2024 Stagey Round Up
2024 has been a great year for theatre with highlights including a huge amount of new British Musicals opening in the West End including Why Am I So Single, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York, Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder and more. I really enjoy looking back on the shows I have seen over the year and how lucky I am to see so many shows as well as behind the scenes events such as the Clueless launch, interviewing the cast of Next to Normal and going to an open rehearsal of Why Am I So Single amongst other things.
This year I saw a total of 65 shows as well as performing in 9 to 5 and The Wedding Singer for Bromley Players and embarking on directing Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.
Here are some stats to sum my blog’s year up –
- A total of 77 reviews on this website top of numerous opinion pieces and ‘top 10’s.
- 22% were 5 star, 52% 4 star reviews, 18% 3 star reviews and 8% 2 star reviews making my average rating 3.9 stars.
- My most visited theatre as an audience member was the Bridewell Theatre which I visited 5 times.
- 78% of the shows I attended were professional and 22% were amateur shows.
- The types of shows I saw were – 72% musical theatre, 11% concerts, 5% plays, 5% pantomimes and 7% other types which included dance and magic.
- £405 spent on tickets that were not gifted.
Grab yourself a glass of egg nog and have a read of my 2024 round up and let me know if you agree.
Best West End Musical – Sunset Boulevard
I appreciate that this is a slightly odd entry to have on a 2024 round up as most people saw it in 2023 and the show closed on the 6th January 2024 however I was VERY late to the party and saw the show on the 3rd January and adored it. There were many reasons to love it including Nicole Scherzinger’s voice which was beyond good along with the rest of the casting, the camera work and the intricate choreography. It was incredibly easy to see why it transferred to New York later in 2024.
You can read my post on 5 reasons to visit Sunset Boulevard here.
Second Place – The Little Big Things
The Little Big Things broke ground this year for being the first West End show to have a wheelchair user as the leading man. Not only was this not a moment too soon but the show itself was utterly wonderful. The show is based on the true story of Henry Fraser after Henry sustains a life changing injury. The book strikes the balance between emotional yet never self indulgent and funny all whilst retaining the human element. I summed up my thoughts as follows:
Theatre can be wonderful for many many reasons, it can entertain, it can move, it can break barriers and it can inform and The Little Big Things does all of this and more.
Read my full review of The Little Big Things here.
Runner Up – Hadestown
I saw Hadestown at the National Theatre back in 2018 and whilst I enjoyed it I struggled to see what the fuss was about but this all changed when I saw Hadestown at the Lyric Theatre this year. I summed it up as follows:
Hadestown is a musical which excels in all areas, an intriguing book, soaring melodies, an engaging cast and creative flair aplenty. Wait for no-one to get yourself to the Lyric Theatre to see this performance.
You can read my full review of Hadestown here.
Best Touring Musical – Pretty Woman
Pretty Woman is a musical based on the film of the same name and I really enjoyed it in the West End so I was very intrigued to see how it would transfer to the tour. Luckily I needn’t have worried and I loved it when I saw it at New Wimbledon Theatre. The cast included some west end powerhouses which has a catchy soft rock score and was a fun, easy to watch musical.
Read my full review of the Pretty Woman tour here.
Runner Up – Jesus Christ Superstar
Both of my favourite touring shows were shows I saw at New Wimbledon Theatre which shows the calibre of shows that they get there. I also a huge fan of Jesus Christ Superstar and saw an earlier reincarnation of this show at Regents Park Open Air Theatre.
This version of Jesus Christ Superstar has sublime vocals which sent shivers down my spine at times, a set that ominously foreshadowed what was to come whilst embracing the tender and intimate moments. This production is brilliant opportunity to see and hear this incredible score performed in a blisteringly relevant manner.
The full review of Jesus Christ Superstar can be found here.
Best Fringe Musical – Cruel Intentions
I saw an earlier version of this production at the Edinburgh Festival and I would not have expected this to top my list some years later however the glow up this show has had in the intervening time was remarkable.
