The Best of 2013…and how to get those cheap tickets!

Living in London, I am lucky enough to be surrounded by one of the best theatre scenes (no pun intended) in the world.

So I thought I’d do a top 10 of the best shows I’ve seen this year – I counted that I’ve been lucky enough to see 52 productions in 2013 – which is the equivalent of one a week which I think is pretty damn cool.

These are in no particular order, but this was SO HARD!

 

1. The Pride – Trafalgar Studios

This play – in my opinion – is the best straight play I have seen all year. Powerful, poignant, awesome acting and a sign telling Russia where to stuff their policies on gay marriage. Brilliant.

Cost: £15

2. The Book of Mormon – The Prince of Wales Theatre

I was lucky enough to see this show as part of my University module Theatre and the American Dream and was very excited to see the musical that everyone had been talking about. It didn’t disappoint. Witty, hilarious, outrageous and downright good fun.

Cost: £15

3. The Scottsboro Boys – The Young Vic Theatre

This was another show that I was lucky enough to have paid for me by University, and I was completely unprepared for the sheer horror of the musical which told the story of 9 young black men who were convicted of raping white women falsely. This show was touching, thought provoking, and moving.

Cost: £0

4. Peter and Alice – The Noël Coward Theatre

This play was one of the most beautifully acted I saw all year – Ben Whishaw (who also completely nailed his part in Mojo this year) is one of my favourite stage actors and you can never fault Dame Judi Dench. It showed a rockier edge to the backstories behind my childhood favourites Peter Pan and Alice in Wonderland and I adored the set!

Cost: £10

5. Matilda the Musical – The Cambridge Theatre

This show was my 21st Birthday Present from my parents and after nearly 2 years of waiting to see the RSC’s production, I was definitely not disappointed. I ADORE Tim Minchin, who wrote the score and the cast completely matched it. I’ll never forget the silence in the theatre as the little girl playing Matilda (who i believe was 8! Yes 8!!!) sung a song called Quiet. I silently sobbed for the rest of the show.

Cost: I didn’t personally pay for it, but I our seats were £61.50 each. Ouch! (Thanks Mum and Dad!)

6. Scenes from a Marriage – Toneelgroep Amsterdam at the Barbican

Again, a University trip but this one is included because I quite honestly never saw anything else like it this year. The audience separates into three sections for act one – then is brought together for act two to watch three couples playing one couple’s marriage over a span of about 20 years. Fascinating if not just for the acting – but far far too long (nearly 4 hours in total)

Cost: £0 

7. American Psycho the Musical– The Almeida Theatre

I saw this one today, so I’m reeling from it a bit still – but I can honestly say that this is one of the most awesome productions I’ve seen all year – Matt Smith plays the lead role of Patrick Bateman and apart from the awesome set design and music – Smith quite literally got under my skin with his performance. He took complete control of the part and show and was spine chillingly good!

Cost: £16

8. The Bodyguard the Musical – The Adelphi Theatre

I mentioned before in one of my blog posts that I wasn’t massively fussed about this show but I’m putting this one in my top ten because of Heather Headley who played the lead role. This countdown so far is quite full of male performances, but Headley tops the female list by a mile. Made me leave the theatre feeling all empowered and wanting to do the single ladies dance on the tube platform home!

Cost: £25

9. Chimerica – The Almeida Theatre

This play I was lucky enough to review and was surprised by how much I enjoyed something that was described as a ‘political thriller’. Although it was a fictional story, it had the right mix of everything and the best set design by Es Devlin that I’ve seen all year.

Cost: £0

10. Once the Musical – The Phoenix Theatre 

Another musical to throw into the mix – which I’ve actually seen twice this year. It’s the most mesmerising, beautifully romantic musical based on the film of the same name – and completely unlike any other musical currently showing in the West End. Its just all about the romance, love and beautiful music.

Cost: Two trips for £30

 

I also mentioned the prices which each show; I often get a lot of people asking me how I can afford to see so many great shows when they’re so expensive – but I always say you just need to know where you look!

Obviously, I have an awesome voluntary job in reviewing theatre for A Younger Theatre which often gives me free tickets to shows, and the am part of an awesome Drama department that budgets to send us to shows which we talk about in class – but most shows I don’t pay anymore than £30 per ticket maximum. Here are some handy hints and tips I’ve learnt this year about getting cheap theatre tickets:

• Some ATG Theatres like Trafalgar Studios and The Donmar Warehouse offer £10 front row tickets if you book up to 2 weeks in advance on a Monday morning, day seats are also often great value – I did that for Mojo (£10 front row) and The Bodyguard (£25 front row) this year.

         Check in advance on the theatre’s website for more details.

