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 is particularly true of shows which haven’t opened yet. Given these shows are new and may be unfamiliar to you, we thought we’d take a closer look at shows in the New Year Sale which are opening in the coming months…

January

Gerry & Sewell opens on 13 January. This heart-warming comedy about friendships and underdogs follows two Newcastle United fans desperate to get a season ticket. After a sell-out run in the North East, the play transfers to the West End for only two weeks.

Chichester Festival Theatre has a strong record of West End transfers – think Half A Sixpence, Quiz, revivals of Gypsy and Caroline, Or Change – and it shows no signs of slowing down.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage Of Harold Fry is a new musical based on Rachel Joyce’s profound and funny novel, with music by indie musician Passenger. It had rave reviews in Chichester last summer and transfers with original cast members Mark Addy and Olivier Award winner Jenna Russell, with previews from 29 January and New Year Sale prices in February, too.

Theatre company Frantic Assembly celebrate their 30^th anniversary with a new play, Lost Atoms, written by Anna Jordan who wrote episodes of Succession and One Day. The play charts the life-changing relationship of Jess and Robbie and focusses on how differing memories can change our stories. It runs at the Lyric Hammersmith from 30 January – 28 February, taking part in the New Year Sale for February performances.

February

For one night only, X Factor contestant turned West End star Lucie Jones is Live At The London Palladium. Blending her live gig roots with the drama of her stage career, including regular performances in Les Miserables and the leading role in Waitress, this will be a unique concert that showcases her incredible vocal talent. Expect surprise appearances and unique collaborations. 16 February only.

Evening All Afternoon is a brand new play by American playwright Anna Ziegler, who had a hit on the West End with Photograph 51, starring Nicole Kidman. This play explores the relationship between a stepmother and stepdaughter, confronting the human dilemma about facing loss and opening up to new connections. The play runs from 19 February – 11 April at the Donmar Warehouse, an intimate and compelling space with a storied history.

March

Sibling duo Nina and Moses Raine (Consent and Donkey Heart, respectively) team up for a new translation of Summer Folk, by Russian dramatist Maxim Gorky. 1905 was a hot, beautiful summer in Russia, but while the elite wine and dine, a storm is on the horizon. The story is fitting for the Raines, whose great uncle was Boris Pasternak, author of Doctor Zhivago. Summer Folk runs from 12 March – 29 April at the National Theatre.

While you can find opera and ballet at the London Coliseum for much of the year, London’s largest theatre stages a big musical each summer. This March will see the first West End revival of Kinky Boots.

The show is based on the British film and true story of a Northampton shoe factory that hits hard times, then takes a chance on becoming a specialist in shoewear for drag artists. With music and lyrics by pop star Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein (La Cage Aux Folles), this production will be led by Strictly Come Dancing’s Johannes Radebe in the role of Lola.  It runs from 17 March – 11 July with New Year Sale offers on most April, May and June performances.

Based on the best-selling novel by Mark Haddon and adapted for stage by Simon Stephens (Sea Wall, Harper Regan, Birdland), the production was first brought to life on stage at the National Theatre in 2012 and enjoyed a lengthy run in the West End from 2013-2019.

Now it has found a new home at the newly renovated Troubadour Wembley Park, directed by Marianne Elliott. It’s new setting is particularly relevant as part of the story takes place in Willesden. Mentions of familiar tube stops and postcodes were met with murmurs of delight from the Wembley audience. Brightly lit banners line the passage down Olympic Way to the theatre, welcoming this much-loved show back to the stage.

Connor Curren (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) is stunning as the protagonist Christopher, a fifteen year old boy with autism. Simon Stephens writes, “Christopher Boone[…] finds people difficult. So difficult in fact that he has never left his street unaccompanied.” At the start of the play, Christopher finds his neighbour’s dog killed, with a garden fork stuck into its body. A Sherlock Holmes and detective fanatic, Christopher sets about trying to solve the mystery. The story takes him on a journey outside of his life in Swindon and unravels unexpected truths about his family.

The set is impressive, and incredibly interactive. A grid lights up the floor and the walls of the stage like a box, revealing hidden doors and shelves. Projections are displayed and move across the stage. Now ten years into it’s life, this productions has mastered its aesthetic. In one particularly beautiful moment, Christopher builds a toy train set which then comes to life on stage.

The ensemble bring a lively and supportive presence, usually remaining onstage throughout the production. They play the adults in Christopher’s life, who try to help him and offer love, sometimes struggling, but always trying. These include his father Ed (Tom Peters), mother Judy (Sophie Stone), neighbour (Joanne Henry) and his wonderful teacher Siobhan (Rebecca Root). The ensemble work together as a cohesive whole and the movement, directed by Frantic Assembly, is pitch perfect.

It’s clear that everyone involved in this show cares about this play. It’s a show full of heart, warmth, and emotion. It tackles heavy themes, including neurodiversity, family violence and mental health. It’s a coming of age story about a boy who struggles to fit in, but who pushes back at the world and believes he can do anything.

Simon Stephens writes, “it is a book about bravery. It is bravery in stories that makes people cry, not sadness. When we read or watch other people  being brave we recognise a desire and capacity for bravery in ourselves[…]

“As the UK starts to emerge and reimagine itself after the pandemic, so too does Curious. Access All Areas and other consultants from neurodiverse and autistic communities have worked with us to reawaken the production, to energise it and bring it out of hibernation. I can’t wait to see how the next ten years plays out.” 

This show is suitable for ages 11+, and is a wonderful show for families and young people, as well as for all ages. It’s only running until 9 January 2022, so be quick to get your tickets below.

The epic production, based on the much-loved Dreamworks film, reopens tonight at the Dominion Theatre. Take a look at these incredible pictures…and then we’ll know you’ll want to book.

We’ll be seeing the show tonight, so make sure to follow our journey on Instagram stories.

Gemma Knight Jones and Sam Oladeinde join the cast of Come From Away

As the multi award-winning Come From Away prepares to welcome audiences back to the Phoenix Theatre in London from 22 July, the international hit musical announces two new members of the London cast and confirms the full Come From Away UK family, on and off stage.

Gemma Knight Jones (Falsettos, Sister Act UK Tour, Hairspray UK Tour, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) will play Hannah and others, and Sam Oladeinde (Hamilton, The Book of Mormon, A Christmas Carol, The Prince of Egypt) will play Bob and others.

They join the current London cast Jenna Boyd (Beulah and others), James Doherty (Claude and others), Mary Doherty (Bonnie and others), Mark Dugdale (Kevin T/Garth and others), Alice Fearn (Beverley/Annette and others), Kate Graham (Diane and others), Alasdair Harvey (Nick/Doug and others), Jonathan Andrew Hume (Kevin J/Ali and others), Harry Morrison (Oz and others), and Emma Salvo (Janice and others) with Chiara Baronti, Ricardo Castro, Stuart Hickey, Sorelle Marsh, Alexander McMorran, Micha Richardson, Jennifer Tierney and Matthew Whennell-Clark.

Production shots released of Peter Capaldi and Zoë Wanamaker in Constellations

We were lucky enough to see the show with Sheila Atim and Ivanno Jeremiah (check out our vlog here) and now we’ve seen these gorgeous photos of Peter and Zoe, we know we are booking to go back. In case you didn’t know, this is the second of four casts that are performing in Nick Payne’s beautiful and heartbreaking play, Constellations. Who will you see? Or, like us, will you see all four?

Donmar Warehouse announces reopening

The theatre will open in September following essential building works, which will significantly improve the venues accessibility. The new season will begin on 21 September with Inua Ellams’ audience-led poetry event Search Party. It will be followed Love And Other Acts Of Violence, a new play by Cordelia Lynn. December 2021 – February 2022 will see Rory Kinnear star in Tim Price’s new stage adaptation of Ruben Östlund’s award-winning comedy film about a family falling apart, Force Majeure. 2022 will give us Kit Harington as Henry V and the final production will be Marys Seacole, Jackie Siblies Drury’s dazzling play across oceans and eras about the pioneering Jamaican nurse, and what it means to be a woman who is paid to care. Visit the Donmar’s website for more information.

Papatango announces dates for Old Bridge by Igor Memic

The winner of the 2020 Papatango New Writing Prize, Old Bridge by Igor Memic will run from 21 October – 20 November at the Bush Theatre. Directed by Selma Dimitrijevic, the play is part of the Bush’s new season. Write the Bush’s Future members and Bush supporters’ booking is open now, with public booking opening 1 July at 11am. Visit the Bush Theatre website for more information.

Hotter and Fitter returns to Soho Theatre

Following sold out runs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe and Soho Theatre, Hotter Project and Ellie Keel Productions today announce the return of HOTTER and FITTER, to Soho Theatre. The critically acclaimed productions, created and performed by Mary Higgins and Ell Potter, will run as a double bill at 7.30pm (FITTER) and 9.30pm (HOTTER), opening on 27 July, with previews from26 July, and running until 6 August 2021. Visit Soho Theatre’s website for more information.

Channel 4’s hit show The Windsors to premier in the West End

Harry Enfield and many of the cast of Channel 4’s The Windsors will appear in this hilarious new stage adaptation. Written by George Jeffrieand Bert Tyler-Moore, the anarchic and hysterical production follows the Royal Family’s crazy antics in the wake of an important constitutional event. The production will open at the Prince of Wales Theatre on 2nd August for a strictly limited run! More information available here.

National Theatre’s Lisa Burger to step down

The National Theatre has announced that Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive, will step down in Summer 2022.

Lisa’s career at the National Theatre has spanned 20 years. She joined the NT as Finance Director in 2001, before becoming Chief Operating Officer in 2010. Lisa took on the role of Executive Director in 2015 and became Joint Chief Executive alongside Director Rufus Norris in 2019.

