Theatre Royal Drury Lane London Tickets, News & Reviews

As Frozen celebrates its first year on Broadway, Disney Theatrical Productions today announces the opening of a new production of the musical in London’s West End in Autumn 2020. With music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez, and book by Jennifer Lee, Michael Grandage’s production, with set and costume designs by Christopher Oram, lighting design by Natasha Katz, and choreography by Rob Ashford, will reopen the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

Frozen – produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher - opened on Broadway in March 2018 and quickly established itself as the biggest new musical hit of its season, nominated for the Tony Award® for Best Musical. In addition to the opening in London, the musical has a North American tour planned for Autumn 2019, productions in Australia and Japan opening in 2020, and a further production for Hamburg in 2021.

LW Theatres is in the middle of a £60 million restoration project of Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The ambitious scheme not only encompasses the complete refurbishment of the magnificent 1812 Greek Revival ‘front of house’ designed by Benjamin Wyatt, but also the reconstruction of the stage facilities and dressing rooms, the creation of new bars and restaurant, plus the refashioning of the auditorium to play in both the traditional proscenium arch and in the round.

Frozen the Musical heads to Theatre Royal Drury Lane in 2020
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Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JF
Venue and Travel Information
Nearest Tube: Covent Garden
Tube Lines: Piccadilly
Directions from nearest tube: Turn right on Long Acre; turn right into Bow Street and after 100 metres it will be on your left in Russell Street/Catherine Street.
Railway Station: Charing Cross
Bus Numbers: (Aldwych) 6, 11, 13, 23, 59, 68, 87, 171, 172, 188, RV1, X68
Night Bus Numbers: (Aldwych) 6, 23, 188, N11, N13, N26, N47, N68, N87, N89, N155, N171, N551
Car Park: Drury Lane, Parker Street
Within Congestion Zone: Yes
Venue Facilities: Air conditioned, Bar, Disabled toilets, Infrared hearing loop, Toilets, Wheelchair accessible

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

The first theatre on the site of Drury Lane theatre was opened in 1663 as the Theatre Royal Brydges Street with an audience capacity of about 700. It was built by Thomas Killigrew who held one of only two charters granted by Charles II at his Restoration to the throne in 1662. (Theatres had been banned during Oliver Cromwell’s Commonwealth). The theatre survived the Great Fire of London in 1666 but burnt down in 1672 (in the days of wooden framed buildings and candles, fire was a perennial problem).

The second theatre, which opened in 1674, was much larger and could seat 2,000. The theatre struggled against stronger competition for a few years and was even forced to close, but in 1682 the Drury Lane company and their rivals joined forces under the management of Thomas Betterton. After a few successful years, the theatre again found itself in difficulty and it was not until the famous actor David Garrick took over the management in 1747 that the theatre’s fortunes began to rise. Garrick was succeeded in 1777 by the playwright Richard Brinsley Sheridan.

In 1791 the theatre was again rebuilt and opened in 1794 with a seating capacity of 3,611. This lasted only 15 years and was burnt down in 1809. Sheridan could not afford to rebuild it, but the brewer Samuel Whitbread who was one of the shareholders raised £400,000 and the fourth theatre – still there today – opened in 1814.

Some of the most famous luminaries of British Theatre performed in the historic theatres on this site, including Nell Gwynne, Mrs Siddons, Garrick, Kean and Grimaldi. The theatre has hosted musicals including Rose Marie, Show Boat, My Fair Lady and most recently Oliver! Visitors to the Upper Circle during matinees, however, be warned the Theatre Royal has its own Phantom, the notorious Man in Grey, said to be the ghost of the man whose body was found in the walls of the Theatre Royal in 1840.

Disney’s Frozen will reopen the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane

March 19, 2019 Last updated: March 6, 2020 6:39 pm By Admin

Frozen – produced by Disney Theatrical Productions under the direction of Thomas Schumacher – opened on Broadway in March 2018 and quickly established itself as the biggest new musical hit of its season, nominated for the Tony Award® for Best Musical. In addition to the opening in London, the musical has a North American tour planned for Autumn 2019, productions in Australia and Japan opening in 2020, and a further production for Hamburg in 2021.

The highest grossing animated film of all time, Frozen was released in cinemas in 2013, winning multiple awards, including two Academy Awards® for Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song (“Let It Go”), the Golden Globe for Best Animated Feature Film and the BAFTA for Best Animated Film. It was written and directed (with Chris Buck) by Jennifer Lee, with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez. Frozen 2 will be coming to UK cinemas this November.

