We talk about Broadway all the time. I mean, it’s in our brand name! But, rarely do we discuss Broadway’s counterpart which lies just across the pond- London’s West End, or “Theatreland.” I recently spent an extended amount of time in England, and I noticed a few differences in going to the theater along the way. So, I thought it would be fun to compare and contrast some pretty random but noticeable variations between our two theatrical meccas, and perhaps offer some intel in case you’ll be finding yourself in London anytime soon. Cheers!
1) Sunday vs. Monday
It’s a pretty well-known fact that Broadway’s “weekend” is on Monday. Except for a few shows which try to capitalize on the smaller market of competition, Monday tends to be Broadway’s “dark” day. But, not in the West End! Instead, Monday begins their week which then concludes at the Saturday night performance. For most shows, they get their day off on Sunday. It may seem fairly unimportant, but I would have loved to know this fact before searching for tickets which didn’t exist…
2) Safety vs. Aesthetic
One aspect I always find interesting on Broadway is what the pre-show, intermission, and post-show look is on stage. Some shows are simple, and keep the traditional red velour curtain as the frame for the evening. On the other hand, some designers enjoy using this extra stage time for their set to add an extra statement to the production. Maybe it’s a painted drop, or maybe there isn’t a curtain at all. Regardless, your choices are more limited in London, where you only have the pre-show time to have this extra set piece. Then, during intermissions (which they refer to as intervals), London theaters are required to bring down a “safety curtain” or “fire curtain”, which are often made of iron and are used in emergencies to separate the audience from any fire that might occur on stage. The curtains must be shown to prove they’re operational. It was certainly interesting as I watched Phantom‘s chandelier picked up at intermission and replaced with a large iron drop.
3) Stalls vs. Orchestra
One simple difference is between our theaters themselves. Besides the difference in the shape of the houses, which is a whole other conversation, we also refer to the levels in the theaters differently. Our orchestra section is their stalls. Our mezzanine is their royal, grand, or dress circle. Our balcony is their upper circle, and their fourth level which we don’t tend to have is what they refer to as the balcony. Huh.
4) Ice Cream vs. The Sippy Cup
This is my favorite. The least important, but still my favorite. You know those little plastic containers of controversy that have taken over the Broadway industry? The adult spill-resistant sippy cups? Well, many people would be thrilled to know that there wasn’t a sippy cup in sight over in the West End. Instead, there was a different item for consumption that you won’t find in a Broadway theater: ice cream! Häagen-Dazs everywhere! During every “interval,” the audience would get up and rush to the ice cream vendors. Hmmm… theater and Ice Cream? I’m in.
5) Programme vs. Playbill
Finally, and perhaps most surprisingly, Playbills, or ‘programmes’, aren’t free in the West End. If you want to know who’s who in the cast and crew, you must buy a programme usually for ₤3 or ₤4, which would be the equivalent of around $6 or so. All I have to say is, “Thank God for Playbill!”