15 Shows in 14 Days. Really.

[exedore]

A big hearty hello to all my West End board friends. I recently spent two weeks in London and have needed the last four days to recover from the jet lag and exhaustion and the cold everybody on the plane was all too gracious to pass over to me. While in the greatest city on earth, I had the joy of seeing no less than 15 shows within two weeks, of which 13 were theatrical, plus one gig and one full-on spectacle. Going chronologically...

Taboo @ Brixton Clubhouse: I'd been wanting to see this, my hostess had too but originally scheduled us to see the Ibsen at the Orange Tree that night instead. I agured that jet lag + collecting bags from lost luggage would make that a bad idea, she agreed, and a better time was had by all. I enjoyed this quite a bit, especially the staging, though did have a couple jet lag moments during one of the ballads. Overall, solid but not mind-blowing.

Dick Whittington @ Hackney Empire: This was one of my planned highlights, and it was sad to say that this is clearly a rebuilding year for the Hackney crew. Most of the show was recycled from the 2007-2008 production, and while the new dame was professional, he didn't have the loveability of Clive Rowe or the anarchy of Stephen Mear and fell a bit flat, though it was first preview and the cast (featuring a number of new faces to the Hackney ensemble) are likely to be more with it by this point. Glad I went, it doesn't feel like Christmas without a trip to the Empire, but I also didn't feel too bad about having a couple jet lag moments towards the end of the rather long first act. This was a problem with the script back in 07, so it's surprising that the usually awesome and on top of everything Susie M. didn't make some judicious trims when doing the revisions. It wasn't bad, it just didn't clear the bar which the Empire has set for itself after so many years of amazing work. I expect that things will pick up over the next couple years as everyone finds their footing, though.

That night: a diversion to the Chap Magazine's annual Anarcho-Dandyist Ball for merriment and dressing up.

The Magistrate, National Theatre: After what looked like a bumpy start, we're getting into the joyous bits. No jet lag moments, just a lot of laughs, bizarre costumes, and a grand olde Victorian farce. The first of two signs that Billington can bite me, for while Magistrate doesn't deliver the nonstop laughs of One Man Two Guvnors, it does present a far more topsy-turvy setup which pays off brilliantly and a fantastic sense of design.

Once Upon a Mattress, Union Theatre: A late classic from the golden age, and not one of my favourites, but it won me over regardless. I loved that Fred wasn't cast to be a traditional looker, meaning that the Prince did go for her on her actual personality and charm, and the cast just exploded with energy through some damn impressive choreography. Also, a good excuse to spend time in one of the best spaces in London. See it while you can.

Our Boys, Duchess Theatre: The subject matter's right up my alley, and though my companion was hesitant, we were both blown over by the show. Perfectly placed in the intimate Duchess, the text is just as valid today as it has ever been, especially with how much people forget about those who live after coming back from war: We hear about the dead on the news and see those who made it through in one piece holding homecoming marches, but those who don't come back unscathed are often left to fall between the cracks of public consciousness, and the play does a fantastic job of looking at who these men (and increasingly women) are and was vividly brought to life by a stellar cast. Sadly the theatre was pretty empty when I went, as it was really one of the highlights of the trip.

Privates on Parade, Noel Coward Theatre: It may have been in previews, but dear god this was dire. I don't know if Grandage held the cast at gunpoint to get a decently paced runthrough out of them for the critics or what, but the night I went it was slovenly, dated, and while historically accurate in terms of the dialogue and attitudes, such a dull night of theatre. Yes, SRB was excellent, but one excellent player does not an ensemble show make, leaving us with a once-exciting corpse flopping about on stage like a cod waiting to be thrown back off the boat. Avoid.

Matilda, Cambridge Theatre: I wasn't sure if I'd find time to go, but when a couple friends had to cancel plans and my hostess for the week was laid up ill and didn't want to go out, I snagged a ticket in the gods and yes, it was an unplanned expense, but yes, it was also worth every penny. A truly captivating and magical musical providing everything the idea of a west end show promises but so often falls short of. Totally worthy of the hype, and so glad to have seen it now versus waiting who knows how many years for a tour to reach my part of the US. Very recommended.

Dick Whittington Goes Bollywood, Tara Arts: Sometimes, smaller and wackier is better. So is the case for this curried panto with its tiny cast, live lip sync, and Gujarati Restaurant dreams. Lots of wickedness and imagination on a tight budget and great fun, though younger kids probably won't appreciate it. See it if you like your panto with a twist but not the flat-out crudity of a true adult panto.

Robin Hood, Greenwich Theatre: Far and away the best panto in London this year. The jokes hit, the Sheriff's appropriately evil, the dame (played by author and director Stephen Mear) is a naughty, naughty nursie, and the entire audience of schoolchildren (barring the row and a half of us adults at the back) exploded at the Gangnam Style and I'm Sexy and I Know It bits. This is what panto should be: silly, anarchic fun with some nice eye candy onstage and capable of unleashing your inner eight year old. Highly recommended.