During her tenure at the NT, Lisa has worked with three of the theatre’s six Directors: Sir Trevor Nunn, Sir Nicholas Hytner and Rufus Norris. Lisa has been instrumental in expanding the reach of the National Theatre. From establishing NT Live in 2009 through to the creation of the digital streaming platform NT at Home last year, ensuring that the widest possible audience can engage with the NT’s work has been a central focus for her.

Recruitment for the Executive Director position will begin this summer.

Since closing its doors to the public in March last year due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Today I’m Wiser reopens the theatre to the public, platforming innovative and daring theatre in the heart of Hackney and bringing new work and ideas explored privately over the past year into a public setting.

In its first two decades, Arcola has helped to launch some of the leading lights in British theatre, providing early-career opportunities to artists including Aml Ameen, Zawe Ashton, Mike Bartlett, Alecky Blythe, Polly Findlay, Arinzé Kene, Lucy Kirkwood, Rebecca Lenkiewicz, Lynette Linton, Michael Longhurst, Wunmi Mosaku, Barney Norris, Lyndsey Turner and Alexander Zeldin.

After an enormously challenging year for the theatre industry, Today I’m Wiser invites audiences and artists to commune once more and rebuild our community bonds, which have been disrupted due to lockdowns and other global challenges.

This first chapter of the festival will feature Arcola’s own production of a reimagined French classic, Pierre de Marivaux’s The Game of Love and Chance, and present diverse stories from a broad range of theatre companies, including Defibrillator Theatre’s Sunnymead Court, Flux Theatre’s The Narcissist, Thistle and Rose Arts’ My Father the Tantric Masseur and Metamorph Theatre’s Scab.

Globe announces new Co-Directors of Education

Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce that Professor Farah Karim-Cooper and Lucy Cuthbertson have been confirmed as Co-Directors of Education, leading the largest education department in a theatre in the country. Lucy and Farah were joint interim leaders throughout the Globe’s year of closure, creating over 600 events and courses, and supporting the nation’s sudden critical need for quality home learning.

Farah and Lucy take on the position after Patrick Spotiswoode, who served as the Director and Founder of Globe Education for 37 years, confirmed his retirement last summer. Starting 14 years before the completion of the Globe, Patrick was one of a small team dedicated to keeping alive Sam Wanamaker’s dream of a reconstructed Globe theatre at the heart of an educational and artistic centre in Southwark.

Lucy and Farah have been at the forefront of keeping the nation engaged with Shakespeare in all ways online. Events over UK lockdown included: live and interactive storytelling sessions with families joining all around the world, study workshops launched online to help support teenagers missing school. As part of anti-racist approaches to Shakespeare, there was a digital festival of work and newly created workshops for children, students, teachers and staff looking at ways to decolonise Shakespeare.

Wise Children announce dates for new production of Wuthering Heights

Wise Children today announces new dates for the world premiere of Artistic Director Emma Rice’s adaptation of Emily Brontë’s Wuthering Heights, which she also directs, in a coproduction with the National Theatre, Bristol Old Vic and York Theatre Royal. Starring Lucy McCormick as Cathy, this elemental stage adaptation brings new life to the classic story with Rice’s celebrated musical and visual style. The production opens at Bristol Old Vic on 20 October, with previews from 11 October, and running until 6 November, with livestreamed performances in the final week at Bristol. It then transfers to York Theatre Royal, 8 – 20 November, and runs at the National Theatre in 2022 before touring to The Lowry, Theatre Royal Nottingham, Sunderland Empire and King’s Theatre, Edinburgh with further dates to be announced.

Emma Rice said today, “It is with an earthy spring in my step and epic twinkle in my eye that I announce our new plans for Wuthering Heights. So many projects have fallen by the wayside during lockdown that there were times when I lost hope – but there was no need! Wise Children are back; stronger, wiser and grateful for the chance to sing and dance again. The exceptional cast, crew, administrative and creative teams are ready to go and we are fizzing with ideas, dreams and anticipation. Emboldened and humbled by the enforced break, I feel truly lucky. I cannot wait to get back to doing what I love most and to share this thrilling and important piece with the world. It’s time.”

Rescued from the Liverpool docks as a child, Heathcliff is adopted by the Earnshaws and taken to live at Wuthering Heights. He finds a kindred spirit in Catherine Earnshaw and a fierce love ignites. When forced apart, a brutal chain of events is unleashed.

Shot through with music, dance, passion and hope, Emma Rice transforms Emily Brontë’s masterpiece into a powerful and uniquely theatrical experience. Lucy McCormick leads the company of performers and musicians in this intoxicating revenge tragedy for our time.

With set and costume design by Vicki Mortimer; sound and video by Simon Baker; composition by Ian Ross; movement and choreography by Etta Murfitt; lighting design by Jai Morjaria.

National Theatre announces new programming and new campaign for its future

The National Theatre has today announced its programming until the start of next year with productions on all three South Bank stages as well as three major UK tours, two productions on Broadway, a return to cinemas, and a new feature film to be broadcast on television this autumn. In the week the theatre reopened for audiences again, six new productions were announced, and five productions halted by the pandemic were confirmed to return to the South Bank.

It has also announced the public launch of National Theatre Together, a new campaign with people at its heart, highlighting the importance of creativity and collaboration with theatre-makers and communities, for young people and audiences. The campaign cements the NT’s commitment to the people of this country and will raise vital funds for the theatre’s ambitious recovery post-pandemic.

Rufus Norris, Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre, said: “Theatre is a world-class UK industry, and brings with it a bucket-load of economic and social benefits. The National Theatre has a crucial role to play in supporting the nation’s creativity; it’s an incredible place full of amazing people and elicits enormous affection, pride and passion in audiences around the world. National Theatre Together celebrates the work we create with theatre-makers and communities, for young people and audiences – and asks our friends to once again stand with us and equip us to do what we do best: shape a bright, creative future for this nation.”

Sadler’s Wells Breakin’ Convention, the influential festival of hip hop dance theatre returns for its 18th year and announces its eclectic line-up for this year’s socially distanced programme, curated by hip hop theatre pioneer and Sadler’s Wells Associate Artist Jonzi D.

Breakin’ Convention Presents showcases the UK Premiere of Compagnie Niya’s Gueules Noires on Thursday 1 and Friday 2 July. On Saturday 3 and Sunday 4, Breakout Convention features eight different performances from exceptional hip hop companies.

This year’s event follows Breakin’ Convention’s mini festival Social DisDancing in December 2020. Presenting its first live event since lockdown, Breakout Convention includes performances from:

AWA (UK)
Made up of young dancers with different special needs and disabilities is AWA (Atypical with Attitude), making its Breakin’ Convention debut with a piece acknowledging the power of unity. Blindfolded dancers express feelings of loss and isolation whilst finding companionship and commonality through their hip hop dance vocabulary. The company featured as part of BBC talent show The Greatest Dancer in 2019.

Bagsy (UK)
Waacking artist Bagsy asks what it means to be a man, in new work Surrender. Taking inspiration from his own identity, examining masculinity, expectations and Yoruba’s god of thunder Shango, Bagsy creates an intimate exploration of his journey through the form of waacking. The work was developed as part of Breakin’ Convention’s artistic development programme Back to the Lab (2021).

Compagnie Niya (France)
Alongside their full-length piece Gueules Noires on Thursday and Friday, Compagnie Niya also presents the UK premiere of an excerpt of Resurgence, a game between movement and sound.

Dey Dey & Manuela (France/Germany)
Presenting the world premiere of Force D’Âme is Dey Dey and Manuela from the acclaimed Zamounda Crew (France). B-girl Manuela recently featured in Jonzi D & jessica Care Moore’s short film Our Bodies Back. Together, breaking and popping combines, contrasts and connects to reveal the inner journeys of two women.

Gemma Hoddy (UK)
Veteran of the award-winning Boy Blue, Gemma Hoddy presents Vintage. A quartet of women perform a sassy blend of iconic jazz dance shapes, punctuated by a furious popping technique. Paying homage to the classic generation of musical theatre, jazz samples and thumping hip hop beats are brought by producer and co-founder of Boy Blue, Mikey J Asante.

Patience J (UK)
Last seen at Breakin’ Convention in 2015 with Girlz On Point (GOP), Patience J brings energy and attitude with Colours, a celebratory work exploring modern Afro dance forms from the African diaspora including n’dombolo and azonto. An established performer and choreographer, Patience J has collaborated with an assortment of world-famous brands and vocal artists.

Spoken Movement (UK)
Returning to Sadler’s Wells with Family Honour is Spoken Movement led by artistic director Kwame Asafo-Adjei. The work uses popping and tutting to illustrate a psychologically potent duet between Asafo-Adjei himself and dancer Catrina Nisbett which explores the religious and cultural taboos in a Ghanaian family. It has won multiple awards worldwide including Paris’ Danse Élargie in 2018.

W.A.R (UK)
W.A.R (We Ain’t Regular) brings the raw to the Sadler’s Wells stage with a world premiere performance. The company appeared alongside rap artist Stormzy for his performance of Shut Up at Glastonbury 2020.

As well as world-class dance crews and soloists, the 2021 programme features films from Breakin’ Convention’s latest initiatives Power to the Pixel and Next Day Delivery – a collaboration between choreographers and writers. Next Day Delivery films come from winners Sun Kim and Surid – (Gas) Lighting; Anthony and Kel Matsena – Too Much, Too Little; Ken Masters and Rob Anderson; and Berkavitch and Si Rawlinson – Eat The Rich.

2021 marks Breakin’ Convention’s 18th anniversary. Best known for its flagship annual festival, its year-round programme aims to grow the UK’s development of hip hop theatre. It encompasses professional development initiatives such as Back to the Lab, a two-week training and mentorship initiative leading to performance; a broad education programme; and alternative performance platforms such as Breakin’ Convention Presents.

Gecko announces new show commissioned by the National Theatre 

Award-winning and internationally-acclaimed physical theatre company Gecko has announced it is developing its eighth show, commissioned by the National Theatre.

