Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London
Time to get out the umbrellas and blankets: the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre season is kicking off. Under Timothy Sheader, London’s most magical outside theatre space has broadened its programme, and this year he co-directs the opening show, the original Peter Pan stage play by JM Barrie (to 14 Jun). That’s followed by more traditional fare in Chekhov’s The Seagull (19 Jun to 11 Jul) and a return of the acclaimed adaptation of Lord Of The Flies (3 to 12 Sep). The annual musical production is always popular and this year it’s Seven Brides For Seven Brothers (16 Jul to 29 Aug) from the team behind last year’s The Sound Of Music.
Open Air Theatre, NW1, to 12 Sep
MC
Constellations, Woking & Liverpool
One relationship and all its infinite possibilities are explored in Nick Payne’s Royal Court hit, after Marianne, a quantum physicist, meets Roland, who keeps bees. It starred Sally Hawkins and Rafe Spall in London, and Ruth Wilson and Jake Gyllenhaal on Broadway, with Michael Longhurst directing both those productions. He returns for this touring revival, which stars Louise Brealey and Joe Armstrong as the couple at the centre of an inventive, thoughtful and heart-breaking two-hander.
New Victoria Theatre, Woking, Sat; Liverpool Playhouse, Tue to 23 May; touring to 4 Jul
LG
Every Brilliant Thing, Brighton
There’s a splendid week ahead at the Brighton festival, where events include the UK premiere of Raphaëlle Boitel’s acclaimed contemporary circus show The Forgotten (Dome Concert Hall, Tue & Wed) and Nick Steur’s extraordinary Freeze! (Friends Meeting House, Mon to Wed). But there is no doubting the sheer brilliance of Paines Plough’s Every Brilliant Thing, created by Duncan Macmillan with performer Jonny Donahoe. It tells the story of a boy whose mother suffers from depression and tries to kill herself, prompting the child to create a list of everything that makes life worth living. Genuinely interactive, heart-wrenching and completely hilarious, this is a show that really does live up to its name.
Roundabout at Regency Square, Tue to 24 May
LG
Sexology season, Glasgow
The Behaviour festival comes to a climax with Sexology, a weekend of performances, installations and discussions creating a public conversation about private acts. The wonderful artist, writer, director and academic Lois Weaver will be holding an intergenerational long-table event about sex, as well as performing What Tammy Needs to Know About Getting Older And Having Sex (Sat), a piece based on consultations with Glasgow’s elders. There are also one-on-one encounters, including Pillow Talk (Sat & Sun), an intimate conversation with someone you wouldn’t normally get into bed with; and a chance to see Rosana Cade’s meditation on intimacy, sexuality and difference, Walking: Holding (Sat).
The Arches, Sat & Sun
LG
The Mother, Bath
French plays often don’t seem to translate so well on to the British stage, but Florian Zeller’s The Father was a rare exception, winning a slew of five-star reviews at the Ustinov last year. It’s now playing at the Tricycle (NW6, to 13 Jun) before returning to Bath in June. Meanwhile, a second play by Zeller comes to the Ustinov stage, again translated by Christopher Hampton. Anne is a mother whose children have flown the nest, and as Mother’s Day approaches she is feeling their absence, particularly as she believes that her husband, Pierre, is having an affair. If only she could turn back the clock to the years when her children were small and she was the centre of their universe. Gina McKee stars and Laurence Boswell directs.
Theatre Royal: Ustinov Studio, Thu to 20 Jun
LG
Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage, London
In 2009, Welsh rugby captain Gareth Thomas was arguably the biggest name in British sport to come out as gay while still competing (surpassed now, of course, by Tom Daley). Crouch, Touch, Pause, Engage – a co-production between National Theatre Wales, Out Of Joint and the Arcola Theatre – finds Thomas at the peak of his career while being stalked by scandal-hungry journalists, and tells his story in verbatim form based on interviews carried out by writer-actor Robin Soans. A cast of six play Thomas at different times of his life, including a period when he contemplated killing himself, a theme that Soans links to a spate of teenage suicides in Thomas’s home town of Bridgend between 2007 and 2012. Dealing with homophobia, politics, secrets and learning to be yourself, there is a huge amount going on here.
Arcola Theatre, E8, Wed to 20 Jun
MC
