Reopening theatres: a rolling list of venues and shows that have confirmed returns
© Matt Crockett
We're making a rolling list of venues that have committed to firm reopening dates thus far.
Of course – just because a venue hasn't announced its reopening date doesn't mean a show set for this summer isn't going ahead! We're just going by what we're being updated on, or unveiling new shows that hadn't announced their seasons. We'll be amending this list on a regular basis as new announcements come in.
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BATH / BRISTOL
Theatre Royal Bath – Reopening today (25 May) with Ralph Fiennes' new version of T.S. Eliot's epic poem Four Quartets.
Bristol Old Vic – The theatre will be back with a bang this week (from 26 May), streaming and staging its hit production of Touching the Void with social distancing.
Tobacco Factory Theatres – The venue opens with a special staging of Shakespeare's sonnets from 26 to 28 May!
CHICHESTER
Chichester Festival Theatre – The venue has revealed its summer season.
CIRENCESTER
The Barn Theatre – The venue has reopened with new play A Russian Doll, based on reports of hacking from the country over the last decade.
COVENTRY/ BIRMINGHAM
Belgrade Theatre – In line with the City of Culture, check out these goodies.
Birmingham Rep – A few shows will open to socially distanced audiences this summer, with a bulky winter season also on the cards as the venue celebrates a big anniversary.
Birmingham Hippodrome – The venue reopens in May with its immersive Van Gogh experience.
Coventry City of Culture – The programme had pushed back its dates – but it has now officially opened with a raft of socially distanced richness ready to roll.
GUILDFORD / READING
Guildford's Yvonne Arnaud – The venue will reopen with a season of shows including Siobhan Basset's The Hound of the Baskervilles from 3 June, with a plethora of touring shows also available.
The Mill At Sonning – Back from May, with shows unveiled into 2022.
HUDDERSFIELD'
'''Lawrence Batley Theatre – The beloved venue will stage a summer season featuring an Alan Ayckbourn double-bill, Charles Court Opera, The Handlebards and more, with an opening date of 7 June.
LAKE DISTRICT
Theatre By the Lake – The picturesque venue has pledged to reopen this autumn.
© Tony Bartholomew
LEEDS / SCARBOROUGH
Leeds Playhouse – The theatre will welcome audiences back from May with family shows, exhibitions, monologues and more! Piaf starring Jenna Russell opens on 23 July.
Stephen Joseph Theatre – Scarborough's lovely venue has reopened, with the first show being Julie Hesmondhalgh's The Greatest Play in the History of the World… Alan Ayckbourn's 85th play The Girl Next Door can be seen from 4 June.
LEICESTERSHIRE
Curve, Leicester – The venue has reopened and already set Christmas plans (A Chorus Line!) and even plans through to 2023. The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber concert runs next month.
Kilworth House Theatre – The venue has shuffled around plans and revealed a new show.
LIVERPOOL/ CHESTER
Liverpool Royal Court – A full season from July!
Liverpool Everyman and Playhouse – The venue has now reopened, with shows right the way through the summer.
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre – The space will mount three shows this summer! Find out more.
Chester Storyhouse – The venue has opened with a massive socially-distanced season.
© Shakespeare's Globe
LONDON – WEST END
& Juliet – The hit pop musical experience has set a September return date.
ABBA MANIA – ABBA galore at the Shaftesbury – with social distancing in place!
Back to the Future The Musical – The screen-to-stage show will receive its West End premiere at the Adelphi Theatre from 20 August (pushed back from May).
Cinderella – Andrew Lloyd Webber's musical has unveiled its new opening date – with an official opening night in mid-July.
Come From Away – You can be welcomed back to the Rock from July!
The Comeback – Is coming back!
Constellations – The Donmar will produce an epic revival of the show, featuring FOUR different cast combinations. Pucker.
Criterion Theatre – The venue has reopened with the West End transfer of Amélie.
Cruise – Jack Holden's new play Cruise has now opened at the Duchess Theatre – a chance to watch some charged new writing!
Doctor Who: Time Fracture – Whovians get ready – a Covid-secure immersive piece heads for the West End!
Death Drop – The "Dragatha Christie" murder mystery is now back at the Garrick.
Everybody's Talking About Jamie – Out of the darkness, into the spotlight – open now at the Apollo! Tour plans are to be confirmed, and the movie version will be released on Amazon Prime later this year.
Get Up, Stand Up! – The Bob Marley musical has confirmed a new opening date in October, after pushing back a summer premiere.
Hairspray the Musical – The starry production, led by Michael Ball and Lizzie Bea, will initially open with initially socially distanced audiences from 21 June. Find out more.
Heathers the Musical – On tour and in the West End at the same time!
Here Come The Boys – The dance show with Strictly stars comes to London for a run at the Palladium.
