Girl from the North Country and Cirque du Soleil make our top openings this week
5. The Here and This and Now
Southwark Playhouse, until 10 February
Last year Theatre Royal Plymouth announced it would be transferring two shows to London's Southwark Playhouse as part of its Strange Tales (From the West Country) season – highlighting the talent on show at the venue's Drum studio space. The first of these shows – The Here and This and Now – is an intriguing prospect, described by writer Glenn Waldron as "a dark workplace comedy… that then goes somewhere else altogether". The season is completed by Mikhail Durnenkov's The War Has Not Yet Started, translated by Noah Birksted-Breen, which opens next week.
Read our interview with The Here and This and Now playwright Waldron
© Tom Hakala
4. London International Mime Festival
Across London, until 3 February
After picking up a Peter Brook Empty Space award last year, the London International Mime Festival is back for another three weeks of pure physical talent sourced from across the globe, playing across a number of London stages.
With shows at Soho Theatre, Shoreditch Town Hall, Jacksons Lane and the Barbican, we decided to pick out a few highlights so you don't have to
© Helen Murray
3. My Mum's A Twat
Royal Court, until 20 January
Anoushka Warden has the professional writing debut most writers can only dream of – mounting her first show at the Royal Court's upstairs space. Directed by the venue's artistic director Vicky Featherstone (who recently topped The Stage's list of top 100 figures in theatre), the show is a semi-biographical take on Warden's life and, just from the title, it looks set to be a interesting one.
Read the full season announcement for the Royal Court
2. Ovo
Royal Albert Hall, until 4 March
Cirque du Soleil have become synonymous with top notch circus content, so to see them installed in the Royal Albert Hall certainly makes for an exciting occasion. With its insectoid theme and wonderfully unique costume design, the show looks set to present something unique at one of London's biggest venues. You can read our review of last year's Amaluna here.
See a week in the life of the cast of OVO
© Manuel Harlan
1. Girl from the North Country
Noël Coward Theatre, until 24 March
Conor McPherson's play with songs caused a stir when it opened at the Old Vic last year, with the plethora of Bob Dylan hits embellishing a heartbreaking story about a midwestern family struggling to maintain their place in the world. Screen stars Shirley Henderson and Ciarán Hinds lead the cast, which also includes WhatsOnStage Award nominee Sheila Atim. A 12-week hurricane at the Noel Coward!
See the new casting announcement for Girl from the North Country West End run