The show, which is currently in development, will premiere and tour from autumn 2022 before performing at the National Theatre in 2023. The show is supported by Lighthouse, Poole and London International Mime Festival, with other partners to be confirmed soon.

Gecko creates physical theatre of artistic excellence, endeavouring to deepen human connection through visual, visceral and ambitious performance. As the Gecko ensemble enter a second phase of research and development, Artistic Director Amit Lahav and the devising performers bring their own experiences of migration, family, home and racism to the show’s creation.

Gecko’s Artistic Director, Amit Lahav, said:

“I am thrilled to be developing this new show commissioned by the National Theatre and can’t wait for the company to perform there for the first time in 2023. This is the perfect start to the next chapter for the company and my own artistic journey.

It feels right to be making a piece that explores migration, racism and family, particularly when reflecting on the events of the last 18 months. It is a theme that is incredibly important for our audience, Gecko and the National Theatre and we’re excited to be continuing and deepening our relationships together as we enter our next phase of research and development.”

Amit spends at least three years creating a new production which sees him go through periods of highly intensive experimentation in a rehearsal studio, to periods of solitary research and reflection. The eighth show, the title of which is to be confirmed, is currently in the writing phase, involving storyboarding, experimentation with design and movement ideas, and rehearsals with the company’s creative team and international ensemble of devising performers.

Following a reunion in Israel with his grandmother Leah in 2017, Amit began imagining the 2,000km journey her family embarked upon to escape persecution. It is nearly 90 years since Leah made her walk from Yemen to Palestine at the age of four in 1932. Through breath-taking design and expressive physical performance, Gecko’s new show asks how compassion and empathy can be cultivated at a time when the re-birth of community and acceptance seem vital to society’s survival.

The National Theatre’s Director, Rufus Norris, said:

“I’ve been following Gecko’s work for a number of years and have a growing admiration for their dynamic and fearless approach to story in motion. Allied to this their commitment to internationalism, with completely integrated educational work, as well as their deeply embedded UK wide touring ethos, is hugely impressive. Their presence at the National Theatre is overdue, and we look forward very much to them being with us.”

World premiere of Lava opens at the Bush Theatre from 9 July

The world premiere of Lava by Congolese-British writer Benedict Lombe opens at the Bush Theatre on 9 July (press night 14 July).  It will also be available for viewing online 16 – 21 August.  To mark the first day of public booking a photograph of Benedict Lombe by Latoya Fits Okuneye with clothes provided by Tina Lobondi has been released.

Congolese-born designer Tina Lobondi established her fashion label in Notting Hill, London in 2011. Combining African heritage with delicate French couture, the label focuses on chic and classic looks producing exclusive collections which unveil limited availability and creates an emotional connection to the brand. Tina Lobondi forges a dynamic synthesis of elegance and edginess to shape a striking silhouette with infinite attention to detail and finish, producing classic and chic ready-to-wear.

Lava started life in 2020 as part of the Bush Theatre’s The Protest Series: a digital artistic response to the murder of George Floyd. It has now been re-imagined as a full-length play for the stage, which ‘Could become our era’s equivalent of Athol Fugard’s Sizwe Bansi Is Dead’ – The Independent.

This is nice, init?  I like it. Good little set-up to tell you the story of my name. The story of my true name.

When a woman receives an unexpected letter from the British Passport Office, she is forced to confront an old mystery: why does her South African passport not carry her first name? Armed with the wisdom of favourite 90s TV shows, she sets out on a journey that will take her back to the turmoil of Mobutu’s Congo, growing up in post-Apartheid South Africa, moving to Ireland, and finding love in a hostile England.

As her journey becomes inextricably linked with the tides of global history, how far will she go to unravel the truth? By turns wickedly funny and strikingly lyrical, Benedict Lombe’s Lava is an explosive debut that will turn the way you see the world on its axis.

After a critically acclaimed run at Southwark Playhouse last year and a highly successful worldwide stream with stream.theatre, Jason Robert Brown’s Drama Desk Award-winning musical, The Last Five Years, will play a limited season at the Vaudeville Theatre, previewing from 17 September, with an opening night on 23 September and running until 13 October 2021.  Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle, Molly Lynch and Oli Higginson will reprise their roles as Cathy and Jamie.  This will be the first time the musical will have had a significant run of length in the West End.

The production at Southwark Playhouse was nominated for eight Offie Awards and won two for Best Director and Best Musical Production.  Oli Higginson was nominated for a Stage Debut Award for his performance as Jamie.

The Last Five Years is an emotionally powerful and intimate story about two New Yorkers who fall in and out of love over the course of five years.  The musical’s unconventional structure unfolds as Cathy, a struggling actor, tells her story in reverse, from the end of their turbulent relationship, whilst Jamie, a literary prodigy, tells his story chronologically from the spark of their initial meeting. In the musical, the two characters meet only once, at their wedding, which falls in the middle of the show.

Jonathan O’Boyle’s new actor-musician production has the actors on stage at all times and playing the piano to add a new narrative dimension to the story, accompanied by a four-piece band.  He said of the West End transfer, “I’m delighted that our production of The Last Five Years is transferring into the West End later this year to the gorgeous Vaudeville Theatre. Seeing the production grow, and the brilliant actors go from strength to strength, was a total joy during 2020. The fact that we now get to share it with a wider audience this autumn is tremendously exciting.”

Brown’s cult classic musical was first seen in 2001 and ran off-Broadway in 2002. It was turned into a film in 2014 starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan.

Molly Lynch made her professional debut in the West End in ENO’s production of Sweeney Todd starring Emma Thompson and Bryn Terfl.  She then played the role of Chava in Grange Park Opera’s production of Fiddler on the Roof, also starring Bryn Terfl.  She played Betty in the UK Tour of Sunset Boulevard starring Ria Jones and Danny Mac and most recently appeared in The Light in The Piazza starring Renee Fleming at the Royal Festival Hall.

Oli Higginson’s previous theatre credits include The Haystack at Hampstead Theatre, Maggie & Ted at White Bear Theatre, Napoleon Blown Apart at Arcola Theatre and The Assassination of Marcus Garvey at Theatre 503.  Most recently, he has been seen in the Netflix hit series Bridgerton and will next be seen on the small screen in The Pursuit of Love.

Producer Katy Lipson said of the production, “I could never have dreamed of having the opportunity to bring this show into London’s West End this year after our off-West End and digital outings last year. It will be our company’s West End musical debut and I am incredibly proud that it is with this production.”

Click the button below to grab your tickets to see this epic production.

Cinderella screenwriter Emerald Fennell wins 2 BAFTA’s

The Original Screenplay award goes to Emerald Fennell’s revenge tale, Promising Young Woman. #EEBAFTAs pic.twitter.com/EFzBpwKSXc

— BAFTA (@BAFTA) April 11, 2021

Emerald Fennell, writer of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s brand new Cinderella musical, has been announced as the winner of not one, but two British Academy Film Awards for the thriller/comedy, Promising Young Woman.

The British screenwriter, director, actress and novelist has gained wider recognition from her roles in the BBC’s period drama series, Call The Midwife and Netflix’s The Crown. She is also known as a showrunner/leading producer for season two of BBC Three thriller series Killing Eve.

In this years ceremony which took place virtually, Emerald took home BAFTA’s for Outstanding British Film and Original Screenplay which has got us feeling even more excited to see her work in the exciting new musical comedy, Cinderella.

Starring Carrie Hope Fletcher (as Cinderella) and Victoria Hamilton-Barritt (as Stepmother), Cinderella is set to completely reinvent the world’s best-loved fairytale when it opens at the Gillian Lynne Theatre this year.

Get ready for Cinderella… like you’ve never seen her before. Check out the trailer above and grab your tickets now.

The National Theatre adds Bridge Theatre’s Julius Caesar to its streaming service

The National Theatre has today announced the Bridge Theatre’s Julius Caesar is the latest filmed production to be added to its streaming service National Theatre at Home.

Directed by Nicholas Hytner (One Man, Two Guvnors, A Midsummer Night’s Dream), the Bridge Theatre’s critically acclaimed 2018 production of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar saw the audience surround the action in a dynamic, immersive and contemporary staging. The cast includes Ben Whishaw (Paddington, James Bond), Michelle Fairley (Game of Thrones, Gangs of London), David Morrissey (The Missing, The Walking Dead), David Calder (Motherland, Rush) and Adjoa Andoh (Bridgerton, Line of Duty).

National Theatre at Home now has 19 productions to stream on the platform available at any time, including Angels in America Parts One and Two with Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane and Russell Tovey, Medea with Helen McCrory and Michaela Coel, Mosquitoes with Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams, Phèdre with Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper, the Young Vic’s Yerma with Billie Piper and Othello with Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear. New productions are added monthly and, in addition to Julius Caesar, one other title is also due to be added later this month.

All productions on National Theatre at Home are available with captions. Julius Caesar will also be available with audio-description to support blind and partially sighted audiences worldwide. Nine other National Theatre at Home titles are currently available with audio-description: Angels in America Parts One and Two, Othello, Donmar Warehouse’s Coriolanus, The Cherry Orchard, Amadeus, Julie, Phèdre and the Young Vic’s Yerma and Cat on a Hot Tin Roof.

Click here to find out more!

Alongside his TV appearances, Paul also starred in a number of stage productions throughout his career.

In recent years, he led The Old Vic revival of Art and appeared in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at the National Theatre. Paul received an Olivier Award nomination for Best Performance in a Supporting Role in 2006 for playing Otis Gardiner in the hit production of Helen Edmundson’s Coram Boy. He was also nominated for a Tony Award for his role in The Norman Conquests in New York.

He also starred in Sky drama Chernobyl, played Eldred Worple in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and appeared in James Bond film Quantum of Solace.

Paul died from a brain tumour yesterday, according to reports.

His agent said today: “It is with great sadness we can confirm that Paul Ritter passed away last night.”

Our thoughts are with Paul’s family and friends at this time.

