Opening: Pursuit, Troilus, Contractions, LaBute’s Pig

Amongst the major openings in London this week are:

OPENING TUESDAY, 27 May 2008 (previews from 16 May), Robert Webb, Ella Smith, Kris Marshall and Joanna Page star in the UK premiere of Fat Pig at Trafalgar Studios (See News, 4 Apr 2008).

The play, which examines what happens when a man introduces a new, plus-sized girlfriend to his shallow friends, is written and directed by Neil LaBute, whose other plays include In the Company of Men, The Shape of Things and Some Girls. Fat Pig runs until 6 September 2008.

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ALSO ON TUESDAY (previews from 9 May), the Menier Chocolate Factory presents a new production of Simon Gray’s The Common Pursuit, starring Ben Caplan, James Dreyfus, Nigel Harman, Robert Portal, Reece Shearsmith and Mary Stockley (See News, 17 Apr 2008). It runs for a limited season until 20 July 2008.

ALSO ON TUESDAY, Wolves at the Window, a new play by Toby Davies premieres at the Arcola Theatre. Directed by Thomas Hescott, it runs until the 21 June 2008.

OPENING WEDNESDAY, 28 May 2008 (previews from 13 May), the Cheek by Jowl season at the Barbican continues with Troilus and Cressida by William Shakespeare directed by Declan Donnellan. The Barbican Theatre is being transformed for the production, meaning there will only be a limited number of seats. It runs until 14 June 2008.

ALSO ON WEDNESDAY, ‘Pastiche’ musical Loving Art opens at the Landor Theatre. With book, music and lyrics by Barry Fantoni and Barry Booth, it tells the story of Max Wax’s 1950s music publishing company and runs until 21 June 2008.

OPENING THURSDAY, 29 May 2008 (previews from 22 April), Mike Bartlett’s Contractions opens at the Royal Court, performed in a backstage location in the theatre and running until 14 June 2008.

ALSO ON THURSDAY, (previews from 27 May 2008), Award-winning Off-Broadway production Hannah and Martin transfers to the Courtyard Theatre. The first play by Reuters editor Kate Fodor, it tells of a young journalist forced to flee from Nazi-occupied Germany, who later returns to cover the Nuremberg trials. It has a limited run, until 22 June 2008

– by Theo Bosanquet