While the Fringe Festivals dominate during August, there is still a lot of theatre opening over the next month. What, though, should you prioritise?
Cats – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre (25 Jul – 12 Sep)
From Euston Station to Victoria Grove, the strays and rebels of London gather under the Jellicle moon in the hope they’ll be the chosen one. And each of them asks, because each of them dares, who will it be?
Tao of Glass – @sohoplace (25 Jul – 12 Sep)
An exploration of life, loss and a single question: Where does true inspiration come from?
Composer Philip Glass and performer-director Phelim McDermott have worked together on acclaimed opera productions in London, New York and beyond, and Tao of Glass is their most personal collaboration yet. Inspired by a dream, this West End premiere marries ten meditations on life, death and Taoist wisdom with ten brand new pieces of music from Glass, presented by McDermott with an ensemble of musicians and puppeteers.
Twelfth Night – Kew Gardens (25 Jul – 30 Aug)
The Australian Shakespeare Company brings to Kew one of Shakespeare’s most beloved comedies – Twelfth Night.
Bitesize Festival 50 – Riverside Studios (27 Jul – 30 Aug)
Riverside Studios celebrates its 50th anniversary with a bumper programme for its Bitesize Festival. With more than 30 shows on offer, there is a lot to choose from.
Check out my preview for the festival here.
The Importance of Being Oscar – Park Theatre (27 Jul – 22 Aug)
Oscar Wilde became an icon after his death. But the life he lived was far more dramatic than anything he ever wrote. Oscar, his rise and fall, his glory and his devastation, is conjured back to life through his own words and those of his fiercest champion, the fabled Irish writer Micheál Mac Liammóir.
Space Dogs – The Other Palace Studio (28 Jul – 9 Aug)
SPACE DOGS is an epic new musical that tells the mind-blowing-yet-true story of Laika and the Chief Designer — a stray dog and the top-secret Russian scientist who sent her to the stars during the Cold War Space Race.
The rock musical docu-comedy is a two-hander written by Van Hughes and Nick Blaemire, who play and sing all the songs, as well as all of the characters: the Chief Designer, Laika, various high-level politicians and covert scientists, and 40 Russian dogs, using puppets, props and imagination.
Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures The Car Man – Sadler’s Wells (28 Jul – 29 Aug)
Matthew Bourne’s award-winning The Car Man is back! Loosely based on Bizet’s ever-popular opera, The Car Man has one of the most thrilling and instantly recognisable scores in New Adventures’ repertoire.
The familiar 19th Century Spanish cigarette factory becomes a greasy 1950s garage-diner in the American Mid-West where the dreams and passions of a small-town are shattered by the arrival of a handsome and enigmatic stranger. Fuelled by heat and desire, the inhabitants are driven into an unstoppable spiral of greed, lust, betrayal and revenge.
Dreamscape – Arcola Theatre (28 Jul – 8 Aug)
Inspired by the shocking true story of the shooting of Tyisha Miller, this electrifying fusion of beatboxing, rap and hip-hop dance reimagines her final living moments.
In 1998, 19-year-old Black woman Tyisha Miller was shot dead by four California police officers while she lay unconscious in a car. In Dreamscape, the violence of her death is juxtaposed with lyrical and joyous remembrance of her life. As each of her twelve bullet wounds is described by a Coroner’s report in cold clinical detail, Tyisha’s life bursts into vivid detail on stage – from the joy of dancing and softball to first kisses and hair styling.
How The Other Half Loves – Old Vic (29 Jul – 19 Sep)
Three couples, two homes, one laugh-out-loud domestic farce. When Fiona Foster and Bob Phillips are each accused of having an affair by their spouses, they use the innocent and unsuspecting Featherstones as an alibi, dragging them into a web of chaos and confusion. As the lives of the three couples intertwine, the lies deepen and mayhem ensues in one of theatre’s most entertaining comedies.
The play that cemented Alan Ayckbourn as one of Britain’s greatest modern playwrights, How the Other Half Loves is a raucous take on sex, class and marital misunderstanding. This production, starring Roger Allam and Dorothy Atkinson and directed by Phillip Breen, returns Ayckbourn’s classic to the In The Round staging it was written for.
Dog Man: The Musical – Southbank Centre (29 Jul – 16 Aug)
Dog Man: The Musical is a hilarious new musical based on the worldwide bestselling book series from Dav Pilkey, the creator of Captain Underpants and Cat Kid Comic Club.
