Six major musicals to close in the West End

London’s West End theatre scene is set for some significant changes with six major musicals due to close by early 2019.

Drew McOnie’s production of Baz Lurhman’s Strictly Ballroom is the latest show to announce it will close in London’s West End. The show follows Mel Brookes’ monster musical comedy Young Frankenstein which despite fabulous reviews closed a few weeks ago after a short run at the Garrick Theatre.

Here’s a list of six musicals due to close in early 2019.

1. Strictly Ballroom – The Musical

Baz Luhrmann’s musical comedy exploded onto the West End with an excess of sequins and a kaleidoscope of colour. Based on the hit Aussie film from the 90s, Strictly Ballroom was more musical comedy than a show about ballroom dancing. Featuring direction and choreography from Drew McOne, a hit pop score and star casting in the form of Will Young and Matt Cardle, Strictly Ballroom should have lasted longer than seven months.

Strictly Ballroom is playing until 27 October 2018 at Piccadilly Theatre, London

2. Kinky Boots – The Musical

Following four fabulous high-kicking years, Kinky Boots leaves the West End with its head held high and its best foot forward. Winning three Olivier Awards for Best New Musical, Best Costume Design and Best Actor in a Music for Mat Henry, the show has a book by four-time Tony® Award-winner Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), and songs by Grammy® and Tony® winning pop icon Cyndi Lauper.

Kinky Boots will play its final dazzling performance in London on 12 January 2019.

42nd Street production image, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, London 2017 — 42nd Street – cBrinkhoff & Moegenburg

3. 42nd Street

The West End revival of Broadway’s biggest song and dance show comes to an end on 5 January 2019. Playing on the West End biggest stage, 42nd Street features hundreds of outfits as dazzling as its musical numbers, and the biggest and most spectacular tap numbers in London. 42nd Street has had a good run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lance but has come to a natural end! Final performance 5 January 2019.

4. Chicago

A surprise West End revival, Chicago returned to the London stage with a very starry cast including American Cuba Gooding Jr and Ruthie Henshall. Long a staple of the West End, this revival was only meant to run for a limited time and makes way for the West End premiere of Come From Away.

CHICAGO is booking at the Phoenix Theatre until 5 January 2019.

5. Dreamgirls

It took 35-years to make it to the West End and it will be sad to see these ladies go. Loosely based on Diana Ross and the Supremes, it follows an extraordinary story about three talented young singers on a musical rollercoaster ride through the realities of show business in the turbulent 1960s. With spine-tingling vocals and high energy dance numbers, this spectacular musical production soars with the classic songs, ‘And I Am Telling You I’m Not Going’, ‘I Am Changing’, ‘Listen’ and ‘One Night Only’.

Dreamgirls makes way for the West End premiere of Dolly Parton’s 9 to 5 The Musical. Dreamgirls final performance is 12 January 2019 at the Savoy Theatre, London.

6. Motown – The Musical

Motown The Musical tells the story behind the hits as Diana Ross, Michael Jackson, Smokey Robinson and the whole Motown family fight against the odds to create the soundtrack of a generation.
Featuring over 40 Motown hits including Ain’t No Mountain High Enough, I’ll Be There, Dancing In The Street, Stop! In The Name of Love, My Girl and I Heard It through the Grapevine, Motown will have you dancing in the street.

Motown will have run for just over 3 years when plays its final performance on 20 April 2019 at the Shaftesbury Theatre.