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See our selection of shows below, perfect for the New Year
Dark Comedy THE GRIM by Edmund Morris
Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington 7 - 18 January
London, 1964. Shaun is just trying to get through another dull day as the proprietor of an undertakers in the East End. Robert, his assistant, is a superstitious wreck.
Both want nothing more than to clock off early and get to the sanctity of the local pub, but on the day they’re due to fit recently deceased murderer, Jackie Gallagher, for his coffin, and with strange happenings afoot, all is not as it seems…
“Hilarious, scary, nostalgic and existential… theatre at its best” ★★★★★ Binge Fringe
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Comedy drama HOWERD'S END by Mark Farrelly at Jack Studio Theatre 15-18 Jan
Can you imagine being terrified of your own happiness? You can? Then let’s begin…
Frankie Howerd was one of Britain’s most loved comedians for half a century. But he had a secret. And the secret’s name was Dennis. Howerd’s End by Mark Farrelly (Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope, Jarman, Silence of Snow) takes you to the heart of Frankie and Dennis’ clandestine relationship, which lasted from the 1950s until Frankie’s death in 1992. It also affords a glorious opportunity to encounter Frankie in full flight stand-up mode.
Packed with laughter, but unafraid of truth, Howerd’s End portrays two humans’ journey through closeness, love, grief, and all the other things that make life worth living. Come and say farewell to a legend… and learn the art of letting go.
Drama Award-winning BELLY OF THE BEAST by Saana Sze at Finborough Theatre 7 January - 1 February 2025
YoungMartha, a bright and agreeable student, falls in love with Gia, who has had enough of school and teachers that don’t care about girls like her…
NowMartha enters the teaching industry, optimistic about making a positive change, but soon begins a quick journey towards disillusionment when they realise the corporate hell they’re in…
Black, non-binary and queer, YoungMartha and NowMartha are set against rigid systems which insist they conform. Belly of the Beast examines school politics, from the standpoint of both student and a teacher, as it asks “What are schools for?”
Comedy Drama COSMIC HEALING? by Panda La Terriere at Theatre at the Tabard 15 Jan - 1 February
At his Cosmic Energy Healing Retreat, Paul John – fallen bad boy of British comedy turned internet guru- promises an end to earthly pain. But when a group of lost souls and neurotics travel to the East Coast of Wales in search of the Enlightenment he promises, they find Paul John is just a spaced-out bum living in an orange tent. Mud, mess, compost lavs, and dopamine withdrawal push each of Paul John’s frazzled ‘disciples’ to the brink. And one by one, they start to wonder, is this really the end of Suffering or just a seriously horrid holiday?
Curtain Twitchers & co. produces fast-paced, original comedies which veer off unexpectedly into the supernatural or existential. Their absurdist comedy My Neighbours Are Kind of Weird? had a six day sell-out run at the Drayton Theatre in April 2023 and was then riotously well received at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Festival GATHER TOGETHER STORYTELLING festival at Rosemary Branch, border of Islington & Hackney 19 January - 27 February
World Wars, folklore, comedy, local stories, modern classics, free community events, deals with the devil and the delta blues are coming together this winter at The Rosemary Branch for the second Gather Together Storytelling Festival.
January 19th, 3pm
The story of Mabel Daley Bancroft - an Isle of White hotel landlady and the only British person to be sentenced to death for treason in WW2. A story beautifully told by Ali Williams in an adaptation of the book by award winning author James Friel.
LONDON PLAYBACK THEATRE PRESENTS: LOOKING FORWARDS, LOOKING BACK
January 26th, 5pm
Playback Theatre is a unique form of improvisational theatre in which audience members volunteer stories from their lives and see them played back on the spot.
THE ROSEMARY BRANCH: LOCAL STORIES - FREE!
February 19th, 7.30pm
An invitation for anyone to get on stage and share, especially stories of the local area (Islington & Hackney) or stories from members of the local community. Hosted by acclaimed storyteller James Rowland (★★★★★ The Guardian ★★★★★ The Stage)
February 20th, 7.45pm
With Tall Tales & Cocktails and London Playback Theatre both centering stories and storytelling in their shows.
