It's an incredibly special day for London theatre! Hundreds of artists will be taking the stage across the city (and the rest of the UK), once again able to share their stories and talents with eager audiences.
At Thespie we've been adding listings for all these amazing shows, with more than 75 productions beginning in May and over 200 across the next few months!
For those excited to get back into theatre but not sure where to begin, we're highlighting the range of themes, styles and genres available this month, from intimate solo shows in small venues all the way up to large-scale operas with full casts, chorus and orchestra.
Take a look at the ideas below and we hope you find something that sparks your interest!
High-Energy Shows
If you like girl power musicals, dancefloor anthems or 'Dragatha Christie'…
SIX (Begins 21 May)
musical • retelling • feel-good • girl power • high-energy • historical • inspiring
Everybody's Talking About Jamie (Begins 20 May)
LGBTQ • musical • coming-of-age • heart-warming • inspiring • school & university • underdog
Death Drop (Begins 19 May)
drag • mystery • parody • 1990s • camp • high-energy • laugh-out-loud
Magic Mike Live (Begins 21 May)
dance • interactive • screen to stage • spectacle • acrobatic • high-energy • steamy
Here Come the Boys (Begins 25 May)
dance • cheerful • feel-good • high-energy • music
Shakespeare: Classic and Remixed
If you're craving the brilliance of the Bard...
Hamlet (Begins 19 May)
play • retelling • Shakespeare • 1940s • jazz • music
A Midsummer Night's Dream (Begins 19 May)
magic • retelling • Shakespeare • fantasy • romantic
Current, Rising (Begins 21 May)
immersive • opera • Shakespeare • music • virtual reality • visually-striking
Shylock (Begins 21 May)
play • Shakespeare • solo show • faith & spirituality • tragic
The Rape of Lucrece (Begins 28 May)
Shakespeare • solo show • dark • grief • poetry • revenge
Musical Theatre Concerts
If you want to see incredible singers perform show-stopping tunes...
Monday Night at the Apollo (Begins 24 May)
concert • art & artists • cheerful • music
Les Misérables: Staged Concert (Begins 20 May)
concert • musical • arch-rivals • historical • law & justice • tear-jerker • war & military
Roles We'll Never Play (Begins 22 May)
cabaret • concert • musical • art & artists
Abba Mania (Begins 21 May)
concert • tribute • 1970s • cheerful • high-energy
Intermissions Live (24 May)
concert • art & artists • interview • music
Dance
If you love ballet, contemporary choreography, or all-dancing adventures…
English National Ballet: Reunion (Begins 17 May)
ballet • classical music • dance theatre • jazz
21st Century Choreographers (Begins 18 May)
ballet • classical music • dance • dance theatre
Overflow (Begins 21 May)
contemporary dance • dance • dance theatre • visually-striking
Don't Tell Grandma (Begins 31 May)
dance • kid-friendly • adventure • family • music
The Royal Ballet Class on Stage (Begins 25 May)
ballet • dance • art & artists • behind-the-scenes
Dark Side of Modern Life
If you like Black Mirror, the perils of social media, or celebrity obsession...
Saving Britney (Begins 18 May)
solo show • heart-breaking • laugh-out-loud • nostalgic
Harm (Begins 17 May)
play • creepy • dark • science & technology • unlikely friends
Millennials (Begins 24 May)
concert • musical • identity • music • pop
Public Domain (Begins 27 May)
musical • true story • dark • dystopian • laugh-out-loud
Herding Cats (Begins 19 May)
awkward • dark • provocative • science & technology • witty • workplace
Innovative Works in Development
If you want to see new plays and musicals that are still evolving...
