Love & pride š³ļøāš
Some proud musical trips, plus deals from Ā£10
Oh dear, June didnāt quite go to plan. Instead of spending time seeing shows and writing newsletters, Iāve been dealing with a dodgy heart, a cold and a burglary! Luckily Iām ok, and nothing valuable was taken, but it does shake you up doesnāt it. Iāve been drowning in all the admin it has caused with insurance and the police, and to add insult to injury I had to miss Glengarry Glen Ross at the Old Vic to clear up my smashed window. I did however get cast in one of my all time favourite shows, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. More on that soon. And after a few weeks off newsletter writing, I did have a bumper run of theatre trips seeing four shows! And they were all pretty goodā¦
Iāll just cover two today. Pride month may be over, but thereās two LGBTQ+ shows that will be sticking in my mind for the rest of the year. Redcliffe at the Southwark Playhouse is inspired by a true story from the late 1700s. It follows two men who find each other and get caught sharing a private romantic moment, leading to a trial that rocks the community. Itās the first foray into writing for fan favourite Jordan Luke Gage, who also stars as William. For a first attempt, the music has a confidence you would expect from the greats. The ensemble harmonies are simply gorgeous and really create an atmosphere - a mix of romance and fear. The solos and duets are packed with emotion. The story isnāt overly complicated, yet it doesnāt lecture. You leave with genuine compassion for a couple whose love doesnāt get a chance to blossom. I really hope it has a further life!
Taking a more head-on approach to gay rights, the National Theatreās current Dorfman show is an adaptation of the film Pride. Also based on a true story, it spotlights the unlikely union between Welsh pit strikers and a group of London friends struggling with social rejection due to their sexuality. It also boasts a great soundtrack - the catchy protest anthems are balanced with some lovely and truly moving numbers. Compared to Redcliffe, it does throw āprideā in your face in every possible way, but it does it in such a likeable and endearing way that it doesnāt get wearisome.
My one complaint would be the book, especially in act two - the pacing is a little off in places and thereās some strange focus when it comes to character development. We get this beautiful āI wantā song from the wife of a striking miner in act one, which is only resolved by a quick throwaway moment at the end of act two. In a show with quite a lot of main-ish characters, it just needed a bit more focus. The overall effect is clear though - you leave feeling uplifted. It hammers home the need for connection and compassion, something clearly lacking today as much as it did in the 80s.
Redcliffe has itās final performances tomorrow - it might be worth checking for returns. Pride is sold out at the National Theatre, but there are Ā£10 tickets available through the weekly Friday Rush.
Happy ticket-buying!
Rochelle šš«
Carrying the banner
In the news this weekā¦
Hey big spender
Hereās your discounts, offers and cheap seats this week.
š New rush alert! You can get Ā£20 tickets for Hot Mess, Ā£25 tickets for Cyrano de Bergerac, Arcadia and Archduke, Ā£29.50 tickets for The Oresteia, and Ā£30 tickets for Beetlejuice, The Truth and Heathers. These are all available through the TodayTix rush on the app at 10am each day.
Kids Week is in full flow! You can get a free child ticket when you buy a full price adult ticket to loads of top West End shows this summer.
Get Ā£10 tickets for Nell Gwyn in Prescot this weekend.
Thereās Ā£10 tickets for The Enormous Crocodile.
Itās your last chance to see Kinky Boots! Thereās discounted tickets from Ā£15 for final performances.
Thereās Ā£15 tickets for Cyrano de Bergerac.
Get Ā£15 tickets for Relics.
Thereās Ā£15 front row seats for Hot Mess.
Get great Ā£21 front stalls seats for Fences.
Thereās top Ā£24 stalls seats for Allegra.
Get Ā£25 stage seats for Arcadia.
Thereās Ā£25 general admission tickets for the immersive Grease.
Get Ā£25 tickets to Archduke. Use code DUKE25.
And thereās some great Ā£32 stalls seats for The Devil Wears Prada.
Donāt throw away your shot
Competitions, on-sales and announcements.
Spirited Away will return to the West End in 2028(!) as the conclusion of a world tour. As itās quite a while away, best to sign up for more information when it comes. Thereās a link on the right-hand side of the page.
Further dates (and celebrities) have been added to the run of White Rabbit, Red Rabbit at the Duchess Theatre. Tickets are on sale now.
The RSC has announced new 2026/2027 shows, including a reimagined Othello starring Sharon D Clarke. Public booking opens on 16 July.
The Globe has revealed its winter season, which includes shows in the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse as well as the return of Pinocchio. General booking opens 14 July.
More new season announcements! The Park Theatre has added more shows to its autumn season including the return of the Olivier-nominated The Revlon Girl. General on-sale opens 10am on 4 July.
Sherlock Holmes and the Twelve Days of Christmas will transfer to Londonās Alexandra Palace this November. Tickets are on sale now.
York Theatre Royal will stage a major new revival of Arthur Millerās Death of a Salesman as a co-production with Glasgowās Citizen Theatre. General sale opens at 1pm on 11 July.
A new stage adaptation of dinnerladies starring Les Dennis will tour the UK from January 2027. Most of the venues are already on sale!
We will be getting a new tour of Hairspray in 2027! Check venues for dates and on-sale information.
Win tickets to Matthew Bourneās The Car Man plus Ā£100 Bellanger voucher.
And finally, win tickets to The Devil Wears Prada plus a Prada bag!
Thatās all for this week. If you enjoyed the newsletter, please tell your friends. Iām also open to suggestions and requests for certain discounts, so do drop into my DMs. Right, time for a lazy weekend watching lots of sport! šļø
