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Time Out
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Time Out
The 10 best new London theatre openings in June 2025
If you want to look for unifying trend in June 2025 London theatre, then it's very much about classic shows being brought back: last year's Fiddler on the Roof, 2019's A Midsummer Night's Dream, 2011's London Road and most remarkably still, a sort of (it's complicated) reprise for the original 2000 production of Sarah Kane's posthumous masterpiece 4.48 Psychosis. On the other hand, there's more to the month than old stuff and for many the real treat will be a first chance to see a couple of big shiny American shows: David Adjmi's wildly acclaimed Fleetwood Mac (sort of) drama Stereophonic, and the latest massive Disney musical Hercules, which makes its English language premiere at Theatre Royal Drury Lane this month. The best London theatre openings in June 2025 1. Stereophonic US playwright David Adjmi's drama – with songs by erstwhile Arcade Fire man Will Butler – comes to the West End as the most Tony-nominated play of all time. It's still pretty bold of producer Sonia Friedman to plonk a three-hour play with no famous people in it directly into the West End, although the subject matter should serve as enticement: Stereophonic is a fictionalised account of the legendarily fraught recording sessions for Fleetwood Mac's landmark album Rumours. Duke of York's Theatre, now until Sep 20. Buy tickets here. 2. 4.48 Psychosis To state this straight away, 4.48 Psychosis is totally sold out already: the only day you're getting in is on a Monday when all 90 tickets to the Royal Court's tiny Upstairs space go on sale on the day itself. Sarah Kane's final play, 4.48 Psychosis is a sort of generically unclassifiable freeform poem – which some have referred to as a 'suicide note' – that was originally staged at the Royal Court a couple of years after her death. This unusual production reunites the entire original team behind James Macdonald's production, including a cast that includes current RSC boss Daniel Evans. It's not as simple as restaging the original show: the idea seems to be to come up with a new production that saves the original from the darkness. Royal Court Theatre, Jun 12-Jul 5. 3. London Road Although it actually dates back to the Nicholas Hytner era, Alecky Blythe and Adam Cork's London Road was clearly the best thing just departed NT boss Rufus Norris directed for the theatre. So it was great that he brought the visionary verbatim musical about an Ipswich community's reaction to the Suffolk Strangler killings back for his final season. But there won't be much coverage this time, due to the media blackout around Steven Wright's latest trial causing the NT to decide to pull press night. Which seems a bit excessive (Wright isn't even a character in it) but hey ho – it's one of the most remarkable shows of our time and you really should see it. National Theatre, Olivier, Jun 6-21. Buy tickets here. 4. A Midsummer Night's Dream In a very big month for returning shows, here comes a welcome second crack at Nicholas Hytner's sublime 2019 production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. There is some fun genderfluid stuff at work here, with many of the lines for fairy king and queen Oberon and Titania swapped over. But really it's about bagging the standing tickets and getting swept up in a joyous production that ends up as full-on dance party. JJ Feild and Susannah Fielding lead the cast. Bridge Theatre, May 31-Aug 23. Buy tickets here. 5. Hercules If the recent live action screen version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves taught us anything, it's that even the biggest of Disney's old hits aren't necessarily suited to a 2025 makeover. Conversely, a big glossy musical version of 1997's Hercules makes perfect sense: the film wasn't a big hit for Disney but was well-regarded, is relatively contemporary, and a musical is a fine opportunity to bring it to a wider audience. In addition the Greek mythology setting is a great opportunity to go nuts with the special effects and means everyone kind of knows the story already. Theatre Royal Drury Lane, booking Jun 6-Jan 10 2026. Buy tickets here. 6. Fiddler on the Roof Jordan Fein's production of Bock & Stein's immortal musical set in the last days of the shtetl was a massive hit at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre last summer and subsequently won three awards at this year's Oliviers. Now it's back for an indoor stint at the Barbican and what a treat it'll be to have this excellent