What's opening in London theatre this month? April 2018
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| By
Nicholas Ephram Ryan Daniels
(Updated on Feb 18, 2019)
Spring has arrived and with the turn of the season comes an eclectic line-up of spectacular new shows! Find out what's hot in the West End this month!
Bat Out of Hell: The Musical (2 April - 28 July 2018)
This fan-favourite, critical smash is back with a vengeance! Following rave reviews from critics and audiences alike, Bat Out of Hell will be landing at the Dominion Theatre for its second run starting on April 2nd. It was created by Jim Steinman, who did the music, lyrics and book, and it is based on Meat Loaf's best-selling trilogy of albums (Bat Out of Hell, Back Into Hell and The Monster Is Loose), the first of which has sold over 50 million copies. The story is a rock 'n' roll epic that follows a band of renegade youths in a post-apocalyptic cityscape. Andrew Polec and Christina Bennington have reprised their roles as star-crossed lovers Strat and Raven respectively. It's romantic. It's exhilarating. It's a hellishly good time! And you won't want to miss it this time around!
Buy your Bat Out of Hell tickets here.
The Moderate Soprano (5 April - 30 June 2018)
This West End transfer of the original 2015 play written by famed, award-winning playwright David Hare shows just how well his writing talent has ripened with age. The story is set on the cusp of World War II and follows John Christie's attempts to found an Opera House on his Sussex estate. It's a spine-tingling tale of zealous passion for the arts intertwined with a fiery love affair set within the context of Nazi Germany. Will Christie's contentious artistic vision be realised? Can his wife, Audrey, manage to be a sensation as the eponymous soprano? The Moderate Soprano is transferring from its critically-acclaimed run at the Hampstead Theatre for a limited 12-week engagement at London's Duke of Yorks Theatre. Book your seats now to see how this fantastic play unfolds!
Buy your Moderate Soprano tickets here.
Rasheeda Speaking (18 April - 12 May 2018)
Written by award-winning Chicago playwright Joel Drake Johnson, Rasheeda Speaking is the epitome of why people love going to the theatre! It's an original, thought-provoking piece that will keep you on the edge of your seat from start to finish. This dark comedy follows a doctor in an upscale, Middle America hospital who wants his new receptionist sacked. In order to avoid an HR disaster, he enlists the help of the office manager to dig up some dirt on the unsuspecting Rasheeda. It's an all-out shock-fest that serves as a commentary on the racism that lurks in the workplace. The gripping dramedy stars Olivier Award nominee Tanya Moddie and Elizabeth Berrington, and it's directed by Jonathan O’Boyle. The play opens at Trafalgar Studios on April 18th for a very limited run.
Buy your Rasheed Speaking tickets here.
An Ideal Husband (20 April - 14 July 2018)
The show must go on! The acclaimed Oscar Wilde Season continues at the Vaudeville Theatre with this political comedy, which features an all-star cast comprised of Edward and Freddie Fox, Frances Barber, Nathaniel Parker, Sally Bretton and Susan Hampshire. An Ideal Husband, first performed in 1895, is an entertaining exploration of morality and corruption. Just as government minister Sir Robert Chiltern (Parker) seems poised to climb to the top of the political ladder, Mrs. Chevely (Barber) shows up to foil all his plans. Suddenly all of his political aspirations come crashing down. The production opens on April 20th.
Buy your Ideal Husband tickets here.
Chess (26 April - 2 June 2018)
Checkmate! This Cold War-era musical makes its highly-anticipated return to the West End on April 26th at the London Coliseum. It features a star-studded cast that includes famed songstress Alexandra Burke (The Bodyguard Musical, Sister Act The Musical), Michael Ball (Les Misérables, The Phantom of the Opera, Passion) and Murray Head, who starred in the original 1986 West End production and also provided the vocals for the show's 1984 single "One Night in Bangkok" from its concept album. The show follows an intense chess match between two chess champions and is set in the Soviet Union era. Be sure to "rook" your tickets in advance for this West End revival!
Buy your Chess tickets here.
Mood Music (27 April - 16 June 2018)
The world premiere of this fascinating psychodrama is fast approaching. Directed by Roger Michell and written by Joe Penhall, the play is about the dark side of the recording industry. Cat (Seána Kerslake) is a talented young songwriter trying to catch her big break. One day, she finds herself at odds with her producer, Bernard (Ben Chaplin), who wants to claim ownership of her hit song. The resulting battle gets quite messy, with psychotherapists and lawyers thrown into the mix. Who will reign victorious in this rather insane industry? Find out on April 27th when Mood Music opens at The Old Vic, which is now celebrating its 200th anniversary on the London theatre scene!
Buy your Mood Music tickets here.