top of page
Search

May Preview: 40 Shows To See This Month

Guess what, it’s gonna be May – and this month brings with it a wealth of exciting new shows all over the country. Here are 40 shows you may want to check out this month:

 

DEATH COMES TO PEMBERLEY (The Mill At Sonning/UK Tour)



1st May – 28th June

 

The world premiere stage production of P.D. James’s best-selling novel is a tale of love, betrayal, and intrigue set in Regency England. Following a run in Sonning, it embarks on a tour from July.

 

 

MARIE & ROSETTA (UK Tour)

 


2nd May – 26th July


Beverley Knight stars in the UK premiere of this roof-raising play with music, telling the story of American singer and songwriter Rosetta Tharpe and her protégé Marie Knight. It opens in Kingston before heading to Wolverhampton and Chichester.


Tickets from www.rosetheatre.org

 

HOUSE OF GAMES (Hampstead Theatre)

 


2nd May – 7th June


A new production of RIchard Bean’s gripping adaptation of David Mahmet’s noir thriller stars Richard Harrington and Lisa Dillon among the cast/


 

THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK (Riverside Studios)


 

2nd May – 17th August


A bizarre, surreal (and utterly unofficial) burlesque parody of Star Wars gets its London premiere following international acclaim.



SNAP! A New Musical (King’s Head Theatre)



3rd – 25th May


In this bold and captivating new musical, the glamorous yet cut throat world of photography becomes the backdrop for a tangled web of ambition, passion, and deception. 


 

WEST END DOES: MAGIC OF ANIMINATION (Cadogan Hall)

 


4th May


A star cast including Rob Madge, David Hunter, Rob Houchen, Simon Lipkin, Rachel John and Sharlene Hector celebrate some of the most iconic heroes and villains of animated film history.



THE UNLIKELY PILGRIMAGE OF HAROLD FRY (Minerva Theatre)

 


5th May – 14th June


Funny, profound, deeply moving and uplifting, this new musical by Rachel Joyce based on her multi million-selling novel has music and lyrics by Passenger and a cast including Mark Addy, Jenna Russell and Jack Wolfe.


Tickets from cft.org.uk

 

AN OAK TREE (Young Vic)



 

6th – 24th May


In celebration of its 20th anniversary, Tim Crouch’s groundbreaking play returns with him joined by a different guest each night who has neither seen nor read a single word of the play until they’re in it.


Tickets from youngvic.org.

 

1536 (Almeida Theatre)

 


6th May – 7th June


This fiendishly smart and funny new play, set in the year of Anne Boleyn’s death, asks whether female solidarity can survive in a world where barbarism and misogyny are state sanctioned.


Tickets from almeida.co.uk 


DEAR ANNIE, I HATE YOU (Riverside Studios)

 


7th May – 1st June


The award-winning Edinburgh Fringe show makes its London debut in this true story of overcoming an unexpected diagnosis for a brain aneurysm


 

LIZA IN TYPSY (Menier Chocolate Factory)

 


7th – 11th May


Trevor Ashley returns to the Menier, bringing his signature wit, powerhouse vocals and impersonation of Liza Minnelli as you have never seen her before - dazzling, decadent and delightfully drunk.


 

THE DEEP BLUE SEA (Theatre Royal Haymarket)



 

7th May – 21st June

 

Terence Rattigan’s 1950’s study of obsession and the destructive power of love transfers to the West End after a run in Bath in 2023. Directed by Lindsay Posner, it stars Tamsin Greig and Finbar Lynch.

 

Tickets from www.trh.co.uk

 

THE MAD ONES (The Other Palace)

 


7th May – 1st June


This moving and hilarious musical traverses the complexities of mother-daughter dynamics and the universal experience of high school relationships, with huge, soaring songs and invigorating vocals.


 

INSANE ASYLUM SEEKERS (Bush Theatre)

 


8th May – 7th June


This side-splittingly funny and deeply moving play explores the complexities of the British-Iraqi refugee experience in the world premiere production of the 2023 Tony Craze Award-winner.