London Calling, 12 Bar Club: A lineup of six acts, of which I stayed for five, and headlined by punk legend turned troubadour TV Smith, who played early so he could catch his own train home. The 12 Bar is easily my favourite place to see a gig in London, with cheap door prices, affordable drinks, and an intimate space boasting fantastic accoustics. Highlights were Smith blasting through an hour-long set of Adverts, Explorers, and Cheap classics along with his new tracks, and Louise Distras, a promising up-and-comer on the accoustic-punk scene. The only downside, though, was spending four hours on my feet, which was more exhausting than I realised until the next morning. That and the obnoxious DJ who set up in the loft space during one of the acts, shooing everybody away like the paying audience were interfering with his glorious mission, and then blaring his records louder than the performing acts during the break so you couldn't talk to anybody. Still, a great night out with a very good friend.

The Mikado, ENO: This was my fourth time seeing the production, and while I admittedly nodded off for a couple of brief moments (see comments on the previous evening), I have a lot of nostalgia and sentimental value attached to this version of the show as it was one of the shows I saw on my first ever trip to London in 2004, and I make it a point to go if I'm in the city while it's running. A good run, perhaps not quite as awesome as the March 2011 run with Alfie Boe, but the little list was solid and it's hard not to walk away with a smile.

British Military Tournament, Earls Court: A full-on spectacle, lots of bands and explosions and horses and heroics and everything you'd expect from this type of event. I'd wanted to go in the past but couldn't pull it off, so made a point to slot it in here. Very glad I went, would happily go again, but wonder where it'll go when Earls Court is torn down - I suspect the O2, but surely there'll be a significant loss of intimacy and the thrill of being up close as a result. I suppose we'll see.

Kiss Me Kate, Old Vic: Oh dear. This should have been amazing, but turned out rather dull. Hannah W. was great, Clive Rowe was underused, but the show itself hovered rather than soared, and never really justified its legendary status from the back of the dress. At least the tickets were cheap.

Sleeping Beauty, Sadlers Wells: A new Matthew Bourne. A very well danced Bourne, though one where the story isn't quite as well defined and engaging as Cinderella was a couple years ago. I've no doubt that he'll tinker with it and fix it up for its next outing, whenever that is, and I'm glad to have gone, but it's also filled my desire to go to any sort of ballet or dance for the next couple years.

Aladdin - A Wish Come True, O2: The final gig, and one of the most mediocre. Yes, it was wonderful to see the La Lily commanding the stage, and fun to play 'that song is from x musical' (I noted Sister Act, Witches of Eastwick, and a couple others which I can no longer remember), but it was more a family play with panto elements than a true panto, and except for when Lily got to banter with the audience, everything seemed directed and rehearsed within an inch of its life and threatened with dismemberment if so much as a strand of hair was out of place from where the show was frozen. It was good, I'm glad I went, but it wasn't a killer night out. Then again, I'm not sure there was anything else I'd rather have seen more.

So overall, the total high points:
Robin Hood, Our Boys, The Magistrate, Once Upon A Mattress, BMT, TV Smith

Oh, and also worth pointing out: Even the most mediocre of the shows on this list (minus the unfortunately not sleep inducing enough to provide a good nap Privates) was on the level of, if not superior to, the top end of what I see here in Seattle. Consider yourself proud, London, of the standards that even your less-than-excellent shows reach and achieve, and be grateful for it.

[Phantom of London]

***Sigh***, being a regular contributor on here exedore, I always assumed you lived in London?

Anyway the shows, a very eclectic mix!!

[Stewart A]

Up until a few years ago I used to quite often do 8 shows in 5 days on my trips to London - a Tuesday night, two on a Wednesday and two on a Thursday, Friday night and two on a Saturday. I mostly used to get discount tickets at TKTS but sometimes booked anything that I particularly wanted to see in advance that I knew didn't discount.

You did have a busy fortnight in London and I'm glad you enjoyed what you did. I am going to see Privates On Parade this week and the reviews had been excellent so hopefully it was just an off night when you went. I'm also seeing Merrilly We Roll Along.

[Phantom of London]

Likewise when I am in New York, I see mutiple shows, in June I saw 18 in 10 days.

[exedore]

Oh, I *could* have seen more shows while I was in town, but also wanted to see friends, visit some favourite museums, and hit the vintagiers.

[Scripps2]

Hey Exey!

Your scope is nothing if not eclectic. I could never understand an American enjoying panto and now you're at the British Military Tournament too.

Did you and Weez ever get that, errrrr, website set up?

[exedore]

Website? I totally don't remember anything about that...

The tournament itself was great, and what's not to love about it?