What’s On Stage In London: July 2014

By Londonist Last edited 117 months ago
What’s On Stage In London: July 2014

Welcome to July’s edition of our What’s On Stage In London series, where we look at the month ahead to give you our pick of new openings. Organised by (very general) category and opening date, we hope this will allow you to browse and book ahead of time so you don’t miss out on seeing your favourite London shows. Useful? Missing something? Please let us know.

Udderbelly Festival, running until 13 July

Festivals

Ongoing: Udderbelly Festival at Southbank Centre — The first couple of weeks of July are your last opportunity to enjoy the fruits of Udderbelly Festival’s labour: comedy, circus and family entertainment galore. Until 13 July

Ongoing: Edinburgh Previews at Pleasance Theatre — Not a festival as such, but comedy lovers should enjoy this season of Edinburgh previews as both new and established artists try out their funnies before their residences at Edinburgh Festival this summer

8 July: Face To Face Festival at LOST Theatre —  A celebration of new performers and new ideas, funded by Arts Council England. Prices vary, until 13 July

28 July: Camden Fringe at various venues — The ninth Camden Fringe begins at the end of the month, with over 200 different productions being performed in 24 venues in and around the London borough of Camden. Prices vary, until 24 August

Therese Raquin at Park Theatre

Musicals and Opera

2 July: Pacific Overtures at Union Theatre — An isolated Japan has a rude awakening in 1853 by western war ships. A lowly fisherman is sent to insist they turn back only to kick start a chain of events that lead to drastic social change. £16-£20, until 2 August

8 July: Grand Hotel at Silk Street Theatre — Based on the 1929 Vicki Baum novel and play, Menschen im Hotel, the plot intertwines the lives of various residents over the course of a weekend at the Grand Hotel, Berlin. £15/£10, until 16 July

9 July: Let It Be at Garrick Theatre — Following a tour of UK and Ireland, Let It Be returns to London for a limited summer season at the Garrick Theatre, jam-packed with over 40 of The Beatles's greatest hits. £15-£65, until 21 September

9 July: How To Win Against History at Ovalhouse — The 5th Marquis of Anglesey was one of the earth's wealthiest men, until he lost it all by being too  fabulous. A musical about this 19th century tragedy. £5, until 12 July

12 July: Song from the Shows at The Normansfield Centre — 20 West End Musicals in one night — Opera UK performs a selection of songs from Les Miserables, West Side Story, Oklahoma, South Pacific and more. £18/£15, 7.30pm

13 July: The Confession Room at St James Studio — An original British musical about a group of people who come together to spill their most embarrassing secrets and stories. £25/£20, 7pm

17 July: Porgy and Bess at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre — A powerful story of love and betrayal, Porgy and Bess is celebrated as a landmark piece of American theatre and this version stars Rufus Bonds Jr and Nicola Hughes. £25-£45, until 23 August

24 July: Musical Mysteries at Compass Theatre — Pastiche Musical Theatre present their annual charity fund-raising summer show, an evening of musical mystery, song and dance from the West End, Broadway and Hollywood. £10, until 26 July

24 July: The Legacy at Leicester Square Theatre — In 1935 The Legacy Nightclub, a seedy club in the east end of London, burns to the ground in suspicious circumstances. Two generations later, a trendy design house now stands on the site of the old club, but mysteries lie in the basement. £17.50/£15, 3pm and 7.30pm

29 July: Napoleon Blown Apart at Arcola Theatre — Opera and punk combine to tell the story of how, on Christmas Eve 1800, a bomb intended for Napoleon exploded in a horse and cart on Rue St Nicaise in Paris, killing several innocent civilians. £10/£8, until 2 August

29 July: Marry Me A Little at St James Studio — Marry Me A Little uses material by Stephen Sondheim to tell the tale of two single strangers who, left alone in their studio apartments on a Saturday night, pass their time with unshared fantasies, never knowing that they’re just a floor away from each other. £19/£17, until 10 August

