Praise the theatre gods, because live theatre is returning to the Bridge Theatre.
For all the National Theatre at Home and socially-distanced Old Vic shows, there’s nothing that can match live theatre for spectacle. Though theatres have been permitted to reopen since August 1, many London theatres are taking their time to return, wary of the high running costs and shrinking profit margins – however, the Bridge Theatre have become one of the first to announce a new season of theatre, which will allow audiences to return to the playhouse whilst still maintaining social distancing at all times. [Featured image: @_bridgetheatre]
Arriving later this month, the new season will consist entirely of one-person plays, a handy way to minimise the number of cast and crew require to stage the performances. Twelve shows will arrive for a brief but welcome autumn season, kicking off with Beat The Devil, a coronavirus-inspired monologue written by famed playwright David Hare and performed by Ralph Fiennes, from August 27. Only 250 punters will be allowed into the auditorium at any one time, with seats spaced apart to ensure social distancing.
Aside from Beat The Devil, you’ll find a winsome lineup of live theatre to enjoy, including several performances from the critically-acclaimed production of Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads which appeared on the BBC during the lockdown. The likes of Lesley Manville, Tamsin Greig, Lucian Msamati, Imelda Staunton, and Maxine Peake will be reprising their roles in a series of back-to-back shows. Meanwhile, you can also catch shows such as Inua Ellams’ incredible An Evening With An Immigrant, the hilarious, critically-acclaimed Quarter Life Crisis by Yolanda Mercy, and Zodwa Nyoni’s powerful LGBT+ play Nine Lives.
The Bridge autumn season is set to run from August 27 until October 31, pandemics permitting. Should the plays be delayed, automatic refunds will be given for any cancelled performances, although with most London theatres having been closed since mid-March, the very least 2020 can do is let us enjoy this lot in peace…
Find out more and book tickets from the Bridge Theatre website.