What is opening in London theatres this month? (April 2023)
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Sian McBride
With Easter Eggs firmly lining the shelves of supermarkets for months now, you would be forgiven for thinking April has already been and gone. Thankfully for you, it hasn’t, which means you haven’t missed your chance to catch these eggcelent new shows! Whether you’re in the mood for a musical or are peckish for a play, we have plenty of sweet treats for everyone. So, what are you waiting for? Make like the Easter Bunny and hop to it!
Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial (06 April)
One tweet. Two WAGs. Seven thrilling days of High Court drama, it’s… Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial.
Forget Holmes, Morse, and Marple, Britain had a new favourite detective in 2019: Rooney. Driven by the suspicion that one of her friends was responsible for leaking private Instagram stories to the press, Colleen Rooney spent five months blocking accounts to uncover the mole. When she made her suspicions known a fierce courtroom battle soon ensued.
Unlike its Chrisite counterpart, this Scousetrap has a limited 6-week run. Book your ticket now and let your verdict be known!
Retrograde (20 April)
With the Academy under fire for failing to include a single black performer in the lead actor and lead actress categories at this year's Oscars, eight years after the #OscarsSoWhite movement first rose to prominence. Ryan Calais Cameron’s (For Black Boys) explosive new play is an important, timely, piece of theatre.
Centred around a black actor’s journey to stardom during the 1950s, Retrograde demonstrates the struggles he faces and the dark temptations that challenge his sense of self. in this true story, Sidney Poitier is not yet the Oscar-winning, activist king that we know him to have been, he is simply a young man dreaming of his first major motion picture. Will the Hollywood machine grind Sidney down, or will he hold on to his true self? There’s only one way to find out…
August in England (28 April)
Lenny Henry's raw debut, inspired by the human stories behind the Windrush headlines, is equal parts poignant and playful.
Fruit and Veg stall owner, August Henderson, is a witty and charming man who loves to chat, but the Home Office isn’t listening. Will you? Listen up, he is ready to tell his own story.
Filled with raw, brutal emotion and peppered with Henry’s trademark humour. August in England explores the real lives impacted by political scandals. Don’t miss the boat on this limited 6-week run.
Also opening in theatres this April:
Ariana DeBose in Concert opens at London Palladium on 01 April
Jungle Book reimagined opens at Sadler’s Wells on 04 April
The King and I opens at Dartford Theatre on 04 April
Blackout Songs opens at Hampstead Theatre on 08 April
The King and I opens at Southend-on-Sea on 18 April
Steel Magnolias opens at New Theatre Cardiff on 18 April
Animal opens at Park Theatre on 19 April
Blue opens at London Coliseum on 20 April
High Performance Live opens at London Palladium on 20 April
The Good Person of Szechwan opens at Lyric Hammersmith on 21 April
The King and I opens at New Theatre Cardiff on 25 April
Symphony of Sorrowful Songs opens at London Palladium on 27 April