30 July: Epstein: The Man Who Made The Beatles at Leicester Square Theatre — If Let It Be doesn't fill your Beatles quota, try this production about the enigmatic Brian Epstein, the music entrepreneur whose career as Beatles manager made him a household name. £30, until 6 September

30 July: Therese Raquin at Park Theatre — Following its success at the Finborough Theatre, this musical adaptation of the classic French novel transfers to the Park Theatre. £12-£19.50, until 24 August

Coppélia at London Coliseum

Dance

8 July: Brasil Brasileiro at Sadler’s Wells — The energy of Brazil returns to Sadler's Wells as 38 performers from Rio de Janeiro bring alive the spirit of Brazil, with a live band, samba, forro, capoeira and batucada. £15-£50, until 27 July

8 July: Les Saisons Russes du XX1e Siècle at London Coliseum — This year, The Russian Season at London's Coliseum features The Golden Cockerel, Diaghilev Festival of Ballet and Swan Lake. Prices vary, until 19 July

14 July: Boy at Arcola Theatre — Inspired by the incredible true story of Jack Cornwall, a normal boy from East London who did extraordinary things and paid the ultimate sacrifice, this production fuses music, contemporary dance and street theatre techniques. £9/£7, until 26 July

23 July: Coppélia at London Coliseum — An enchanting family ballet, Delibes's melodic score is performed by English National Ballet's full orchestra. £59.50-£74.50, until 27 July

29 July: Push at London Coliseum — Sadler’s Wells’ acclaimed production returns to the London Coliseum with Russell Maliphant's unique approach to choreography, encompassing ballet, contemporary dance, capoeira and tai chi. £55-£90, until 3 August

Medea at National Theatre

Classic

1 July: Richard III at Trafalgar Studios — Martin Freeman stars in this Shakespeare play about the consequences of Richard, Duke of Gloucester's hateful resolution to claw his way to political power at any cost. £29.50-£69.50, until 22 September

5 July: Shakespeare in the Park at Compass Theatre — Pupils from the Stars At Knight School Of Drama perform an assortment of scenes from Shakespeare's plays including Twelfth Night, Macbeth and Midsummer Night's Dream. £5/£3, 3pm

10 July: Measure For Measure at The Space — More Shakespeare, this time exploring themes of sin, temptation and redemption in one of the playwright's darkest comedies. £10/£6, until 12 July

12 July: Tony Howes’ A Midsummer Night’s Dream — Actor Tony Howes takes on Shakespeare's tale of love and magical mayhem. £6, 8pm

14 July: Medea at National Theatre — Helen McCrory returns to the National to take the title role in Euripides's tragedy about one woman's abandonment, revenge and destruction. £15-£35, until 4 September

15 July: The Cherry Orchard at Jack Studio Theatre — Jack Studio Associate Company DogOrange presents Chekhov’s final masterpiece, in a new version by Writers’ Guild award-winning playwright Brendan Murray. £14/£11, until 2 August

15 July: Henry V at Rose Theatre Bankside — Brought to life Groundlings Theatre, Shakespeare's play of nationhood investigates the bloody horrors of war and the turbulence of a land in crisis. £12/£10, until 26 July

15 July: Fat Man at Ovalhouse — Orpheus is doing stand up for the gods. A sharp new take on a classic Greek myth. £10/£6, until 19 July

15 July: The Tempest at The Cockpit — Directed by Alice Sillett, this production of Shakespeare's play features puppetry, mask, physical theatre and live folk music. £12/£10, until 3 August

23 July: A Streetcar Named Desire at Young Vic — Gillian Anderson is Blanche DuBois, Ben Foster is Stanley and Vanessa Kirby is Stella in Tennessee Williams’s timeless masterpiece. It's currently sold out but day tickets are available. £10-£35, until 6 September

29 July: Much Ado About Nothing at Lion & Unicorn Theatre — The Lion & Unicorn Theatre presents this comedy to commence their inaugural Shakespeare season in celebration of the playwright's 450th birthday. £19/£15, until 23 August

29 July: Timon of Athens at The Space — To finish... more Shakespeare. A classic story of money and morality is brought to modern-day London, where a gentleman squanders his inherited fortune and finds himself embroiled in a world of greed and creditors gone bad. £12/£10, until 2 August

