As a theatre lover who lives around 3 hours away from London and it’s amazing Theatreland, it’s hardly surprising that I find myself relying massively on touring productions in order to get my theatre fix. Thankfully I have some great local theatres near where I am, and they have been playing host to some of the biggest tours going this year. It was quite difficult to narrow it down to just five, but I got there eventually, so here they are. My top five touring productions of 2019, in no particular order.
Kinky Boots
This high-heeled sass filled musical was a hit during it’s three year run in the West End, and it proved just as popular during it’s hotly anticipated UK Tour. With it’s story of acceptance, friendship and understanding, backed up by some incredible music, it’s impossible not to love this one. The costumes are fantastic, the levels of fierceness are off the scale and it’s altogether fabulous. I saw this one twice whilst it was on the touring circuit and hope that it will be back to raise us up again some day soon.
Read my review here
Nativity
Over the Christmas period, there are countless shows around for you to choose from. If you are not in the mood for an good old fashioned pantomime, then perhaps Nativity! the musical is the thing for you. A musical adaptation of the family favourite movie, this musical is a laugh a minute Christmas spectacular full of adorably talented kids, catchy fun songs and brilliant comedy, not to mention an adorable dog. What’s not to love? Here’s hoping that it will be back next year for a fourth year running.
Read my review here
Matilda the musical
All the way back in January, the brilliant UK Tour of hit musical Matilda stopped off in Plymouth and I was lucky enough to see it twice in the space of a couple of weeks. I have loved this one for years and it’s one that I try to see every now and again. It’s magical, clever and revoltingly good fun. Whilst some parts had been changed from the London production in order for the show to fit into a theatre with no central aisle or boxes, it still had that same magic that turns you back into a child for a couple of hours
Read my review here
Amelie
This was a show that I knew very little about before I went to see it having never seen the film before. It’s odd, whimsical and out of the norm, but that is what makes it work so well. An odd little tale of a lonely girl trying to do a good deed and all of the characters she meets along the way, it’s quirky and quaint, and altogether lovable. Currently enjoying a London run, this lovely little gem of a show is going from strength to strength. The music played by the ensemble is charming and the casting is simply wonderful.
Read my review here
Les Miserables
It’s one of the biggest musicals in the world, and perhaps one of the best loved, so when a UK Tour was announced, it was a hot ticket. At first I was a little nervous about seeing the show without it’s famous revolving stage, but I had no reason to be. This production was simply spectacular, bigger, bolder and even better than ever before with a huge set and some incredible new details. The cast were wonderful and this new version of the show made me love it even more then I did before. I have tickets to see the tour again next year and am hoping to catch it in London too now that this new production has settled into the West End. It’s different without the revolve, but it’s still Les Miserables and it’s still one of the best musicals out there.
Read my review here