London’s theatre scene is sizzling this summer with a fantastic programme of new stage productions and musicals to put in the diary now; here’s what we’ll be watching…
Words Helen Brown
Theatrical musical classics jostle for position amongst the newbies on stage in the summer’s line-up of must-sees. With star-studded casts and limited running times, tickets are getting snapped up fast. Here are five of the best new theatre shows to check out this summer.
GLORIA
Branden Jacobs-Jenkins’ razor-sharp comic drama tells a tale of ambition, office warfare and hierarchies. Set from a notorious Manhattan magazine, a group of ruthless editorial assistants vie for their bosses’ jobs and a book deal before they’re thirty. But trapped between Starbucks runs, jaded gossip and endless cubicle walls, best-selling memoir fodder is thin on the ground. That is until inspiration arrives with a bang.
Hampstead Theatre, tickets from £10
hampsteadtheatre.com
FERRYMAN
Jez Butterworth returns to the Royal Court after The River and the multi-award winning Jerusalem with his new play The Ferryman. It’s 1981 in Northern Ireland. The Carney farmhouse is a hive of activity with preparations for the annual harvest. A day of hard work on the land and a traditional night of feasting and celebrations lie ahead. But this year they will be interrupted by a visitor.
Royal Court Theatre, tickets from £12
royalcourttheatre.com
CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF
Sienna Miller stars as Maggie alongside Jack O’Connell as Brick in this poetic story of a family’s fight for survival. On a steamy night in Mississippi, a Southern family gather at their cotton plantation to celebrate Big Daddy’s birthday. The summer heat is almost as oppressive as the lies they tell. With the future of the family at stake, which version of the truth is real – and which will win out?
EVITA
Evita is the musical that captivates audiences time and time again. The story of an ordinary woman’s meteoric rise to power at a time of extraordinary political unrest. The show makes a much-anticipated return to London this summer, featuring some of the best-loved songs in musical theatre, including Don’t Cry for Me Argentina, On This Night of a Thousand Stars, You Must Love Me, and Another Suitcase in Another Hall.
Phoenix Theatre, opens 28th July
atgtickets.com
THE TEMPEST
On a distant island a man waits. Robbed of his position, power and wealth, his enemies have left him in isolation. But this is no ordinary man, and this no ordinary island. Simon Russell Beale plays Prospero in this ground-breaking production that uses today’s most advanced technology in a bold reimagining of Shakespeare’s magical play. A truly unforgettable theatre experience and the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for all ages.
The Barbican, tickets from £10
barbican.org.uk
