We are a quarter of the way through 2026 and it has already been a bumper year for the theatre. But, what should you see in April? Check out our preview below!
Inter Alia – Wyndham’s Theatre (19 Mar – 20 Jun)
Inter Alia reunites the team behind Prima Facie, Olivier Award-winning writer Suzie Miller, with BAFTA Award-winning director Justin Martin, starring Rosamund Pike. Jessica Parks is a maverick London Crown Court Judge; sharp, compassionate, and determined to change a system she knows isn’t always just. But her career exists inter alia (‘among other things’) as she balances motherhood, friendship and the elusive notion of ‘having it all’.
Les Liaisons Dangereuses – National Theatre (21 Mar – 6 Jun)
Among the glittering salons of the super-rich, patriarchy equals power, reputation is everything – and for women, one misstep can mean ruin. Marianne Elliott directs Lesley Manville and Aidan Turner in a striking new staging of Christopher Hampton’s celebrated adaptation of Choderlos de Laclos’ classic novel – a thrilling game of love, lies and social warfare.
A Midsummer’s Night Dream – Unicorn Theatre (21 Mar – 10 May)
This first co-production between Unicorn Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company brings A Midsummer Night’s Dream to younger audiences. Unicorn’s Artistic Director Rachel Bagshaw and Associate Director Robin Belfield co-direct this fresh retelling of Shakespeare’s classic comedy, exploring unrequited love, self-discovery and seeing the world anew.
This Is Not About Me – Soho Theatre (25 Mar – 18 Apr)
A spiralling playwright dramatises her broken relationship. But should she let truth get in the way of a good story?
The Authenticator – National Theatre (26 Mar – 9 May)
A gripping gothic psychological thriller. Soon after inheriting her family’s stately home, eccentric artist Fenella Harford discovers a stash of hidden diaries and enlists a young academic, Marva, to confirm their authenticity. Joined by Marva’s brilliant but overlooked mentor, Abi, the three women come together to seek the truth, soon realising that secrets at the heart of Harford Hall were darker than they could have imagined.
In The Print – King’s Head Theatre (26 Mar – 3 May)
It’s 1985 and Brenda Dean is the first woman to lead a major British trade union. But she quickly faces a crisis as Rupert Murdoch unleashes his clandestine plans to revolutionise the production of British newspapers. With 5,000 jobs on the line and the future of newspapers in the balance, she decides to take on Murdoch and his growing global media empire. But with time running out, and Murdoch’s influence expanding, can she pull together the might of the unions to bring him down?
Choir Boy – Stratford East (26 Mar – 25 Apr)
Pharus is a confident and gifted singer who has earned his position as a soloist. But when his pride is sullied by one of his peers, he falters… what does it mean to be a young, Black, queer man – and to be one at the Charles R. Drew Prep School for Boys?
Copenhagen – Hampstead Theatre (27 Mar – 2 May)
In 1941, in the middle of the Second World War, the great German physicist Werner Heisenberg made a strange trip to Copenhagen to see his Danish counterpart Niels Bohr. They were old friends, and their brilliant collaboration in the twenties had begun to lay bare the mysteries at the heart of the atom. But now Denmark was under German occupation, the meeting was fraught with danger and embarrassment – and Heisenberg was burdened with a terrible secret. Starring Alex Kingston, Damien Molony and Richard Schiff star in this new production by Michael Longhurst.
Lifeline – Southwark Playhouse Elephant (28 Mar – 2 May)
A new musical about the everyday people who make the extraordinary happen. It’s 1950 and Scottish scientist Alexander Fleming is at the height of his fame. His discovery of penicillin, the world’s first antibiotic, is being hailed as a miracle cure that will change medicine forever. But his heart is torn as he falls in love with Greek resistance fighter and scientist Amalia Voureka, who must return home without him. Fast forward to present-day Edinburgh. Junior doctor Jess faces the unthinkable when her estranged childhood sweetheart is rushed to her hospital. As old feelings resurface and old cures are put to the test, critical decisions must be made.
Iphigenia – Arcola Theatre (30 Mar – 2 May)
This striking reimagining of Euripides’ classic text confronts the timeless question: what do we owe our country – and what do we owe our children Blending the brutal beauty of ancient tragedy with voices of today, this bold new production features contemporary testimonies from mothers who have lost children to war.
