5. Half a Six Pence


Coming in fifth, it's the new kid on the West End block, a musical adaptation of the H G Wells book, 'Kipps: The Story of a Simple Soul'; a rags to riches tale.

I think it looks charming, funny and uplifting which makes for a perfect musical recipe. And did I mention its key ingredient is iconic producer Cameron Mackintosh, so it's just got to be great!

Purchase West End tickets from TheatreTicketsUK

4. Kinky Boots the Musical

As a girl who just wants to have fun, I just had to include Kinky Boots, which has music and lyrics penned by 80s pop star Cyndi Lauper.

I think any story that features raunchy thigh high boots and drag queens with big ideas is a must watch. So I am putting my foot down, let's get this Musical touring!

Purchase West End tickets from TheatreTicketsUK

3. Matilda the Musical





With major hits such as 'And I am telling you' and 'Listen' included in this show's repertoire I can completely believe it brings the house down every night.

Purchase West End tickets from TheatreTicketsUk



*This is a sponsored post in partnership with TheatreTicketsUK. I only choose to work with companies that I believe fit the Culturebean ethos and that my readers will benefit from. 

Image Credits: Theatre Tickets UK

A gigantic glittering disco ball hung directly over the action and highlighted the sequins in the colour bomb costumes that filled the stage. The impressive set had choreography of it's own that stylishly transformed for each scene. I have to admit, that was one clever piece of engineering. And the music exploded from the sidelines to deliver a surprisingly catchy soundtrack.

We were transported into a retro ballroom world, with a show that knew how to make fun of itself thanks to excellent comedy moments and characters. Such as 'thinks he's god gift to women and is the best dancer to ever live' competitor Ken who had me in stitches with his fake tan, white hair and outrageous swagger.

Just like in BBC's Strictly Come Dancing the leading man Scott, a Champion Ballroom Dancer, falls in love with his beginner partner Fran, who is all too ready to embrace a new style and man for that matter... Here begins a love story that reminded me of Dirty Dancing, with the 'teaching her to dance' montage and all.

Scott battled with his emotions throughout and struggled to decide if he should dance on his own terms or follow the rules to please others. A dramatic dance scene in the first half encompassed this feeling and truly knocked the air out of me as it was so powerful. It had an air of the Billy Elliot Angry Dance.

The first half finale was undoubtedly my favourite part of the whole show. Scott was introduced to Fran's family, who softly mocked his Pasodoble and ended up teaching him the passion that he lacked to pull it off. It was a strong, stylised and exciting number with Fran's family injecting some spice to match the sugar in this production.

Actually, the first half was a lot stronger than the second, but the energy and fun was never lacking throughout. The whole cast poured everything into their performances and the stage seemed electric.


Strictly Ballroom the Musical genuinely made me happy. I felt as if I was glowing by the end and that all my troubles had dissolved into nothingness. I don't think I will forget this musical in a hurry, and I would most certainly watch it over and over and over again in a heartbeat. I'm sure it'd get a much sought after ten from Len.

Next year I am actually launching a Culturebean Youtube Channel, which will reveal the girl behind the blog and follow my cultural adventures. Strictly Ballroom is the first official trip I have vlogged, and the finished edit will be online in January!

Buy tickets before it finishes on 21st January https://www.wyp.org.uk/events/strictly-ballroom-musical/

FYI This blog will remain focused on reviews and my vlog will compliment it with what I get up to before, during and after!

Image Credits: West Yorkshire Playhouse

• It speaks their language. So you can now communicate. 
• It's not as daunting as physically entering your site. So you can digitally make them feel welcome. 
• It's a fun and current way to share information. So you can breathe life and energy into your content. 

More cultural organisations should use Snapchat. I know this may be difficult for some who do not have the staff or time to run an account amongst Twitter and Facebook. But go on, think outside the box and find a way, any way, to give it a go. 

Dippy is a replica cast of the original findings from the U S of A in 1898. King George the seventh saw a sketch of the big guy and requested one for the Natural History Museum. And he got it. Well if you don't ask you don't get. He's a pretty special dino, being one of only 10 commissioned and displayed around the world.

He is the skeletal remains (292 bones to be exact) of a dinosaur called the Diplodocus. Hence the nickname that is soaring off the cute charts. They lived on Earth between 156 and 145 millions years ago, which from a quick Google search, is the late Jurassic period. I'm not sure how much this has to do with Jurassic Park, but that just makes me love him even more.

Dippy is a part of a group called Sauropod. Now, my favourite dinosaur as a child was a Brachiosaurus. And one of my favourite animations has to be The Land Before Time, of which the best character was Little foot, an Apatosaurus. This may all sound like gobbledygook, but bare with me. They are all part of the Sauropod family, which explains why I love them all! Just look at him. Look at him. Aww.


Dippy has long been an important discovery for scientists and now he will have a chance to inspire children around the UK thanks to this first ever tour. Yes, I know he has been doing that since his grand unveiling over a century ago, but I am talking about all of those families who simply cannot afford a trip to the big smoke.

I'm really pleased to see him featuring in my hometown, Rochdale. This isn't the most affluencial of areas... to be honest that is an absolute understatement. I remember life being tough in my large family in that rough town. Our parents did their best but ultimately I missed out on most cultural experiences, other than one or two free school trips to the theatre. This was mainly down to money but also because it was so far out of my parents comfort zone. In their own words, it was simply 'not for them'.

That's when I want to scream 'Argh, but it is. Museums, theatre, anything cultural is for everyone!' Grr.


I believe that is the honest and overwhelming truth for a lot of deprived families, which we need to tackle across the sector. And I think this touring dino is one huge step towards closing that gap. All children have the right to exciting, educational and memorable opportunities and experiences. It should not be exclusive.

Oh and you might be thinking who will take Dippy's place? Well a Blue Whale (nickname-less for now) will be taking over his patch, and has pretty big boots to fill. Nostalgia is one mighty thing to replace...

Did you have a lot of opportunities growing up?

What nickname could we give the Blue Whale?

Find out where this gentle giant is heading here:
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/about-us/national-impact/diplodocus-on-tour.html

Look at all of the 'good-bye' special events NHM are running before he goes!
http://www.nhm.ac.uk/visit/exhibitions/dippy-the-dinosaurs-going-to-move.html

                 Scientists to 

                 Change 

                 Our future  
                 Seasons 

The event is called Secret Cinema for a reason. It's a secret people! And the tag line is Tell No One. You'll never guess why... The location isn't revealed until a few days before and no phones are allowed. Annoyingly I did see people sneaking out their mobiles. I guess it's a hard rule to enforce as the staff provide a plastic bag to seal it in that you can easily rip back open.

• Plan your route to the location and arrive early.  There's queues and lots of people. 
• Dress up. Everybody does and you look like a fool if you don't. 
• Wear comfortable shoes. 
• Pack light and warm. 
• Take cash or card. Some experiences cost extra as obviously drinks come at a charge. 
• Explore the whole camp! To quote Aerosmith. You don't wanna miss a thing. 
• Do not use your bluddy phone.  

I can't recommend the event enough. Yes it is damn pricey but sometimes, you know what, you deserve a treat. And it is worth saving up for if you're short on cash. They do a couple a year and don't look like they're slowing down anytime soon.