UPDATED November 2024:
Disney’s Hercules is to be the next big musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane
BOOK TICKETS TO HERCULES >
Farewell, Frozen! With the news this week that the curtain will finally fall in September 2024 on Disney’s enchanting West End production of Frozen, it’s time to look at which shows might be ready to step in and thaw your heart.
Musical stage adaptations of hit films are high on our list of contenders to fill Andrew Lloyd Webber’s recently refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane, and with almost 2000 seats to fill eight times a week, it has got to be a crowd pleaser.
From ghoulish musical comedies to heartwarming dramas, here’s our top selection of fabulous musicals that could be ready to cast a spell on London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane.
Also, Disney’s Frozen will play its final performance at The Theatre Royal Drury Lane on 8 September 2024, so don’t miss your chance to see one of the West End’s most spectacular and heart-warming musicals. Book tickets to Disney’s Frozen.
Seven top picks to play London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane
1. Beetlejuice
Broadway’s musical stage adaptation of Tim Burton’s classic film Beetlejuice has been rumoured to be opening in London for a while. Okay, for ages.
This wonderfully ghoulish musical comedy follows a teenager whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets the former owners of her house – who just happen to be dead – and a degenerate demon from the Netherworld. The Broadway production was directed by Tony Award and Olivier Award nominee Alex Timbers, who also directed the fabulously camp Moulin Rouge! The Musical.
2. Disney’s Hercules
With the closure of Frozen, Disney will only have one musical – The Lion King, playing the West End. Given Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast and Mary Poppins have all recently played in town, it’s likely that Disney Theatrical Productions will want another show playing in London.
We could have selected Disney’s AIDA with songs by Elton John and Tim Rice, but chatter about the Schele Williams-helmed 2023 Netherlands production transferring seems to have slowed down.
And, considering the surprise performance from the current German cast of Disney’s Hercules alongside Frozen at the recent Royal Variety Performance in November, were Disney dropping a subtle hint that it could be next to London?
Disney’s musical stage adaptation of their Hercules animated film comes with a roof-raising score by Alan Menken and David Zippel and is directed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (Disney’s Aladdin).
Book tickets to Disney’s Hercules at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London
3. The Witches
The National Theatre scored a Christmas triumph this year with its new adaptation of Roald Dahl’s The Witches. This rip-roaring musical version of Roald Dahl’s timeless tale is filled with wit, daring and heart.
The show has a book and lyrics by Olivier Award-winner Lucy Kirkwood (HBO’s Succession), music and lyrics by Tony Award-nominee Dave Malloy, direction by Lyndsey Turner and choreography by Stephen Mear (Mary Poppins).
Could this production potentially mirror the success of RSC’s adaptation of Matilda The Musical which has been running in London’s West End since 2011?
4. Billy Elliot The Musical
Is it time for Billy Elliot to come back to London’s West End?
Nikolai Foster’s (A Chorus Line, West Side Story) brand new production caused a sensation (see our review round-up) when it premiered in Leicester in Summer 2022. Based on Stephen Daldry’s BAFTA-winning 2000 film starring Jamie Bell and Julie Walters, Billy Elliot the Musical features music from Elton John and book and lyrics by Lee Hall.
A clear contender for a West End revival, could this be the show to warm up the Theatre Royal Drury Lane?
4. Burlesque The Musical
Following its world premiere in Manchester later this year, Burlesque The Musical is definitely London bound, but will it be heading to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane?
Burlesque is set to play Manchester Opera House from 13 to 29 June 2024 – with the run sold out already, and then Glasgow Theatre Royal from 11 to 28 September 2024, and back to Manchester Opera House from 3 October to 2 November 2024. Surely Andrew Lloyd Webber would be happy to keep The Lane dark for a few weeks whilst Burlesque gets West End ready?!
Based on the original film starring Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming, Eric Dane, Dianna Agron and Kristen Bell, Burlesque The Musical promises to be a powerful, sensual, and celebratory new show. The new stage musical will star The X Factor and Voice Kids UK winner Jess Folley, with Olivier Award-winner George Maguire (Sunny Afternoon, Bonnie & Clyde). The show is written by Steven Antin, directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, with additional material by Kate Wetherhead.
5. Groundhog Day The Musical
Theatre Royal Drury Lane might be a little big for Groundhog Day but this hit musical comedy from Tim Minchin and Danny Rubin deserves a West End run following its huge success at The Old Vic last year, and in 2016.
A short run from October 2024 through the Christmas period would give theatre-goers the perfect opportunity to see this adult-orientated comedy musical. Groundhog Day The Musical is based on the classic 90s film starring Bill Murray as a cynical weatherman forced to endlessly relive the same day over and over again.
6. Spirited Away
It’s headed to the London Coliseum this Summer but the stage adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s Oscar winning Spirited Away could easily transfer to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane for a few months from September 2024.
A masterpiece of storytelling and stunning visuals, Spirited Away tells the enchanting tale of Chihiro who, while traveling to a new home with her family, stumbles into a world of fantastic spirits ruled over by the sorceress Yubaba.
Miyazaki’s movie is brought beautifully to life by Olivier and Tony Award-winning director John Caird (Les Misérables), and a live orchestra playing the magnificent film score by Joe Hisaishi, arranged by Brad Haak (Mary Poppins).
7. Oliver! The Musical
Oliver! is one of the most beloved British musicals of all time, vividly bringing to life Dickens’ timeless characters with its ever popular story of the boy who asked for more.
The sensational score is full of Lionel Bart’s irresistible songs including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself, You’ve Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, I’d Do Anything, Oom Pah Pah, As Long As He Needs Me and many more.
It’s not been seen in the West End since 2011, when Cameron Mackintosh’s production ended its run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Kerry Ellis as Nancy and Russ Abbot as Fagin. Is it time to bring it back?
The recent Leeds Playhouse revival directed by James Brining this Christmas was a smash-hit – would Cameron Mackintosh consider bringing this to town?
Or Chichester Festival Theatre has announced a brand new “revised” production of Oliver!, co-produced by Cameron Mackintosh, and directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne. This production is heading to Chichester this Summer 2024 starring Billy Jenkins, Simon Lipkin, Shanay Holmes, and Aaron Sidwell. We imagine this is a strong contender to transfer to London, so maybe the Theatre Royal Drury Lane?
What would you like to see open at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane from September 2024? Comments are open, below.
More about tickets to Hercules to the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London
Book tickets to Frozen The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London
UPDATES: Originally published 24 January 2024; Updated 16 February 2024 to add details of the new Chichester production of Oliver!
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