Eggs Aren’t That Easy To Make – Riverside Studios (30 Mar – 12 Apr)
“If I’m in a lesbian relationship when I’m older, I want you to be the sperm donor”, Claire says to her best friend, Dan, while drunk at a uni party. “Okay, it’s a deal”. Flash forward ten years and the two friends are making good on their promise. Having your best friend be your sperm donor – what could go wrong? A queer rom-com about family, friendship and eggs. Written by Maria Telnikoff and directed by Lauren Tranter.
A Doll’s House – Almeida Theatre (31 Mar – 16 May)
Nora and Torvald’s marriage vows are a binding contract, but when scandal threatens to wreck their lives, it’s time to renegotiate the terms. Money, sex, power – this time nothing’s off the table. Romola Garai returns to the Almeida to play Nora in Henrik Ibsen’s subversive domestic tragedy. In a new version by Critics’ Circle Award winner Anya Reiss, Joe Hill-Gibbins directs this provocative drama about the lies we tell to keep things sweet at home.
Two – Park Theatre (1 Apr – 25 Apr)
Behind the bar of their London boozer, the Landlord and Landlady welcome their regulars with open arms. Lending an ear for stories of celebration, of loss, of love and of despair, the bickering couple work together to keep the locals in high spirits – with drinks, conversation and laughter. But what is their story? As a lost boy turns up on their doorstep looking for his Dad, the couple must confront their own demons and perhaps, for the first time in years, talk to each other. Peter Caulfield and Kellie Shirley take audiences into the world of a working-class pub over the course of a single eventful night.
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest – Old Vic (1 Apr – 23 May)
Inside a psychiatric facility, Chief Bromden has been silent for years — confined and maligned by a system that labels, divides and forgets. But he has a story to tell. He’s just been waiting for someone to listen. Based on Ken Kesey’s countercultural masterpiece, Clint Dyer directs a bold new staging of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest that reignites the spirit of the original novel, starring Aaron Pierre and Giles Terera.
I Was A Teenage She-Devil – The Other Palace Studio (2 – 26 Apr)
A new musical! After being pushed over the edge by the most popular kids at school, four-eyed wallflower Nancy Nelson cries to the heavens for help! But it is Satan who hears her cry. The Devil transforms Nancy into a big-haired, foul-mouthed, sex bomb rocker who’s hungry for souls, and sweet revenge is on the menu! Who will save Nancy? And will the power of love for who she really is break the spell before it’s too late?
Dear Jack, Dear Louise – Arcola Theatre (2 Apr – 2 May)
When two strangers meet by letter during World War II, it sparks an unlikely correspondence that will change their lives forever. Jack is a military doctor and US Army Captain stationed in Oregon, earnest and duty-bound. Louise is an aspiring actress and dancer in New York, brimming with sparkle and big-city dreams. What begins as one letter soon turns into hundreds. Making its UK premiere, from two-time Olivier Award-winning playwright Ken Ludwig, Dear Jack, Dear Louise is a warm and witty portrait of two people kept apart by war, finding love against the odds.
Flyby – Southwark Playhouse Borough (3 Apr – 16 May)
Originally developed in 2025 by the National Theatre, Flyby is a captivating and heartfelt new musical fusing an exhilarating love story with the vastness of space. When astronaut Daniel steals a spacecraft and vanishes into space, he leaves behind Emily – a fiercely intelligent documentary film maker – and their complicated past. Through flashbacks and space logs, this captivating new musical answers why he left. With Poppy Gilbert and Stuart Thompson
Heart Wall – Bush Theatre (4 Apr – 16 May)
A bittersweet, tender exploration of the long tail of grief and the fickleness of memory, Heart Wall asks where we go when the walls start closing in, and home has become somewhere you don’t know.
Rowling In It – King’s Head Theatre (6 Apr – 18 Apr)
Cast as J.K. Rowling in an Edinburgh Fringe show, one actress suddenly finds herself at the centre of global controversy, stuttering into the microphone on Sky News. What should have been a career opportunity quickly becomes a reckoning, as she is forced to confront questions about responsibility, complicity and what it means when art becomes entangled in political debate. Written and performed by Laura Kay Bailey and directed by Dominic Shaw, Rowling In It explores the complicated reality of portraying real people whose public views cause harm and the personal fallout when a role collides with your own values.
My Uncle Is Not Pablo Escobar – Brixton House (7 Apr – 3 May)
When four different worlds collide; identity, history and status become the driving forces to unveiling the biggest money laundering scandal in history.