Audiences are invited to learn more about Frozen the Musical and to sign up for priority booking at FrozenTheMusical.co.uk. Performance schedule and casting to be announced at a later date.

Jennifer Lee said today, “We’re so humbled by the continued support for Frozen – at its heart, a joyous story about love and sisterhood. We’re very excited to share what we have created on stage with London and to see it come to life in that gorgeous theatre.”

Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez commented, “The power of Frozen comes from the story of two strong, very real women saving their world by leaning in to their deep love for one another. Expanding this story has been an absolute joy. We went deeper and discovered several song moments that enrich the story in a new emotional and theatrical way.”

Michael Grandage said, “Bringing Frozen to the stage has been a gloriously happy journey. We’re all looking forward to getting back in the room together as a creative team, to build our London company and bring Frozen to the West End.”

Thomas Schumacher, President & Producer Disney Theatrical Productions, added, “As Frozen celebrates its first year on Broadway, we’re thrilled to share the London plans for the show. Michael Grandage has created a production that is as full of heart and joy as it is spectacle. It will be an honour to reopen Andrew Lloyd Webber’s gorgeously refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane, one of the crown jewels of London’s West End.”

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane, owned and managed by LW Theatres, is closed for 20 months for a landmark £45 million renovation and restoration project and will reopen as Frozen begins previews.

With choreography by Rob Ashford, set and costume design by Christopher Oram, lighting design by Natasha Katz, sound design by Peter Hylenski, video design by Finn Ross, puppet design by Michael Curry, and musical supervision and arrangements by Stephen Oremus.

Kristen Anderson-Lopez’s theatre credits include In Transit (Broadway), Up Here (La Jolla Playhouse) and Finding Nemo: The Musical (Disney World, running since 2006). For television, her songs include for 87th Academy Awards (Emmy® nomination), The Comedians, and The Wonder Pets. For film, her work includes Disney Pixar’s Coco (Oscar® Best Original Song win for “Remember Me”, Grammy nomination), Frozen (Oscar and Grammy Award® wins for “Let It Go”), Winnie The Pooh, and the forthcoming Frozen 2. She was a 2014 recipient, and now board member, of the Lilly Awards.

Robert Lopez’s Broadway credits include as co-creator/writer of The Book of Mormon (five Olivier Awards including Best New Musical and Outstanding Achievement in Music; nine Tony® Awards including Best Book, Best Original Score and Best Musical), co-creator/songwriter of Avenue Q (three Tony Awards including Best Original Score and Best Musical). Other theatre work includes Up Here (La Jolla Playhouse) and 1001 Nights (Atlantic Theater). His television work includes songs for The 87th Academy Awards, The Simpsons, South Park, Scrubs and The Wonder Pets. For film, his work includes, Disney Pixar’s Coco (Oscar® Best Original Song win for “Remember Me”, Grammy nomination), Frozen (Oscar Best Original Song win for “Let It Go”), and the forthcoming Frozen 2.

Lopez is one of 12 artists to win Emmy®, Grammy®, Oscar® and Tony Awards® (EGOT).

Jennifer Lee is Chief Creative Officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios. She is the Academy Award®-winning writer of Walt Disney Animation Studio’s Frozen, which she also directed with Chris Buck. For her work on Frozen, Lee received numerous awards including a Golden Globe, a Critics’ Choice Award, a BAFTA and an Academy Award®. Her Disney Animation career began as co-writer of the Oscar®-nominated Wreck-It Ralph. She also wrote the screenplay for Disney’s 2018 release A Wrinkle in Time. Currently, Lee is writing and directing Frozen 2.

Michael Grandage is Artistic Director of the Michael Grandage Company in London. For the company he directed Henry V, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, The Cripple of Inishmaan, Peter and Alice and Privates on Parade, Dawn French: 30 Million Minutes Photograph 51, Red and The Lieutenant of Inishmore, and the feature film Genius with Colin Firth. He was Artistic Director of the Donmar Warehouse (2002–2012) and Artistic Director of Sheffield Theatres (2000–05). He is the recipient of Tony, Drama Desk, Olivier, Evening Standard, Critics’ Circle and South Bank Awards. He has been awarded Honorary Doctorates by the University of London, Sheffield University and Sheffield Hallam University and is President of Central School of Speech and Drama. He was appointed CBE in the Queen’s Birthday Honours 2011. His book, A Decade At The Donmar, was published by Constable & Robins in 2012.

