annually contributing towards the tourist industry. In addition tourists who come to watch the shows in turn generate billions into restaurants and hotels.

A New York Hotel such as the Millennium Broadway Hotel New York is located in the heart of Times Square and offers easy access to Broadway theatres, Fifth Avenue and some fine dinning as well. Guests at this hotel could enjoy the Manhattan skyline from the spacious guest rooms and suites of this hotel.

We may take for granted now that the arts in this country are prone to relatively little external censorship. However, this has only really been the case since 1968, when the Theatre Act was passed by government to allow for freer artistic expression in British playhouses.

Before this time all play-scripts destined for production were required to be sent to the Lord Chamberlain for his approval. Not technically an instrument of the government but of the monarchy, the Lord Chamberlain’s ‘readers’ had the power to fine, censor or ban outright any play that they deemed unsuitable for public performance.

Famously, the censorship encompassed outlawing nudity, swearing and anything regarded as ‘promoting’ homosexuality or homosexual acts.

In 1968 however, bowing to much public and artistic pressure, the matter was brought before the House of Lords and the Theatre Act of 1968 was enforced abolishing theatrical censorship.

Key figures in proceedings were the playwright John Osborne and the outspoken critic Kenneth Tynan who both gave evidence at the hearing.

The liberation of theatre came at a time synonymous with cultural revolution. The 1960s, a decade famed for its radical uprooting of social conventions, had already legalised homosexuality and begun to alter the way it viewed casual sex, racial inequality and recreational drug use. What’s more, many young playwrights (often grouped together under the banner “The Angry Young Men”) where producing thought-provoking works that tested and scrutinised the boundaries of what could and could not pass for ‘legitimate’ theatre. Great writers like John Osborne, whose play ‘Look Back in Anger’ is often cited as the quintessential work of the movement, and Harold Pinter were quickly amassing reputations as challenging, and even dangerous, theatrical practitioners.

Of course, in such a turbulent political and cultural climate theatre censorship became completely untenable. The Theatre Act of 1968 was brought in and the American musical Hair opened in the West End just 24 hours later. Featuring scenes containing nudity, drug taking and boasting a stringent anti-Vietnam War message, the show was a complete break from the repression of theatre censorship that preceded it.

Since then, it might be argued, that theatre has ‘gone the other way’ and now shows little regard for staging any material that might offend. The comedian Peter Cook once quipped: “I don’t want to see plays about rape, sodomy and domestic abuse; I can get all that at home.” Though, of course, Cook was taking a fairly surrealist swipe at the prevailing middle-class (often hypocritical) sensibilities, perhaps there might be a germ of truth in what he’s saying. Namely, just because theatre can show things like rape, sodomy and domestic abuse, should it?

The answer, it would seem, is entirely dictated by an individual play and the motivations and intentions that it possesses. Gratuitously exploiting a subject is not the same as fearlessly addressing it.

A more pressing consideration might be concerned with taking another look at the idea that opened this article, that theatre is prone to little external censorship. Though now there are no legislative restrictions in place to curtail playwrights’ artistic vision, other factors may seem to limit theatre in ways not altogether obvious. For example, Margaret Thatcher’s government cut public funding to the arts dramatically in the 1980s. Such a financial stranglehold might not have directly censored dramatic material, but it certainly forced many playhouses to stage fewer new plays and even close outright.

In more recent times, when the Birmingham Repertory Theatre staged Behtzi in 2004, the theatre was the scene of angry rioting by a portion of the sikh community that felt the play mocked their faith.

Whether theatre and the arts can ever be totally free to express itself in the way it chooses is debatable, the debt owed to those that ended the formal censorship however is not. Quite simply, without the efforts of people like Osborne and Tynan, the West End might not be the respected home of expressive theatre that it is today.