February 27th, 7.30pm
Live music and storytelling mix in the story of a man who wanted to be the greatest musician of his generation, and so sold his soul at a crossroads. From storytelling company Weird Folk, this show with delta blues and American spirituals is inspired by the life of America’s most influential guitar player told in an informal style; singing, dancing and foot stomping are encouraged.
Classic
JEFFREY BERNARD IS UNWELL by Keith Waterhouse at Coach and Horses, Soho 19 January - 10 February
Robert Bathurst (Cold Feet, Downton Abbey, Toast of London) will once again star in the critically acclaimed, award-winning immersive production of Jeffrey Bernard is Unwell.
MEET JEFFREY BERNARD...
a notorious and feckless Soho face. A journalist who doesn’t know the meaning of the word deadline and would much rather be drinking vodka on the rocks in his favourite Soho watering holes. A throwback of a man who after four marriages and a life of non-stop carousing is starting to feel a touch jaded. Having fallen asleep in the Gents and waking up in the middle of the night inside the legendary Coach and Horses on Greek Street, Jeffrey Bernard is not a man to waste the deserted hours ahead of him before Norman the landlord opens up again in the morning.
Drama ...And If The Surface Tension Breaks at Lion and Unicorn Theatre 11 Feb - 1 Mar
Cheer up. It’s not the end of the world. Is it?
In the split second before a rare (and frankly inconvenient) cosmic event tears Planet Earth to atoms, the last human alive experiences one final moment of consciousness. A one-way rollercoaster ride to the edge of the apocalypse as life, death and the universe collide one final time…
As the atmosphere evaporates, the oceans boil and the world burns, you’re invited to join us to wave goodbye to the past, live in the moment, and celebrate a future that will never come to pass, as one man hurtles from the Last Gasp to the Big Bang and back again.
And you’ll never guess what happened next...
Revival TRESTLE by Stewart Pringle, directed by Matthew Parker at Jack Studio Theatre 18 Feb - 8 Mar
Harry feels like life is beginning to tick down, his autumn years spent quietly caring for the community he loves. Denise thinks life begins in retirement and she’s dancing like she’s still at high school. When their paths cross unexpectedly at the village hall, their understanding of the time they have left changes irrevocably. Trestle is a warm hearted, funny and moving comic drama about two retired people brought together each week and who begin to share their lives, loves, hopes… and dealing with a trestle table.
Winner of the 2017 Papatango New Writing Prize, Trestle is written by Stewart Pringle (RSC, Royal Court, National Theatre Studio). The 2021 production, directed by award winner Matthew Parker (Best Director OFFIE Awards 2023), garnered four OFFIE Award nominations including Best Production and was a Finalist at The London Pub Theatre Awards.
Drama TOO MANY BOOKS at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate 26 Feb - 16 Mar
Written by award-winning journalist Judi Bevan, Too Many Books is a heartfelt, thought-provoking debut play exploring the complexities of international adoption and the emotional journey of parents seeking to create a family. Set in the 1990s, it follows Daniel and Julia, a couple confronting bureaucratic obstacles, cultural differences, and the pressures on their relationship as they pursue adopting a child from China. As they navigate adoption policies and judgments on their suitability, Daniel and Julia must reconcile their expectations of the adoption process with the stark reality they experience. This intimate production sheds light on issues of identity, cultural displacement, and the emotional sacrifices parents make. It will resonate deeply with anyone touched by adoption or the longing for family.
Read our feature: Back to the Theatre by Judi Bevan
Psst ... more shows being added each week
We are very proud to announce that LONDON PUB THEATRES MAGAZINE is now an OFFIE AWARD WINNING publication
A ONEOFF Special Award (February 2024) has been awarded to London Pub Theatres Magazine and Editor Heather Jeffery for providing a vital forum for highlighting the excellent work that happens in rooms in pubs, with sensitive editing, and an acute sense of the importance of tiny fringe venues to the health and development of British Theatre