coming soon - West End 2007

What with Idina Menzel defying gravity and sending Wicked sky high on the must-see musical charts, Spamalot getting everyone quoting Monty Python once again, and Dirty Dancing selling out before the cast had even set foot on stage, there’s been a lot to talk about on the theatre scene in 2006 here in London. Thankfully, the trend for top shows taking the stage looks set to continue in 2007 and over here at lastminute.com, we thought we’d look past Christmas for a second and take a glimpse into the future...

Antony and Cleopatra
Patrick Stewart’s had to make a lot of sacrifices in his career – those stick on ears can’t have been comfortable for so many years. But now, for Bill Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra, he is perhaps making the greatest sacrifice of all. He’s growing his hair. Well… putting a wig on, but still. What a transformation.  If you’re unaware of the greatest romance since Peter and Jordan fell in love in the jungle, shame on you. This one split an empire in two. It all starts when, following the death of Caesar, a united front is called for as Pompey threatens Rome. The loyal Antony however is distracted and his thoughts are driven towards the sensual queen of Egypt, Cleopatra. When forced to choose sides,… oh you can probably guess. Go Shakesperean with The RSC from mid Jan. Tickets start at just £10

The History Boys
Alan Bennett’s thought-provoking drama based around the exploits of an unruly bunch of boys carries on at the Wyndhams next year. Set in the 1980s in the north of England, The History Boys follows the sixth-form friends as they pursue their places at Oxford and Cambridge universities. Having just gained a lot of recognition through the movie version and won 30 major awards including Olivier and Tony awards for Best New Play, tickets for this hilarious show are bound to sell out. Book yours now and don’t forget to check out the boys on their blog.

Equus
Not content with battling dragons and riding on CGI broomsticks for a living, our bespectacled friend Daniel Radcliffe is ditching his Harry Potter persona and treading the boards as a “proper thesp” next February in Equus.  It’s the story of Alan Strang, a seemingly normal 17 year old boy with a passion for horses.  One night, however, he savagely blinds six of his four-legged friends with a hoof pick and no one knows why. What drove him to do it? As the nightmares take over, only psychiatrist Martin Dysart seems able to grasp the answer to this strange, psychological puzzle. Richard Griffiths also stars. Book your seats now
 
The Lord of the Rings
May brings with it hopes for summer and fingers crossed – a few rays of sunshine. But there’s more to look forward to this time, because May is when The Lord of the Rings careers into the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Already a hit in Canada, this is the first major stage adaptation of J.R.R. Tolkien’s classic trilogy, and an international creative team has combined all three exciting best-sellers into one unmissable theatrical event. Who’d have thought Middle-earth would unravel on stage in such spectacular fashion – with a thrilling score, dazzling design, and an ensemble of over 70 actors, singers and musicians? You won’t give a goblin’s about any other show, till you’ve seen this. Start your journey to Middle-earth now - up to £10 off previews.

Underneath the Lintel
You may remember Richard Schiff from hit American series The West Wing, but in this tale of a lonely librarian on a mission to find the owner of an ancient library book, we see a different set of his acting skills shine through. It can’t be easy, being the only actor in a play, and we reckon you’ll love this beautiful story, written by Glen Berger. Richard Schiff plays a small town librarian, a man whose life is small, contained and almost perfectly banal. Suddenly the arrival of an overdue library book turns his world upside down and unleashes in him a hitherto unknown detective spirit - he simply must find out who returned the book, as they owe the library a very large fine. Underneath the Lintel premiered off-Broadway in 2001, where it played more than 400 performances and won the 2001 Ovation Award for Best Play. Book your tickets now and check out Richard's blog

Find more hot theatre deals for next year here