Features

Top 5 theatre openings this week: 7 – 13 March

From Tom Jones to Stevie Wonder, we take a look at the pick of the openings this week

Ben Hewis
London London's West End Off-West End

5. Luce – Southwark Playhouse

Mel Giedroyc in rehearsals for Luce
Mel Giedroyc in rehearsals for Luce
© Oliver King

Mel Giedroyc swaps the Great British Bake Off tent for Southwark Playhouse to star in this fast-paced comedy about homegrown terrorism.

11 March – 2 April 2016, Southwark Playhouse. More information and tickets here.

4. German Skerries – Orange Tree Theatre

George Evans in German Skerries
George Evans in German Skerries
© Manuel Harlan

Barney Norris and Alice Hamilton's Up In Arms present the first revival of Robert Holman's (Breakfast of Eels) George Devine Award-winning play. Four lives intertwine in a popular Northumbrian birdwatching spot.

7 March – 2 April 2016, Orange Tree Theatre. More information and tickets here.

3. Look Back in Anger – Derby Theatre

Augustina Seymour and Jimmy Fairhurst in rehearsals for Look Back in Anger
Augustina Seymour and Jimmy Fairhurst in rehearsals for Look Back in Anger
© Robert Day

John Osborne's play returns home to Derby 60 years after it spawned the term 'angry young men'.

8 – 26 March 2016, Derby Theatre. More information and tickets here.

2. Tom: The Musical – Wales Millennium Centre

Younguns reading this may not realise that before Tom Jones was a judge on The Voice he had a glittering pop career spanning 50 years. This new musical charts his success from the working men’s clubs to the recording studios and features classic songs including "It's Not Unusual", "Delilah" and "What's New Pussycat".

7 March – 12 March 2016, Wales Millennium Centre prior to UK tour. More information and tickets here.

1. Motown the Musical – Shaftesbury Theatre

Eddie Elliott, Simon Ray Harvey, Simeon Montague, Joshua Liburd and Brandon Lee Sears as The Temptations in Motown the Musical
Eddie Elliott, Simon Ray Harvey, Simeon Montague, Joshua Liburd and Brandon Lee Sears as The Temptations in Motown the Musical
© Alastair Muir

We're not going to lie, when Memphis closed we were all very sad, but this new musical about the record label founded by Berry Gordy and responsible for the success of Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Diana Ross and more sounds like a promising replacement.

Expect favourite musical numbers including "My Girl", "Dancing In The Street" and "I Heard It Through The Grapevine".

8 March 2016 – 18 February 2017, Shaftesbury Theatre. More information and tickets here.