The best theatre shows to stream online right now

This intriguing sensory show from Morpheus bills itself as a terrifying piece of immersive theatre that you can do without leaving the house. Groups of up to six people must blindfold up and be ‘led’ – by actors – on an ‘imagination-bending sonic adventure’ via Zoom.

Following its 2019 run, the Old Vic’s production of ‘Lungs’ was revived with Matt Smith and Claire Foy, but without a live audience to be the first show in the theatre’s In Camera strand. It returns for 2021 as part of In Camera: Playback – in essence, a series of digital repeats at a cheaper price than the original live show.

For the past 44 years, London’s festival of visual theatre has brought some of the world’s most boundary-pushing and fascinating shows to the capital; we’re talking everything from acrobatics to mime, mask work to puppetry. Often, these shows receive such short runs that it can be hard to nab tickets – which is why LIMF’s first-ever virtual festival, ‘Videotheque’ is so exciting. From now until January 31, you can stream shows from 1990 onwards for free through the LIMF website. Some, like the mind-blowing ‘32 Rue Vandenbranden’ by Belgian dance theatre company Peeping Tom, are only available certain dates, so make sure you check so you don’t miss out.

This super-popular musical comedy revue by Jimmy Roberts and Joe DiPietro has been performed over 5,000 times since it premiered in 1996 – but this is the first time that it’s been filmed on stage to be streamed. Performed at the London Coliseum, this relationships-themed show stars Brenda Edwards of ‘X Factor’ and ‘We Will Rock You’ fame, plus Simon Lipkin (‘First Date, Nativity’), Alice Fearn (‘Wicked, Come From Away) and Oliver Tompsett (‘Kinky Boots’, ‘& Juliet’).

This spooky online detective game – which you need to sign up to with a group – is the follow-up to ‘Plymouth Point’, a bit online hit during the first lockdown.

The original cast-slash-brains behind Mischief Theatre’s ‘The Play The Goes Wrong’, ‘The Comedy About a Bank Robbery’ etc reunite for this night of online improv in which they act out a film based upon audience suggestions.

Ian Rickson’s exquisite production of Chekhov’s play starring Toby Jones, Richard Armitage and Roger Allam is now on iPlayer for the best part of 2021.

Is it a play? Is it a film? Well, it’s something in between. Following on from the success of their live-streamed production of Tom Stoppard’s ‘A Separate Peace’ in May 2020, London theatre company Platform Presents will premiere ‘Good Grief’, by Lorien Haynes. Created for the screen, not the stage, the play was rehearsed over Zoom and filmed in a studio to be streamed for three months from February 15. Directed by Natalie Abrahami, ‘Good Grief’ is a romantic comedy which follows the story of two friends coming to terms with the loss of a woman they both loved. BAFTA award-winning Sian Clifford – otherwise known as Fleabag’s uptight sister, Claire – stars alongside Nikesh Patel, who you might recognise as Foaly in ‘Artemis Fowl’.

In these unpredictable times, the idea of wielding a bit of power feels pretty satisfying. Secret Theatre Projects allowing you to do just that with 'Redemption Room' – an interactive theatre experience taking place over Zoom, where you get to decide the fate of six disgraced celebrities. As an audience member, you're part of a judging panel who will interact with fellow judges as well as the celebrities, who beg for redemption for their 'crimes'. A fun extra element is that the celebrities are located in six cities, and will join the Zoom from those locations: London, Hong Kong, Singapore, Mumbai, Sydney and New York. 

Southwark Playhouse presents this new British musical that puts a gender-swapped spin on Johann Wolfgang von Goethe’s classic poem (you might be more familiar with the Disney ‘Fantasia’ version). This version is set under the Northern Lights in a town called Midgard, where the rebellious daughter of a sorcerer discovers her newfound powers just in time to save her town from destruction. Suitable for all ages.