Top ten theatre shows to see in February 2019

The new year is well on its way and London’s theatre enthusiasts are queuing up to see some of the most fantastic shows on the market. Brighten up your February with these fringe hits, musicals and dramas.

Pinter Seven at the Harold Pinter Theatre

The Jamie Lloyd Company proudly presents the seventh instalment of the brilliant Pinter at the Pinter series, a unique collage of some of the one-act plays written by British playwright Harold Pinter. This time the event includes A Slight Ache and The Dumb Waiter starring, among others, Danny Dyer, Martin Freeman, John Heffernan and Gemma Whelan. A must-see.

Pinter Seven is at the Harold Pinter Theatre from 31^st January until 23^rd February 2019. Book your tickets here.

The American Clock at the Old Vic Theatre

New York City. 1929. Follow the Baum family as they tackle the problems arising out of the financial recession to a brilliant soundtrack evoking 1920s nostalgia. Arthur Miller’s The American Clock, directed by Rachel Chavkin, brings to life the hopes and dreams, the racism and classism, as well as the idealism of a not-so-long-bygone age.

The American Clock is at the Old Vic Theatre from 4^th February until 30^th March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

Wild East at the Young Vic

Can a job interview be the setting for a good comedy? It certainly can! Directed by Lekan Lewal, April De Angelis’s Wild East turns one of the most boring subject matters into a surreal and hilarious play about human chaos. Watch Frank’s job interview with Dr Jacqueline Pitt and Dr Marcia Gray go entirely wrong.

Wild East is at the Young Vic from 6^th until 16^th February 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

The Winter’s Tale at the National Theatre

Attempting to bring Shakespeare to young audiences, Justin Audibert’s abridged production of The Winter’s Tale promises to bring joy and colour to the timeless classic. Join arms with Perdita as she goes on a voyage through a magical world to discover her past.

The Winter’s Tale is at the National Theatre from 6^th until 21^st February 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

Soft Animals at Soho Theatre

Critically acclaimed director Lakesha Arie-Angelo brings Holly Robinson’s debut play Soft Animals to life, a daring and adventurous exploration of heated tension, motherhood, self-destruction and attempts at healing. Featuring the story of two women who encounter a tragic incident, it promises to be a hit.

Soft Animals is at Soho Theatre from 6^th February until 2^nd March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

Follies at the National Theatre

Photo: Johan Persson

If you missed Stephen Sondheim’s excellent Follies at its sold-out run, now’s your chance to see it. Rife with by now well-known songs such as Broadway Baby and Losing My Mind, the musical plunges into the world of memory, show business and lies as the Follies girls gather 30 years after the closing of the Weismann Theatre.

Follies is at the National Theatre from 12^th February until 26^th March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

Keith? at Arcola Theatre

What do a Brazilian cleaner, a British Muslim, a South African Buddhist monk and a radical feminist have in common? Not much, but that is the true face of modern Britain. Oozing wit and brilliant comedy, the latest play by Patrick Marmion is directed by Oscar Pearce, portraying – not without a good portion of humour – all the problems contemporary Britain must face.

Keith? is at Arcola Theatre from 13^th February until 9^th March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

And the Rest of Me Floats at Bush Theatre

Ever since 2010, Outbox Theatre have been challenging gender stereotypes with an energy rarely seen elsewhere. And the Rest of Me Floats promises to be no exception, weaving together performance, dancing, singing and autobiographical narrative. What does it mean to be a member of the LGBTQ+ community in a society that neither understands nor cares? Come and find out.

And the Rest of Me Floats is at Bush Theatre from 20^th February until 16^th March 2019. for further information or to book visit the website here.

The Monstrous Child at the Royal Opera House

Conducted by Jessica Cottis and featuring the Aurora orchestra, composer Gavin Higgins’s and author Francesca Simon’s new opera The Monstrous Child vows to bring the world of the Norse gods to life, with Loki’s teenage daughter seeking to find her true place in the world. This show demonstrates that operas can indeed tackle contemporary problems.

The Monstrous Child is at the Royal Opera House from 21^st February until 3^rd March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

We’re Staying Right Here at Park Theatre

War? Check. Escapism? Check. Black comedy? Check. In Henry Devas’s new play We’re Staying Right Here nothing is sacred as Matt struggles to decide what to do about the impending war that threatens to ruin everything he holds dear. Don’t miss this attitude-laden production directed by Jez Pike at Park Theatre.

We’re Staying Right Here is at Park Theatre from 26^th February until 23^rd March 2019. For further information or to book visit the website here.

Michael Higgs