Theatre Breaks in London
Theatre Breaks in London provide popular UK short breaks by combining a great night out at a top West End theatre show with reasonably priced London hotel rooms so that the city’s other many attractions can be explored from a central base. Discount rail travel can also be included, and that is often the best way to arrive in London for theatre breaks.
Weekend Theatre Breaks in London
Weekend theatre breaks in London
Weekend theatre breaks in London are a good way to fit in a mini holiday. You may not be able to afford the time or money for a full blown break but a weekend in London with a show can be enough to make you feel that you have actually had a holiday. It is all down to very careful planning.
Choose your travel times
You have to choose your travel times with care so that you make the most of your weekend.
If you decide to travel by rail you need to watch out for any planned engineering works that could add frustration especially to your return journey. These are often planned for Sundays so if you can take an extra day and travel back on Monday you can avoid the problem all together. Hotels often offer an extra night for a very reasonable amount and you get an extra day in London. See below for more about Sundays in the city. It would be a shame to spoil your relaxed mood with a disrupted homeward journey.
Luckily you can easily check using the trainline.com and find out if there is any work planned for your chosen dates. If there is then it might be best to re-think your dates or travel to London by car.
How many days are there in a weekend?
Friday
If you travel on Friday and return on Monday you can have 3 nights and 2 full days in London. This is ideal if you can manage it as for just 1 extra day off work you can turn a weekend into a mini-break. Travel on Friday afternoon and you can arrive at your hotel, freshen up and go out for a nice meal, or an evening’s entertainment.
Saturday
Then you have all day Saturday for shopping, galleries or what ever takes your fancy. After an early (5:30-6:30 ish) pre-theatre meal you can get to the theatre in plenty of time, pick up your tickets from the box office, have a relaxing drink and be settled ready for the performance.
Most shows finish around 10 – 10:30pm so after the show you will have time for a stroll round the West End, a light supper, a nightcap somewhere or even a club if that’s what takes your fancy. Then make your way back to your hotel, which, if you were wise when you were booking, will be only a short walk away.
Sunday
London is a different place on a Sunday. The tourist ‘traps’ are less busy, especially in the morning. London isn’t a city that wakes up early on Sundays so if you are an early bird you can see the sights before most people are even awake. London is famous for its street markets and these are great fun on a Sunday morning. Try Covent Garden’s Jubilee Market or, if you are feeling adventurous, try Brick Lane or Columbia Rd Flower Market. There’s lots of street food available and most of it is very good, so lunch won’t be a problem.
After lunch you’ve got the luxury of a relaxing afternoon ahead of you. If you are into art you might try having a look at Tate Modern and if you are really energetic why not take the Tate to Tate ferry that runs between that and Tate Britain? Or just have a stroll along the Southbank. There’s usually something going on and it’s a great spot for people watching. If the weather is not so good there is lots of indoor entertainment too, maybe even visit the TKTS booth in Leicester Square and fit in an extra show! More shows are doing matinees on Sundays so it is definitely worth checking. You could even just find a good pub and settle in. Fullers pubs are quite traditional, have very nice real ale and are famous for their pies. If you are near Covent Garden you could try a real Cornish pub, complete with pasties and Cornish beer.
Monday morning
After the rush hour, and a good breakfast, you check out of your hotel for a leisurely journey home.
So you can see how weekend theatre breaks in London really can work for you as a mini holiday if you plan them carefully.
Breakfast At Tiffany’s Theatre Breaks in London
Breakfast At Tiffany’s Theatre Breaks in London
As war rages in Europe, Holly Golightly begins to fall in love with William, then her past catches up with her.
Anna Friel in Breakfast at Tiffany’s at London’s Haymarket
Now until Saturday January 9th 2010
Theatre Breaks in London with the kids – top 5 shows this summer.
A theatre break in London with the kids sounds like a great idea, doesn’t it? There’s so much to do and see in London, even in a British summer. The hotels aren’t too expensive and you can book the whole thing, show tickets, 2 or 3 nights hotel, extras as an all in one package, you can even include the return rail fare. If your children are over the age of 3 you should be able to find a show to suit your family.
So which shows do you go to see?
It really depends on the age of the children and their interests.
Don’t be put off by worries that the shows will all be sold out, companies that sell packages often have good, reasonably priced tickets for hit shows when no one else does.
The Lion King
The Lion King is pure Disney and one of the best shows for mixed ages. The Lion King is so much more than the cartoon. The story is simple and familiar but the spectacle and the power of the live music makes it really something special. Ideal for boys, girls, and just about anyone who likes animals!It is long though and that partly explains the age restrictions (see below).
- Running Time: 2 hours 45 minutes including the interval
- Matinees: Sunday – 3:pm Weds – 2:30pm and Sat 2:00
- Evenings: Shows start at 7:30 except Mondays (no show)
- Recommended age limit
Ideal for 7 plus, below 7 use your discretion but be realistic. Under 4s will not be admitted to the theatre. They are quite strict about this.
** book Lion King theatre breaks **
Joseph
Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s version of the biblical story is a family classic. Good for mixed ages the show has plenty of action, strong, well-known songs and is performed by a lively, young cast. Joseph was originally written for children the show keeps their interest well but has enough going on to keep the adults involved too. If you want to see Lea Mead you should know he will be on holiday 28th July – 5th August 2008.
- Running time – 2 hours including interval.
