The Magic of London’s West End
London’s West End is a world-renowned theater district, and I could not be more lucky to have access to its vibrant productions during my time on First-Year Study Abroad Experience (FYSAE). The West End is the main commercial and entertainment center of the city of London, and its dozens of theaters are surrounded by fantastic dining establishments and every shop you could ever want. Covering areas like Covent Garden, Piccadilly Circus, Leicester Square, and Soho, theaters began to emerge in the West End in the late 1600s, with the term “West End” itself gaining popularity in the early 1800s. Essentially, London’s West End is Britain’s equivalent of Broadway–but it’s so much better in so many ways.
I have seen five shows thus far in the West End, after being in London for 11 weeks. That is wimpy compared to some of my friends on FYSAE who attend three shows per week, but I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the performances I have seen! The first day after waking up in London, the Arcadia London Centre Orientation Staff took all of us students to see Wicked. Since I had traveled for fourteen hours the day before (and because of my admittedly controversial personal opinions on Wicked), this show is probably my least favorite so far. However, I can still recognize that the show itself– the talent, actors, costumes, set, and the magic– was phenomenal! It was super awesome that Arcadia took us there for free, and it served as a less intimidating introduction to London’s theater district.
The first show that I paid my own money for was Matilda. This musical was high on my bucket list and has extreme sentimental value to me because I was in a production of Matilda myself in my sophomore year of high school. The show is one of my favorites that I’ve ever been a cast member for, so I was very excited to see it done professionally! Matilda is a story of a neglected young girl standing up for her peers in a school run by an evil headmistress. It teaches themes about how children, albeit small, can overcome huge challenges, and that sometimes it takes a little “naughtiness” to right wrongs in the world. The show was AMAZING, the nostalgia hit full force, and even the tiny little child actors were immensely talented. Headmistress Trunchbull was hilarious and terrifying, and the happy ending brought tears to the audience’s eyes.
The second show I bought a ticket for was Stranger Things: The First Shadow. I love the Netflix series, and this play perfectly encapsulated the eerie vibe of the Duffer Brothers’ storyline. The show featured middle-aged characters of Stranger Things, like Jim Hopper and Joyce Byers, when they were in high school. They investigated mysterious deaths in Hawkins as a teenage Henry Creel (aka Vecna) struggled to control his mind powers. The actor who played Henry Creel acted out insane, Eleven-esque power surges, complete with a bloody nose and cracking limbs. I couldn’t believe it was done without CGI special effects. This play was miraculous and left me with chills!
My number one must-see show when coming to London was, for sure, Phantom of the Opera. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s production was everything I had hoped it would be. When the Phantom theme started playing and the chandelier floated up to its place on the ceiling, the audience was taken back in time to a Parisian opera house in 1880. The story follows Christina Daaé, a young prodigy, as her voice is coached by a ghost that haunts the building. The phantom takes a disturbing interest in her, ultimately kidnapping her and forcing her to decide between spending a life with him, in his dungeon, or letting her lover be killed. This musical was absolutely magical– I did in fact buy another ticket to see it again next week!
Most recently, I had the pleasure of seeing The Play That Goes Wrong. This show is hilarious; the fictional Cornley Drama Society attempts to put on a spooky mystery called “Murder at Haversham Manor,” but fails miserably. Set pieces fell out of place dangerously, cast members were knocked out, unconventional understudies stepped in, lines were lost and screwed up in the funniest ways, and “Duran Duran” blasted at the most inopportune times. The cast of The Play That Goes Wrong has mastered humor; the audience was cackling not even thirty seconds into the show. This play was super light-hearted and a great laugh, I’m glad I was able to see it!
Of the five shows I have seen in London’s theater district, I have only spent between 32 and 45 dollars on each ticket. The West End theater is amazing and unique from America’s Broadway in pricing, and it makes theater so much more accessible to the average person. My experience being able to be immersed in extraordinary theater as often as I want to be, while I’m here with Arcadia, has been a dream– I’ve made a tradition the last few weeks of spending Friday nights in the West End, and I will definitely miss that when I head back to America!