Best friends George and Harold have been creating comics for years, but now that they’re ten, they figure it’s time to level up and write a musical based on their favourite character, Dog Man, the crime-biting sensation who is part dog, part man and ALL HERO! How hard could it be? With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime… and chew on the furniture.
Death Note – Barbican (30 Jul – 12 Sep)
If you had the power over life and death, what would you do?
This summer, the hotly anticipated world premiere of Death Note: The Musical arrives for 50 performances only. With over 30 million copies sold worldwide, the legendary manga by Tsugumi Ohba and Takeshi Obata is reimagined for London in collaboration with original producers HoriPro, featuring an electrifying score by Tony, Grammy and Emmy nominee Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Jack Murphy and a book by Ivan Menchell.
When brilliant student Light Yagami discovers a notebook with the power over life and death, his quest to reshape the world sparks a relentless battle of wits with the elusive detective L, where every name carries consequences. Write a name. Change the world.
The Little Mermaid: Song of the Sea – Greenwich Theatre (31 Jul – 23 Aug)
Driven by curiosity and forced into a terrible deal with the Sea Witch, follow our heroine as she discovers the world above the sea and learns just what it means to trade her voice for a chance to walk on land.
Written by Greenwich favourite Anthony Spargo, The Little Mermaid: Song of the Sea promises to bring all the magic of Panto season to Greenwich for a strictly limited summer run.
All The Things We Can’t Explain – Kiln Theatre (31 Jul – 1 Aug)
Kilburn is at a crossroads. Local institutions are being closed, The Suits are sniffing around, and there’s talk of ‘rejuvenation’. When out of nowhere, a mysterious object presents itself – the bloody, beating heart of Kilburn. As excitement around this unprecedented discovery spreads, the community is under threat, can the people of Kilburn come together and hold on to what’s theirs?
In this flagship community production, Kiln’s Intergenerational Company, made up of 80 cast members ranging from ages 6-88, take to the mainstage to kick off the new season.
The Comedy About Spies – Adelphi Theatre (1 Aug – 26 Sep)
When a rogue British agent pilfers plans for a top-secret weapon, CIA and KGB spies converge on London’s Piccadilly Hotel in pursuit of the elusive file. The Comedy About Spies combines a clueless young couple, a hapless actor angling for an exciting spy movie role, and enough double agents to confuse even the sharpest operative, to produce a mission that’s hilariously out of control.
Camden Fringe (3 – 30 Aug)
Camden’s theatres are once again the capital’s hub for Fringe theatre this summer as Camden Fringe celebrates its 20th anniversary. Make sure you check out my previews and interviews ahead of this August’s festival.
Paranormal Activity – Ambassadors Theatre (10 Aug – 3 Oct)
Returning to the West End after a successful run last year, Paranormal Activity scares audiences with the story of James and Lou who move from Chicago to London to escape their past, but they soon discover that places aren’t haunted, people are…
Check out my review of the show from its run last year.
Bury The Hatchet – Southwark Playhouse Borough (12 Aug – 5 Sep)
August 4th, 1892. Andrew and Abby Borden are found brutally murdered in their home in Fall River, Massachusetts. Their daughter Lizzie is the prime suspect. The story goes that she wielded the axe that killed them. But can we ever really know the truth?
A boisterous (and opinionated!) ensemble of three actor-musicians bicker, banter, and band together to re-examine one of history’s most infamous murder cases in this multi-award winning show.
Abigail’s Party – Harold Pinter Theatre (12 Aug – 19 Sep)
Tamzin Outhwaite stars as one of the most iconic characters in British theatre – the unforgettable Beverly in Mike Leigh’s ferocious black comedy of suburban life in the 1970s.
Essex, 1977. Beverly is hosting, the alcohol is flowing, Demis Roussos is on the record player and the cheese and pineapple cocktail sticks are ready to go. Queen of the castle in her suburban semi, Beverly and husband Laurence welcome new neighbours Angela and Tony round for drinks. Sue from next door is invited too but the real party is happening back at her place, as Sue’s teenage daughter Abigail can’t seem to keep the racket down. Awkward small talk quickly descends into inappropriate flirtation and marital disputes: a soiree from hell, but it’d be rude to leave…
Jeeves Takes Charge – Charing Cross Theatre (13 Aug – 6 Sep)
Chichester and RSC favourite, Sam Harrison, plays all twenty-two much-loved PG Wodehouse characters including Jeeves, Wooster, Florence Craye, Gussie Fink-Nottle, Bingo Little, Uncle Willoughby, Aunt Dahlia, and many more – in a bravura, tour de force, one-man performance.
