By now, we’re sure you know what you’re getting when you book to see Wicked for £20, Mamma Mia! for £30, or Les Misérables for £40. But what about some of the lesser known shows in the New Year Sale?

For the adventurous among you, we’re here to highlight a few hidden gems in case that are taking part in the New Year Sale, so you can try something new for 2026.

Ballet Shoes

What’s it about? Three adopted sisters get taken into the house of an Edwardian explorer and paleontologist. Under the guidance of his niece and childhood nanny, the three girls grow and fight to pursue their differing passions in a world not built for women with ambition.

Why should I see it? The National Theatre’s adaptation of this 1930s novel was loved by children and adults alike when it premiered in November 2024 – so much so they brought it back a year later.

The three girls are full of fire and charisma; you can’t help be charmed by their never-say-die attitude. The set is like a madcap box of wonders that’s a delight to look at and the show will leave you feeling warm and fuzzy.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £20, £30, £40, £50, £60 for Tue – Thu performances in Jan and Mon – Thu performances in Feb until 20 Feb.

Evening All Afternoon

What’s it about? Jennifer is about to become Delilah’s stepmother. She wants to connect but they couldn’t be further apart.

Why should I see it? The Donmar Warehouse is a great venue – with only three rows on each side of the stage, you’re always close to the atmosphere which is perfect for these kind of intimate two-handers. Anna Ziegler’s last play, Photograph 51, won Evening Standard and WhatsOnStage Awards, with an Olivier Award nomination for Nciole Kidman in the lead role. This could be another award winner in the making.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £40 or £50 on all performances (19 Feb – 11 Apr).

Gerry & Sewell

What’s it about? Two Geordie best friends Gerry & Sewell haven’t got a lot going from them – with no jobs, Gerry’s family falling apart and Sewell’s dad in ill-health – so they set their sights on their ultimate dream: A season ticket to Newcastle United.

Why should I see it? It’s an underdog story that celebrates the unexpected hero in all of us, as well as the importance of friendship and shared passions. Like the story, the play itself is an underdog, having started at Laurel’s – a small social club in the North East – and earned its way up to a two-week run in the West End.

What’s the offer? Top price tickets for £40, £50 or £60 all performances – must end 24 January.

High Noon

What’s it about? In the the days of the Wild West, small town marshall Will Kane prepares to leave town after marrying Amy Fowler. But word arrives that Frank Miller, a vicious outlaw, has been released from prison and will arrive by the noon train. Torn between the honour of his new wife and the duty of his old job, Will must make a choice by noon.

Why should I see it? The 1952 Gary Cooper / Grace Kelly Western film, on which the play is based, is in the conversation for greatest movie ever made. While this play stays true to the source material, the production has changed its inspiration from McCarthyism to current world events to remain as timely as ever. Plus it unites two great acting talents in Tony Award winner Billy Crudup (The Morning Show) and Olivier Award winner Denise Gough (People, Places And Things and Andor)

What’s the offer? Tickets for £30, £40, or £50 for Mon – Fri performances for weeks beginning 26 Jan and 2 & 9 Feb.

Mrs. President

What’s it about? Already having todeal with the grief of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, his widow, Mary Lincoln has to contend with social attacks from an envious elite. She engages the help of the world’s first celebrity photographer, Mathew Brady, who helped her husband win the presidency. But their partnership soon unravels in a battle for creative control.

Why should I see it? The play is written by playwright and historian (and artist) John Ransom Phillips so promises to be an accurate and thought-provoking account of power, female agency and representation. Of course, if you’re less concerned with historical accuracy and more concerned with a barrel of laughs, Mary Lincoln is also the lead character in outrageous camp comedy Oh, Mary! at the Trafalgar Theatre – also taking part in the New Year Sale.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £10, £20, £30 or £40 for all performances (23 Jan – 8 Mar).

The Spy Who Came In From The Cold

What’s it about? Set in the murky world of the Cold War, British intelligence officer Alec Leamas is ready to retire and ‘come in from the cold’. But following the killing of his most reliable source, Leamas is tempted into one dangerous, deceptive and personal final mission.

Why should I see it? This is the first stage adaptation of a novel by John le Carré, the master of the modern spy thriller. Performed in Sohoplace’s intimate in-the-round space with period costume, this a tense, sophisticated and provocative look at the political era that shaped the modern world. Must end 21 February.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £60 (£20 off) for performances on 21, 26, 27 & 28 Jan and 2 & 3 Feb. Last few tickets remaining.

Summerfolk

What’s it about? During the hot and beautiful Russian summer of 1905, Russia’s elite holiday in the countryside to enjoy the best things in life. But as the party continues, how long can they ignore the storm on the horizon?

Why should I see it? Maxim Gorky was one of Russia’s most successful authors of the age, with five Nobel Prize nominations, although he was also imprisoned for his work as he dared to criticise the status quo. This exciting new version by siblings Nina and Moses Raine (descended from Dr Zhivago author Boris Pasternak) promises to be a razor-sharp portrait of class, privilege and denial.

What’s the offer? Tickets for £20, £30, £40, £50 for most performances from 12 Mar – 29 Apr.

This week, we’re celebrating Kids Week by chatting to Blippi himself, who stars in Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour – playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 7 September.

1. I get ready to perform on the West End stage by…

Warming up my voice by doing some fun vocal exercises and doing some silly Blippi dance moves to get my body ready to dance!

2. My idol is…

Anyone who loves to learn and have fun, or who can teach me something new!

3. My friends would describe me as…

Silly, fun, energetic and curious!

4. My favourite adventure we go on is…

Exploring new places and learning cool things.

5. The magic of theatre is…

Bringing stories to life right before your eyes and enjoying it with all your best friends and family.

6. The most curious thing I found out about making theatre is…

How costumes and sets transform everything. And how cool the props are!

7. Cool things you can expect when you come and see Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour…

Doing silly dance moves, singing fun songs, and so much more excitement. Can’t wait to see you there!

8. Something people don’t know about me is…

I love reading books about history.

9. The best piece of advice I can give my fans is…

Always stay curious and never stop learning.

10. The theatre is such an awesome adventure for young people because…

It’s like stepping into a whole new world full of fun!

Blippi: The Wonderful World Tour is part of this year’s Kids Week, where a child aged 17 and under goes for free with an adult paying full price. Plus, an additional two children can attend for half price! Blippi Kids Week tickets start from just £15 – book now via the Official London Theatre website.

This week we hear from Rachel Clare Chan, who plays Tsubaki Sawabe in Your Lie In April, now playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

1. My route into theatre was…

I fell in love with musical theatre as a teenager, it was really all I wanted to do with my life. I decided to go for an open call for Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Miss Saigon when I was 17. I ended up booking that job and the run in Vienna became my professional debut! From there I pursued a Master’s Degree in musical theatre performance at the Royal Academy of Music which is what moved me over to London.

2. My West End idol is…

She’ll kill me for saying this but my West End idol is Frances Mayli McCann. I had always admired her so much while training, but then had the chance to work with her on my first job in London (Death Note). I am forever inspired and in awe of her – not only as an artist, but the way that she treats those around her, and her incredible professionalism and work ethic. She’s a powerhouse, a trailblazer, and truly deserving of all her success. She leads a company with such grace and humility, and it’s a beautiful thing to experience and learn from.

