Theatre Days - Number 4 - The Book Of Mormon (Wednesday 8th March, Matinee Performance)

After a fantastic second viewing of Half A Sixpence, I found myself back in London just two days later to see yet another musical. This one would prove to be a somewhat holy experience! Now I know what you're thinking. Holy? Is there such a thing as a holy musical? Why of course there is! I'm sure you've heard of Jesus Christ Superstar! As good as that show is, I wasn't in London to listen to the teachings of Jesus Christ, far from it. In fact, I was in London to watch a show all about Mormon missionaries. The show, The Book Of Mormon, was something I'd been interested in seeing for a quite a while. How could a musical about Mormons work? I was very intrigued. Having only heard a couple of songs from the show and having no idea about the plot, I set off to London with a very open mind. After all, I had seen Half A Sixpence without knowing a single thing about it beforehand and I absolutely loved it. So would I love The Book Of Mormon? Let's find out shall we!

Mormon missionary Elder Price sings "I Believe" but would I believe?

My fourth theatre trip of the year started off in typical fashion, an early start! I got my local bus to Gatwick Airport then quickly hopped on a train to Victoria Station. I was in London by 10:30am, not too shabby! Untraditionally for me, I missed out a little trip to Oxford Street and instead headed straight off to The Theatre Cafe at Shaftesbury Avenue. I had a quick chat with one of the workers, Paul, then headed to nearby cafe Leon. Leon's was a place I had read about a lot on various Facebook musical groups. I was intrigued to give it a visit as I had read that a lot of the staff who work there are up and coming theatre performers and sing songs daily at the cafe.

Theatre seats in a cafe? I love it!

 A cheeky McDonald's. Why not!

I had a quick drink at the cafe and went to get lunch at the nearby McDonald's in Leicester Square. I then came back to Leon's for the start of the musical performances. I was quite simply blown away by how amazing these young performers were! Each and every staff member who sang was fantastic! I really wish them all the best of luck in their careers. Who knows, they could end up being West End stars one day!

One of the best latte's I've ever had in London!

After being wowed by the singing staff at Leon's, I headed off to the Prince of Wales Theatre, to get ready to see the Mormons. I was getting pretty excited. Seeing a show you have no clue about is always a gamble. This, however, was a gamble I was willing to take. I entered the theatre and brought my programmes and cast album, then sat down in the stalls. I wanted to take a photo of the stage before the show started like I do everywhere else but one of the ushers politely told me off, so instead, I took a theatre seat selfie, it's tradition after all! I was looking around the theatre appreciating how beautiful it was. I'd previously seen Mamma Mia on two occasions at the theatre and had forgotten just how beautiful the interior was. Personally speaking, I think the outside of the theatre is pretty tacky but the inside definitely makes up for it, especially the beautiful piano bar! Next to me was an empty seat and I had that slight worry of who might be sitting next to me, then suddenly, an elderly American lady sat next to me. We hit it off almost instantly! She was just so lovely! She told me about how she had retired and was now touring around the world to visit gorilla sanctuaries. I mean how awesome is that! We were busy talking then all of a sudden, it was showtime!

Theatre seat selfie. Standard!

I won't spoil too much of the show but I'll tell you the basic plot line. Mormons Elder Price and Elder Cunningham are sent on their first ever mission, which is to spread the word of Mormonism to the people of Uganda. Both Mormons are complete opposites. Elder Price is the poster boy Mormon. Every fellow Mormon looks up to him. Elder Cunningham on the other hand is a bit of a screwup. He's a sweet soul but he makes things up with his wild imagination, including the teachings of the Book of Mormon itself. During the show we see how both Elder Price and Elder Cunningham come to love each other in the end. We also meet lots of characters along the way, including Mormon Elder McKinley, who's turning off all gay thoughts in his head. We also meet tribe leader Mafala Hatimbi and his lovely daughter Nabulungi, who dreams of moving to Salt Lake City, at least that's where she thinks her dreams are telling her to go.

Elder Price. The poster boy Mormon.

