Endings. They’re sad. But they’re natural. As 2018 comes to a close, we look at 10 plays and comedies which are ending their runs in January. From outlandish cabarets to chilling thrillers, epic tales of love and history to brand new writing, there’s much to see over the next few weeks before it’s too late.
Hot Gay Time Machine
From the co-creator of Six The Musical, Toby Marlow, comes this cabaret extravaganza at Trafalgar Studios 2. Written with Zak Ghazi-Torbati, Hot Gay Time Machine is an anarchy-filled cabaret comedy that will raise the temperature of these cold winter nights.
Closes: 5 January 2019
Switzerland
From the steamy to the chilling. Switzerland is a psychological thriller about the last days of Talented Mister Ripley author Patricia Highsmith. Playing at Ambassadors Theatre and starring Phyllis Logan and Calum Finlay, it’s a thrilling 95 minutes that’ll have your brain running wild.
Closing: 5 January 2019
Hole
Over at the Royal Court, Ellie Kendrick asks how power is created in Hole. From a hole in the ground, three women force their way out. They sing. They move. They take up space, and they refuse to apologise.
Closing: 12 January 2019
Summer and Smoke
This is a rare opportunity to see Tennessee Williams’ classic Summer And Smoke live on stage. The critically acclaimed production had a sold-out run at Almeida Theatre in early 2018 and its run at Duke Of York’s Theatre is gaining just as much positivity. Set in small-town Mississippi, this absorbing play explores love, loneliness and self-destruction.
Closes: 19 January 2019
The Inheritance
A complete sell-out during its Young Vic run, The Inheritance is an epic two-part play which explores the lives of modern gay men in New York and the past which devastated a whole community. Inspired by EM Forster’s novel Howards End, it asks: what is it like to be a gay young man in the city? How many words are there now for pain and for love? What is the legacy left to them by previous generations? What do they owe the future – and each other?
Closes: 19 January 2019
Pinter Five
In Pinter Five, famous faces come together to perform Harold Pinter’s first play, The Room, followed by the hilarious Victoria Station and the reflective Family Voices. See Rupert Graves (Sherlock, Krypton), Jane Horrocks (Absolutely Fabulous), Emma Naomi (House Girl), Luke Thallon (The Inheritance, Albion) and Nicholas Woodesen (Death Of A Salesman) all on one stage in this triple-bill from the late great writer.
Closing: 26 January 2019
Pinter Six
Continuing with the Pinter and star-studded trend is Pinter Six. The penultimate instalment of the Pinter At The Pinter season stars John Simm (Doctor Who, Collateral), Gary Kemp (Assassin) and Ron Cook (Girl From The North Country). The evening will include Party Time and Pinter’s final play Celebration.
Closing: 26 January 2019
The Cane
Mark Ravenhill’s newest play, The Cane at the Royal Court, centres on a retiring teacher whose past comes back to haunt him. Expecting love and appreciation from his former pupils, he’s surprised when his home comes under siege by a mob of angry students. But things get worse when his estranged daughter comes home with her own questions.
Closes: 26 January 2019
Dad’s Army Radio Show
Two actors play 25 characters in this brilliant staging of three classic radio episodes based on scripts from the classic BBC TV series. Dad’s Army Radio Hour celebrates 50 years of Perry and Croft’s quintessential sitcom, which won the Best One-Liner accolade in a poll of comedians conducted by Gold, with the immortal words “Don’t tell him, Pike”.
Closes: 26 January 2019
The Dame
As pantomime season comes to an end, so does The Dame which explores the fragile mind and emotions of a seasoned pantomime performer. Starring Olivier Award-nominated actor and former Blue Peter daredevil Peter Duncan, this haunting play is a poetic way to sew up the festive season for another year.
Closes: 26 January 2019
There are plenty more shows opening in 2019. To find out more, visit our London Theatre Tickets page.