What’s closing in London theatres this month? (February 2023)
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| By
Kevin Thomas
February is an often overlooked month in the calendar, the Easter eggs are just beginning to creep onto the shelves for what is the shortest month of the year (hurray for payday!) and generally speaking, better days are ahead. Whether you’ve done a dry January or finally recovered from that pesky cold, it’s time to kick your feet up and relax. This February in London, there is still a chance to catch some of the West End’s favourite shows before they close, what better way to treat yourself?
Best of Enemies (18 February)
On a brand-new television format, the country is watching as the moral landscapes of a fractured nation are exposed in a way that will revolutionise politics and television news forever. Set in the year 1968 and marked by the political unrest, tension, and protest in America, Best of Enemies recounts the debates held at the Republican and Democratic National Conventions. Stunningly led by Zachary Quinto and David Harewood, Best of Enemies follows iconoclastic liberal Gore Vidal and cunning conservative foe William F. Buckley Jr as millions tune in to their nightly broadcasts across America to watch vicious arguments that call into question morality and beliefs. Already a West End favourite, Best of Enemies is a must-see this February.
Something Rhymes With Purple (19 February)
Winners of the British Podcast Award for Best Entertainment Podcast and hosts of the nation's favourite language podcast Gyles Brandeth and Susie Dent bring the Something Rhymes with Purple podcast to a whole new format! In this live examination of language at London’s Fortune Theatre, the hosts offer spitting-hot tips on how to increase the power of your vocabulary and interesting information the humble and quirky beginnings of the English language. No two shows are the same in this stage adaptation of Something Rhymes with Purple, the hosts cover it all from the history of proverbs to the world's strangest words and phrases. Their enthusiasm for language is captivating and their discussions of its complexities will make you want to join them for a night of linguistic celebration!
Orlando (25 February)
Olivier Award nominee Emma Corrin portrays history's most endearing non-conforming character in Virginia Woolf’s Orlando. A magnificent and spellbinding journey begins with the birth of a male child of the English aristocracy in the sixteenth century, his name is Orlando. When Orlando reaches the age of 30, he mysteriously transforms into a woman and continues to live for centuries without showing any signs of ageing. In this quest for freedom and choice, Orlando investigates the demands of a world that are constantly changing and evolving over the course of five centuries. This poetic hero/heroine story is a fascinating look into Gender performativity and the social constructs that bind us. Emma Corrin in Orlando is unmissable!
Also closing in London theatres in February:
Charlie & Stan closes at Wilton's Music Hall on 4 February 2023.
On the Ropes closes at Park Theatre on 4 February 2023.
How Not To Drown closes at Theatre Royal Stratford East on 18 February 2023.
The Ballet Icons Gala closes at the London Coliseum on 19 February 2023.
ALEX EDELMAN: JUST FOR US closes at Menier Chocolate Factory on 26 February 2023.