production back again. It perfectly mixes joy in the classic songs with a deft awareness of the unsettling undercurrents to the story. Barbican Centre, now until Jul 19. Buy tickets here. 7. A Moon for the Misbegotten The Almeida's in-house hard-hitter Rebecca Frecknall turns her sights on Eugene O'Neill for the first time, directing Michael Shannon and Ruth Wilson in O'Neill's sort of sequel to the monumental Long Day's Journey Into Night. US star Shannon is a particularly intriguing piece of casting because he played the role of the alcoholic James Tyrone Jr in a 2016 Broadway production of Long Day's Journey, making him possibly the first actor in history to have played James in both shows. Almeida Theatre, Jun 18-Aug 16. 8. Intimate Apparel Lynette Linton has directed phenomenal productions of Lynn Nottage plays for each of the previous two Donmar artistic directors, and now she makes her Timothy Sheader-era debut with a third. Where Sweat and Clyde's were UK premieres, this will be the first revival of the excellent Intimate Apparel, which will this time feature US star Samira Wiley as Easther, a Black seamstress in early twentieth century New York. She dreams of finding a man and saving up enough money to open her own Black beauty parlour – but that might be easier said than done. Donmar Warehouse, Jun 20-Aug 9. 9. Showmanism Hampstead Theatre has been on a mercurial course since its last artistic director Roxana Silbert quit in 2022 (after the theatre lost its Arts Council funding). Undoubtedly the highlight of the new era to date was lip sync performance artist Dickie Beau's deeply moving Re-Member Me, a light hearted tribute to Shakespeare's Hamlet that became ever more powerful as it unexpectedly changed shape. So what a treat to have him back with Showmanism, his attempt to trace a complete history of the stage, from Greek tragedy to nightclub queens. As with its predecessor, expect it to start funny and get intense. Hampstead Theatre, Jun 18-Jul 12. Buy tickets here. 10. North By Northwest North Londoners can enjoy a quick London stop for the latest from British theatre's whimsical genius Emma Rice, as her adaptation of Hitchcock's North By Northwest calls in at Ally Pally for a couple of weeks. Yes, it seems fairly nuts to adapt his kinetic spy thriller about a man who finds himself thrust into a vast, country-spanning conspiracy after a mix up at a restaurant. But you could say that about almost everything Rice has ever adapted. Alexandra Palace Theatre, Jun 11-22.
Straits Times
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Straits Times
My Perfect Weekend with SRT's artistic director Gaurav Kripalani
Gaurav Kripalani is the artistic director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre. PHOTO: COURTESY OF GAURAV KRIPALANI Who: Gaurav Kripalani, 53, is the artistic director of the Singapore Repertory Theatre (SRT). Over his 23 years with the company, he has produced more than 100 plays. The company is now staging Macbeth as part of its Shakespeare In The Park series. Running at Fort Canning Park till June 1, the outdoor production reimagines the Bard's classic tale of ambition, betrayal and the devastating cost of power. Previous runs of SRT's Shakespeare In The Park include Julius Caesar and A Midsummer Night's Dream. 'My perfect weekend would entail watching a good play, enjoying a plate of my favourite chicken rice, spending time with friends and family, and catching up on sleep. Every May, my friends and family organise a picnic for me in the park for my birthday weekend, as my birthday falls on May 8. In true Singaporean fashion, what is on the menu is a major part of the planning. There is usually an impressive spread and, over time, the whole thing has grown into something of a production. Each year, they choose a theme and go all out with decorations and props. It is equal parts over-the-top and incredibly thoughtful. Being able to lie on a picnic mat under the stars with those near and dear to you, enjoying a drink and a sumptuous meal, is a kind of magic you do not find often. For me, food, laughter and being surrounded by people who matter most – that is what makes a weekend perfect. And the cherry on top? Being able to sleep in late the next morning. When I do eventually surface, Sunday tends to be fairly relaxed and s tarts with coffee. I love the aroma as much as the taste – there is something comforting and almost ritualistic about it. I am quite addicted, to be honest. Gaurav Kripalani celebrating his 53rd birthday at a picnic. PHOTO: COURTESY OF GAURAV KRIPALANI I am also a bit of a news junkie, so I usually spend a couple of hours reading a mix of newspapers – local and international. It is my version of a slow Sunday. In the evening, I will often head out to catch a play and a meal with friends. Then it is back home, just in time to catch an Arsenal match or a Formula One race – sometimes both, if I am lucky. I feel very blessed to have a wonderful family and a few special friends who always go out of their way to make my birthday weekends memorable. They are the heart of it all – and the reason these weekends mean so much. ' Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Boston Globe
