Getting back to theatre with Sleepless: A Musical Romance

Posted on 10 September 2020

Sleepless: A Musical Romance was set to open in March but didn’t get the chance to before our theatres were closed for the safety of cast, crew and audiences alike. Fast forward six months later, without live theatre, and Sleepless has paved the way; being the first musical to open in London for an indoor audience. London’s shiny new theatre Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is a great space enabling social distancing measures to be put into place seemingly effortlessly.

Of course, we had to go down to Wembley and see the Sleepless in Seattle musical for ourselves, whilst also sussing out how it feels to socially distance in a theatre. Read below for both an experience and show review to see what’s in store for you. If the idea of seeing a musical inside an actual theatre already has you sold, then you’ll be even more pleased that tickets for Sleepless: A Musical Romance are now on special offer with us; including weekend dates!

Sleepless at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is COVID secure!

London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is just a stone's throw away from Wembley Park tube station, which is a mere 10 minutes from Baker Street (Central London). You are required to wear a mask when you are on the property, so be sure to have it on when you arrive!

Upon arrival, the super friendly FOH staff ask to take your temperature with a scanner. It takes a few seconds and then you pass bag check – if you have a bigger bag then you simply pop it on a table - this initiates social distancing measures pretty instantly. You’ll then be asked to scan a barcode on your phone camera which takes you to a Track and Trace form. This takes barely a minute to fill out and only one person from your bubble/party has to complete it.

There is a bar out in the courtyard so you can stop for a drink or head straight on in. When you go into the theatre, your e-tickets will be scanned (straight from your phone is fine!), and then you’re in the foyer in a matter of seconds. Head to the indoor bar, the merchandise stand or the toilets before you head in if you wish, social distancing stickers mark the floor to remind patrons of the best places to stand etc. On your ticket you are given a door to enter through, the auditorium has a number of staircases and you are advised by the FOH which is best for you to go up to get to your seats. All seats are divided into bubbles, which is helped by small rows, and this works really well. It makes it so you won’t have anyone crossing over you to get to their seat or vice versa.

Image-from-i-OS-45 Image-from-i-OS-43

At interval there is a one-way system, so you can only exit the auditorium through the back door and enter at the bottom. There are hand sanitizer stations dotted around and all the regulations are put into place so smoothly, that as a guest you are completely at ease and able to enjoy being at the theatre. The venue is air-conditioned, so it doesn’t get stuffy at all, making wearing a mask for the duration as comfortable as possible.

Image-from-i-OS-44

Sleepless: A Musical Romance review

Wanted’s Jay McGuiness and Girls Aloud’s Kimberley Walsh are reunited after the pair starred in Big at the West End’s Dominion Theatre last year. They play Sam and Annie, respectively, who were popularly played by Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan in the film Sleepless in Seattle. Jay is a great fit for Sam, the beloved widow and father to Jonah. Kimberley Walsh shines as a leading lady, her voice more than a match. The role of Jonah is shared by three young actors and was played by Theo Collis on this particular evening. He has great stamina, as the role of Jonah demands lead material. His shared numbers with Jake Sharp who plays Rob are both fun and endearing; the duo are quite the show stealers.

The cast, all in all, are brilliant, and social distancing isn’t in place on stage, so there’s nothing taken away from the performance in those regards. Seeing an ensemble take on various roles and shine just as brightly throughout each scene is always a sign of a strong cast. The production and staging were simple and wowing at the same time, which married with a great cast and beloved story makes for a wonderful show.

Many are familiar with the storyline and the musical delivers! It's sweet and feel-good and it's just what is needed after months with no theatre. Seeing a show at the best of times can provide an audience with a bubble away from reality and it certainly does that during these uncertain times. For two hours, even with COVID secure measures, you are whisked away by the magic of theatre and given a much-needed dose of normality.

Tickets for Sleepless: A Musical Romance on special offer now!

Save up to £24 on Sleepless tickets for weekday performances! We also have a weekend exclusive offer – no booking fees! The musical romance has a limited season, ending 27 September, so make sure you catch it whilst you can. Make the most of our special offer and book before 15 September to save on your tickets for Sleepless at London’s Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre.

By Jade Ali

A love for theatre stemmed from my love of literature and music, but the West End on my doorstep opened up a whole new appreciation and passion for all things stage-y