Frozen – The musical has unveiled concrete premiere dates from late August.
Hamilton – The room where it happens reopens its doors in August.
Jersey Boys – The musical is returning to the West End to open the new Trafalgar Theatre from 28 July.
Leopoldstadt – The award-winning play from Tom Stoppard will reopen the Wyndham's Theatre on Charing Cross Lane A chance for those who missed it initially.
Les Misérables – The concert production of Les Misérables will be back from May! The tour has set sights on a November return.
Life of Pi – The WhatsOnStage Award-winning show will commence in November at the Wyndham's Theatre.
The Lion King – The blockbuster musical will reopen in the West End in July.
Magic Mike Live – Bustin' moves back at the Hippodrome, Magic Mike Live has returned with social distancing – find out more.
Mamma Mia! – The Abba spectacular will be back from 25 August at the Novello Theatre.
Mary Poppins – The practically perfect musical will be back in action in August!
Matilda the Musical – Returns to the Cambridge Theatre from 16 September.
The Mousetrap – An all-star cast will join seasoned pros for the show's return at St Martin's Lane.
National Theatre – New shows, new dates – get all the details.
Nimax Theatres – Venue owner Nica Burns has reopened her theatres in a similar fashion to what occurred in December – with socially distanced performances featuring risk mitigation measures. New shows include the "The Show Must Go On!" West End concerts.
The Phantom of the Opera – Andrew Lloyd Webber's long-runner has unveiled casting and a 27 July return date!
Only Fools and Horses – The stage version of the hit sitcom will be opening up shop from 1 October.
Pretty Woman – The show has found a new home at the Savoy Theatre.
The Prince of Egypt – Delivery expected – starting with a socially distanced run, the show will be back from 1 July! Find out more.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre – The outdoor venue will begin shows at reduced capacity – to keep audiences safe. Find out more.
Royal Opera House – The theatre is back with an incredible season, including a ballet version of The Royal Ballet.
Skin Hunger – Dante or Die's new piece, which only has three audience members per experience, will be heading to Stone Nest on Shaftesbury Avenue – it doesn't get much more exclusive than that!
Soho Theatre – The renowned central London venue will be back with Amanda Wilkin's Shedding A Skin – get all the details here.
Tina – The Tina Turner Musical will reopen at the Aldwych Theatre on 28 July.
Wicked – Citizens of Oz rejoice! The long-runner has confirmed it will return this autumn.
The Old Vic – The major producing house will start bringing audiences in for its live-streamed Dumb Waiter, with a full season also mapped out.
The Woman in Black – Will be back in the West End and touring soon – with free U18 tickets handy!
LONDON – GREATER LONDON
Almeida Theatre – The venue will kick off with a W-I-P season of semi-staged work. Its new season, including Macbeth and Spring Awakening, opens in June.
Bush Theatre – Two brand-new shows ware currently reopening the west London venue – Phoebe Eclair-Powell's Harm and Benedict Lombe's Lava.
Orange Tree Theatre – The theatre will begin with social distancing then move to full capacity later this year.
Bridge Theatre – A new season is about to commence including Simon Russell Beale as Bach!
The Turbine Theatre – Rob Madge comes to the Turbine with their debut piece My Son's A Queer But What Can You Do.
King's Head Theatre – The veteran pub theatre reopens with Charles Entsie's Adrian Pagan award winning drama, No Strings Attached, starting tonight!
The Hope Theatre – The sister venue to the King's Head reopens at the end of June with The Boy with the Bee Jar.
Pleasance Theatre – The North London space returns, producing work in conjunction with VAULT Festival.
Old Red Lion Theatre – The venue is back with the world premiere of Saving Britney!
Lyric Hammersmith Theatre – The west London venue will return with a triptych of texts from titans of the writing world – which is pretty cool. Find out more.
Chiswick Playhouse – Two plays will see the theatre back in action from July – huzzah!
Wilton's Music Hall – The venerable space will be back from 28 May with a socially distanced series of shows including Apphia Campbell's solo performance in Black Is The Colour of My Voice and A Super Happy Story (About Feeling Super Sad).
Sadler's Wells – The theatre will be back in action from May.
Shakespeare's Globe – It's all systems Globe for the London home of the Bard.
Kiln Theatre – Opening from today!
Battersea Arts Centre – A new season! Check it out.
Riverside Studios – The Lisa Dwan-led Happy Days has found dates from 11 June to 25 July at the Hammersmith venue.
Little Angel Theatre – The family-friendly north London venue will be back from 29 May with a new adaptation of Julia Donaldson and Axel Scheffler's The Smartest Giant in Town.
Southwark Playhouse – Again, straight out of the gate, the theatre is staging a socially distanced new musical starring Wendi Peters.
