Friday 19th August 2011 by Will Langdale
A quick pick of what’s hot in the TicketTree.com office
Holiday special!
When we got into the office this morning, we had an unexpected surprise. For once, on this murky island, the weather was ruddy lovely, and it looks like it’s going to be a dry, hazy summery weekend. It’s like August suddenly realised it was supposed to be pleasant. So for those of you lucky enough to be out and about, there’s still a few weeks left of the school holidays, and now’s the time for a bit of annual leave in time for the bank holiday next weekend. Here are some shows with a really broad appeal that’ll leave you with a smile on your face and tunes stuck in your head.
Shrek the Musical is a new arrival this year, after transferring from Broadway. Already it’s booking months and months in advance, but luckily it’s not quite at the War Horse stage of being unbookable a week ahead! Starring Nigel Lindsay as Shrek, Richard Blackwood as Donkey and Amanda Holden as Princess Fiona, it follows the plot of the first (and best, clearly) film. Nigel Harman is also a wonderful Lord Farquaad, with What's Up Duloc being particularly catchy, especially with those hey-nonny-nons.
For something that’s been around a bit longer, we’ve got extremely high praise for Wicked. Adapted from a 1995 novel by Gregory Maguire, and beginning its West End run in 2006, Wicked is the story of Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of the West in L. Frank Baum’s The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, itself a popular musical that’s great for the whole family, and that we definitely recommend.
Why is Wicked awesome? Well, first off, it has some seriously wicked (a-ha) songs, like the iconic Defying Gravity, covered in Glee, and released as a single by Idina Menzel, who originated the role of Elphaba. The second reason it’s awesome is that it teaches a valuable lesson, not just about judging others, but about the nature of storytelling. Wicked takes The Wizard of Oz, a fable with a very black and white sense of good and evil, and reframes the narrative in a much more morally complex way without confusing the power of a straightforward story. It’s about not jumping to conclusions, accepting that what’s correct is not always obvious or easy, and about never taking something for granted just because it’s neat, or simple. It’s like an anti-Disney. Honestly, go watch Wicked, it’s great.
We also have a couple of honourable mentions for the summer crowd. The Lion King is always a treat, and the way it’s staged is truly spectacular. It’s an old enough film that most of the audience will have warm feelings towards it, and combined with how incredible it looks in the theatre you’re bound to have a good time. Lastly, a show that’s proved successful both in the West End and in Edinburgh. Potted Potter runs through all seven Harry Potter books in just over an hour with CBBC’s Dan and Jeff. Given that the first Harry Potter was published in 1997, the kids who grew up on it are beginning to have their own kids, so there’s definitely something for everyone here.
Edinburgh awards
Two sets of theatre awards have announced shortlists this week. Just a brief mention here as it’s not strictly in the West End, but it’s interesting all the same! Musical Theatre Matters, running at Edinburgh Fringe, is currently being led by From the Fire with nominations in every category, and the Total Theatre Awards, also Edinburgh-related but focusing on contemporary theatre, has a pretty impressive shortlist that was apparently dragged out of one of the longest longlists they’ve had in years.
Deal of the week
Well, it’s got to be one of the above shows! And as we offered you discounted Wicked packages a few weeks ago as a summer offer, this week we’re offering a discount on Shrek the Musical. As always, go through to book the show, then use the code SHREKBLOG to get your 5% off. Now go forth and enjoy!