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Facebook /FrozenLondon
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FROZEN October 2020 – Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tickets on sale now

Steph Parry to star as Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street – Theatre Royal Drury Lane

June 15, 2018 Last updated: May 7, 2019 6:02 pm By Admin

Steph Parry as Dorothy Brock and 42nd Street Ensemble - (c) Matt Crockett — Steph Parry as Dorothy Brock and 42nd Street Ensemble – (c) Matt Crockett

In the week that 42nd Street celebrates the 500th performance of its run, the producers have announced that Steph Parry is to now take the iconic role of Dorothy Brock in the show at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The actress shot to fame last week when she stepped up from understudy in one show to suddenly play the starring role in another musical playing down the road.

Steph’s casting in the star role is a rare case of life imitating art – 42nd Street tells the story of a young actress being given her shot at stardom after the leading lady is injured, and charts the understudy’s rise from showgirl to star.

Last week Steph was preparing for her understudy role in 42nd Street when she was called by the company manager of Mamma Mia, after the leading lady was forced off stage with an injury. Rather than see the audience sent home, Steph stepped into the shoes of the injured actress to ensure that the show did indeed go on.

Following this, Steph has now been awarded the starring role of Dorothy Brock, following in the footsteps of Lulu who has been playing the legendary diva in the five-star production. The role has also previously been taken by Sheena Easton. Steph’s first performance will be Monday 9th July.

42nd Street is playing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The production is directed by the show’s co-author Mark Bramble (whose other hit shows include Barnum, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers The Grand Tour) and director of many award-winning previous productions of 42nd Street on Broadway and around the world.

42nd STREET is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’, ‘Dames’, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, and ‘42nd Street’.

With an all-singing, high-kicking cast of over 50 on the West End’s largest stage, 42nd Street is the biggest show in town.

42nd Street is presented in London by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade together with The Global Group of Companies for Gate Ventures with Executive Producer Johnny Hon.

42nd STREET – LISTINGS INFORMATION
Book: Michael Stewart & Mark Bramble
Music: Harry Warren
Lyrics: Al Dubin
Choreography: Randy Skinner
Director: Mark Bramble
Set Design: Douglas W Schmidt
Costume Design: Roger Kirk

Theatre Royal, Drury Lane
Catherine Street
London WC2B 5JF

42nd Street Starring Lulu as Dorothy Brock | Theatre Royal Drury Lane

February 23, 2018 Last updated: October 7, 2019 11:26 pm By Admin

Lulu - photographer credit Matt Crockett — Lulu – photographer credit Matt Crockett

Lulu returns to London’s West End after 30 years, joining the cast of 42nd Street, the dazzling and romantic homage to the world of musical theatre in the iconic role of ‘Dorothy Brock’.

Lulu made her acting debut at the age of 16, starring alongside Sidney Poitier in the 1967 British drama film To Sir, With Love and taking the title song to Number One in the US for five weeks. Since that time she has been a popular figure as an actress, singer, songwriter and businesswoman. Lulu has worked with some of the greatest musical talents of our time: Jimi Hendrix, Johnny Cash, The Beatles, David Bowie and more… Lulu’s West End debut was in the Richard Eyre National Theatre production of Guys & Dolls; she starred in Peter Pan, played Tom Courtenay’s wife in Whatever Happened to Harold Smith, performed in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Song & Dance and gained rave reviews for stepping into Julie Walters’ formidable shoes in the much-loved Adrian Mole tv series. She recently showcased her comedic skills in the cult comedy film, Absolutely Fabulous.

Lulu’s career highlights include the unforgettable Shout, her Bowie collaboration The Man Who Sold the World, a Bond theme song and a Number One with Take That. She is a multi-award winning artist, including Ivor Novello and Grammy nominations for the worldwide hit she penned for Tina Turner, I Don’t Wanna Fight, and she has an OBE. Lulu continues to set new standards and challenges for herself – having just completed a 44 date, sell-out tour of the UK and in 2017 toured Australia and the US with her band. Her most recent, self-penned album Making Life Rhyme, garnered some of the best reviews of her career.