3. My colleagues would describe me as…

Passionate? Silly? Unable to resist a big loud belly laugh.

4. My favourite show (that isn’t one I star in/work on) is…

Come From Away. Just stunning. Saw the original Broadway cast and it changed my life.

5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…

There was a young company member of ESEA descent on the production of Oliver! I did at Leeds Playhouse – he said he was grateful to have had someone who looked like him in the same cast. A truly gratifying moment realising that ESEA representation really does impact our next generation.

6. The hardest part about my job is…

Keeping yourself grounded and finding the grit to keep going. This industry can be really tough sometimes. You’re juggling lots of people’s expectations, high pressure situations, and always having to show up. I have to remind myself that I don’t have to be everyone’s cup of tea. 

7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…

An agent. There’s still time for that in the future I think…!

8. Something people don’t know about me is…

My first name is actually Frances. Everyone in my life has always called me Rachel from the get go, but I was named Frances because I have five older siblings and we have ended up having names that start with ABCDEF.

9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…

“If you can’t beat the fear, do it scared.”

10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is… 

It’s brave to go on a rollercoaster, it’s just as brave to say you don’t want to. I’m proud of you for always being brave through everything and everywhere life has taken you. It’ll all work out in the end, even if it feels uncertain right now. You will make friends with that uncertainty one day. Also please keep practicing piano because it’ll be very helpful in 10 years!

Based on one of the biggest manga sensations, Your Lie In April runs for a limited season until 21 September. Book your tickets on the Official London Theatre website.

Lemons x5 as we call it in the office, because rather ironically we can’t be ‘bothered’ to use up our unlimited supply of words, heads to the West End for the first time since the play first premiered at the Warwick Arts Centre in 2015. On the surface it’s a love story set in a world where the government has passed a law under which you are only allowed to say 140 words a day, but if you look deeper it’s not only about political oppression, but a commentary on how we use language as a means to forge our relationships. 

For me – a Social Media manager who often has to find ways to say a lot in 280 characters – it’s also a sudden realisation of how in the current Twittersphere we talk a lot about freedom of speech and how free you can be when you’re limited in how much you can say. In some ways I’m used to it, when I’m faced with an issue of copy being too long, I’m instantly cutting out the ‘really’s and turning ‘do not’ into ‘don’t’ – shaping the way we speak online. 

Jenna Coleman and Aidan Turner play Bernadette, a family defence lawyer and Oliver, a writer and activist. It’s a study on human behaviour, choosing when to save your words to get to know your partner or when to use them up to avoid certain conversations. With only the two of them on stage in their comfy clothes and no shoes, surrounded by a set of everyday items, you feel you are a fly on the wall spying on their most intimate and vulnerable moments. It’s a love story yes, but a real love story with moments that are awkward and messy.

It was a joy to visit the theatre and see something slightly more experimental. As the the play flicks back and fourth between before the ‘hush law’ and after, it engages you to listen as you’re slowly working out the story. This play always has a little place in my heart and it really didn’t disappoint!

This week, we hear from Daniel Monks, who’s currently playing Konstantin in Jamie Lloyd’s much-anticipated adaptation of The Seagull, alongside Game Of Thrones star Emilia Clarke and Olivier Award winner Indira Varma.

Daniel is a rising star on the London Theatre scene. Originally from Australia, he won Best Performer in a play at the 2020 Stage Debut Awards for his role in Teenage Dick at the Donmar Warehouse. He was one of the Olivier Award-nominated cast of Larry Kramer’s The Normal Heart at the National Theatre. He was also nominated for a whole host of awards for his performance in 2017 film Pulse, which he wrote and starred in.

Find out more about Daniel and his career so far below:

1. My route into theatre was…

My mother was an actress, and when she was seven months pregnant with me, she wrote & performed a one-woman show about pregnancy called From Here to Maternity – so I’ve been getting my stage kicks since the womb. I wanted to be an actor for as long as I can remember, but when I became disabled at age 11, I gave up that dream and instead made detours through filmmaking and dance, all which ultimately lead me back home to the stage

2. My West End idol is…

I’m relatively new to the West End, coming from Australia, but some actors whose performances I’ve been inspired by are Andrew Scott, Anne-Marie Duff, Amara Okereke, John Hollingworth and Sharon D Clarke.

3. My colleagues would describe me as…

I had zero idea how to answer this, so I asked my Teenage Dick colleagues Susan Wokoma & Callum Adams, who described me as “tremendously dedicated, genuine, sweet, sexy and one of the most ferocious actors I’ve ever had the joy to share a stage with” and “an incredibly playful and generous scene partner. He has zero ego and is intensely dedicated. Both on and off stage, he gives you 110%.”, which all sounds ridiculously amazing.

The fact that Susan & Callum are my beloved friends now whom I love dearly holds absolutely no bearing on this – these obscenely flattering descriptions will forevermore be seen as objective fact, in print, and I thank you for that, Society of London Theatre.

4. My favourite show present or past (that isn’t one I star in) is…

Jamie Lloyd’s Cyrano De Bergerac – Jamie’s vision of theatre and its possibilities really inspires me, and I feel such a kinship working with him.

5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…

Writing, producing, editing and starring in the feature film Pulse, which is directly responsible for me being able to have a career as an actor in a time when that was an impossibility for disabled people in Australia.

6. The hardest part about my role is…

Navigating chronic pain with a rehearsal and performance schedule. It’s like a job on top of the job.

7. If I didn’t work in theatre I would be…

A filmmaker. That’s what I was before I revived my dream of acting.

8. Something people don’t know about me is…

I speak Japanese.

9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…

Don’t try to be interesting. Just be honest, because there’s nothing more interesting than the truth.

10. The one thing I wish I could tell my younger self is…

All your dreams for your life are possible, and you don’t need to abandon any of them just because you’ve become disabled.

You can catch Daniel in The Seagull at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 10 September.

Originally due to run at the Playhouse Theatre, the show had to cancel its 2020 run due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

The production will run at the Harold Pinter Theatre for a limited 11 week run from Thursday 6 October until Saturday 24 December. Tickets will go on general sale to the public on Wednesday 8 June 2022. Sign up here to be notified when tickets go on sale!

John Halder is a good man.
But John Halder must adapt to survive.
How is it possible to be a good person when things are falling apart?
As the world faces a World War, John Halder, a decent, intelligent, music-loving German professor, finds himself swept along in a movement that crescendos towards an unthinkable finale. GOOD is awarning for our times.

Speaking about making his West End return in GOOD, David Tennant said: ‘Dominic is one of the UK’s all-time great theatre directors. I am really inspired and delighted to finally… FINALLY… get a chance to work with him, and especially on a wonderful play like C. P. Taylor’s GOOD – a fantastic bit of writing that is more pertinent and resonant now than it has ever been’.

This week we hear from Michele Austin, who currently plays Ragueneau in the Olivier Award-winning Cyrano De Bergerac alongside James McAvoy.