They’re divorced… beheaded… back on stage! Six will reopen on 21 May at the Lyric Theatre, with tickets on sale from Monday at 10am.

So set your alarms and get ready to book your tickets here!

Rafe Spall to star in To Kill A Mockingbird

The stage and screen star Rafe Spall will play Atticus Finch in Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of American classic To Kill A Mockingbird.

This news comes as the production has announced that the brand new production at the Gielgud Theatre has been rescheduled to March 2022.

Tickets will go on sale on 6 April, and existing ticket holders will be contacted by the production with exchanged dates.

The National Theatre to reopen in June

The National Theatre has announced that their Olivier and Dorfman Theatres will reopen in June this year.

The Olivier theatre will reopen on 16 June with Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas, additional material by Siân Owen, directed by NT Associate Lyndsey Turner. Michael Sheen leads the acting company which includes Susan Brown, Ifan Huw Dafydd, Alan David, Michael Elwyn, Kezrena James, Karl Johnson, Gaynor Morgan Rees, Anthony O’Donnell, Siân Phillips and Cleo Sylvestre. Set and costume design is by Merle Hensel, lighting design by Tim Lutkin, movement by Imogen Knight, songs composed by Edward-Rhys Harry, and sound design and additional compositions by Donato Wharton.Tom Bellerby is staff director. The production will be performed in-the-round in the transformed Olivier theatre. The theatre will remain in this configuration for further productions until early 2022.

The Dorfman theatre will reopen on 2 June for the first time since February 2020 with the previously announced co-production with Headlong, After Life written by Jack Thorne and directed by Jeremy Herrin. Based on the film by Hirokazu Kore-eda, with concept by Bunny Christie, Jeremy Herrin and Jack Thorne, After Life is a surreal and powerfully human look at the way we live our lives, asking who you would choose to live with for eternity.

Initial casting includes Olatunji Ayofe, Danielle Henry, Maddie Holliday, Togo Igawa, Anoushka Lucas, Kevin McMonagle, Simon Startin, Luke Thallon, June Watson and Millicent Wong. Set and costume design is by Bunny Christie, lighting design by Neil Austin, movement direction by Shelley Maxwell, video design by Max Spielbichler and sound design by Tom Gibbons. TD Moyo is staff director.

Both productions will run until 24 July, with socially-distanced seating for the entire run of the productions. Tickets go on sale to the public on 30 April.

The National Theatre has today announced that two new filmed productions have been added to its streaming service National Theatre at Home: the Young Vic’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof and the National Theatre and Out of Joint’s co-production Consent.

The Young Vic’s 2017 West End production of Cat on a Hot Tin Roof was directed by Benedict Andrews (A Streetcar Named Desire) with Sienna Miller (21 Bridges, American Woman) as Maggie, Jack O’Connell (Unbroken, Trial by Fire) as Brick and Colm Meaney (Gangs of London) as Big Daddy. Tennessee Williams’ searing, poetic story of a family’s fight for survival is a twentieth century masterpiece.

Nina Raine’s play Consent premiered in the Dorfman theatre in 2017, a co-production between the National Theatre and Out of Joint. Following a sold-out run at the National Theatre, it transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre in 2018. The acclaimed production of this challenging and funny play features the original cast including Anna Maxwell Martin (Motherland, The Personal History of David Copperfield) and Daisy Haggard (Breeders, Back to Life).

Also announced today, as part of the NT’s partnership with Bloomberg Philanthropies to broaden access to world-leading institutions and offerings is the National Theatre’s guide on the Bloomberg Connects app. The NT becomes the first performing arts organisation join the app which provides access to museums, galleries, and cultural spaces around the world anytime through digital guides, content from artists, curators, and experts. Launching today, the National Theatre’s guide on the app includes exclusive content including introductions from NT Joint Chief Executives Rufus Norris and Lisa Burger, interviews with NT Associates, an interview with Romeo & Juliet film adapter and associate director Emily Burns, That Black Theatre podcast episodes and a new, exclusive ‘backstage tour’ of the National Theatre, showcasing the historic building and recreating the in-person backstage tours. The app is available to download for free on the Apple Store or Google Play.

Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre, said: “We’ve been thrilled with the audience response from around the world to the first three months of National Theatre at Home. This month sees two more fantastic productions on the NT’s streaming platform – shows that sold out in the West End and the NT – and it’s wonderful to be able to provide these on demand. We’re also very pleased to be launching our guide on the Bloomberg Connects app, as part of our partnership with Bloomberg as supporters of National Theatre at Home. For the NT, it’s essential that access to arts and culture is as widely available as we can make it and never more so than during this period of lockdown and closure. This free app gives audiences exclusive content and insight to a range of international arts organisations and it’s brilliant that the National Theatre is featured as well. The virtual backstage tour is very exciting.  We so wish we could welcome audiences back into our building and this helps to make that possible, even if only digitally for now.”

Jemma Read, Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg LP said, “At Bloomberg Philanthropies, we’re harnessing the power of the arts to improve the quality of life in cities across the globe. We’re proud of the impact that we’ve made through our partnership with the National Theatre to date and we’re excited to build on this foundation. As the first performing arts organisation to join the app, National Theatre on Bloomberg Connects will deepen audience engagement and will enable communities everywhere – regardless of social or geographical circumstances – to enjoy world class theatre.”

National Theatre at Home now has 18 productions to stream on the platform available at any time, including Angels in America Parts One and Two with Andrew Garfield, Nathan Lane and Russell Tovey, Medea with Helen McCrory and Michaela Coel, Mosquitoes with Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams, Phèdre with Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper, the Young Vic’s Yerma with Billie Piper and Othello with Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear.

All productions on National Theatre at Home are available with captions. Cat on a Hot Tin Roof will also be available with audio-description to support blind and partially sighted audiences worldwide. Eight other National Theatre at Home titles are currently available with audio-description: Angels in America Parts One and Two, Othello, Donmar Warehouse’s Coriolanus, The Cherry Orchard, Amadeus, Julie, Phèdre and the Young Vic’s Yerma.

National Theatre at Home is available now at ntathome.com, with single titles available from £5.99 – £8.99, a monthly subscription for £9.99 or a yearly subscription for £99.99.

Dame Judi Dench praises Theatre Support Fund + for raising an outstanding £800,000 for charities

Renowned theatre, film, and TV actress Dame Judi Dench has praised the creators of ‘The Show Must Go On!’ merchandise, the Theatre Support Fund+ for raising £800,000 for charities Acting For Others, The Fleabag Support Fund and NHS COVID-19 Urgent Appeal.

16 March 2021 marks the one-year anniversary of theatres closing across the U.K and despite the recent budget news from the government, there are still many freelancers who have not been able to claim any support with many now being out of work for a year. Theatre Support Fund+ will continue raising funds for those who have been affected by the pandemic until the theatres finally reopen and workers can return to their full-time jobs.

Dame Judi Dench said today, ‘I have been devastated by the effects the pandemic has had on the theatre industry but I am also proud of what we have achieved by standing together through these times. Chris and Damien at the Theatre Support Fund+ have done such profound work by raising this incredible amount of monies and have been able to help thousands of freelancers. There are still many workers who need our support and I am delighted to be able to support their campaign. I wish them all the best in their continued journey to help freelancers until our theatres can open again, The Show Must Go On!’

Theatre Support Fund+ are also the creators of The Show Must Go On! Live at The Palace Theatre which has been rescheduled to 2 – 6 June 2021. More information and casting to be announced soon.

Chris and Damien said today, ‘We cannot wait to bring this very special concert to the stage which will be a true celebration of the West End. We’re currently working hard with all of the shows involved to finalise plans and very soon we’ll be able to share with you all the exciting details about the show.  We look forward to welcoming you to the Palace Theatre in June and thank you for your continued support’.

In addition to Dame Judi other notable names which have supported the campaign include;

President of the Fleabag Support Fund+ Phoebe Waller Bridge, Michael Ball, Christopher Biggins, Samantha Bond, Todrick Hall, Amanda Holden, Sir Derek Jacobi Lesley Joseph, Myleene Klass, Keira Knightley, Beverley Knight, Bonnie Langford, Patti LuPone, Sarah Parish, Melanie Sykes and Marisha Wallace.

Theatre Support Fund+ was set up by theatre industry workers Chris Marcus and Damien Stanton to help those who have been affected by the pandemic. In 11 months the team have taken over 70,000 orders and the £800,000 raised has helped thousands of workers who have had no or limited work since theatres shut a year ago. ‘The Show Must Go On!’ design is an amalgamation of the 16 biggest West End Musicals and has been recognised internationally with orders been sent to 73 different countries across the globe.

Shows included on the design are & Juliet, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Everybody’s Talking about Jamie, Hamilton, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Mary Poppins, Matilda The Musical, Six The Musical, Tina, The Tina Turner Musical, The Book of Mormon, The Prince of Egypt, Disney’s The Lion King, The Phantom of the Opera and Wicked.

All merchandise can be found at www.theatresupportfund.co.uk

Frozen The Musical to open in August

Open up the gates! The Frozen family is excited to welcome you to the newly refurbished @TheatreRoyalDL from 27 August⛄

Are you an existing ticket holder? We’ll contact you over the coming days with details of your new booking date.

1/2 pic.twitter.com/9NEvQIRJnM

— Frozen The Musical (@frozenlondon) March 10, 2021

The wait is almost over musical fans! Frozen The Musical today announced that the brand new (and much anticipated!) production will be opening at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane from 27 August. What a way to celebrate Summer!

Based on the globe-conquering 2013 film of the same name – which became the highest grossing animated film of all time – Frozen The Musical is directed by Michael Grandage, and opened on Broadway in March 2018. It was subsequently nominated for the Tony Award for Best Musical.

We can’t wait for it to grace the West End but in the meantime check out this 2-part exclusive behind the scenes videos that we’re certain will convince you to book (as if you needed a reason!)

