{"id":8158,"date":"2015-10-09T17:11:29","date_gmt":"2015-10-09T16:11:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog?p=8158"},"modified":"2025-07-24T16:26:14","modified_gmt":"2025-07-24T15:26:14","slug":"astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end","title":{"rendered":"Astonishing Facts about London&#8217;s West End"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p>London&#8217;s West End is world-renowned for staging ground breaking, globally successful theatre productions, many of which had their first outing in the city and are still running to this day. Here are the longest-running productions currently showing in the West End and a surprising fact about each.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mousetrap<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Running since its debut in 1952, this is the longest-running theatre production in history. Written by Agatha Christie for the stage, audience members are asked to keep the ending a secret from those who have yet to see the play. Agatha Christie predicted the show would run for &#8216;about eight months&#8217; but lived long enough to see it become the longest-running theatre show of its time back in 1957!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LesMiserables-e1444404071275.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"452\" class=\"wp-image-8160\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LesMiserables-e1444404071275.jpg\" alt=\"Les Miserable, Queens Theatre, London, UK, 2014, Credit: Johan Persson\/www.perssonphotography.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LesMiserables-e1444404071275.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LesMiserables-e1444404071275-600x387.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LesMiserables-e1444404071275-150x97.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Les Miserables<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Running since October 1985, Les Miserables recently celebrated an incredible 30 years in the West End. When the English language production first opened in the Barbican Centre in 1985, it was panned by critics, but the public voted with their feet and the initial three-month run sold out. The phenomenal and continued success of Les Miserables is proof that the public know best and the critics aren&#8217;t always right!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Phantom of the Opera<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Phantom isn&#8217;t far behind Les Miserables, having first opened in London in 1986. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, he was so nervous about the premier of the production, he had to leave the theatre and couldn&#8217;t watch! He needn&#8217;t have worried, the musical is so successful that it is estimated to have been seen by around 140 million people!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TheWomaninBlack-e1444404001851.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"471\" class=\"wp-image-8163\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TheWomaninBlack-e1444404001851.jpg\" alt=\"Christopher Godwin and Tom Godwin in Woman In Black @ Fortune Theatre. (Opening 07-15) \u00a9Tristram Kenton 07\/15 (3 Raveley Street, LONDON NW5 2HX TEL 0207 267 5550 Mob 07973 617 355)email: tristram@tristramkenton.com\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TheWomaninBlack-e1444404001851.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TheWomaninBlack-e1444404001851-600x404.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/TheWomaninBlack-e1444404001851-150x101.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Woman in Black<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>If you haven&#8217;t seen this spooky play, you might be surprised to learn that just two actors perform in it. This is due to the simple fact that, when the play was written by Stephen Mallatrat in 1987, the theatre he was writing for could only afford to pay four actors! The original story by Susan Hill had many characters, so Mallatrat came up with the &#8216;play within a play&#8217; idea so he could\u00a0make-do with a tiny cast.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"521\" class=\"wp-image-8162\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759.jpg\" alt=\"MAMMA MIA! London Cast 2014\/15\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759-672x500.jpg 672w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759-600x447.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/MammaMia-e1444404042759-150x112.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Mamma Mia!<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>The longest running jukebox musical on the West End, this production is so successful that approximately 1 in 10 people in the UK have seen it!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"558\" class=\"wp-image-8161\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259.jpg\" alt=\"LionKing\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259-627x500.jpg 627w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259-600x478.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/LionKing-e1444404056259-150x120.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>The Lion King<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Adapted from the Disney movie, The Lion King musical has been on the West End since 1999. There are an incredible five different languages in the musical! Including Zulu, Xhosa and Swahili.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Stomp!<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>A production with absolutely no words, Stomp! has been running since 2002. Created in 1991, it first debuted at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. The cast uses a range of everyday objects to create an amazing cacophony of beats and sounds.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BillyElliot-e1444404085498.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"489\" class=\"wp-image-8159\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BillyElliot-e1444404085498.jpg\" alt=\"BillyElliot\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BillyElliot-e1444404085498.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BillyElliot-e1444404085498-600x419.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/BillyElliot-e1444404085498-150x105.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Billy Elliot<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Based on the movie that first came out in 2000, the musical premiered in London in 2005. It celebrated a decade of the West End this year. Elton John wrote the music, and Lee Hall wrote the lyrics and the original screenplay for the movie!<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\r\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"502\" class=\"wp-image-8164\" src=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434.jpg\" alt=\"WickedDefyingGravity\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434.jpg 700w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434-697x500.jpg 697w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434-600x430.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WickedDefyingGravity-e1444403986434-150x108.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\n\r\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>Wicked<\/strong><\/h2>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Wicked is based on the novel by Gregory Maguire. The Wicked Witch didn&#8217;t have a name in the original Wonderful Wizard of Oz story\u00a0by L Frank Baum. Maguire named his witch Elphaba as a play on the initials LFB.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><strong>Book tickets to West End shows <a href=\"https:\/\/goldentours.tixuk.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"external\">here<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Image: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/jamarshall\/118640537\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer nofollow\" class=\"external\">Jeremy Marshall<\/a><\/span><\/p>\r\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>London&#8217;s West End is a much-loved area known for staging incredible theatre productions. Check out some astonishing facts that you may not know!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":8165,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[702,703],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8158","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-fun-facts","category-fun-things-to-do"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v27.5 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Things You Didn&#039;t Know About London&#039;s West End<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Do you know the longest running shows in London at the minute? Read our crazy facts and surprising secrets of West End shows on our blog.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_GB\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Things You Didn&#039;t Know About London&#039;s West End\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Do you know the longest running shows in London at the minute? Read our crazy facts and surprising secrets of West End shows on our blog.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Golden Tours | Experience London and the UK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/GoldenToursUK\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2015-10-09T16:11:29+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-07-24T15:26:14+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/www.goldentours.com\/travelblog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/london-west-end-e1444404018177.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"580\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"400\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Golden Tours\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Golden Tours\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Estimated reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"4 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\\\/\\\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Golden Tours\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/#\\\/schema\\\/person\\\/b2e6f4cad3b34312c5a51aab7329cbcb\"},\"headline\":\"Astonishing Facts about London&#8217;s West End\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-10-09T16:11:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-24T15:26:14+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\"},\"wordCount\":535,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/10\\\/london-west-end-e1444404018177.jpg\",\"articleSection\":[\"Fun Facts\",\"Fun Things To Do\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-GB\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\",\"url\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end\",\"name\":\"Things You Didn't Know About London's West End\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/#website\"},\"primaryImageOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end#primaryimage\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/astonishing-facts-about-londons-west-end#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\\\/\\\/www.goldentours.com\\\/travelblog\\\/wp-content\\\/uploads\\\/2015\\\/10\\\/london-west-end-e1444404018177.jpg\",\"datePublished\":\"2015-10-09T16:11:29+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-07-24T15:26:14+00:00\",\"description\":\"Do you know the longest running shows in London at the minute? 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