Saint Joan – Arches Lane Theatre (8 Apr – 12 Apr)
Saint Joan distills Shaw’s four-hour epic to a taut ninety minutes. In an imagined modern interrogation room, Joan of Arc’s life and encounters, miracles and trials are enacted by Joan and her Interrogator. Sometimes courtroom reality documentary, sometimes confessional TikTok – sometimes a movie playing in their minds; it is both at once a live play and film.
Invisible Me – Southwark Playhouse Borough (8 Apr – 2 May)
A warm, witty, and big hearted comedy drama about romance, second chances, and discovering that it’s never too late to start again with Kevin M Golding, James Holmes and Tessa Peake-Jones.
The Other Mozart – Omnibus Theatre (14 Apr – 18 Apr)
The forgotten story of Amadeus’ genius sister, who performed with her brother to equal acclaim. Set in a stunning 18-foot dress, this multi award-winning production ushers you into a world of opulence and delight – obscured by restriction and prejudice. Inspired by the Mozart family’s funny and heartbreaking letters, Nannerl Mozart finally tells her story. Nathan Davis and Phyllis Chen bring Nannerl’s musical imagination to life with award-winning original music for clavichords, music boxes, bells, teacups and fluttering fans.
Between The River And The Sea – Royal Court (15 Apr – 9 May)
Yousef was raised as a Christian-Arab-Palestinian-Israeli kid in Haifa, and is now raising two Jewish-Arab-Austrian kids in Berlin. Only he’s facing a custody battle, so things are getting complicated. A story about family, fear, and imagining a future beyond borders. Written by Yousef Sweid and Isabella Sedlak, Between The River And The Sea comes to the Royal Court following international acclaim, originally produced by the Maxim Gorki Theater, Berlin.
Please Please Me – Kiln Theatre (16 Apr – 23 May)
Please Please Me is the electrifying story of The Beatles’ meteoric rise and the hidden struggles of their beloved manager – the unsung, gay legend and ‘Fifth Beatle’, Brian Epstein.
The Waves – Jermyn Street Theatre (16 Apr – 23 May)
Rhoda. Bernard. Susan. Neville. Jinny. Louis. They begin by the coast. Then, school. Youth. Forming. Swelling. Terror. Joy. Working. Falling. Fame. Grief. Alone. Together. The Waves is a tender, thrilling story about growing up together. Flora Wilson Brown and Júlia Levai unite to bring Virginia Woolf’s masterpiece to heart-thumping life.
The Price – Marylebone Theatre (17 Apr – 7 June)
Arthur Miller’s searing family drama The Price comes to the Marylebone Theatre in a powerful new production starring two-time Olivier Award-winning Henry Goodman, Faye Castelow, Elliot Cowan and John Hopkins. On the eve of selling their late father’s possessions, two estranged brothers meet in a cluttered New York attic for the first time in years. What begins as a simple transaction becomes a fierce emotional reckoning, as decades of resentment, sacrifice and buried truth erupt into the open. By turns darkly funny and devastatingly human, Olivier Award-nominated Jonathan Munby directs a stellar cast in one of Miller’s most intimate and explosive dramas: a gripping portrait of family where memory, regret, and emotional inheritance collide.
Firewing – Hampstead Theatre (17 Apr – 23 May)
In a dilapidated cabin by a lake, deep in the English countryside, Tim, a celebrated wildlife photographer, prepares to welcome Marcus, the latest in a string of failed apprentices. Despite his lack of knowledge or experience, Tim quickly sees there’s something different about this one – he just needs to figure out if Marcus can be trusted with the professional techniques he’s spent decades developing. Together, they endeavour to find and photograph the elusive Firewing – a task that will test the lengths they’re willing to go for something that may be just beyond their reach. The debut play by INSPIRE graduate David Pearson, Firewing is a striking new play about connection, artistry and control.
Mass – Donmar Warehouse (18 Apr – 6 Jun)
In a quiet room of an Episcopal church, two couples meet to have a conversation no parent should ever have to face. As defences fall away and memories surface, they attempt to reach across a divide carved by violence. Carrie Cracknell directs Adeel Akhtar, Amari Bacchus, Monica Dolan, Paul Hilton, Lyndsey Marshal, Rochelle Rose and Susie Trayling in Mass, a cathartic and profoundly moving drama by Fran Kranz.