Alice in Wonderland at Opera Holland Park

Kids

2 July: The Tiger Who Came to Tea at Lyric Theatre — Expect to be surprised by a giant tiger puppet who joins Sophie and her mum for tea. Based on the picture book written and illustrated by Judith Kerr. £17.75/£15.25, until 7 September

5 July: Children’s Theatre Festival at Canary Wharf — Free outdoor theatre performances for the whole family to enjoy including The Gingerbread Man, Peter Pan and Alice Through the Looking Glass. Free, just turn up, until 2 August

19 July: Aliens Love Underpants at Leicester Square Theatre — Aliens love underpants but... there are none in the space! Families get ready to laugh their pants off. £15/£10, until 31 August

19 July: Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland at Opera Holland Park — Immerse yourself in the operatic fairy world of Alice and follow the White Rabbit. £8.50/£3.50, until 2 August

24 July: What the Ladybird Heard at Cadogan Hall — Two crafty robbers, one tiny ladybird, and a whole farmyard of fun. Expect puppetry and live music. £16.50/£14.50, until 10 August

30 July: Alice Through the Looking Glass at Iris Theatre — Enjoy Lewis Carroll's sequel and follow Alice into a magical world. Meet the Mad Hatter, the Lion and the Unicorn, Tweedledum and Tweedledee, before facing the fearsome Jabberwock to win her crown. £12, until 30 August

17 at Finborough Theatre

Drama

1 July: The Art of Dying at Royal Court Theatre —  Contemporary talent Nick Payne performs in this play about death, dying and the deceased. £15, until 12 July

1 July: Christopher and His Kind at The Space — This play explores the life of author Christopher Isherwood, his journey to Berlin in 1929 and his search for intellectual freedom and sexual liberation. £12/£10, until 5 July

1 July: Shot at Dawn at Upstairs at The Gatehouse — This short term production brings to stage a story of brotherhood during the First World War. £15, until 3 July

2 July: Shakespeare in Love at Noel Coward Theatre — Based on the Oscar-winning screenplay, Shakespeare in Love follows young playwright, Will Shakespeare as he suffers from writer's block until he finds his muse in the form of passionate noblewoman, Viola De Lesseps. £10-£57.50, until 25 October

2 July: Intimate Apparel at Park Theatre — New York, 1905: Esther is a black woman who works as a seamstress and dreams about opening a beauty salon for black women and finding a husband, but her life starts to change when she starts receiving letters from a lonesome Caribbean man. £19.50/£16, until 27 July

2 July: About Miss Julie at King’s Head Theatre — A midsummer party to celebrate the end of the war is consumed by a dark journey into passion, betrayal and despair. £20.50/£17.25, until 26 July

4 July: Perseverance Drive at Bush Theatre — Perseverance Drive is about the reconciliation of the members of a Carribean family, between sunny Barbados and the grey skies of Leytonstone. £15/£12, until 16 August

7 July: On Our Way to Lisbon at Colour House Theatre — Glasgow Celtic’s 1967 European Cup win, one of the great sporting legends of all time, brought to stage. £9/£7, until 10 July

8 July: Queen Anne at Barons Court Theatre — Queen Anne ascended the throne in 1702. Intrigue, plots and squabbles of her reign are highlighted in this play. £12/£10, until 3 August

8 July: The Events at Young Vic — Claire, a young priest, and her journey to fathom reason, science, politics and faith. First Award Winner of 2013 Edinburgh Fringe. £19.50/£10, until 2 August

8 July: The Misfits Return at Bridewell Theatre — Step back in time: it's 1949 and Arnold Wilson is the new head of The Misfits of London, a BBC Radio comedy show taking the airwaves by storm. £7/£6, until 25 July

8 July: After The Dance at Upstairs at The Gatehouse — David and Joan Scott-Fowler live their lives as they did a decade earlier, abandoning themselves to the past. But things are about to change. £12/£11, until 12 July

