New Theatre Shows To Book Now

After a sell-out run at the Bush Theatre, Benedict Lombe’s play is about to transfer to the West End. It tells the story of two young, talented Black people: Dre and Des. He stayed. She left. Years later, they come crashing back into each other’s lives, carrying new secrets and old scars. With the clock counting down until Des has to leave again, memories of their teen years collide with their present, and they’re forced to question if destiny has brought them back together for a reason. 

12th August-12th October

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The Old Vic has announced a new production of  Tom Stoppard’s comedy The Real Thing, directed by Max Webster (Macbeth, Life of Pi) and starring James McArdle and Bel Powley. Married to actress Charlotte, Henry's life takes a dramatic turn when he falls for another actress, Annie. As their affair blossoms into marriage, the boundaries between their real lives and the roles they play on stage begin to blur. This is a play about love, fidelity, and the nature of truth in both art and life. 

22nd August-26th October

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David Oyelowo (Selma, Lawmen: Bass Reeves) will soon take on the title role of one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies at the National. Unrivalled in the art of war, undefeated on the field of battle, Coriolanus is Rome’s greatest soldier. When a legendary victory brings the opportunity of high office, he is persuaded to stand for election. But while populist politicians tell the people what they want to hear, Coriolanus refuses to play the game. As Rome’s most celebrated warrior becomes its most dangerous enemy, the future of the city and its hero hangs in the balance. 

11th September-9th November

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The classic 1977 film starring Alison Steadman and Tim Stern has been adapted for the stage at Stratford’s Theatre Royal. It’s Essex, 1977. Beverly (Tamzin Outhwaite) is hosting, the alcohol is flowing, Demis Roussos is on the record player, and the cheese and pineapple cocktail sticks are ready to go. Queen of the castle in her suburban semi, Beverly and husband Laurence (Kevin Bishop) welcome new neighbours Angela and Tony round for drinks. Sue from next door is invited too, but the real party is happening back at her place, as Sue’s teenage daughter Abigail can’t seem to keep the racket down. Awkward small talk quickly descends into inappropriate flirtation and marital disputes – a soirée from hell but it’d be rude to leave.  

6th September-12th October

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One of the most highly anticipated shows on this list, Alexander Zeldin’s new play will star Emma D’Arcy (House of the Dragon), Tobias Menzies (Game of Thrones) and Nina Sosanya (Love Actually). Two sisters reunite on the anniversary of the death of their father. Their uncle has remodelled their family home in an attempt at a fresh start. But one sister’s sudden reappearance threatens to shatter this fragile idyll as she demands justice for the pain she carries. Amid the debris and the new extension, guilt, grief and greed battle it out in the family’s competing dreams of their future. When we are faced with the suffering of others, even those closest to us, can we look away? 

27th September-9th November

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Singer-songwriter Elvis Costello and award-winning Broadway playwright Sarah Ruhl’s timely new musical is all about the merging of celebrity and politics. When radio producer Marcia Jeffries meets drifter Lonesome Rhodes, she immediately gives him a slot on her show. But as Lonesome's fanbase grows and the politicians take notice, Marcia realises she has unleashed a force she can no longer control.   

10th September-9th November

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Lucian Msamati (Game of Thrones) and Ben Whishaw (Paddington, This Is Going To Hurt) star in a new production of Samuel Beckett’s seminal play. The tragicomedy follows Vladimir and Estragon as they wait by a desolate tree for the elusive Godot. To pass the time, they engage in a series of conversations, antics, and encounters with other characters, including the pompous Pozzo and his downtrodden servant Lucky. Through their repetitive and often absurd interactions, the play explores existentialism and the search for meaning.  

13th September-14th December 

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Adrien Brody will make his West End debut in The Fear of 13, a new play by Lindsey Ferrentino based on the extraordinary true of Nick Yarris. Nick’s got a tale to tell you. About how a routine traffic stop turned into a conviction for murder. About how he spent the next 22 years on death row. About how he finally petitioned the court to ask not for an appeal, but for his execution date. And about what happened next… 

4th October-30th November

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Nearly 20 years after the release of the film (which has a sequel in the works), The Devil Wears Prada will transfer from Plymouth to the West End in October. Starring Vanessa Williams (Ugly Betty, Desperate Housewives) as the infamous Miranda Priestly, the musical features an original score by Elton John and choreography by three-time Tony winner Jerry Mitchell. Fresh out of college, aspiring journalist Andy scores a job at the prestigious Runway magazine working for a powerful and terrifying fashion icon. Sacrificing her personal life to meet Miranda's impossible demands, Andy finds herself seduced by the glamorous world she once despised. How far will she go to succeed? And will it be worth selling her soul to get what she’s always wanted? 

24th October-31st May

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This autumn Jodie Whittaker (Doctor Who, Broadchurch) will star in Zinnie Harris’s acclaimed contemporary adaptation of The Duchess of Malfi. Recently widowed and in search for a new lease of life, the Duchess defies her family’s wishes by remarrying beneath her class. When her brothers, driven by insurmountable greed and rage, discover her second marriage, they unleash a series of cruel and devastating punishments against her that repress her power. But will their vicious atrocities come back to haunt them? 

5th October-20th December

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