The musical is based on the 1999 film of the same name and harnesses the 90’s nostalgia factor along with a fun jukebox score which had the 90’s child in me in heaven. Whilst the songs may be shoehorned in to be frank I didn’t care. The show is one that doesn’t take itself too seriously and I had the best time at The Other Palace watching this production.
My review of Cruel Intentions at the Other Palace can be found here.
Runner Up – Babies
Babies is the new kid….or baby in town when it comes to British Musicals. This new musical by Jack Godfrey (music, lyrics and orchestration) and Martha Geelan (book and director) takes audiences back to their school days. Our 9 classmates are tasked with keeping a baby in the form of a crying doll with sensors looked after over the course of a school week and this gives us an insight into their world. I adored the characterisation in this show and my review summed this up –
The wonderful thing is that all of these characters have depth, we can see something of ourselves in our teenage years in the characters which makes them relatable but dialled up several notches to get the comedy across perfectly.
Read my full thoughts on Babies here.
Best Play – Stranger Things The First Shadow
Stranger Things The First Shadow takes the audience into the Duffer Brothers famous sci-fi world and leads them to Hawkins in the 50’s, 4 decades before the TV show is set. Stranger Things The First Shadow was one of my 5 star reviews of the year and can be simply summed up with wow!
The show is a brilliant example of how to build tension on stage and how the combination of engaging storytelling combined with some of the most breath taking technical work in the West End resulted in a must see show.
You can check out my full review of Stranger Things The First Shadow here.
Runner Up – 2:22 A Ghost Story
2:22 A Ghost Story is another show that I was very late to the party but I was really happy to get the chance to see it this year. For those that haven’t seen it the story revolves around couple Jenny and Sam who have just brought and renovated a new house. Sam has recently returned from a work trip and he returns as they are hosting a dinner party for Sam’s university friend, Lauren and her new boyfriend Ben. During the party Jenny reveals that for the last 4 nights at 2:22 she has been hearing footsteps and other ghostly phenomena within the house and despite Sam’s protests that there will be a logical explanation she persuades her dinner guests to stay until this time.
2:22 A Ghost Story is a well written thriller which shows just why ghost stories remain so firmly at the heart of the British psyche, whilst the jump scares may be basic the rest of the writing helps this to be overlooked and provides for a chilling night at the theatre.
My review of 2:22 A Ghost Story is here.
Best Am Dram Show – The Color Purple by Sedos
This year I reviewed 8 amateur shows, saw a further 5 to support friends and local groups, spent a year on the committee for my local group, performed in 2 amateur shows, spent a yea on the board of the theatre of a local theatre and finally commenced directing an amateur production of Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, so I think its safe to say that amateur theatre is a huge part of my life and something I am passionate about. I therefore love seeing high quality amateur theatre as it really drives the reputation of the genre. I am luckily enough to live in an area where there is a lot of very talented groups around so choosing this category is hard, especially knowing how much blood, sweat and tears go into each show.
There was no question that this production deserved the title of my favourite amateur show of the year. Sedos and the team behind The Color Purple have a huge amount of be proud of with this show, not only for being a society to put black stories front and centre but for doing so with such success, from the tickets sales through to the talent on stage and the creative team vision. The Color Purple is a stunning production and the fact that it focused on under represented voices in amateur theatre is the cherry on top of the cake.
You can read my full thoughts of The Color Purple here.
Runner Up – The Little Mermaid by Centre Stage
This was a show that had been on my radar to see for quite some time and I was thankful to Centre Stage for them giving me the opportunity to see it. The show had in excess of 70 costumes, an Ursula costume that spanned 20 foot across, 15+ named parts and a 14 piece band. It was an incredibly ambitious production for a amateur group to put on and Centre Stage showed what can be accomplished when talent and tenacity combine.
