One of London’s many claims to fame is its theatre.  In my British Life and Culture class we went on a trip to the National Theatre to see a play called London Assurance.  It was a slightly humorous venture with a plot of a confusing, misleading, deceitful, and ironic web of relationships, that in my opinion is a bit of a tired story line.  I am pretty sure the members of our BLC class were the only people in the theatre under the age of 60, and being as we are all study abroad students, we weren’t quite as impressed with the ‘witty’ British humor.

Before we attended the theatre, our BLC class had a very fitting ‘British Theatre’ theme.  We were told that the British found theatre to be a more sophisticated profession than that of cinema actors.  Our instructor, and an American visiting lecturer, told us that the audience of a British theatre was much different than we were used to in the States.  The American lecturer told us that the British theatre was more revered as an art form, the audience was more respectful, and the overall feel was more sophisticated than that of American theatre.  After attending the theatre, I couldn’t really disagree more.  I found the audience to be comparable to those I’ve been a part of in the States, and the overall experience was similar to any play or musical I’ve been to either in a small New Jersey playhouse or a bigger Philadelphia or Broadway Theatre.  This made me seriously wonder where this woman was going to the theatre in the United States.

Overall, my first experience of London theatre was not bad, but it wasn’t as impressive as I had thought it would be.

My second experience of London theatre was a popular musical in London’s famous West End- The Phantom of the Opera.  I had never seen the musical on Broadway, but I have watched the movie if that counts! Anyway, I thought the show was incredible!  The actors and dancers and singers! They were all fabulous! The production is currently at Her Majesty’s Theatre in the West End, and I would definitely recommend seeing it if you get the opportunity.  Even if you are my States-Side readers I am sure the show is just as great (if not better!) on Broadway- GO SEE IT!

Phantom has really sparked my interest in London’s West End theatre district, and with great student or group rates, I plan to see a few more shows before I head back to Broadway! Currently top of my list is Les Miserables and Wicked – any other suggestions?!?!