Features

April Fools Roundup: the best and worst stagey wind-ups

It’s the worst day the year for the gullible, and everyone’s been getting in on the act. We’ve put together some of our favourite theatre pranks so you don’t get caught out. Did any of these fool you?

Editorial Staff

| London |

1 April 2016

Les Mis announced an unlikely acting debut from one the country’s best-loved chefs, when they tweeted Ainsley Harriott would be moving out of the kitchen to become master of the house as Thénardier.

CASTING NEWS
Very excited to announce that the Brilliant Ainsley Harriott will be joining us as Thenardier from June pic.twitter.com/28L7ewJ4lb

— Les Misérables (@lesmisofficial) April 1, 2016

The Phantom of the Opera teased at a new form of audience participation by flooding the stalls to recreate the Phantom’s lair. They joked: "tickets would be sold in pairs, one lying flat in a standing position, the other standing above them".

From 2017 the stalls at Her Majesty's will be flooded to offer a new immersive seating experience recreating the Phantom's underground lair.

— Phantom Of The Opera (@PhantomOpera) April 1, 2016

As we reported this morning, The Mousetrap announced it would be selling tickets for the next 32 years. However, they will actually be donating all profits made today, along with Londontheatre.co.uk, to Mousetrap Theatre Projects!

To celebrate our 36 year extension, @LondonTheatre will be donating all profit of tickets sold today to @MousetrapTP https://t.co/gAUlFqngiT

— The Mousetrap (@MousetrapLondon) April 1, 2016

You may have seen our (hilarious) article about a company gearing up to release a range of West End inspired perfumes. Well, as many of you cottoned on to, it was in fact a (brilliant) April Fool’s joke. But we do think we managed to fool a few of you on Facebook and Twitter.

New perfume line inspired by musicals in the works https://t.co/vcifm5UtWl pic.twitter.com/gPP0PZsE2z

— WhatsOnStage (@WhatsOnStage) April 1, 2016

She may be busy touring with Breakfast at Tiffany’s, but that doesn’t mean Pixie Lott didn’t have time to have a little fun with her Twitter followers. She tweeted this photo of her new "tattoo".

Why did I do this in Verbierpic.twitter.com/fCEYHqPEDl

— Pixie Lott (@PixieLott) April 1, 2016

Even the theatres got involved! The Royal Albert Hall announced partnership with CERN in Geneva to turn their corridors into a mini Large Hadron Collider, posting safety warnings around to warn passers-by to dodge the particles.

Everything's in place for the #HalldronCollider. Let the science begin… https://t.co/xZIcZU00uJ pic.twitter.com/Uog2SnVILc

— Royal Albert Hall (@RoyalAlbertHall) April 1, 2016

Over at The Stage, they released an article detailing a new musical to be written about their associate editor, Mark Shenton. Just how many stars do you think it would get?

Howard Goodall composing new musical about critic @ShentonStage https://t.co/uGHR84aMJY pic.twitter.com/DF5ySp8C4o

— The Stage (@TheStage) April 1, 2016

And finally, this one really sounds like a prank, but it isn’t. The papers reported today that Whoopi Goldberg plans to launch a line of medical marijuana products to relieve period pains. The Sister Act star said "I don’t want this to be a joke"…