New Year Theatre Breaks 2010 New Years Eve Theatre Breaks - Big Ben New Year theatre breaks are a great way to bring in the new decade. As it falls on a Friday night this year lots of shows have performances on New Year’s Eve and London is, of course, a fantastic place to be on such an important night. I’ll go through each of the shows, suggest some central hotels, cover some of the great things on in the city centre after the shows close, and suggest some things to do on New Year’s Day. Shows for New Year Theatre Breaks All the following shows have  performances  on New Year’s Eve 2010 . As of today these all still have some tickets, many only as part of theatre break packages. They are going fast so if you want a New Year’s Eve Theatre Break act now. Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break Musicals: Billy Elliot Blood Brothers Chicago Dirty Dancing Jersey Boys Legally Blonde Les Miserables Mamma Mia Matilda, A Musical Oliver! (Matinee only) Priscilla Queen of the Desert The Lion King The Phantom of the Opera Thriller Live We Will Rock You Wicked Plays: Deathtrap The 39 Steps When We Are Married Woman in Black Yes, Prime Minister Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break Hotels for New Year’s Eve Theatre Breaks You really want to be central to make the most of being in the capital at New Year.  I’ve seen quite a few locally organised breaks advertised where they whisk you back to an out of town hotel for a celebration after the show. This is fine but it does mean you miss out on the fun and excitement of Big Ben’s chimes and the magnificent fireworks displays. To me this is part of why you’ve come to the capital. To miss out on it stuck out of the city, no matter how nice your hotel, would be a shame. I’ll explain more about the fireworks and the New Year’s Day Parade later in the post. Ideally you want your hotel to be in the central area, say not more than 1 mile from the theatre. Sounds expensive? Actually surprisingly not too bad. I looked at good tickets for Phantom of the Opera and 2 nights and found I could get a 3* very central hotel for £250ish per person.  This isn’t much different to a normal weekend rate. New Year Theatre Breaks by Rail Advice – Come By Rail if You Possible Can This is one weekend you do not want to have a car in central London. Really, it’s better to come by rail usually anyway but New Year sees vast numbers of road closures and a car is really going to cramp your style. The theatre breaks agencies usually allow you to include your train tickets and can save you up to 40% on the normal price. After the Show – the fireworks. You won’t get out of the theatre in time to grab a prime position for the displays. They will all be filled by about 10pm. However, no need to despair. Wrap up warm and get yourself to a spot where you can see the London Eye and you will be able to see a really spectacular show. The chimes of Big Ben are broadcast down the length of the river and then the display starts. If you prefer you can head for Trafalgar  Square. There are no events planned but there is a huge screen which will relay the countdown and chimes and then show the fireworks. Just try to keep out of the fountain! No, really, it’s a really bad idea. Once it’s over you can smugly watch everyone head for the overcrowded tube as you stroll back to your cosy central hotel. By the way alcohol is not prohibited in the centre of London on New Year’s Eve so if you did happen to have a hip flask with you it might be a very nice way to bring in the New Year! New Year’s Day Parade After a full English breakfast, ( see hip flask above!) and a gentle potter round the hotel it’s time to head off for the parade. This has become a really fun event. It starts at 12 and goes on till 3. This year is the 25th anniversary of the parade and it looks set to be an extra special one. There are numerous marching bands, floats and performances. You can get a taster of it from this video: Click here to view the embedded video. Ideally why not book tickets for one of the grandstands. They are not too expensive with even the V.I.P. one at Whitehall only costing £20 each. These give you the best view of the parade. Check Availability for Your New Year Theatre Break New Year Theatre Breaks was originally posted at London Theatre Breaks blog

Theatre Breaks London Originally uploaded by AndyRob

Oliver Theatre Breaks London Omid Djali Jodie Prenger,Gryff Rhys Jones

Theatre Breaks Agents Theatre breaks agencies come in many shapes but here at the London Theatre Breaks blog we like to work with three in particular. We get a small commission from each reader who books a theatre break through our links and that helps to fund our blog. The theatre breaks agents offer somewhat differing services and the best one for you depends on what you are looking for when you start searching for a theatre break package. You need to decide what your priorities are first before you look at the various deals on offer because you are not really comparing like with like. (If you need help with this have a look at this post on our sister site Theatre Breaks Magazine.) The agencies specialise and offer various options, they often work with particular hotels or a particular level of ticket. Some agencies have offers on rail fares which you can bundle in with the cost of your tickets, other optional extras like meals can also be added. Often agencies offer discounts on London attractions when they are booked with your theatre break. We only work with reputable agencies where we can be sure that not only will you get a good deal but that your tickets and hotel room will be honoured. Some of the other theatre breaks companies add lots of hidden extras, like booking fees, on to your final bill. We think this is not acceptable so we only recommend the following package deals: Show and Stay Theatre Breaks

