The West End’s Long Game: Phantom, Rowan Atkinson and the Front Row

The Phantom of the Opera marks 40 years on the West End this month, a milestone that says as much about audience devotion as it does about staying power. Meanwhile, Rowan Atkinson is bringing Mr Bean, Blackadder and other characters back to the stage in a limited-run show: London theatre is selling both the familiar and the fleeting.

The Players

• Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom: The gothic musical’s anniversary has brought producer Cameron Mackintosh and...