42nd Street to be revived at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

It has been confirmed that 42nd Street will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 4th April 2017 (previews from 20th March), following the closure of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

The West End revival will be directed by Mark Bramble who is the co-author of the book for the original Broadway and West End productions of the musical. 42nd Street is co-written by Michael Stewart with music by Harry Warren.

42nd Street previously opened at the Drury Lane in 1984. Tickets go on-sale today (5th August). Choreography will be by Randy Skinner with set by Douglas W Schmidt and costume by Roger Kirk. 42nd Street will feature a cast of over 50, with the score including We’re In The Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off To Buffalo, Dames, I Only Have Eyes For You and 42nd Street. Book Now. 

BGT winners Attraction to premiere new show in the West End

Britain’s Got Talent winners Attraction are set to premiere their new production The Box in the West End later this year.

Playing for one-night-only at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 29th November, Attraction will "absorb their audiences into a new dimension". They combine performance art and technology to inspire audiences, reinforce messaging and illustrate a story.

The Box will be the first show in the world to include shadow performance, black light theatre and video mapping in the same show. Attraction, the World’s leading Shadow and Black Light Theatre Company, won Britain’s Got Talent in 2013.

Guest Review: Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Reviewed on Friday 18th April 2014

In an ever changing West End world, where shows seem to be coming and going faster than you can blink, many continue to question what makes an audience return to a show over and over again – what is that special ingredient?

A love story? A quest for a brighter tomorrow? A surprise ending? Or is it a celebrity performer in a leading role? For me, there is one show that doesn’t need any of these features – as it already has one special ingredient of its own.

MAGIC.

An Evening With Heather Headley at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane cancelled

Heather Headley's upcoming concert 'An Evening With Heather Headley' which was due to take place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 2nd February 2014 has been cancelled. A statement claims the delay of Headley's upcoming album is to blame.

The full statement reads:

"Regrettably Heather’s show at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London on 2nd February has been cancelled. We had hoped that Heather’s album ‘Only One in the world’ would be released prior to the show date but unavoidable delays have meant that the album is not out yet and so the promotional tour must be postponed. We hope to play the show at a later date, once the album has been released. We apologise for any inconvenience that this will cause."

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory extends to May 2015 and sets new West End record

The West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factoryhas extended its run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane to 20th May 2015. The new booking period will go on sale on 7th February 2014.

Producers have also announced that the musical has broken the West End theatre record for the highest reported weekly gross sales for a second time, taking a total of £1,080,260.00 in the week commencing 30th December 2013. The show set the previous record of £1,062,606.00 in the week commencing 28th October 2013.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory broke box office record during half term

Last week (Monday 28th October to Saturday 2nd November 2013) Roald Dahl's' Charlie and the Chocolate Factory broke the West End record for the highest reported weekly gross sales. 

Over the course of the nine show week almost 20,000 people saw the musical at Theatre Royal Drury Lane achieving a record value of £1,062,606.  The previous reported nine performance record of £1,002,885 was achieved by Wicked at the Apollo Victoria Theatre in December 2010.

This figure also breaks the show's own Drury Lane record set in August 2013. Since the box office opened in October 2012 the show has taken £21million in ticket sales and is now booking through to November 2014.

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory extends booking period and releases cast recording

It has been announced that Sam Mendes' West End production of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has extended its booking period to 1st November 2014 at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

The production, which has so far been seen by almost 300,000 people since it began previews in May 2013, has released over 400,000 extra tickets. 

A cast recording has also been released today with music by Marc Shaiman and and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman. The album features the entire cast, led by Douglas Hodge as Willy Wonka, and includes every number from the show.

Theatre Gossip: Stephen Fry to play Lady Bracknell in West End production of The Importance of Being Earnest?

According to The Daily Mail, Stephen Fry will play Lady Bracknell in a West End production of The Importance of Being Earnest. The article even suggests that the production will open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in the autumn of 2014, the same theatre where Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is due to open June 2013. Please remember nothing has yet been confirmed.

Stephen Fry  apparently told The Daily Mail that his Lady Bracknell is "a little bit of Alastair Sim's Miss Fritton, clutching pearls; with a mixture of Stanley Baxter's 'Duchess' of Brenda'."

Review: Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Shrek The Musical

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

Reviewed on Wednesday 16th January 2013

"Shrek The Musical tells the story of the swamp-dwelling ogre who embarks on a life-changing adventure in order to reclaim the deed to his land. Joined by a wisecracking donkey who won’t shut up, this unlikely hero fights a fearsome dragon, rescues the feisty Princess Fiona and learns that real friendship and true love aren't only found in fairy tales. With all-new songs, and an old favourite in I'm a Believer, this spectacular stage musical brings to life the original film’s cast of dysfunctional characters and the accompanying subversive fun."  

Shrek The Musical is one of the best family friendly musical comedies I have ever seen. With a hilarious script, an impressive set and a catchy score, not only will kids leave with big grins on their faces, but parents will too.