Show and Stay is a long-established theatre package company. They are part of the larger Holiday Extras group and we have been working with them for the last 2-3 years. Feedback from customers has been very positive and we continue to recommend them. Show and Stay really specialise in getting you top quality tickets at a good price and combining them with a good choice of 3 or 4* hotels. They also offer a very good deal on rail tickets, with up to 40% discount as standard. Show and Stay often has the hot tickets that no one else has. For example when Jodie first appeared and Oliver! London was the hottest ticket in town, Show and Stay was able to offer Saturday night, best seats, when there was no other way to get them and everyone else said the show was sold out. Now despite what I’ve said about them offering top quality tickets don’t assume that Show and Stay only do expensive theatre breaks. Their breaks are very competitive. For example someone just booked a midweek evening at Oliver! and 1 night in a 3* hotel for 2 people for only £213.96.

Superbreak Theatre Breaks

Superbreak is where you go for bargains. They offer a range of ticket prices so if you don’t mind being in the Upper Circle you can get a very good price indeed. They have more limited availability sometimes, than Show and Stay but if you are looking for particular dates rather than a specific show they can be very good value. The hotels they work with are just as good as Show and Stay and are usually 3 or 4*. Superbreak are a large company and they do all sorts of London breaks and breaks to other cities too. They are less specialised than Show and Stay but they still offer a good service. Their web site can be a bit harder to find your way around, as it is so large, but if you persevere you can definitely get some great deals. TheatreBreaks.com

TheatreBreaks.com is a smaller company established thirty years ago. They’ve been online for over ten years. They have pretty good availability, work with good 3 and 4* hotels but where they really excel is in their personal touch. They are they people to go to if your needs are at all outside the ordinary. Maybe you want to do a large group with an odd number to see Dirty Dancing on a specific weekend. Perhaps you have limited mobility and need to know that your hotel, and your theatre seats, are fully accessible. They are the best people to help you. You just phone them up quoting your reference number from the website and they will go out of their way to make sure your problems are sorted out. a

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Theatre Breaks Roundup for 2009 Winter 2009 is here and I’m just wondering what sort of a year this has been for theatre breaks. There’s been a recent survey that assures us reality TV has actually boosted ticket sales. The  box offices are claiming the credit crunch has had little effect on bookings with theatre usually full. So what’s been the reality? Theatre Breaks Shows In terms of shows one or two have closed early but the old favourites like We Will Rock You carry on. Avenue Q was saved from oblivion by popular demand and has moved to a new theatre. The Lion King is as popular as ever and proudly boasts that it is so well booked that it has NEVER released tickets to the reduced ticket agencies. Some good shows reached the end of their natural life and wonderful though Spamalot was it really was time for it to say goodbye. It’s been replaced by Priscilla and that has been a fair swap. Carousel never really quite hit the spot and its closure wasn’t any great surprise. It was sad to see the end of Cabaret and a shame they couldn’t take a leaf out of Chicago’s book and find a constant stream of new familiar faces to keep us going back.  Joseph went too and no doubt was mourned by thousands of Lee Mead fans but it was another one that seemed ready to go. No doubt it will be back someday. One show I thought should have done better was Spring Awakening, which I just loved. All that energy and a theatre full of young people the night we went. I felt positively ancient, and that’s a good thing! (honest!)

