Shirley Valentine (17 February)
The legendary and multifaceted performer Sheridan Smith will play Scouse icon Shirley in Shirley Valentine. Celebrating powerful women everywhere, the joyful and inspiring tale of Shirley Valentine tells the story of a woman lost in marriage and motherhood, who seeks comfort in conversations with the kitchen wall. Whilst she prepares her husband's chips and egg, Shirley lives out her fantasies in her head…with one little secret, she has a ticket for a flight in her suitcase, and one day she may simply leave a message that reads, "Gone! Gone to Greece.’
English dramatist Willy Russell’s (Blood Brothers, Educating Rita) classic gets a production revival by David Pugh, who fulfils a long-standing dream after begging Russell, in 1986, to one day let him do a revival. The show is directed by Matthew Dunster (2:22 – A Ghost Story) and led by Sheridan Smith, this is one that you don’t want to miss!
The Great British Bake Off Musical (25 February)
The Great British Bake Off Musical is raising the stakes (and the cakes) at the Noel Coward Theatre this February! Eight amateur bakers, two legendary judges, and some extremely clever presenters are all blended and presented for the stage in The Great British Bake Off Musical, providing the perfect recipe for some delicious entertainment. Audiences will witness dozens of tap-along tunes and exciting dances, all set to an astounding original score.
With an innovative score by multi-award-winning duo Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary, Creative Director and Executive Producer Richard McKerrow has teamed up with the producers of the beloved TV show to create this sweet treat of a musical!
Oklahoma! (16 February)
Shrouded in darkness, humour, sexual tension and psychological drama, Daniel Fish’s Oklahoma! finds itself devoid of innocence, filled with a sense of peril that mirrors the evil inside. Similar to the original, Fish’s Oklahoma! follows the story of egotistical cowboy Curly McLain and shady farmhand Jud Fry as they compete for the love of Laurey Williams. Daniel Fish's Oklahoma! draws you into the ultimate surreal, frontier nightmare, exploring issues such as misogyny, gun violence, and consent via the characters' struggles to identify themselves in a small, suffocatingly intimate society. This thrilling revival amplifies all of the themes of the Rodgers & Hammerstein classic without ever changing a word of the original text.
The King and I (14-18 February)
With Tony Award winner Bart Sher's adaptation of The King and I, another Rodgers & Hammerstein classic joins the list at the New Wimbledon Theatre this February. It is the year 1862. An opportunity to teach Siamese royal children is presented to Anna, a British widow. Without a second thought, she packs her belongings and travels to the other side of the globe, what follows is a clash of foreign ideas resulting from the old-fashioned, obstinate King's attempts to modernise his nation. Meanwhile, Anna persists in building a relationship with the king out of a desire to overcome obstacles and form bonds that will promote understanding and change for both parties. In the timeless tale The King and I, love triumphs over hatred and mends even the deepest wounds.
Witness this classic like never before, starring Helen George, who is best known for playing Trixie in the popular BBC One series Call The Midwife!
Also opening in London theatre’s this February
Much Ado About Nothing opens at the Duke of Yorks Theatre on 7 February 2023.
Winner's Curse opens at Park Theatre on 8 February 2023.
Medea opens at @sohoplace on 11 February 2023.
Age Is A Feeling opens at Soho Theatre on 14 February 2023.
The Rhinegold opens at London Coliseum on 18 February 2023.
DOM - The Play opens at Other Palace Studio on 21 February 2023.
Sleepova opens at the Bush Theatre on 24 February 2023.