I deliberately set aside one day for London musicals – because I am a HUGE musicals fan. I’ve watched five musicals in London so far, basically: Wicked, Les Miserables, Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, and The Book of Mormon

Unfortunately, if you’ve only got a day set aside – the maximum number of musicals you can fit in would be two – the afternoon show and the evening show. This blog is not meant to be a professional assessment of any of the musicals (I am definitely NOT equipped for that), but contains my personal opinion of what I enjoyed)

Table of contents

• Which London musical should I watch?
• How do I get the best seats, at decent prices?
• What can I do while waiting for the musical to start?

Which London musical should I watch?

If you’re like me, then my assessment below might be helpful. How to decide if you can trust my judgment? Well… I’m have pretty mainstream tastes, enjoy lively music (especially ones I can sing along to!), and would prefer my musicals to have dialogue I can understand. A nice bonus would be beautiful props and a nice stage!

Wicked

I love Wicked – this was the musical that started it all for me. When Elphaba sang Defying Gravity right before the intermission, I was stunned. I had goosebumps. I couldn’t move! This lasted for the entire duration of the intermission – that’s how amazed I was. Sadly, I thought that was the peak of the musical, and the ending could’ve been better. But for all that, I’d say Wicked is a must-see for all musical fans <3

Lion King

Lion King is SUCH a classic – you should watch this for the pure pleasure of hearing the beloved Disney songs love. From the stirring “Circle of Life,” to the jaunty “I Just Can’t Wait to be King,” to the goosebumps-inducing “They Live in You,” and of course, the irrepressible “Hakuna Matata” – Lion King is always a crowd favorite, and I can certainly see why!

P.S. The Lion King props are amazing – the way the pieces move together and the human being is able to emulate the action of animals is just incredible!

Les Miserables

The people in Les Miserables can sing!!! If you’ve watched Les Miserables the movie (with Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway) and enjoyed it, then you’ll probably love the musical as well. My personal song favorites are “I Dreamed a Dream,” “Do You Hear the People Sing?,” “On My Own,” and “One Day More”

Unpopular opinion: I don’t really like Cosette, and far prefer Eponine – who seems to have a lot more character, and loves Marius whole-heartedly. Personally, I love all the parts that screamed REVOLUTION, so much more than the ones that revolved around this romance

The Book of Mormon

Completely irreverent and unapologetic – this musical is super funny, but probably not for those easily insulted! The songs are SUPER catchy too (you don’t need to be musically inclined to sing along). In particular, I loved “Hello,” “Man up,” and “I Believe.” Having said that, it would be good to read up before you watch – as it can be a bit difficult to follow the scenes at times

The Phantom of the Opera

The set orchestration and the music in the Phantom of the Opera are both mindblowing! I particularly liked opening refrains of “The Phantom of the Opera” and “All I Ask of You.” Unfortunately, I found a large part of the musical dialogue quite difficult to understand, the theater seats are quite expensive (and if you go for the cheaper seats, part of your view will be obscured), and Christine as a character very annoying (she seems like a very weak heroine)… Having said that, the Phantom of the Opera is indeed a classic – so if you’ve got the time, you should go watch!

How do I get the best seats at decent prices?

Couple of tips:

Tip #1: The earlier you book, the cheaper tickets will be! DUH!

Tip #2: You weren’t able to book early? That’s alright, depending on the musical you’re aiming for, they might have…

• Returned tickets: Essentially, folks who’ve booked early suddenly realize they can’t make it so they give it back to the theater
• Lottery tickets: Musicals that are super in-demand typically hold weekly lotteries (I’m looking at you Hamilton, Cursed Child). You should check their respective websites, as the rules can be quite convoluted)

Tip #3: It’s the day itself and you still haven’t booked? Try your luck! Head to the theater and ask whether there are any seats left (this is a typically a good tactic only if you’re traveling solo), or check if there’s a lottery going on (Example: Book of Mormon has a lottery right on-the-day itself – which allows you to purchase front row tickets for 20 pounds only if you win!!! What a steal!)

Regardless of which option you go with… If you’re booking online, make sure to check Seatplan to ensure you’ve got the best theater seats for the price you’re paying for. Seatplan is essentially a website for audience to leave seat reviews after they’ve watched a show – it’s great because you’re able to see what your view could look like from a particular seat, as well as understand what the leg room etc could be!

What can I do while waiting for the musical to start?

Head to the many London free museums to while away your morning!

My personal favorite is the Science Museum, with its super fun and interactive exhibits. Personally, I love the steam machines and space travel exhibits the most!

Satisfy your sweet cravings at L’Eto

So any different types of sweets – please come here with a companion! That way, you can order more to share!

And that’s a wrap for our day full of London musicals!! <3

If you’re interested to read about my 9 day cross-country trip around the United Kingdom, please see below blogs!! 🙂

• Europe: A logistics and travel guide for first-time travelers
• Day 1: What to see and do in Bristol
• Day 2: What to see and do in Stratford-upon-Avon
• Day 3: What to see and do in Windermere
• Day 4: Enjoying the Lake District Tour
• Day 5: Enjoying the Loch Ness and Scottish Highlands tour
• Day 6: What to see and do in Edinburgh
• ++ A Pottertrail walking tour review
• Day 7: A musicals-filled London day
• Day 8: London day trip to Brighton and Seven Sisters
• Day 9: What to see and do in Shoreditch
• ++ Shoreditch Street Art and Graffiti Tour