So what did I think of the show? Did I love it? Yes. Oh my God yes! It was one of the biggest pleasant surprises of my life. Just like when I saw Half A Sixpence, I didn't have a single clue about what I was going to see. The show was just hilarious. I knew beforehand that it would be funny as it was written by the creators of South Park. I think the biggest surprise for me was how good the songs were. Some of the songs I'd not heard before seeing the show were just brilliant. I absolutely loved 'Two By Two', 'Turn It Off' and 'All-American Prophet', as well as the Hakuna Matata-esque 'Hasa Diga Ebowai', one of the funniest, catchiest, and most offensive songs I've ever heard! Other highlights included the well known 'I Believe' and the show's classic opening number, 'Hello'. Every time I hear a doorbell ring I now think of 'Hello'!

A hip new prophet who had a little... Donny Osmond flair!

The cast were absolutely top notch. KJ Hippensteel, who plays lead character Elder Price, is brilliant in his role. His singing is really good but he also plays the straight-faced role really well. Cody Jamison Strand was also very good as the happy-go-lucky Elder Cunningham. All of the cast were really good to be honest. I must also give a shout out to Steven Webb as Elder McKinley. His performance in 'Turn It Off' was a real highlight for me. Hilarious. Just hilarious!

"Imagine that your brain is made of tiny boxes and find the box that's gay and CRUSH IT... okay?"

I didn't hang around at the stage door this time as I had to get back home to Crawley as I was going out in the evening. I ended up getting home about 7pm, therefore making it the shortest theatre day I've had so far, but it was by no means the worst, far from it actually!

A night out with my work girls. A good enough reason to leave London early.

Trip Rating: 8/10

A pretty high score once again and let me tell you why. The Book of Mormon was such a pleasant surprise that it became an instant favourite of mine. It was one of them shows that I wanted to see again. Had I not been busy that evening, I could have quite happily got a ticket for the evening performance! 

The prospect of seeing the show again in the evening was so tempting!

There was so much I loved about the show. The story and songs were utterly hilarious. The songs weren't only hilarious but also memorable. For me, a good musical is one where you can remember a lot of the songs. I was so glad I brought the cast album at the theatre because it's been playing on my iPod almost every day since! I also sing 'Hasa Diga Ebowai' on a daily basis, although thankfully most of my friends and colleagues don't understand the meaning of the phrase, which is a good thing really, it's rather rude if you didn't already know. The songs themselves really are catchy though. Like I said, I listen to the cast recording on a daily basis and know the songs off by heart. The songs were not only written by the creators of South Park, Trey Parker and Matt Stone, but also Robert Lopez, who also wrote the songs in Frozen. Now the songs in The Book of Mormon and Frozen couldn't be any more different. I can't even fathom the image of Queen Elsa singing 'Let It Go' with some expletives thrown in. Actually maybe I could. It could be quite hilarious, not that Disney would approve of course!

"Let it f***ing go!" Oh how different Frozen could have been!

So was I converted to a Mormon? Not quite. Although it must be said that the show doesn't bash Mormonism but more so takes the mickey out of religion in general. Believe it or not, the show is actually quite educational about Mormonism. It tells the audience about how The Book of Mormon came about, as well as it's leading prophet, the all-American Joseph Smith. 

Show aside, I must say a big highlight of the day was going to Leon's and seeing all of the wonderful performers inside the cafe. I couldn't believe how great they were! I'll definitely be doing there again. Although it's safe to say that The Theatre Cafe is still my favourite cafe in all of London and always will be!

So what show was next for me? None other than Thriller Live, a musical celebration of the life and work of Michael Jackson. I'd seen the show when it toured and played at my local theatre at Crawley but I was really looking forward to seeing it on a much bigger scale in London.

More about that next time!

I better get my fedora hat and sparkling glove ready!

Theatre Days - Number 3 - Half A Sixpence (Monday 6th March, Evening Performance)

February saw a great start to my theatre travels this year. I started with The Phantom Of The Opera, naturally, then a couple of weeks later I went to see a matinee performance of The Comedy About A Bank Robbery and made a spontaneous decision that day to buy a ticket to see Half A Sixpence that same evening. Both theatre trips were amazing. The first was extra special because I made it an overnight stay in London. The second one though, oh wow, what a day! The Comedy About A Bank Robbery was such a riot! I couldn't have wanted to see a funnier show for my first ever play in London. The real highlight of my second theatre trip was undoubtedly Half A Sixpence. I'd heard so many good things about it and many people had recommended I go and see it. It was such a pleasant surprise! There was so much I loved about it. I loved the story, the phenomenal acting, amazing choreography, not to forget the memorable songs. In fact, I loved it so much that I decided to buy a ticket to see it again the following month! So let me tell you about my third theatre trip of the year to see Half A Sixpence once again!

