What's closing in London theatres this month (August 2024)

School isn’t the only thing out for Summer, as this month we say a fond farewell to some of our favourite London shows! Parting is such sweet sorrow (especially when Shakespeare classics, Richard III and Much Ado About Nothing are packing up their bags) but it’s better to have loved and lost, than never to have loved at all.

There’s still some time left to catch these shows, so grab your diary and make a date with the award winning revivals, classic comedies and brand-new musicals before they head off into the sunset!

Standing at the Sky’s Edge (3 August)

Get the tissues ready! After three critically acclaimed sold-out runs, this emotional gut-punch of a musical is set to close at the Gillian Lyne this month. A love letter to Sheffield, Standing at the Sky’s Edge observes the changing landscape from the city's landmark housing estate, Park Hill, the famous brutalist structure “with its own wikipedia page”

Spanning three generations, the Park Hill resident’s reminisce on past lives and look towards a brighter future, as they navigate the universal themes of love, loss, and survival. The poignant production has been hailed the ‘most exciting new British musical in years,’ by WhatsOnStage, and is the recipient of the Best New Musical Olivier award, UK Theatre Award for Best Musical Production, and the South Bank Sky Art award.

Featuring music and lyrics (and show title) by renowned Sheffield singer-songwriter, Richard Hawley, and a book by award winning playwright Christ Bush. The musical infuses contemporary and classic sounds, reflecting the evolving landscape and spirit of the city of steel. Book your tickets now, we’ll even help you pick the best seat!

People, Places and Things (10 August)

Deniese Gough reprises her ‘career defining’ role in Duncan Macmillan’s powerful and intense play on the complexities of addiction and recovery to critical acclaim. 

An intoxicating drama on the futility of striving for truth and surviving in the modern world. Emma (Gough) is a struggling actress who stumbles through life in blacked out bliss. Now she’s in rehab, and her newfound reality is as painful as it is sobering.

Following its sold-out run at the National Theatre, the pulse-pounding production transferred to New York via London’s West End. The show picked up extra hand luggage in each of its layovers, winning the Critics Circle Theatre Award and two Oliviers, in addition to six Drama Desk and two WhatsOnStage Award nominations. The latest reincarnation has been just as highly regarded with The Independent stating ‘Denise Gough’s extraordinary performance has only got better.’ If you missed the first stints in the capital, this is your final chance to rectify it! We’ll even help you pick the best seats!

FANGIRLS (24 August)

The vibrant and energetic Australian musical already has a legion of fangirls (and boys) itself! Filled with catchy pop songs and sharp dialogue, the hilarious tale of a girl's obsession with boy band singer, Harry, received the Matilda Award for Best Musical or Cabaret and the Sydney Theatre Award for Best Production of a Mainstage Musical. This side of the world, the show has been just as highly praised with critics calling it a ‘concert spectacular.’ 

The musical tells the story of 14-year-old Edna, a passionate fan of the fictional boy band True Connection, and her obsession with the band's lead singer. Hilariously and poignantly exploring the intensity of teenage fandom (playwright Yve Blake interviewed real life boyband devotees, as well as her own experience as a fangirl to authentically portray Edna and her gang), the show challenges stereotypes about teenage girls and celebrates their agency and enthusiasm. The show had a strict season at the Lyric Hammersmith, but with rave reviews and sensational songs, we wouldn’t be surprised to see this on the West End soon!