What's opening in London theatres this month? (July 2023)
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| By
Sian McBride
(Updated on Jul 26, 2023)
With a host of hot new shows opening across the capital this July, the sun isn’t the only thing brightening up our days! Feel the heat from King Charles II and his band of furious footmen as you attempt to steal The Crown Jewels with Colonel Blood and his gang. Experience the poignant and compelling play that set the West End ablaze when A Little Life transfers to the Savoy Theatre this month. Need to cool off? How about a dip in the ocean with SpongeBob and his friends? Last one in is a Barnacle-head!
A Little Life (3 July)
Following record-breaking demand at the Harold Pinter Theatre, A Little Life transfers to the Savoy Theatre for one month only. Adapted from the Sunday Times bestseller by Hanya Yanagihara, this immensely powerful and heartbreaking play explores the limits of human endurance and the complexity of male relationships. Best friends: Jude, Willem, JB, and Malcolm move to New York after graduating, yet it’s only once they have left the education system that the quartet learn some of life’s most profound lessons. Over the decades, their relationships with each other deepen and darken, tinged by addiction, success, love, sacrifice, pride, and the search for meaning in the face of profound suffering.
Starring James Norton (Happy Valley, Grantchester) alongside Luke Thompson (Bridgerton, Hamlet), Omari Douglas (It’s A Sin, Constellations), Zach Wyatt (The Witcher, I and You), Elliot Cowan (The Crown, 2:22 A Ghost Story), experience the theatrical event that everyone is talking about.
The Crown Jewels (7 July)
Fresh from his success as a writer on the hilarious Splitting Image: Idiot’s Assemble, Al Murray has swapped latex puppets for ludicrous pilferage as he makes his West End debut in The Crown Jewels. The pub landlord will be joined on stage by theatre and TV royalty, Carrie Hope Fletcher, Mel Giedroyc, Neil Morrissey, and Joe Thomas for this historical heist.
Join the charming, whimsical, and brilliantly named Colonel Blood as he, and his band of oddballs, attempt to steal King Charles II’s crown jewels: in plain sight. Will the crooked crowd escape with the swag, or will their plans be foiled? You could crack into a textbook to find out, but watching this is a lot more fun.
The SpongeBob Musical (26 July)
Finally, the burning question of ‘who lives in a pineapple under the sea’ will be answered! The SpongeBob Musical has used its butterfly net to expertly capture the humour, heart, and optimism of the beloved Nickelodeon series, whilst adding its own theatrical flair. Featuring music from David Bowie, John Legend, and Cyndi Lauper, this madcap musical received 12 Tony Award nominations when it premièred on the other side of the pond, the most nods for any show that year!
Join SpongeBob and his friends as they team up to stop a volcanic eruption from destroying Bikini Bottom. Featuring extraordinary choreography and fabulous costumes, will the band of unlikely heroes step up to the plate and save their much-loved town? Aye, Aye, captain!
Also opening in London Theatres this month:
Live at Wembley Park Theatre with Phil Wang opens at the Troubadour Wembley Park on 1 July 2023
Don't Tell the Bishops opens at St Pauls Church on 2 July 2023
Disruption opens at the Park Theatre on 7 July 2023
Wickedly Ever-Green opens at St Pauls Church on 16 July 2023
80s Live opens at the Adelphi Theatre on 18 July 2023
Henry I opens at St Pauls Church on 20 July 2023
Masquerade opens at St Pauls Church on 23 July 2023
Laurel and Chaplin – The Feud opens at the Cambridge Theatre on 24 July 2023
Julie: The Musical opens at the Other Palace Studio on 25 July 2023
I Believe in Unicorns opens at the Apollo Theatre on 27 July 2023
Blippi: Wonderful World Tour opens at Alexandra Palace on 28 July 2023