We took a look back at some of the most read news stories from Theatreland in 2016.
Kit Harington in Doctor Faustus.
Kit Harington’s starring role in Jamie Lloyd’s new adaptation of Doctor Faustus got lots of you clicking. The actor, best known for his role as Jon Snow in HBO’s epic Game Of Thrones, took on the role of the man who swaps his soul for the ability to do as his pleases with black magic.
Miss Saigon in UK cinemas
It was big news that the 25th anniversary performance of Miss Saigon would play in cinemas for one night only. If you missed the big event, fear not: the performance is now available on DVD.
Panto returns to the Palladium for the first time in nearly 30 years
Cinderella marked the first pantomime at the iconic venue in 29 years, following a long history from 1948 to 1987 of the theatre staging lavish traditional Christmas show. A glittering cast filled the stage, including Paul O’Grady, Julian Clary, Natasha J Barnes, Lee Mead, Amanda Holden and Nigel Havers.
Dine with The Twits at The Vaults
The arrival of a grotesque gastronomic experience at The Vaults tickled your taste-buds this year. A cross between immersive theatre and experimental dining, Dinner At The Twits gave adults the opportunity to explore the boundaries between disgust and delight, and to come up close and personal with the hideous hairy Twits.
Hamilton confirmed for West End
Theatre fans got hugely excited when the first rumblings of a Hamilton transfer were confirmed. Since then, further details have been announced, such as the dates and venue. But casting news is still to come – watch this space!
More tickets released for Harry Potter
This list wouldn’t be complete without a Potter story, and the promise of a release of a further 250,000 tickets for the magical hit play was big news amongst Muggles.
West End LIVE announces line-up
Every year, West End LIVE gets bigger and better, and 2016 was no exception. Musical theatre fans rejoiced when the full line-up for the free weekend festival was announced. We can’t wait for 2017 already.
Wicked confirms 2018 tour
Ozians all around the UK and Ireland celebrated as it was announced that the record-breaking tour of Wicked would return in February 2018. Tickets go on public sale from 1 February 2017.
James Norton returns to the London stage
In March, James Norton returned to the London stage in a 20th anniversary revival of Tracy Letts’ seminal play Bug. He starred alongside Olivier Award nominee Kate Fleetwood. The show played at pop-up theatre Found111.
Amber Riley leads Dreamgirls
The Savoy Theatre welcomed Broadway hit Dreamgirls in November, following many years of speculation as to whether the production would transfer. That the show would mark Amber Riley’s West End debut was the icing on the cake.
2016 was a fabulous year for theatre. Roll on 2017! Book your theatre tickets today.