What did you think of "LOTR"? I am going next week.

Forgot in my earlier post that I also love the "Ballet". Saw Carmen in Prague a few months ago but don't think Opera "is my cup of tea". Do like the odd Classical Concert as well.

Hi - am seeing him in 'Betrayal' at the Donmar in a couple of weeks' time. Front row seats Looking forward to it!

I live in Southampton, very close to the Mayflower which is a huge theatre that picks up all the big UK tours so am pretty lucky. I can go during the week and try and catch shows pretty frequently. White Christmas this year (humouring my mother), Starlight Express (second time), Guys & Dolls (twice - with the lovely Nigel Harman as Sky) with Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and 42nd Street later in the year.

OH lives in London so sometimes go to the theatre with him but mainly plays (he's not a musicals fan). The Tempest (Patrick Stewart as Prospero - amazing) so far this year with 'Betrayal' in June.

Oh yes, and I have a ticket for Joseph too. Never seen it on stage as never had an interest in who's playing Joseph before

I go to the theatre all the time. Im quite lucky really because im only a 5 minute drive from the Sunderland Empire which gets all the big shows, and I have been lucky enough to have been to London 3 times.

I have seen - Joseph (x2), Blood Brothers (x5), Phantom, We will rock you(x2), Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Cats, Mary Poppins, Avenue Q (x2), Wicked, Chicago, Scrooge (x2), Guys and Dolls, Starlight Express, Footloose, 42nd Street and Beauty and the Beast.

Forthcoming - The Producers on this thursday. Trip to London June 28th to 30th seeing - Sound of music, Mamma Mia, Avenue Q, Little shop of Horrors and Lion King.

Im extremely lucky to have seen all of these shows and being only 16 years old, but I just love it, and im doing a performing arts course next year at college.

Always loved drama in the Theatre and more so drama in theatre studio's, but until about 8 years ago I hated musicals and would have laughed if anyone had said I would change - now seen such as The Phantom 16 times, Les Miserables 9 times and all the others, loved Sunset Boulevard, but that did not last long enough.

I've never been to the West End...but that may change soon.
I would obviously love to see Joseph and would also like to see Dirty Dancing.
Live in Liverpool and have seen a few musicals on the local theatre, Miss Siagon, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, The King and I, Scrooge, The Rat Pack, This is Elvis (don't ask!).

Would be a far more regular theatre goer if cost and childcare didn't get in the way.

I am regular theatre goer - if not overly frequent these days. I work in central London, so, of course, I crash out of work knackered and go home....

I used to go a lot more, but mostly theatre - I'm not a huge fan per se of MT though I have a very soft spot for Joseph and JCS. I generally go to the theatre 4-6 times a year, but find I am always at places like the National and the Royal Court. Probably because of the dominance of MT everywhere else.

I'm with Jocko Home though - if someone would revive Gypsy - I'd be there like a shot!

It's certainly worth going to see. The very best staging, scenery engineering and special effects I have ever seen. Quite staggering in places - truly magic. End of Act One had us all left open mouthed. Stunning.

Gollum was amazing, Gladriel incredible. I loved the music.

There were a few things I could criticise - some of the acting was a bit wooden in places, and Gimli's voice was too quiet, and I was a bit dubious over some of the casting - but I am a great LOTR fan - so I'd be bound to criticise something. All in all, think they've done a brilliant job of managing to get an epic story condensed down. Guess you could call it LOTR Lite - but it does work.

Lovely when you first enter the theatre - you really feel like you've entered The Shire - you'll see what I mean. And be prepared for some surprises when you least expect them!

Hope you enjoy it!

Thanks very much Jeanie i am really looking forward to it. Want to go tomorrow now but i would miss ADWD and i can't do that.

Yes I do go to the theatre at least once or twice a year, last one we saw was Spamalot, great fun and highly recommended. I have seen Joseph about 5 times, including both JD and PS. Mind you will only go this time if Lee wins, heres hoping

I've loved musical theatre since I was about 5 years old (strictly as an audience member, though). There's nothing that beats the thrill of sitting in the audience and seeing that curtain go up.

I think that's why I've got into ADWD so much - not only is it a primetime TV show about something I love, unlike Maria it's about a musical I might actually see so I really care about who wins.

I usually go to see musicals a couple of times a year. Not enough time or money for any more often.

I love musicals. Seen Avenue Q, Les Mis, The Producers and Daddy Cool in the last few months. Daddy Cool was rubbish tho.

Got tickets for Joseph in August.

The Westend is one of the best things about living in London. One of my fav shows was 42nd st. i saw it on 42nd st in New York. Brilliant!

I love musicals, I've been seeing them for years. I went to see "Spamalot" last December and couldn't stop laughing, and "Wicked" this March and was totally gobsmacked.

Nothing beats going to see live theatre.

I love straight theatre and I love musicals.

I am a serious theatre goer and have been to loads of musicals. We have someone we know who arranges coach trips to all the best shows. Cabaret last Saturday!

I also went to Manchester to see The Vortex (starring the gorgeous Will Young). It was excellent and Will was great in his debut theatre role. And so lovely when I met him.

I love the theatre - and go as often as I can afford to and when I can get someone to go!!!

WILL was just superb in VORTEX at The Royal Exchange in Manchester - another "Underdog" who made it through to beat the favourite!

I adore the theatre and don't go often enough

I've seen Les Mis 5 times in London, still my absolute favourite, and I'm always listening to the CD too. I saw Cabaret on Broadway in New York, that was a real buzz!

We saw The Producers with Peter Kay recently, my OH's introduction to musical theatre! We're going to the Rocky Horror Show very soon too.

I enjoy "straight" plays, but the buzz of a musical with a live orchestra is difficult to beat

Why do I keep reading the title as Are you a real goer. I must stop reading the LL posts.. bad girls. bad influence.

I wish I was a regular theatre goer. But prices (and lack of people to go with) mean I don't go half as often I'd wish to. I do absolutely love musicals though; theatre and film. The buzz of seeing a musical live is just fantastic. I go to regular plays when I can too. I probably see something in the west end about twice a year but I am definitely going to make an effort to go more often (so if you need someone to go with..!). It was all so much more accessible when I lived in London and its one of the reasons I want to move back asap.

What did you think of Cabaret? I saw it back in October and I really didn't like a lot of what they did with it. What's Kim Medcalf like?

It's probably not that much of a surprise that most of us on here are already theatre-goers, but hopefully lots of people who watch these TV shows do pick up an interest for musicals.

Did anyone see Cabaret when Anna Maxwell Martin was in it? I didn't, but I heard her sing some of the songs on the radio and I know she's a great actress and everything, but I was very surprised at her vocals, I thought they were dreadful. Was she just having an off night, or did they come across as badly as that on stage?

Yes, I saw her. She was actually better than I expected, but I think that's mainly because I'd heard so many bad things beforehand that I was expecting to be truly shocked! Her singing wasn't at all good though - I really don't understand why she was cast to be honest.

Thanks for that, that's very interesting. I can't understand why they cast her either, I know she's a big name and everything, but people do go to musicals to hear good singing and I'm sure there were many, many actresses out there who could have done a better job. My first thought when I heard her was that I could have done a better job (and I'm a bit of a realist and don't usually get carried away with these 'leading lady in the West End' fantasies )

That's why I'd be interested to hear what Kim Medcalf's like, as she's genuinely a great singer as well as being a good actress. Unfortunately the problem with having so many TV stars appearing in the west end is that many of them really aren't singers!