Features

What to watch: best shows to see this week

In our weekly round-up we have a look at some of the major shows opening across London and further afield

Alex Wood

London London's West End

25 June 2018

Imperium, Jerusalem and Fun Home — *Imperium*, *Jerusalem* and *Fun Home*
© Clockwise from left: RSC, photographer Manuel Harlan, Philip Tull, Marc Brenner

Another busy week as theatre enters its summer season – with some long-running shows coming to the West End, the Globe and the Young Vic. Beyond these five picks we're itching to see Cordelia Lynn's fascinating One For Sorrow, which opens at the Royal Court, or Ben Weatherill's Jellyfish, which comes to the Bush and is about coming of age with Down's syndrome in a seaside town.

The company of Jerusalem — The company of *Jerusalem*
© Philip Tull

5. Jerusalem

Watermill Theatre,

The Watermill's production of Jerusalem brings the anarchy of Jez Butterworth's 2011 script to Newbury, with Jasper Britton filling the leather boots once inhabited by Mark Rylance. A bombastic, boisterous play that many consider being the greatest since the turn of the century, Lisa Blair's production may be a night of rowdy excess well worth watching.

Have a first look at Jerusalem

The company of Imperium — The company of *Imperium*
© RSC, photographer Manuel Harlan

4. Imperium

Gielgud Theatre, 8 September

Fresh from a stellar run at the RSC last Christmas, Mike Poulton's adaptation of the epic Cicero trilogy of novels (originally penned by Robert Harris) is a theatre marathon with six hours of political intrigue, jostling and murder all in Caesar's Rome. With both parts watchable either as single-parters or as a pairing, this looks like an engrossing addition to the theatre calendar.

Read our five-star review of the original RSC production

Will Keen, Annette Badland and Oliver Ryan have been cast in the new production
© Dan Wooller for WhatsOnStage

3. The Winter's Tale

Shakespeare's Globe, until 14 October

Blanche McIntyre takes on her third show directing at the Globe (the last being 2015's As You Like It, which notably starred the venue's current artistic director Michelle Terry) with this new production of family drama The Winter's Tale. Considering McIntyre's recent credits (including The Writer at the Almeida and The Norman Conquests at Chichester), expect a top-notch and well-refined production. Oh, and someone may exit, pursued by a bear.

Find out more about the Globe's newly announced winter season

Harry Enfield in rehearsals for Genesis Inc — Harry Enfield in rehearsals for *Genesis Inc*
© Manuel Harlan

2. Genesis Inc

Hampstead Theatre, until 28 July

Comedy veteran Harry Enfield goes big for his Hampstead Theatre debut – multi-roling in Jemma Kennedy's comedy Genesis Inc, about the nature of fertility in an age of privatisation. Enfield takes on parts including God and Karl Marx in the show (joined by Arthur Darvill) so look out for off-the-wall theatre in the most fascinating way.

See the cast of Genesis Inc in rehearsals

Kaisa Hammarlund in rehearsals for Fun Home — Kaisa Hammarlund in rehearsals for *Fun Home*
© Marc Brenner

1. Fun Home

Young Vic, until 1 September

Audiences have been waiting for it to arrive for years, and Jeanine Tesori and Lisa Kron's Tony Award-winning piece is finally making its UK premiere this week at the Young Vic. The musical, based on the graphic novel memoir of Alison Bechdel (of Bechdel Test fame) comes to the Young Vic before, presumably, a West End transfer (seeing as every Young Vic production seems to end up in the West End at the moment!).

See Fun Home in rehearsals

Last chance to see: Blueberry Toast (Soho Theatre), Leave Taking (Bush Theatre), Kiss Me, Kate (Coliseum), Sea Wall (Old Vic), The Moderate Soprano (Duke of York's Theatre), The Two Noble Kinsmen (Shakespeare's Globe), The Strange Death of John Doe (Hampstead Theatre)