Plays

When a city houses the Globe amongst other West End Theatres, it stands to reason that it’s probably going to be quite a hotbed for theatrical production. London lives up to this promise with gusto.

If you want to combine your evening of culture with some celebrity spotting then Jude Law’s turn as Hamlet at the Wyndhams under the direction of Kenneth Branagh is certainly one to put in your diaries, as is the versatile Daniel Crainer’s one man turn in the critically acclaimed Jewish Chronicles. Rachel Weiz is also rumoured to be arriving in 2009 to take of Blanche in A Streetcar Named Desire; certainly one to keep your eyes out for!

For those of you who think the oldies were the best, Alan Bennet is rumoured to be bringing his own irreverent, unique style to the National in November with a new play to be directed by Nicholas Hynter. Agatha Christie fans should certainly check out The Mousetrap, the classic whodunit which has kept audiences enthralled for over 55 years! Fans of suspense and shocks should also check out the scenery-light The Woman in Black which is an incredibly scary haunted house story told by two actors with very few props and very little scenery. The old-fashioned methods of production only heighten the tension and the frights. This latter show is definitely not for those of a week disposition.

Those who prefer classic drama should check out the production of Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge at the Duke of York’s theatre, a thrilling tale of immigration, prejudice and incestuous love set in America, it’s heavy going but perfect for those who like to leave a theatre thinking of what they just saw actually meant, rather than where they should go and eat now. Similarly engaging would be Dancing at Lughnasa at the Bristol Old Vic theatre and one of the newest plays on the block, Plague over England, is a powerful look at the battle for homosexual rights in the U.K in the 1950’s.

For those who like something a little offbeat, the Blue Man Group is an experience like no other which has drawn headlines and raised eyebrows all over the world. Stomp is still as popular as ever and, if you haven’t encountered their recycling antics yet then you definitely should; rubbish never sounded quite as good as it does in the hands of this talented and versatile cast.

Book your tickets for plays now.