Also joining the cast of 42nd Street is Ashley Day as ‘Billy Lawlor’. Ashley performed the role of ‘Jerry Mulligan’ in the recent West End production of An American in Paris. Other theatrical credits include Kiss Me Kate (Opera North), Oklahoma! (National Tour), The Book of Mormon (West End), The Wizard of Oz (London Palladium), High School Musical (National Tour), On the Town (English National Opera), Evita (West End), Mary Poppins (West End), Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker (Sadler’s Wells) and Oliver! (West End).
The role of ‘Julian Marsh’ will continue to be performed by Tom Lister, who played ‘Carl King’ in Emmerdale for 8 years and had recently starred as ‘Wild Bill Hickok’ in the UK Tour of Calamity Jane.

Clare Halse, whose performances have been hailed as ‘outstanding’ will continue as ‘Peggy Sawyer’. She most recently appeared in the acclaimed production of Gypsy as ‘Marjorie May’ at the Savoy Theatre.

42nd Street is playing at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The production is directed by the show’s co-author Mark Bramble (whose other hit shows include Barnum, Treasure Island, The Three Musketeers The Grand Tour) and director of many award-winning previous productions of 42nd Street on Broadway and around the world.

42nd Street is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway and includes some of the greatest songs ever written, such as ‘We’re In The Money’, ‘Lullaby of Broadway’, ‘Shuffle Off To Buffalo’, ‘Dames’, ‘I Only Have Eyes For You’, and ‘42nd Street’.

With an all-singing, high-kicking cast of over 50 on the West End’s largest stage, 42nd Street is the biggest show in town.

The cast also includes: Jasna Ivir is ‘Maggie Jones’, Graeme Henderson is ‘Andy Lee’, Christopher Howell is ‘Bert Barry’, Bruce Montague is ‘Abner Dillon’, Mark McKerracher is ‘Mac/Doc/Thug’ and Emma Caffrey is ‘Anytime Annie’. Matthew Goodgame joins as ‘Pat Denning’.

The 45 piece ensemble comprises Clare Rickard, Ella Martine, Hannah Amin, Lucy Andic, Sara Bispham, Pamela Blair, Abi Curruthers, Danielle Cato, Lisa Dent, Natasha Ferguson, Madeleine Francis, Maria Garrett, Maddie Harper, Leah Harris, Rebecca Herszenhorn, Bethany Huckle, Sarah Kacey, Annie Kitchen, Jenny Legg, Hannah–Faith Marram, Billie Kay, Katy Riches, Zoe Rogers, Jessica Stent, Josephina Camble, Gabrielle Cocca, Emma Johnson, Jasmine Kerr, Lucy Renouf, Christina Shard, Freddie Clements, Martin McCarthy, Zac Watts, Steph Parry, Thomas Audibert, George Beet, Philip Bertioli, Joel Cooper, Matt Cox, Adam Denman, Luke George, Ryan Gover, Alyn Hawke, Tom Partridge, James-Royden Lyley and Liam Wrate.

42nd Street is presented in London by Michael Linnit and Michael Grade together with The Global Group of Companies for Gate Ventures with Executive Producer Johnny Hon.

NEW CAST PREVIEWS FROM MONDAY 19th MARCH 2018 AT THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY LANE

Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JF

42nd Street Performances:
Evenings – Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm and Matinees on Wednesday and Saturday at 2.30pm

42nd Street
Original Studio Cast

42nd Street Review London Theatre Royal Drury Lane

January 11, 2018 Last updated: May 7, 2019 6:03 pm By Terry Eastham

Everyone heading off to drama or stage school has a dream. They all want to be a star. Now some may deny it and say they would just be happy with an established career but secretly every one of them wants that five-pointed gold star on their dressing room door. The best way to achieve that stardom may be to start in the chorus then work your way up to lead actor. But, for the hero of 42nd Street at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, there is a shortcut.

1933 and as the Great Depression really starts to bite, it’s announced that famous musical theatre director Julian Marsh (Tom Lister) is putting on a new show. Every hoofer in New York wants to be working on it and none is more determined than former Miss Allentown Peggy Sawyer (Clare Halse) but she’s too late to audition and everything seems to be going wrong for her. Can anything be done to rescue Peggy’s dream and get her on a Broadway stage performing in the same show as the beautiful Dorothy Brock (Sheena Easton)? Luckily, Peggy has a winning personality and makes a friend in juvenile lead Billy Lawlor (Stuart Neil) and he promises to help and so her hopes and aspirations are given a little more breathing space but, in a world where the choice is, get a job or join the bread line, can naive innocent young Peggy win through?

