In the first edition of our brand new feature, The Edge takes a look at five of the best theatre shows that you simply cannot miss in August. This month sees several big hits at local theatres such as Jersey Boys and Mack & Mabel.
Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap is famous around the world for being the longest running show of any kind in the history of British theatre. With over 25,000 performances it’s a play to be proud of. Enjoy this once in a life-time opportunity to see this masterpiece here at the Bournemouth Pavilion Theatre. The scene is set when a group of people gathered in a country house cut off by the snow discover, to their horror, that there is a murderer in their midst. Who can it be? One by one the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts until at the last, nerve-shredding moment the identity and the motive are finally revealed. Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap runs from 3rd August to 8th August at Bournemouth Pavilion theatre.
Benedict Cumberbatch takes to the stage this month in Hamlet as the titular character. In one of Shakespeare’s meatiest roles ever, Cumberbatch teams up with Lyndsey Turner for his latest stage outing. Having stunned audiences with his previous stage performances in After the Dance and Frankenstien, this is a production which surely should not be missed.While tickets sold out more than a year in advance, the theatre held back 30 tickets for each performance to be sold on the day, so there could still be a chance to see what is sure to be a fantastic production. Hamlet runs from 5th August to 31st October at The Barbican Centre.
Coming to one of our local theatres this month from the West End is Jersey Boys. Jersey Boys features the real life story of four boys who started on the wrong side of the tracks, who go on to write their own songs, and sell 175 million records worldwide. Coming to the Mayflower theatre in August, this is a show which has won multiple awards, including the Olivier Award for best new musical. Currently touring the UK and Ireland, this is the perfect time to see a West End show in your own back garden. Jersey Boys runs from 4th August to 15th August at The Mayflower Theatre.
Another fantastic show on offer this month is A Number, again on our back door at The Nuffield Theatre. Originally performed at The Nuffield Theatre as a Nuffield original, it has just had an incredibly successful run at The Young Vic in London, it is returning to The Nuffield for a short run. We though the show was fantastic in its original run (you can read our review and interview with the director) and the rest of the press seem to agree with us, with many publications giving it four star reviews. Telling a story about the relationship between a father and son, and asking questions about what it means to be human, A Number is a must see for any theatre lover. A Number runs from 19th August to 29th August at The Nuffield Theatre.
A show that is simply unmissable this month is Mack & Mabel which you can see at Chichester Festival Theatre which is just up the motorway. This dazzling musical comedy is both a poignant love story and a riveting tribute to the grit and glamour of the era of silent movies. Based on the true romance between Hollywood legends Mack Sennett and Mabel Normand, Mack & Mabel received eight Tony Award nominations when it opened on Broadway in 1974. Music and lyrics are by Jerry Herman (La Cage aux Folles) and the book by Michael Stewart (Barnum, 42nd Street), the multi award-winning team behind the classic Broadway musical Hello, Dolly! This thrilling tale of trailblazers and stars is widely admired for its outstanding score including hits ‘I Won’t Send Roses‘ and ‘Time Heals Everything.’ Of course that’s not all as Olivier Award-winner Michael Ball returns to Chichester to play Mack Sennett, following his celebrated performance in Sweeney Todd (2011). Mack & Mabel runs from 13th July to 5th September at Chichester Festival Theatre.