Bring on the flash bang wallop!

Naturally, I woke up early so I could catch my bus to Gatwick Airport. There was quite a queue for train tickets but I didn't mind waiting as my show wasn't until the evening and I was in no particular rush. I eventually got my train to Victoria Station and arrived around 11am. My first stop was Oxford Street. I went to The Disney Store and had a chat with my friend Ash who works there, it was also his birthday. I then went across the road for a browse in HMV. Not sure about you but I really miss the much bigger HMV on Oxford Street that closed a few years ago. That place was my idea of heaven!

Me and my Disney pal Ash!

Hey I know that droid!

I started to feel peckish so headed to The Fresh Pizza Co. at Victoria Station once again! It wasn't the most successful of meals I've ever had there if I'm honest. The pizzas at the buffet were being brought out very infrequently compared to normal and the drinks machine wasn't working. In fact, the drinks machine only started working just as I was leaving. I paid for my meal and was given quite a disgruntled look by the waiter because I didn't leave him a tip. I'm not tight by any means but I think when you're at a buffet and getting everything yourself then there's no need to give the waiter a tip. I will return to the restaurant again but it made me think twice about going there on my next trip.

Come on Pizza guys! Pull your finger out!

After a rather unsatisfactory lunch, I made my way to Piccadilly Circus to take some photos of all the nearby theatres. The first theatre I photographed was the Prince of Wales theatre, which I would be visiting in a couple of days time to see The Book Of Mormon. It's not the most attractive of theatres on the outside but the interior tells a different story.

The Mormons are calling my name!

I don't quite think he works for Her Majesty!

I then made my way to find the Noel Coward Theatre which hosts Half A Sixpence. When I saw it for the first time last month, I got quite lost trying to find it in nighttime London, so I thought this time I would make myself familiar of it's whereabouts during the day.

I found the theatre!

Now firmly knowing where the Noel Coward Theatre was, I decided to head to The Theatre Cafe for a quick drink. I had a good chat with the lovely Josie who works there. One thing I wanted to do was get myself familiar with the names of everyone who works at the cafe as I'm always there and have good chats with them upon every visit. Saying that though, sometimes it's impossible to get a seat in the cafe as it's tiny and incredibly popular. I was lucky this time to get a seat though. I was also being quite nosey because I was sat on a table next to a casting director who was conducting interviews for a new production, although I'm not sure which show.

That's what you call a snazzy bathroom mirror!

I left the cafe around 5pm and headed towards Her Majesty's Theatre to try and catch some of the Phantom cast at the stage door. Much to my joy I met my good friend Matt Blaker, who was the understudy Raoul when I saw the show last month. He's such a great guy. We had a good chat about Phantom and theatre in general. He was also kind enough to pose for a selfie and sign two of my photos of me and him. Next to arrive at the theatre was the Phantom himself, Mr Ben Forster! When I met him for the first time last month, he was easily the nicest actor I've ever met. Once again, he was incredibly down to earth and took his time to talk to me, have a selfie and also sign some more photos for me. I also met the hilarious Lara Martins, who had a good chat with me and of course, a selfie! One of the nicest things with the Phantom cast is that they all know me by name now. I'm even on a hugging basis with them too! How awesome!

The Stage Door at Her Majesty's Theatre

My favourite understudy, Matt Blaker.

The Phantom of the Opera! Or Ben Forster to be more precise!

Me and the lovely Lara Martins. Not a diva like her stage character!

After meeting my friends at Phantom, I made the little journey to the Noel Coward Theatre for Half A Sixpence. I was getting so excited! I knew I was going to be in for a great show after being amazed by it the previous month. I sat down in the stalls and was stunned by my seat. I couldn't believe it! I was just two rows from the front! Now I know what you're thinking. Why was I surprised at where I was sitting as I'd chosen my seat when booking the ticket. Well my ticket said Row D, so I took it that meant four rows from the front but in the stalls there was no row A or B. I wasn't complaining though. I'd never been so close to the front at a show before.