Now, just imagine the most splendid show you’ve ever seen. On every level, 42nd Street will beat it. For a start, there is a cast of nearly 60 performers. Then there are the sets by Douglas W. Schmidt, the dazzling costumes – seriously I have never seen more sequins in one place, well done to Roger Kirk – and the orchestra under Musical Director Jae Alexander, This is West End musical theatre on the grandest scale. No expense has been spared – it has been rumoured the show cost around 6-8 million to put on – and every penny has been spent ensuring that the audience has a fantastic evening.

Based on the story by Bradford Ropes and the subsequent 1933 movie of the same name, this version’s Book by Mark Bramble – who also directs – and Michael Stewart stays pretty faithful to the original. The story itself is not that complicated, nor does it really have any deep meaning – although the reconciliation of Dorothy and Pat, when the former chooses love over money has a nice moral tone – but it really doesn’t need one. 42nd Street is about music and dancing. Making sure Harry Warren and Al Dubin’s excellent songs are given the best possible setting, which choreographer Randy Skinner does spectacularly. There is a real touch of the Busby Berkeley’s in some of the big dance numbers – particularly in ‘Keep Young and Beautiful’ with a mirror flying in to give the audience a wonderful view from above the dancers. As with all well-known musicals, the big number has to be perfect and ‘Forty-Second Street’ is just that. It is a long song which must really take it out of the cast but it is a truly wonderful spectacle to behold.

To the cast and, as with everything else, only the best will do. Nearly sixty performers and not a weak link anywhere in sight. Unfortunately, Sheena Easton was indisposed on the two occasions this week – yes, that’s how good the show is, I went twice in three days – but her understudy CJ Johnson was fantastic in the role. And there is not enough praise that can be heaped on the head of Clare Halse as Peggy Sawyer. On stage for most of the show, she never seems to get a minute to draw breath between the singing and really intensive dancing. To be able to pull off performances as good as I saw – and then be smiling at the end of it – takes real talent and Clare has it in bucketfuls. Julian Marsh is a difficult character to perform. He must be ruthless, at times vicious but at the same time, there has to be a real show of humanity in him so that the audience doesn’t turn on the character. Tom Lister, manages to bring all the elements together in great style and, as he sings the final song, the audience is with him and really understands what drives Julian and the fact that no matter what, his first love will always be the theatre.

So, all this praise, was there anything I didn’t like? Let’s be honest, if I have been to see a show twice in three days then the chances are I liked pretty much everything. And that is the truth. From the overture to the ‘Finale Ultimo’ 42nd Street is everything and more than you can ever hope to see in a West End Musical. I first saw the show back in the 1980s at the same theatre and going back this week, it felt as if the show had come home and hopefully, is going to stay there for a very long time. A final word to sum up 42nd Street – awesome!

Review by Terry Eastham

42nd STREET, ’The mother of all showbiz musicals’ (The Daily Telegraph) is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway. Broadway’s biggest show has arrived in London to rave reviews and nightly standing ovations, featuring the iconic songs 42nd Street, We’re In The Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off To Buffalo, Dames and I Only Have Eyes For You.

Young Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the bus from small-town America and just another face in the chorus line on Broadway’s newest show. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy might just have the shot at stardom she’s always dreamed of?

Grammy Award winner Sheena Easton joins an all singing, high-kicking cast as Dorothy Brock with Tom Lister as Julian Marsh and Clare Halse as Peggy Sawyer.
Mark Bramble, co-author of the book for the original Broadway and West End productions of 42nd STREET and director of the 2001 Tony Award® winning revival, returns to direct the new West End production on London?s biggest stage, Theatre Royal Drury Lane.

42nd Street
Theatre Royal Drury Lane

West End Reviews: 42nd Street – Theatre Royal Drury Lane

April 4, 2017 Last updated: May 7, 2019 6:02 pm By Peter Yates

42nd Street - Clare Halse, Stuart Neal & Company - cBrinkhoff & Moegenburg — 42nd Street – Clare Halse, Stuart Neal & Company – credit Brinkhoff & Moegenburg

The intersection of 42nd Street and Broadway in Manhattan marks the epicentre of New York’s theatre district – customarily referred to as “Broadway”. There are 8 theatres on 42nd Street and any self-respecting blockbuster musical wants to or needs to, get an opening there if it’s going to succeed big-time. Thus when Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble (book), Harry Warren (music) and Al Dubin (lyrics) penned their “Broadway-based” musical in the early eighties, “42 Street” sat easily as their preferred title. The show 42nd Street is Broadway writ large: huge company, a multitude of colourful costumes, songs (some great), small-town girl makes good and, yes, above all, those mesmerising “dancing feet”.