Find out more about Michele in our Tell Us In 10…

1. My route into theatre was…

An only-child-hood, an active imagination, a love of old Hollywood films mixed in with a brilliant English department at my secondary school. I’m am forever grateful to my English teacher, Mr Fursland, who helped me with my audition speeches for drama school. I didn’t have a clue what I was doing.

2. My West End idol is…

3. My colleagues would describe me as…

I have no idea! A bit of an idiot probably.

4. My favourite show present or past (that isn’t one I star in/work on) is…

I can’t have one favourite, there have been a few recently. Hamilton is pretty special. Going to a show loving the score already, with a 900 hundred other people who know it too and love the songs is cool. I thought View From A Bridge directed by Ivo van Hove was incredible. The Convert at the Gate, a few years ago, Nine Night and also Les Blanc at the National. ear for eye and random by debbie tucker green were breathtaking.

5. The career moment I’m most proud of is…

Olivier nomination for supporting actress for Cyrano de Bergerac was pretty cool.

6. The hardest part about my job/role is…

Never knowing when to have your dinner, I’ve been working for over 25 years as an actor and I still can’t work out when to eat…

7. If I wasn’t an actor, I would be…

8. Something people don’t know about me is…

Surely I should maintain that mystery?

9. The best piece of advice I’ve ever been given is…

Save your tax.

Playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 15 April – 18 June 2022, the one-woman play tells the story of a young criminal barrister named Tessa who defends men accused of rape. When she is assaulted, Tessa faces the same problems as the victims of her clients, including not being believed.

Jodie – who will be stepping into the role Tessa – rose to stardom after starring in BBC thriller series Killing Eve as assassin Villanelle/Oksana, for which she won the 2019 Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series and the British Academy Television Award for Best Actress. Most recently, she starred in 20th Century Studios’ Free Guy and The Last Duel as well as starring alongside Stephen Graham in Help, a one-off drama show about the UK care system.

Prima Facie, a Latin term used in law meaning “at first sight” or “on first impression”, is directed by the award-winning Justin Martin, whose hit play The Jungle (A Young Vic/National Theatre co-production) is being adapted into a film for the BBC.

The hard-hitting play, which will be transferring from Australia after its debut there in 2019, has already won two of the highest honours at the Australian Writers’ Guild’s annual AWGIE Awards, winning the 2020 Major Award and the David Williamson Prize for Excellence in Writing for Australian Theatre.

Speaking of her West End debut, Jodie Comer said: “It’s such an honour to have been given the opportunity to work with Justin Martin, Suzie Miller and the whole team on this wonderfully unique play. I look forward to bringing Tessa to life and introducing her to the audiences at the Harold Pinter theatre next Spring.”

Producer James Bierman commented: “I am incredibly privileged to be able to bring Suzie’s timely and important play to the West End with such a hugely talented group of people. Jodie is one of the most brilliant actors working today and her, this play, and Justin’s team are a perfect mix.”

With Suzie Miller drawing on her own experience working as a lawyer (before becoming a playwright), we’re certain Prima Facie will be one of the most powerful and talked about shows of 2022. Be sure to grab your ticket below.

Madeline recently played Macy Vaughn in CBS studios series Charmed and Miss Clara in the BBC’s The Long Song. Other TV credits include; Casualty, The Tomorrow People, Age Before Beauty and Into the Badlands. Films include: Edge of Tomorrow with Tom Cruise, Breaking Brooklyn and The Truth Commissioner.

She will be starring in the witty comedy alongside British comedy institution, Jennifer Saunders, who will revive her role as the clairvoyant Madame Arcati. They will be joined by original cast members Geoffrey Streatfield (Spooks, The Thick of It, RSC’s Histories Cycle) as Charles Condomine, Lisa Dillon (BBC’s Cranford, RSC’s The Roaring Girl and The Taming of the Shrew, the Old Vic’s Design for Living) as Ruth Condomine, Simon Coates (1984, Richard III at the Almeida, King John at Shakespeare’s Globe) as Dr Bradman, Lucy Robinson (Handbagged at the Vaudeville Theatre, Coronation Street, Call The Midwife) as Mrs Bradman and Rose Wardlaw (The Winters Tale, Shakespeare’s Globe, Call The Midwife and Doctors) as Edith.

The production brings together a distinguished and multi-award-winning creative team, directed by former National Theatre director Sir Richard Eyre with design by Anthony Ward, lighting by Howard Harrison, sound by John Leonard and illusions by Paul Kieve. Sir Richard Eyre was at the helm of the National Theatre for 10 years and is the winner of five Olivier Awards including a Lifetime Achievement Award. His numerous hugely-acclaimed productions include Guys and Dolls, The Invention of Love and Private Lives. His award- winning film and television work includes Iris, Tumbledown and The Children Act.

The hilarious Blithe Spirit was written in 1941 by English playwright Noël Coward to provide a distraction at the height of the World War II when it was staged for the first time. The gone-wrong, witty and meticulously engineered comedy tells the story of a couple haunted by a previous relationship – literally.

The show had a record-breaking run in the West End and on Broadway and remains one of the playwright’s most popular works.

Novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, at a séance. When she appears, visible only to Charles, and determined to sabotage his current marriage, life – and the afterlife – get complicated.

With an award-winning creative team bringing Blithe Spirit to life on stage in the West End, this production promises lots of laughs, sparks and spirit-lifting hijinks! Get your tickets to see this iconic show below.

Anna X, a new play by Joseph Carlton opened on 10 July at the Harold Pinter Theatre as part of Sonia Friedman’s Re:Emerge Season, and we’ve got a first look at production images.

The new Re:Emerge season has created a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond, working alongside some of the industry’s greatest theatremakers and artist.

Immersed in an addictive world of front-row fashion shows, private views, and endless parties, Anna and Ariel find themselves struggling to keep up with New York’s dazzling social elite. How far will two outsiders go to construct the identities they want? And at what price?

Starring Golden Globe Award-winner Emma Corrin (Princess Diana in Netflix’s The Crown) and Royal Television Society’s 2019 Breakthrough star Nabhaan Rizwan (BBC crime drama, Informer), the play is inspired by real events and explores the searing tale of self-invention, determination, and deceit.

Find out more and grab your tickets to see this fresh new play below.

New production images from Les Misérables: The Staged Concert released

Boublil & Schönberg’s musical crusade Les Misérables: The Staged Concert is #BackOnStage and playing at the Sondheim Theatre until 5 September.

We went to check out the first performance and described the experience as “emotional” and “It is such an intricate story – It is a classic for a reason.”

With a principal cast including Jon Robyns as Jean Valjean, Bradley Jaden as Javert, Lucie Jones as Fantine, Shan Ako as Éponine, Harry Apps as Marius, Gerard Carey as Thénardier and Josefina Gabrielle as Madame Thénardier.  

This spectacular production has a Company of over 50 actors and musicians drawn from the acclaimed West End and National Tour Companies of Les Misérables.

Set during the revolution, this international award-winning musical has passion, fear, hope, love and some absolute tunes. The show features iconic music, including, I Dreamed A Dream, On My Own, Do You Hear The People Sing?, One Day More, At The End Of The Day, and the ultimate tear-jerker, Bring Him Home.

