Barbican Theatre News

Some highlights of the last year and some hopes for an uncertain future

Tickets are now on sale for the 5th Chicago International Puppet Theater Festival, the largest of its kind in North America, returning January 18-29, 2023, at venues large and small throughout the city.

Roundabout Theatre Company's 2023 Gala will honor Amy Sherman-Palladino, Daniel Palladino, Scott Ellis, and Black Theatre United on Monday, March 6 at the Ziegfeld Ballroom in New York City.

2022 got off to a shaky start. The shadow of Omicron loomed threatening another year of cancellations and a return to the online realm. But as soon as Covid worries dissipated and theatres reopened their doors with confidence, a gentle tide of scandals and uproars ebbed and flowed across the theatre world. Yes, theatre is back, but is it better than ever?

The UK and Ireland Tour of Disney's The Lion King will welcome 12 new members to its cast of over 50 actors, singers and dancers this winter. The award winning landmark musical is currently playing a season at Manchester Palace until 11 March, where over 300,000 people will experience the show during the only North West dates.

A selection of theatres that are offering relaxed performances of their shows over the festive period.

This is a theatrical experience unlike any other, crafted with accessibility at the helm. The framework of each unique production is built around empowering disabled people’s autonomy; Rachel has every freedom available to her as both cast and audience await her next creative decision.

Designed to support mid-career artists and companies working in theatre and dance, the Barbican Theatre Open Lab programme gives artists the opportunity to develop a new project, idea or performance as well as taking part in a year-long programme of support.

Vincent Dance Theatre (VDT) has been moving people and making them think with powerful, provocative, socially-engaged dance theatre work since 1994. Against a post-pandemic backdrop, where everything appears to be 'back to normal', Hold Tight articulates the social and emotional confusion that three years of isolation, uncertainty, planning and re-planning has left within us.

The global premiere of Studio Ghibli's My Neighbour Totoro has now arrived on London's Barbican stage, but what did the critics think?

Triumphant re-imagining of the film that, incredibly, manages to add edge and poignancy to its extraordinary source material

The Barbican presents the world premiere of Perfect Show for Rachel by Zoo Co in The Pit this November. In this experimental show Rachel, a learning disabled artist, has the power to lead the creation of her 'perfect show'. Zoo Co are joint winners of The Oxford Samuel Beckett Theatre Trust Award with HighRise Entertainment

The weather might be cooling, but the West End is heating up. October's theatrical offerings provide an embarassment of riches, with some fantastic shows coming up: from David Tennant as the lead in C.P. Taylor's acclaimed play GOOD to Carrie Hope Fletcher in The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the Rose, to Juliet Stevenson in The Doctor and Elton's John's new musical Tammy Faye.

London International Mime Festival (LIMF), the UK's annual festival of contemporary visual theatre, opens on Monday 16 January and runs until Sunday 5 February 2023 with 15 productions including 8 international works in 8 London venues: Barbican Theatre & The Pit, Jacksons Lane, Little AngelTheatre, Shoreditch Town Hall, Peacock Theatre, The Place and Wilton's Music Hall. 

Family favourites Assembleth Theatre return with a national tour of The Shodyssey, bringing to life Greek epic The Iliad in their signature silly style. From kings and queens, to Gods and heroes (alongside a few monsters on the way), journey through The Trojan War as it's never been seen before, featuring physical theatre, farce and fast-paced humour for the whole family.

No, no, it isn’t déjà vu: Anything Goes really is back at the Barbican less than a year after it last opened there.

A world-class arts and learning organisation, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theatre and visual arts. Its creative learning programme further underpins everything it does.

July continues a fantastic summer of theatre in London. From Emilia Clarke's West End debut in Jamie Lloyd's version of Chekhov's The Seagull to Anything Goes returning to The Barbican, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

Tickets go on sale to Barbican Patrons today, Barbican Members Plus on Thursday 16 June, Barbican Members on Friday 17 June and on general sale on Saturday 18 June 2022.

Berkshire Theatre Group and Kate Maguire have announced casting for shows in BTG’s Early Summer 2022 Season. The full season will feature B.R.O.K.E.N code B.I.R.D switching, a world premiere play and recipient of an NEA Grants for Arts Projects Award and more.