2022 Bucket List

Source: New Year Goodbye GIF by INTO ACTION - Find & Share on GIPHY

Another year gone. And with last year, while it was better than 2020, let's be honest, 2021 wasn't the best was it? 

Still there was some highlights, including the return of theatres; of which you can read more about by clicking here for my review of last year. 

But now let's pop it down the rubbish and look ahead to the year ahead. 

And just like last year, as I thought it worked rather well, I have had a look at what is coming next year, and will give you a few shows to see in 2022,  across the UK. 

(Also totally putting off thinking that today is my last day of the Christmas holidays, and I am back at work tomorrow.....)

Let's get started

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London: 

1. My Fair Lady at the London Coliseum - The acclaimed Tony-winning production that played on Broadway a few years ago is finally transferring, after many a rumour, to the London Coliseum on St Martin's Lane; bringing this classic show back to London for the first time since the 2001 production with Jonathan Pryce and Martine McCutcheon. Tickets here
2. Oklahoma at the Young Vic - Another Tony-winning acclaimed piece that took Broadway by storm and has just started a US Tour; this is not your Grandma's Oklahoma. It is a radical new take that I personally cannot wait to plan when I am going to see it. Tickets here
3. Legally Blonde at Regents Park Open Air Theatre - Ohmigod you guys, the rumours were true! The first time this beloved musical is returning to London after the much-loved original starring Sheridan Smith! My favourite guilty pleasure show, it's at Regents Park AND it is going to be directed by SIX co-creator Lucy Moss...?! Sign me up! Tickets here
4. Jerusalem at the Apollo Theatre - The return of this much-loved play WITH Mark Rylance returning has no-wonder got everybody talking. Tickets here
5. Zorro at the Charing Cross Theatre - I was due to see this at the Hope Mill Theatre in March 2020. Well we all know what happened there; poor lot only played 2 performances before the lockdown. Here's hoping this version of the Zorro story with music by the Gypsy Kings gets the run it deserves. Tickets here

Also look out for: 

• Former Raoul, Nadim Naaman's Broken Wings will be kicking off the year by having a full staged run at the Charing Cross Theatre 
• The Turbine Theatre will be hosting the world premiere of But I'm A Cheerleader, based on the cult film, which has apparently taken 20 years of writing and workshopping to get to this point!
• Killing Eve fans rejoice, as Jodie Comer will make her West End debut in a new one-women show Prima Facie at the Harold Pinter Theatre
• We're hoping it will be the case of 3rd time lucky for the team at Regents Park, who as well as doing Legally Blonde, will try to finally show their new version of 101 Dalmatians to the public eye
• Tennessee Williams' classic The Glass Menagerie will play the West End from May, starring OSCAR nominee Amy Adams (Dear Evan Hansen)

Tour: 

1. Girl From the North Country - This Olivier-winning piece is finally going on a UK tour, after 2 successful stints in London, and going to New York. Featuring the music of Bob Dylan, it has become a much-loved work in recent years, and will be begin in Dublin in June. Tour dates and tickets here
2. Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat - The acclaimed Palladium production will be touring, with Jac Yarrow and Jason Donavan reprising their roles of Joseph and the Pharoh respectfully. Alexandra Burke and Linzi Hateley will be taking turns playing the Narrator, depending on which venue you visit. Tour dates and tickets here 
3. Fisherman's Friend - This musical made a splash (hehe) last year in Cornwall, and I have been told is one to watch. The feel-good story about a group of Cornish singing sensations will begin its tour in Plymouth in September. Tour dates and tickets here 
4. Bugsy Malone - A staple for school productions (including mine), this is the first time the story of gangsters and splurge-guns will tour! More tour dates are to be announced, but you can get tickets for the first stop in Bath here 
5. Singin' In The Rain - This show is more special to me than people realise, as it was the one that made 20-year old me start to think the golden aged musicals MAY be cool..! The Sadlers Wells production that played last year will start drenching its audiences in Canterbury in March. You may also be lucky to catch Step's Faye Tozer as Lina, or Strictly's Kevin Clifton as Cosmo, depending on which venue you visit. Tour dates and tickets here 

