With summer just around the corner, there are plenty of returning and exciting new shows making their way across the UK.
Macrobert
On our very doorstep at the University of Stirling is the Macrobert Arts Centre. Their new ticketing scheme means students can purchase tickets for select shows for just £2.50.
Jack Docherty will hit the Macrobert stage on May 21 at 8pm for David Bowie & Me – Parallel Lives. The critically acclaimed show by the BAFTA award-winning star of Scot Squad and Absolutely takes audiences on a journey through topics of first love, hedonism, mortality, and why you shouldn’t always meet your heroes. For classic rock fans, this is a must-see event.
The world-famous A Play A Pie and A Pint returns with Bridezilla and the Orchard of Sin on April 30 – May 3 with Dungeons, Dragons, and the Quest for D*** on May 28 – May 31. Attendees will receive a pie and a drink included in their ticket price.
Wider Scotland
Throughout Scotland, theatregoers can expect plenty of big tours and shows this summer.
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang will return to the Edinburgh Playhouse from May 28 – June 1 and King’s Theatre, Glasgow from August 27 – September 8 in an all-new production. The show, starring Adam Garcia, Elaine C. Smith, and Liam Fox, promises to be a fun-filled hit for all the family with unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers, including Hushabye Mountain, Truly Scrumptious, and Toot Sweets.
Grease also kickstarts its UK tour hot off the West End with an electrifying new production. Roaring into Kings Theatre Glasgow on June 17 – June 22, before hitting the Playhouse stage the following week. The production has been called “grittier and more glamorous than ever before” and will be brought to life by a fresh young cast.
The Edinburgh Fringe Festival returns August 2 – August 26 with a selection of shows, plays, and experiences for all ages.
West End
On London’s West End, Mean Girls premieres on June 6 at the Savoy Theatre. The production stars Georgina Castle as Regina George. Hadestown, which premiered earlier this year, has extended its run until December 2024. Starring Donal Finn and Grace Hodgett Young, this exceptional folksy musical intertwining two mythic love stories of Orpheus and Eurydice and that of King Hades and Persephone will have audiences captivated.
Next to Normal transfers to the West End for a limited season from June 18 – September 21. Described as an intimate exploration of family and loss, Michael Longhurst directs this powerful rock musical.
For an alternative theatrical experience, the Agatha Christie play Witness for the Prosecution is running until March 2025. The play is held within an actual courtroom setting in London County Hall. The story was written in 1925 and continues to immerse British audiences nearly 100 years later.
West End mainstays to catch include the enchanting Wicked (Apollo Victoria) currently booking until June 1, 2025, Disney’s The Lion King (Lyceum Theatre) is showing until October 19, 2024 and Roald Dahl’s Matilda is available until May 2025.
Image Credits: ATG Tickets, Delfont Mackintosh Theatres, and London Theatre Direct
He/Him
Film & Media & Journalism Student
contact me: bem00218@students.stir.ac.uk
