BWW Preview: The London Stage - September 2015

Another bustling month approaches for the London theatre scene, with - as ever - too many shows for even the most keen theatre addict to catch. Here is a cruelly abridged overview for your calendar.

On 2 September, Jason Robert Brown's Parade opened at the London Theatre Workshop. A poignant, musically eloquent piece, this is one to see, especially if you've not previously seen a live production. The show tells the distressing and true story of Leo Frank, who was brutally accused of and convicted for a crime he did not commit. Another American classic arrived on 4 September in the form of Arthur Miller's The Man Who Had All the Luck. Playing at the King's Head Theatre, this is one of Miller's lesser performed pieces. Also on 4 September, Charles Strouse's musical Bye Bye Birdie departed from Ye Olde Rose and Crown, and on the 5 September, three musicals closed: Bugsy Malone, Grand Hotel and You Won't Succeed on Broadway if You Don't Have Any Jews from the Lyric Hammersmith, Southwark Playhouse and St James Theatre respectively. Bugsy has sold brilliantly, but do catch it if you can, especially if you have children.

Perhaps in line with students and teachers returning to their desks, this month's theatre largely looks rather serious - a theme which is continued by the appearance of And Then Come the Nightjars at Theatre 503. Running from 7 to 26 September, this drama is about the long-term implications of a seemingly forgotten tragedy: the foot and mouth epidemic. Funny and gut-wrenching, Willy Russell's Blood Brothers will briefly play at the New Wimbledon Theatre (8 to 12 September) and Silvia Milo's intriguing play about Nannerl Mozart, The Other Mozart, runs at the St James Studio from 9 to 19 September. Two musical romps, Our House (at the Union Theatre) and Thoroughly Modern Millie (the Landor Theatre) are playing until 12 and 13 September, though.

John Michael LaChiusa's seldom-performed musical See What I Wanna See opens at the Jermyn Street Theatre on 11 September. Based on three short stories, the plot is intriguing and dark - this is not a show for children. Also unsuitable from its very title, F*ck the Polar Bears will play at the Bush Theatre from 16 September. This is a family drama about the costs of normalcy and the political power of the individual. Then from 16 September, the Southwark Playhouse will house Harvey Fierstein's Casa Valentina. Set in the 1962 Catskills mountains of New York, this play tells of a group of heterosexual men who enjoy a weekend away from the city bustle, escaping into the costumes of their female alter egos. Another rather topical piece will open at the Unicorn Theatre on 17 September. Marius von Mayenburg's Martyr will is about a teenage boy's developing religious fervour. While this play could be tactless and offensive, the debate between faith, restrictively secular laws and religious extremism is important; Mayenburg is brave to explore the issue.

Discussion of fame is in the air, not only in LaChiusa's musical, but in Ian Kelly's play, Mr Foote's Other Leg. This will open at the Hampstead Theatre on 21 September and stars the wonderful Simon Russell Beale and Dirvla Kiwan. Kelly explores the effects of fame and whether it causes madness. Political discussion resumes on 22 September with Anthony Horowitz's Dinner with Saddam opening at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Starring actor and playwright Steven Berkoff as Saddam Hussein, this play asks the question what might one do if Saddam Hussein just popped by for dinner? Another intriguing set-up.

Several shows will also be closing towards the end of the month. My Eyes Went Dark, a drama written and directed by Matthew Wilkinson will close at the Finborough Theatre on 19 September. This play is about revenge and the guilt it induces. On 26 September another one for grown-ups, F*cking Men, will finish at the King's Head. By Joe DiPietro, who is best-known for I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change, this show is adapted from Arthur Schnitzler's La Ronde and tells of gay men's sexual and emotional exploits. Finally, Secret Cinema's biggest venture yet, Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back, will finish on 27 September. This company's immersive set-ups provide theatricality to cinema and while expensive, their shows come highly recommended. No further information is available - the show's location is, naturally, a secret.

At the end of the month, there will be a flurry of new shows opening: the wonderful Laura Wade has adapted Tipping the Velvet, by Sarah Waters, will open at the Lyric Hammersmith on 28 September. I predict this one will sell very quickly, as Waters's novel has long been popular, especially with the LGBT community, and its setting within a music hall makes it ideal for stage adaptation. Fabulously, Britain's Got Bhangra will be at the New Wimbledon Theatre from 28 September. This potentially has a weak story line, but it features bhangra music from the 1980s to present day: surely that's a fun night out? For the more earnest theatre-goer, Daniel Dingsdale's Dark Tourism opens at Park 90 on 30 September. This "biting satire" looks brilliant; showing a PR nightmare and discussing whether all publicity can be good, it pertinently questions the veracity of media and how far we will exploit that for fame.

All in all, we've another thought-provoking, outrageous, touching and inspiring month ahead. May these highlights help you choose from the vast array of theatrical gems on offer.