8 July: Chigger Foot Boys at Ovalhouse — This play is based on real events in the lives of Jamaicans who fought for Britain and the Empire during the First World War. £10/£6, until 12 July

10 July: Invincible at St James Theatre — A family story during the recession: Emily and Oliver decide to downsize and shift their middle-class London lifestyle to a small town in the north of England. The consequences are as hilarious as they are tragic. £10, until 9 August

15 July: Natural Affection at Jermyn Street Theatre — Set in Chicago back in 1962, this play tells the dramatic family story of Bernie and Sue during an eventful Christmas day. £20/£18, until 9 August

15 July: This Was A Man at Finborough Theatre — Previously unseen play by Noel Coward that explores the playwright's enduring themes of social mores, jealousy and the futility of a life with no moral compass. £16/£14, until 2 August

19 July: Holy Warriors at Shakespeare’s Globe — Historical drama telling the story of the third crusade, when Richard the Lionheart marched east to face Saladin and took Jerusalem. £42-£15, until 24 August

20 July: 17 at Finborough Theatre — The life of 17-year-old Scott facing teenage life and family problems told by acclaimed playwright Dameon Garnett. £18/£16, until 29 July

23 July: The Nightmares of Carlos Fuentes at Arcola Theatre — Black comedy about an Iranian refugee coming to London in search of making his dream true. £18/£15, until 16 August

23 July:A Bright Room Called Day at Southwark Playhouse — Berlin, 1932: a group of German artists and their struggle between integrity and survival during Nazism. £18/£16, until 16 August

23 July: The Trial of Jane Fonda at Upstairs at The Gatehouse — Golden Globe Winner Anne Archer embodies Jane Fonda and her controversial effort to end to the Vietnam War. £15, until 26 July

25 July: Men in the Cities at Royal Court Theatre —Experimental storytelling for two performances ahead of a run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, brought on stage by writer and performer Chris Goode. £15, until 26 July

28 July: The Words I Should Have Said to Phoebe Lewis at End of the Line Theatre — After the death of his mother, Frank finds himself stuck in a world of late nights, drugs and empty relationships, until he meets Phoebe. £8/£5, until 2 August

The Nether at Royal Court Theatre

Contemporary

1 July: Beyond Caring at The Yard Theatre — Through first-hand experience and with the involvement of people working on zero-hours contracts, Alexander Zeldin’s brutally honest play exposes stories of an invisible class. £15/£10, until 26 July

1 July: The Frida Kahlo Penge West at Rosemary Branch Theatre — A two-women play about one woman's struggle to stage a one-woman play about Frida Kahlo, with two women in it. We're lost already. £10-£13, until 13 July

1 July: A First World Problem at Theatre 503 — "We're white, we’re westerners, we're girls and we’re rich, of course we're fucking miserable. The standards are just too high for us to be anything else".  Milly Thomas's new play looks into the cruelty of female adolescence. £12/£10, until 12 July

1 July: Hitchcock Homage at Barons Court Theatre — Stage Theatre Company returns to Barons Court Theatre with their Hitchcock Homage production, a dark comedy inspired by the master of suspense himself. £12-£14, until 6 July

2 July: The Anorak at The Hope Theatre — Adam Kelly Morton's one-man show follows the journey of events through the eyes of Marc Lepine, one of Canada's most hated criminals. £14/£12, until 26 July

2 July: The Ayn Lady at Ovalhouse — Barker & Larkin attempt to crack through the Russian-doll layers of individualist, author and philosopher, Ayn Rand. £5, until 5 July

2 July: Wartime Women: The Khaki Cabaret at St James Theatre — Hear women’s fascinating wartime stories in an affectionate tribute to the female roles played in WW2 with song, verse and diary extracts. £15-£25, 8pm

3 July: #38 - Are You Even Listening? at Arcola Theatre — Using real interviews, overheard snippets and observed characters, this production is a unique journey through the sounds of Hackney on the number 38 bus. £9/£7, 7pm

5 July - Misbehaving at Arcola Theatre — Inside every human being is the potential for rebellion. Misbehaving presents the voices and stories of some who have said ‘no’ to staying in line. £9/£7, until 6 July