Check out our experience below and book your tickets to see this iconic West End musical now.

Julia Donaldson’s Zog and the Flying Doctors arrives on stage in 2022

Zog and his crew are flying back to the stage with a brand-new adventure in 2022! Based on the bestselling sequel by Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler, Zog and the Flying Doctors will premiere at Rose Theatre, Kingston from Thursday 10 – Saturday 19 February 2022 prior to a UK Tour.

Zog, super keen student turned air-ambulance, still lands with a crash-bang-thump. With his Flying Doctor crew, Princess Pearl and Sir Gadabout, they tend to a sunburnt mermaid, a unicorn with one too many horns and a lion with the flu. But Pearl’s uncle, the King, has other ideas about whether princesses should be doctors, and she’s soon locked back up in the castle in a crown and a silly frilly dress! With a bit of help from her friends, will Pearl prove princesses can be doctors too?

In tonight’s Theatre Chat Live, Frankie will be talking to Ciara Morris who plays Annie in Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong at the Duchess Theatre. Booking until 30 January 2022, the Olivier Award-winning play follows the antics of the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, who are trying their very best to stage a production of a 1920s murder mystery, similar in ilk to other West End shows. But as the show’s title might suggest, this is not as easy as it sounds, with everything that can go wrong… well, doing just that!

Ciara will be giving us a lowdown on the top-notch slapstick comedy as well as talking about how it feels returning #BackOnStage. Be sure to tune in at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram Channel.

Kids Week is on sale from 10am tomorrow

Kids Week is #BackOnStage this August with over 30 London shows participating! Tickets will go on sale at 10am on Wednesday 30 June, available from OfficialLondonTheatre.com

Click the button below to find out more!

First look: Rehearsal images for Anna X at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Ahead of it’s opening on 10 July, we’ve got a first look at Anna X, a new play by Joseph Carlton starring Golden Globe Award-winner Emma Corrin (Netflix’s The Crown) and Royal Television Society’s 2019 Breakthrough star, Nabhaan Rizwan (Informer, BBC), both of whom will be making their West End debuts.

Playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 10 July – 4 August, the searing tale forms a part of Sonia Friedman Production’s Re:Emerge season which offers a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond, working alongside some of the industry’s greatest theatremakers and artists. 

Immersed in an addictive world of front-row fashion shows, private views, and endless parties, Anna and Ariel find themselves struggling to keep up with New York’s dazzling social elite. How far will two outsiders go to construct the identities they want? And at what price?

Inspired by real events, Anna X is a searing tale of self-invention, determination, and deceit. Grab your tickets to see this must-see new play below!

The Shark Is Broken to open in the West End this October

Sonia Friedman Productions is delighted to announce new dates for The Shark is Broken at the Ambassadors Theatre after the production was postponed last year due to the pandemic. Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon’s brilliantly funny play will now run in the West End from 9 October – 15 January. Current ticketholders will be notified of their new performance date by their point of purchase.

Cape Cod, 1974: shooting on ‘Jaws’ has stalled. The film’s lead actors – Robert Shaw, Roy Scheider and Richard Dreyfuss – are stuck on a boat, at the mercy of foul weather and a faulty mechanical co-star. Awash with alcohol and ambition, three hammered sharks start to bare their teeth…

A sell-out, critically acclaimed hit of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2019, The Shark is Broken reveals the hilarious and moving behind-the-scenes drama on one of Hollywood’s all-time biggest blockbusters, Steven Spielberg’s Jaws. The play is co-written by Robert Shaw’s son Ian, who also plays his father, and Joseph Nixon. Guy Masterson directs with the full cast and creative team to be announced soon.

Ian Shaw said: “I first watched ‘Jaws’ when I was about eight. I loved it, even though it terrified me! Like many others, sharks inhabited my dreams, and swimming was off the menu. Over forty years later, the prospect of playing my father in a play that Joseph and I wrote, and bringing to light the off-screen intrigue and comedy that went into the making of a masterpiece, is a unique and very special one.”

Sonia Friedman said: “‘Jaws’ was made against all odds, and became one of the greatest films of all time. So, we always knew we had to bring this brilliantly original play to the Ambassadors Theatre in spite of everything. Ian Shaw and Joseph Nixon deliver a hilarious and uniquely personal perspective on one of the most legendary moments in film history, bringing three Hollywood icons to life onstage. Hysterically funny and oddly profound, ‘The Shark Is Broken’ is the sort of unexpected gem you only find at the Edinburgh Fringe, and I cannot wait to share it with West End audiences – at last!”

Britain’s biggest theatre-circus spectacular, Cirque Berserk!, brings its record-breaking show back to London’s West End, at The Garrick Theatre from 25 August – 11 September 2021.

The hair-raising and hilarious Cirque Berserk! celebrates its return to the stage, following the cancellation of its performances since March last year due to lockdown restrictions. Combining contemporary cirque-style artistry with adrenaline-fuelled stunt action, the 2021 show features audiences’ favourite Berserk! acts from around the world plus some thrilling new ones.

A unique collaboration between classical circus artists, some from tenth generation circus families, and a theatrical creative team, Cirque Berserk! is the UK’s biggest and most diverse full-scale circus production created specially for proscenium-arch theatres.

This astoundingly talented international troupe features over thirty acrobats, aerialists and daredevil stuntmen showcasing the finest in traditional circus thrills and skills, including the legendary high-speed motorcycle ‘Globe of Death’.

The company has performed throughout the UK and internationally, and is a regular must-see at Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, where it has established itself as the Fringe’s best-selling show of all time.

Tickets will be available to purchase on Official London Theatre from 10am on Wednesday 30 June as part of our much-love Kids Week initiative which runs throughout August. Find out more about Cirque Berserk and Kids Week by clicking the button below!

First look: Production images of Constellations with Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah

Constellations today releases a first look at beautiful production images from Constellations starring Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah.

In an innovative producing model, devised in response to the pandemic, four brand new casts will take turns to journey through the multiverse exploring the infinite possibilities of a relationship; each refracting the play afresh. The couples are Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah (18 June – 1 August) Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker (23 June – 24 July), Omari Douglas and Russell Tovey (30 July – 11 September), and Anna Maxwell Martin and Chris O’Dowd (6 August – 12 September).

We went to check out the opening night of the Donmar Warehouse’ West End revival at Vaudeville Theatre and it did not disappoint! Check out our experience below and grab your tickets to see this star-studded play.

The Old Vic today announces the two new specially commissioned monologues

The Old Vic today announces the two new specially commissioned monologues for Queers, curated by Mark Gatiss, to mark Pride Month. I Threw It, written by Travis Alabanza and performed by Kim Tatum AKA Mzz Kimberley, and Bee, by Jade Anouka and performed by Pearl Mackie, will be directed by Sean Linnen. The monologues will premiere as part of Your Old Vic and will be available for free on The Old Vic’s YouTube channel from 30 Jun.

Originally commissioned in 2017, Queers commemorated the 50th anniversary of the Sexual Offences Act from the perspective of those whose lives it affected with a poignant, funny, tragic and riotous celebration. These two new commissions are stories from the wider LGBTQ+ community.

