We would never actively yearn for summer’s end, but a slate of new theatrical productions has us looking very forward to autumn. Here are five shows that are destined to be the talk of the town (and Simpson’s):
The Lives of Others at the Adelphi Theatre
Keira Knightley returns to the stage for the first time in 15 years, starring in this play, adapted and directed by Robert Icke, that is based on the 2006 German film Das Leben der Anderen. It’s set in East Berlin in the 1980s, when a Stasi officer (Stephen Dillane) is assigned to monitor a playwright and his partner, an actress.
Previews begin 14th October
Man to Man at the Royal Court Theatre
In this one-woman show written by Manfred Karge, Tilda Swinton is a German woman who tries to take over her dead husband’s identity, reprising a role she first played in 1988. The narrative takes her character through the 1930s all the way to the aftermath of World War II.
Previews begin 5th September
Hay Fever at the Wyndham’s Theatre
First staged in 1925, Noël Coward’s classic comedy stars Richard E. Grant and Christine Baranski and is directed by Emily Burns. It follows members of the narcissistic Bliss family as the matriarch (Baranski), a recently retired stage actress, invites one of her fans to stay at the weekend.
Opens 22nd September
The Cherry Orchard at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Conor McPherson’s new version of Anton Chekhov’s final play stars Kristin Scott Thomas as Lyubov, returning to her aristocratic home and reckoning with an uncertain future. Scott Thomas is reunited with director Ian Rickson; the two worked together previously in The Seagull.
Previews begin 3rd October
Rent at the Duke of York’s Theatre
The first London production of this beloved New York musical in nearly 20 years, it’s pegged to the show’s 30th anniversary and led by actor Gaten Matarazzo (Stranger Things), who plays Mark. It’s directed by Luke Sheppard, who masterminded a popular production at the Hope Mill Theatre during the pandemic.
Previews begin 26th September
Peckish?
We’d love to see you at Romano’s either before or after the show. From 9.45pm, Monday to Saturday, our £19.75 set menu includes salade à la Russe, pork & herb faggots with sautéed green beans, and a chocolate éclair.
