Recently, I went to London and saw "Irving Berlin's White Christmas: The Musical" at the Dominion Theatre. I was so excited to see the show, as I absolutely love the original movie (circa 1954)! Ever since I first watched it until a few years ago, I couldn't believe that I hadn't seen it before then, as I absolutely loved it! Also, I'm a huge fan of Christmas and all things related, as well as comedies/rom-coms and musicals, so it was a wonderful surprise! The original movie stars Vera-Ellen, Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, and Rosemary Clooney and has music by Irving Berlin. All of which are amazing! In terms of dancing, if you haven't seen it yet, check out Vera-Ellen's dance routine "Mandy" (here's the link: youtube.com).
Anyways, so when I found out that they were having the musical performed live in London, I was so excited to see it but I wasn't sure at first what it would be like in person. Regardless, I'm so happy that I went because I think it is now my favourite play/musical I've seen performed live (and I've seen shows from "Wicked", "Lion King", "Mary Poppins", and more, with some of them performed on New York City's Broadway)!
Tickets:
In terms of buying tickets, I was able to buy them online before my trip at London Theatre Direct (here's the link: londontheatredirect.com). At first, I wasn't sure if it would work, as I realized after I had bough them that it wasn't from the original website, but luckily for me they were legitimate tickets. I was also fortunate enough to have a great seat, as I was seated in the N row of the stalls in the middle. Other options for buying tickets include going to TKTS on the day of, buying them on the Domino Theatre's website, or buying them on the day of at the theatre. However, if you choose this last option, I would recommend showing up early in advance (1 hour-2 hours), as the line-up for tickets was really long, and many people had already pre-bought their tickets.
Also, the show ended up being pretty packed and I think it either was or was close to a full audience. For those of you who pre-buy your tickets make sure to stand in the right line-up, as there will be a longer line-up to the left (closer to the Dominion Theatre) and a shorter line-up to the right (closer to the Tottenham Court Road tube station). Once you get to the front, they'll do a quick bag check (mainly for larger bags, as they weren't too concerned with small-medium sized purses) and may ask to see your ticket. However, they don't scan it until you get to the doors to take a seat inside the theatre.
Also, upon walking into the theatre they will sell programs for the show for 10 pounds each. I would also recommend showing up 15-20 minutes early even if you have pre-bought tickets, as the doors will close once the show starts and you won't be able to get in. This should allot enough time for traffic or any type of delay you may experience with transit.
Transportation:
As for transportation, I was fortunate enough that I was able to walk both there and back from my hotel to the Dominion Theatre, as it's located in a fairly central area. However, one option includes the tube station, with Tottenham Court Road tube station being the closest and fastest option. If you are visiting London from out of town make sure to get an Oyster card at the airport if you can, as not all stations sell the individual cards. However, you can also use contactless payment such as credit cards, if you don't have one. Other options include taking a taxi or using the bus (you can use contactless payment such as credit cards or an Oyster card).
Attire/Clothing:
In terms of clothing, to stay on the safe side I opted for fitted black pants, turtleneck sweater, black jacket, and black-heeled boots. As I wanted to both stay warm, as it can get a bit chilly at night in December, while also wearing something appropriate for a theatre play. Upon arrival, I think I wore the right outfit, as many others wore similar outfits or wore dresses/skirts with sweaters with sheer black tights and heels/heeled boots for women. As for men, many wore wool coats/winter jackets with black pants and sweaters/oxford shirts. However, keep in mind that you don't need to dress super fancy, aim for smart casual, as there were some people who wore jeans, but I would generally opt for black pants if you have them. Also, there is a coat check available before walking to your seats, however, I kept mine with me, as I thought it'd be easier/quicker to leave the show afterwards.
The Show:
Before the show starts, make sure to put your phone on either airplane mode or to turn it off altogether, so as to not distract the actors onstage or other audience members. I ended up turning mine off, as I was worried that a sound may go off unintentionally during the performance. Also, you won't be able to record or take photos of the performance anyways, as this is prohibited similar to most shows.
Once the show started, I was so happy to find out it was even better than I had imagined it. The sets and costumes were elaborate, along with a wonderful cast who were all truly triple threats who were amazing at dancing, singing, and acting. If there were any flaws, I couldn't find them, and I think you would find it difficult too! I would definitely highly recommend seeing this show if you are in London during December, as it was so exciting and a well-produced show.