Also look out for: 

• The Cher Show based on the legendary singer will be directed by Arlene Phillips, choreographed by Strictly double champion, Oti Mabuse, and with costume by SIX's Gabriella Slade
• An adaptation of George Orwell's classic Animal Farm will begin at the Birmingham Rep at the end of January
• The Rise & Fall of Little Voice starring Christina Bianco and Shoba Gulati (Everybody's Talking About Jamie)
• One of the highlights of last year, Chichester Festival Theatre's South Pacific will begin at Manchester's Opera House in the Summer, with Julian Ovenden and Gina set to return at some point 
• A new production of Beautiful: The Carole King Musical will begin at Curve before touring. Leah Hill (The Wiz) choreographs. 

Regional: 

1. Passion, at the Hope Mill Theatre - One of the late, great Stephen Sondheim's lesser-known works, Passion explores obsessive love and will star the wonderful Ruthie Henshall as Fosca. Tickets here
2. Billy Elliot at the Leicester Curve - Heralded as one of the best British musicals out there, this production will be the first brand new production outside of the original. Tickets here
3. Hedwig and the Angry Inch at the Leeds Playhouse and HOME, Manchester - This joint venture will star RuPaul's Drag Race UK Season 1 runner-up Divina DeCampo (Sinderella) as the titular character. Tickets here for Leeds. Tickets here for Manchester
4. Into The Woods at the Lyric Theatre, Belfast - This loved Sondheim classic will also be playing in Bath (change of plan from The Old Vic); but it is the version performed by Northern Irish Opera that has won out the spot this time. The cast has started to be revealed, including former Phantom Christine Kelly Mathieson as Cinderella, Peter Hannah (Waitress) as Wold/Cinderella's Prince and Phantom's 25th Anniversary Carlotta, Wendy Fergusen (Mary Poppins), as Jack's Mother. Tickets here
5. Identical at the Nottingham Playhouse - One of my favourite films growing up was The Parent Trap (the Lindsey Lohan version). Well, a new musical of the book it was based on is having its world premiere in Nottingham, written by Stiles & Drewe. Tickets here

Also look out for: 

• Betty! A Sort of Musical at the Royal Exchange, Manchester - A brand new work co-written by Maxine Peake about the first female speaker of the House of Commons will be the theatre's Christmas show. 
• The Wizard of Oz at Leicester Curve - The first time Andrew Lloyd Webbers re-tinkered version will be played outside of London will be Curve's 2022 Christmas show.
• Mrs Doubtfire at Manchester Opera House - *in Scottish accent* Helloooo!!! Based on the classic Robin Williams film, this musical has recently re-opened on Broadway to a mixed reception. We'll see if it fares any differently on British soil 
• If this has caught by WhatsOnStage, well it is certainly good for me to mention to: An Adventure by Vinay Patel will play a brand new production at the Octagon Theatre in Bolton (my home town!)
• Fans of Graham Greene's novel Our Man In Havana will be delighted to know it is coming to the Watermill Theatre, Newbury in April.  

On-Screen: 

1. Matilda - Set to be released in December, Tim Minchin's musical of the classic Roald Dahl take is coming to life on the big screen with Emma Thompson as the tyrannical Miss Trunchbull 
2. Disenchanted - Sill one of the best fairytale-parody films out there, this is a sequel to Disney's 2007 film Enchanted, with the likes of Amy Adams and Idina Menzel (Frozen 2) set to return
3. Hocus Pocus 2 - I Put a Spell on You! The Sanderson sisters are back for a brand new adventure. Not much is known about this, but we DO know that recent Emmy winner and London stage-favourite Hannah Waddingham as joined the project
4. Cyrano - If you have seen West Side Story in the cinema, you may have seen the trailer for this one play beforehand. Any Game of Thrones fans who have missed Peter Dinklage will be happy to see him back - singing no less
5. Sing 2 - The first Sing in 2016 is one of my animated guilty pleasures, so we shall see where Buster Moon and co take us next 

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What are you looking forward to next year?