Oliver has of course been a total triumph with Jodie Prenger making a real name for herself. Who would have thought she’d still be there doing 8 shows a week nearly a year later? What a star. I saw her at West End live this year and she has a super voice and a lovely stage presence. She managed to upstage Christopher Biggins, to great comic effect and that takes some talent for comedy! I think we’ll see more of Jodie once she moves on but for now she seems happy where she is. She’s on her 3rd Fagin and this is the one I’d really like to see. I think Griff Reese Jones will make a great Fagin and be well worth seeing. Hairspray has seen some major changes with the departure of Micheal Ball. Still Phil Jupitus is doing a grand job and Brain Connely was very well received in the part. I wonder how long Micheal will stay away, I’m sure I heard somewhere that he’s thinking of coming back to Edna. We hope! Wicked is going from strength to strength and is the most popular musical at this witchy time of year. Kerry Ellis is just a distant memory now and Alexia Kadhim has made her own interpretation of Elphaba. I think she has a lovely voice, quite different to Kerry’s but wonderful all the same: Click here to view the embedded video. New shows coming in include Legally Blonde which I was less than keen on when first announced. Since then I’ve had a good look at the videos on youtube and listened to the cast recordings and I might just change my mind. It might be fun and has the sort of casting that makes me want to see it. What to say about Love Never Dies (apart from “I can’t wait!!”)? Well it’s definitely going to be a huge event and it should be a spectacular in the best Lloyd Webber tradition. The Coney Island setting should give it a great atmosphere, you know how creepy fairgrounds can be. We’ve all seen Scoobydoo   It’s got two fabulous stars in Sarah Boggess and Ramin Karimloo (I’ve been doing this so long I can now spell these names without flinching!) In the next part of this series of posts I’ll look at the travel aspects and prospects for theatre breaks in London 2010. a

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On Tuesday Nov 3rd 2009 many West End Musicals favourites will be helping light up the city as part of the switch on of London’s Christmas lights. At 3 main venues in the centre of London stars from major productions will be involved in the switch on. Sister Act – Oxford Circus It’s the 50th Anniversary of the Christmas lights in Oxford St and the Sister Act cast will be there in force to make sure the ceremony goes with a swing. The switch will be flicked by Jim Carey (no really, Truman himself!),  the girl group The Saturdays, Taio Cruz will also entertain the crowds. Sister Act Oliver! – Regent St Oliver! star Jodie Prenger and the London Community Gospel Choir will be at Regent St. Colin Firth (down girls!) will be doing the switch on. The Noisettes and  Daniel Merriweather will also be performing. Jodie Prenger as Nancy in Oliver Hairspray – St Paul’s Cathedral The cast of Hairspray will be at St Paul’s Cathedral, along with Spandau Ballet, Little Boots, St Paul’s Cathedral Choir and Bob Hoskins doing the honours. St Paul's Cathederal, London More stars will no doubt soon be announced and I’ll keep you posted here on the Theatre Breaks blog a

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Oliver! will have a new Fagin from Dec 14th 2009. Griff Rhys Jones will take over from Omid Djalili and is committed to play the role until at least June 2010. Griff will join Jodie Prenger who is also contracted till at least March 2010. Steve Hartley replaces Burn Gorman as ‘Bill Sikes’, a role he played in the 1990’s production. Oliver! seems to have really established itself as a firm favourite for theatre breaks and Griff’s Fagin promises an extra treat for anyone who fancies a Christmas theatre break to see Oliver!

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The New Oliver! – Could it be you? The original Oliver!’s from the current production Laurence Jeffcoate, Gwion Jones and Harry Stott were chosen last year as part of I’d Do Anything. Now some other lucky boys will get the chance to follow them onto the West End stage. It’s not just Oliver – the show is also looking for a potential Artful Dodger and other members of Fagin’s gang, so girls are in with a chance too. Who are they looking for? Actors should be aged eight to 13, under five foot tall, with unbroken voices and strong singing, dancing and acting skills.

Auditions Initial auditions will be held on 10 August, and children should be available to appear in the show from October 2009 to April 2010. For more information about the auditions please contact Jo Hawes at jo.hawes@virgin.net Click here to view the embedded video. And, yes, that’s Ruthie Henshall not Jodie!

