The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium

At last, we present our first ticket offer on Andrew Lloyd Webber’s major production of The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium. Starring Danielle Hope and Michael Crawford, Westendtheatre.com readers can save up to £22.50 off tickets to see the show this winter.

The multi-million pound production, which features songs from the Oscar-winning movie plus specially written new songs by Lloyd -Webber and Tim Rice, opened on 1 March 2011 and continues to delight audiences of all ages at the Palladium.

The show stars Danielle Hope, winner of the BBC talent show Over the Rainbow as Dorothy in the new production. Also starring in the show is theatre veteran Michael Crawford as The Wizard of Oz, Marianne Benedict (Crazy for You) as the Wicked Witch of the West, Paul Keating (Tommy) as Scarecrow, Edward Baker Duly (Copacabana) as Tin Man, David Ganly (Chicago) as Cowardly Lion and Emily Tierney (All the Fun of the Fair) as Glinda.

The cast also includes Over The Rainbow runner-up Sophie Evans covering the part of Dorothy on Tuesdays and when Ms Hope is on holiday.

The team behind the 2006 revival of The Sound of Music has created the show, including director Jeremy Sams, designer Robert Jones and choreographer Arlene Phillips.

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £22.50 on tickets to see The Wizard of Oz at the London Palladium

Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre

The smash-hit Broadway musical Rock of Ages  is rocking London at the Shaftesbury Theatre, starring Shayne Ward and Justin Lee Collins.

Enjoy a special offer on tickets to see the big new West End musical Rock of Ages, starring Justin Lee Collins and Shayne Ward, joined by West End stars Amy Pemberton, Oliver Tompsett and Simon Lipkin.

Rock of Ages celebrates (glam)rock music of the 80’s, featuring hit songs by Bon Jovi, Journey, Whitesnake, Poison, Pat Benatar and many more. Set in 1987 on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles, a small town girl meets a big city rocker in LA’s most famous rock club and they fall in love, set against the greatest songs of the 80s. This arena-rock love story is told through a succession of rock hits including I Wanna Rock, We’re Not Gonna Take It, Come on Feel the Noize, Hit Me With Your Best Shot, Don’t Stop Believin’, Dead or Alive, We Built This City, I Wanna Know What Love Is and The Final Countdown.

The musical features a book by Chris D’Arienzo, and a Hollywood movie version is currently in production starring Tom Cruise, Russell Brand and Paul Giamatti.

The high-profile new show sees TV and radio personality Justin Lee Collins play bar owner and ageing hippy, Dennis Dupree, a role originally played in the LA stage show by Tenacious D’s Kyle Gass. The roles of the small-town girl and boy Sherrie and Drew, who meet, fall in love, lose each other then struggle to fight for their love, are taken by West End stars Amy Pemberton (Footloose, Jersey Boys) and Oliver Tompsett (Fiyero in Wicked).

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £17.50 on tickets to see Rock of Ages at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London

Joanna Lumley and Robert Lindsay rehearse The Lion in Winter

Trevor Nunn continues his strong season as artistic director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket with a revival of James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter.

The play stars Joanna Lumley as Eleanor of Aquitane, Robert Lindsay as Henry II, Sonya Cassidy as Alais, Joseph Drake as John, Rory Fleck-Byrne as Philip and James Norton as Geoffrey.

In The Lion in Winter a family Christmas becomes a family at war as an ageing Henry II, invites his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitane, and his three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and John, to spend the festive season with him. They are joined by his mistress Princess Alais, and her brother, the young King Philip of France. Will Henry name who is to be his successor as King of England? Their yuletide celebration turns into a combat zone of deceit, betrayal, bitter power games and scabrous wit.

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save £21 on tickets to see The Lion in Winter at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre

Dazzling choreography and fabulous Gershwin tunes abound in this high-energy new revival of classic musical CRAZY FOR YOU, transferring from the Open Air Theatre to the Novello in the West End.

Packed full of George and Ira Gershwin’s classic songs including ‘I Got Rhythm’, ‘Someone To Watch Over Me’, ‘Embraceable You’ and ‘Nice Work If You Can Get It’, CRAZY FOR YOU boasts not only some of the finest songs ever written but some of the most dynamic choreography ever seen on the London stage.

CRAZY FOR YOU reunites director Timothy Sheader and choreographer Stephen Mear, who were responsible for the multi-award winning production of Hello, Dolly!. The entire company of the Regent’s Park production will star in the West End run, led by theatre veterans Harriet Thorpe and David Burt, and introducing to the British stage the highly respected Broadway performer, Sean Palmer as Bobby Child, alongside Clare Foster as Polly Baker, Kim Medcalf as Irene Roth and Michael McKell as Lank.

Following a hugely successful run at the Open Air Theatre in Regent’s Park, where the show enjoyed packed audiences and a wave of five star reviews, the show is coming into the West End for a limited run – and westendtheatre.com readers can enjoy £27.50 off tickets.

