London’s West End On The Cheap

Photo Credit: Indu Chandrasekhar

1. Do not pay full price for tickets; there is no need! Go to (or ring) the half price ticket booths on Leicester square the day before, or day of, the show and you can get tickets for much cheaper.

2. If you’re not picky about which show you see you’re in a good position. Going to the ticket booths on Leicester square can get you really good prices at any show. You can get tickets to Avenue Q for £13.50, with quite good seats (100 times better than a night in the cinema).

3. Shop around the ticket booths: Different booths have a certain amount of tickets for every show so shop around for both the best prices and good seating.

4. Saturday is a bad night to go if you want cheaper tickets, according to ticket sellers. Try to go on a weekday or a Friday night.

Here are a few shows worth the bang for your buck:

Avenue Q:

If you want a laugh look no further than the musical, Avenue Q. As the posters feature puppets, the target audience can be slightly confused. Be warned though, Avenue Q is definitely not suitable for children. It’s a politically incorrect Sesame Street for adults.

The politically incorrect, and a little too close to the truth, songs will have you laughing out loud. Songs that include “everybody’s a racist” and “the internet is all about porn” are most likely the tunes that will get stuck in your head. Some scenes will also have you cringing just a little. The scene with the two main puppets getting it on is one that won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

Wicked:

Since its release, the musical Wicked has been running non-stop first on Broadway and then the West end. After seeing it for myself, I can finally understand the hype. The essential elements to any musical are all included in this beautiful spectacle. However, Wicked is a show that has a little more bite than your average musical.

Unlike other musicals currently running at the West end, I did not have previous knowledge of the plot. Therefore, I had no great expectation of the musical before seeing it and I was in for a pleasant surprise.

The plot itself has taken the classic tale of the Wizard of Oz written by L. Frank Baum and has given it a twist. It tells the story of the witches of Oz and their transformation into the characters as portrayed in Baum’s classic novel.

Despite the lighthearted subject matter and beautiful music, there are underlying political undertones. The Wicked Witch of the West becomes a symbol of a character that is used by the ruling authorities as a scapegoat for society’s ills in order to remain in power.

However, it is the performance of the two main characters and not the plot that gives the musical its magic with both being greeted with a standing ovation at the end. The songs are given their power by the strength of both their voices.

So, if you are looking for a little special to go see at the West End, “Wicked” comes highly recommended. Despite the political message it does not take away from the fantastic soundtrack, extravagant set and memorable characters.