Read my review of The Little Mermaid by Centre Stage here.
Best Concert – Pippin at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
2024 seems to be the year of the one off concert so there was a lot to choose from in terms of best concert and if done well it is something I am in favour of as it is a chance to discover shows that may not be performed often or new pieces of musical theatre. The 50th anniversary concert of Pippin however was not only the best concert of the year but quite possibly the best concert of this type I’ve seen in recent years.
There was an orchestra of 20, a choir of 47 combined with melodies that have withstood the test of time, along with a cast that were utterly spot on. After seeing this production I nearly started a petition to bring it back to the West End.
The full review for Pippin can be found here.
Runner Up – Something Rotten
Something Rotten is a show that I have been so keen to hit the UK since I hear the original Broadway cast recording and luckily with this production I was not disappointed. The show tells of the Bottom Brothers Nick and Nigel, writers who are around during the Renaissance and when William Shakespeare was churning out his works. Nick soon starts to feel the pressure to write a hit as big as Shakespeare and enlists the help of Nostradamus (no not the famous one – his nephew) to foretell which of Shakespeare’s plays will be the biggest and this sets him down the path of producing a musical all about eggs!
My review was summed up as follows:
This concert has got the formula for a musical theatre concert spot on, an in demand show, cast perfectly with an incredible orchestra and enough detail in the direction and choreography to give us a real taste of the show but not so much as to overwhelm the cast. This show is far from Something Rotten, it is Something Special!
Read my review of Something Rotten here.
Best Break Out Show – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a new musical to hit the west end that has been on a journey almost as long as Benjamin Button’s himself. I first saw this show at Southwark Playhouse in 2019 and I adored it then.
This musical is based on the book by F Scott Fitzgerald but is miles (4447 to be precise) apart from the Hollywood adaption of the same name. The musical is set in the writers native Cornwall and with this shift in location it really feels as if this story has found its home and we meet Benjamin Button, who is born an old man and soon discovers is aging in reverse. When he meets the love of his life Elowen he is in his 50’s and she is in her 20’s. After unfortunate timing keeps them apart for years, they rekindle their relationship and start a life together however nothing can stop time nor find a cure for Benjamin’s illness.
This is one of my top tips to see at the moment in the West End and is thoroughly deserving of my 5 star review.
The full review of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can be found here.
Runner Up – Two Strangers Carry a Cake Across New York
Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York is another success of British Musical Theatre this year. The show tells of Dougal, an enthusiastic British twentysomething who has come to New York for the wedding of his father, who he has never met before. Sent to pick him up is the sister of the Bride, dry witted New Yorker, Robin. Despite Robin’s protests Dougal soon join her on her errands, which includes picking up her sister’s wedding cake and ticking off numerous touristy items off his own agenda over the course of his 36 hours in New York.
The book by Kit Buchan and Jim Barne is fast paced and cleverly written. Buchan and Barne also wrote the music and lyrics and part of it’s beauty is its variety whilst maintaining a cohesive feel. There are more traditional musical theatre numbers such as New York! And Be Happy but there are also a crooner moment in ‘Under The Mistletoe’ and a patter song in the form of ‘The Hangover Duet. This was all performed by Sam Tutty and Dujonna Gift with Tutty bounding across the stage and you can’t help but fall for his naivety and boundless optimism where as Gift breaks your heart with her resigned dejection with her own life.
Read the review of Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York here.
Best Family Show – Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World
Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is a musical based on the books by Kate Pankhurst and adapted by Chris Bush, which looks at numerous women from across history and celebrates their achievements. The show is told through the eyes of Jade, a young girl who finds herself lost on a school trip to a museum and ends up in an unopened exhibition. In this exhibition she meets women from history such as Amelia Earhart, Marie Curie, Emmeline Pankhurst, Rosa Parks and more as they help her understand how she can leave her own mark on the world, just like they did.