Their dancing was so in-sync it was unbelievable! Their comedy was on-point, as were their acting skills, and I especially loved the sisters song performed by the characters Bob Wallace (Danny Mac) and Phil Davis (Dan Burton). However, keep in mind that this number was done in the second act instead of the first act compared to the movie. At first, I was worried that they weren't going to include it, as it's one of my favourite parts of the movie, but I was happy to find out it was included in act two. This number is also fantastic in the original movie by Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye, so check that one out as well (youtube.com)!
Brenda Edwards as Martha Watson did one of the outstanding parts of the show, where she sings, "Let Me Sing and I'm Happy". She has such an incredible voice; it was worth watching just for that alone! I also loved Betty Haynes (Danielle Hope) and Bob Wallace's (Danny Mac) number "Love, You Didn't Do Right By Me/How Deep is the Ocean". Seriously, the entire cast had remarkable voices and were very talented! I also loved how the cast would sometimes walk or run through the aisles as a part of the show, as it made it feel as though you were immersed in the story, rather than just watching it. Also, the finale was spectacular as they had snow come down into the audience area.
Show Format/Layout:
The overall format of the show was split into Act One and Act Two with a twenty-minute intermission in between. During intermission, they will also sell programs and merchandise in the lobby, along with drinks. The overall show was 2 hours 40 min including intermission, but time went by fast because I barely even noticed, as I was so entertained! During intermission, I heard some other audience members talking about how they had gone to the show every year, and I was happy to know that I had found a great show that the locals loved as well. As for the times, I saw an evening show at 7:30pm (19:30), but there are also matinee shows at 2:30pm (14:30) for those of you who have children or want to fit in your schedule. The show runs from November 16th, 2019 until January 4th, 2020. The show I saw was on Friday December 13th, which may have explained why the show was so busy (I know, Friday the 13th! I'm not hat superstitious, so I wasn't too concerned.).
Merchandise:
After the show, I was so excited and wanted to remember it that I ended up buying a program and a T-shirt, as seen in the photos down below. They also sold sweaters, Santa hats, bags, stockings, and CDs of the performance. The merchandise was located in an alcove to your right as you get out of the theatre or to your left as you walk into the theatre.
The t-shirt cost 22 pounds and the program was 10 pounds, you can use either cash or credit cards. However, I would recommend using cash if you can, as it makes the transaction a bit easier (also keep in mind to save your receipts if you're traveling to London in order to claim your VAT taxes back at the airport and ask them to fill out a form if you plan on redeeming it. If you do redeem it, make sure to show up at the airport about 1 hour to 2 hours before you need to be at the airport. Also, keep in mind that they don't give out cast sheets for the show. So if you'd like a souvenir to remember it you'll have to buy it. Alternatively, you could also take a picture next to one of the many signs inside or outside of the theatre as well since there are many photo opportunities!
Final Remarks:
Overall, the show was excellent and I would definitely recommend watching it if you get a chance. I hope that in the future I'm able to see it again, as I had a great time and I definitely want to visit London again, as there is so much to do there! After I got back to my hotel, I started looking through the program and I wasn't surprised to see how many of the cast were well-decorated actors, dancers, and singers. Many of which were on the British TV show, "Strictly Come Dancing" and/or had gone to prestigious acting schools in London and performed at numerous shows. Overall, the show was fantastic and I would highly recommend watching it. Hopefully, this can help you plan your trip to seeing "White Christmas" or in deciding which play you would like to see! Thanks for reading this very long article, I really appreciate all of you who read to the end!
Outside of the Dominion Theatre
During the "White Christmas" finale/curtain call (above)
White Christmas program (below)
White Christmas T-Shirt
The set after the show
Thanks so much for reading; I really appreciate every one of you who reads my articles! It makes my day to hear that my articles can help you in even the slightest way! Keep an eye out for my next article on reviewing the Alberta Ballet's "The Nutcracker"! Also, for those of you in London/visiting, check out my three previous articles: "Royal Ballet's 'The Sleeping Beauty' Review in London" (Dec 18th, 2019), "Inspired to Dance in London"-where I talk about the different dance stores (Capezio, Freed of London, Bloch) and a general overview of all the dance related things I did in London (Dec 19th, 2019), and "London's Pineapple Dance Studios Review"-where I talk about taking a ballet class at the studio (Dec 20th, 2019). Thanks so much and I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas and winter break!
Here is the link to the Dominion Theatre's website: dominion.theatre-tickets.com
Dominion Theatre Address: 268-269 Tottenham Court Road, London, W1T 7AQ, UK
Closest Tube Station: Tottenham Court Road
London Theatre Direct: londontheatredirect.com
All photos are taken by Lauren Tang for (c) Dance News BC 2019