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Ho Ho HELLO, yep, it’s that time of year again. All of us at Official Theatre are about to head home for Christmas and New, but I for one would not step foot on the first capital connect back to the shire without thanking each and every one of our readers for an incredible year. 2014 has undoubtedly been the best so far for Official Theatre and I feel so lucky to have experienced some truly fan-flipping tastic theatrical goings on this year!

WHAT are those fan-flipping-tastic theatrical goings on, I hear you cry? Well cry no more, festive beauties, for I shall now reveal to you my top ten highlights of this year.

10 Official Theatre and Once The Musical have a lotta love for each other

SO one of the shows I love most, Once The Musical, started loving Official Theatre back! I have had some fantastic times at Once, I have been to their secret sessions, interviews Zarinka Civitesic and Declan Bennett as well as Arthur Darvill. We have reviewed the show on several occasions and we did so again in April. The show saw our review and loved it so much, they put it on their poster! And I mean REALLY put it on their poster in a massive way! That poster has been on the tube, in stations, in restaurants…it was even in my local offie! Success! Cheers Once!

9 Press Night After Parties

It is quite clear that I love theatre but I have to say I also really love a good knees up! I have been invited to some AMAZING after parties this year and drank enough champagne to sink a naval ship. Hurrah! Two of my favourite have been The Scottsboro Boys and the White Christmas Parties. Both had some fabulous canapés on offer and I chatted to some very lovely people whilst there. Perfect!

8 Show and Awards Launches

Some press launches are like parties in the day with a slightly more informative atmosphere. I love a show launch as they are a great chance to get a cheeky flavour of the show (whilst sipping a sav blanc.) This year my favourite launches were the 15th annual WhatsOnStage Awards Launch in early December and the Cats revival launch in July. WhatsOnStage laid on a whole lotta wine, nibbles and performances from The Play That Goes Wrong and Madalena Alberta. What a joy! CATS on the other hand welcomed us with champagne and a plethora of flexing cats! Not something you see every Monday!

7 Hearing Nicole Scherzy kill it in Cats

Speaking of Cats, one of the definite highlights of this year was hearing Nicole Scherzinger KILL IT as Grizabella in Cats the musical. The moment she opened her mouth a whole world of hurt, pain and angst seem to pour out of her. It was tragic. It was beautiful. It was Schamazing. Read our Cats review here.

6 The West End Wilma Awards

Official Theatre was nominated for an award! Yeah we didn’t win, but who cares! I bought a lovely new outfit, chatted with my favourite Theatre Nanna, mingled with some theatre celebs and drank a lot of gin. Perfect.

5 Mr Burns at the Almeida

OH MY GOD MR BURNS WAS AMAZING! I haven’t seen something this unique at the theatre in, well, ever really. Rupert Goold’s production left me stunned, as did Jenna Russell’s performance. The play text was both engaging and relevant and the staging was incredible. End of! Read our 5 Star Mr Burns review here.

4 Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2014

As always, I ventured to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year. Edinburgh in August is always a massive highlight of my year as the city is so culturally rich and the atmosphere is always so buzzy! This year I saw some great shows and installations and had a real Scottish adventure. I can’t wait for next years offering! Read our Edinburgh 2014 round up here. 

3 Gypsy at Chichester Festival Theatre

For the first time ever I ventured to the Chichester Festival Theatre. For the first time ever I saw Gypsy. OH WOW. Everything about this production was perfect, not least Imelda Staunton and Lara Pulver. We are in for a treat when the show transfers to London in March next year! Read my 5 Star Review of Gypsy here.

2 My Trip to Broadway

A year of many firsts it seems! This year, again for the first time ever, I booked myself a little holiday to New York in order to catch some Broadway shows. There is nothing on earth like being on the Great White way! I saw Kinky Boots, Beautiful, The Last Ship and Punchdrunk’s Sleep No More. Each show was fantastic and I feel very much in love with New York. I cannot WAIT to go back next year! Check out my Broadway reviews here.

1 Starting the LDNTheatreBloggers movement

It is often said it is not about what you do, but about who you spend it with.
I spent the last 6 months of this year hanging out with some truly inspirational writers who run their own blogs and websites. These people are, in my opinion, at the heart of the industry and all do what they do because they love theatre. By bringing this group together the theatre is now never a lonely place and I made some real friends…all the better for enjoying a wine with at a press night! Read about our first blogger meet up here. 

Here is to 2015 you beautiful people! I hope it is as fabulous as this year was.