Lyn Gardner's Weekly Picks
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Four hundred or more miles north, the Edinburgh Fringe is in full swing as thousands of shows vie for attention. What many hope for is a London transfer, and some succeed. [*You & It*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/you-and-it-tickets) at the King’s Head is a two-person Korean musical seen at the fringe last year which charts an unusual love affair between a man and his late wife. He starts engaging with AI built in the image of his wife. But is it and can it ever be his wife? It sounds very contemporary in questioning whether AI can replace a person you love, and the show has apparently found success in Asia. Korean-developed musicals are a real international growth area, so it will be interesting to see whether this can make the leap to the West End.
From new musicals to old favourites, with the arrival of [*Jeeves Takes Charge*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/play/jeeves-takes-charge-tickets) at Charing Cross, a one-man version of **PG Wodehouse**’s much-loved creation performed by **Sam Harrison** playing all 22 roles. The adaptation is not new—it was first seen at the Lyric Hammersmith in 1980 and even had a West End run at Wyndhams in 1987 for which it scooped an Olivier. I guess the question is whether that monocled ass, Bertie Wooster, and his imperturbable butler, Jeeves, are still viewed benignly by a younger generation or simply seen as anachronisms. No doubt fans of characters including Uncle Willoughby, the dragon aunts and the witless Augustus Fink-Nottle will be charmed.
Perhaps Bertie will always endure, but shows that won’t be with us much longer include the Manga musical thriller, [*Death Note*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/death-note-the-musical-tickets), which remains in murderous form at the Barbican until September 12; **Matthew Bourne**’s **Bizet**-inspired auto-erotic dance thriller, [*The Car Man*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/dance/the-car-man-tickets), which revs at Sadler's Wells until August 29; and the clever climate change romcom, [*Hot Mess*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/hot-mess-a-new-musical-tickets), at the Other Palace only until September 6.
If you missed [*Into the Woods*](https://www.londontheatredirect.com/musical/into-the-woods-tickets) at the Bridge (the classy theatre by Tower Bridge which was recently sold to the Trafalgar Group), then you have a second chance to catch **Jordan Fein**’s seriously entertaining take on Sondheim’s fairytale musical. Starting at the Noel Coward in late September, it’s a very grown-up, witchy tale of enchantment, community and responsibility featuring familiar fairy tale characters, including Cinderella and Little Red Riding Hood. An evening which boasts some of Stephen Sondheim’s most enchanting and memorable songs and which is staged with genuine flair. Better still, one of its leads—playing the Baker- is J**ohn Dalgleish**, who won an Olivier for best actor in a musical for his performance in *The Curious Case of Benjamin Button*.