Tickets from www.bushtheatre.co.uk 

 

BEFORE IT HITS (Upstairs At The Gatehouse)

 


9th – 10th May


A new “New Musical” showcase brings snapshots of six in-development musicals by some of the West End’s best emerging writers


 

A STAN IS BORN (Riverside Studios)

 


10th – 29th May


Written and performed by Alexis Sakellaris, this musical comedy tells the hilarious and heartwarming story of a queer kid’s obsession with various legendary pop divas — from Whitney and Mariah to Beyoncé and Aretha — and their quest to find their inner diva.


 

STEVIE DOC & TOBIAS TURLEY: HERE WE GO AGAIN (Cadogan Hall)



10th May


The winners of Mamma Mia! I Have A Dream reunite for a one-off musical theatre concert, bringing audiences favourite duets to life


 

THE FIFTH STEP (@SohoPlace)

 


10th May – 26th July


David Ireland’s acclaimed new play transfers to the West End with Jack Lowden and Martin Freeman starring in this funny and unflinchingly honest drama about addiction, masculinity and faith.


Tickets from www.thefifthstep.co.uk 

 

SHUCKED (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre)



10th May – 14th June


The Tony Award-winning musical comedy Shucked makes its much-anticipated UK premiere with a cast including Ben Joyce, Georgina Onuorah, Matthew Seadon-Young, Sophie McShera and Keith Ramsay.


Tickets from www.openairtheatre.com 

 

MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION (Garrick Theatre)




 

10th May – 16th August


The major revival of George Bernard Shaw’s play stars Imelda Staunton and her daughter Bessie Carter, reuniting with director Dominic Cooke.


 

THE LAST INCEL (Pleasance Theatre)

 


14th – 31st May


After a critically acclaimed run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, writer and director Jamie Sykes brings his dark satirical show to London in a uniquely Irish take on a universal issue.



LITTLE BROTHER (Jermyn Street Theatre)

 


15th May – 21st June


The world premiere of Timberlake Wertenbaker’s stage adaptation of Amet Arzallus Antia and Ibrahima Balde’s award winning memoir.


 

JUST FOR ONE DAY (Shaftesbury Theatre)



15th May – 10th January 2026

 

2025 marks 40 years since the iconic Live Aid events in London and Philadelphia which makes it the perfect time for the new musical about that day to transfer to the West End following a run at the Old Vic in 2024. Craige Els returns in the role of Bob Geldof

 

 

POP OFF, MICHELANGELO! (Underbelly Boulevard)

 


17th May – 22nd June


The high-camp musical comedy about best-pals-turned-bitter-rivals Michelangelo and Leonardo da Vinci.  makes its limited West End debut season.


 

OSCAR AT THE CROWN (The Crown)

 


From 18th May  


The new musical is brought to life in a new custom-built venue. visitors will be transported to a secret bunker far in the fascist future, where the only things to survive are reality TV, glitter balls and the complete works of Oscar Wilde.



THE MUSICAL OF MUSICALS THE MUSICAL (Phoenix Arts Club)



20th – 21st May


A sharp and fast-paced parody of musical theatre’s greatest composers, the show tells one story, an ingénue struggling to pay rent - five times, each in the distinctive style of Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Andrew Lloyd Webber, and Kander & Ebb.


 

OUTPATIENT (Park Theatre)

 


21st May – 7th June


Inspired by writer Harriet Madeley’s own experiences of being diagnosed with a life-changing condition, this autobiographical solo-show explores the fragility of the human body and how we handle the prospect of death. 


Tickets from www.parktheatre.co.uk 

 

BAT OUT OF HELL (Peacock Theatre)

 


21st May – 7th June


As part of its UK tour, the musical featuring the songs of Jim Steinman, made famous by Meat Loaf on his classic album, returns to London for a limited season with a cast led by Glenn Adamson, Katie Tonkinson, Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton.


