All The World’s a Stage - A Theater Kid’s Dream Mother-Daughter Trip to London

Theater

It is near impossible to think of a more famous playwright than Shakespeare. A visit to Shakespeare’s Globe is a must-do. This theater is a 360* open-air auditorium. They perform rain or shine, so dress for the weather. While we recommend purchasing a seat and a cushion, it is a very interesting experience to stand in the center to watch a performance. The performances range from traditional to modern interpretations of Shakespeare’s canon.

My daughter took advantage of the Young Actor Short Courses, a chance to learn from members of the Globe’s company. This 90-minute course was the perfect amount of exposure. For me, I took a tour to learn more about the building. Alternatively, you could pop over to Borough Market for a quick bite or snack. I recommend a Shawarma or Falafel wrap from Arabica and a bag of Chouquettes to share with your thespian from Comptoir Gourmand. If you are feeling jet-lagged, there are also ample locations for coffee.

Musical theater

After grounding ourselves in Shakespeare, we set our sights on the West End Theaters and Covent Gardens. With approximately 40 theaters to choose from, it can feel overwhelming to decide how you want to spend your theater time. If this is your child’s first time to London, I suggest splitting your days — see the traditional sights during the day and spend your evenings at a performance.

For us, we decided on three fabulous shows - one I had seen before, but she had not (Mamma Mia!). One that was new to both of us (Six). And one that was familiar to see how they might stage it differently (The Lion King Musical). Depending on your child’s age, interests and maturity, there are many good options.

Core Memory tip: Keep that Mamma Mia energy going after the show! There are many pedi-cabs waiting outside the theater, so hop on in and ask them to play a little more ABBA. While the performance might be nothing close to what you had just watched, belting out your own rendition of Dancing Queen all the way back to our hotel will be fun and unforgettable.

Ballet

One of the fun things we discovered were the last-minute ticket options. During our final day, we purchased last-minute tickets to see the Royal Ballet perform Cinderella. My daughter had previously been part of a professional company’s production of Cinderella, and it has long been her favorite ballet to watch.

Unfortunately, many seating options were sold out, but we found two top-level tickets. Nothing compares to being in the Royal Opera House, no matter where you sit.

Pro Tip: If you are looking for last-minute tickets on a Friday, try the Friday Rush. They release tickets at 1 pm for a Friday night performance.

Pre/post theater eats and treats

While my daughter selected the shows, I chose our nightly dinner location.

• RedFarm in Covent Garden is a modern take on Chinese. The Pac Man dumplings are fun, and the Pre/Post Theater Menu has lots of good options. We chose a few different plates to share

• Dishoom in Covent Garden is Bombay comfort food. They serve until Midnight, so if your show runs late, they are a good bet. The Dishoom Chicken Tikka was my daughter’s favorite. Make sure to order some naan and okra fries.

• Homeslice Pizza in Neal’s Yard. This was a perfect option for the two of us, since ordering a whole pizza would mean dragging leftovers to the theater. At Homeslice, you can order by the slice and try different options. Neal’s Yard, an alley that opens to a lovely courtyard, is famous as the former film-making home of Monty Python (1976–1987).

• Good Friend Chicken for Taiwanese Fried Chicken. The line can be long, but it moves quickly. Get a boba, some popcorn chicken (try the plum powder) and their famous chicken skins for an on-the-go bite.

• Milk Train for a pre-theater treat. For a dreamy cotton-candy-covered, sprinkle-laden ice cream, head to Milk Train. Again, be prepared to wait in a long line, but this Instagram-worthy treat was well worth it.