Musicals, Markets & Merry Poppins: A Whirlwind London Adventure

Last weekend, The Merry Poppins (aka the most melodious bunch of women on the Dutch side of the Channel) packed our bags, powered up our vocal cords, and hopped across to London for a weekend of  theatrical fun. 

Four musicals in three days. 

Yes, four! For me at least. Some of us saw five.

Was it excessive? Maybe. Was it inspiring? You bet your ass it was. Would we do it all again next weekend if we could? Errr, maybe not, I'm kind of broke now. 

I love London with all my heart, but seriously, seeing all those musicals with some new friends from my choir, who all love the theatre just as much as me was amazing.

We set up camp in a gorgeous spot near South Kensington tube – think leafy streets, cute cafés, and dangerously close access to a Gail’s bakery (hello, best croissants in the world). After a bit of synchronised wheely-case wrangling and an unhealthy amount of “I swear Google Maps says it's this way,” we were finally ready to hit the West End.

First up: Six
This pacy, neon-drenched history remix was everything everyone said it would be and more. Six queens, one mic each, and enough catchy numbers to have us singing the soundtrack all weekend. I loved how it turned all that horrid historical tragedy into pop-packed empowerment – it was like Beyoncé barged into Hampton Court. As a writer, it reminded me how much fun you can have twisting a familiar narrative. There’s nothing stopping me from rewriting the rulebook if I bloody well want to... all I need is to decide which story to spice up with glitter and girl-power. Any ideas? Let me know.

Next: The Great Gatsby
Stepping into Gatsby’s world (via a very cool immersive theatre) felt like time-travelling into a jazzy fever dream. We were there for the opening night, so there was a sufficient amount of cocktails and ladies in the full 1920's get-up. The movie was one thing, but seeing this story come to life on stage complete with an incredibly moving soundtrack was something else. And the stage design... oh my God, it was incredible. There was even a swimming pool on the stage, and cars driving around. How powerful it is when a story pops straight off the stage and wraps itself around you like a feather boa? The Great Gatsby musical is definitely one I'll be thinking about for a long time.

Then: The Lion King
I mean, come on. That opening scene. The music that somehow strangles your heart and makes you cry, even though you know exactly what's coming because you've seen the movie a bazillion times! This one was a pure spectacle that frankly I should have seen twenty years ago, but better late than never. The Lion King is a lesson in storytelling fundamentals: heart, legacy and a cute kid becoming a hot guy in the space of two hours. And let's not dismiss that stunning choreography. We sing Circle of Life in the Merry Poppins choir, and hearing it done by the professionals complete with the choreo was pretty special.

Finally: Mean Girls
It was pink, and so, so fetch. Hilarious one-liners, razor sharp satire, and a chilling reminder that the American high school jungle can be just as savage as the Pride Lands. What I loved most about Mean Girls I think, was the very clever way it balanced big laughs with a real emotional core. You even care about the shallow characters in this one, because everyone's on a journey, right? Plus, the musical numbers were catchy as hell, and the girl playing Janice, exceptional.

When we weren’t soaking up the stage lights in the West End, we were stuffing our faces on our way around Borough Market – a pot of Humble Crumble counts as a meal, and I won't hear otherwise. Camden Market reminded me of the chaos that was basically my early-twenties, when I lived close by. Cyberdog raving, One Direction covered vintage jackets, knock-off Taylor Swift merch and even a bell ringing session by the town crier — Camden had it all.

Between the shows, the food, and the laughs that only a bunch of women can have when squeezed into an apartment with fewer beds than people, it was a weekend that filled my creative cup to overflow. And I didn't even mention the after-party at The Room Where It Happens - a total standout experience involving singing show tunes around a piano.

London, you were a total star.

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a story idea involving a time-travelling Tudor queen in a pink cape and crown to work on. Watch this space.