Well, it’s been a while. Last time I wrote here it was not long after Les Miserables had celebrated 25 years in the West End, and last night was the 25th anniversary celebration for The Phantom of the Opera. 2 shows that are nearly as old as me. If only we could all accomplish so much in 25 years…

I haven’t just been seeing old favourites though. The Wizard of Oz was fun, Million Dollar Quartet was pure escapism, Ghost was lovely, Betty Blue Eyes was sweet and sadly had too short a run, and Shrek had the best and most entertaining Ensemble I’ve seen in a long time. On the straight play side, I loved Anne Boleyn at The Globe and, having recently seen The Tempest with Ralph Fiennes and booked to see the Young Vic’s Hamlet, I think I’ve just about covered off my Shakespeare quota for the year.

But the one I’m really looking forward to is Matilda. Opening at The Cambridge next month, I missed it in Stratford earlier this year but have heard only rave reviews and really can’t wait to see it. The buzz around the production is immense, even if they have apparently had to cancel the first few previews for extended technical rehearsals. In the meantime, I’m keeping my eyes peeled around the West End for any Tim Minchin sightings.