Since arriving in London, I have had the good fortune to attend the theatre several times. I have been able to sit in various level seats, visit different types of venues, and see different types of productions.
The first play I saw in London was Agatha Christy’s A Mouse Trap. It is the longest running play in London and is held in an older theater. The venue is small and you are able to feel close to the stage no matter where you sit. I was able to procure front row seats on the 2nd tier. It was an excellent view. The draw back is the short wall directly in front of the seat, so stretching out your legs can be problematic. However the view made the tight space worth it. The play is a comedy/mystery. I understand why it has been playing for so long. It seemed to be a true British play and very entertaining.
The second play that I was privileged to see was Lion King. The venue that hosts the Lion King was much larger than the other theaters that I have visited and much more elaborate as well. It was held in The Lyceum Theater which is beautiful. At this play, I also had front row seats in the 2nd level. I had to be careful not to choose seats that were directly behind the lights. Since I am over 5 feet 4inches tall, those seats were excellent and I had enough room to move my legs around! The seats that were much higher and further back would still make the experience enjoyable, but details of the set and actors would be more difficult to appreciate. I had wanted to see the Lion King live and in a theater for quite sometime. The production was well worth the wait and the expense, even though I chose to attend the matinee for this one.
The third play I saw was The Book of Mormon. The Prince of Wales Theater was also a beautiful theater, but a bit smaller than the Lyceum Theater where I saw The Lion King. In that theater I had a seat much higher than the previous plays, but since the theater was smaller it did not matter. My view was unobstructed and I was able to see the set details and expressions of the actors. The play is also a musical as well as a comedy. I was taken aback by some of the unexpected language, but the play was funny and very enjoyable. I am glad I did not spend extra money on closer seats.
I also saw Henry IV at The Globe for one of my classes. It was so amazing to experience because it was unlike any other play I have witnessed. They constantly broke the fourth wall and included the audience in the performance. One of the actors kept taking an audience member’s glass of wine and drinking it (which fit the drunk character they were playing). Another actor incorporated one of the pesky pigeons that kept flying around the theater by telling the actor on stage with him that they were “like a summer bird” and pointed to the pigeon. I also stood in the standing section to watch this play which was something that you can’t do at other theaters. I actually was LEANING on the stage for the second act of the production. I’ll never forget when the man playing the wife winked at me since I was so close to where he was standing.
I have also bought tickets to see five more theater productions before I leave London. These include Wicked, Dear Evan Hansen, Six, Mama Mia!, and The Woman in Black. These plays are all so different and interesting in their own ways. I’m excited to experience more of London’s theatrical culture while I’m here.