Here’s an overview to some of the shows heading to the London stage next month…
Annie, Piccadilly Theatre: with Miranda Hart making her West End debut, Nikolai Foster’s production arrives in London following its successful UK. With songs such as ‘Easy Street’ and ‘Tomorrow’ it will be a fun family orientated show arriving just in time for summer! ( Ticketmaster.co.uk , ATG Tickets , Discount Theatre.com, Last Minute.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Love Theatre.com, UK Tickets.co.uk and Theatre People.com)
Ballroom, Waterloo East Theatre: this is the European premiere of Michael Bennett’s musical, which is based on The Queen of the Stardust Ballroom. It features a book by Jerome Kass, music by Billy Goldberg and lyrics by Alan & Marilyn Bergman. It previews from the 12th May.
Bea Asher who, having lost her beloved husband Morrie, opens a thrift shop that amounts to an ongoing garage sale of her own belongings. When her friend Angie urges her to get out of the shop and start living again by suggesting that she visit the local Brooklyn dance hall, Bea agrees and begins life anew at the Stardust Ballroom. There she meets middle-aged mailman Alfred Rossi and falls in love again. Her dream of a happily-ever-after relationship is shattered when she discovers Alfred hasn’t been as honest about his personal life as she thought, but having found a new life and love decides that “fifty percent” of someone you love is better than “all of anybody else”.
Brodsky/Baryshnikov, Apollo Theatre: playing from the 3rd to the 7th May, this short run of the one man show is performed in Russian and sees Baryshnikov performing some of his friend’s poignant and eloquent works. This UK premiere production is a combination of play, a poetry recital and a piece of performance art. (Discount Theatre.com, Last Minute.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Love Theatre.com, UK Tickets.co.uk and Theatre People.com. )
Judy!, Arts Theatre: opening for previews from the 16th May, Judy! is Ray Rackham’s biographical musical about the movie star Judy Garland. It arrives at the Arts Theatre following on from a successful run at the Southwark Playhouse (under the title Through the Mill) in 2015. (Ticketmaster.co.uk, Discount Theatre.com, Last Minute.com, Theatre Tickets Direct.co.uk, Love Theatre.com, Theatre People.com and UK Tickets.co.uk)
Life of Galileo, Young Vic Theatre: from the 6th May, the Young Vic Theatre will present Bertolt Brecht’s play – directed by Joe Wright and starring Brendan Cowell.
Galileo Galilei: father, hero, heretic. When a chance discovery leads to evidence of a seismic shift in scientific thinking, Galileo sparks a dangerous dispute with authority. To challenge the idea that the earth is the centre of the universe is to challenge the all-powerful Roman Catholic Church.
Richard III, Arcola Theatre: directed by Mehmet Ergen and starring Greg Hicks as Richard III, this new production of Shakespeare’s tragedy will preview at the theatre from the 11th May.
King Edward is on the throne, and England is at peace. But don’t worry – it won’t be that way for long.Gripping and outrageous, Shakespeare’s Richard III is the tale of a ruthless, power-crazed misogynist who lies and cheats his way to the highest seat in the land.
This is Not Culturally Significant, The Bunker Theatre: following a successful run as part of the VAULTS festival, Out of Spite Theatre’s production arrives at the Bunker from the 15th May.
A brutally intense, darkly comic one-man show that unveils the bizarre, compulsive and eccentric nature of humanity. This thunderous, high energy piece of theatre is performed entirely nude and combines dark clowning and deeply grotesque bouffon to create a sharp political comment on contemporary society.