Stage shows you can be a part of this summer

Looking to take part in some theatre this summer, without having to commit to eight performances a week?

We’ve got you! Participatory theatre sees audience members become a part of the show in small, but very important, roles.

Whether it’s joining the cast on stage, shouting out ideas, or ultimately deciding the ending, theatre companies are really starting to get audiences involved – even inviting them to their real-life wedding!

If you’re after immersive theatre experiences, may we suggest visiting Rydell High in Secret Cinema’s movie musical production of Grease, the huge new production Storehouse, or taking a stroll down Windsor Gardens with The Paddington Bear Experience? 

Note, if you’re visiting the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, each show outlines whether audience participation is required on their website.

All Fired Up: an 80’s Mixtape Musical

Tammy Tooth’s midlife crisis finds her confronting her teenage decisions and reconnecting with the life-defining music of the era! Grab your Spandex and Choose Life and participate in an 80s-inspired aerobics workshop, culminating in a live on-stage appearance during the musical’s finales! Over 400 women, aged 40 and over, have taken part in Australia so far, with more than 20 travelling to Edinburgh to reprise their roles.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Assembly George Square Studios (Studio One) from 30 July to 25 August (not 12th, 19th) at 17:55

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

The Bridge hit is back in London! Nick Hytner’s immersive staging of the Shakespeare classic comedy offers an unforgettable experience of collective fun – according to our delighted reviewer.

Plays at the Bridge Theatre until 23 August

Austentatious

Expect regency silliness as audiences are invited to shout out titles of ‘lost’ Jane Austen titles in Austentatious! The improv show is back at the Fringe (where it always goes down a treat) but also touring the UK and playing the West End in the back-end of 2025.

Playing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, on tour, and in the West End

Awkward Prods get married (but for real)

Want to be a part of a unique event this summer? Say “I do” and bag tickets to watch a real-life wedding on stage at Edinburgh Festival Fringe! Joseph Martin and Linus Karp, the duo behind Awkward Productions, will be getting hitched in between shows on 16 August and you’re invited.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Pleasance Grand on 16 August at 11:15

Every Brilliant Thing

Duncan Macmillan’s play arrives in the West End for the first time this summer, and sees an all-star line-up including Lenny Henry, Jonny Donahoe, Ambika Mod, Sue Perkins and Minnie Driver performing the one-person show in rotation. Told from the perspective of a child who begins making a list of life’s joys for their mother amid her struggles with depression, the play spans decades and invites audiences to play an active part.

@sohoplace from 1 August to 8 November

Murder, She Didn’t Write

Improv legends Degrees of Error are behing this whodunnit who puts the audience in charge. Delivering a brand-new mystery at each show, the Muder, She Didn’t Write company spin outlandish suggestions into top-notch sleuthing. It returns to Edinburgh this summer, before touring the country – with stops in the West End.

Edinburgh Festival Fringe: Assembly George Square (Gordon Aikman Theatre) from 30 July to 24 August at 15:25, before touring

Plied and Prejudice

If you have a fancy for a very stiff drink, you’ll enjoy this retelling of Austen’s classic! Described as “an unhinged night of love, lust, and libations,” the company promises to “coerce” audience members into this chaotic adaptation.

Playing at The Vaults until 8 August

Till The Stars Come Down

More and more theatres are offering on-stage seating, allowing audiences to really feel a part of the show. That is true of Beth Steel’s Till The Stars Come Down, which is spending the summer at Theatre Royal Haymarket, and offering the chance of an unusual view.

Plays until 27 September 2025 at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Witness for the Prosecution

You’ve been summoned for Jury Duty! Located in London’s County Hall, Agatha Christie’s classic courtroom thriller, those who opt to sit in the jury seats have a hand in deciding Leonard Vole’s fate. Fear not, everyone else will be immersed in the action but won’t be expected to participate in the show itself.

Continues its run at London’s County Hall, booking to 26 April 2026