Queers, curated by Mark Gatiss, is part of The Old Vic’s One Voice series. The original monologues were produced in partnership with the BBC and were re-released on BBC iPlayer on 02 Jun.

With dramaturgy by Annabel Bolton, casting by Jessica Ronane CDG, design consultation by Polly Sullivan and the composer is Rebekah Alero. Ashen Gupta is Assistant Director on I Threw It and Kwame Owusu is Assistant Director on Bee.

Queers is part of One Voice, a series of monologues specially commissioned by The Old Vic and funded by the TS Eliot Estate, with one-off performances from renowned actors. One Voice celebrates the most raw of theatre forms – a single voice on a stage without scenery, without costume and nothing to rely on but words.

The One Voice series is conceived by Artistic Director Matthew Warchus.

Jess was super excited to see J’Ouvert having spoken to Gabrielle Brooks on Theatre Chat Live all about her her experiences with carnival and how from the age of 15, attending Notting Hill Carnival became an annual tradition for her and her close friends.  

Set in 2017, Yasmin Joseph’s J’Ouvert – first seen at Theatre503 – reveals Notting Hill Carnival through the eyes of two best friends. Jade and Nadine are fighting for space in a world that should be theirs. A timely echo of Caribbean resistance across centuries and a story of the joys and dangers of young Black womanhood in 21st Century Britain. 

The play forms part of Sonia Friedman Production’s new Re:Emerge season at The Harold Pinter Theatre, which creates a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond, working alongside some of the industry’s greatest theatremakers and artists.

The extraordinary collection of plays curated by SFP alongside Ian Rickson – who becomes Artistic Director for the season – tackles urgent issues integral to rebuilding our society, including structural inequality, climate change and the economics of truth in an internet age.

This was echoed in Jess and Damien’s final thoughts, saying “it has so much to say, and a lot to tell people.” Follow their trip to J’Ouvert below.

If you want to see a joyful and fearless story of two best friends, battling to preserve tradition in a society where women’s bodies are frequently under threat or you simply want to check out some brilliant new emerging talent, grab your tickets below to see J’Ouvert, playing at the Harold Pinter Theatre until 3 July.

J’Ouvert is the debut play of James Tait Black Award-winner Yasmin Joseph and reveals Notting Hill Carnival through the eyes of two best friends navigating the joys and dangers of young Black womanhood in 21st Century Britain.

Gabrielle shares her own experiences with carnival and how from the age of 15, attending Notting Hill Carnival became an annual tradition for her and her close friends. She explains how the play resonates with her life and how she feels carnivals have evolved over time. Gabrielle also gives us an insight into her important work with BlackStage UK, a documentary style web series that addresses the racial injustices experienced by Black workers in the UK’s creative and entertainment industries.

The second guest of this week’s Theatre Chat Live is Paul Taylor-Mills, former Artistic Director at The Other Palace and now the Artistic Director at The Turbine Theatre in Battersea. Jess chats to Paul all about his journey into the industry, from an actor to a young producer. His career highlights includes working on In The Heights, Heathers The Musical and attending (and winning!) at the Olivier Awards.

One of his most recent projects, the MT Fest, showcases new musicals with a view to elevating them to full production, and giving audiences an insight into the process of creating new work and the art of collaboration. Featuring eight different shows, there’s something for everyone! The festival is currently embarking on a digital UK tour until 4 July!

If you’d like to celebrate the return of theatre #BackOnStage, be sure to check out the video below and book your tickets below!

Don’t forget to tune in to Theatre Chat Live next Tuesday at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel for more special guests and stagey chat! And, if you’d like to check out some of our previous episodes, head to our playlist, here.

Tune into Theatre Chat Live tonight at 6:30pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel where Jess will be joined by special guests Gabrielle Brooks and Paul Taylor-Mills.

Gabrielle will be starring in Yasmin Joseph’s J’OUVERT at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 16 June – 13 July as part of Sonia Friedman Production’s RE:EMERGE season. First seen at Theatre503, J’ouvert reveals Notting Hill Carnival through the eyes of two best friends navigating the joys and dangers of young Black womanhood in 21st Century Britain. Gabrielle is also the creator and producer of BlackStage UK, a documentary style web series that addresses the racial injustices experienced by Black workers in the UK’s creative and entertainment industries.

Jess will be talking to Gabrielle about all things J’Ouvert and Black Stage UK while Paul Taylor-Mills, Artistic Director of The Turbine Theatre will be sharing all about what’s up and coming at the venue and more!

Be sure to tune in then and if you’d like to see more, don’t forget to check out some of our previous episodes including those with special guests Lucie Jones (Les Misérables – The Staged Concert) and Rhiannon Porter (Abba Mania), Strictly stars Graziano di Parma and Nadiya Bychoka from Here Come The Boys and Francesca Forristal and Jordan Paul Clarke, the brilliant duo behind the new British musical, Public Domain.

We’ll see you tonight at 6pm!

The Old Vic and Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) announce membership match funding

Today, The Old Vic are delighted to announce that Royal Bank of Canada (RBC) have renewed their support as The Old Vic’s Principal Partner and, in a further gesture of support, will be match funding pound for pound all new Memberships and renewals from now until 31 August 2021. As the theatre works to rebuild and reopen after more than a year of closure, it is hoped that this match funding initiative will incentivise those passionate about theatre’s ability to educate and inspire to play a vital part in our recovery through buying a Membership.

Starting at just £65 per year, the new-look relaunched Membership scheme – now named OV TOGETHER – offers a variety of ways for people to get closer to The Old Vic with priority booking, inspiring events, and crucially, directly supporting our work on and off stage. By joining the OV TOGETHER community, our incredible Members enable us to continue making a positive change to people’s lives through storytelling whilst helping to safeguard our future at this critical time. For more information on OV TOGETHER visit here.

RBC became The Old Vic’s Principal Partner at the beginning of Matthew Warchus’ Artistic Directorship in 2015 and since then have supported over 30 productions. Their ongoing support enables us to programme bold and broad seasons of entertaining and socially resonate productions.

In the face of the challenges of the last year, RBC generously evolved and even enhanced their support to enable The Old Vic’s artistic and social mission work, including our innovative IN CAMERA and PLAYBACK series; our free to access Your Old Vic programme of artistic and educational content; an inclusive festive community project, Curtain Up; the digital delivery of the theatre’s flagship free social mobility programme, Take the Lead; and became Principal Partner of The Old Vic’s Emerging Talent Programme, nurturing the theatre makers of tomorrow to support the next generation of talent.

RBC’s renewal and match funding comes at a seminal time for The Old Vic as we seek to emerge from the crisis and an extended period of closure to thrive once again. They recognise the integral role of the creative industries in building thriving communities and strong economies, and now more so than ever, as we begin our cultural, social and economic rebuild.