Look how close I am! I can practically touch the stage!

Have to take a theatre seat selfie!

Hold it, flash bang wallop, what a show! Really, what a show! The performance was easily just as good as the first time I saw it, maybe even slightly better. The whole cast really put their heart and soul into the show. Being so close to the front as well, you can really appreciate the finer details in the acting, especially the facial expressions. Again, Charlie Stemp wowed the audience with his fine performance. He really is a talent. His performing is out of this world. His singing and dancing are second to none. Being closer this time, I didn't notice before how much comedy Charlie Stemp puts into his acting. He gave so many funny looks, it was quite hilarious to see. Emma Williams also gave a fine performance, which actually reduced me to a few tears in her last scene. Ian Bartholomew gave a hilarious performance as Chitterlow once again. I'd also like to praise the performance of Devon-Elise Johnson who plays Ann, she's just amazing. Another brilliant actor in the show is Gerard Carey who plays scheming James and also the over-the-top drunk photographer at the end, to great effect!

After the show I thought I'd try to meet some of the main cast and get a selfie and some autographs. Lucky for me, they all came out of the stage door quite quickly, which was a good thing for me as I had to rush to Victoria station to get my train home! First out was the one and only Charlie Stemp. He was just fantastic. Being the same age as me and very easy going, it was like talking to a best friend! He very kindly signed two photos for me and had the obligatory selfie! I missed most of the other cast but I got to meet the very lovely Devon-Elise Johnson and Bethany Huckle, who play best friends Ann and Flo. They were absolutely lovely, especially Devon-Elise. I had a good chat with her about the show and she told me that the show is going to be getting recorded for a film release, which I can't wait to see!

Me with the legend in the making Charlie Stemp!

Me and the girls! The wonderful Devon-Elise Johnson and Bethany Huckle.

So after one very tiring day I finally got home to Crawley! My bed was calling my name and I pretty much collapsed under the covers! It was yet again a fantastic theatre day. So how does it compare to the other theatre days so far?


Trip Rating: 8/10

A very good day! Theatre days number 3 was yet again another success story. I knew I was going to be in for a great show having seen it the previous month and boy I wasn't wrong! Half A Sixpence really is such a triumph. It's clear to see why people are still raving about it, myself included. I think it will go down in history as one of the best shows to hit the West End in years. I've never seen a show that has made me smile as much as Half A Sixpence. Sure, it made me cry at times but the smiles easily outweighed the tears. I just love everything about it. Like I mentioned above, the songs are memorable, the choreography is eye-catching and the acting is just phenomenal. I've never seen such a perfect cast for a show. The show has easily become one of my favourite musicals in the space of just two months. Phantom will always be my favourite but Half A Sixpence is definitely up there with the best for me! 

Everyone's talking about it!

Show aside, there was lots to enjoy about the day. I met lots of lovely people again. It was great to catch up with my friend Ash at The Disney Store on Oxford Street. It was also nice to have a good musicals chat with my friend Josie at The Theatre Cafe. Meeting the cast of Phantom was a delight as always. Like I mentioned before, to now be on a hugging basis with them now is just amazing! Meeting some of the cast of Half A Sixpence was also amazing, especially to meet the legend in the making that is Charlie Stemp. 

So all in all, theatre days number 3 was another triumph!

But wait!

There's more!

Another theatre trip in just two days time!

Surely not?

Oh yes! Bring on the Mormons!

Hello Michael! My name is Elder Price and I would like to share with you the most amazing book!

Theatre Days - Number 2 - The Comedy About A Bank Robbery & Half A Sixpence (Thursday 16th February, Matinee and Evening Performances)

After a very successful first theatre trip of the year to see The Phantom Of The Opera, I found myself in London once again (just two weeks later) with a ticket to see The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. This was originally just going to just be a trip to see the matinee performance then come home after the show. However, I spontaneously found myself buying a ticket for Half A Sixpence. Let me tell you now though, it was without doubt one of the best spontaneous decisions I've ever made, but more about that later! So onto theatre days number 2!