• Look out for restricted view seats – often they mean that there is a rail obstructing part or most of the stage – but some are a bit more obtrusive. Use http://www.theatremonkey.com to check for seat opinions before you book – some, like the ones I had for the entire Michael Grandage Season at the Noël Coward Theatre were great views if you didn’t mind leaning forward for the whole performance were only £10.
• If you are a student – check each theatre for schemes. The National Theatre offers £5 tickets for most shows if you sign up to their Entry Pass scheme (also gives you discount in their amazing book shop!) – as well as their £12 tickets for every performance. The Royal Court, Young and Old Vic, Almeida Theatre, We Will Rock You, Matilda, and the Hampstead Theatre all offer student rates – I’ve used them! Again, check each with each individual box office/website before booking.
• I also recently signed up to Whatsonstage.com ‘s members club and ATG’s theatre card programme. Both schemes cost about £30 for a year’s membership but whilst whatsonstage offer club nights (often packages including top priced theatre tickets at reduced rates, programmes and drinks vouchers) are more pricey, ATG’s card offers you priority booking and discounted tickets in most of their shows all across London. These schemes are great if you’re willing to pay a little extra.
• Finally, sign up to myboxoffice.biz who send regular emails detailing often free tickets (though booking fees of about £4 normally apply per ticket) to sometimes large scale – more often fringe productions. A great way to get started and see some less mainstream theatre.

Until next time, have a great 2014!

 

 

 

 

 

Sea Wall Review

“He tells me he’s going to take me to the Sea Wall. I ask him “the what?”

 

Character Alex is the one to speak this line. In fact, he’s the only one to speak in Sea Wall full stop. Playwright Simon Stephens (known best for play Bluebird and writing the script for Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime) has written the haunting monologue of Sea Wall, and earlier on in the year, made it available to be seen for free for two days on the Internet.

You see an office space, and Andrew Scott (Sherlock, Cock) adjusting the camera. What follows is thirty-two minutes of the most incredible acting and writing I have ever had the pleasure of watching. The haunting monologue sees Alex tell the camera an incident that happened two weeks previous to recording whilst he was in France with his family. I won’t divulge any more information than that because it is what follows that really grabs people and shakes them to their core.

Whilst the writing is haunting and affecting, it is Scott that climbs the ginormous mountain of a task in acting it out. Rarely in watching a piece of acting can you see that the actor inhibits the entire character, but Scott manages just that. You can almost see the though process of the character laden in his eyes. His stillness, honesty and pathos are what make this piece of acting remarkable.

It is even more remarkable when you read that everything was filmed in a single take too. The beauty of this whole project is in the simplicity of it; no Hollywood-style budget, no airs and graces, just incredible, old-fashioned acting to a camera. If you want to watch a piece of theatre that I guarantee will leave you feeling emotional drained, peaceful and affected then look no further than renting the piece online for £3.50. Not even in the cheapest theatres can you see a master class in writing, acting and perfect stillness.

Jemma Anderson

@jemmaanderson

21, London.

Who run the West End? Girls!

It’s been a fair old while since I got to blog, mainly this is because I’ve spent the majority of my days telling customers that the queue is 45 minutes, and you can buy the tickets over to the left. Riveting stuff.

However, I of course have still been feeding the theatre obsession, reviewing and watching some of the best talent I’ve seen in a long while. It is no coincidence that this term I’ve been studying feminism in the theatre, and earlier on in the year I saw some amazing female performances.

Some of the best talent I saw was showcased at American Songwriter and composer Scott Alan’s London concert at the IndigO2 on August 4th.
Having been a big fan for a while, I had been dying to see Scott perform his works live, but always unfortunately missed his concerts. This time however, my friend and I, Jordan, booked VIP tickets and took full advantage of the previous missed opportunities.
The concert itself was immense, a different West End (or Broadway) performer took to the stage to sing Scott’s repertoire, and whilst the men (including John Owen Jones, Richard Fleeshman, Greg Oliver and Nathan James) completely bowled us over with their performances, it was the women who won the awards for knockout performances.

The First Lady to hit the nail on the head, and send shivers down our spines was Cynthia Erivo. She can currently be seen playing Sylvie in The Color Purple at Menier Chocolate Factory (which I am at a total loss for tickets for – can anyone help?!) and seems to be one of the hottest stars of the West End at the moment.
She sang Anything Worth Holding On To and simply sat at the front of the stage in an elegant white gown and completely owned it. You know how sometimes you can watch an actor so in the moment that you forget about everything around you? Cynthia made me do that. She had the audience in the palm of her hand, and you could hear a pin drop in a 3000 seater theatre.
What’s more, my friend Jordan, who I have known for 6 years now, and who I have never seen cry, was howling like a little baby. Ms. Erivo is something truly special for the West End Stage.

The next day, myself and Jordan headed into Central early to get day seats for The Bodyguard. Now, I’d never seen the film, nor had I ever been much of a fan of Whitney Houston, who’s songs feature in the musical but I’ll always watch a show at least once before passing judgement!

It has to be said, when watching songs from the musical being performed on The Royal Variety Show or Children in Need, I was not convinced by the performances given by Heather Headley who plays the role that Houston famously created. Maybe it just didn’t translate well on screen to me – but theatre magic won again and this woman live and up close is a true powerhouse. Partly thanks to the diva character that she plays, but mostly because of her true talent and dominance that Headley exudes – she owns the stage from beginning to end. Her voice provided numerous chills and a real sense of kicking some serious arse. I’ll never forget her performance. It made me feel that it was great to be a woman, and I had to suppress the urge to break out into the Single Ladies dance on the platform waiting for the train home.

I think, in an unfortunately male dominated profession – both onstage and off – these two women held their own so much so that they overpowered the men and  both lead their supporting casts to overall extremely incredible performances.

Rock On, Girls!