Park Theatre Reveals New Shows and DRACAPELLA Casting

Alongside newly announced shows, Park Theatre has announced the cast of musical comedy Christmas show Dracapella. Ako Mitchell, whose musical theatre credits include Mufasa in the West End run of Disney's The Lion King, Mitch in Donmar Warehouse's The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and Coalhouse Walker Jr in Ragtime, stars as Dracula. He's joined by Oliver Award-winning actors Stephen Ashfield (The Book of Mormon), as Harker, and Lorna Want (Beautiful, The Carole King Musical) as Mina. Taking the role of Lucy is Keala Settle, the Outer Critics' Circle Award, Drama Desk Award, and the Tony Award nominated actor best known for her role as Lettie Litz in The Greatest Showman. The cast is completed by Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner Ciarán Dowd and TV actor and composer Philip Pope and world champion beatboxer, Alex Hackett, aka ABH.

Park Theatre has announced the second of its Christmas shows, with Gawain and the Green Knight in Park90 joining Dracapella in Park200. The Park90 Christmas show is Gawain and the Green Knight (10 Dec – 10 Jan), written by Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson and Felix Grainger, who return to Park Theatre following The Nag's Head (2023) Sniff (2024). Gawain, the ultimate office everyman – diligent, dependable, and about as exciting as a stapler - prepares to attend the Christmas party of his eccentric workplace, Camelot Corp: a company of knights that offers the best cyber-security service, fit for a king. Gawain, the long-suffering nine-to-fiver desperate to prove himself, thinks tonight might be his final chance of getting that long-overdue promotion, and more importantly, conjuring up the courage to ask out his workplace crush. What could possibly go wrong? Packed with laugh-out-loud comedy and multi-rolling madness, four performers conjure up a whole office of characters.

In the new year, the biggest comeback in sport just got bigger as Adam Riches' Jimmy (19 – 24 Jan) returns to Park Theatre, this time in Park200, following its sold out, extended summer run. In 1974 Jimmy Connors was the greatest tennis player on the planet. In 1991 he's getting annihilated at the US Open by his arch-nemesis' little brother. What happened next was one of the greatest comebacks in sporting history, when Jimmy, fuelled by ghosts of his turbulent past, winds back the clock to remind the world what happens when you rattle the cage of a geriatric tiger, one last time. Jimmy is a fast-paced, funny and intensely physical ride, deep inside the mind of an ageing, swaggering alpha.

Winner of the Women's Prize for Playwriting 2022 and Edinburgh Fringe hit Consumed receives its London premiere, followed by a celebration of all the roles of Sir Alec Guinness, not just the one everyone remembers, in Two Halves of Guinness. Finally, the hugely popular Whodunnit [Unrehearsed], which puts a high-profile celebrity centre stage in a murder mystery having never seen the script, will return for its fourth incarnation.

Following a hit tour and a sell-out run at Traverse Theatre at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2025, Consumed (18 Mar – 18 Apr) by Karis Kelly makes its London debut at the Park Theatre. A 90th birthday party that no-one seems to want. Four generations of Northern Irish women, reunited under one roof.  A house full of hungry ghosts, with more than one skeleton in the closet. Winner of the Women's Prize for the Playwriting 2022, Karis Kelly's play is a pitch-black and twisted comedy of dysfunctional family dynamics, generational trauma and national boundaries.

Coming to Park200 on tour, Two Halves of Guinness (20 Apr – 2 May) celebrates Sir Alec Guinness on the 25th anniversary of his death. Zeb Soanes (Classic FM, BBC Radio 4) stars as Alec Guinness whose commanding performance as Obi-Wan Kenobi in Star Wars secured his fame for future generations. Yet after a distinguished career as one of Britain's greatest actors, the double-Oscar-winning star of over 70 films feared he would only be remembered as a Jedi Knight. Two Halves of Guinness reveals a mysterious life story worthy of the darkest Ealing Comedies, revisiting his most memorable characters and encountering a galaxy of stars along the way.

Finally, in Park200, Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] 4 (11 May – 27 June) is the return of the hugely popular murder mystery series, which sees a different celebrity take to the stage each night having never seen the script and only an earpiece for instruction. Previous shows have seen the likes of Gillian Anderson, Daisy Ridley, Beverly Knight, Sanjeev Bhaskar and Jodie Whittaker play the inspector. The lineup for this year's show, set this time in the Wild West, will be announced in the new year.

Artistic director Jez Bond said, ‘I'm absolutely delighted that Whodunnit [Unrehearsed] is back for its fourth outing – and this time we're saddling up for the Wild West! From the moment you step through the front doors, the whole building will be transformed into the town of Graveside, with surprises waiting around every corner. Next year's production is our most ambitious yet, with a company of actor-musicians and a live saloon pianist bringing the world to life. Plus, for a limited time we're even honouring 2024 ticket prices – so grab your hat, polish your spurs and join us for another unforgettable ride'.

Completing Park90 programming for 2025 is Fox at parent friendly performance times of 11am, 3.15pm and 9pm. In 2026, there will be a revival of Patrick Marber's After Miss Julie will see a fresh new production in Park90. A double bill, aggy is a story of alter-egos and tell me straight transfers from the King's Head.

A new initiative to present shows for parents when the kids are at school or in bed, Fox (24 Nov – 5 Dec) is a bring your baby show. Inspired by true events, Fox is a brutally honest and insightful exploration of new motherhood in an increasingly isolating society. A sharply observed drama that examines our complex relationship with ‘help' - our desire to give it and the need to seek it for ourselves. The show plays on the same set as previously announced Jobsworth (19 Nov – 6 Dec) by Isley Lynn and Libby Rodliffe.

Strindberg's darkest romantic tale reimagined by Patrick Marber, After Miss Julie (11 – 28 Feb) is being revived 30 years after its premier. On the eve of Labour's historic 1945 election win, Julie, daughter of a powerful MP, and her father's chauffeur, John, spark a forbidden flirtation that quickly turns into a tense, deadly struggle for power, desire, and survival.

The premiere of aggy and the transfer of tell me straight (3 – 28 March) will play in a double bill. aggy is a bold one-act play exploring privilege, gender, race and creativity. Lawrence and Mahlik have been together for a year. It's going pretty well on all accounts. So when Mahlik's contract is up at his flat, it's only logical that they move in together. After a particularly tough rejection, Mahlik makes a risky suggestion for Lawrence's next project - that he presents as an alter ego to secure more opportunities. Meanwhile, tell me straight by Paul Bradshaw is a fast paced, semi-autobiographical, coming-of-adulthood play that's a witty and provocative exploration of what it means to navigate and embrace our sexuality. Him's long line of hookups have one thing in common; they're all straight. Best Friend Dani thinks he needs to fix up and finally find ‘a gay man who actually likes gay men!' But straight guys are like buses…

The shows joined previously announced Jobsworth (19 Nov - 6 Dec), Dracapella (3 Dec - 17 Jan) and The Rat Trap (28 Jan - 14 Mar).