Wilton's Music Hall Reveals Summer 2024 Season Lineup

Wilton's Music Hall has revealed the lineup for its 2024 summer season. The season will kick off this June with The Sorcerer and will continue thorugh the end of the summer. 

World-class opera will be making a very welcome return with Charles Court Opera presenting a highly anticipated new production of one of G & S's first ever operas The Sorcerer [11-15 June]. It promises to be a magical occasion with Gilbert at his topsy-turvy best. This production is directed by CCO's Artistic Director John Savournin, and musically directed by David Eaton.

There will be more opera from the world's first Pidgin English opera Song Queen: A Pidgin Opera [14-15 May]. This ground-breaking show is composed and written by the brilliant Helen Epega (The Venus Bushfires) who has crafted an unforgettable experience transporting audiences to a world where music's transformative power inspires, heals, and unites – a timely message for the world today. And not to be missed Opera della Luna will celebrate its 30th Anniversary by restaging its first considerable success, the funniest production of The Pirates of Penzance ever seen The Parson's Pirates [27-31 August].

The nation's favourite sitcom returns with Jack Lane and Something for the Weekend presenting the highly acclaimed stage production Dad's Army Radio Show [17–22 June]. With two actors, two microphones, over twenty-five characters - and lots of sound effects they will enact three new episodes of this hilarious show.

There is more theatre from Long Lane Theatre Company who will present The Giant Killers [27-29 June], an inspiring true story of class, sport, and the survival of the underdog. The play tells the fascinating true story of the Darwen vs The Old Etonians F.A. Cup tie. A story of a town that finds its voice and a team that change the beautiful game forever. And for Shakespeare fans The Duke's Theatre Company will present a new edition of As You Like It [01-02 August] directed by Kevin Bennett (Shakespeare's Globe, Stratford Festival, Ontario).

 

Following multiple sell-out runs at Edinburgh Fringe Festival there is some extraordinary magic from Britain's Got Talent finalist, West End star and multi-award-winning sell-out magician Ben Hart who returns to Wilton's with another spellbinding show; Ben Hart: Live [15-16 July] and CSI: Crime Scene Improvisation [12 July] present their rip-roaring crime comedy made up entirely on the spot.

Music plays a big part in Wilton's Music Hall this season and sees the return of its favourite piano-playing host Tom Carradine as he and his friends celebrate the British Music Hall Society's 4th Annual Music Hall and Variety Day [16 May] in a proper East End jubilant sing-a-long which will include songs made famous by the likes of George Formby, Ella Shields and Gracie Fields. There will be more nostalgia when Tom leads The Players Theatre Magnificent Music Hall [21 May] on a trip down memory lane to The Good Old Days and he is back again for another good old-fashioned knees up with Carradine's Cockney Sing-A-Long accompanied by his amazing 5-piece band, The China Plates [30-31 July].

Singer and comedian Liza Pullman has teamed up with the quick-witted musical virtuoso Joe Stilgoe for a brand-new show; A Couple of Swells [04-05 July] featuring some of their all-time favourite songs. While OneTrackMinds [31 May & 2-3 July] returns with another vibrant selection of writers, thinkers, and musicians, including Elf Lyons, Joanna Neary and Onjali Rauf, each presenting a thought-provoking story about a song that has changed their life, and the five-piece shanty-folk band The Salts return with a rousing night of Songs from the Sea [11 July].

More music-filled nights are provided by Martin, Bisi and Friends [23 May] the hilarious cabaret concert is back for more celebrations of the life and activism of Bisi Alimi, ‘angelic troublemaker', with pop, jazz, showtunes and performances from the London Gay Men's Chorus, with proceeds going to a foundation supporting LGBTQ people in Nigeria and the finest female jazz musicians Tricity Vogue's All Girl Swing Band [29-30 May] will celebrate their tenth Birthday at their favourite venue with a joyous romp through their eclectic setlist with pop classics and twenties tunes.

Ida Barr, the people's pensioner, and the Queen Mother of our hearts, brings bingo hilarity in Eyes Down! Bingo with Ida Barr [28 May & 23 July] and Ashes To Ashes [17-18 July] a new show from Cabaret vs Cancer's annual Bowie tribute show fundraiser were the very best of UK cabaret will come together in song, dance, circus, and burlesque to celebrate the ‘greatest entertainer of the 20th century' the late and the great David Bowie.

For one night only dance fans will be thrilled by Rendez-Vous dance show The Monocle [17 May] a highly virtuosic contemporary dance performance from choreographer Mathieu Geffré featuring the voluptuous jazz chanteuse Imogen Banks presenting the untold story of Le Monocle, a secretly notorious lesbian cabaret in 1930s Paris, and there will be an exhilarating performance of Allen Ginsberg's landmark poem Howl [19 July], accompanied by a live, improvised jazz score. And Mulberry Schools Trust will take over Wilton's for one night only to present Shoulder To Shoulder An Evening With Mulberry Arts [10 July] in support of The Mulberry Schools Foundation showcasing music, theatre and more.

This season Wilton's will once again be transported to a bygone era with a series of silent movie nights along with original, era-specific, live scores provided by The Lucky Dog Picturehouse. Experience a trip to the cinema 1920s-style, with a live music score and a behind-the-scenes look at some of the bizarre and bonkers musical instruments that bring film alive in Action! The (Not So Silent) Silent Movie Show [18 May]. This is a treat for any age, expect honky horns and hilarity with cartoons and comedies from over 100 years ago. Be transported back to the 1924 hit film Harold Lloyd's ‘Girl Shy' 100 Year Anniversary [18 May] or see the world premiere screening of Pandora's Box (1929) [24 June], a film which launched the icon of the flapper age Louise Brooks to international stardom and ranks among The Guardian's top 100 films of all time.  The masterpiece The Hunchback Of Notre Dame (1923) [25 June] composed and performed by Ben Comeau will also be a world premiere.

The greatest British silent-screen director Anthony Asquith will be celebrated this summer with The Silent Films Of Anthony Asquith [26 June, 24 July & 26 July], melodramas Shooting Stars (1928) [26 June] and A Cottage On Dartmoor (1929)  [24 July], and the romantic comedy set on the London Underground; Underground (1928) [26 July] and since 2024 marks a century since Buster Keaton's best-loved comedy first graced the big screen - The Lucky Dog Picturehouse is celebrating with Buster Keaton's Sherlock Jr. 100 Year Anniversary [25 July]. This season of silent films will conclude with the British masterpiece Piccadilly [29 July] starring Hollywood and fashion icon Anna May Wong playing a woman working in the nightclubs of London with an incredible live score performed by pianist Christopher Eldred.

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