ENDGAME Leads January's Top 10 New London Shows

London is never short of temptations, whether splashy West End shows, epic dramas or bold fringe offerings. From a starry Beckett revival to Tom Stoppard and magical mishaps, here are some of this month's most eye-catching openings. Don't forget to check back for BroadwayWorld's reviews, interviews and features!

1. Endgame, Old Vic

Richard Jones is at the helm of this starry revival of Samuel Beckett's macabre philosophical comedy, paired with the playwright's rarely seen short Rough for Theatre II. Daniel Radcliffe, last seen at the Old Vic in Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead in 2017, joins Alan Cumming, Jane Horrocks and Karl Johnson.

27 January-28 March. Book tickets here

2. Uncle Vanya, Harold Pinter Theatre

The great Conor McPherson provides a new adaptation of the Chekhov classic, putting his spin on the turn-of-the-century Russian angst and repressed passions. Ian Rickson directs an excellent cast that features Toby Jones, Richard Armitage, Ciarán Hinds, Aimee Lou Wood, Rosalind Eleazar, Peter Wight, Dearbhla Molloy and Anna Calder-Marshall.

14 January-2 May. Book tickets here

3. Magic Goes Wrong, Vaudeville Theatre

The ever-enterprising Mischief Theatre (of The Play That Goes Wrong and many more) unveil the latest show in their Vaudeville residency. This new comic romp is in partnership with American magic legends Penn & Teller, and features a hapless gang of magicians presenting a charity event - or at least attempting to...

Until 12 April. Book tickets here

4. The Welkin, National Theatre

Lucy Kirkwood's latest is set in 1759 rural Suffolk: a woman is due to hanged for murder, but claims to be pregnant. A jury of matrons must decide her fate, while a mob bays for blood. James Macdonald directs, and the cast features Maxine Peake, Ria Zmitrowicz, Haydn Gwynne, Cecilia Noble and Dawn Sievewright.

15 January-28 March. Book tickets here

5. Leopoldstadt, Wyndham's Theatre

A new play from the legendary Tom Stoppard, and what sounds like a pertinent work in the current climate. It explores the 20th-century inhabitants of the titular Jewish quarter in Vienna, from haven to encroaching Nazism. Patrick Marber directs, and the cast includes Adrian Scarborough, Ed Stoppard, Dorothea Myer-Bennett, Faye Castelow and Luke Thallon.

25 January-13 June. Book tickets here

6. Kunene and the King, Ambassadors Theatre

Marking the 25th anniversary of the end of apartheid, this RSC production of John Kani's acclaimed play transfers to London. Kani performs alongside fellow South African Antony Sher in this tale of a classical actor and in his at-home nurse whose shared passion for Shakespeare leads to them to reflect on their lives.

24 January-28 March. Book tickets here

7. Faustus: That Damned Woman, Lyric Hammersmith

The enduring Faustus myth gets a new gender-swapped take from Chris Bush, asking what we sacrifice to achieve greatness, and what legacy we leave behind. Caroline Byrne is at the helm of this Headlong production, and the cast includes Jodie McNee in the title role, plus Danny Lee Wynter, Barnaby Power, Emmanuella Cole, Katherine Carlton, Alicia Charles and Tim Samuels.

22 January-22 February. Book tickets here

8. The Sunset Limited, Boulevard Theatre

For the second outing in Soho's new theatre space, Terry Johnson directs the UK premiere of this thoughtful 2006 work from revered American novelist and playwright Cormac McCarthy. Gary Beadle and Jasper Britton play two men who meet on a subway platform, and whose chance encounter leads to wrangling over major existential questions.

16 January-14 March. Book tickets here

9. Lexicon, Roundhouse

NoFit State Circus promise a free-spirited and mischievous start to the year with their latest show, which comes into London following a hit tour. Mixing the perilous and the playful, expect everything from flaming torches and flying desks to poetic set-pieces involving aerial, rope and trapeze - plus quirky contemporary framing and atmospheric live music.

3-18 January. Book tickets here

10. The Sugar Syndrome, Orange Tree Theatre

Lucy Prebble's A Very Expensive Poison was one of the best new plays of 2019. Now, we get the first major revival of her debut work, exploring an unlikely internet friendship, our desire to connect, and the limits of empathy. Oscar Toeman directs, and the cast features Ali Barouti, Alexandra Gilbreath, John Hollingworth and Jessica Rhodes.

24 January-22 February. Book tickets here

Want more recommendations? Find previous Top 10 lists here

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