West End theatre
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West End theatre is a popular term for mainstream professional theatre in London, or sometimes more specifically for shows staged in the large theatres of London's "Theatreland". Along with New York's Broadway theatre, West End theatre is usually considered to represent the highest level of commercial theatre in the English speaking world. Seeing a West End show is a common tourist activity in London.
Total attendances first surpassed 12 million in 2002, and in June 2005 The Times reported that this record might be beaten in 2005 [1]. Factors behind high ticket sales in the first half of 2005 included new hit musicals such as Billy Elliot, The Producers and Mary Poppins and the high number of film stars appearing. Since the late 1990s there has been an increase in the number of American actors on the London stage, and in 2005 these included Brooke Shields, Val Kilmer, Rob Lowe and David Schwimmer. Also in 2005, Ewan McGregor is made his first appearance in a stage musical in Guys and Dolls. Kevin Spacey has been artistic director of the Old Vic Theatre since 2004 and appears in some of his own productions.
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2006 has continued this star-studded trend with Judi Dench, Antony Costa, Bonnie Langford, Jeremy Irons, Ian Richardson, Cheryl Baker, Adam Cooper, Neil Morrissey, Anita Dobson, Diana Rigg, Martin Jarvis, David Soul, Richard Dempsey, Jane Adams, Neve Campbell, Matthew Modine, James Fox(1), James Fox(2), Robert Bathurst, Christian Slater, Alex Kingston, Megan Dodds, Dawn French, Alison Moyet, Timothy West, Lesley Garrett, Iain Glen, Reece Shearsmith, Kathleen Turner, Tim Rogers, Ashlee Simpson, Alun Armstrong, and Idina Menzel all taking to the stage.
Already in 2007, Tamzin Outhwaite, Tony Hadley, Don Johnson, Ben Richards, Simon Russell Beale, Roger Allam, Daisy Beaumont, Richard Griffiths, Jenny Agutter, Frances de la Tour, Daniel Radcliffe, Lee Evans, Jason Isaacs, Robert Lindsay, Jessica Lange, Billie Piper, Bill Bailey, Maggie Smith, Kris Marshall, Richard Wilson, Robert Bathurst, Kerry Ellis and Laurence Fox can all currently be seen on the London stage.
[edit] Theatreland
London's main theatre district is located in the heart of the West End of the city centre, and is traditionally defined by The Strand to the south, Oxford Street to the north, Regent Street to the west, and Kingsway to the east although The South Bank Complex is now considered by some to be part of it. Prominent theatre streets include Drury Lane, Shaftesbury Avenue, and The Strand. This area contains approximately forty large theatres and is often referred to as Theatreland. The works staged are predominantly musicals, classic or middle brow plays, and comedy performances.
Most of the theatres in "Theatreland" are of late Victorian or Edwardian construction, and they are privately owned. Most of them have great character, and the largest and best maintained are splendid, featuring grand neo-classical, romanesque, or Victorian facades and luxurious, detailed interior design and decoration. On the other hand, leg room is often cramped, and audience facilities such as bars and toilets are often much smaller than in modern theatres. The protected status of the buildings and their confined urban locations, combined with financial constraints, mean that it is very difficult to make substantial improvements to the level of comfort offered. In 2004, it was estimated that an investment of £250 million was required for modernisation, and the theatre owners unsuccessfully requested tax concessions to help them meet the costs.
[edit] Long-running shows
West End shows may run for a varying number of weeks, depending on ticket sales. Musicals tend to have longer runs than dramas. The longest running musical in West End history is Les Misérables. It overtook Andrew Lloyd Webber's Cats, which closed in 2002 after running for 9,000 performances and 21 years, as the longest running West End musical of all time on 8 October 2006. Other long-runners include Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera, still running after 20 years, and Willy Russell's Blood Brothers, currently in its 19th year. However the non-musical Agatha Christie play The Mousetrap is the longest running show in the world, and has been showing since 1952.
