FEATURE: Road Map To More Theatre

While we all keep our fingers crossed for the much-promised end of lockdown on 19 July, theatres are gearing up to opening , hopefully with full capacity soon.

On our doorstep, Brighton Academy is offering three shows at Roedean School. Pippin the musical  is an evergreen charming tale of a Prince searching for meaning in life with a group of touring actors. It runs 6-11 July.

“ 13” gives us Evan a young man grappling with his parents’ divorce and his imminent Bar Mitzvah – also running 6-11 July.

Addams Family, the whacky musical comedy will run 15-18 July.

The West End is set for a magical summer with the world’s  greatest magicians delivering jaw dropping illusions in Wonderville.The company includes mind-reader Chris Cox , Britains Got Talent’s Josephine Lee, and Young and Strange, hailed by mega magicians Penn and Teller  as “one of the greatest magic acts in the world”. Wonderville is at the Palace Theatre for 65 performances until 30 August – look out  for my review in Scene. Tickets at Wondervilleuk.com

The iconic Dad’s Army has 3 episodes adapted for the stage coming to us, with 2 actors, 2 mics, 25 characters and lots of sound effects. It will be staged as a radio show at the Crazy Coqs, Brasserie Zedel, London for 4 performance on 29, 30 and 31 July, with a livestream on the  30th. It’s brought to life by David Benson and Jack Lane and features episodes about Pte Pike passing his medical, Capt Mainwaring’s drunken brother and L Cpl Jones ‘ wedding. The show will then go on tour,  including to Ashford and East Grinstead. Tickets: Brasseriezedel.com/events

The marvellous LGBTQ+ theatre Above The Stag in London’s Vauxhall presents Tommy On Top – the story of a closeted Hollywood heartthrob who struggles to keep a lid on his love life in Chris  Woodley’s new farce, set in a Los Angeles hotel room on the eve of the Oscars. It runs 28 July- 29 August.  –  abovethestag.org

For the first time in nearly 50 years, Staircase by Charles Dyer will return to London  at the Southwark  Playhouse. Set in the swinging 1960’s, his comedy explores the recent history of surreptitious same-sex relationships and shines a light on the implications of this secret  for Queer people . It runs until 17 July southwarkplayhouse.co.uk for tickets

The King’s Head Theatre  in Islington is running a Queer Season of innovative and interesting LGBTQ+ Plays,  which are  being created in the UK. It runs until 21 August. The first  show is All That , described as a “ whip-smart domestic drama exploring different attitudes towards love, sex and monogamy among Gay men . It’s by Hollyoaks writer Shaun Kitchener. Look out for  my feature coming soon on the full Queer season. Tickets at kingsheadtheatre.com

Steven Dexter’ s marvellous production of Stephen Schwartz’s musical Pippin is being re-staged at the Charing Cross Theatre by Adam Blanshay Productions. I originally saw it in the enterprising Garden Theatre at the Eagle pub in Vauxhall when outdoor theatre spaces were the only ones allowed. It runs until 14 August, and again stars Ryan Anderson as a Prince in search of the meaning of life . It’s terrific fun.

Seabright Productions has announced worldwide streaming for shows filmed with a live audience at Wilton’s Music Hall in London. The cabaret musical A Super Happy Story ( About Feeling Super Sad ), is destined for off-Broadway but you can see it first. Written by Jon Brittain,  with music by Matthew Floyd Jones, it explores how it’s ok to not be ok. It’s available on demand 5-11 July.

 

Black Is The Color Of My Voice stars Apphia Campbell in her own show inspired by Nina Simone. The play follows a successful jazz singer and civil rights activist seeking redemption for the untimely death of her father. It’s streamed live 8-11 July and on demand 12-18 July.

Friend ( The One With Gunther ). One man, 10 seasons, 1 hour ! The entire 236 episodes of the hit tv show as told through the eyes of barista Gunther , performed by comedian Brendan Murphy. It streams live 15-18 July and on demand 19-25 July.

Mark Farrelly brings back his highly acclaimed Quentin Crisp- Naked Hope, his one-man show about the Queer icon, which wowed audiences in Brighton. It’s streamed live 22-25 July and on demand 26 July- 1 August.Tickets for all 4 productions at www.livestream.theatre/season