 

RADIANT BOY (Southwark Playhouse Borough)

 


21st May – 14th June


The world premiere of this new play about faith, shame and queerness and finding connection through art is written by Nancy Netherwood and stars Renée Lamb, Stuart Thompson, Ben Allen and Wendy Nottingham.



AFTER THE ACT (Royal Court)



21st May – 14th June


Multi-award-winning Breach Theatre’s electrifying musical looks at the widespread impact of Thatcher’s Section 28 by spotlighting the inspiring true stories of teachers, students and activists protesting, grappling with, and impacted by the law as it was being passed. 


 

MARRIAGE MATERIAL (Lyric Hammersmith)

 


22nd May – 21st June


Sathnam Sanghera’s critically acclaimed novel is adapted for the stage for the first time by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti. Following a run in London, it will play at Birmingham Rep in June.


 

ELEPHANT (Menier Chocolate Factory)

 


22nd May – 29th June


Part gig, part musical love story, part journey through Empire, this bold and magnetic exploration of identity in 21st Century Britain returns to London in a reimagined new production, written and performed by Anoushka Lucas.


 

THE FROGS (Southwark Playhouse Borough)



23rd May – 28th June

 

GLEE star Kevin McHale will make his UK stage debut in this ancient tale retold as a laugh-a-minute musical comedy with music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim.

 

 

THIS IS MY FAMILY (Southwark Playhouse Elephant) 



23rd May – 12th July


Tim Firth’s award-winning musical has its London premiere in this hilarious and uplifting story of the disastrous family holiday that eventually brings the family together.



IN PRAISE OF LOVE (Orange Tree Theatre)

 


24th May – 5th July


A perceptive and deeply moving drama, Terence Rattigan’s penultimate play is loosely based on the relationship between the actor Rex Harrison and his wife Kay Kendall. 


 

FIDDLER ON THE ROOF (Barbican Theatre)

 


24th May – 19th July


Following their Olivier award-winning season last year, Adam Dannheisser, Lara Pulver and Beverley Klien return for an encore season in London ahead of a UK tour from July - November.


Tickets from www.Barbican.org.uk 

 

STEREOPHONIC (Duke Of York’s Theatre)

 


24th May – 20th September


The Tony Award-winning play by David Adjmi with music by Will Butler makes its London debut, mining the agony and the ecstasy of creation as an ambitious rock band struggle to record their new album.


 

CUL-DE-SAC (Omnibus Theatre)



27th May – 14th June


The new play from multi award-nominated playwright David Shopland follows four characters across the course of one evening as a quiet night quickly dissolves into chaos.


 

COME FALL IN LOVE – THE DDLJ MUSICAL (Manchester Opera House)



29th May – 21st June

 

A new musical inspired by Bollywood’s most successful film opens in Manchester directed by Aditya Chopra, the film’s original director.

 

 

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM (Bridge Theatre)

 


31st May – 23rd August


One of the Bridge Theatre’s biggest hits returns with Nicholas Hytner directing this immersive production starring JJ Feild, Susannah Fielding, Emmanuel Akwafo and David Moorst.


Tickets from bridgetheatre.co.uk

 

MISS MYRTLE’S GARDEN (Bush Theatre)



31st May – 12th July


This world premiere is a wonderfully warm, witty, and life-affirming exploration into how we acknowledge the past, as a means to confronting life head-on in the present.


Tickets from www.bushtheatre.co.uk 


What are you most looking forward to seeing in May?

Let me know in the comments or on all my socials - @ATDazzles on X, Instagram, Threads, Facebook and TikTok, and look out for reviews of many of them on the website over the next month, as well as features on some of these on my brand new podcast ‘All That Chat’, available wherever you listen to podcasts with new episodes releasing every week.

 

To have your show included in the June preview or any other monthly post, send me an email with details of your show and I’ll include as many as possible.

 

See you in the theatre!

bottom of page