Southwark Playhouse

PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for May 2026 starring Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Gary Oldman in Krapp’s Last Tape

Oscar winner Oldman (Apple’s Slow Horses) directs and stars in this monologue about a man on his 69th birthday who sits alone and listens to the echoes of his younger self. The play returns to the Royal Court where it ran in 1958 in this York Theatre Royal production. The run is sold out although tickets are available on Mondays. Runs 8 through 30 May 2026. Tickets

  • Read on for reasons including Rosalia at The 02, High Society and Delta Goodrem at Eurovision
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THEATRE REVIEW: FLYBY starring Stuart Thompson & Poppy Gilbert at the Southwark Playhouse

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By Aline Mahrud

WORTH A LOOK?: **1/2

WHEN?: Friday 3 April, opens 9 April and runs through 16 May 2026 RUNTIME: 110 minutes (without interval)

We’re here because its star Stuart Thompson (Radiant Boy: A Haunting, Southwark Playhouse) is brilliant in everything we’ve seen him in and here plays an unpredictable engineer who disappears into the void.

  • Read on for reasons including how the writer/composer has worked with artists including David Byrne and Jacob Collier
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for April 2026 starring Pet Shop Boys

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. Pet Shop Boys Obscure at Electric Ballroom, Camden

Do I Have To? We All Feel Better In The Dark. Shameless. Pet Shop Boys Tennant and Lowe have been releasing extraordinary songs since the 80s and this 5-night residency of Obscure tracks at Camden’s Electric Ballroom in London Monday 6 April through Friday 10 April 2026 has long been sold out. We join Neil and Chris there for a post-Dreamworld (Glastonbury Festival) check in. Tickets if you’re very lucky Our review

  • Read on for reasons including Monica Dolan at the Donmar, Cuckoo revived and Romola Garai’s Doll’s House
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THEATRE REVIEW: Beautiful Little Fool starring David Hunter, Hannah Corneau & Lauren Ward at Southwark Playhouse (The Large)

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ***

WHEN? Friday 16 January, opens 22 January and runs through 28 February 2026 RUNTIME: 100 minutes (no interval)

Corneau (pictured centre above) has written the music and lyrics for this look at the life of Zelda Fitzgerald and her husband F. Scott, who wrote classic novel The Great Gatsby, through the eyes of their daughter.

  • Read on for reasons including how Corneau has great potential and may well go on to write and star in something quite exceptional next
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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best Theatre Actor 2025

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next week we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

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AWARDS SHORTLIST: MONSTAS: Best New Musical of 2025

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2025? Over the next 2 months we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2025.

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THEATRE REVIEW: Hot Mess: A new musical at Southwark Playhouse (Elephant)

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK?: ****

WHEN? Monday 20 October, opens 22 October and runs through 8 November 2025 RUNTIME: 65 minutes (no interval)

This scorching, thought-provoking 2-handed musical imagines a love story between Earth and humanity against a backdrop of worsening climate change.

  • Read on for reasons including how we wouldn’t be at all surprised if Hot Mess scorches its way to the West End next
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THEATRE REVIEW: The Code starring Tracie Bennett & John Partridge at Southwark Playhouse (Elephant)

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By Neil Durham

WORTH A LOOK? ***1/2

WHEN? Saturday 11 October (matinee), runs through 11 October 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (without interval)

Bennett is arguably best known for her Olivier and Tony nominations as Judy Garland in End Of The Rainbow and here plays bisexual actress Tallulah Bankhead on the night she discovers to her surprise that she’s not being cast in the film of Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie.

  • Read on for reasons including whether this delightfully cast treat deserves a West End transfer
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PREVIEW: 9 reasons why we can’t wait for October 2025 starring The Line Of Beauty

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

  1. The Line Of Beauty at the Almeida

Jack Holden (Cruise) adapts the Alan Hollinghurst novel we’ve loved directed by Michael Grandage (Orlando, Garrick Theatre) in this story of Thatcher’s Britain at its most decadent and divisive in London 1983. Runs at the Almeida 21 October through 29 November 2025. Tickets Our review

  • Read on for reasons including the return of Gene, Nicola Walker and Transvision Vamp’s Wendy James live
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THEATRE REVIEW: Brixton Calling at Southwark Playhouse

Posted on by mrmonstagigz

WORTH A LOOK?: *** (review ticket)

WHEN?: Friday 25 July 2025 (press night), runs through 16 August 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (without interval)

The best thing about this story of the rejuvenation of 1 of London’s greatest venues is its cast playing instruments evoking punk, reggae, rave and rock filling the listener with belief that music at its best really can change the world.

  • Read on for reasons including the true story of how Simon Parkes founded Brixton Academy
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