A sung-through musical fable about love and colourism on a Hispaniola-alike isle in the Antilles, ‘Once on This Island’ traces the doomed romance between Ti Moune – from the island’s ’black as night’ peasant population – and Daniel Beauxhomme, one of its aristocratic, light-skinned ‘grand hommes’ whose slave ancestors mingled with white French planters…
There’s perhaps nothing more magical than seeing a play or musical in the open air, and London is absolutely the city for it. In defiance of the weather gods, our outdoor theatre season now stretches from March to late October: we’re are just that tough. Or at least, optimistic about the weather.
Substantially it revolves around a few key theatres, notably Shakespeare’s Globe – open March to October and generally boasting a cheeky outdoor Christmas production – and the delightful Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, which is open late spring to the end of summer. The former specialises in Shakespeare plays, while the latter has a musical theatre focus (and for 2023, a lot of family theatre).
But there’s plenty of other stuff, especially as the summer reaches its height, from the ambitious street theatre of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival to the musical theatre blowout of West End Live.
Not sure what you'll need for an open-air theatre trip? Then don’t miss our guide to practical open-air theatre info.
If you’re interested in taking in some outdoor cinema this summer, head to our dedicated page.
