Top 5 theatre openings: 3 – 9 July
5. Manchester International Festival
Various, until 16 July
The festival officially opened last week, but this week sees two major new shows premiere in Manchester. Scott Graham, Karl Hyde and Simon Stephens' Fatherland looks at the complexities and contradictions of contemporary fatherhood. Vicky Featherstone directs What if Women Ruled the World?, in which a group of ten women and one man attempt to tackle modern crises including climate change and mass migration.
Check out the photos from this year's opening event
(© Simon Annand)
4. The Mentor
Vaudeville Theatre, until 2 September
After its run at Theatre Royal Bath, Laurence Boswell's production of Daniel Kehlmann's play transfers to the West End. Homeland star F Murray Abraham plays Benjamin Rubin, a successful playwright is being paid to mentor an emerging one.
Read Matt Trueman's review of the show in Bath
© Manuel Harlan
3. Miss Saigon
UK tour, various dates
It played two years in the West End and now Boublil and Schoenberg's musical based on Puccini's Madame Butterfly is coming to a theatre near you. It opens this week at Curve Leicester before carrying on around the country. The production boasts a fantastic cast including Ryan O'Gorman (John), Marsha Songcome (Gigi) and Zoe Doano (Ellen).
See the cast of Miss Saigon in rehearsals
© Helen Maybanks
2. Titus Andronicus
Royal Shakespeare Theatre, until 2 September
David Troughton stars in the titular role in Blanche McIntyre's production. Part of the RSC's Rome, McIntyre told us that her production would be "modern, relevant and a hell of a ride."
Read our story on the RSC's Rome season
© Manuel Harlan
1. Committee
Donmar Warehouse, until 12 August
Hadley Fraser and Josie Rourke's new musical (helpfully titled The Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee Takes Oral Evidence on Whitehall's Relationship with Kids Company) stars Sandra Marvin as Kids Company boss Camila Batmanghelidjh. The source material for the show is a parliamentary transcript of evidence given in 2015 by Batmanghelidjh and Alan Yentob, the charity's former chairman.
