What's opening in London theatres this month (August 2024)
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(Updated on 2 Aug 2024)
The sun is out, a refreshing glass of Pimms is constantly on our minds (if not in our hands), and our wardrobe looks like it’s come straight out of MAMMA MIA! We’re in full-on holiday mode (even when we’re at work).
With a host of brand-new musicals, including a show penned by West End royalty, and creators of Six the Musical, Marlow and Moss. And multi award-winning revivals, including Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing and classic caper The 39 Steps, opening this month, it’s safe to say that London theatre’s are working a lot harder than us!
Take a look at the shows that will be shining in the capital this August. Looking further ahead? We’ve rounded up the top 10 shows opening later this year.
Frank Skinner - 30 Years of Dirt (5 August)
Football may not have come home, but Frank has! Following a critically acclaimed sold-out run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Lyric Theatre and Gielgud Theatre, legendary comedian Frank Skinner returns to the West End!
His latest show, 30 Years of Dirt has been hailed as his best hour-long yet. With critics calling it ‘plain funny in a way that few other comics can touch’ (Times), and ‘Immaculately constructed…Skinner’s crowdwork is as sharp as ever…he can spool out a yarn every bit as entertainingly as prime-era Billy Connolly’ (Evening Standard). His rib-tickling month long residency starts on the 5th August, give your funny bones a workout, and book your tickets now.
Alfred Hitchcock's classic spy thriller is transformed into a fast-paced farce in this multi award-winning comedy caper.
The parody sees four actors play over 130 characters, including the show's protagonist Richard Hannay. Richard finds himself the prime suspect for murder when a mysterious woman is found murdered in his apartment. He embarks on a thrilling adventure across Britain to clear his name and uncover the secret of ‘The 39 Steps.’
The Tony and Olivier Award winning show has been performed in 39 different countries across the globe, and has delighted over 3 million people worldwide with its quintessentially plucky spirit and dashing sense of fun. Playing at Trafalgar Theatre (one of our favourite venues in the West End) for a strictly limited run, don’t miss your chance to catch the show and find out whodunnit! We’ll even pick the best seats for you.
Following a critically acclaimed UK tour, the musical adaptation of Tom Fletcher’s best selling children's book makes its London transfer. Perfect timing for the summer holidays!
A group of performers are preparing to start their show, but quickly discover they are not alone. Little Monster wants to be part of the fun too! He quickly takes to the stage, and brings his best friends, Dragon, Alien and Unicorn sling for the adventure too.
With original songs from McFly’s Tom Fletcher, expect all the comedy and chaos from There’s a Monster in Your Book, live on stage! Playing at the Riverside Studios for a strictly limited run, don’t miss this magical family musical.
Following a hugely successful series of workshops at Sadler’s Wells, the big fancy new musical from the creators of Six is finally having its full run!
Marlow and Moss’ piece has a meta-theatrical twist – following two writers/friends who are battling to write a new musical, while also reflecting on their romantic woes and personal crises in a world of online dating and social minefields.
Join the sad little BFFs as they drink/eat/cry/laugh their way through (perpetual) singledom. Celebrating love in all its forms, the all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza focuses on mates as well as (lack of) dates. And is perfect for those who are single, looking, or happily partnered. Want to go, but don’t know where to sit? We’ve found your perfect match.
Exploring themes of love, fidelity, and the intersection of art and life, Tom Stoppard’s The Real Thing won the Tony Award for Best Play for both its original 1984 Broadway production, and its 2000 revival. The latest adaptation, directed by Tony and Olivier award winner Max Webster, stars James McArdle (Mare of Easttown) and Bel Powley (The Morning Show), and promises to be just as successful.
The play follows Henry, a successful playwright, and his tumultuous relationships with his wife, Charlotte, and his lover, Annie. Through sharp dialogue and intricate layers of meta-theatricality, The Real Thing examines what it means to truly love someone, as genuine emotion blurs with the artificiality of the stage. Playing at the Old Vic theatre for a strictly limited run, don’t miss your chance to see Stoppard’s masterpiece.