If you’re a fan of the movie you might be wondering if it’s worth seeing the West End show? How true is the musical to the Frozen movie? Smallest Child is a big Frozen fan (TBF so am I) and my Sister-in-law decided to take us all to London for a birthday treat! This review of the Frozen musical doesn’t contain any spoilers about the plot differences between the two genres, but it does assume you’ve seen the film.
The first thing you need to know is that this is NOT sing-a-long Frozen. In fact, they tell you at the start that you’re not allowed to sing. Partially that’s so you don’t annoy the rest of the audience, and partially that’s because some of the songs are different. There are also some new songs.
There are evening performances Wednesday – Sunday each week and matinee performances on a Thursday, Saturday and Sunday. You can check the latest prices and availability here (affiliate link).
How high is the balcony at Theatre Royal?
I am not the biggest fan of heights and our tickets were the second highest row from the back on the balcony. Turns out the balcony is high up. Like, above the main ceiling high!
When I first walked through the doors I felt a little giddy but actually the seats weren’t that bad in the end. They’re also not that steep, although you can still see clearly over the heads of the person in front of you. Unlike some theatres the booster seats are free, and plentiful. I thought our seats were OK, although I was mindful of Smallest Child on the stairs. You also have a good view of the stage.
The set and costumes
Now, I’m not going to give away any Frozen the Musical stage secrets in this review, mainly because I can’t figure out how they did some of the things they did! But there are some incredibly cool costume changes during the show, including one that I still cannot figure out how they managed it.
Again, I’m not giving anything away but they’ve managed to deal with the costumes for Olaf and Sven really well. Pantomime donkeys/reindeer have come a long way in the past 10 years!! There are some characters from the movie that they’ve left out – I kind of want to see how they would have handled Marshmallow.
The costumes are amazing, and so it the set. They’ve done an incredible job of transferring screen to stage. I really wish I could show you some photos of the set, but they have a strict no photos policy. Have a look a their website though because they’ve got some great pics on there.
The lighting and general effects on this production were also incredible and definitely warrant a special mention. The show is about magic, and getting that onto a stage in a believable way cannot be easy. They definitely managed it though.
The plot
Don’t expect this review of Frozen the Musical to be full-blown theatre critic work, I’m just an occasional theatre goer. One thing I will say about the show is that, at times, it felt like it was moving all over the place. The set slides in and out, the cast flitter about. It’s their way of showing moving around a set as large as they could achieve in a movie. But it did make your head spin at times.
Largely the plot is the same. Two sisters are besties. One has magical powers, but cannot control them so she hides away from everyone. The other has questionable taste in men. Elsa’s secret gets out and all hell breaks lose, but in the end true love makes it all better. Side note – why was Anna throwing herself in front of a sword not an act of true love worthy of melting a frozen heart, but Elsa crying over her “dead” sister was? That’s always bugged me.
There are however a few differences, including a rather strange little “hygge” song and dance. Honestly, I don’t know why they put it in and the random burlesque-but-actually-it’s-a-nude-suit costumes is just a bit weird. Definitely my least favourite part of Frozen the Musical! Some kids thought it was funny but Smallest Child was a bit “meh” about that one.
Our Frozen the Musical Review
Smallest Child is only 5 and, given it’s longer than the film, I was worried she wouldn’t last the show. But she was captivated. She absolutely loved it. Will an adult enjoy Frozen the Musical if they haven’t seen the film? Well, shockingly, my sister-in-law has never seen it and she had a great time too. Anna’s voice/accent grated with me a bit, but that’s just my personal opinion. The scenes where the ensemble are all milling in and out to show the passage of time made my head spin as well.
All of that said, it’s a fantastic production. I’m not one for seeing the same show multiple times, but I think I could go and watch this again. Even if it’s just to figure out how they managed those costume changes.
Book your tickets now
You can check the latest prices and availability here (affiliate link).
Other family days out in London
There’s so many amazing family days out in London. There’s free museums like The Natural History Museum and The British Museum. Or the kids could use their Blue Peter badges at places like the Tower of London and St Paul’s Cathedral. You could save money on multiple days out using the Big City Saver or treat the kids to a visit to Madam Tussauds.
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Hi, I’m Vicky. My husband and I live in Aylesbury with our three children; a 14 year old son, an 12 year old son and a 6 year old daughter. I (mostly) love spending time together as a family. We visit all kinds of places and we’re quite happy to drive a fair distance for a decent day out. A few years ago I decided to set up Free Time with the Kids as a way to share our experiences of these family days out.
You’ll find the essential information you need to know before your visit that can be surprisingly hard to find out. Where do I park? How much will it cost me to get in? Are there any discounts available? Are there loos? Can I take a picnic or get food? My aim is to be your go-to guide for all your free and cheap family days out across Bucks, Beds, Oxon, Herts & slightly beyond. I really hope you find the reviews helpful. If there’s anywhere that you’d recommend please get in touch contact@freetimewiththekids.com or get in touch via Facebook
I saw Frozen in June- US Tour. Loved it