So last weekend was a stagey one to say the least. On 16th and 17th June, THOUSANDS of people gathered in Trafalgar Square for a big old sing song and it was wonderful. This was actually my first year attending West End Live (I know right?!) and I’m so glad I got to share it with such amazing people.

I thought I’d share some of my favourite performances from the weekend. I didn’t manage to catch every single one but saw a fair few over the 2 days and these were the ones that stood out for me:

* Little Shop of Horrors *

This cast literally hadn’t even started rehearsals when they performed last weekend but they were on fire! I absolutely love the music in Little Shop of Horrors and their set made me so excited for their production that’s coming to the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this August. Matt Willis absolutely smashed it as the Dentist and I can’t wait to see more from this cast. There was so much charisma up on stage and it definitely got me and my pals bopping along. This production sounds so innovative with their choice to cast US drag queen, Vicky Vox, as Audrey II (the plant) so it’s definitely not one to miss this Summer.

* Heathers *

Of course this was going to be in my favourites but guys…they were incredible. After just completing a week of previews and still in the midst of full days rehearsing and tweaking the show, they then turn up and deliver the insane performance they did on Sunday?!?! This cast are simply a sensation. I’m not going to go on about Heathers too much as if you want to hear all the reasons I love it so much, check my Rosy Roundup of the show after I was lucky enough to watch their dress rehearsal. All I will say is, the fact that even standing there alongside thousands of other people, in a very informal setting outside the context of the show, I STILL welled up watching Carrie Hope Fletcher and Jamie Muscato sing “Seventeen”. This show and the people in it are magic.

* Bat Out of Hell *

This is a show that I strangely haven’t managed to get round to seeing. However, their performance at West End Live has really made me want to get to the Dominion Theatre and have a watch. Andrew Polec’s vocals are actually insane. He’s a proper rockstar. I also really loved the choreography in their numbers and the cast were just giving it their all; the energy they brought for their whole set was incredible. It’s a show that really suited the festival/concert vibes of the event so was unsurprisingly a huge crowd-pleaser.

* Eugenius! *

There must be something good in the air conditioning at The Other Palace because, similarly to Heathers, the cast of Eugenius! just seem like a lovely bunch of people. I was gutted to have missed this show when it was on before so was THRILLED when it was announced they’d be returning to The Other Palace in September. We were truly living our best lives fist pumping in “Go Eugenius!” and their whole set was just loads of fun and put a big old smile on my face.

So those are just a few highlights of an incredible weekend. The event is organised so well that even for someone like me, who isn’t the biggest fan of standing in amongst such huge crowds, it remained a positive and fun experience. A huge well done to all those involved in running the event and who work so hard to make it happen every year. The fact that it remains completely free and open to all theatre-lovers makes me so happy and long may it continue.

Olivia Rose 🌹