Hosted by Olaf and Kristoff, Craig Gallivan and Obioma Uguoala will take you on a journey of how the production transformed from screen to stage, ahead of its long-awaited arrival in London’s West End later this yea

In part two, you’ll get to know Elsa and Anna as Samantha Barks and Stephanie McKeon get speedy with quick-fire questions! You’ll also get to meet the West End Sven’s and see a sneak peek of that world-renowned blue dress before it arrives in London’s West End later this year. Don’t forget to

Margaret Hughes

It’s shocking to think of now, but there was a time when women appearing on stage was unheard of. Acting was considered a purely male profession until 1660 when a lady called Margaret Hughes came along. At age 15, Margaret became the first women to act on stage when she played Desdemona in the King’s Company production of Othello. What an inspiration!

Rebecca Lenkiewicz

From the first woman to act on stage to the first woman to have her original work performed on the main stage of the National Theatre. In 2008, Rebecca Lenkiewicz’s Her Naked Skin became the first play written by a woman to hit the main stage of the National. Rebecca was originally an actor with the Royal Shakespeare Company but clearly she was destined for playwriting.

She has since gone on to write plays for the Arcola Theatre (The Painter, 2011) and an adaptation of Henry James’ novella The Turn of the Screw which was performed at London’s Almeida Theatre (18 January – 16 March 2013). In addition to theatre, she has also written for television and film including Ida, which won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film, the European Film Award and the Bafta in 2015.

Rebecca is truly a powerhouse, proving that you really can do it all!

Nica Burns

Nica Burns is a multi-award winning theatre producer and Chief Executive of Nimax Theatres, one of the most notable names in the West End.

She started as an artistic director at the Donmar Warehouse and went on to find Nimax Theatres in 2005 with her business partners, co-owning the Palace, Lyric, Apollo, Garrick, Vaudeville and Duchess theatres. In 2008 she was elected President of the Society of London Theatre for three years and Vice President 2011–2013.

Thanks to Nica, we’ve been able to enjoy a number of gorgeous venues across London as well as over 100 incredible shows, most recent of which includes Everybody’s Talking About Jamie which will be reopening in June!

Appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2013 New Year Honours for services to theatre, Nica is one of the top women in our industry and we are incredibly thankful to her hard work during these challenging times and can’t wait to be back in her iconic venues enjoying some smash-hit shows.

Sonia Friedman

You might not have heard of Sonia Friedman but you’ve almost definitely seen one of her productions. Sonia has produced two of the most acclaimed plays of the decade, Jerusalem, and one of the most acclaimed musicals, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, winner of an astounding 9 Olivier Awards. Friedman also brought us the comedy-musical hit, The Book Of Mormon. Quite the CV!

Her list of achievements knows no bounds, having won Producer of the Year at the Stage Awards three years in a row, as well as taking the number one spot in The Stage 100, becoming the first number one in the history of the compilation not to own or operate West End theatres and the first solo woman for almost 20 years.

Sonia was also featured in TIME100, Time Magazine’s 100 Most Influential People of 2018 and she will be inspiring us all for years to come having formed Sonia Friedman Productions (SFP) in 2002, a subsidiary of the Ambassador Theatre Group (ATG).

Rosemary Squire

If you’ve ever been to a West End show, the chances are that you’ve walked into a building owned by Rosemary Squire. She was co-founder and co-owner of the Ambassador Theatre Group (one of the biggest companies of its kind in the world) for 24 years. She was also the second female president in the history of the Society of London Theatre – serving for three years as president and three years as vice-president. In 2016, Rosemary concentrated on new projects, including co-founding a new live entertainment business, Trafalgar Entertainment and acquiring a theatre in Trafalgar Studios. To list the number of major productions or theatres that she has been involved in would be too long for this article – let’s just say, she is undeniably a West End luminary.

Ameena Hamid

Because it’s International Women’s Day, we want to highlight Ameena Hamid, a pioneering female who we think is a true role model to the future generations.

At just 20 years old, Ameena is the youngest ever female producer in the West End as the Associate Producer of Death Drop which opened at the Garrick Theatre in December. The brand-new comedy starring RuPaul’s Drag Race superstars Courtney Act and Monét X Change is an historic West End first bringing together a full cast of leading drag performers, in a hilarious murder mystery like nothing you’ve ever seen before.

We caught up with Ameena last year to talk about what it’s like to be a young producer and about all things life! Check out the interview below and tune into our Theatre Chat Live on Official London Theatre’s Instagram channel on Tuesday 9 March at 6pm where we will be joined by Ameena herself.

Women have played some of the most important roles in the history of theatre and performance arts in the UK and though we’ve highlighted six, we realise this is just a small drop in the ocean.

From the first performance by Margaret Hughes in 1660 to the youngest ever female producer in the West End, we are so thankful for the many female figures that have graced us with their passion, creativity and dedication. Here’s to the pioneering women of theatre!

The Donmar Warehouse is delighted to announce that its first local production ASSEMBLY, originally scheduled in 2020 but postponed due to the pandemic, will be reimagined as an innovative digital performance broadcast live on the Donmar Warehouse YouTube channel on Saturday 20th March at 7.30pm.

Mixing live performance, animation and sound, ASSEMBLY looks at the impact of humans on nature and what we might build together for a better future. It’s about trying, failing, and trying again. In times of emergency, it is about hope.

Created by writer Nina Segal, director Joseph Hancock and the Donmar Local Company, ASSEMBLY is a unique live digital performance created in collaboration with video designer and director of photography Andrzej Goulding, set and costume designer Frankie Bradshaw, composer and sound designer Max Pappenheim and lighting designer Sam House. This is the first production from the Donmar Local Company – members of the community who live and work in the Donmar’s home boroughs of Camden and Westminster.

Speaking about ASSEMBLY, Donmar Warehouse Artistic Director Michael Longhurst said: “It’s an irony that we were unable to assemble for ASSEMBLY as planned – a commission that pre-dates COVID – but it has been inspirational to see how the whole team have adapted to create this ambitious digital production. Here at the Donmar, we are truly committed to sharing our stage with members of our local community and I am thrilled that we have been able to continue our vital work with the Donmar Local Company as we explore what forms theatre can take in a digital world and find new ways to come together.”

ASSEMBLY will be broadcast LIVE from the Donmar Warehouse and locations across the UK on Saturday 20 March. Watch the livestream for free on the Donmar’s YouTube channel www.youtube.com/donmarwarehouse at 7.30pm. The running time is approximately one hour.

An audio introduction will be available to listen to or download from the VocalEyes website from Wednesday 17 March and a captioned version of the film will also be available

National Theatre, in partnership with Cast, launches new podcast series Stories To Get Us Through created by the people of Doncaster

Launching today, Stories To Get Us Through is a new podcast series featuring stories written and performed by the people of Doncaster, inspired by real life events and created during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 18 short stories are a collection of personal anecdotes, snapshot memories and poetry, and have been created by people from different backgrounds who came together as part of the National Theatre‘s Public Acts programme. The series consists of five episodes which explore different themes including imagination, change, fear, friendship and heroes. Muhammed shares memories of his best friend from Gambia and how their lives have intertwined, teenagers Aaron and Beth share their hopes and fears for the future, and Lynn tells the story of finding contentment in her own company.

Stories To Get Us Through is a community performance project through the National Theatre’s Public Acts programme to create extraordinary acts of theatre and community, delivered in partnership with Cast in Doncaster with support from Right Up Our Street. Six community organisations across Doncaster, B.Friend, Conversation Club, Edlington Community Organisation, LGBTQ Youth, Cast Youth Theatre and darts, have been taking part in the programme and following the postponement of The Caucasian Chalk Circle in summer 2020, are continuing to take part in creative projects remotely. Participants developed their stories remotely, on Zoom, over the phone, and through postal packs with creative writing activities, and recorded the stories at home with professional audio recording equipment.

James Blakey, Associate Director of Public Acts said, “Stories To Get Us Through is a time capsule of the moment our Public Acts Doncaster community convened around a digital campfire in lockdown to tell their stories to each other and the world. Stories have the power to make us feel as though we’re together, even when we are apart and we can’t wait to share them with you. Despite the challenges and restrictions lockdown posed, we came together as a community to deliver this project and we look forward to when we can create live participatory performances together again”.

Participant Sam said, “I was sceptical at first as I didn’t have a single story in mind that would instil inspiration or start a conversation. But then it occurred to me that there is something I can say, I can talk proudly and push the negative voices down. In sharing stories, we are sharing lives and it is that which gets us through, it’s that you should hold on for. You can learn so much from listening to a person’s story”.

Stories To Get Us Through can be listened to on www.publicactsdoncaster.com/stories-to-get-us-through and is also available on all podcast platforms.

Shakespeare’s Globe celebrates International Women’s Day with two online theatre shows

To celebrate International Women’s Day on Monday 8 March, Shakespeare’s Globe are offering two exciting shows for audiences to enjoy:

• Filmed at the candlelit Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Olivier award-winning Juliet Stevenson brings British poet Stevie Smith to life in a new film that draws on her letters and prose and includes Smith’s own illustrations. Released to mark the 50th anniversary of Stevie Smith’s death, the film created by Dead Poets Live in association with the Globe and is available on demand until 5 April. Click here to register from 11am on 5 March and enjoy this wonderful show for free!
• The smash-hit Olivier Award-winning EMILIA (emilialive.com) has returned online for all of March in time for International Women’s Day (8 March). WOW UK Festival 2021 is hosting a workshop with writer Morgan Lloyd Malcolm and director Nicole Charles at 4pm on 6 March. Emilia originally ran at the Globe as part of Michelle Terry’s first Summer Season in 2018. It was developed from concept as part of the theatre’s new writing strand, particularly highlighting women’s stories lost in history.

If you’re looking for more online theatre to enjoy, don’t forget to check out our Virtual Theatre Fix page!