“Sheer joy” The Daily Mail

“Glorious” The Sunday Telegraph

“Outrageously Feel-good” Metro

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SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £30 on tickets to see Crazy For You at the Novello Theatre in London

Valid all performances except Saturday evening until the 18th November Excludes 15th November

Joanna Lumley and Robert Lindsay rehearse The Lion in Winter

Trevor Nunn continues his strong season as artistic director of the Theatre Royal Haymarket with a revival of James Goldman’s The Lion in Winter.

The play stars Joanna Lumley as Eleanor of Aquitane, Robert Lindsay as Henry II, Sonya Cassidy as Alais, Joseph Drake as John, Rory Fleck-Byrne as Philip and James Norton as Geoffrey.

In The Lion in Winter a family Christmas becomes a family at war as an ageing Henry II, invites his estranged wife Eleanor of Aquitane, and his three sons, Richard, Geoffrey and John, to spend the festive season with him. They are joined by his mistress Princess Alais, and her brother, the young King Philip of France. Will Henry name who is to be his successor as King of England? Their yuletide celebration turns into a combat zone of deceit, betrayal, bitter power games and scabrous wit.

BOOK NOW

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £21 on tickets to see The Lion in Winter at the Theatre Royal Haymarket

Valid all performances except Saturday evening until the 18th November Excludes 15th November

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £22.50 on tickets to Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London

Valid Monday to Friday until the 3 November

Based on the Oscar nominated film, Billy Elliot the Musical is an inspirational story of one boy’s dream to realise his ambitions against the odds.  A funny, heart-warming and feel-good celebration of one young boy’s dreams, Billy Elliot the Musical features music by Elton John alongside the award-winning creative team behind the film – writer Lee Hall, director Stephen Daldry and choreographer Peter Darling.

This original story captured the hearts and minds of the world when the movie was released in October 2000. Nominated for 3 Oscars and 13 Bafta awards this poignant film broke box office records across the world.

“Billy Boy – this is the greatest musical yet” Daily Telegraph.

“Brit Musical of the decade has arrived” Daily Express.

“Billy’s a whizz! He’ll lift your spirits, make you cry and send you home high with hope” Daily Mail.

SPECIAL OFFER: Save £22.50 on tickets to Billy Elliot at the Victoria Palace Theatre in London

Valid Monday to Friday until the  3 November

Ruby Wax: Losing It

Ruby Wax had it all – career, dream house, husband, kids, so when was the moment she realised she was the 1 in 4… Somewhere between painting her kitchen beige (again), realising she didn’t own a life manual or comprehend the contents of a children’s party bag?

Ruby’s acerbic, honest humour and Judith Owen’s touching songs are both poignant and laugh-out-loud funny. This show gives you the chance to explore the ups and downs of mental illness, its stigmas and the freedom you discover when you share the darkest moments of your life.

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BOOK NOW: SPECIAL OFFER: Save up to £6.50 on tickets to see Ruby Wax: Losing It at the Duchess Theatre

Marc Warren in Cool Hand Luke

Beneath a scorching Florida sun, Boss Godfrey watches the chain gang. Keeps his eye on Cool Hand Luke. War hero, trouble-maker, inspiration to his fellow inmates. And just the man Boss wants to crush…

Starring Marc Warren (Hustle, Mad Dogs) as the charismatic rebel, Cool Hand Luke is the hard-hitting story of a true original. He’ll play it real cool in the face of brutality. He’ll always get back up after a beating. He’ll eat fifty eggs in an hour, to win a bet. A man who won’t conform no matter what it costs.

In a powerful new adaptation for the stage by Emma Reeves, based on Donn Pearce’s acclaimed novel, and directed by Andrew Loudon, Cool Hand Luke is the raw, uncompromising tale of sticking it to “The Man”.

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BOOK NOW: SPECIAL OFFER: Save £11 on tickets to see Cool Hand Luke at the Aldwych Theatre starring Marc Warren

Sarah Lancashire in Betty Blue Eyes

The Cameron Mackintosh show at the Novello Theatre in London is going to release a cast recording – although there’s still no news of an exact release date.

To get fans whipped up a first track has been released via Betty’s Facebook page, with Sarah Lancashire and cast singing Lionheart from the show.

Adapted from Alan Bennett and Malcolm Mowbray’s comic film ‘A Private Function’, Betty Blue Eyes features a score by Stiles and Drewe (Mary Poppins) and a cast led by Sarah Lancashire as Joyce and Reece Shearsmith as Gilbert.

Betty Blue Eyes is directed by Richard Eyre with a book by Ron Cowen and Daniel Lipman.

LINKS

LISTEN to Sarah Lancashire sing Lionheart from musical Betty Blue Eyes

More News on Betty Blue Eyes

SPECIAL OFFER: Book tickets to Betty Blue Eyes