Dave Thomas, CEO, RBC Europe said: ‘We are thrilled to support The Old Vic as they move towards reopening their doors after such an incredibly challenging year for the theatre and the arts sector. As Principal Partner, Royal Bank of Canada is honoured to have supported The Old Vic’s mainstage productions, helped young people into employment through our sponsorship of the theatre’s innovative Take the Lead initiative and welcomed The Old Vic as our first RBC Emerging Artist Project partner outside Canada. Our partnership with the theatre means a great deal to all of us and we are delighted to support the membership match fund campaign – here’s to a successful reopening and we look forward to being back at The Old Vic soon.’

Kate Varah Executive Director of The Old Vic, said: ‘Over the last five years, and in particular over the last 18 months, RBC’s support has been seminal for the survival of The Old Vic. It is their belief in our work on and off stage that has enabled us to go further in everything we do, and to connect with more people than ever before. Whether it be our eclectic Seasons of shows or the enhanced support of education and employability programmes such as Take the Lead, none of it would be possible without RBC’s steadfast support. We are thrilled to continue to evolve our relationship with them as we embark on our journey to revive and reopen. This latest matched funding challenge is typical of their generous, collegiate approach and we hope will inspire new members to join in.’

Lambert Jackson announces Well Behaved Women

Lambert Jackson today announce Well-Behaved Women, a new song cycle by Carmel Dean celebrating women across history. Directed by Julie Atherton, with musical direction by Ellie Verkerk, the concert runs for one night only at Cadogan Hall on Friday 3 September.

The cast comprises Maisey Bawden (Lady Liberty), Anna-Jane Casey (Billie Jean King and Janet Armstrong), Janie Dee (Eleanor Roosevelt), Nicole Raquel Dennis (Eve), Hiba Elchikhe (Cleopatra and Malala Yousafzai), Kerry Ellis (Boudicca), Gabriela García (Frida Kahlo), Cassidy Janson (Virginia Woolf), Rachel John (Maya Angelou), Linda John-Pierre (Harriet Tubman) and Rachael Wooding (Mary Magdalene), accompanied by an all-female live band.

What would Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Harriet Tubman, Frida Kahlo, and Malala Yousafzai sound like if you heard them sing? Find out in Well-Behaved Women, a new collection of songs by Carmel Dean. These women – and more – will be brought to life by some of the West End’s finest leading ladies, and through these powerful and often hilarious songs, will celebrate the ways in which their bad-ass behaviour helped them make history.

Well-Behaved Women is a wonderful ode to the fierce famous females from history, with their stories of courage, strength and resilience memorialised through a range of musical styles from rock and jazz to country.

Jamie Lambert and Eliza Jackson said today “We are thrilled to present the UK premiere of this exciting new song cycle celebrating some of the most wonderful women throughout history. To be able to celebrate and commemorate those who have fought the fight for equality in all forms before us, in such a fun and moving way, is an honour, and to have gathered this incredible group of women in one performance shows the passion and dedication that all involved possess for this incredibly important topic. Inspired by the emergence of the #MeToo movement, these stories of courage, strength and resilience are memorialised through music in the most special of ways.”

Maisey Bawden plays Lady Liberty. Her credits for the company include Dr Zhivago – The UK Concert (Cadogan Hall). Other theatre credits include An Officer and A Gentleman (UK tour), 35mm (The Other Palace), Honeymoon in Vegas (London Palladium), How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying (Wilton’s Music Hall), The Tempest (Stafford Gatehouse Theatre), 27 (The Cockpit), The Tempest (Shakespeare’s Globe), King Charles III Royal Gala (Almeida Theatre) and Little Shop of Horrors (Theatr Clwyd). For television, her credits include You, Me and The Apocalypse, and The Sound of Music Live.

From the incredibly powerful curtain call on the opening night, we could already tell it’s a show not to be missed.

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Official London Theatre (@londontheatre)

This brand new play is all about a Cassie, A NASA botanist and her relationship with her estranged twin sister, Stella. Old wounds resurface as the sisters attempt to pick up the pieces of the rivalry that broke them apart.

Richard and Milly’s post-show thoughts gave a special kudos to the incredibly talented cast.

Walden is a debut play by Amy Berryman and forms a part of Sonia Friedman Production’s RE:EMERGE season which celebrates plays for a new world and creates a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond, working alongside some of the industry’s greatest theatremakers and artists.

Supported by Arts Council England, RE:EMERGE will support the theatre-makers of the future, provide vital work for the freelance community and celebrate the live experience as we begin to build back to the full reopening of British Theatre.

Other productions forming part of the season include Yasmin Joseph’s J’OUVERT, directed by Rebekah Murrell, starring Annice Boparai, Gabrielle Brooks, Sapphire Joy and Zuyane Russell and Joseph Charlton’s ANNA X, directed by Daniel Raggett, starring Emma Corrin and Nabhaan Rizwan.

Check out the magical footage from the opening night of the RE:EMERGE season above and if you’d like to see Walden on stage, be sure to book your tickets as it’s playing for a limited time only.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions, Lee Dean and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions are delighted to announce the West End return of Noël Coward’s classic comedy Blithe Spirit, directed by Sir Richard Eyre and starring Jennifer Saunders.

After celebrating a sell-out run at Theatre Royal Bath as part of its 2019 Summer season, a UK tour and a short run in London of just 12 performances before the country’s first lockdown curtailed its six-week run at the Duke of York’s Theatre in March 2020, this production now returns to the West End for 8 weeks from Thursday 16 September at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Jennifer Saunders, one of the UK’s most popular comic actors, will revive her role as the preposterous clairvoyant Madame Arcati. She is joined by original cast members Geoffrey Streatfeild who will star as Charles Condomine, Lisa Dillon as Ruth Condomine, Simon Coates as Dr Bradman, Lucy Robinson as Mrs Bradman, and Rose Wardlaw as Edith. The production brings together a distinguished and multi-award-winning creative team, directed by former National Theatre director Sir Richard Eyre with design by Anthony Ward, lighting by Howard Harrison, sound by John Leonard and illusions by Paul Kieve.

Written in 1941, Coward’s inventive, witty and meticulously engineered comedy proved light relief and a popular distraction at the height of World War II when it was first staged. The show had a record-breaking run in the West End and on Broadway and remains one of the playwright’s most popular works.

Novelist Charles Condomine and his second wife Ruth are literally haunted by a past relationship when an eccentric medium inadvertently conjures up the ghost of his first wife, Elvira, at a séance. When she appears, visible only to Charles, and determined to sabotage his current marriage, life – and the afterlife – get complicated.

With a distinguished creative team who have won a plethora of awards between them, this is a Blithe Spirt full of sparkling and spirit-lifting hijinks. Get your tickets to see this iconic show below.

Cast announced for Heathers The Musical

Greetings, salutations and welcome to the West End 2021 class of Westerberg High.

Leading the cast in the highly celebrated return of Heathers the Musical in the West End is Christina Bennington (Bat Out Of Hell) in the role of high school geek Veronica Sawyer and Jordan Luke Gage (& Juliet) as the dark and moody teen, Jason Dean (JD).

Check out the video above and read our full story below to find all the latest details.

Public Domain releases brand new production images

Public Domain is a dark, funny, verbatim musical about the internet: Those who own it; those who live in it; and YOU!

