The Best of Theatre in 2014

west end theatre street signThere’s nothing quite like the experience of going to the theatre. Whether you’re a Shakespearean expert, or a lover of musicals, or even not that familiar with theatre at all, the start of the year is the time to plan a trip to a play or two. 2014 has plenty to look forward to with some spectacular shows, some brilliant comedy, and some much more accessible ways to watch plays too. Here’s how, when, and where to get this year’s theatre fix:

The Full Monty Musical

That’s right, the legendary film The Full Monty has become a musical, and will be on in the West End from the end of February. If you laughed your socks off when the unemployed steelworkers bared their all in the on screen version, just imagine seeing it in the grand Noel Coward Theatre. Book a room in our Covent Garden hotel and plan a weekend around laughing so hard you’ll get a serious stomach muscle work out.

The X-factor on the West End

Another screen to stage adaption comes this year in the form of I Can’t Sing, The X-factor Musical. This show, which will arrive at the London Palladium at the end of February, won’t just be all about the music, though. It promises to reveal all the drama and scandal behind the microphones, exposing the truth about one of the world’s most successful TV shows. Stay in one of our London hotels for a whole new theatrical experience.

Shakespeare… in the cinema

A revolution has come to the theatre world in the form of live-broadcast plays. The very best performances of Shakespeare plays used to be a real challenge to get tickets to, as well as being very expensive. These days you can experience all the live action of some of the world’s best actors on stage, from a film streamed live to selected cinemas. The much anticipated King Lear directed by Sam Mendes will be in cinemas this year, as will Coriolanus, Macbeth, and Othello. Why not plan a trip around watching a play, up close, for a fraction of the cost of a normal theatre ticket?

The Brian Friel Season

Brian Friel is a theatrical legend and three of his plays will be on show in Sheffield this year. During February and March the city will be all about celebrating the great Irish playwright, so if you can get tickets to Afterplay, Translations, or Wonderful Tennessee, you won’t be disappointed. There will also be readings of some of his other plays as well as public talks about his life and work. If you like high brow theatre at its finest, book a room in our Sheffield Central hotel for a one of a kind Brian Friel experience.