I guess it’s hard for anyone to get themselves to Charlie, or that chocolate factory, in a condition of naivity. Ignorance cannot survive in a national bloodstream so awash with Roald Dahl’s most popular confection. Let me get the special pleading out of the way first. It’s a standing joke among my children that I am a dead ringer for Gene Wilder as Willy Wonka in the 1971 movie. At least one of their friends refused to believe that I wasn’t him. I don’t get it myself, but I had to accept … [Read more...]
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
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.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory Waterstone Biscuit
To celebrate the 50th anniversary of Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, the hit West End musical and Biscuiteers, supported by Tate & Lyle, have recreated the chocolate factory in biscuit form in the main window of Waterstones flagship shop in Piccadilly. Images downloadable from link below. The 6m x 1.7m edible chocolate biscuit installation, based on the Olivier-nominated Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical stage set, was designed and created by Biscuiteers and … [Read more...]
Encore – An Evening with Heather Headley at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Tony and Grammy Award winner Heather Headley has announced a special performance of Encore - An Evening With Heather Headley, at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane on Sunday 2nd February 2014. Heather Headley played the role of Nala in the original 1997 Broadway cast of Elton John and Tim Rice’s award winning musical The Lion King. Since then, she has gone on to not only become an award winning stage performer, but also gained chart success with her studio albums. Heather was born in … [Read more...]
Review of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory October 2013
Another Roald Dahl book turned into a musical has hit the West End like a storm (after the very successful Matilda, an RSC production which has been running for nearly 2 years at the Cambridge Theatre where it moved after sell out performances at Stratford-Upon-Avon) and it is as sugary as the title suggests. Although I missed bits of the illustrated start of the show due to latecomers and noisy members of the audience (which were not only children), I got immersed into the story fairly … [Read more...]
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Roald Dahl's captivating dark story of young Charlie Bucket and the mysterious confectioner Willy Wonka is brought to life in a new West End musical directed by Academy Award winner Sam Mendes. When Charlie gets to win a golden ticket to the weird and wonderful Wonka Chocolate Factory, it's the opportunity of a lifetime to feast on the sweets he's always dreamed of. But on the far side of the gates incredible amazement awaits him, as down the sugary corridors and among the incredible … [Read more...]
Review of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory musical Theatre Royal Drury Lane
The story of Charlie and The Chocolate Factory is well known from the beloved children’s novel by Roald Dahl: a poor, malnourished child living in destitute lucks out and finds a golden ticket to visit the magical world of Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, after which his life will never be the same again. This new musical adaptation playing at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane has music by Marc Shaiman, and lyrics by Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman, a book by award-winning playwright and adaptor David … [Read more...]
Interview with Amy Beadel: Teen Fiona and Tweedle Dum in Shrek
At the time of the interview, Amy was appearing as Teen Fiona and Tweedle Dum in Shrek The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London. She very kindly agreed to answer a few questions about herself and her career. Where did you go to school and which parts did you get in school plays? I went to St. Margaret’s School in Exeter and was very lucky to have a fantastic Performing Arts Department. I played parts such as ‘Brigitta’ in ‘The Sound of Music’, ‘Puck’ in ‘A Midsummer … [Read more...]