- Matinees: Weds and Sat 3:00pm
- Evenings: Mon, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat, 7:30 Tues 7:00 (No show Sunday)
** book Joseph theatre breaks **
Wicked
Wicked is ideal for those of you with pre and early teen girls. They will love it! The story is set in Oz before Dorothy gets there and sets out to explain why Elphaba, the Wicked Witch of The West is so wicked and so very green. Wicked sets the record straight about that poor, misunderstood witch. It has some sinister moments but nothing too scary. There aren’t any stated age restrictions but use your judgement. It is very, very long.
- Running time: 2hrs 50mins including interval.
- Matinees:Weds,Sat 2:30
- Evenings:Mon, Tues, Weds,Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 (No show Sunday)
** book Wicked theatre breaks **
High School Musical
High School Musical – this is one that anyone between 8 and 16 will know more about than you do!Based on a hit TV series this is the story of Troy, a popular high school basketball star, and Gabriella, a shy, academically gifted newcomer, who discover they share a secret passion for singing. Lively, fun, and very American this is one that the kids (and the adults!) will either love or hate. This is the one they are likely to think is ‘cool’ to see and to brag about.
- Running time :2 hours 20 with interval
- Matinees: Sun, Weds and Sat 3:00
- Evenings: Tues, Weds, Thurs, Fri, Sat 7:30 (Monday – no show)
** book High School Musical theatre breaks **
Grease
We all know the story of Sandy the goody two-shoes from Australia who falls in love with bad boy Danny Zuko over the summer holiday and their reunion at Rydell High School. The songs from Grease are classics and they are sung with great energy by this lively cast. Best for 10 plus the story and music will appeal to both boys and girls. If you want to see Ray Quinn (X-Factor) remember he’s on holiday 19th-25th of August.
** book Grease theatre breaks **
Top Tips
- Try for aisle seats- so much easier!
- A bag of small, non-messy snacks (small bags of sliced apples,carrots, etc., little boxes of raisins) and juice cartons is a good idea. Minimise the sugar intake!
- Take small, wriggly people for regular walks.
The Shows To Avoid
- Despite the puppets Avenue Q is not suitable for under 15s and has adult themes.
- Billie Elliot includes a lot of language that makes it unsuitable for young children.
Theatre breaks in London – Desperately Seeking Susan Closes
If you are thinking of booking a theatre break in London this might be one to avoid!
Desperately Seeking Susan” is at the Novello Theatre, London but only till Dec 13th! It crashed and burned with at best luke warm, and at worst downright hostile, reviews. One reviewer described the dance routines as “organised fidgeting”!
It did seem a slightly strange idea to combine the music of Debbie Harry’s Blondie with the plot of the film that saw the debut of that other great eighties diva Madonna. Time has probably been a little kinder to Madonna, though most of the music she was making back then is long forgotten.
Why not try the Award winning musical Hairspray? It has a great retro vibe and the music is 100% better! It would make an ideal choice for a post Christmas theatre break in London!
Theatre Breaks in London – ‘Joseph’
If you are planning a theatre break in London, then “Joseph” is currently one of the ten most popular shows to see. The great thing about booking it as part of a package is that you are sure to get tickets for one of the best shows without paying over the odds. Knowing you have a comfy hotel room to wander back to after the show really adds to the sense of occasion as well. It’s just so much more relaxing than having to battle with trains, or even worse, driving through the London traffic.
Theatre breaks package
I was amazed by how reasonable the cost of tickets, hotel and train can be, with prices starting from around £118.
Rice and Webber
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was originally a 1970s musical by Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. The pair conceived it as a 15 minute school production in 1968, and then brought it to the West End after their success with Jesus Christ Superstar. Based on the Biblical story, “Joseph” tells a tale of sibling rivalry followed by punishment, forgiveness and redemption. It has some super songs and set pieces. My favourite is “Close Every Door” but there are lots of others. It’s just classic Lloyd Webber genius really!
Any Dream Will Do
The BBC TV show Any Dream Will Do which made a reality game show out of searching for the main cast members for a London production has now made Joseph really popular all over again. I think most people who watched the BBC series feel like they’ve had a part in producing this show. Who could forget the wonderful (awful!) faces Lloyd Webber pulled? Now is the perfect time to go and see what it was all about. The TV was great but you cannot compare it to the experience of watching a live performance. Lee Mead has had good reviews for his portrayal of the star role but it’s by no means a one man show and the rest of the cast have all been highly praised as well.
London Theatre – the Adelphi
The show is on at the Adelphi Theatre, a lovely 1930’s Art Deco Grade 2 listed building on the Strand in the heart of the West End. Although it has a fairly plain exterior, it is richly decorated inside. The whole theatre was re-furbished in the 1990s and it has up to date facilities. There has been a theatre on this site since the early 1800s and in 1930 updated to accommodate larger audiences The main walls and the entrance at the back of the theatre are all that remains of the original building.
Theatre break extras
Travelling to the heart of London Theatre Land by train, staying in a nearby hotel, maybe adding an extra night or even two, to allow for a little gentle shopping 
Sounds just about perfect to me. Some of the deals even let you add on ‘afternoon tea’ at Fortnum and Masons. I’ve only ever done that once but it was just so English, so civilised and so delicious! A lovely addition to a short London hotel break with theatre included.
Thanks for reading Theatre Breaks articles about Theatre Breaks in London on the London Theatre Breaks Blog
