5 West End Musicals You Cannot Afford To Miss In 2013

 Up first and probably one of the most eagerly anticipated shows for a long time is  Viva Forever. Written by Jennifer Saunders, the Viva Forever musical is a wonderfully joyous contemporary show about the value of friendship in the face of fame and fortune! Featuring the music of the Spice Girls, Viva Forever the musical charts one girls journey into the world of overnight celebrity and its impact on her friends and mother. The show takes us from London to Spain and back again, as the world judges you, it’s all about who you really are and who you want to be, whatever the cost. Viva Forever opens at the Piccadilly Theatre with previews from 27 November.

Opening next month is another brand new musical and sure to be huge! The Bodyguard is based on the smash hit film which starred Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner. A romantic thriller, The Bodyguard songs will include Queen of the Night, So Emotional, One Moment in Time, Saving All My Love, I'm Your Baby Tonight, Run to You, I Have Nothing, How Will I Know, I Wanna Dance With Somebody and of course I Will Always Love You. The cast of The Bodyguard is led by Tony and Grammy award-winner Heather Headley (The Lion King and Aida on Broadway) as Rachel Marron with Lloyd Owen (BBC's Monarch of the Glen) as bodyguard, Frank Farmer. The show will open at the Adelphi Theatre from 6 November.

Having only opened a short time ago, this revival of one of the most well known and loved musicals of all time is already wowing fans and reviewers alike. Cabaret is starring Will Young and Michelle Ryan this time around and since its Broadway premiere in 1966 and the famous movie version with Liza Minnelli and Joel Grey, Cabaret has won a staggering number of stage and screen awards including 8 Oscar’s, 7 BAFTA’s and 13 Tony’s. Cabaret opened at the Savoy Theatre on 10 October.

Massive Broadway hit The Book Of Mormon will open at the Price of Wales theatre in spring 2013. Winner of nine Tony Awards last year and described by Vogue as "the funniest musical of all time" The Book of Mormon is written by South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone and Avenue Q co-creator Robert Lopez. Set in a small town in Uganda, The Book of Mormon tells the hilarious the story of two young Mormon missionaries who are bringing the news of the Latter Day saints to local villagers. The award winning Book of Mormon songs include Spooky Mormon Hell Dream, I Am Africa, Baptize Me, All American Prophet and Tomorrow Is A Latter Day.

And finally for another revival for the first time since its award winning London season premiered in 1975, the legendary Broadway musical A Chorus Line will open at the London Palladium on 2 February 2013. A Chorus Line revolutionised Broadway when it opened in 1975  and went on to play 6,137 performances, winning nine Tony Awards, seven Drama Desk Awards, the New York Critic’ Circle Award and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It transferred to the West End the following year, winning the Olivier Award for Best New Musical. In A Chorus Line, auditions are underway for a new Broadway musical and for everyone present, it’s the chance of a lifetime, the one opportunity to do what they’ve always dreamed of, to have the chance to dance.

This top five is just the tip of the iceberg. If none of these musicals interest you then there are plenty more to choose from that have either just opened or are opening in the next few months. In my opinion however, the five listed here are definitely 5 West End musicals you cannot afford to miss in 2013!