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Presley Chweneyagae, acclaimed actor of ‘Tsotsi,' dies at 40
Mr. Chweneyagae appeared in stagings of works by Shakespeare, playing the title character of 'Hamlet,' Mark Antony in 'Julius Caesar,' and Bottom and Puck in 'A Midsummer Night's Dream.' For 'Tsotsi' - his first feature film, released the year he turned 21 - Mr. Chweneyagae immersed himself in a more contemporary drama, one set close to home, in the Johannesburg township of Soweto. He played a gang leader hardened beyond his years by the loss of his mother to AIDS, the abuse visited upon him by his alcoholic father, and the hardship of life in a shantytown and on the streets. He is known, simply, as 'Tsotsi,' or hoodlum. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up The film, directed by Gavin Hood and based on a 1980 novel by the venerated South African playwright Athol Fugard, was unsparing in its depiction of violence. Advertisement 'The character Tsotsi, played by the charismatic newcomer Presley Chweneyagae, seems to have consumed his share of big-screen shoot-'em-ups,' wrote New York Times film critic Manohla Dargis, calling him 'as compact as Al Pacino's Tony Montana and just as lethal.' Advertisement In a critical moment of the film, Mr. Chweneyagae's character prowls a wealthy neighborhood, shoots a young woman, drives off with her luxury car and soon discovers that her baby is in the back seat. He takes the infant home to his shack and attempts to care for him, fashioning newspapers into diapers. Tsotsi struggles to deviate from the violence that has reigned over his life. When the baby grows hungry, he orders another mother at gunpoint to breastfeed the child. But the boy gradually kindles in Tsotsi a tenderness that he seems not to have known he had. 'How strange, a movie where a bad man becomes better, instead of the other way around,' film critic Roger Ebert wrote of 'Tsotsi.' Praising the film for not sentimentalizing poverty, Ebert described the story as one of 'deep emotional power' about a 'young killer … who is transformed by the helplessness of a baby' and 'powerless before eyes more demanding than his own.' 'It's a story about hope, it's a story about forgiveness, and it also deals with the issues that we are facing as South Africans: AIDS, poverty, and crime,' Mr. Chweneyagae told Agence France-Presse shortly before 'Tsotsi' received the Oscar for best foreign film in 2006. 'But at the same time,' he added, 'it could take place anywhere in the world.' Mr. Chweneyagae was born in Mafikeng, in South Africa's North West province, on Oct. 19, 1984. He acted in church plays and community theater before beginning drama lessons at 10. His film credits after 'Tsotsi' include his performance as a prisoner in 'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' (2013), a biopic about Nelson Mandela. Advertisement Mr. Chweneyagae attracted a devoted following in South Africa for his performance in 'The River,' a TV series that ran from 2018 to 2024, about two families, one rich and one poor, connected by South Africa's diamond mining industry. His character, Cobra, inspired a spin-off, 'Cobrizi.' With Mpumelelo Paul Grootboom, he wrote a play, 'Relativity,' about a serial killer in a South African township and the lives of the many people around him. Mr. Chweneyagae was married and had several children, but a complete list of survivors was not immediately available. For his performance in 'Tsotsi,' Mr. Chweneyagae drew on his traumatic experience being mugged shortly before he agreed to take on the film role. 'When you are a victim of crime, you do tend to think, 'If I ever come face to face with that person, I'll kill them or do something to get back at them,'' he told the Lexington (Kentucky) Herald-Leader. But after working on 'Tsotsi,' he added, 'I can see that people do not choose where they come from. They do not choose their financial background or their social background. It's just circumstances that force them to be what they are.'
