London Archives - Page 18 of 147

The Merry Wives of Windsor – Shakespeare’s Globe

10Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

The Merry Wives of Windsor – Shakespeare’s Globe

Published in 1602 and traditionally believed to have been written at the specific request of Elizabeth I, The Merry Wives of Windsor is one of Shakespeare's less frequently produced and not so well-regarded plays. It's a great romp though, and the perfect choice for a summer evening at the iconic "Wooden O" on London's South Bank. Sir John Falstaff, the large, impoverished and corpulent knight from Shakespeare's Henry series, secretly propositions the wives of Ford and Page, with the intention of relieving them of their husbands' money. He sends both women identical letters hoping to woo them. The women discover that Falstaff is communicating with both of them and decide to lead him on, to mock and shame him and teach him a lesson. Through the meddling of the servant, Mistre...

9Jul

By Holly SewellNo Comments

London

The Constant Wife – Swan Theatre

W. Somerset Maugham’s The Constant Wife, written and set nearly half a century after A Doll’s House, transforms Ibsen’s critiques of marriage into a sparkling 1920s comedy of manners. It’s hard not to compare with Ibsen’s masterpiece, but the purpose here is different: less a rallying cry, more a pragmatic question. What should you do if your perfect husband has an affair? The eponymous Constance is married to the right kind of man, with the right kind of job, in the right kind of house. Unfortunately, the man in question is having an affair with Constance’s best friend. By a stroke of (bad?) luck, Constance catches the two of them in the act - but decides to keep it to herself. Over the course of the next year, she hatches a plan to gain economic independence from her husband in secret...

Noughts & Crosses – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

9Jul

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Noughts & Crosses – Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

What means more to you: being someone or making a difference? Based on the acclaimed novel by Malorie Blackman and adapted by Dominic Cooke, Noughts & Crosses tells the story of two star-crossed friends-to-lovers who learn to grow and adapt together in this Romeo & Juliet-esque love story. In this world, there is a divide between the Noughts and the Crosses. Callum, is from a Nought family and Sephy, from a Cross family. Their worlds have intertwined since childhood, with Callum’s mother working for Sephy’s family and the two becoming firm friends. However, Noughts and Crosses are not to be seen together. After many meet ups on their secret beach, as teenagers their world is turned upside down when Callum gets accepted at Sephy’s prestigious Cross school. The play focuses ...

Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll – Leicester Square Theatre

6Jul

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll – Leicester Square Theatre

Wilko: Love and Death and Rock ‘n’ Roll is a play with music that tells the story of legendary guitarist and songwriter Wilko Johnson, most famous for his work with the band Dr. Feelgood. As someone unfamiliar with Johnson’s legacy before watching this, the show served as a striking introduction, not just to his music, but to the man behind it. The play begins at a pivotal moment: Wilko being diagnosed with terminal cancer and given a year to live. Rather than retreating, he sets out on a final farewell tour, determined to go out doing what he loves. This sets the stage for a reflective memoir-style journey, as we’re taken back through his life, glimpses of his childhood, the formation of Dr. Feelgood, his creative process, and the personal moments that shaped him, including his marr...

4Jul

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Get Happy – Omnibus Theatre

Performer and writer of the wonderful ‘Get Happy’ Joseph Aldous greets his audience like a cheerleader. Big energy, smiling and excitable- it’s impossible not to be pleased as we take our seats and buckle in for a wild night. Get Happy focuses on a 30-year man, single and looking for a long term partner but being subjected to one night stands and transactional relationships. He is plunged into chaos as his flatmate ‘Ryan’ announces his perfect engagement and perfect to be life as he ends his tenancy. Adam has only one choice to prove that he’s as worthy as his flatmate. He needs to ‘get happy’. To do this he trusts his Alexa to journey with him through this week in London, hoping by the Sunday he 1. Has a new boyfriend, 2. Has a new promotion and 3. Finds a new flatmate. This 75-...