Yesterday night, Kayley and Natalie from the Official London Theatre team went to check it out at the Vaudeville Theatre and described their #BackOnStage experience as “a really clever concept and original idea for a new musical.”

Swipe through the amazing new production shots above and read all about our experience in the story below!

UK PREMIERE Wild Card: Christopher Matthews / formed view my body’s an exhibition at Sadler’s Wells

Choreographer and performance artist Christopher Matthews curates my body’s an exhibition at Sadler’s Wells on Friday 25 and Saturday 26 June. In this immersive event, multidisciplinary installations are scattered throughout the building in the foyers, studios, stages and backstage spaces, and explore themes of gender, class structure, intersections of the classical and contemporary, icon vs self and pop culture.

my body’s an exhibition presents over 22 works by international performance makers and artists in the form of video, photography, collage, sound, light, text and live movement installations.

Taking the Janet Jackson lyrics “my body’s an exhibition baby” from the song Feedback (2008) as inspiration, audiences are invited to explore the role of the spectator when observing the body as an object, as well as how bodies are seen, and what it means to be seen. Alongside this, Matthews asks how history and popular culture collide, or coincide.

The event includes the world premiere of Matthews’ own work My Body’s Number 1 as well as his work for gallery spaces, Lads. The event will also include a new work by Matthews, inspired by Sadler’s Wells’ history in pop culture. Additional contributing artists include Phoebe Berglund, Bhenji Ra, Fenia Kotsopoulou, John Philip Sage, Songhay Toldon, Nasheeka Nedsreal and Myrid Carten, all of whom will be making their Sadler’s Wells debut.

Paul Chowdhry joins Regent’s Park MoreOutdoor series

Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre have announced that Paul Chowdhry is joining this year’s MOREoutdoor comedy line up. Other acts previously announced including Luisa Omielan, Aisling Bea, Jimmy Carr and Canned Laughter present a comedy fundraiser in support of the Trussell Trust featuring Lolly Adefope, Kemah Bob, Jen Brister, Bridget Christie, Ed Gamble, Rosie Jones, Jamali Maddix, Rose Matafeo, Mawaan Rizwan, and Suzi Ruffell.

MOREoutdoor events also include a 20^th anniversary screening of Baz Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge! and a screening of The Shining both presented by The Luna Cinema.

Paul Chowdhry (18 July) is a multi-award winning comedy powerhouse, known for his Amazon Prime special Live Innit as well as Taskmaster and Live at the Apollo. He comes to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre for a night of new heavy jokes.

Luisa Omielan, (04 July) who brings her show God is a Woman to Regent’s Park, is the first British comedian to ever receive a BAFTA Breakthrough Award for comedy. She is known for her ground-breaking shows which are uplifting, thought provoking, ahead-of-the-times and damn funny. Cry your eyes out funny. Her past shows include What Would Beyoncé Do?!, Am I Right Ladies?! and Politics for Bitches which was adapted into a six part series for BBC Radio 4.

Aisling Bea (04 July) is an award winning writer comedian and actor known for her appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats, Netflix’s Living With Yourself and her Channel 4 sitcom This Way Up. She will be celebrating the 4^th July at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre by playing around with some new and old material and inviting some of her exciting American friends to join her! A proportion of the profits from this show will be donated to Refuge – providing specialist support for women and children experiencing domestic violence.

Jimmy Carr (11 July) is one of Britain’s best known comedians, hosting 8 Out of 10 Cats and The Big Fat Quiz of the Year. He brings his trademark black comedy to Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre with his show, Terribly Funny.

Be sure to use #BackOnStage when sharing your theatre experiences so that we can support and celebrate all the amazing shows!

Amy Berryman’s Walden which is currently running at the Harold Pinter Theatre as the first production in Sonia Friedman Production’s RE:EMERGE season has today released new production images. Starring Gemma Arterton, Fehinti Balogun, Lydia Wilson this debut play follows the story of Cassie, a NASA botanist, who after returning from a year-long Moon mission, finds herself in a remote cabin in the woods, where her estranged twin sister, Stella, a former NASA architect, has found a new life with climate activist Bryan. Old wounds resurface as the sisters attempt to pick up the pieces of the rivalry that broke them apart.

If this curtain call is anything to go by, this new play is well worth booking!

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Official London Theatre (@londontheatre)

Manny Tsakanika from Magic Mike joins Theatre Chat Live tomorrow night

Join Jess tomorrow night at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel where she will be joined on Theatre Chat Live by Manny Tsakanika, cast member of Magic Mike Live!

Conceived and directed by Channing Tatum, MAGIC MIKE LIVE is an unforgettably fun night of sizzling, 360-degree entertainment based on the hit movies. Jess will be talking to Manny about all things Magic Mike Live, returning #BackOnStage and more!

Be sure to tune in then. And in the meantime, you can check out last week’s episode with Lucie Jones (Les Misérables – Staged Concert) and Rhiannon Porter (Abba Mania), here. Previous episodes can be enjoyed here.

See you then!

First look: Amy Trigg’s Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me

For the first time since theatres closed on 16 March 2020, Kiln Theatre will re-open to share live performance with audiences with a season of work including three world premières including Reasons You Should(n’t) Love Me by. Today, we get a first look at some production images!

The play, written and performed by Amy Trigg, won the inaugural Women’s Prize for Playwriting last year, and is produced by The Women’s Prize for Playwriting, Paines Plough, 45North and Kiln Theatre.

Playing from 24 May – 12 June, it follows the story of Juno, who was born with spina bifida and is now clumsily navigating her twenties amidst street healers, love, loneliness – and the feeling of being an unfinished project.

“For a long time I didn’t know how it’d work. Or what I’d be able to feel. People would ask me if I could have sex and I’d feign shock and act wildly offended whilst secretly wanting to grab them by the shoulders and be like “I don’t know, Janet!” 

Click here to find out more and join our Theatre Chat Live on Tuesday 1 June at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram Channel where we will be talking to Amy Trigg to get the full lowdown on her new play and all things theatre!

We got a first look at rehearsal images from Walden, ahead of its opening at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 22 May.

Playing until 12 June, Walden is the debut play by Amy Berryman, starring star Gemma Arterton (Quantum of Solace), Fehinti Balogun (Juliet, Naked) and Lydia Wilson (The Duchess of Malfi).

It forms a part of Sonia Friedman Production’s new season of new plays for a new world. The RE:EMERGE season at The Harold Pinter Theatre will create a space for vital, new voices and fresh talent in the West End and beyond, working alongside some of the industry’s greatest theatremakers and artists.

Walden tells the story of Cassie, a NASA botanist, who after returning from a year long Moon Mission, finds herself in a remote cabin in the woods. Here, her estranged twin sister, Stella, a former NASA architect, has found a new life with climate activist Bryan. Old wounds resurface as the sisters attempt to pick up the pieces of the rivalry that broke them apart.

Grab your tickets to see this epic new drama and give yourself something to look forward to when shows return #BackOnStage.