Longest running shows in London:
- The Mousetrap at the St Martin's Theatre - opened 25th November 1952 originally at the New Ambassadors Theatre[1] - 55th Year
- Les Misérables at the Queen's Theatre - opened 8th October 1985 originally at the Barbican Theatre[2] - 22nd Year
- Cats - opened 11th May 1981 at the New London Theatre and closed 11th May 2002 on its 21st anniversary
- The Phantom of the Opera at Her Majesty's Theatre - opened 9th October 1986[3] - 21st Year
- Blood Brothers at the Phoenix Theatre - opened 28th July 1988 originally at the Albery Theatre[4] - 19th Year
- The Woman in Black at the Fortune Theatre opened 15th February 1989 originally at the Strand Theatre[5] - 18th Year
- Starlight Express - opened 27th March 1984 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre and closed 12th January 2002[6] - 17 years
- No Sex Please, We're British - opened in 1971 at the Strand Theatre and closed about 1987[7] - 16 years
- Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story - opened 6th October 1995 at the Victoria Palace Theatre and closed 19th May 2002[8] - 13 years
- The Black and White Minstrel Show - opened in 1962 at the Victoria Palace Theatre and closed about 1972[9] - 10 years
- Miss Saigon - opened in 1989 at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane and closed about 1999[10] - 10 years
- Chicago at the Cambridge Theatre - opened 18th November 1997 originally at the Adelphi Theatre[11] - 9th Year
- Mamma Mia! at the Prince of Wales Theatre - opened 6th April 1999 originally at the Prince Edward Theatre[12] - 8th Year
- Jesus Christ Superstar - opened in 1972 at the Palace Theatre and closed about 1980[13] - 8 years
- Me and My Girl (revival) - opened in 1985 at the Adelphi Theatre and closed about 1993[14] - 8 years
- Disney's The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre - opened 19th October 1999[15] - 8th Year
- Aldwych Farces (revue) - opened in 1925 at the Aldwych Theatre and closed in 1933 - 8 years
- Evita - opened in 1978 at the Prince Edward Theatre and closed about 1980[16] - 7 years
- Oliver! - opened in 1960 at the New Theatre and closed about 1966[17] - 6 years
- We Will Rock You at the Dominion Theatre - 14th May 2002[18] - 5th Year
- Stomp at the Vaudeville Theatre opened 25th September 2002[19] - 5th Year
[edit] London's non-commercial theatres
It should be noted that the term West End Theatre is sometimes used to refer specifically to commercial productions in "Theatreland". However the leading non-commercial (usually government subsidised) theatres in London, such as the National Theatre, the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Globe Theatre, the Old Vic, the Young Vic, the Royal Court Theatre, the Almeida Theatre, and the Open Air Theatre, most of which are not located in "Theatreland", arguably enjoy greater artistic prestige. These theatres stage a higher proportion of more demanding work, including Shakespeare, other classic plays and premieres of new plays by leading highbrow playwrights. Hit plays from the non-commercial theatres sometimes transfer to one of the commercial "Theatreland" houses for an extended second run.
[edit] Other London theatre
There is a great deal of theatre in London outside of the West End. Much of this is known as fringe theatre which is the equivalent of Off Broadway Theatre in New York. Fringe venues range from well-equipped small theatres to rooms above pubs, and the performances range from classic plays, to cabaret, to plays in the languages of London's ethnic minorities. The performers range from emerging young professionals to amateurs.
Finally, there are also local theatres in the suburbs which stage a wide range of work, often including touring productions such as the New Wimbledon Theatre or the Churchill Theatre in Bromley.
[edit] Drama schools
London has several prestigious drama schools, including the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA), which is by far the most famous drama school in the United Kingdom. Others include the Central School of Speech and Drama, the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art, The Poor School and The Academy Drama School. The accrediting body for UK drama schools is The National Council for Drama Training. [2]
[edit] Awards
There are a number of annual awards for outstanding achievements in London theatre:
[edit] See also
- List of London theatres
- List of West End musicals
- List of notable musical theatre productions
- Musical theatre
[edit] External links
- Map of London's West-End theatres
- London's campaign to promote theatre
- Theatre.com - Covers Current London Shows
- Official London Theatre website
- WestEndTheatreWorld.com - Extensive Theatre Site
- Really Useful Theatres - major London theatre operator
- musicOMH.com - reviews of theatre productions in London's West End
- History of London's West End Theatres
- West End Whingers Satirical reviews of West End Theatre productions
[edit] References
- ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/mousetrap.html
- ^ http://www.keithprowse.com/tickets/slink.buy/broadwayworld/p.8OW/Les_Miserables--Queen's_Theatre--London.html
- ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/shows/hermajestys40.html
- ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/shows/phoenix99.html
- ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/londontheatre/fortunetheatre.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.albemarle-london.com/ShowInfo.php?Show_No=43
- ^ http://www.thisistheatre.com/londonshows/mammamia.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.albemarle-london.com/ShowInfo.php?Show_No=43
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.world-theatres.com/longruns.html#longruns.london.html
- ^ http://www.albemarle-london.com/ShowInfo.php?Show_No=135
- ^ http://www.albemarle-london.com/ShowInfo.php?Show_No=711
