Open-air theatre in London
The best open-air and outdoor theatre shows in London this summer
The sun many or may not be out this summer, but London's iconic outdoor stages will be open come rain or shine once the season begins. The outdoor season kicks off in April at Shakespeare's Globe, followed by the gorgeous Regent's Park Opens Air Theatre, which begins its season in May. Plus there are sundry other vibrant events, including the annual street theatre blowourt of the Greenwich and Docklands International Festival. Not sure what you'll need for an open-air theatre trip? Then don't miss our guide to practical open-air theatre info.
This month
Henry IV Part 1, or Hotspur
Michelle Terry leads the return of her Globe Ensemble from the front: the actor-artistic director’s all-guns-blazing take on rebel lord Henry ‘Hotspur’ Percy is the clear highlight of her rep company’s second season…
Henry IV Part 2, or Falstaff
Oh dear. If ‘Henry IV Part 1’ felt like vindication for the Globe Ensemble rep company, then ‘Henry IV Part 2’… well, it’s just not very good…
Henry V, or Harry England
Sarah Amankwah is too reserved to convince as a party-loving young Prince Hal in the Globe’s ‘Henry IV Parts 1 and 2’. But this is her moment…
The Merry Wives of Windsor
Poor Falstaff. After losing his boyhood bezzie in ‘Henry IV Parts 1 and 2’ (which Shakespeare’s Globe is also staging with great aplomb this summer) he gets indignity after indignity piled on him in this sequel, arguably Shakespeare’s silliest play…
A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Globe)
When ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ is trotted out so regularly – in London alone, there are three big ones on this summer – you can see why a director would want to make their version memorable…
Coming soon
Hunchback of Notre Dame
This outdoor family show will bring Victor Hugo's hunchback story to life, in the pretty gardens of Covent Garden's Actors Church. Its story of rebellion and refuge in Paris's cathedral will presumably get a bit of extra poignancy now that the original Notre Dame is in ruins. It's staged by Iris Theatre, who've got years of experience of turning classics into kid-friendly, quirky promenade shows.
Evita
In a big year for the back catalogue of Andrew Lloyd Webber, this looks set to be the most exciting entry: Jamie Lloyd follows up his marathon Pinter at the Pinter project by giving Lloyd Webber’s epic about Argentinean leader Eva Peron its first new London production in over a decade…
As You Like It
This review is from 2018. ‘As You Like It’ returns for 2019. Casting TBA, but liable to be different. Anybody expecting the Globe to become a chintzy Shakespeare museum, in the wake of the untimely end of Emma Rice’s boisterous regime, doesn’t know the Globe…
The Sea Queen
Each August, open air ampitheatre The Scoop pulls in big crowds with its free summer shows. 2019 sees them staging 'The Sea Queen', a new pirate story for kids that centres on female adventurer Grainne O’Malley. Based on a true story, it's a buccaneering narrative of seafaring, mutiny, and a showdown with Queen Liz the First. Selected dates also include free kids' workshops in dancing jigs and folksinging.
Twelfth Night
This free show in riverside ampitheatre The Scoop is an accessible take on Shakespeare's crossdressing comedy 'Twelfth Night'. It's created by Gods and Monsters, in collaboration with Iris Theatre, who turn out whimsical site-specific versions of classic texts.
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