Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s Globe, 2025
Photo: Tristram Kenton | Romeo and Juliet, Shakespeare’s Globe 2025
Photo: Tristram Kenton

Open-air theatre in London

The best open-air and outdoor theatre shows in London this summer

Andrzej Lukowski
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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 very end of summer. The former specialises in Shakespeare plays, while the latter has a musical theatre focus.

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.

Outdoor theatre in London this month

  • Drama
  • South Bank

What is it? Ola Ince’s recent productions for the Globe include a gritty police procedural Othello and a modern dress Romeo and Juliet that was so progressive it made the front page of The Sun (‘Wokeo and Juliet’, the headline screamed). It’s therefore somewhat surprising that – aesthetically speaking – hers is by far the most trad take on Arthur Miller’s The Crucible I’ve ever seen: full-on period pilgrim garb from designer Amelia Jane Hankin, including a magnificent array of funny little conical hats.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

  • Shakespeare
  • South Bank

What is it? Following his recent RSC hit Cowbois, Globe associate director Sean Holmes returns to the Wild West for a new take on Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy that apparently relocates the action to a world of gunslingers and desperadoes. Frankly, it sounds like a lot of fun.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe. 

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  • Shakespeare
  • London

What is it? Always charming but never mired in nostalgia, every summer the Shakespeare in the Squares company tours a play by the Bard around some of London’s lovliest outdoor squares. This year’s choice of show is forever problematic battle of the sexes comedy The Taming of the Shrew.

Where is it? Loads of places – click through to see the list.

Outdoor theatre coming to London soon

  • Drama
  • Regent’s Park

What is it? The only straight up play this season at the Open Air Theatre is this revival of Dominic Cooke’s acclaimed 2007 adaptation of the Malorie Blackman dystopian smash. Here directed by OAT associate Tinuke Craig, the story concerns a future in which the darker-skinned Noughts rule over the lighter-skinned Crosses, and follows the complicated, clandestine friendship between Nought Sephy and Cross Callum, who has been allowed to attend her prestigious school. 

Where is it? Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

  • Shakespeare
  • South Bank

What is it? Michelle Terry becomes possibly the first artistic director of literally any theatre anywhere to programme Shakespeare’s comedy curio The Merry Wives of Windsor not once but twice. Following its 2019 outing, this time it’ll be directed by Globe associate director Sean Holmes, who has a great track record with the Bard’s zanier comedies. 

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

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  • Children's
  • Kew

What is it? Totally different to the stage production of Alice in Wonderland that played in Kew in the 2023 summer season, this one comes from the Australian Theatre Company and is a family friendly take on Lewis Carroll’s tale of outlandish adventures down the rabbit hole. Song, dance and interactive games are all promised.

Where is it? Kew Gardens.

  • Children's
  • Kew

What is it? This cute outdoor spin off from A Midsummer Night’s Dream for young kids is part of the Australian Theatre Company’s summer season at beautiful Kew Gardens. In it, four of Oberon and Titania's fairy posse encounter Peter Pan’s pal Tinkerbell. Little audiences are invited to dress up as fairies, pirates or whatever they want; it's performed picnic style, so by all means bring a picnic. For ages three to eight.

Where is it? Kew Gardens.

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  • Shakespeare
  • Kew

What is it? The one actual Shakespeare production in the Australian Shakespeare Company’s three show season at Kew Gardens is a pretty heavy one: Shakespeare’s gory supernatural revenge fantasy Macbeth. Aussie actors Hugh Sexton and Nicole Nabout star in this production from ASC artistic director Glenn Elston, which will be staged amidst the stunning trees of Kew as darkness falls.

Where is it? Kew Gardens.

  • Musicals
  • Regent’s Park

What is it? This 1947 musical from My Fair Lady writers Lerner & Loewe has faded out of fashion in recent years, presumably largely because its premise of a couple of American tourists stumbling across a magical Scottish village that only appears every couple of hundred years is actually pretty patronising to the Scottish. That’s presumably why top Scots playwright Rona Munro has been brought in to update the book of the first major UK revival since 1988.

Where is it? Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

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  • Shakespeare
  • South Bank

What is it? Make what you will of this, but for the biggest name Shakespeare play in the Globe’s summer 2025 season, director Robin Belfield has opted to go for the play’s rarely deployed full name. We don’t really have any as to what’s likely from this production beyond that, though the accompanying publicity image suggests an upbeat and vibrant take on the story of shipwreck and mistaken identity that is all the more glorious for its malleability.

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

  • Children's
  • Regent’s Park

What is it? The OAT’s beautiful looking but maybe a little light-on-the-peril Roald Dahl adaptation returns for a second summer run at the theatre. 

Where is it? Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.

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  • Circuses
  • London

What is it? London’s spectacular free outdoor Greenwich + Docklands International Festival is back for 2025, taking place over three consecutive weekends starting with the August bank holiday. Click through for more details of the line-up.

Where is it? All over… Greenwich and the Docklands!!

  • Shakespeare
  • South Bank

What is it? Not seen in London for over a decade, Troilus and Cressida is Shakespeare’s extremely odd Trojan War drama that essentially combines a big chunk of the plot of the Illiad with a weirdy love story between the Trojan title characters that is basically just a subplot. 

Where is it? Shakespeare’s Globe.

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