Young Vic – Opening first this summer with a piece by Ben Okri, the theatre will also mount its eagerly anticipated Hamlet with Cush Jumbo from September.
Camden People's Theatre – Back, after a swish refurb!
Hampstead Theatre – Reopening with social distancing from 28 May with a revival of Alfred Fagon's The Death of a Black Man.
Playground Theatre – The west London space is already back in action – the epitome of a speedy start!
Theatre Royal Stratford East – The venue returns with a season packed full of new writing and revivals.
London County Hall – Ahead of Witness for the Prosecution's return, there will be a special staging of Kaleider's The Money.
Queen's Theatre Hornchurch – Neville's Island reopens the space on 20 May!
Royal Albert Hall – This mighty venue has reopened its doors to celebrate its 150th year – and of particular interest to musical lovers will be The Best of the West End on 21 July and Bryn Terfel on 23 July!
MANCHESTER/ GREATER MANCHESTER
HOME Manchester – When you're HOME, head outdoors! The theatre is building a new al fresco space.
C-o-n-t-a-c-t – The immersive experience heads to Manchester and Salford from May.
Bolton Octagon – Plans are tbc but there is A Christmas Carol already set for November!
Oldham Coliseum – The venue reopens on 24 June with what is billed as an "eclectic" summer season, beginning with The Greatest Play in the History of the World….
Hope Mill Theatre – The venue will stage its five-star Rent revival once more later in the summer!
Royal Exchange – Its newly announced season kicks off on 23 June.
MOLD
Theatr Clwyd – FOUR world premieres see the Welsh venue reopening in style from June.
NORFOLK/ESSEX
Norfolk and Norwich Festival – The festival will kick off from 18 May with socially distanced experiences set to run.
Mercury Colchester – The theatre is back with a full season of shows from 26 June with programming tbc.
NORTHAMPTON
Royal & Derngate – The theatre will be welcoming audiences back to live performances from 17 May, with its rescheduled co-productions of Animal Farm and Othello.
NOTTINGHAM
Nottingham Playhouse – Back with Piaf!
OXFORDSHIRE / NEWBURY
Oxford Playhouse – The venue has pledged to reopen from mid-May – with programming including Ralph Fiennes and the Donmar's Blindness.
The Watermill – The beloved rustic space is back with a full outdoor season!
PITLOCHRY
Pitlochry Festival Theatre – The Scottish venue will present an outdoor season of shows including The Wind in the Willows, Jekyll and Hyde and David Greig's Adventures with the Painted People.
PLYMOUTH
Theatre Royal Plymouth – The venue will reopen for a socially distanced season on 27 May including Rambert and The Three Musketeers.
SOUTHAMPTON
MAST Mayflower Studios – The brand new venue opens from Friday 28 May with its inaugural season of productions starting with Rambert 2 and a season of drama in June with Oleanna, Copenhagen, Ralph Fiennes in Four Quartets and opening the tour of Educating Rita.
Mayflower Theatre – The venue reopens its doors from Friday 25 June on a dance theme with Rambert's Draw From Within followed by Hair The Musical in Concert and launching the tour of The Rocky Horror Show.
STOKE
New Vic Theatre in Staffordshire – Family shows will be the order of the day, with the space opening in June with a piece based on the Staffordshire Hoard, followed by mystery play Coppelia.
STRATFORD-UPON-AVON
Royal Shakespeare Company – The venue will run an outdoor show with a specially constructed space! Get all the details.
TOURING
Priscilla and Hairspray – The two shows, produced by Mark Goucher, have pledged to return from June 2021.
The Rocky Horror Show – The musical will be time-warping its way around the country from 12 July.
Six the Musical – The Queendom will get back to doing what it does best from 21 May 2021 in the West End, with the tour also starting in June!
9 to 5 the Musical – The show has revealed hopes to get its tour back on the open road from 21 June 2021.
Mischief – Three Mischief shows will be spreading discord across the UK this summer!
Waitress – Opening up in September – with these wonderful folk in the cast.
Dreamgirls – Is back from December after rescheduling its tour.
Les Misérables – The tour will commence in Glasgow in November!
The Language of Kindness – The touring piece will explore the experiences of NHS nurses and their families this summer.
Judy and Liza – Emma Dears and Helen Sheals will lead the tour, based on performers Judy Garland and Liza Minnelli!
Rock of Ages – The tour will open in August in Birmingham!
Chicago – The tour will commence in September 2021 with dates to be finalised – but you can see who's in the show already!
Bring It On – The musical will tour early next year after an epic run at the Southbank Centre for Christmas.
My Best Friend's Wedding – After Alexandra Burke takes on the role of the Narrator in Joseph, she'll be on the open road in My Best Friend's Wedding!
School of Rock – The show's tour will begin in September – we revealed dates recently!
