17th June 2023, Trafalgar Square
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West End Live is my favorite event of the year, hands down. I always look forward to seeing the amazing performances from the best musicals in London. This year was awesome, and I didn't have any problems with the queue like last year. I was so excited that I booked a hotel nearby and got in line at 4:45 am! There were already some people there, some of them had camped out overnight. The front area of the queue was well-managed this year, and the stewards let us in according to who came first.
I was so pumped when the gates opened at 10.15 and I sprinted to the stage! I got super close to the front, which made getting up early totally worth it! The hosts of this year's show were Hiba Elchikhe and Tim Mahendran (I remembered him from & Juliet) They kicked off the show with a performance of Disney's West End Shows, Frozen and Lion King. I wish Newsies could have joined them too! Then Wicked came on and sang The Wizard and I and For Good. I missed Defying Gravity though, that's always a crowd-pleaser! Next up was Wizard of Oz, and they nailed Somewhere Over the Rainbow.
Moulin Rouge was next, and i have to admit this show is slowly growing on me. Since last years performance i have seen and heard more from the show and this performance has 100% made me want to purchase a ticket. Grease followed with a medley of songs from the show. You could see the enthusiasm of the cast during their performance!
When the next show was announced, it was one of the loudest cheers! Tina-The Tina Turner Musical was next and got the whole square dancing along with songs!
The next show was Crazy for You, starring Charlie Stemp. I had seen it before at MK theatre, but this version was even better. The second one was Cabaret, which I didn't like very much. I think it's not my kind of show. The last one was Book of Mormon, which had two songs this time. I was impressed that they sang I Believe in full, and the crowd loved it. I'm glad they participated in the festival, because they hadn't done so before 2021.
I enjoyed watching some of the musicals that were performed this year. Phantom of the Opera and Les Miserables were amazing, but I was annoyed by the conductor who blocked my view. The performers sang beautifully and One Day More gave me chills.
Hamilton was another highlight, especially when it coincided with the royal flypast and the Red Arrows. It was a spectacular sight.
Oklahoma and Aspects of Love were not as impressive to me. I found them boring and forgettable. I would not pay to see them again.
Jersey Boys was a highlight of the event, performing some of their classic songs with a few changes from last year. The crowd joined in enthusiastically for Can't take my eyes off of you, and the lead singer seemed to appreciate it. After that, we had a new show called Glory Ride. I admit I was not very interested by the introduction, but the songs were catchy and enjoyable.
Then came two of my favourite shows: Choir of Man and Six. Choir of Man energized the audience with their amazing vocals and harmonies, and everyone sang along to their three songs. I first saw this show at West End Live 2021, and I still love it. Six followed with three new songs for West End Live: haus of holbein, the megasix and a remix version of Heart of Stone. I had a blast dancing and singing along to their performance. These two shows received the loudest applause of the whole event!
Divas of London opened the show with a medley of songs from various genres. They sang with skill and charisma, but I have to confess that their show is not something I would watch. Magic Mike Live followed with a lively and energetic performance, but I was clearly not their intended audience. Next was Roles We'll Never Play, featuring songs from different musicals that the performers would not normally get to sing. Matilda came after that and received a huge applause. I have yet to see the West End production, but their performance made me eager to do so. The Little Big Things was a pleasant surprise for me, as I had no prior knowledge of this show. Their performance was moving and captivating, and it made me want to learn more about their show. It was one of my top 3 performances of the event
The rest of the event was a variety of smaller shows. A couple of the shows did catch my eye, Lizzie The Musical and I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical. Lizzie The Musical is a punk rock musical that explores the life and psyche of Lizzie Borden, who was accused of murdering her father and stepmother with an axe in 1892. I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical is a comedy musical that follows the ups and downs of four performers in the West End. Both shows sounded intriguing and entertaining, and I was curious to see how they would portray their stories on stage.
It was a spectacular finale to the show, as Tim Minchin took the stage and sang some of his songs from Groundhog Day and Matilda. I was amazed by his talent and humor, and I enjoyed every moment of his performance. The show had a great line-up of artists, and it was one of the best ones I have ever been to.
This year's event was a blast, with a wide range of merchandise to choose from, including t-shirts, hoodies, mugs, magnets, pins and programs. I got myself a magnet, a pin and a program to remember this amazing day.
The only downside was the long queue to get in, which stretched all the way from central London to Holborn. I hope they can fix this issue for next year's event by using some online ticketing system or something as not everyone can get to the queue for 4am in the morning
The highlight of the event was definitely the flypast, which featured 70 aircraft from the Royal Navy, the British Army and the Royal Air Force. It was a spectacular sight to see them fly over Buckingham Palace and salute His Majesty King Charles III on his official birthday . The shows were also very impressive and entertaining!
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