Strictly Come Dancing stars Aljaž & Pasha and Public Domain writers/stars join us on Theatre Chat Live

NOTE: Update as of 5pm 11 May. Aljaž Škorjanec and Pasha Kovalev are no longer able to join Theatre Chat Live, so we’ll instead be joined by Graziano di Prima and Nadiya Bychkova

Tune into Theatre Chat Live on Tuesday 11 May at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel where we will be joined by a host of special guests including Strictly Come Dancing stars Aljaž Škorjanec and Pasha Kovalev (Here Come The Boys) and Francesca Forristal & Jordan Paul Clarke, writers and stars of new British musical Public Domain.

We’ll be chatting all things theatre getting the lowdown on their upcoming shows so mark your diaries and we’ll see you there! In the meantime, you can watch our previous episodes of Theatre Chat Live here.

Our previous guests have included Louise Dearman and Oliver Tompsett, Magic FM presenters Alex Baker and Ruthie Henshall and Aimie Atkinson, Millie O’Connell, Natalie May Paris, Grace Mouat, Alexia McIntosh, Jarneia Richard-Noel and Maiya Quansah-Breed – the Olivier nominated stars of the original West End production of Six the Musical.

All-star cast announced for second Monday Night At The Apollo concert series

The star line up has been confirmed for the second concert of the series for Monday Night at the Apollo – which will be performed in front of a socially distanced audience at the Apollo Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on Monday 14 June, and simultaneously livestreamed to viewers at home via the theatre discovery platform Thespie, which is dedicated to bringing the best live and recorded theatre to audiences around the world.

Shan Ako (Les Misérable, Xfactor), Arthur Darvill (Once, Doctor Who), Sophie Evans (Wicked, Wizard of Oz), Sandra Marvin (Waitress, Emmerdale) and Oliver Tompsett (&Juliet, Wicked) will join on-stage for an intimate night of music and theatrical chat.

Click here to read the full story and grab your tickets below!

The much-anticipated World Premiere of ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S CINDERELLA begins performances at the Gillian Lynne Theatre on 25 June, a new romantic musical comedy featuring a book by 2021 OSCAR winner EMERALD FENNELL (Promising Young Woman) and lyrics by Tony & Olivier award winner DAVID ZIPPEL (City of Angels). LAURENCE CONNOR (Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, School of Rock) directs with choreography by JOANNE HUNTER.

This brand new production of an ancient tale promises to tell the rags-to-riches story the world loves in a totally new way. Get ready to meet Cinderella like you’ve never seen her before and find out more in the brilliant new video above!

Yasmin Joseph’s J’Ouvert broadcasts on BBC Four this evening as part of the BBC’s Lights Up season

Yasmin Joseph’s J’Ouvert broadcasts on BBC Four this evening at 10pm as part of the BBC’s Lights Up season, ahead of opening at the Harold Pinter Theatre as part of Sonia Friedman Productions RE:EMERGE season, which also includes Amy Berryman’s Walden and Joseph Charlton’s Anna X.

2017. Carnival is here. The streets of Notting Hill are alive with history and amidst the soca, sequins, and endless feathers, Jade and Nadine are fighting for space in a world that should be theirs. A timely echo of Caribbean resistance across centuries, J’OUVERT is a joyful and fearless story of two best friends, battling to preserve tradition in a society where women’s bodies are frequently under threat.

J’OUVERT marks the debut play of James Tait Black Award-winner Yasmin Joseph and directorial debut of actor Rebekah Murrell (Nine Night), coming together with Annice Boparai (Trojan Horse), Gabrielle Brooks (Twelfth Night), Sapphire Joy (Our Country’s Good) and DJ Zuyane Russell to tell this epic story at the Harold Pinter Theatre.

To find out what other theatre you can enjoy online, head over to our online calendar here.

[inline-image-gallery id=”jouvert”]

Wicked to return to the West End from September

Wicked, the West End and Broadway musical phenomenon that tells the incredible untold story of the Witches of Oz, will return to London’s Apollo Victoria Theatre later this year, with performances resuming on Wednesday 15 September 2021.

Tickets for this booking period will be available to book on Official London Theatre from 17 May so be sure to mark your diaries and click here to find out more.

Nimax Theatres to stage the work of 23 first-time producers in Rising Stars Festival

Twenty-three young theatre producers are being given a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to present their work in the West End for the first time.

Their 17 productions – plays, musicals, concerts and one-off events – have attracted wonderful performers from emerging talent to popular West End stars. The Rising Stars Festival will run from May to September in Nimax’s six theatres (the Apollo, Duchess, Garrick, Lyric, Palace and Vaudeville).

From musicals and plays to one-off concerts, there’s plenty for everyone to enjoy in the new season. Find out all the details here.

Rob Madge joins us tomorrow on Theatre Chat Live

Tune into our Theatre Chat Live tomorrow at 6pm on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel where we will be joined by Rob Madge who will be telling us all about their stagey childhood and upcoming debut show, My Son’s A Queer But What Can You Do, at the Turbine Theatre.

Theatre Chat Live is our series of Instagram lives where we’ll ask you, our audiences, a question and give you the opportunity to get to know some industry superstars. It’s a great way to connect with other theatre fans and our previous guests have included Louise Dearman and Oliver Tompsett, Aisha Jawando as well as Aimie Atkinson, Millie O’Connell, Natalie May Paris, Grace Mouat, Alexia McIntosh, Jarneia Richard-Noel and Maiya Quansah-Breed – the Olivier nominated stars of the original West End production of ‘Six the Musical‘.

Be sure to join us tomorrow at 6pm and in the meantime, you can watch our previous episodes in the playlist right here.

The Comeback returns to the Noël Coward Theatre for a limited 3-week run in July

The Comeback is the debut play from The Pin’s award-winning Ben Ashenden and Alex Owen. Its mix of hilarity, emotional heart and irresistible charm offers the perfect escapism for audiences of all ages. The Comeback first opened to rave reviews in December 2020, before being shut down after just 9 performances due to the government-enforced national lockdown. Now, the producers and creative team are delighted to bring back The Comeback for a limited 3-week run at the Noël Coward Theatre this July.

The Comeback, tells the story of two double acts fighting to wrest control of the most chaotic, farcical and high-stakes gig of their respective careers. Directed by Emily Burns, The Comeback promises to bring heart-warming joy and laughter to the Noël Coward Theatre this summer.

Up-and-coming comics Alex and Ben have been booked in the warm-up spot for a beloved but fading double act’s comeback tour. Neither duo is delighted to be playing to a sparse crowd in a sleepy, seaside town, but when it’s revealed that a Hollywood director is in the audience, both acts glimpse a final chance for their big break. Cue sabotage, mistaken identity and full on farcical mayhem, as the performance descends into a desperate battle for the limelight. With the action alternating between offstage and on, and the tone between Noises Off and Morecambe and Wise’s old-school charm, this is a warm-hearted, joyful, and dazzlingly funny new comedy.

Each night Ashenden and Owen will be joined on stage by a surprise celebrity guest star playing a cameo role in the production.

The production will be staged in a Covid safe environment following current government advice, with audiences adhering to social distancing guidelines; and in line with Society of London Theatre’s See It Safely campaign.

Tickets will be available right here on Official London Theatre on 30 April, so mark your diaries and be sure to check back on our Theatre Tickets page.