The Play That Goes Wrong – The Duchess Theatre

3Jul

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

The Play That Goes Wrong – The Duchess Theatre

This year marks the arrival of the 11th cast of The Play That Goes Wrong, and with it comes a fresh injection of talent and energy that truly breathes new life into this already beloved production. The new ensemble not only lives up to the show’s high standards but, in many ways, elevates it with their own unique flair. One of the most delightful aspects of this play is that it begins before the curtains even rise. From the moment you step into the theatre — even while waiting in the queue — the chaos has already started. For a first-time attendee like myself, I was completely taken in. I genuinely thought things were falling apart behind the scenes, only to realise later that it was all a brilliantly orchestrated gag. That level of immersion was not only unexpected but genius. Once ...

The Rocky Horror Show – New Wimbledon Theatre

2Jul

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

The Rocky Horror Show – New Wimbledon Theatre

Richard O Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is rolling on through time, like you are in a Time Warp. It premiered in London in 1973 and after 52 years, the newest stage production has hit Wimbledon theatre. Presenting Jason Donovan as the iconic Frank-N-Furter and a modest cast. A cast change for this performance of Janet saw Stacey Monahan take to the stage. It is important to know that the Rocky Horror Show has a vibrant following, this performance was no exception. O’ Brien’s writing was inspired by late night B movies and his own experiences as a ‘troubled teenager’ and his writing was a way of entertaining himself. This show is unique, unmatched and is a campy tribute to science fiction with a touch of B movie horror. Narrated by Nathan Caton with the style and quips to get any audience going...

A Moon for the Misbegotten – Almedia Theatre

29Jun

By Sadie PearsonNo Comments

London

A Moon for the Misbegotten – Almedia Theatre

Tonight, at the Almeida, A Moon for the Misbegotten lands like a blow wrapped in poetry—a raw, heartfelt collision of booze‑scarred souls, human flinches, and a moonlight that enthrals as much as it devastates. Leading the charge is Ruth Wilson as Josie Hogan, delivering a performance that’s fiercely grounded, physically charged, and impossible to ignore. Set on a rundown Connecticut farm in 1923, A Moon for the Misbegotten follows tenant farmer Phil Hogan and his strong-willed daughter Josie as they face the looming threat of eviction. In a calculated gambit, Phil hatches a plan to use Josie to manipulate their landlord, James Tyrone Jr. But as night falls and moonlight casts its harsh glow, the façade of strategy gives way to something deeper—unspoken grief, buried longing, and a frag...

26Jun

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

Orpheus Descending – The Cockpit

Orpheus Descending is a difficult and unwieldy play in which the creative team and especially the cast of this production do an excellent job of infusing with serious energy and inventiveness. Orpheus Descending is another of Tennessee Williams plays set in small town USA examining the knotty and repressed relationships of its residents. Mostly we follow the story of Val Xavier (Johnathan Aarons), an outsider with a sordid past who is trying to make a new life for himself. He is quickly drawn into the maelstrom of the town. He is pursued by Carol Cutrere (Daisy Hargreaves), the town’s own scandal, who both wants him romantically and is trying to warn him of the potential danger he is in. Soon, however, Val is falling in love with Lady Torrance (Madison Coppola), the daughter of an I...

26Jun

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

This Bitter Earth – Soho Theatre

Following his recent turn as Emcee in Cabaret, American actor Billy Porter has clearly developed a taste for the West End. This time, however, he’s on directing duty, as he stages a new production of Harrison David Rivers’ play This Bitter Earth at Soho Theatre. It follows the relationship between Black playwright Jesse (Omari Douglas) and his white BLM activist boyfriend Neil (Alexander Lincoln), with fragmented snapshots of their love story playing out against the tragic backdrop of the killings of Trayvon Martin, Eric Garner, and more Black people facing police brutality. Porter’s jaunty personal style translates to a slick and energetic staging, weaving the non-linear narrative together carefully through simple movement, props, and lighting changes. There are no other characte...