The Best Theatre to See in London This Summer
From Emilia Clarke’s West End debut to a riotous Cabaret, here’s what to watch now.
Peter Morgan’s Patriots follows the life of Boris Berezovsky at the Almeida.
Photographer: Marc BrennerLondon has some of the best theater in the world, and no trip is complete without seeing one of the incredible plays or musicals on offer. There’s a rich history of theater here—from the Theatre Drury Royal, which opened in 1663 and is still in use (now showing the Frozen musical) to converted warehouses in Hackney that nurture new talent and tell contemporary stories. While it’s the home of Shakespeare’s Globe and nurtured the late Lawrence Olivier, present-day talent such as director Jamie Lloyd is creating innovative, modern version of classics that are bringing in fresh audiences.
The live performance industry has had a very tough time since March 2020. But this summer, box office and attendance at London events are back to pre-pandemic levels and have surpassed those in 2019 in recent weeks, according to the Society of London Theatre.