A trip to London always guarantees an early start for me, so sure enough, I was up just after 7 in the morning. I made my journey to Gatwick Airport by bus, then queued up for my all day travel card, then I was off on my way! Just like two weeks previous, I was lucky enough to get a seat on the train. To tell you the truth, it was surprisingly quiet on the train actually!

A seat on the train. Good start to the day!

I arrived in London just after 10am, which gave me plenty of time to explore. I hopped on the bus to visit Oxford Street. It was on the first bus journey of the day that I recorded my first ever Facebook Live video. I've always wanted to do a spot of vlogging, so I suppose that was a good way to start! Luckily it was quiet on the bus, so I didn't look like a fool while recording myself and talking to my phone! I have to admit I was slightly nervous when recording but I got more confident when making more live videos throughout the day.

My first ever attempt at vlogging!

After a browse around Oxford Street, although sadly with no purchases, I made my way to The Fresh Pizza Co. for lunch. I really do love this place, although I might treat myself to a lunch at somewhere different on my next theatre trip. Still, you can't beat the fantastic value of this place!

I had to have a selfie with my buddy R2-D2!

Lunch at The Fresh Pizza Co. always goes down a treat!

With a full stomach, I head off on the tube to Piccadilly Circus. Once there, I took a walk around the many theatres in the area, including my favourite, Her Majesty's Theatre, also the home of The Phantom Of The Opera. I thought I'd try my luck and see if I could spot any of the cast heading into the theatre before the matinee performance started. True enough, I was lucky enough to meet a couple of the cast I met two weeks ago, including the very lovely Matt Blaker, who had a quick chat with me about my day in London. I just find it so nice that all of these actors take their time to talk to the fans.

Me and Matt Blaker, such a great guy!

After my meeting with the Phantom cast, my day was about to take a dramatic change, in a good way though! As I was in London just for a matinee performance, I knew I had lots of time to do other things after the show. I started to walk around Leicester Square when I noticed the TKTS theatre tickets booth. I thought to myself 'Shall I treat myself and see a second show?' so I went over to the ticket booth and took a look at the deals on offer. Considering it listed every show in London and the fact I want to see as many shows as possible this year, I was quite spoilt for choice! One show did stand out for me though... Half A Sixpence! The show I'd heard so much about! My mum and some of my theatre friends said I'd 'probably' like it. I didn't have a single clue what it was about, other than being a refreshed version of an old 1960s musical (of the same name) starring legendary entertainer Tommy Steele. With so many good things in the press about the show (and recommendations from friends) it was most definitely one of my must-see shows of the year. With tickets on offer at just £25 per seat in the stalls, it was too good a deal not to miss! So naturally, I queued up and got my ticket! Lucky for me, it was actually the last ticket available at that price. I was also given a free Jersey Boys pen, something else to add to my growing collection of theatre memorabilia.

I'm one happy man!

With a second show lined up for the evening, I made my way over to the Criterion Theatre to watch the show I primarily came to London to see, The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. One of the things I loved most about this theatre was that it was actually underground! Even during the performance you could feel the underground trains shaking the floor beneath your feet! As with every show I watch, I always buy a programme. I went to buy my programme at the Criterion Theatre's bar, only to realise there was a £10 minimum on using credit cards. With no cash in my wallet I thought 'Oh damn!' So what to do? I know, treat myself to an alcoholic beverage, a first for me at the theatre. So after enjoying a glass of Prosecco (how classy!) and reading the programme, I made my way to my seat, which was just 5 rows from the front and almost right in the middle, a perfect view! Before the show started, lots of 1950s rock n' roll songs were played through the speakers, which had me tapping my feet. After a few minutes, the lights dimmed down and it was showtime!

Prosecco at the theatre. Just pure class!

It's almost showtime!