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Omid Djalili takes over as Fagin at tomorrow night’s (July 20th 2009) performance of Oliver! There’s a super interview with him in The Sunday Independent. In it we learn that Omid is not Muslim, as many people assume, but a member of the Bah’ai faith. He talks about playing a Jewish character and says: “I think that if you’re playing a Jewish character, and if you can find the truth of something in that character, then that’s OK,” It sounds like his Fagin will be quite different to Rowan Atkinson’s interpretation. The interviewer says: it is a genuine shock when Fagin himself walks into the dressing-room. As Lionel Bart’s musical take on Dickens’s most ‘orrible villain, he is sullen, scowling and deeply scary. “I’m so pleased you like the look!” he says as I recoil from his handshake and the make-up lady begins to wipe away the bruised circles under his eyes. I wouldn’t say I “like” it: the look is chilling. It will frighten children. I think this bodes very well for the production. Fagin should slightly give you the chills, he’s not a cosy character and he should make us uneasy. So if you go to Oliver! and see Omid Djalili please leave us a comment and tell us what you think of the new Fagin.

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Jodie Prenger from Oliver sings “As Long As He Needs Me” from Oliver at West End Live with interview

A Little Night Music in the West End Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music is an elegant waltz time musical which transferred to the West End’s Garrick Theatre in April after an acclaimed run at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Based on Ingmar Berman’s film, Smiles of a Summer Night, A Little Night Music the musical is set in Sweden at the turn of the century. A romantic and heartfelt piece of theatre, A Little Night Music contains the much-loved song Send in the Clowns.

The cast includes

Maureen Lipman as Madame Armfeldt an elderly lady who has had a highly successful career as a courtesan and Desiree’s mother. Hannah Waddingham as Desiree a young and fairly self-absrobed actress who largely neglects her own duty as a mother. Jessie Buckley as Anne, the pretty young wife of Fredrick who is naive and obsessed by material trinkets and new dresses.

Jessie Buckley Jessie Buckley was a popular contestant on the BBC’s I’d Do Anything, coming second in the contest to find the new Nancy for Oliver. A Little Night Music marks Jessie’s professional debut. A Little Night Music Theatre Breaks Theatre Breaks to see A Little Night Music are available up until September 5th 2009 ** book A Little Night Music Theatre Breaks **

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West End Live Quick Update Latest confirmed shows according to the official web site include: Avenue Q, Been So Long, La Cage Aux Folles, Carousel, Chicago, Dirty Dancing, Hairspray, Jersey Boys, Oliver!, Priscilla Queen of The Desert, Sister Act, Stomp, Thriller Live, Too Close To The Sun, We Will Rock You, Wicked OOh I can’t wait! It was great last year but this looks even better! Be there: Leicester Square on the weekend of the 20th and 21st of June 2009!

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Mamma Mia! MAMMA MIA! at the Prince of Wales Theatre will have major cast changes from Monday 15 June 2009. The Mamma Mia Cast list

Sally Ann Triplett as Donna Sheridan, Katy Secombe as Rosie Jane Gurnett as Tanya. Norman Bowman as Sam Carmichael, Paul Ryan as Harry Bright, Christopher Hollis as Bill Austin, Niamh Perry as Sophie Sheridan, Oliver Hembrough as Sky, Jodie Read as Ali, Laura Selwood as Lisa, Ben Heathcote as Pepper Sam McKay as Eddie. Melissa Jacques as alternate Donna Sheridan

Some of the new cast members (Sally Ann Triplett, Katy Secombe and Norman Bowman) have good West End credentials. Christopher Hollis is better known for his TV work (EastEnders, The Bill, A Touch of Frost) Of course we’ll all recognise Niamh Perry as she was a finalist on I’d Do Anything on BBC One. She didn’t win the role of Nancy but she was very, very good. I think she’ll be excellent as Sarah.

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Oliver! will have a new Fagin a little sooner than expected.

Russ Abbots as Fagin

Russ Abbot will take over as Fagin from April 13. Rowan Atkinson has been forced to pull out for three weeks to undergo surgery for a hernia. He’s hoped to be back on stage by April 27. A statement from a spokesperson for the show said: “Rowan has been nursing the problem for a few weeks but it flared up badly whilst on a break with his family this week. He has cut short his holiday to fly back to have surgery immediately to speed the recovery process…..The condition, whilst neither serious nor dangerous, is extremely painful and prevents normal movement, making performing impossible.” Russ Abbot played the role of Fagin in the 1997 production and also in a couple of touring productions.

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Oliver! is now booking through to February 2010 to meet the increasing demand for tickets. News that Omid Djalili will taking over the role of Fagin from Rowan Atkinson in July has not made any difference to booking levels. For many people the easiest way to get tickets for the dates you want will be to book them as part of an Oliver theatre break.

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