- Aidan Turner and Jenna Coleman bring Lemons, Lemons, Lemons to the West End
We last saw Turner on a West End stage 4 years ago in Martin McDonagh’s The Lieutenant of Inishmore (Noel Coward Theatre) and Coleman at the Old Vic in 2019 in All My Sons. Lemons is a revival of a 2015 two-hander with a running time of just 75 minutes about the importance of words, is directed by Josie Rourke (Sweet Charity, Donmar) and on at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Runs 18 January through 18 March 2023. Tickets Review
- Read on for reasons including Beverley Knight in new musical Sylvia, Nolly and new plays Boys Are Kissing and The Unfriend
2. Beverley Knight stars in new musical Sylvia
Women’s rights is the focus of new hip hop-esque musical Sylvia which has been revamped since we saw an underwhelming workshop production at the Old Vic in 2018. If the jury’s out on the material, Knight has gone on since then to become 1 of the undisputed queens of the West End and we last saw her boss The Drifters’ Girl at the Garrick while Sister Act at the Eventim Apollo this summer was not quite a big enough show for its cavernous venue. Sylvia runs 27 January through 1 April 2023. Tickets
3. The Unfriend starring Reece Shearsmith and Frances Barber transfers to the West End
Mark Gatiss (The League Of Gentlemen Live Again!, Eventim Apollo) directs Shearsmith (TV’s Inside No 9) and Barber (MUSIK, Leicester Square Theatre) in a Steven Moffatt (TV’s Inside Man) play which transfers to the West End’s Criterion Theatre and tells the story of an uninvited house guest and a couple too polite to ask her to leave. Tickets Runs 15 January through 16 April 2023. Review
4. Nolly at the BFI
Russell T Davies was the genius behind last year’s Best TV show It’s A Sin and here helms the story of actress Noele Gordon, axed from Crossroads in 1981 at the height of the soap’s success. We don’t know yet when it will air in the UK but Davies and stars Helena Bonham Carter and Mark Gatiss as Larry Grayson will take part in a Q&A and screening of at least 1 episode of the 3-part ITV series at the BFI on Thursday 26 January 2023. Tickets
5. The Boys Are Kissing
Theatre 503 is a vibrant home to new writing in Battersea and we’re intrigued by this new play by Zak Zarafshan about the reaction to 2 9-year-old boys kissing in their playground. The parents are told to ‘do something about it’ but what should they do? Runs 17 January through 4 February 2023. Tickets
6. On The Ropes at Park Theatre
On the Ropes is an uplifting musical drama telling the extraordinary story of Vernon Vanriel who arrived in Britain aged 6 with his family as part of the Windrush Generation, and rose to prominence as one of the most charismatic and influential Black British boxers of the 70s and 80s. Runs 6 January through 4 February 2023. Tickets Review
7. My Son’s A Queer returns to the West End
Shortlisted for 2 monstas in 2022 – Best New Musical and Best Performance Of A Song – Rob Madge reflects on their childhood in My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) which ran at the Garrick Theatre in 2022 and returns to the Ambassadors across town running 25 January through 18 March 2023. Tickets Review
8. Streetcar opens at the Almeida
Olivier Award-winning director Rebecca Frecknall’s follow up to the juggernaut that is Cabaret (Playhouse Theatre) is her illuminating take on Tennessee Williams’ classic A Streetcar Named Desire starring Paul Mescal and Patsy Ferran. The production is nominated for 3 monstas – Best Revival, Best Theatre Actress and Best Theatre Actor – with Mescal also shortlisted for Best TV/Film Actor. In previews, opening 12 January and running through 4 February. Tickets Review
9. Florence and the Machine at The 02
Our last gig of 2022 was supposed to be this act’s 2nd night at The 02 but Florence injured her foot at the 1st and her Dance Fever tour had to be postponed until early 2023. We join the band for the 1st of 8 rescheduled shows this month. Details The world tour continues through August 2023. Tickets
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