FESTIVAL SHOWS 

Zoe Wohlfeld: Dog Funeral | Soho Theatre | 6 Jun (pictured)
Yay, another week, another festival section, and this first show kinda qualifies in two ways. Firstly, this is part of the ongoing London Clown Festival. Secondly, this show is headed to the old edfringe this summer, and we have already interviewed creator Zoe Wohlfeld about the show and upcoming Edinburgh run. Read the Q&A here and book your tickets for the Soho date here. 

The Last Halloween Of Diablo | The Hope Theatre | 8-10 Jun
Next up is Bokfest at the Hope Theatre, which, you may remember, focuses on platforming and developing new work by early career playwrights. Our latest pick from that line up is ‘The Last Halloween Of Diablo’, which depicts the difficult relationship between horror writer Ruth and younger former addict Zadie, and the resulting, spiralling chaos. Find out more about it here. 

The Luxurious Time – A Queer Love Story | Omnibus Theatre | 4-6 Jun
Over now to the 96 Festival, another celebration of LGBT+ work, taking place at the Omnibus Theatre. Written by Martin Lewton, this play tells the true story of of the author’s life with his partner, who has Alzheimer’s, and asks the question of whether love can survive when dementia strikes. Head to the venue website here for more information and to book tickets.

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ONE DATE ONLY 

Conversations We Should Have Had | Omnibus Theatre | 3 Jun (pictured)
This is one of those occasions when one section has spilled over into the next, as this is also part of 96 Festival, specifically its ‘Next Page’ strand of rehearsed readings. This performance comes courtesy of a long term TW favourite Rosie Wilby, who presents her brand new show in which a comedian performs extracts of her unpublished autofictional novel. Read more about it here. 

Romeo And Juliet In Swing | The Clapham Grand | 3 Jun
Hmm, looks like it’s more than spilled over, because this is also a festival event – though a different festival, the Battersea Jazz Festival – and it sounds amazing: the Hugo Jennings Big Band will perform original arrangements from Prokofiev’s ‘Romeo And Juliet’ to accompany dancers from the E33 Dance Company. Hurrah for jazz ballet, head to the venue site here to book tickets.

Receipts | Union Theatre | 5 Jun
“At the self checkout, we leave behind a quiet record of who we are. Printed in seconds and forgotten just as quickly, receipts are one of the most precise traces of our daily lives”. I’m intrigued by this, which uses receipts to create character snapshots and a portrait of “modern habits, impulses and routines”. See this page here if you’re as intrigued as me.  

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MUSICAL SHOWS 

How To Make A Mess | Upstairs at The Gatehouse | 4-28 Jun (pictured)
Whoo, we’ve got three whole musicals for you to consider this week, which I’m excited about. First up, the fairly-long-running ‘How To Make A Mess’, which is subtitled “A Totally Unauthorised Love Letter To Nigella Lawson”, and sees central character Anna summoning an imagined Nigella following the death of her estranged mother. Find out more about it here. 

10k? Jog On! | Jack Studio Theatre | 9-13 Jun 
“Nick and Charlie have procrastinated their 20s away, rotting on the sofa and ghosting everyone else in their lives until the day they receive some shocking news about their old friend, Jamie. To honour his memory, the boys decide to do something  that terrifies them… exercise”. A buddy comedy musical about willpower and fitness and masculinity. Click here. 

Nearly Weds The Musical | Union Theatre | 4 Jun
A new musical comedy about Lily, a people-pleasing bride who runs away from her wedding and arrogant jilted groom Jake. Hopefully Lily will learn to stand up for herself and Jake will stop making terrible puns? Though I’m not too impressed with the latter scenario, I’m a big fan of puns. Thankfully, I am assured there are many to be found here. Book tickets here. 

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MORE GREAT STUFF 

Take Flight | Half Moon Theatre | 5-6 June
If you’ve sent the older kids back to school this week following the half term break, but still have a teeny tot at home, maybe you could take them to see ‘Take Flight’? It’s an aerial show for babby-lambs aged up to two years old and their carers, following a musical mother bird as her baby hatches, and has been very thoughtfully constructed for little ones. Find out more about it here.

Sandra | Playhouse East | 9-10 Jun 
“Sandra used to be a croupier at one of Liverpool’s glitziest casinos. That’s where she met Steven and fell in love. But now, a lifetime later, facing financial peril in the wake of Steven’s unexpected death, she’s run out of cards”. An ode to resilience and survival that sees Sandra forced to leave her hometown and head to Clapham. All the details right about here. 

To Be Frank | Pleasance Theatre | 8-9 Jun (pictured)
We started with a show that’s going to Edinburgh this summer, so I thought it might be fitting to finish with another. This is a London preview of ‘To Be Frank’, a solo horror comedy show inspired by ‘Frankenstein’, which sees its reanimated star attempting to discover just why he’s been thrust into existence. It’s already won much acclaim down under, click here to book.