West End show opts for 6.30pm start time

For the vast majority of West End shows, a 7.30pm start was always par for course – enough time for theatregoers to get into town from work, possibly have a bite to eat, and then head to the theatre – dinner and a show.

The new West End production of August: Osage County, revealed earlier this morning, has made the big step of shuffling an hour earlier. It will be kicking off the majority of performances at 6.30pm, with matinees at 1pm on weekends and, on Wednesdays, the only performance being a 2.30pm matinee.

It’s a reflection of London theatre producers’ increasing pragmatism around programming times. Many producers of longer stage shows (like The Oresteia at the Bridge) have opted for a 7pm start, while the National Theatre began trialling 6.30pm start times back in 2023.

As workforces move to more flexible hours, and fewer office-based days, it’s not unexpected for theatre to catch up.

August: Osage County is also a famously long play – the original Broadway production ran to three hours and 20 minutes, with two intervals. It is currently unconfirmed how long this revival will be. In a cold, dark, early 2027 opening, the 6.30pm starts may well be a welcome move for anyone wanting to get home before midnight.

Tracy Letts’ play, which won the Pulitzer Prize and the Tony Award, will be directed by Jeremy Herrin. Herrin’s previous work includes Every Brilliant Thing, People, Places and Things and Wolf Hall.

You can find out more about it here.

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