After over two hours of non-stop laughing and happy tears rolling down my face, I can honestly say that I've never seen anything as funny as The Comedy About A Bank Robbery. I don't need to give away the plot as the title of the show says it all really! I knew I would be in for a good show as the show's production company, Mischief Theatre, were people I was already familiar with. I remember watching one of their first London productions, The Play That Goes Wrong, on the Royal Variety Performance a couple of years ago. Their Christmas production, Peter Pan Goes Wrong, was on BBC 1 on New Year's Eve. Loving both of the TV performances, I couldn't wait to finally see one of their shows in person. I was so not disappointed, far from it actually! I absolutely loved the show! Like I said, I've honestly never seen anything so funny. The cast were so good too, especially considering they were the new cast in the show and had only been performing in the show for a week! I did think I would be seeing the cast from the TV performances but they left the show a week before I attended. I wasn't disappointed though because the new cast were fabulous! I would argue they were even better than the old cast I'd seen on TV! Stand out performers for me were definitely the hilarious Jeremy Lloyd, who played just about every character other than the lead roles. Steffan Lloyd-Evans and Sean Kearns also played memorable roles. I'd also like to give a shoutout to the performance from the utterly gorgeous Hannah Boyce, who could possibly be my new favourite theatre actress crush!

Someone got the diamond in the end!

With tears of laughter still rolling down my face, I thought I'd try my luck and meet some of the cast. Phantom is the only show I've ever met a cast before, so I thought it would be good fun to do it at another show. The stage door for the Criterion Theatre is pretty well hidden but I found it thanks to some directions from one of the lovely girls at the theatre. I didn't have to wait too long until some of the cast came out. They were all so nice, especially the girls! Everyone was so talkative and also so appreciative that I had waited to meet them. Naturally, I got all of their autographs and selfies with them! It just had to be done!

Me and the jokers! (From left to right - Mike Bodie, Steffan Lloyd-Evans, Niall Ransome)

Sean Kearns and Me.

Me and the very beautiful and equally funny Hannah Boyce.

Me and the very lovely Holly Sumpton.

After I met the cast of Bank Robbery, I headed over to Her Majesty's Theatre to see if I might catch any of the cast of Phantom after their matinee performance had finished. Much to my delight, I got to meet that day's Phantom himself, Scott Davies! Scott has played the lead Phantom before in London but is now the main go to man if Ben Forster isn't performing the lead role. Scott was brilliant! I told him that I'm a massive fan of the show and was yet to see him perform in the show. He then said that I could friend him on Facebook and he would send me all of the dates he was performing in the show.  I mean how awesome is that, one of The Phantom's actually being your friend on Facebook! Sure enough, I added him and he accepted my request later in the day and sent me all of his performing dates. What a guy! As with all of the other Phantom cast members, he was more than happy to pose for a selfie and sign my autograph book.

Me and my new Phantom friend, Scott Davies!

With Half A Sixpence starting pretty soon, I got myself a takeaway latte at The Theatre Cafe and said hello to my friends working there, who loved my Theatre Cafe hoodie, naturally! I had to get something to eat, so I thought a cheeky McDonald's would be my best bet! Only problem was that I couldn't find anywhere to sit in the restaurant, so I thought I'd sit in Leicester Square! After recording another live video, I started tucking into my McDonald's when I noticed something out of the corner of my eye scurry past me. It was a mouse! I turned around and saw there were at least 10! So naturally, I got myself out of there and decided to eat my food while walking to the Noel Coward Theatre, where Half A Sixpence was playing.

Live from Leicester Square! 

A cheeky McDonald's and update from Leicester Square!

I arrived at the Noel Coward Theatre, brought my programme, then made my way to my seat. I couldn't believe how good my view was! Considering I only paid £25 for my ticket, I was almost central and about half way back in the stalls, a perfect view! Even better though, there was two empty seats in front of me and one empty seat next to me! I couldn't believe my luck!

The Noel Coward Theatre. Absolutely loved this theatre!

Only £25 for this view, what a steal!

I couldn't wait for the show to begin!