Proud (Begins 27 May)
LGBTQ • musical • identity
The Man in the Ceiling (Begins 20 May)
musical • ambition • family • friendship • quirky
Thunderstorm (21 May only)
play • ambition • China • dysfunctional family • secrets
TONY! A Tony Blair Rock Opera (27 May only)
musical • rock • 1990s • ambition • Britain • politics • satire
Housefire (Begins 24 May)
musical • animals • environmental • friendship • science & technology
Black History & Experience
If you want to celebrate Black excellence, investigate systemic injustice or hear honest personal journeys…
The Death of a Black Man (Begins 28 May)
play • Black history & experience • coming-of-age • culture & heritage • friendship • sports
Single Black Female (19 May only)
play • Black history & experience • witty
Chineke! Orchestra: Fate Now Conquers (Begins 28 May)
classical music • Black history & experience • orchestral
The Gods Are Not to Blame (26 May only)
play • Africa • Colonial era • poetic • royalty & rulers
Magic & Mystery
If you like to expect the unexpected …
The Mousetrap (Begins 17 May)
mystery • play • thrilling
Two Horsemen (Begins 17 May)
mystery • play • friendship • kindred spirits
AAAAA (FiveA) (Begins 18 May)
experimental • immersive • mystery • creepy
The Dream Machine (Begins 27 May)
improv • interactive • imaginative • laugh-out-loud • magical
Ben Hart: 2-Metre Magic (Begins 25 May)
cabaret • magic • solo show • mind-bending
Romantic
If you want the magic of Paris, a heartbreaking drama, or a romantic ghost story…
Amélie The Musical (Begins 20 May)
musical • screen to stage • city life • imaginative • Paris • romantic
Far From Heaven (Begins 17 May)
musical • play • screen to stage • 1950s • dysfunctional family • identity • romantic • tragic
The Dybbuk (19 May only)
play • faith & spirituality • ghosts • romantic • tragic
Love Letters (Begins 19 May)
play • friendship • heartfelt • romantic • tragic
Love in the Time of Corona (Begins 25 May)
atmospheric • fantasy • ghosts • heartfelt • kindred spirits • poetic • poetry
Adventure Stories
If you like your theatre loud, interactive and adventurous…
Noisy Kids: Heroes & Villains (Begins 29 May)
classical music • interactive • kid-friendly • adventure • fantasy • orchestral
Peter Pandemic (Begins 18 May)
fairy tale • page to stage • panto • retelling • adventure • fantasy • medicine & care • slapstick
Flight (Begins 17 May)
immersive • play • puppetry • adventure • family • migration & displacement • visually-striking
You Are Here (Begins 17 May)
musical • 1960s • adventure • family • heart-breaking • science & technology
Doctor Who: Time Fracture (Begins 26 May)
interactive • screen to stage • 1940s • adventure • fantasy • science fiction • war & military
Irreverent
If your idea of a good night out is tongue-in-cheek cabaret…
Looking for Me Friend: The Music of Victoria Wood (29 May only)
cabaret • tribute • laugh-out-loud • music
Roulston & Young (Begins 22 May)
cabaret • irreverent • music
Topsie Redfern's Crystal Ball (30 May only)
cabaret • drag • LGBTQ • music
Bounder and Cad (Begins 18 May)
cabaret • irreverent • laugh-out-loud • music
The Lashes, in Return of the Lashes Revamped (Begins 23 May)
cabaret • drag • music
Royalty & Political Leaders
If you love political intrigue and the rise and fall of dynasties...
La clemenza di Tito (Begins 17 May)
classical music • opera • ancient times • Italy • politics
#50Days (Begins 17 May)
musical • retelling • Britain • historical • politics • royalty & rulers
Dziady/ Forefathers' Eve (28 May only)
play • poetic • politics • prison • royalty & rulers
Cake (Begins 20 May)
musical • law & justice • music • royalty & rulers
The Political Party with Matt Forde (Begins 24 May)
halls of power • interview • politics
Solo Shows
If you like intimate stories shared between an artist and an audience…
Cruise (Begins 18 May)
LGBTQ • play • solo show • true story • 1980s • city life • London • survival
EastEndless (Begins 28 May)
play • solo show • dark • laugh-out-loud • witty
Hole (Begins 20 May)
fairy tale • play • solo show
Meat Cute (Begins 20 May)
solo show • dark • dating & sex
Charlie Wood Tries Really Hard to Improve the World (27 May only)
cabaret • LGBTQ • music • witty
Biographical & Autobiographical
If you like exploring real stories from all corners of the human experience…
Reasons You Should(n't) Love Me (Begins 21 May)
play • autobiographical • dating & sex • disability • heart-warming • mental health • unapologetic
Villain in Tinseltown (Begins 18 May)
biographical • play • art & artists • witty
Anton Chekhov (Begins 21 May)
biographical • play • solo show • art & artists
Vagabonds: My Phil Lynott Odyssey (Begins 25 May)
biographical • myths & legends • solo show • culture & heritage • Ireland • music
Ode to Joyce (Begins 30 May)
biographical • cabaret • inspiring women