The Government announces its 2021 budget

To find out what that means for the theatre industry and those working within it, read our full article below.

If you’ve not already heard, we’ve started a new Theatre Chat Live series on the Official London Theatre Instagram channel every Tuesday from 6pm and tomorrow we will be joined the incredibly talented Aisha Jawando who plays Tina in Tina – The Tina Turner Musical. If you tuned into BBC’s Musicals: The Greatest Show yesterday, you’ll have seen her super powerful performance of the iconic track; Simply The Best. We can’t wait to talk all things theatre with Aisha, come join us!

In the meantime, check out some of our previous episodes below in our Theatre Chat Live playlist. Last week, we were joined by West End stars, Louise Dearman and Oliver Tompsett. We spoke about all things theatre, lockdown and learnt all about West End Your Way – a VIP 2-way theatre experience that offers you the chance to be entertained by your fave West End stars in the comfort of your own home. 

Mark your diaries and hop on Instagram Live tomorrow at 6pm where Jess, our Social Media Coordinator will be waiting to welcome you!

Arcola Theatre to collaborate with researchers from Imperial College London to understand airflow and viral transmission in theatres

Arcola Theatre today announces that their artistic team will be working with scientists from Imperial College London to explore air quality in theatres and how this affects aerosol transmission of viruses such as Covid-19.

As theatres and arts venues continue to navigate audience welfare amid the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, the project will explore how increased airflow can be used by venues and performance spaces to reduce viral transmission to increase the safety of visitors and improve arts access for immunocompromised people.

The project aims to:

• Explore ways in which Arcola can increase airflow in its indoor performance spaces
• Use this exploration to facilitate conversations about airflow with other venues
• Inform the development of Arcola’s new performance space, Arcola Outside, an outdoor performance space which mitigates the risk of Covid transmission among audiences

The project will commence this year and continues Arcola’s work exploring how theatres and venues can learn from the pandemic in long-term, sustainable ways.

This collaboration follows the announcement of Arcola Outside, Arcola’s new theatre space, due to open in spring this year, which has the benefits of full outdoor airflow, thereby reducing the risk of both aerosol and droplet transmission of Covid-19.

“Since the pandemic began, we have been trying to understand how the cultural sector can respond innovatively to the difficulties we have faced in bringing people together to enjoy culture in a safe way.

We are delighted to be working with independent scientists from Imperial College London, through Imperial Consultants, to understand how airflow affects viral transmission in theatres, which will turn the challenges of the past year into learning and ideas for both Arcola and the wider theatre sector.” – Dr Ben Todd, Executive Director, Arcola Theatre

“Significant scientific, engineering and policy work has been undertaken to better understand the impact of COVID-19 and mitigate the on-going risks. Ventilation and air quality have been identified as an important factor in reducing the risk of spread of COVID-19 through human activity in indoor spaces.”

“Working with Arcola Theatre, we hope to use emerging knowledge and data-driven approaches to address the continuous challenges faced by indoor theatres and venues during the pandemic.” – consulting lead, Imperial College London.

National Theatre announces Tony Kushner’s multi-award-winning Angels in America: Parts One and Two, is now available to stream worldwide

The National Theatre has today announced three new filmed productions have been added to its streaming service National Theatre at Home, including Angels in America Part One: Millennium Approaches and Angels in America Part Two: Perestroika, Marianne Elliott (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, War Horse)’s multi-award-winning production of Tony Kushner’s two-part masterpiece, with a cast including Andrew Garfield (The Social Network), Denise Gough (Paula), Nathan Lane (American Crime Story), James McArdle (Ammonite), Susan Brown (It’s A Sin) and Russell Tovey (Years and Years).

The two-part play is set in America in the mid-1980s in the midst of the AIDS crisis and a conservative Reagan administration, as New Yorkers grapple with life and death, love and sex, heaven and hell. Following a sold-out run in the Lyttelton theatre in 2017, the production transferred to Broadway for a sold-out 18 week run in 2018. The production won numerous awards including Best Revival at the Olivier and Tony Awards in 2018.

Also launching on the platform today is Polly Findlay’s 2012 thrilling contemporary staging of Antigone, with a cast including Christopher Eccleston (Thor, The A Word, Doctor Who) and Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who, Broadchurch), and National Theatre Director Rufus Norris’ 2014 production of Behind the Beautiful Forevers, written by David Hare and based on the book by Katherine Boo, with a cast including Meera Syal (The Split).

Rufus Norris, National Theatre Director, said: “Angels in America is one of those productions that stays with you always – a seminal piece of theatre that has a lasting impact. It’s a true honour to be able to bring Marianne Elliott’s remarkable, compelling production of Tony Kushner’s masterpiece to audiences around the world through National Theatre at Home. After sold-out runs at the NT and on Broadway, I’m delighted global audiences will finally get the chance to experience the astonishing performances of the original cast on the Lyttelton stage. I’m really pleased that this month also sees my 2014 production of David Hare’s Behind the Beautiful Forevers available on the platform, with the inimitable Meera Syal and a fantastic ensemble bringing to life Katherine Boo’s non-fiction story of a community in a Mumbai slum. And Jodie Whittaker and Christopher Eccleston in a modern-day Antigone – Polly Findlay’s electrifying 2012 production in the Olivier. In a continued period of isolation for so many people and while we’re unable to open our theatres, we hope National Theatre at Home can bring people together to collectively enjoy theatre from home.”

National Theatre at Home now has 16 productions to stream on the platform available at any time, including Medea with Helen McCrory and Michaela Coel, Mosquitoes with Olivia Colman and Olivia Williams, Phèdre with Helen Mirren and Dominic Cooper, the Young Vic’s Yerma with Billie Piper and Othello with Adrian Lester and Rory Kinnear.

All productions on National Theatre at Home are available with captions. Angels in America Parts One and Two will also be available with audio-description to support blind and partially sighted audiences worldwide from later this month. Seven other National Theatre at Home titles are currently available with audio-description: Othello, Donmar Warehouse’s Coriolanus, The Cherry Orchard, Amadeus, Julie, Phèdre and the Young Vic’s Yerma.

National Theatre at Home is available now at ntathome.com, with single titles available from £5.99 – £8.99, a monthly subscription for £9.99 or a yearly subscription for £99.99. Click here to find out more.

Missing theatre and want to enjoy some from the comfort of your home? Head over to our online calendar to find out what’s showing online or have some stagey fun with our theatre quiz rounds or West End theatre spot the difference! You can also enjoy exclusive interviews, behind-the-scenes videos and exclusive performances over on our Official London Theatre YouTube channel.

Papatango today announces that the 2019 Papatango New Writing Prize-winner Shook by Samuel Bailey – which was due to transfer to the West End when the pandemic hit – has been filmed and will be available to watch online from Friday 5 February until Sunday 28 February 2021.

Featuring the original cast – Josef Davies (Jonjo), Josh Finan (Cain), Andrea Hall (Grace) and Ivan Oyik (Riyad) – and with the original set/costume designs by Jasmine Swan and sound design by Richard Hammarton, the capture of the play was directed by Papatango’s Artistic Director George Turvey in collaboration with BAFTA-winning and multi-Emmy-nominated director James Bobin.

George Turvey, Artistic Director of Papatango, said today, “Having suffered the loss of the West End transfer, we are delighted to have found a way to share Sam’s fantastic play with a wider audience. We are hugely grateful to James, the cast, and the whole creative team for pulling together under difficult circumstances to make it possible. We hope that audiences around the world enjoy watching it as much as we did making it.”

The play, inspired by true stories, looks at three young offenders who are due to become fathers while incarcerated. As Cain, Riyad and Jonjo embark on parenting classes under the instruction of Grace, their different histories slowly emerge and their different futures take shape. Both funny and poignant, Shook examines the young people society shuts away.

Shook won the 2019 Papatango New Writing Prize, debuting to critical acclaim at Southwark Playhouse, and was nominated for 7 OffWestEnd Awards and The Stage Debut Award for Most Promising Playwright. It became the best-selling world première in the venue’s history, and sold out on tour across England and Wales.

Tickets are £10, and give audiences access to stream the show for 48 hours after purchase via www.papatango.co.uk/shook – captions available. Papatango will mark the production’s online première with a live Q&A with the cast and creative team across its social media channels at 7.30pm on Friday 5 February.

Six announce further cancellations

West End Update 13.01.21 💜👑 pic.twitter.com/IVWlDHDmTy

— SIX 👑 (@sixthemusical) January 13, 2021

It was announced today that all performances of Six at the Lyric Theatre will now be suspended until 1 March 2021. If you have a ticket for a suspended performance, please rest assured that you will be contacted as soon as possible.

If you’re missing the Queendom as much as we are, you’ll definitely appreciate a binge watch of all things Six. Settle in for an episode of inside scoops from Danielle Steers and Courtney Bowman, and an exclusive performance from all the Queens.

National Theatre supports learning with digital resources for young people and teachers

The National Theatre continues its commitment to supporting teachers and young people across the UK with at home digital resources and learning opportunities in 2021. From full length productions available to stream, a playwrighting course, online activities for primary age pupils, resources exploring backstage theatre and the annual Drama Teacher Conference – now online – there is something for both students and teachers.

Free streaming for state schools

The National Theatre Collection is a digital library of 30 world-class productions available to schools and universities worldwide. Productions include adaptations such as Small Island and Jane Eyre, Shakespearean tragedies Othello and King Lear, American classics such as A Streetcar Named Desire (Young Vic) and productions especially adapted for primary schools.

National Theatre Collection is available free of charge for state schools and Further Education colleges across the UK through Bloomsbury Publishing’s Drama Online platform and teachers can share log-in details with students to watch productions from home when remote learning. New learning resources added for this year include introductory teaching packs, lesson plans and workshop ideas and access to behind-the-scenes content such as rehearsal diaries.

Other academic institutions including libraries, universities, independent and international schools can access National Theatre Collection via a one-time payment for the full collection, or via an annual subscription in partnership with ProQuest and Bloomsbury. Click here to find out more.

