London plays

Posted on 7 July 2011

With so many plays currently showing in London's West End alone, there's definitely something here for anyone and everyone. If you have already seen the classics and are looking for something new and fresh, then keep reading to discover 5 new London plays which are sure to entertain.

5) Broken Glass will be running at the Vaudeville Theatre from 14 September to 10 December 2011. Starring Sir Anthony Sher and Tara Fitzgerald, Broken Glass tells the story of Phillip and Sylvia Gellburg , a New York couple living in Brooklyn in 1938 and their reaction to the anti-Semitism in Germany. Sylvia is suddenly inexplicably paralysed from the waist down and the husband Phillip buries himself in work. When Phillip asks a psychiatrist to help his wife Sylvia recover from the trauma, the subsequent conversations reveal other problems in the couple’s relationship.

4) Journeys End will be running at the Duke of York's Theatre from 19 July to 3 September 2011. Journeys End by R C Sheriff, is set during World War I and follows a group of British Soldiers, showing the effects the war has on them. This gripping tale about ordinary men in extraordinary circumstances celebrates humour and courage, engaging audiences with a compelling insight of how in the face of adversity, the human spirit will always triumph.

3) Cool Hand Luke will play at the Aldwych Theatre from 23 September to 7 January 2011. This is the story of convict Luke Jackson who constantly defies authority and refuses to conform to life in a Florida Prison Camp and often tries to escape. He'll play it real cool in the face of brutality, he'll always get back up after a beating. He is a man who won't confirm no matter what it costs.

2) The Ladykillers will be performing from November 2011 to February 2012 and is the story of a little old lady, Mrs Wilberforce, who lives alone with her parrots in King’s Cross. Her life is turned upside down by the arrival of Professor Marcus and his four friends, who between them make up the most unlikely group of criminals. Planning the heist of a security van, they decide to use Mrs Wilberforce as cover and involve her unwittingly in the plot. Things do not go well and the Professor’s plan starts to unravel in spectacular and hilarious fashion.

1) Finally for something completely different you might want to visit the Trafalgar Studios between 18 to 23 July. Bristol Old Vic Theatre School - Director's Cuts is the repertory of four contemporary plays made entirely by graduating students in acting, design and technical theatre. Each year Bristol Old Vic Theatre School trains four new directors and designers and offers them the opportunity to launch themselves into the profession with exciting contemporary plays. This is their chance to introduce you to their work.

This is definitely not all. With the amount of London Plays currently showing, it is very hard to keep this list down to just 5, however these ones mentioned have stood out for me and will hopefully be enjoyed by many theatregoers.