UPCOMING WEST END SHOWS

Posted on 29 February 2012

While the UK goes sports mad with the Olympics 2012 in London you might be wondering if it is possible to avoid sports this summer.  If you are not a sporting fan, you are probably worried about the expected wall to wall tv coverage and take over of London, but whether you be a local to London or visiting the city (not for the Olympics) there are other things to see and do including going to upcoming West End shows !

So what can we can expect over the summer apart from the long standing shows in the West End?

One play that should draw in the crowds regardless of what else is going on in the city is Long Day's Journey Into Night.  A masterpiece by American playwright Eugene O'Neill who won 3 Pulitzer prizes for his work including Anna Christie, which was recently staged at the Donmar starring Jude Law earning him rave reviews and nominations including the Olivier Awards.  Eugene O'Neill was also awarded the Nobel laureate in Literature.  The play stars David Suchet returning to the Apollo Theatre after his multiple awarding winning work in another classic play, Arthur Miller's All My Sons.

If it's comedy you're after then you can't do better to get yourself to the Theatre Royal Haymarket to see One Man, Two Guvnors.  A critical and commerical phenomenon that has seen star James Corden and fellow cast members receive many nominations and awards, the production is now set to transfer to Broadway with a new cast taking over the West End transfer from the Adelphi to Theatre Royal Haymarket.

With comic farce Noises Off ending at the end of June, another classic arrives hot on it's heals during the summer.  The classic comedy, What the Butler Saw was writer's Joe Orton's final play before his death in 1967 and was first staged in 1969.  The revival goes to the Vaudeville Theatre and will star Omid Djalili.

And what about when the olympics are over?  No article about upcoming West End shows would be complete without talking about the West End transfer from the Globe Theatre to the Apollo Theatre from 2nd November of Twelth Night and Richard III.  Former artistic director of the Globe, Mark Rylance now a huge star after winning awards for Jerusalem both sides of the Atlantic will star in both productions.  Joining him in Twelth Night is Stephen Fry returning to the West End for the first time since 1995 after his short lived debut in Cell Mates.

As for upcoming West End musicals...well, nothing is confirmed yet so keep your eyes peeled.  The rumours and likely upcoming West End shows to look out for are The Bodyguard, Bridget Jones The Musical, Spice Girl's musical Viva Forever and an adaptation of the Johnny Depp film, Finding Neverland.

So whether you are a musical fan or looking for a good play to avoid all that sport, look out for the upcoming West End shows coming to a theatre soon!