Visit the West End to take advantage of all of the great shows that are available, from great musicals such as Blood Brothers and We Will Rock You to plays like The Woman in Black and Three Days of Rain. In the UK, there is a long tradition of theatre and this can be seen in all of the classic plays that are still performed to this day, including the work of Shakespeare, from Romeo & Juliet to Hamlet.
This tradition is also evident in the theatres themselves; with grand designs that hark back to by-gone eras and structures that were built back in the nineteenth century. As well as great theatrical productions, you could also witness a world of history. You could be part of the traditions of this country and enjoy something that people in Great Britain have done for generations.
But it’s not just the venues that are old; some of the productions also have a long history, with musicals such as Chicago being written back in the 1920s and even productions themselves running for decades. Take Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap for example, which recently celebrated its 56th birthday (it started at the Ambassador’s Theatre in 1952). Although it transferred to the St Martin’s Theatre 34 years ago, it has been showing in London ever since and looks set to continue to do so for many years to come.
Then there is Les Miserables, which also celebrated its own birthday recently, having played at the Queen’s Theatre for 23 years. It means that whilst The Mousetrap is the longest running production in the West End, the title of the longest running musical goes to Les Miserables, closely followed by Cats and then another French musical – The Phantom of the Opera.
There is a lot of great choice on offer in the West End, but the only way to experience this is by purchasing theatre tickets and embarking on a trip to the capital. Here you can choose from all kinds of genres, from musicals and plays to comedies, cabaret shows ballet and opera. These can be housed in all kinds of venues from The Lyceum Theatre and Lyric Theatre to the Cambridge Theatre, Queen’s Theatre, St Martin’s Theatre, Dominion Theatre, Fortune Theatre, National Theatres Olivier, Lyttelton and Cottesloe and the Old Vic.
With so much to see, there’s no reason not to visit the West End. So what are you waiting for?