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Magneto and Professor Xavier do Shakespeare

by Melissa Atienza-Petri on September 6th, 2007

Guestblogger:  Abby Yao wishes she could watch more musicals

X-Men fans will not be the only ones trooping to London theatres this year to see renowned thespians Patrick Stewart and Ian McKellen in title roles. The stage veterans are no strangers to the Bard’s plays, having performed Shakespeare when not working on their more famous film and TV pursuits.

Stewart appears as the doomed Macbeth at the Gielgud Theatre this month, while McKellen topbills the Royal Shakespeare Company’s King Lear starting November. McKellen also appears as Sorin in the Anton Chekhov classic, The Seagull, alternating with William Gaunt. The two RSC productions will run simultaneously at the New London Theatre.

While there are no discounts for Macbeth, young bargain hunters will be happy to know that 16-25s are eligible for £5 tickets for some of the best seats in the house for the RSC plays. For every performance, 25 of these tickets can be booked in advance and another 25 will be available at the box office on the day of the show.

For an authentic Elizabethan experience, Shakespeare’s Globe offers 700 £5 standing tickets in the yard for every performance. As a groundling, you’re exposed to the elements, so bring a poncho in case the famous London weather brings a drizzle. Love’s Labour’s Lost and the Merchant of Venice run until early October.

Raring for more of the performing arts that the British capital is known for? There’s theatre to be seen outside of the West End. The Young Vic also has a £9.50 deal for under 26s, applicable to all productions for the season. For the not-so-young, quality entertainment knows no age at the National Theatre, where more than half of the seats at the Olivier Theatre are only £10. Catch George Bernard Shaw’s Saint Joan until the 25th of September and Eugene O’Neill’s Emperor Jones at the NT until the end of October.

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POSTED IN: the British Isles