A visit to London means one thing – never having enough time to see and do everything you desire. If you are planning to visit Britain’s capital city in early 2020, I have attempted to put together a list of theatre and art that come highly recommended. Hopefully there is something to suit your taste.
The Official London Theatre website lists so many shows that it can end up becoming a frustration. So much to see, so little time to do so. There are the obvious showstoppers, such as Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s The Phantom of the Opera, but as this is coming to Dublin next summer, you could simply bide your time and see something else.
Musicals are hugely popular with theatregoers and there is no shortage of choice in that category. Disney’s The Lion King, Wicked, The Book of Mormon and Mamma Mia are just a few of the many offerings in this genre, and they will cater for a range of ages and tastes.
However, it is not one of the obvious that I am going to suggest, but something that will cheer you up on a dull January or February day. Romeo & Juliet is big, brash, a jukebox of musical numbers and a show to be simply enjoyed. It is based on the premise that Shakespeare is persuaded by his wife, Anne Hathaway, to change the ending of Romeo and Juliet and to give our heroine a second chance at life.
The story is enhanced by a range of pop hits from the pen of Max Martin, so you will hear some of the music he created for Britney Spears (Baby One More Time and Oops! I Did It Again), Ariana Grande (Break Free, Problem) and Ke$ha (Blow). Woven into the fabric of the story too are I Want It That Way by the Backstreet Boys, Kelly Clarkson’s Since U Been Gone, and the show-stopping pair of Céline Dion’s That’s the Way It Is, along with Adam Lambert’s Whataya Want from Me. Who could have imagined bubble gum pop and The Bard co-existing so easily?
In London theatre-land finding a play is a much harder task, as the current fashion is to turn every story into a musical. Touching The Void is a notable exception. It is compelling, gut wrenching, real and sometimes terrifying. Originally a book published in 1988, and made into a film in 2003, the wait to see the story put on stage has been worthwhile.
In 1985, two young climbers, Joe Simpson and Simon Yates, set out to be the first to reach the summit of the Siula Grande in the Peruvian Andes. They succeeded, and the pair then embarked on the treacherous descent down the mountain – only to meet with disaster when Simpson breaks his leg in a fall, leaving Yates to lower him the rest of the way with ropes. When a storm threatens both their lives, Yates must decide whether to cut the rope and risk Simpson’s likely death.
One of the marvels of this play is how producer Tom Morris brings a mountaineering saga to the stage, but suffice to say that his past work includes the highly acclaimed War Horse. Using your imagination, the most basic object can take on a symbolic power. This is a play about the human will to triumph over adversity.
Finally, most recently I saw Wonderful Things, showing the artistry of fashion photographer Tim Walker at the Victoria & Albert (V&A) Museum. Again, this is an exhibition that asks you to allow your imagination to run free. Walker was asked to create a series of photographs inspired by the V&A’s archive. His choice of artefacts appears alongside those works.
Walker’s best-known photographs appear together in one room, while for the most part the experience of the visit is akin to being on the set of Alice in Wonderland. This is a vibrant show and one that grabs your attention and never relaxes its grip.