Axios
22-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Axios
Actors' Theatre returns to Schiller for its summer season
Summer may technically be a month away, but one of the truest signs of the season begins this week as Actors' Theatre of Columbus returns to Schiller Park. Why it matters: The organization represents a critical piece of the Columbus humanities scene as art funds are cut and the wider theater scene faces mounting challenges. What they're saying: "Actors' Theatre is where world class theater meets community for free," managing director Norah Goldman tells Axios. "Our focus highlights quality, community and accessibility." By the numbers: Each year, more than 10,000 people flock to German Village to watch live, outdoor theater in the park on blankets and lawn chairs. Around 150 local performers auditioned for this summer's roles, a group that Goldman says represents "a blend of expertise and emerging talent." Although donations are encouraged — and key to the troupe's survival — performances are still unticketed and open to all. "The idea is to remove as many barriers as possible," Goldman says. The intrigue: Actors' Theatre plans four productions this season. " Emma," a "fresh, wildly funny" adaptation of the Jane Austen novel, runs May 22-June 15. Shakespeare's classic " A Midsummer Night's Dream" runs June 19-July 13. An adaptation of the western novel " Shane" runs July 17-Aug. 10. " She Kills Monsters," an off-off-Broadway dramedy about a young adventurer, runs Aug. 14-31. Between the lines: That lineup is curated for variety, relevance and diversity of storytelling, Goldman says — with the "one uniting theme" of a Shakespeare show every season. "We have historically significant theater that is adaptable. We look at classic interpretations of plays and figure out ways to put that in modern day." Behind the scenes: Actors' Theatre drives a variety of community art initiatives off the stage. The Globe School, its educational wing, organizes acting camps, acting classes, school outreach programs, internships for young theater professionals and other volunteering projects. "Probably the most core pillar of our work outside of our season is our educational outreach," Goldman says. Flashback: The Actors' Theatre story began in 1982 with a single performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" on a basic concrete stage, with the show's success kicking off more than 40 years of performances in the park. In 1995, Schiller constructed a permanent stage on the site where the troupe performs today. The group performed its 100th play in Schiller in 2016. This year marks the first performance of "A Midsummer Night's Dream" since 2018. 🎭 If you go: Performances are at 8pm Thursday-Sunday at Schiller Park's amphitheater stage, 1000 City Park Ave.
Eyewitness News
21-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Eyewitness News
Learners with disabilities steal the show at Shakespeare festival
For the first time, learners from a special needs school in Brackenfell took to the stage at the 15th Shakespeare Schools Festival held in Cape Town over the weekend. The crowd cheered after the Paarl School for the Neural Disabled performance of an adaptation of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the District Six Homecoming Centre. Performers included learners with physical disabilities, cerebral palsy and learning disabilities. For many of the learners, it was their first time performing on 'a real stage', and some had not been to a theatre before. 'When you're physically disabled, it's very difficult for your family to take you places [like this],' explained Alet Marais, the head of the intermediate phase at the school. Some learners decorated their wheelchairs with flowers. Others dressed in whimsical costumes and wore makeup. The auditorium echoed with laughter and cheers throughout the performance, which ended with a standing ovation. Marais says that because learners struggle with reading and writing, they chose not to use Elizabethan English in the play. The performing group was made up of 24 learners, seven of whom use wheelchairs. They were assisted by seven teachers and three aides who helped the learners. Marais says that getting in and out of the theatre with wheelchairs was a challenge which the school solved with mobile ramps. The 15th Shakespeare Schools Festival runs until 31 May at the District Six Homecoming Centre, with performances by more than 45 drama groups. The festival aims to bring together children from different communities to perform adapted Shakespeare plays and to improve language, learning and social skills through the performing arts. This article first appeared on GroundUp. Read the original article here.
