
'La Cage aux Folles' review — a heartfelt celebration of love, identity, and resilience
Read our four-star review of La Cage aux Folles now in performances at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre to 16th September.
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La Cage aux Folles brings glitz, glamour, and glee to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre this summer. The 1983 Broadway hit, featuring music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and a book by Harvey Fierstein, won six Tony Awards. Spend a joyful summer evening with the showgirls. La Cage aux Folles tickest are available on London Theatre now.
After seeing the 1978 French film La Cage aux Folles, composer-lyricist Jerry Herman wanted to musicalize it, but a musical was already in the works. The project’s producers eventually let go of the initial creative team and brought on Herman and bookwriter Harvey Fierstein (a Tony Award winner for Torch Song Trilogy) to shepherd the production.
Based on the 1973 French farce of the same name, their La Cage aux Folles musical follows a gay couple in the French Riviera who pretend to be straight when meeting their son’s conservative in-laws. Georges is the proprietor and master of ceremonies of La Cage aux Folles, a drag nightclub in the South of France. His romantic partner Albin, also known as Zaza, is the venue’s headliner. Georges and Albin’s only son Jean-Michael is getting married, and the groom-to-be begs the flamboyant pair to play it straight when his conservative in-laws come to dinner. But Albin has other plans.
Jean Poirot’s 1973 play also inspired a French film adaptation in 1978, which then inspired the 1983 musical and the 1996 comedy film The Birdcage, starring Nathan Lane and Robin Williams as the lead lovers.
The musical features a score by Jerry Herman, the composer-lyricist behind hits such as Hello, Dolly!, Mame, Dear World, Mack & Mabel, and more. The La Cage aux Folles songbook includes the hits “The Best of Times,” “A Little More Mascara,” and “I Am What I Am,” and the latter two have gone on to become gay anthems.
Herman holds the record as the only composer-lyricist to have three productions run for more than 1,500 performances on Broadway. Hello, Dolly! ran for 2,844 performances, Mame for 1,508, and La Cage aux Folles for 1,761.
The heart-stirring musical’s powerful message of acceptance still resonates 40 years after its Broadway debut. Of the Komische Oper Berlin’s 2023 production, the New York Times raved, “The vivid characters and the infectious melodies are remarkably durable.” Prep your heartstrings.
Tickets to La Cage aux Folles are available on London Theatre now. Book your La Cage Aux Folles tickets on London Theatre today.
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Gates will open 90 minutes before the show.
Access performances
Captioned: Friday 1 September, 7.45pm
BSL Performances: Tuesday 29 August, 7.45pm
Audio Described & Touch Tour: Saturday 2 September, 2.15pm
Please Note: The production contains loud whip crack sounds and addresses themes of transphobia, homophobia and misogyny.
2 hours 30 minutes (incl. interval)
July 29th, 2023
September 23rd, 2023
September 23rd, 2023
This musical is most suitable for ages 12+. Children under the age of 4 will not be admitted to the venue.
By: Harvey Fierstein
Music: Jerry Herman
Director: Timothy Sheader
Read our four-star review of La Cage aux Folles now in performances at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre to 16th September.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre presents the celebratory musical, directed by Tim Sheader to continue its summer season, with performances from 29 July to 16 September.