This show is the perfect one for families. It never belittles our storytellers feelings throughout the show but instead uses wonderful women to boost her up. All of the women are celebrated and embraced and it drives home the lesson that what matters is what is right for you and individuality. The show left me feeling empowered and has a wonderful message for the younger generation.
You can check out the full review of Fantastically Great Woman Who Changed The World here.
Most Disappointing Show – The Enfield Haunting
I never like to focus on the negatives but the question I always get asked is about which show I was most disappointed by.
The Enfield Haunting is based on the true story of Peggy Hodgson, her 2 daughters Janet and Margaret and her son Jimmy who in the 1970’s found themselves in the centre of a media storm when they begin experiencing strange goings on in the home in Enfield including household items flying around, Janet being pulled from her bed and down the stairs and Janet communicating in a strange voice. Controversy followed it as many, including Maurice Grosse, tried to ascertain how much of it was real and what was put on by the girls. It sounds like the perfect premise for a play….ghostly goings on to build up tension as well as a forgery v supernatural battle to add in for depth yet the play delivered very little of either of these.
This show unfortunately lacked any tension and suspense, the intriguing themes that are hinted at in the book are underexplored and Tate herself begin to grate in her performance of mother Peggy.
Read my 2 star review of The Enfield Haunting here.
Best Stagey Activity – Brunch At The Musicals
I was lucky enough to be invited along to some wonderfully stagey events this year. A highlight was brunch at the musicals which featured a cast a west end performers performing musical theatre at Harrild & Sons in Farringdon whilst I tucked into some genuinely good food, bottomless prosecco and cocktails.
The timing of it means that you can do this before you catch at Saturday evening show although please do drink in moderation if that is your plan as nobody wants to be that person who the rest of the audience are tutting at for drinking to much!
You can read my full thoughts of Brunch at the Musicals here.
Runner Up – The Piano Works
I’m often looking for places to eat before or after the theatre so I was delighted to be given the chance to check out The Piano Works in the West End. It is right next to the Gillian Lynne Theatre so really central to many of the theatres. From 5pm up until 8:30pm they had a live pianist and singing waiters then from 8:30 onwards there is a live band. Both of them take song requests and for musical theatre fans like me there was plenty of musical theatre/pop crossover.
On a Friday night there is happy hour from 5pm-7pm which meant that the entire drinks menu was 50% off. ood wise there was a good selection for both starters and mains. We opted for chicken goujons (£9) to share to start and for my husband a full rack of ribs glazed in Jack Daniels sauce, fries and salad (£30) and for me herbed rare tuna steak with sweet potato wedges, sushi rice, samphire and mango salsa (£24). Often in bar/restaurants where food isn’t always the focus the food can be a bit hit or miss but this was far from the case at The Piano Works.
My full review of the Piano Works The West End is here.
Most Viewed Tik Tok – Titus Burgess singing Poor Unfortunate Souls
I headed to Titus Burgess’ solo concert at The Phoenix Artists Club and boy did you all love his rendition of Poor Unfortunate Souls with it having nearly 190k views on Tik Tok and counting!!
Most Read Article – 110 Musical Theatre Quiz Questions
For the last few years my most visited web page has been looking at who sings Bring Him Home from Les Misérables the best but this year my article with 110 musical theatre quiz questions took the crown. The article was promoted after hosting 2 musical theatre quizzes and wondering what to do with the questions I had put together!
You can read all 110 quiz questions here to see what the fuss was about!
Hopefully this 2024 stagey round up gives you a flavour of my stagey year. I would like to thank YOU for reading my reviews and therefore giving me a chance to review these shows. I also want to thank all of my guest reviewers and the PR’s for inviting me. I can’t wait to see what 2025 brings. I already have a return visit to Wicked booked after seeing the film, Mrs Doubtfire before it closes, & Juliet on tour and much more.
If you liked my 2024 stagey round up you might also like my 2023 stagey round up, 2022 stagey round up and 2021 stagey round up.