To ask for West End Show Recommendations

[Geminijust]

4 of us usually have a trip to a West End Show a couple of times a year. We're trying to arrange the next long overdue outing and am looking for some recommendations. One of the girls has suggested Mary Poppins but I'm not sure that's my cup of tea as not generally a Disney fan (am prepared to be convinced otherwise!) but obviously need to find something everyone is happy with so am looking for some alternative suggestions to go back with.

Shows I've seen and loved:
Six
Tina The Musical
Woman in Black
Curious Incident of the dog in the night time
Mamma Mia
School of Rock
War Horse
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (would see again tomorrow)
Billy Elliot (ditto above, although no longer on sadly)

Shows I've enjoyed but not loved:
Lion King
Charlie & Chocolate Factory
Wicked
Matilda
Comedy about a bank robbery

Not really hated anything but remember being quite bored by Phantom of the Opera when I was much younger (found it depressing)

Quite fancy Les Mis but know one of the girls has seen it and it's not for everyone. Heard good things about Book of Mormon & Come from Away but really don't know too much about them.

Would be grateful for suggestions of shows you've seen and enjoyed!

Thank you

Enjoyed Jersey Boys, Hamilton not so much.

Thank you
Can’t wait!

You’ve mentioned TINA The Tina Turner musical already but OMG that show is incredible. Highly recommend anyone who hasn’t seen it to go!

I went to see Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella last night and it was really great and very funny. The cast were brilliant, it just felt so joyous to be in a theatre again and I think that came across in their performance.

I would see Come from Away every night if I could. It's extraordinary.

@WhatdoImean

A couple of classics for me, but not sure if they are showing at the moment:-

1. "The Complete Works of Shakespeare - Abridged" by the Reduced Shakespeare Company. Three people go through every Shakespeare play in about 2 hours. Really funny if you are not a Shakespeare fan, totally hilarious if you are. LOVED this one.

2. Return To The Forbidden Planet. Used to be o in the West End, then transformed to "Return of Return To The Forbidden Planet" and went touring. Pretty sure it is not showing at the moment though. REALLY loved it

3. Currently touring, but doing mega shows, is The War Of The Worlds - Jeff Wayne's musical version. More of a concert than a play, but still brilliant. I am also hearing good things about the "immersive" version, which IS on in London. Not seen it myself, but reviews are pretty good!

Bloody hell those first two take me back!

Hamilton is excellent - great lyrics and visually very engaging if you sit higher up. It's long though.

Dear Evan Hansen is great (emotional!), but doesn't re-open until the end of October.

I really want to see more but I always balk at the prices, it's sooo expensive for a family

Hamilton is utterly fantastic, have seen it twice, once in London and once in San Francisco.

If you haven't seen it before it is a really good idea to listen to the soundtrack so you know the songs and start to 'get' the lyrical flow before you see the show. It's so fast moving and there are so many words you will miss some if it's brilliance if you hear it for the first time at the show.

If you thought Phantom was depressing (it’s a sad story) Les Miserables is also not for you - the clue is in the title ;) plus they are the sane era and vaguely similar classical-crossover style of singing.

@NewPapaGuinea

Had “& Juliet” booked and covid cancelled twice. Seeing BTTF in October and very excited about that.

&Juliet was the last show we saw before lockdown. You are in for a treat, prepare to be singing all the way home!

The new Andrew Lloyd Webber Cinderella is bloody brilliant. We went to watch it a couple of weeks ago and can’t recommend it enough.

The Book of Mormon is also fab and very funny. Hairspray is another firm favourite and I believe Michael ball is playing Edna currently and I’d really love to see it! We also saw Mary poppins when it was on your in Cardiff and thought it was brilliant. I also really want to see everybody’s talking about Jamie.