7 July: Playwrought #2 at Arcola Theatre — A week-long celebration of new ideas and new writing, with six exciting new plays from writers of Middle Eastern, Asian and North African heritage. £6, until 12 July

8 July: Whistleblower - the Story of Edward Snowden at Waterloo East Theatre — Edward Snowden is holed up in a hotel in Hong Kong. Hero or traitor? £17/£15, until 3 August

10 July: In Lambeth at Southwark Playhouse — Set against a background of the French and American revolutions, Thomas Paine is pursued by an anti-republican mob through the streets of Lambeth, until he seeks sanctuary in the garden of William Blake and his wife Catherine. £10-£18, until 2 August

10 July: Liminal / Swipe at Arcola Theatre — The National Youth Theatre's Playing Up course performs two new commissions - Swipe and Liminal explore what it means to be human and to find genuine connections in an age of advancing technology. £6.50, until 12 July

16 July: Holes at Arcola Theatre — Stranded, four survivors wait. Surely somebody will find them. Planes don't just disappear, do they? And, if no-one's coming… what do they do now? £12-£20, until 9 August

17 July: The Nether at Royal Court Theatre — Winner of the 2012 Susan Smith Blackburn Prize, The Nether explores the consequences of making dreams a reality. £10-£32, until 9 August

17 July: Apartment 55 at Compass Theatre — Inspired by Neil Simon, 360 performs a variety of funny, short plays set in the same apartment block over a number of years. £3-£7, until 18 July

19 July: Frankenstein: UnBolted at Leicester Square Theatre — Last Chance Saloon resurrects Mary Shelley's Frankenstein to create a theatre comedy complete with twisted pop songs and an assortment of ridiculous characters. £8, until 20 July

31 July: My Night with Reg at Donmar Warehouse — At Guy’s London flat, old friends and new gather to party through the night. This is the summer of 1985, and for Guy and his circle the world is about to change forever. £7.50-£30, until 27 September

Hackney Downs Studios

Alternative

8 July: In the Surface of a Bubble at Blue Elephant Theatre — Inspired by animé and martial arts films, In The Surface Of A Bubble uses puppetry, half-masks, capoeira, kung-fu and live music to tackle the little ol' subject of how the universe came to be. £5-£7, until 12 July

15 July: Leviathan at Hackney Downs Studios — The latest work from international artists collective Living Structures, Leviathan is inspired by Herman Melville’s Moby Dick and asks the audience to become part of the operations onboard the vessel. £20/£18, until 26 July

15 July: Red Ladies at Southbank Centre — An undisclosed number of identically dressed women infiltrate the theatre. Performed to an original score, Red Ladies is about connectivity and the ways human beings and other animals behave when in groups. £15, until 16 July

16 July: The Last Days of Limehouse at Limehouse Town Hall — Few people today know there was once a thriving Chinatown in London’s East End. Yellow Earth’s new promenade production will take you on a journey into this forgotten world. £15/£10, until 3 August

17 July: Of Saints and Go-Go Boys at Toynbee Studios — In a hedonistic world of cheap glamour, three outcasts search for a different kind of Sainthood. Of Saints and Go-Go Boys is an immersive descent into a world of misfits and sinners. £12, until 19 July

19 July: Mummenschanz — Musicians of Silence at Peacock Theatre — The performers of Mummenschanz create illusions using colourful masks, props and skillful sleight of hand, producing a world of possibilities, all without uttering a word. £15-£32, until 27 July

20 July: Uluzuzulalia at Artsdepot — Explore speech science with interactive electronics and discover how amazing your voice really is in this guided performance. £7, midday and 3pm

28 July: Drag King Richard III at Riverside Studios — Skimmed over Richard III above? Then how do you feel about Stance Theatre's production that drags Shakespeare's play into a black comedy exploration of transgender identity? £15/£12, until 3 August

What are you planning on seeing on stage in London this July? Seeing something not listed here? Tell us in the comments.

Last Updated 22 June 2014