Top ten theatre shows to see in May 2019

May’s a big month for the National Theatre, with three high profile productions on the Southbank, alongside the latest entry into 2019’s unofficial Arthur Miller season and an appearance from Sir Lenny Henry!

Small Island at the National Theatre

Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

Adapted by Helen Edmundson from the 2004 Orange Prize-winning novel, Small Island transfers Andrea Levy’s story – one that journeys from Jamaica to Britain, through World War Two to 1948 – to the expanse of the National Theatre’s Olivier stage. The theatre’s artistic director Rufus Norris is at the helm, with a cast led by Leah Harvey, Aisling Loftus and Gershwyn Eustache Jnr.

Small Island is at the National Theatre from 17^th April until 10^th August 2019, with a press night on 1^st May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Rosmersholm at the Duke of York’s Theatre

Photo: Johan Persson

In one of the starrier outings this May, Henrik Ibsen’s play has been dusted off and given a new adaptation by People, Places and Things scribe Duncan Macmillan, with direction from Ian Rickson. Arguably the real attraction, however, is the cast, with Tom Burke, Hayley Atwell and Aaron Burr himself, Giles Terera.

Rosmersholm is at the Duke of York’s Theatre from 24^th April until 20^th July 2019, with a press night on 2^nd May. Book your tickets here.

Death of a Salesman at the Young Vic

Hot off the success of Company, Marianne Elliott brings what is perhaps the most exciting opening of the month to the Young Vic, a production of Death of a Salesman – a fifth London revival for Arthur Miller this year – that sees The Wire’s Wendell Pierce, the recently Olivier Award-winning Sharon D Clarke and Misty’s Arinze Kene as the Loman family.

Death of a Salesman is at the Young Vic from 1^st May until 29^th June 2019, with a press night on 9^th May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

The History Plays at the Globe Theatre

In maybe the most ambitious undertaking of Michelle Terry’s tenure so far, the Globe mounts a female-led trio of Henry IV Part 1, Part 2 and Henry V, with a series of bum-numbing trilogy days for those who want to see all three in one go. Sarah Amankwah is Hal, Helen Schlesinger is Falstaff, with Terry herself appearing as Hotspur.

The History Plays are at the Globe Theatre from 23^rd April until 11^th October 2019, with a press day on 10^th May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

White Pearl at the Royal Court

What happens when you go viral for all the wrong reasons? White Pearl, the international playwriting debut from Anchuli Felicia King, deals with the fallout of a PR nightmare, when a leaked draft of cosmetic company’s skin cream advert incurs the wrath of the internet.

White Pearl is at the Royal Court from 10^th May until 15^th June 2019, with a press night on 16^th May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

salt. at the Royal Court

In the Royal Court’s second opening of the month, Selina Thompson’s award-winning salt. arrives at the Jerwood Theatre Upstairs, retracing the routes of the Transatlantic Slave Triangle. Rochelle Rose takes over from Thompson as the show’s sole performer.

salt. is at the Royal Court from 14^th May until 1^st June 2019, with a press night on 17^th May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Anna at the National Theatre

There are many reasons to get hyped for Anna. That it’s the new play from Ella Hickson, the mind behind Oil and The Writer, in a production directed by Natalie Abrahami, is enough. The fact it is also co-created by sound designers Ben and Max Ringham, with each audience member wearing an individual audio headset, makes it a mightily intriguing prospect indeed.

Anna is at the National Theatre from 11^th May until 15^th June 2019, with a press night on 21^st May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Our Town at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

For the first in the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s new season – pray for good weather! – Gate Theatre artistic director Ellen McDougall directs a new production of Thornton Wilder’s legendary, Pulitzer Prize-winning Our Town, led by Francesca Henry, who made her professional debut under McDougall in last year’s The Wolves.

Our Town is at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre from 16^th May until 8^th June 2019, with a press night on 22^nd May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

King Hedley II at the Theatre Royal Stratford East

Sir Lenny Henry returns to the stage this month, taking on the lead role in August Wilson’s King Hedley II – the ninth of the playwright’s ten-part Pittsburgh Cycle. Stratford East chief Nadia Fall directs, with Dexter Flanders, Martina Laird, Aaron Pierre, Cherrelle Skeete and Leo Wringer rounding out the cast.

King Hedley II is at the Theatre Royal Stratford East from 17^th May until 15^th June 2019, with a press night on 23^rd May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Rutherford and Son at the National Theatre

The last of May’s trilogy of National’s openings, Polly Findlay oversees a revival of Gith Sowerby’s play, in a production that has a very appealing cast including Justine Mitchell, Sam Troughton, Anjana Vasan and Roger Allam, returning to the theatre for the first time in a decade.

Rutherford and Son is at the National Theatre from 16^th May until 19^th June 2019, with a press night on 28^th May. For further information or to book visit the theatre’s website here.

Connor Campbell