Additional digital resources

To discover NT Learning’s range of digital resources including the New Views playwriting course with scripts, video collections about theatre-making, digital exhibitions, recorded talks and resource packs exploring NT productions visit www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/learning/at-home.

Alice King-Farlow, Director of Learning at the National Theatre said, “The National Theatre is determined to continue supporting teachers and students with resources and opportunities to learn about theatre-making, particularly while the majority of young people are learning from home. We are inspired by the way drama teachers have adapted to deliver the subject in new ways and hope the National Theatre Collection will give young people a chance to explore landmark productions while theatres remain closed. We look forward to connecting with drama teachers across the UK through our virtual Drama Teacher Conference to explore new approaches to drama with some of the most exciting practitioners across the industry and continue growing a community of remarkable teachers to share skills and learnings together”.

If you’re looking to enjoy some theatre this evening, pop over to our online calendar to see what’s on! And if perhaps, you’re feeling in the mood for a game, you can always play one of our fun theatre quizzes here.

The party might have paused whilst London’s under Tier 3 restrictions but it will return and you can now book your tickets for a time that suits you right up until the Summer (with the show taking a short break in March).
Over the first lockdown, Olivier Award winning producers Louis Hartshorn and Brian Hook re-imagined and re-set the production as an Art Deco Masquerade Ball, with audience members wearing compulsory face coverings to complement their fabulous attire.

The producers said: “100 years ago our society came out of a pandemic and into the “Roaring ’20s”, so it feels fitting that The Great Gatsby should be leading the fightback for the creative sector after Covid-19. Immersive|LDN also hosts Doctor Who in an adjoining building, making it the world’s first ever multiplex immersive theatre facility. We’re very proud of the experience we are giving to our audiences, and of the fact that these productions provide stable employment for well over 100 people, including many freelancers, at a challenging time.”

A hedonistic world of red-hot rhythms, bootleg liquor and pure jazz age self-indulgence awaits. Dress to the nines and immerse yourself in this heart racing adaption of F Scott Fitzgerald’s seminal tale of the Roaring Twenties.

National Theatre adds new shows to their streaming service

The National Theatre has today announced the next two filmed productions that will be added to its new streaming service National Theatre at Home. The iconic and multi-award-winning production of War Horse, based on the novel by Michael Morpugo, will be available on demand for the first time since its premiere 13 years ago alongside the powerful 2018 production Julie with Vanessa Kirby (The Crown, Mission Impossible) in the title role.

Julie will be available from Monday 11 January worldwide and War Horse will be available from Monday 21 December to Wednesday 20 January in the UK only.

War Horse will also be available on Sky Store from 21 December – 20 January in the UK. War Horse is currently available in cinemas in the UK until 26 December and will be available in cinemas internationally from 24 February 2021.

The news comes as the National Theatre also announces that it is making six productions available on National Theatre at Home with audio-description to support blind or partially sighted audiences worldwide. From 21 December, The Cherry Orchard, Phèdre, Othello, the Young Vic’s Yerma and the Donmar Warehouse’s Coriolanus will be added and Julie from 11 January. War Horse will also be available with audio description and for the first time British Sign Language (BSL) from 21 December to 20 January in the UK. All productions on National Theatre at Home have captions.

National Theatre at Home is available now at ntathome.com, with single titles available from £5.99 – £8.99, a monthly subscription for £9.98 or a yearly subscription for £99.98.  

Hamilton is coming back!

Hamilton returns to the Victoria Palace Theatre in May 2021. Tickets go on sale from 10am Monday 21st December.

Get your tickets for Friend (The One With Gunther) at Wilton’s Music Hall

One man, 10 seasons, one hour!

The entire 236 episodes of the hit 90s TV show, F.R.I.E.N.D.S, as told through the eyes of the one person who knows it inside out… Gunther.

This new show from acclaimed comic actor Brendan Murphy reimagines the TV classic through the eyes of barista Gunther, who will welcome audiences to the premiere London dates of FRIEND (The One With Gunther) following its hit Edinburgh Fringe debut.

Mischief Movie Night to live stream over Christmas

With the latest round of Government restrictions closing theatres in London, the original Mischief team will not be deterred and are delighted to announce that they will be performing their improv show Mischief Movie Night In, streaming a new movie every night from the Mischief emergency comedy bunker at IMMERSIVE|LDN, live into homes from 27 – 31 December 2020. Tickets are from £10 and are on sale now.

We still need YOU to come up with the title, the genre and location of our improvised movie, but your suggestions will now be via social media! So please tune in and log on for our WATCH-ALONG exclusive live streams to participate or simply enjoy with friends and family over the festive season.

Interactivity is at the heart of Mischief Movie Night, with audience suggestions making each movie and show unique. And Mischief Movie Night In will be no different.

Audiences can follow along with the #MischiefMovieNight fun on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook. During the show, Mischief will take suggestions in live-time from these platforms for genres, locations and titles.

The stream will then be available on demand until midnight on 27 December. The production will be filmed live during the performance in the Olivier theatre on the 19 December, in front of a socially distanced audience. Following the limited-window YouTube streams, it will then be made available on the newly launched National Theatre at Home platform from the 11 January for six weeks.

At a time when many theatres across the country have sadly been forced to cancel or postpone their pantomimes, the National Theatre is celebrating panto’s place at the heart of British theatre. The free stream of Jude Christian and Cariad Lloyd’s hilarious version of Dick Whittington, directed by Ned Bennett, promises to provide festive fun to homes across the UK and around the world.

After a year where the UK’s theatre sector has faced unprecedented challenges, viewers will be encouraged to donate to the National Theatre or support their local theatre either with donations or by booking ahead for 2021 pantomimes.

There will also be an interactive ‘Panto Pack’ hosted on the NT website filled with engaging games and crafts for children, available to download for free.

First staged at Lyric Hammersmith in 2018 and freshly updated for 2020, Ned Bennett directs this wild and inventive production and explores what it is like to come from a small town and arrive in a big city today. With a host of colourful characters, irreverent jokes, talking animals and popular songs this is Dick Whittington as never seen before.

Ned Bennett, Director, says: “We are incredibly excited about presenting a pantomime as it’s such a celebratory, warm and family friendly part of our theatrical history and the broadcast means it will reach an even wider audience. It feels important after everything that’s happened in 2020 to bring some joy, anarchy and silliness! There will be banging pop tunes and sensational choreography from Rhimes!”

The cast includes Melanie La Barrie as Bow Belles, Dickie Beau as Sarah, Amy Booth-Steel as Queen Rat, Laura Checkley as Mayor Pigeon, Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings as Dick Whittington, Georgina Onuorah as Alice and Cleve September as Tom Cat. Beth Hinton-Lever, Travis Kerry, Jaye Marshall, Ken Nguyen, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda and Christopher Tendai also join the company.

Be sure to get that in your diaries, and for more virtual theatre fixes, check out our online calendar by clicking the button below.

Viewers can choose a monthly or annual subscription to access the full catalogue and exclusive backstage content, or can opt to rent single plays for a 72-hour window. National Theatre at Home is available for streaming online through any web browser and in Apple (iOS / tvOS), Google (Android / Android TV), Roku TV and Amazon Fire TV.

National Theatre at Home’s digital streaming offer was first made available during the UK’s first COVID lockdown when theatres and cinemas were closed. For 16 weeks from the beginning of April until the end of July, productions were made available for free on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel every Thursday at 7pm UK time, which were then available on demand for the following seven days. This resulted in over 15 million views for 16 productions over four months and reached 173 countries around the world.

Following this overwhelming response, the NT today launches a new, lasting and extensive iteration of National Theatre at Home, with the ambition of bringing world-class performances to a global audience. The platform will also provide welcome support for artists and theatres during this unpredictable time.

Lisa Burger, Executive Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre, said: “We were overjoyed to have had 15 million views for National Theatre at Home earlier this year and to discover we had reached so many audiences new to theatre both in the UK and worldwide. At a time when many people were isolated at home, it was uplifting to see audiences recreate the shared experience of visiting the theatre.  From homemade tickets to interval drinks, NT at Home was a way of making people feel more connected. And so, since the last stream finished in July, we have been determined to find a way to give our audiences access to these stunning filmed productions online once again. With the agreement from artists, we are now able to showcase an extraordinary range of fantastic NT Live productions and, for the first time, some treasured plays from our NT Archive. This is a really exciting day for the National Theatre as we launch a major, online streaming destination for our filmed theatre productions which we hope will continue to provide audiences with the power and joy of theatre for as long as it is needed. We want National Theatre at Home to once again bring people together from all over the world after what has been a very tough 2020 for so many.”

Jemma Read, Global Head of Corporate Philanthropy at Bloomberg LP said: “At Bloomberg Philanthropies, we believe in the transformative power of art and performance to inspire societal change and economic growth. The pandemic continues to impact creative communities and those with fewer resources disproportionately; as we adjust to a new normal, National Theatre at Home will generate artistic opportunity and will offer a safe way for an audience of unprecedented size and diversity to enjoy world-leading performances.”

For unlimited access to the catalogue on National Theatre at Home, a subscription will be £9.98 per month or £99.98 per year. For access to a single play in a 72 hour window, it will be £5.99 for an NT Archive title and National Theatre Live titles are available from £7.99.

The National Theatre will collaborate with Bloomberg Philanthropies to deliver a programme of free subscriptions and discounts to viewers in the UK and globally, reflecting our shared commitment of ensuring National Theatre at Home is available to all.

National Theatre at Home is available now at ntathome.com.

This comes as the new national Coronavirus measures regrettably resulted in the cancellation of the original scheduled run of the production, which was due to end on 28 November. All ticket holders booked in for cancelled performances have been contacted to offer a refund or credit note.

