London theatre in July
June 25, 2017 12:53 AM Subscribe
I'll be in London for a couple weeks in July, with most evenings free. What is some great theatre I should check out?
I'm primarily interested in stuff that I can't catch on Broadway or on tour elsewhere-- ideally something fresh/buzzy unless there's something really quintessentially London that nobody should miss. I will be pretty tired most days, so prefer nothing terribly long or yawn-inducing. For an idea of my taste, I recently enjoyed Fun Home and I love everything from Sarah Ruhl.
Bonus question: there are so many websites to book tickets, but I really prefer aisle seats even if I have to pay more. Is there a particular website that has the most seats available and an easy way to select seats on a map?
I'm primarily interested in stuff that I can't catch on Broadway or on tour elsewhere-- ideally something fresh/buzzy unless there's something really quintessentially London that nobody should miss. I will be pretty tired most days, so prefer nothing terribly long or yawn-inducing. For an idea of my taste, I recently enjoyed Fun Home and I love everything from Sarah Ruhl.
Bonus question: there are so many websites to book tickets, but I really prefer aisle seats even if I have to pay more. Is there a particular website that has the most seats available and an easy way to select seats on a map?
I might be tempted to see the Ian McKellen showcase: Shakespeare, Tolkien, Others & You playing at the Park Theatre.
posted by fairmettle at 3:37 AM on June 25, 2017
posted by fairmettle at 3:37 AM on June 25, 2017
I saw Kinky Boots in London last week and even though it is playing many other places, it is set in England and I think that seeing it with English actors really helped the production. Particularly, videos of other productions I've seen have had some atrocious accents.
I got my tickets through londontheatre.co.uk and it let me pick my seats, which was handy.
As for good smaller plays in London, John Boyega is in a smaller play right now that looks good. Stockard Channing is in Apologia. I really wish I had gone to see Audra MacDonald in Lady Day/Emerson's Bar and Grille or whatever it is called.
Have fun!
posted by hepta at 4:36 AM on June 25, 2017
I got my tickets through londontheatre.co.uk and it let me pick my seats, which was handy.
As for good smaller plays in London, John Boyega is in a smaller play right now that looks good. Stockard Channing is in Apologia. I really wish I had gone to see Audra MacDonald in Lady Day/Emerson's Bar and Grille or whatever it is called.
Have fun!
posted by hepta at 4:36 AM on June 25, 2017
There is usually always something good playing at the National Theater. I think you can go the day of to find tickets. Bonus: the Southbank is always interesting and beautiful to walk through/along.
posted by bquarters at 6:18 AM on June 25, 2017
posted by bquarters at 6:18 AM on June 25, 2017
Best answer: These might not be what you're after as the first two are long, but so, so good... but in terms of the dead certs in London this summer, I'd suggest the following -
I see about 40 plays a year, and The Ferryman is one of the best plays I've seen in a long time - epic yet intimate, very funny yet deadly serious. It's transferring to the West End in July after selling out almost instantly when it was on at the Royal Court earlier in the year and getting wall to wall 5 star reviews.
Might not be your taste but Robert Icke's Hamlet is also in a West End transfer after rave reviews for its first run at the Almeida, stars Andrew Scott as Hamlet (aka Moriarty in Sherlock), who is just an extraordinary stage actor, take the chance to see him if you're at all able to do Shakespeare.
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour - yet another "transfer after rave reviews", not seen it myself but everyone who has adores it. More fun, less serious, and probably shorter than the other two!
The National Theatre has had a couple of shows that have sounded like duds recently (Salome, Common) so I'd check reviews before just rocking up there.
posted by penguin pie at 8:58 AM on June 25, 2017
I see about 40 plays a year, and The Ferryman is one of the best plays I've seen in a long time - epic yet intimate, very funny yet deadly serious. It's transferring to the West End in July after selling out almost instantly when it was on at the Royal Court earlier in the year and getting wall to wall 5 star reviews.
Might not be your taste but Robert Icke's Hamlet is also in a West End transfer after rave reviews for its first run at the Almeida, stars Andrew Scott as Hamlet (aka Moriarty in Sherlock), who is just an extraordinary stage actor, take the chance to see him if you're at all able to do Shakespeare.
Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour - yet another "transfer after rave reviews", not seen it myself but everyone who has adores it. More fun, less serious, and probably shorter than the other two!
The National Theatre has had a couple of shows that have sounded like duds recently (Salome, Common) so I'd check reviews before just rocking up there.
posted by penguin pie at 8:58 AM on June 25, 2017
Best answer: Front Row podcast about The Ferryman. It sounds excellent.
posted by kjs4 at 6:48 PM on June 25, 2017
posted by kjs4 at 6:48 PM on June 25, 2017
Best answer: The Ferryman is indeed a great play, go see. Make sure you check out the Royal Court, the theatre where it started its run. Its institutional brief sounds pretty much what you're after. Cheap tickets are available on Mondays if you're lucky.
posted by einekleine at 10:06 AM on June 26, 2017
posted by einekleine at 10:06 AM on June 26, 2017
Response by poster: Thanks all. I've booked tickets for The Ferryman, Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour, and will look at Hamlet or others if I have more free time.
posted by acidic at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
posted by acidic at 3:23 PM on June 27, 2017 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Can happily report that Hamlet and The Ferryman were devastatingly good, and Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour was pretty good as well (unfortunately was too jetlagged to really appreciate it). Also saw Cat on a Hot Tin Roof which was also very fun. Wish I had time for more!
posted by acidic at 10:21 PM on July 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
posted by acidic at 10:21 PM on July 17, 2017 [3 favorites]
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posted by barracuda at 1:29 AM on June 25, 2017