As You Like It – Shakespeare’s Globe (14 Aug – 25 Oct)
When the Duke’s court proves cold and cruel, Rosalind, Celia, and their friends escape into the Forest of Arden – a place alive with joy, music, and unexpected possibilities. Co‑directed by Sean Holmes and Charlie Josephine, this bold new As You Like It pulses with lust, revelry, and live music.
Electra/Persona – National Theatre (19 Aug – 10 Oct)
Electra. A daughter consumed by grief and rage, clinging to the idea of justice as her world comes apart.
Persona. During a performance of Electra, an actress suddenly falls silent. What follows is a rupture: two women drawn into an intense, unsettling encounter where speech breaks down and the boundaries between self and role give way.
Featuring Cate Blanchett, Nina Hoss and Ella Lily Hyland, Benedict Andrews’s thrilling production fuses ancient myth and modern psychology in a powerful exploration of identity, and the fragile line between who we are and who we play.
You & It – King’s Head Theatre (20 Aug – 26 Sep)
South Korea’s award-winning musical sensation arrives in London. A grieving widower meets an artificial intelligence built in his late wife’s image — and must confront grief, memory, and what it truly means to be human.
Olivier nominee Frances Mayli McCann and rising star Zachary Pang will star in this intimate two-hander about AI, loss, and love.
A Slow Fire – Jermyn Street Theatre (20 Aug – 26 Sep)
Years after the apocalypse, Ashton and Reece survive in a bunker on the edge of an imaginary city. Searching for hope, they spend their days acting out stories from the before times. When a stranger appears, is he here to save them? Or is he telling a tale too good to be true?
The staggering new play from Tony and Olivier Award-winning Simon Stephens is part thriller, part excavation of the soul. Rex Ryan directs this UK premiere.
Holy Fool – Park Theatre (27 Aug – 10 Oct)
At the height of Stalin’s regime, celebrated composer Dmitri Shostakovich walks a perilous tightrope. One wrong note could topple him; one perfectly judged crescendo might save his life. Under the constant threat of torture and death, he must appease a brutal despot – while quietly resisting him.
Outwardly compliant, inwardly defiant, Shostakovich composes in code: music that conceals as much as it reveals.
Holy Fool is a tense, darkly witty exploration of the absurdity of tyranny, the bravery of resistance and the triumph of the human spirit.
The Story – National Theatre (27 Aug – 24 Oct)
When a white teacher is killed in a black neighbourhood, four journalists race to get the headline – at any cost. But when shocking new evidence pulls them into the dark heart of the case, they are each forced to confront what they’re prepared to risk to tell their version of the truth.
Gripping and adrenaline-fuelled, Tracey Scott Wilson’s seminal newsroom thriller is directed by Clint Dyer with a cast including Letitia Wright, Ashley Thomas, Lorraine Toussaint, and Wilf Scolding.
Kimberly Akimbo – Hampstead Theatre (28 Aug – 7 Nov)
Starring Maria Friedman and Alice Fearn, with Michael Longhurst directing, the award-winning and hotly anticipated Kimberly Akimbo arrives at Hampstead Theatre.
Kimberly Levaco is excited to celebrate her upcoming sweet 16 – never mind the fact she looks 74, due to a rare genetic condition prematurely ageing her about four times faster than her friends. Or, she would be excited if her family hadn’t suddenly moved town under suspect circumstances, meaning she’s a little short on friends right now. And whilst her heart may be biologically ahead of its time, it’s starting to beat a little quicker after meeting Seth from the ice rink…
Kim doesn’t have long to explore the world beyond New Jersey, but she’s damn sure she’s going to once she can afford it. With her dysfunctional parents a little tight on cash, her ex-con aunt shows up with a get-rich-quick scam, and Kim’s all in for the adventure – illegal or not. Can Kim, along with Seth and her new show-choir friends, pull off the heist, find first love and have the great adventures they’ve been dreaming of?
Jane Eyre: A Musical – Southwark Playhouse Elephant (28 Aug – 24 Oct)
This five-time Tony-nominated musical retelling of Charlotte Brontë’s revolutionary novel makes its UK premiere. A story of ambition and independence, gothic mystery and great passionate love, ‘Jane Eyre’ has enchanted generations and is brought into the 21st century with this new production. Accompanied by an epic sweeping score, prepare to see Jane, the first feminist literary icon, like you never have before.