The production was captured at the final performance on Wednesday 4 November and will be streamed on 27 November for 24 hours on the National Theatre’s YouTube channel. The broadcast will be available for free with viewers invited to make a donation via YouTube or the National Theatre website. The National Theatre is making an up-front payment to the artists to enable the limited-window stream during lockdown.

Death of England: Delroy by Clint Dyer and Roy Williams and directed by Dyer, explores what it is like to be a Black working-class man searching for truth and confronting his relationship with Great Britain. The role of Delroy is performed by Michael Balogun. 

To accompany the broadcast, NT Associate Ola Animashawun will host a pre-recorded discussion with Dyer, Williams and Balogun that explores their experience of creating the show under Coronavirus restrictions, and how the piece reflects on the Black Lives Matter movement.  The talk will be available for free on YouTube from 8.30pm GMT 27 November.

Clint Dyer and Roy Williams said: “We were hugely disappointed that Death of England: Delroy was unable to complete its full run in the Olivier theatre. The production team worked tirelessly, alongside the staff at the NT, throughout the rehearsal period and for the two weeks we were able to perform to the public and we want to thank them for their efforts. We are thrilled that Michael Balogun’s remarkable performance will be streamed to audiences for a limited time period of the 27 November and that we will be able to perform to live audiences once again in the Spring.”

Set and costume designers are by Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey and ULTZ, with lighting design by Jackie Shemesh, sound design by Pete Malkin and Benjamin Grant.

Tickets for Olivier theatre performances will go on sale in the new year.

Click the button below to find out how you can tune into the free livestream.

We’ll keep this article as up-to-date as possible with the shows that are still open around the UK (tier 1 and tier 2 areas) so that you can enjoy the magic of theatre while supporting your local venues.

If the theatres near you have had to close, don’t lose heart! You can find out all the wonderful things theatres are doing online to keep us entertained on our Theatre Fix page. Do check out what your local theatre is doing to fundraise, too, and consider donating to help them survive this difficult period.

We are very grateful to all the audiences who have so far come back to theatre – it has meant such a lot to the producers and theatres to have your support. We have been capturing audience reactions as we celebrate the shows that have been able to get back on stage.

We asked audience members at @OpenAirTheatre‘s @JCSTheMusical how it feels to be back at the theatre, their responses have us feeling all warm and fuzzy inside 🥰 #BackOnStage pic.twitter.com/N8q4LR1Bkn

— Official London Theatre (@london_theatre) September 22, 2020

Once we are open again please do share your experiences and tag #BackOnStage.

Now is the time to play your part and book a ticket and see a show. Whether you’re looking for a panto to help you get into the festive spirit, a comedy to watch with your support bubble or a musical that’ll sweep you off your feet, there’s plenty for you to choose from in our roundup of December shows, including not only West End shows but those also opening around the UK.

If you’re out and about in the West End this festive period don’t forget to check out the TfL West End Walking map – help keep public transport more socially distanced and catch some of the sights and Christmas lights at the same time!

Shows around the UK:

A Christmas Carol at The Theatre Chipping Norton 

3 – 24 December

David Bradley stars in Simon Callow’s acclaimed one-man adaptation of the ultimate classic Christmas tale. Based on Charles Dickens’ own one man readings of the story, this moving, captivating stage version, goes straight to the heart of an all-time literary classic.

So join Scrooge, Tiny Tim, Bob Cratchit, and a trio of ghosts for a festive story designed to rescue Christmas from all the scrooges out there! Mulled wine, atmospheric live music and one of the most loved classics of the English language should make this a Christmas trip to remember.

A Christmas Carol at Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatres

5 – 24 December

Take a thrilling journey through Scrooge’s past, present and future in the company of characters who leap out from Dickens’ unforgettable tale. Playfully adapted by Patrick Barlow – writer of hit comic thriller The 39 Steps – this warm, witty and inventive show delivers tender moments and hilarious comedy as Christmas works its irresistible magic.

Dear Santa at Chichester Festival Theatre

5 – 24 December

If you’re looking to introduce your little ones to theatre, this is a great pick! From the author of the well-loved children’s book Dear Zoo, Rod Campbell, comes a Christmas present children and parents alike will never forget.

Santa is determined to deliver the Christmas present to our little hero Sarah. But he doesn’t get it right straight away! With the help of his cheeky Elf, he finally settles on something perfect, just in time for Christmas Eve.

All the ingredients of Rod Campbell’s ingeniously simple and charming style are brought to life on stage, plus a whole lot more, with music, laughter and plenty of audience participation.

Little Robin Redbreast at Salisbury Playhouse 

7 – 27 December

Christmas is coming and little Robin is very, very excited. To help him count down the days, Mummy and Daddy have given Robin an advent calendar. Behind every window is a picture and every picture tells a story. Join Robin as he embarks upon a magical quest, encountering a street wise squirrel, an attention seeking mouse, a family of reindeer and a curious cat.

From the writers of The Night Before Christmas and The Tailor of Gloucester, Little Robin Redbreast is full of magic, laughter, song, dance and surprise for children and their grownups.

Treasure Island at Exeter Northcott Theatre

9 December – 9 January 2021

Featuring swashbuckling pirates, tropical islands and a mermaid you will never forget, set sail on the Jolly Todger with Jim Lad, Long John Silver and a whole host of other characters as they make their way to the Caribbean to seek out a bounty of elusive treasure. But will they get there in one piece and is everyone really who they say they are?

This festive season join award-winning funny men Le Navet Bete (The Three Musketeers: A Comedy Adventure, Dracula: The Bloody Truth) as they play out Robert Louis Stevenson’s legendary tale as you’ve NEVER seen it before.

A Christmas Carol at Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds

11 – 24 December

This winter, Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds brings you a brand-new adaptation of one of the country’s best-loved Christmas stories. Set against the beautiful backdrop of The Angel Hotel this outdoor production will bring the streets of Victorian London right to the heart of Bury St Edmunds. So wrap up tight and prepare for cold toes but a very warm heart.

Santa’s New Sleigh at The Capitol, Horsham

12 – 24 December

Christmas is fast approaching and Santa’s Sleigh is nowhere to be found. Will Sprocket and Dibs be able to create a new sleigh in time or will Christmas be cancelled? Can you help them save the day?

Only time will tell but with audience participation, sing-a-long songs and a present from Santa for every child, it promises to be the perfect festive treat.

A Christmas Carol at The Capitol, Horsham

12 – 24 December

After receiving standing ovations and playing to sold-out houses in 2019, acclaimed character actors Jack Lane (Wisdom of a Fool & Dad’s Army Radio Show) and David Benson (Goodnight Sweetheart & One Man, Two Guvnors) are returning to The Capitol with their beautiful staging of A Christmas Carol.

Pinocchio at Chichester Festival Theatre

16 December – 24 December 

Enjoy a brand new version of this classic tale, written especially for by Chichester Festival Theatre’s Writer in Resident Anna Ledwich (The Butterfly Lion, Crossing Lines and Beauty And The Beast).

Follow along as Pinocchio encounters a host of fascinating characters, from Punch and Judy to the wily Fox and Cat and the strange Sea Monster, as he journeys to Wonderland and the world beneath the sea. But he discovers that it isn’t easy hiding the truth – especially when your nose gets longer with every lie you tell…

The Everyman Christmas Cabaret at the Everyman Theatre Liverpool

17 – 24 December

Inspired by the glitzy underground cabaret bars at the heart of New York, musical director George Francis (Fiddler on the Roof, Paint Your Wagon, Amelie, Miracle on 34th Street: The Musical) curates an evening of songs and performance in an Everyman transformed into a beautiful and intimate venue.

Expect songs from the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Billy Joel, Shaina Taub, Joni Mitchell and some Christmas classics too. Whether you dress up or dress down, come along with your bubble for a night of jolly holly delight.

The Play That Goes Wrong at Theatre Royal Bath

17 December – 16 January 2021

Mischief Theatre’s multi-award-winning international smash hit comedy The Play That Goes Wrong is returning to Theatre Royal Bath for some calamitous Christmas cheer!

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does!  As the accident-prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue! Don’t miss this brilliantly funny comedy that’s guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter!

Living Spit’s Beauty And The Beast at Bristol Old Vic

18 December – 24 December

The classic French tale of Beauty and The Beast tells of a bright and beautiful young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle. She learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realise the kind heart and soul that lies within.

Gareth Gates’ Christmas Cracker at Queen’s Theatre, Barnstaple

21 – 31 December 2020

Dick Whittington will open as scheduled in the reconfigured Olivier theatre on the 11 December and run until 23 January. Should there be any changes to government guidance then audiences will be offered a refund.

The cast includes Melanie La Barrie as Bow Belles, Dickie Beau as Sarah, Amy Booth-Steel as Queen Rat, Laura Checkley as Mayor Pigeon, Lawrence Hodgson-Mullings as Dick Whittington, Georgina Onuorah as Alice and Cleve September as Tom Cat. Beth Hinton-Lever, Travis Kerry, Jaye Marshall, Ken Nguyen, Tinovimbanashe Sibanda and Christopher Tendai also join the company.

Jude Christian and Cariad Lloyd’s hilarious and heartfelt version of Dick Whittington was first staged at Lyric Hammersmith in 2018 and is freshly updated for 2020.  Directed by Ned Bennett, this wild and inventive production explores what it is like to come from a small town and arrive in a big city today, exploring the ideas of community and togetherness.

Set and costume designs by Georgia Lowe, choreography by Dannielle Rhimes Lecointe, compositions, arrangements and music production by DJ Walde, music supervision by Marc Tritschler and music direction and additional composition and arrangements by Benjamin Kwasi Burrell. Lighting designed by Jessica Hung Han Yun and Sound Design by Paul Arditti. Denzel Westley-Sanderson is Associate Director, Debbie Duru is Associate Set Designer, Fiona Parker is Associate Costume Designer and Assistant Choreography is Jackie Kibuka.

This unmissable event is sure to be a hit with your family and friends so grab your tickets now!