Two Halves of Guinness – Park Theatre (20 Apr – 2 May)
From stage to Star Wars – the Oscar-winning actor unveils the origins of his success. Sir Alec Guinness’ commanding performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars secured his fame for future generations. Yet after a distinguished career as one of Britain’s greatest actors, the double-Oscar-winning star of over 70 films feared he would only be remembered as a Jedi Knight. Two Halves of Guinness reveals a mysterious life story worthy of the darkest Ealing Comedies, revisiting his most memorable characters and encountering a galaxy of stars along the way.
I Saw Satan At The 7-Eleven – Soho Theatre (21 Apr – 2 May)
Fear and Loathing meets South Park in a screwball monologue that’s part romance, part buddy comedy, part body horror. Two miles north of hell, a nameless deadbeat narrator spots Satan buying soy milk at the 7-Eleven. Satan’s a washed-up-has-been who’s totally lost his edge… until he falls in love with our narrator and the two embark on a debauched misadventure: slapstick, violent, whimsical, dreamlike, tender.
Heartsink – Riverside Studios (21 Apr – 10 May)
Dr Jeffrey Longford (Aden Gillett) finds life on the other side of the stethoscope unexpectedly harrowing when he transforms from confident high-status physician to vulnerable, obscure patient. Gallows humour is his only defence, as he negotiates the world he thought he knew so well from a different perspective, questioning all his medical certainties on the way. Kathy Kiera Clarke stars as the funny, loveable, brave Cara, an outward hypochondriac hiding a precious inner secret. With light-hearted playfulness and a magical cake, she shrewdly dissects Dr Longford’s deepest fears, pre-empting both his diagnosis and his decisions.
Jeezus! – New Diorama Theatre (21 Apr – 9 May)
In 1990s Peru, a brutal military coup ushers in a decade of dictatorship under the rule of Alberto Fujimori. In the home of General José and his devoted wife María, altar boy Jesús prepares diligently for his first communion. But as the biggest day of his adolescent life approaches, the hot man on the cross makes him feel something…unholy. Catholic guilt collides with unrepentant queerness in this sinful, heart-pounding mix of live music, dark humour, and Latin heat. If Bo Burnham, Bad Bunny, and Bertolt Brecht had a baby, this would be it.
Entertaining Murder – Upstairs at the Gatehouse (23 Apr – 10 May)
This murder mystery musical is inspired by the true story of Edith Thompson and her young lover Freddy Bywaters. Their Old Bailey murder trial of 1922 became a cause célèbre. People queued for days to get tickets to see whether they were found innocent or guilty. What did the jury decide? Did Edith really collude with her lover to kill her husband? How did Edith’s sixty-four love letters serve to condemn her in the eyes of the world?
A Midsummer’s Night Dream – Shakespeare’s Globe (23 Apr – 29 Aug)
In this vibrant new production of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, the Globe Theatre becomes a space for communal celebration under starry, summer skies. Emily Lim directs.
Tender – Soho Theatre (24 Apr – 30 May)
The Dancing Bears strip club is failing. Ten covers on a Saturday night. One booking next week. The new club down the street are packing fifty women a night with their twelve-inch synchronised dicks. When the boss’s daughter shows up, she realises they’re gonna need a bigger show. From the Tambo & Bones powerhouse duo, writer Dave Harris and director Matthew Xia, comes a steamy, boisterous and tender story about breaking free from masculinity’s seductive cage.
Grace Pervades – Theatre Royal Haymarket (24 Apr – 11 Jul)
Ralph Fiennes stars as Sir Henry Irving, the first actor ever to be knighted and the greatest star of the Victorian stage. Miranda Raison plays Ellen Terry, the most loved and highest paid actress in England and recruited by Irving to join his renowned company at the Lyceum Theatre.
The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind – @SohoPlace (25 Apr – 18 Jul)
A bold and uplifting new musical telling the true story of a boy who hopes to defy expectations to produce the gift of power and give hope for tomorrow. Plays at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon before reaching London.
Brief Play About Rage – Omnibus Theatre (28 Apr – 2 May)
Nell and Val have been friends for many years. Val has hated Nell for most of them, but has never had the courage to say anything. When Nell comes to visit Val and her boyfriend Hugh in their apartment, she immediately asserts a brutal crusade of truth upon them, disrupting Val and Hugh’s carefully maintained peace and exposing parts of each other’s lives that they would rather keep hidden. Val has never stated the deep resentment she feels towards Nell. Hugh and Val have never shared certain parts of themselves with each other. So what happens when someone finally says everything out loud?
