Top eight plays to see this Autumn

Noises Off

The fast-paced farcical comedy crashes into the West End later this month! First performed more than 40 years ago, the side-splitting farce shows no signs of slowing down. Noises Off is the original play (within a play) that goes wrong. A hapless touring company attempt to stage a production of Nothing On, but with mishaps, misunderstandings, and romantic entanglements unfolding backstage, the troupe of actors find it increasingly difficult to stick to the script. The backstage drama spills over to the stage, derailing the play with hilarious consequences, and the chaos continues to escalate. Lines are missed, tensions rise, and pieces of set fall.

Known for its technical complexity and split-second timing, Noises Off was an instant hit when it first premiered in 1982, and quickly transferred to the Savoy Theatre where it ran (and tripped and fell) for five years. With the production making its highly anticipated return to the West End, don’t miss your chance to see this seriously silly play.

Private Lives

Who’s the worst person you share an adjoining wall with on your honeymoon? A family with screaming triplets? An amateur acephala group rehearsing for an upcoming show? Or your ex-husband and his new partner? In Noël Coward’s classic comedy, Amanda is confronted with just that, as she bumps into her ex-husband Elyot and his new partner whilst she’s honeymooning in the French Riviera. Known for its sharp wit and cutting dialogue, Private Lives follows the divorced couple as they re-examine their failed relationship. Starring Nigel Havers and Patricia Hodge, the play follows the ex-couples their initial shock and anger slowly turns into a rekindled attraction, as they quickly rediscover the intense chemistry that originally brought them together in the first place. Should you ever get back together with an ex, or should they remain firmly in the past (even if they are in your presence?) Exploring themes of love, passion, and the unpredictable nature of romantic relationships, we’re very vocal about our love of Private Lives…

Frank and Percy

You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, or can you? Frank and Percy explores an unexpected relationship between two men as they share small-talk, and an umbrella, whilst walking their beloved pooches in Hampstead Heath. Starring acting top dogs Sir Ian McKellen and Roger Allam, this funny and raw two hand play follows a widowed schoolteacher Frank, and blithely single author, Percy as they find companionship later in life. What starts as obligatory small talk between the two older gentlemen, with thoughts on the weather, hearing aids and hip ops, then gradually turns into something bigger.

As their run ins (or dog walk ins) become more frequent, Frank and Percy gradually reveal more of themselves to each other, however some revelations are more welcome than others. Can the pair learn to tolerate, and maybe even love, each other’s odd habits, or will they stick to canine companionship indefinitley? 

Hamnet

Adapted from Maggie O’Farrell’s multimillion selling Sunday times best seller, Hamnet received critical acclaim when it debuted in Shakespeare’s hometown of Stratford-upon-Avon. The intensely personal, yet universal story of grief and family dynamics explores one Shakespeare’s lesser-known tragedies, the death of his son.

The production follows Agnes and William’s relationship, from a chance encounter outside an improvised classroom on a farmyard, to the opening night of Williams most famous plays. The pair grow from naïve lovers to grieving parents. A natural healer, Agnes see’s that her husband is feeling downtrodden and depressed in Stratford-upon-Avon, so sends him away to London in the hopes that the new surroundings, and new sense of independence, will help his wellbeing. William becomes enamoured with a travelling theatre company whilst in the capital, and soon abandons glove selling to travel and write for them, and the rest is Shakesperian history.

The Enfield Haunting

Strange and unexplained events are occurring in a council house in 1970’s London; furniture moves on its own, knocking sounds pound the walls, and objects levitate in the air. The residents of the haunted house are terrified, and rush to the police for help. Scepticism surrounds their claims at the force, and so, desperate, the Hodgson family contact the Society for Psychical Research. As the phenomena escalate, it becomes clear to even the most hardened of cynics that something supernatural is happening.

As the investigators delve deeper into the mystery, they uncover a complex and disturbing history surrounding the house and the land it was built on, but the spirit will not be silenced. Based on chilling real-life events, the Enfield hauntings dominated British headlines between 1977 – 1979, with many still gripped by the case today. Starring Catherine Tate and David Threlfall, this haunting stage adaptation will leave you watching over your shoulder.

The Motive and the Cue

A play exploring the real-life drama surrounding an acclaimed director and legendary actor, brought to you by an acclaimed director and legendary actors! Jack Thorne’s latest play explores the backstage theatrics behind John Gielgud’s most renowned productions, Hamlet. Fresh from his (first) wedding to Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton is preparing to play the titular role in one of Shakespeare’s biggest and much-loved tragedies. The role is a risk, the director shuns traditional costumes and staging for an experimental, stripped-back production, and Burton, who had played Hamlet 10 years previously to critically acclaim, only took the part after a bet with Peter O’Toole!

As rehearsals progress, two ages of theatre collide and the collaboration between actor and director soon threatens to unravel. Despite its commercial and critical success, many who were involved in the 1963 production of Hamlet did not share the joys they bestowed on their audiences. The Motive and the Cue explores the complicated relationship between actors, directors, art, and celebrity, and provides a fascinating insight into the business of putting on a show. 

Unbelievable

This enchanting production already has the West End under its spell! Brought to you by the magical minds behind Ghost Stories and Derren Brown: Showman, creators Derren Brown, Andy Nyman and Andrew O’Connor have mixed magic, illusion, storytelling and music. In a world where everyone is performing their own kind of magic trick, using social media to misdirect their audiences to only see the best side of themselves, and where everyone goes around wearing a mask, changing their personalities to better suit their present company, Unbelievable takes sorcery to a whole new level. Featuring actors, magicians, and a New York subway band, the show incorporates an updated version of the one-act play Will, The Witch and The Wolfman, and brings to life an evening of unexplainable trickery…

My Neighbour Totoro 

Adapted from Studio Ghibli’s cult 1988 film, the Royal Shakespeare production scooped up six Olivier Awards at this year’s ceremony, including Best Entertainment or Comedy Play and Best Director. The heartwarming tale follows the adventures of two sisters as they move to an enchanting countryside, where magical creatures call the forest their home. Satsuki and Mei relocate to a rural village with their farther to be closer to the hospital where their mother is recovering from an illness. As the girls explore their new surroundings, they soon discover that the nearby woodland is filled with friendly spirits, including the loveable Totoro. The giant magical spirit helps the sisters in their times of need, introducing them to the wonder and beauty of the natural world. Celebrating the innocence and imagination of childhood, My Neighbour Totoro’s breathtaking puppetry and enchanting set will whisk you away to another world.