Five West End Leading Men That You Need To See

With so many London shows on offer, there are more leading men and women in the West End than ever before and each performer has their own dedicated fanbase. We've consulted London theatre fans and compiled this handy list of five leading men that you should make a point of seeing on stage as soon as possible. Keep an eye out for these names; if you book a London theatre break to see any of them, you'll be in for a real treat.

1) Ramin Karimloo
Karimloo's exceptional starring performance in The Phantom of the Opera has set him apart from the pack. With impressive vocal ability, incredible stage presence and more than his fair share of handsome, Karimloo was the obvious choice to take the lead in Andrew Lloyd Webber's upcoming Phantom of the Opera sequel, Love Never Dies.

2) Derek Jacobi
In an age when reality TV stars and earnest young people dominate London theatre, it's nice to see a performance from a good old-fashioned thesp every once in a while. Jacobi does not take to the stage all too often but when he does the show is never anything less than spectacular. His bumbling, cross-gartered Malvolio earned him an Olivier Award for Best Actor in 2009, and forever cemented his place as a true West End legend.

3) Jason Donovan
Some time ago, Donovan played the lead in the London Palladium production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat; and he was rather good. However, it's his current role as Tick, an Australian drag queen, in Priscilla Queen of the Desert that has really turned heads on the London theatre scene.

Donovan has proved to have the magic combination of fame and actual talent and people have been booking London theatre breaks and travelling across the country to see him perform since his first night.

4) Oliver Tompsett
There are two London shows which inspire truly impressive levels of devotion from their fans, even by West End standards. Those shows are, of course, Mamma Mia! and Wicked, and Oliver Tompsett has appeared in both! His dashing performance as Fiyero in Wicked has earned him a small army of utterly besotted fans who'll gladly sit on the train for hours just to hear him belt out Dancing Through Life one more time.

5) Ray Quinn
Let's be honest, even in the supposedly highbrow world of London theatre there is such a thing as a guilty pleasure. Former Brookside star, 2006 X Factor runner up, 2009 Dancing on Ice winner and current star of Grease, Ray Quinn, is the living embodiment of Theatreland's guilty pleasure. Cheesy but infectiously enthusiastic, Quinn has tempted more than a few people to escape for a weekend on a London theatre break.

By: Show and Stay

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