Theatre
1 The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk
What is the cost of making art? Is it more painful to give birth to a baby or a painting? Those are some of the questions under scrutiny in this delicate two-hander based on the relationship between painter Marc Chagall and his wife Bella. Emma Rice made this show her swansong for Kneehigh and its exploration of the tensions and sacrifices of creativity is likely to be all the more poignant in light of her experiences at the Globe.
Bristol Old Vic, 9-12 August; touring to 27 August
2 Jesus Christ Superstar
One of the unexpected pleasures of last summer, Timothy Sheader’s revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice musical returns to Regent’s Park. Tom Scutt’s design, with its rusty cruciform walkway, sets the tone for an evening that may not be subtle but genuinely pulsates with emotion. There is terrific choreography from Drew McOnie and a sense that this is not just a flamboyant rock opera but also a study of celebrity, political and religious fanaticism and mob rule. So good, it almost counts as a miracle.
Open Air theatre, NW1, 11 August to 23 September
3 Yerma
Yes, it’s sold out. But there will be a returns queue and occasional tickets are likely to be released for this remarkable reinvention of Lorca that won best revival at this year’s Oliviers. Billie Piper, who also won best actress at the awards, plays a thirtysomething lifestyle journalist who is swept away by a sudden, all-consuming desire to have a child. The acting is searing; it’s an evening that will leave you completely devastated.
Young Vic, SE1, to 30 August
4 Fiddler on the Roof
When he led Sheffield Theatres, Daniel Evans proved he had a touch with old musicals. Here, he brings Jerry Bock’s 1964 contribution to the genre to vibrant life. He makes it feel pertinent, with a production that highlights the fact that the stories of the immigrants of the early 20th century are a story for our own time, too.
Chichester Festival theatre, to 2 September
5 Girl from the North Country
Conor McPherson’s play is set in a run-down guest house in Duluth, Minnesota in 1934. Everyone has dreams, and debts too – both emotional and fiscal. McPherson has always been the great chronicler of haunted lives and that is magnified here by the exquisite use of Bob Dylan’s songs. Dylan was born in Duluth seven years after the action of the play, but the way the music weaves in and out of the story reminds us how his songs are hewn from dust bowl America.
Old Vic, SE1, to 7 October
Dance
1 Lady Macbeth: Unsex Me Here
Kally Lloyd-Jones’s latest work explores Lady Macbeth, using three male performers to explore the interaction of masculine and feminine forces within Shakespeare’s character.
Dance Base, National Centre for Dance, Edinburgh, to 27 August
2 Tero Saarinen: Morphed
The Nordic Matters festival features the excellent Saarinen with his new work, addressing ideas of masculinity and exploring choreographic extremes of tenderness and brutality.
Royal Festival Hall, SE1, 10 August
3 Mariinsky Ballet
The Russians’ summer season ends with a revival of 19th-century classic La Bayadère, as well as a mixed bill of one-act ballets.
Royal Opera House, WC2, to 12 August