If your thing is being engulfed by a forty-plus chorus-line as it bashes out its spectacular tap-athon then this is undoubtedly the show for you. If it’s not your thing then I would suggest it is still the show for you because we don’t get to see this kind of dance extravaganza very often these days – mainly because no-one can afford it. The word is that this production cost £8 million to stage and you certainly come away believing that no expense has been spared. Those costumes, those settings – some painted, some 3D – that excellent band, the half a million spent on lighting, that crystal clear sound, those two amazing set-pieces – one where we see multiple cast members peering out through their lit-up make-up mirrors and the similarly staged compartments on a train. This is all grist to the magical musical theatre mill and the vibrant images will be seared into the minds of the audience for years to come.

Co-writer Mark Bramble directs this production relying heavily on the choreography of original director, the late Gower Champion (via Randy Skinner). No-one can quibble at the quality and vibrancy of the dance routines but there is perhaps a thought that Bramble should have taken account of the great strides musical theatre has taken over the last decade and have updated the direction accordingly. The book, which is the most basic you can get – chorus girl takes over from star who is incapacitated – is rather dated now and the spoken word scenes are merely a device to link together the big set-piece dance numbers and as such are rather pedestrian.

The producers may find, therefore, that the modern savvy musical theatre audience demands more for its sixty-odd quid.

42nd Street - Bruce Montague & Sheena Easton - c Brinkhoff & Moegenburg — 42nd Street – Bruce Montague & Sheena Easton – c Brinkhoff & Moegenburg

The performer who suffers most from this unimaginative direction is Sheena Easton in the central role of Dorothy Brock. Ms Easton is a magnificent songstress and we have all long admired her clarity and feeling down the years. But she is a concert hall singer – this is her first appearance in a major musical on the West End stage. So rather than playing to her strengths – i.e. standing still in a single spot and letting her vocal talent speak for itself, she appears to have been told that she has to adapt into a “musical theatre singer” and therefore needs to change her style. It’s a style, unfortunately, that does not work. I was lucky enough to see this show in rehearsal when Easton did just stand there and sing – to great effect. Now the transition to stage and audience seems to have completely muddied her thinking and the clarity has gone – never more evident than in the jarring overuse of vibrato in her rendition of “I Only Have Eyes For You”. Great song, great singer, misjudged interpretation.

Clare Halse is outstanding as Peggy Sawyer, the chorus girl up from the sticks who shoots to stardom. She’s a confident singer but can also act – something that’s not a strong point in Easton’s repertoire. Halse is given solid support by the other characters around her but the real stars of the show are those irrepressible hoofers: and the giant over-stage mirror that gives the audience a birds-eye view of the Busby Berkeley-style geometric patterns created by spreadeagled terpsichoreans is a masterstroke. There is no doubt that everyone leaves the theatre wanting to waltz their way down Drury Lane and for that, despite its faults, we can be thankful for this evocative revival of 42 Street’s ultimate Broadway experience.

Review by Peter Yates

42nd STREET is the song and dance, American dream fable of Broadway. Young Peggy Sawyer is fresh off the bus from small-town America and just another face in the chorus line on Broadway’s newest show. But when the leading lady gets injured, Peggy might just have the shot at stardom she’s always dreamed of…

Broadway’s Biggest Show featuring the iconic songs 42nd Street, We’re In The Money, Lullaby of Broadway, Shuffle Off To Buffalo, Dames, I Only Have Eyes For You. 42nd STREET arrives on the West End’s biggest stage, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Spring 2017.

Grammy Award winner Sheena Easton joins an all singing, high-kicking cast as Dorothy Brock with Tom Lister as Julian Marsh and Clare Halse as Peggy Sawyer.

Mark Bramble, co-author of the book for the original Broadway and West End productions of 42nd STREET and director of the 2001 Tony Award® winning revival of 42nd STREET, returns to direct the new West End production.

Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Catherine Street, London, WC2B 5JF