Withnail and me
Bruce Robinson adapted the acclaimed 1987 British film about two arrogant, self-important ’60s actors. Robert Sheehan stars as Withnail’s tough-as-nails Richard E Grant, with Adonis Siddique as his fresh-faced friend Marwood and Malcolm Sinclair as the sultry Uncle Monty.
Sean Foley directs. Birmingham Representative (birmingham-rep.co.uk), previews from May 3 to May 25
Viola’s Room
Immersive pioneers Punchdrunk turned their London base into a laboratory, starting with a version of Barry Pain’s 1901 short story The Moon-Slave (adapted by the Booker-shortlisted Daisy Johnson); Barefoot groups of up to six people “grope their way through a maze-like setup.”
Single Cartridge Lot, London SE18 (punchdrunk.com), from May 22 to August 18
Founder
James Corden returns to the stage for the first time since his huge success with One Man, Two Guvnors (2011) and subsequent stardom in the US. opposition backbench MP (Anna Maxwell Martin). Matthew Warchus directs Joe “Orange” Penhall’s latest contemporary film, which deals with the “increasing threat landscape.”
The Old Vic, London SE1 (oldvictheatre.com), from June 25 to August 10
Long Day’s Journey into Night
Jeremy Herrin reimagines Eugene O’Neill’s posthumously published masterpiece – an autobiographical portrait of an accusatory Connecticut family – with a coup-de-grace cast of faded actor James Tyrone, Succession star Brian Cox in the patriarchal role, and Emmy winner Patricia Clarkson as Morphine. his astonished wife Mary.
Wyndham Theatre, London, WC2 (delfontmackintosh.co.uk), from April 2 to June 8
Player Kings
Robert Icke adapts Shakespeare’s stirring, epic stories Henry IV, Parts I and II, with star honors for 84-year-old Sir Ian McKellen, who plays Falstaff, and 26-year-old Toheeb Jimoh (who was successful in the BBC’s Anthony). He plays Prince Hal.
Noel Coward, London WC2 (playerkingstheplay.co.uk), previews from April 1 to June 22
London Tide
Ben Power adapts Dickens’s Our Mutual Friend with songs by himself and PJ Harvey and is directed by Ian Rickson. “This romantic and propulsive thriller is a hymn to London and the river that runs through it,” we are told.
The National’s Lyttelton Theatre, London SE1 (nationaltheatre.org.uk), from April 14 to June 22
The labor of love is lost
Daniel Evans and Tamara Harvey’s inaugural season as RSC artistic directors offers bags of sights to see, including a play about the 1997 Kyoto summit. But first, Emily Burns reimagines Shakespeare’s teen comedy about unsustainable abstinence; Bridgerton’s Luke Thompson makes his RSC debut as Berowne.
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (rsc.org.uk), from 18 April to 18 May
Two Strangers (Cake Carry in New York)
As seen in Kiln last year, this quirky, clever romantic comedy musical by Jim Barne and Kit Buchan stars Dujonna Gift and Sam Tutty as the bride’s sister and the groom’s wide-eyed son. Yes, there’s baggage to unpack as they cross the Big Apple carrying a wedding cake.
Criterion, London W1 (twostrangersthemusical.com), from April 23 to July 14
Minority Report
David Haig ( My Boy Jack ) had the commercially shrewd, thematically timely idea to adapt Philip K Dick’s futuristic vision of pre-crime suspects (made famous on the big screen by Spielberg/Cruise) for the stage. Directed by Max Webster (Life of Pi). Cast includes Jodie McNee and Nick Fletcher.
Lyric Hammersmith, London W6 (www.lyric.co.uk), from 24 April to 18 May
deep blue sea
Tamsin Greig plays one of Terence Rattigan’s great roles: Hester Collyer, the clergyman’s daughter and judge’s wife, distraught by her love affair with a restless former Battle of Britain pilot.
