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Blast from the past

Published Monday 24 September 2007 at 13:05

Not long ago there was criticism that the West End was flooded with musicals, even in theatres previously renowned as ‘drama houses’.

Now we are being told not to worry because plays are now all cascading into the West End - Shadowlands and then The History Boys at Wyndham’s, followed by Ivanov, Twelfth Night and Hamlet. Then there is Macbeth at the Gielgud, followed by Nicholas Nickleby. The Seagull and King Lear will be at the New London and Glengarry Glen Ross at the Apollo. The Importance of Being Earnest is scheduled for the Vaudeville in January and Boeing Boeing continues at the Comedy. The Country Wife and The Sea are booked into the Haymarket.

So we have 14 plays and what have they in common? They are all revivals. Together with 12 revivals of musicals, we have 26 shows from the past. The remainder are long runs of the original Mousetrap, Woman in Black, Les Mis, Phantom, Blood Brothers, Billy Elliot, Mamma Mia and We Will Rock You.

Well, we can always go and see Present Laughter at the National.

Kelvin J Allen

Tachbrook Street

London SW1V

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