The show. Oh my. What a show! I can honestly say that it was one of the best things I've ever seen! Considering I knew practically nothing about the show, it was such a pleasant surprise! I absolutely lapped it up. I've never smiled so much throughout a show. There are so many good things to say about this show that I could write a whole blog about it, actually, I might do that one day! Anyway! What did I love about the show? The songs, the performances, the sets, the atmosphere, just everything! There were so many catchy songs in this show to mention. I hadn't seen the original Tommy Steele film but even I knew the song 'Flash, Bang, Wallop', which was without doubt the best moment of the show. I can't mention the songs without talking about 'Pick Out A Simple Tune', which is one of the new songs written for the updated musical. This song was one hell of a set piece! It was so refreshing to watch an old fashioned musical which also felt surprisingly fresh. It really made made me feel like I was living in the Victorian era. As I mentioned above, the performers, my god, they were just out of this world. The two leading actresses, Emma Williams and Devon-Elise Johnson were fantastic in their roles. Interestingly, I saw Emma Williams in her first West End role, when she played Truly Scrumptious in Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at the London Palladium. The supporting actors were all also very fantastic. I can't go any further though without mentioning the extraordinary Charlie Stemp, who plays lead role Arthur Kipps. What a talent! He just has everything! At the age of just 23 (the same as me) he is going to have one very wonderful career ahead of him. He actually reminded of a young Lee Evans. Charlie Stemp can sing, dance, act, just everything needed to be a West End legend and he is definitely a legend in the making!

Charlie Stemp. What a triumph!

I left the theatre with one massive grin on my face, while singing 'Flash, Bang, Wallop' out loud, I didn't care! I had never felt so happy after leaving a show. Like I said, the show had me smiling throughout. I can honestly say I've never seen such a fantastic response from a crowd like I did at Half A Sixpence. The finale/curtain call ending had the whole crowd standing on their feet clapping and singing along to the music. It just felt so good! Buying my ticket on a whim was honestly one of the best decisions I've ever made in my life! Anyway, it was getting late, so I needed to make my way to Victoria Station as quick as I could. I still had the time to record a live video of course. Thankfully, the audio cut out, as I did mention a couple of 'F' bombs, although it was in a good way, saying how much I loved Half A Sixpence.

What a show! 

So I eventually made it to Victoria Station and hopped on my train home to Gatwick Airport. I was so tired! I hadn't expected to see two shows in a day, so I think it knackered me out in the end, although I will definitely be doing it again! I eventually got home from the airport about 12am and fell asleep almost instantaneously!

I was one very tired man!

Was theatre days number 2 better than theatre days number 1? Let's give it a quick review shall we?


Trip Rating: 10/10 

Stop the press! We have a full score! My second theatre trip of the year was simply awesome! There were so many factors for this. The day itself was great. Apart from rushing to get home, the rest of the day felt much more relaxed than my first trip did, even though I stayed overnight on that trip. I think the biggest factors for the best trip of the year so far were without doubt the two shows. The Comedy About A Bank Robbery was just utterly hilarious. I've honestly never laughed so much at anything! The cast were top notch! Then there's Half A Sixpence. Writing this now I can't stop thinking about how good the show was. I'm tempted to book a ticket right now to see it again! I can honestly say that the show has become an instant favourite of mine! It's definitely up there with The Phantom Of The Opera, and that's saying something, because Phantom is an obsession of mine! That's honestly how much I loved the show! 

"Pick out a simple tune!"

Like my last trip, it was great to meet lots of cast members this time. I was very gutted that I didn't have the time to meet the cast of Half A Sixpence as I had to hurry home on the train. It was nice to meet a couple of the Phantom cast who remembered me. Meeting Phantom Scott Davies was great, especially becoming friends with him on Facebook, something I wasn't expecting to happen! 

Talking of things I wasn't expecting to happen, buying my ticket to Half A Sixpence on a whim was a pleasant surprise. Having never brought tickets on the day, it's definitely something I'm going to be doing on my many more theatre trips this year! 

I didn't meet many people like I did on my last trip but I did meet one very lovely guy from Sweden at Half A Sixpence. As I mentioned above, I had an empty seat next to me, and this guy was sitting in the next seat along. We got talking during the interval about our love for musicals and all things theatre. He eventually revealed that he was a drama student. He said that his dream role would be The Phantom. Go for it mate! Let your soul take you where you long to be!

Theatre days number 2 was one heck of a brilliant and memorable day! It's going to be hard to beat but I'm sure there'll be many more great days out in London. 

No more shows planned for February but in March I've got The Book of Mormon and Thriller Live to look forward to! I may just sneak in another spontaneous show too!

Looking forward to seeing both of these next month!

Thanks for reading! Here's to theatre days number 3! 


Lots of love, 

Michael x