Lindsay Posner directs. Ustinov Studio, Theater Royal Bath (theatreroyal.org.uk), from 1 May to 1 June
Cherry Orchard
Firebrand Australian director Benedict Andrews transported The Seagull to a holiday cottage Down Under and set the Three Sisters in a wasteland. She now turns her attention to Chekhov’s last play, in which Nina Hoss (Tár), the doyenne of German theater and cinema, makes her London debut as the actress Ranevskaya.
Donmar Warehouse, London WC2 (frostmarwarehouse.com), from May 2 to June 22
Much ado about nothing
There’s been a lot of noise about Globe artistic director Michelle Terry playing Richard III this season, but first up are Ekow Quartey and Amalia Vitale as Benedick and Beatrice in Sean’s “Elizabethan gown production that will transform the Globe into a haven of luxury” took. Holmes.
Shakespeare’s Globe, London SE1 (shakespearesglobe.com), from May 3 to August 24
Spirited Away
Following the success of My Neighbor Totoro, London is getting another successful stage version from Studio Ghibli; Hayao Miyazaki’s beautiful film, which broke box office records in 2001, about a young girl trapped in the spirit world. John Caird directs a Japanese cast (with English surtitles).
London Coliseum, London WC2 (spiritedawayuk.com), from May 7 to August 24
Fist
James Graham’s new film, starring Julie Hesmondhalgh and directed by Adam Penford, follows the real-life case of a teenager who delivers a fatal punch in Nottingham and his subsequent search for justice and forgiveness.
Nottingham Theater (nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk), from May 9 to May 25
Romeo and Juliet
Tom “Spider-Man” Holland returns to the West End for the first time since making his debut in the musical Billy Elliot in 2008 and becoming one of Hollywood’s stars; Tickets for Jamie Lloyd’s production sold out in just over two hours, even though Juliet’s cast had not been announced (it still isn’t).
Duke of York, London WC2 (romeoandjulietldn.com), from May 23 to August 3
Kids from Blackstuff
James Graham has transformed Alan Bleasdale’s groundbreaking Liverpudlian drama series about a group of workers looking for work into “two and a half hours of clever theatre”, or so our reviewer thought at its Merseyside premiere last year. Kate Wasserberg directs. Barry Sloane plays Yosser’s “gizza business” Hughes.
The National’s Olivier Theatre, London SE1 (nationaltheatre.org.uk), from May 29 to June 8
Guard
New Festival Theater artistic director Justin Audibert directs Pinter’s breakthrough play, with Ian McDiarmid taking on the role of an increasingly territorial drifter who falls into the unhealthy orbit of Aston and his brother Mick (Adam Gillen and Jack Riddiford).
Minerva Studio, Chichester (cft.org.uk), from June 13 to July 13
Kiss me Kate
British television star Adrian Dunbar (Line of Duty) and American stage star Stephanie J Block join forces for Cole Porter’s backstage musical turn in Shakespeare’s sex war comedy The Taming of the Shrew. Bartlett Sher directs.
Barbican Centre, London, EC2 (barbican.org.uk), from June 18 to September 14
Secret Garden
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s Edwardian classic, about her childhood discovery and restoration of a Yorkshire garden, blossoms again in the hands of Holly Robinson (writer) and Anna Himali Howard (director).
Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park London NW1 (openairtheatre.com), from June 25 to July 20
next to normal
The 2009 Broadway musical about a mother struggling with bipolar disorder won the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and Michael Longhurst’s belated UK premiere (first seen at the Donmar) did it proud. Caissie Levy and Jamie Parker lead the cast.
Wyndham Theatre, London WC2 (nexttonormal.com), from 26 June to 21 September
Starlight Express
Forty years after its West End premiere and a generation after its original run, director Luke Sheppard revives Andrew Lloyd Webber’s strangest musical, where a child’s train set comes to life; A cast of 40 will dance their hearts out around a special immersive auditorium.
Troubadour, Wembley Park, London, HA9 (starlightexpresslondon.com), previews from June 8, reservations through February 16