London
The best of the fest coming to the capital this autumn
Can you believe the biggest arts festival in the world is done for another year?! And now, all those amazing plays are making their way around the country, including into the capital.
So let's check out what's coming to London to warm us in these wintery months – these one-act, short plays are the perfect treat as the nights draw in. Here are our pick of the best that Edinburgh has to offer this season, ranked from those closing soonest:
It announced a London transfer before it even opened in Edinburgh, and now the Pet Shop Boys' new musical is running at Leicester Square Theatre. Musik features four entirely new songs by the band, with Frances Barber reprising her role from the 2001 musical Closer To Heaven – we loved every minute of it! Leicester Square Theatre, until 7 September
"What gets you hot?" That's what the HOTTER Project asked women and trans people from 11 to 97. Then they made a verbatim dance party out of the responses. The perfect way to warm up an evening! Soho Theatre, until 7 September
This transfer comes courtesy of seasoned playwright Tim Crouch. And at 70 minutes long, the title takes up half the show! Check out our thoughts on Total Immediate Collective Imminent Terrestrial Salvation here. Royal Court, until 21 September
This Fringe First award-winning show is guaranteed to have you crying buckets. Pulitzer Prize-finalist Dael Orlandersmith takes us back to the 2014 Missouri shooting of Michael Brown and the lives of those around him that were forever changed. Catch our Edinburgh review of the show here. Arcola Theatre, until 28 September
It first came to Edinburgh in 2018 and Cora Bissett made a triumphant return to the festival this year, with her coming-of-age story set to Britpop 90s tunes. Bissett toured with Radiohead, played with Blur and was living the dream… until it all fell apart. Catch our 2018 review here. Soho Theatre, until 28 September
Want to a catch an Olivier Award nominee down in London? Then pop over to The Yard Theatre, where playwright Caroline Horton's All Of Me brings an absurd exploration of wanting to live, wanting to die and what can happen if we sit together with the dark. All Of Me is brought to us by independent company China Plate, whose other Edinburgh 2019 productions – Trying It On and Chris Thorpe's Status – tour the country this autumn. Yard Theatre, from 10 September
Bertrand Lesca and Nasi Voutsas are one of a kind performers! Their 2016 show Eurohouse and 2017 production Palmyra brought the house down in Edinburgh, so naturally the final chapter in this trilogy – One – is one not to miss. After its blistering 2019 Edinburgh run, One plays a special triple bill with its sibling shows on 19 October. Battersea Arts Centre, from 30 September
Autumn feels like a folk music season, with the last of summer dwindling away and the leaves slowly turning a vibrant palette of oranges and reds… So why not celebrate with a 70-minute folk musical? Sounds good to us! We loved Islander: A New Musical in Edinburgh – check out our review and then check out the show. Southwark Playhouse, from 2 October
He brought a dark comedy show to the fringe in 2016 and won the Dave Edinburgh Comedy Award. He came back with a dark theatre show this year and won a Fringe First and The Stage Acting Award. Richard Gadd's Baby Reindeer, a show about his six-year long stalker, comes down from Edinburgh for an unmissable, unnerving 65 minutes. Make sure you look over your shoulder on the way home, while checking out our review here! Bush Theatre, from 9 October
Collapsible is a show about a woman slowly losing grip, desperate for an anchor as her world crumbles all around. And with award-winning writer Margaret Perry at the helm, it's definitely a fitting show to kick off the uncertain future of 2020. Check out our review and then catch it before it fades away. Bush Theatre, from 5 February 2020
The New Diorama Theatre team had another cracking Edinburgh, with the three Untapped Awards shows – Tokyo Rose, Art Heist and CONSPIRACY all selling out and transferring to London this autumn. Looking further ahead, it's artistic and executive director David Byrne's newest collaboration that is the one not to miss next spring. The Incident Room, co-written with Olivia Hirst, is a documentary style take on the Yorkshire Ripper tale, a must-watch for all those true crime fans out there. New Diorama Theatre, from 14 March 2020