Rock Week: Top 5 Best West End Musicals

Our Rock Of Ages coverage continues as we head back to the place where the whole show started...
It's important not to forget that when Rock Of Ages reaches cinemas this Friday, it comes as a spawn of its West End and Broadway original inspiration. Indeed, several films have either inspired or been inspired by classic theatrical musicals in the past. Today, then, I'm going to highlight the Top 5 Best West End Musicals I've ever had the pleasure of sitting through, each of which come highly recommended to anyone who hasn't seen them already...
5. ROCK OF AGES- Okay, so the story that this week on the blog is based around isn't at the top of the list. On the whole, though, despite the balancing of songs and exposition being a little uneven at times, Rock Of Ages has a great upbeat atmosphere to the whole experience, and it's just a really feel-good watch for the Summer.
4. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA- This is obviously one of the more 'hardcore' West End musicals on the list. That said, Phantom has all of the awe and majesty of a classic musical, with iconic setpieces littered throughout its narrative and a few killer tunes courtesy of Mr Andrew Lloyd Webber!
3. BLOOD BROTHERS- If you haven't heard of Blood Brothers, I don't actually blame you. For me, it was a GCSE English text, so I happened to stumble upon it, and yet the play perfectly captures the niches and superstitions of the time while blending in a deep emotive core and a handful of great, often haunting songs to narrate the action.
2. WE WILL ROCK YOU- By far the best 'real' musical up at the West End right now, there's so many reasons why We Will Rock You has survived for over ten years at Dominion Theatre. Fundamentally it's a groundbreaking, breathtaking rollercoaster ride through the greatest hits of Queen that packs in a wonderfully retro narrative with plenty of homages to one of the best rock bands of all time.
1. THE LION KING- Quite possibly the best Disney film of all time was getting a musical adaptation- what could possibly go wrong? That question worried diehard fans of the great 1980s animation, but it needn't have, because The Lion King is an incredibly moving, thrilling and above all totally compelling theatric experience that deserves to be witnessed by every West End fan who hasn't seen it yet!