Theatre News

Top 5 theatre openings this week: 15-21 February

From ”Chicago” to ”Get Carter”, we take a look at the major openings this week

Ben Hewis
London London's West End Off-West End

5. Chicago – New Theatre, Oxford and tour

Hayley Tamaddon, John Partridge and Sam Bailey will take the leads in Chicago
Hayley Tamaddon, John Partridge and Sam Bailey will take the leads in Chicago
© Dewynters

One for the telly addicts. Fresh out of the Celebrity Big Brother house, John Partridge (A Chorus Line, Miss Saigon) returns to the stage to play Billy Flynn alongside X Factor winner Sam Bailey as Matron ‘Mama’ Morton and Coronation Street star Hayley Tamaddon as Roxie Hart.

15 – 20 February 2016, New Theatre, Oxford prior to UK tour. More information and tickets here.

4. Hand to God – Vaudeville Theatre

Harry Melling and Tyrone in Hand to God
Harry Melling and Tyrone in Hand to God
© Tristram Kenton

Harry Melling (Harry Potter, The Angry Brigade), Jemima Rooper (Breeders, Blithe Spirit) and Olivier-winner Janie Dee (The Seagull, Ah! The Wilderness) feature in the cast of this Broadway transfer. We're a little put-out by a puppet show that doesn't star Simon Lipkin, but it's definitely one to pay a visit to.

Basically it's about a boy whose hand puppet is taken over by the devil… Or is it?

15 February – 11 June, Vaudeville Theatre. More information and tickets here.

3. Get Carter – Northern Stage, Newcastle and tour

Kevin Wathen as Jack Carter
Kevin Wathen as Jack Carter
© Topher McGrillis

Best known for the 1971 film adaptation starring Michael Caine, Ted Lewis' 1969 novel Jack's Return Home, set in 1960’s Newcastle, comes home in this stage adaptation by Torben Betts.

12 February – 5 March, Northern Stage, Newcastle. More information and tickets here.

2. A Girl is a Half-formed Thing – Young Vic

'Quietly luminous' - Aoife Duffin in A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing
'Quietly luminous' – Aoife Duffin in A Girl is a Half-Formed Thing

The Edinburgh run of Annie Ryan’s adaptation of Eimear McBride’s best-selling novel received more stars than the Milky Way, with Aoife Duffin's performance heralded as exceptional, remarkable and mesmerizing. Better get down to its London premiere then…

19 February – 26 March, Young Vic. More information and tickets here.

1. The War of the Worlds – Dominion Theatre

David Essex (The Voice of Humanity) and Heidi Range (Beth)
David Essex (The Voice of Humanity) and Heidi Range (Beth)
© Mark Yeoman

In what is potentially the oddest casting the West End has ever seen, David Essex is joined onstage by popstar Daniel Bedingfield, Sugababe Heidi Range, "Crocodile Shoes" singer Jimmy Nail and Evita star Madalena Alberto.

There's also a hologram of Liam Neeson and, if you don't go see the show, he will find you and he will kill you. Probably.

17 February – 30 April, Dominion Theatre. More information and tickets here.