Theatre openings London April 2025 offer everything from Gatsby to Ghosts
April in London brings a refreshingly mixed bag of theatre, from big names and big stages to thoughtful new work in intimate venues. Ewan MacGregor and Elizabeth Debicki reunite on the West End in My Master Builder, while the London Coliseum welcomes a glittering musical version of The Great Gatsby. At the Barbican, two standout international pieces reimagine familiar texts in unexpected ways. But the production that’s caught our attention most? A darkly intriguing new play written and directed by Robert Icke, marking his first official credit as playwright. Join EyeOnLondon to learn what’s on at the London theatre this month.
The best new London theatre openings in April 2025
1. Manhunt
Part of the reason Robert Icke has established himself as the greatest British director of his generation is that on the quiet he’s a remarkable playwright, with his contemporary adaptations Oresteia, Oedipus, and The Doctor all strikingly different to their source material. He’s never really sought any credit for his writing. But in another coup for the David Byrne-era Royal Court, Icke makes his debut there as both director and – for the first time officially – playwright. Manhunt is a drama about Raoul Moat, the fugitive who triggered a deadly and surreal chase across the North East in 2010.
2. The Brightening Air
Technically the biggest Conor McPherson news in 2025 is his Hunger Games stage adaptation, due at a new venue in Canada Water this autumn. But for long-time fans, this is the one to see: McPherson’s first new straight play in over a decade. Set in the 1980s, The Brightening Air stars Chris O’Dowd as a man returning to County Sligo to resolve a family dispute, though as ever with McPherson, the supernatural is never far away.
Old Vic, 10th April – 14th June. Book here.
3. Rhinoceros
It’s been two decades since Ionesco’s absurdist masterpiece last roared into London. This new Almeida Theatre revival is directed by Omar Elerian, who made waves with The Chairs in 2022. Ṣọpẹ́ Dìrísù stars as everyman Berenger, resisting a surreal wave of conformity in a French town inexplicably overrun by rhinos.
Almeida Theatre, until 26th April.
4. My Master Builder
Ewan MacGregor returns to the London stage under the direction of Michael Grandage, reuniting for the first time since their Donmar Warehouse successes. In this fresh take on Ibsen’s The Master Builder, playwright Lila Raicek reimagines the story through a #MeToo lens. MacGregor plays an American architect confronted by a former student, played by Elizabeth Debicki, who accuses him of misconduct, an allegation he denies.
Wyndham’s Theatre, 17th April – 12th July. Tickets here.
5. Tambo & Bones
Dave Harris’s outrageous racial satire is back. In its 2023 UK run, Tambo & Bones landed far better than it did in the US. This production is part sketch, part satire, part sci-fi, following two Black characters as they leap across American history, from slavery to hip-hop to a future full of robots and revolution.
Stratford East, 29th April – 10th May.
6. Hamlet
Forget what you know. This is Hamlet as you’ve never seen it. Teatro La Plaza from Peru brings a version of Shakespeare’s tragedy performed by actors with Down syndrome, blending classic lines with personal reflections. First seen at the Edinburgh International Festival, it’s widely praised for its warmth and originality.
Barbican Centre, 24th–27th April.
7. Dealer’s Choice
Patrick Marber’s tense, funny debut play gets a thirtieth anniversary revival at the Donmar Warehouse, directed by Matthew Dunster and starring Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen. Set in a London restaurant where a game of poker spirals out of control, the run is already close to sold out, expect a West End transfer.
Donmar Warehouse, 8th April – 7th June.
8. Ghosts
Welsh playwright Gary Owen teams up once again with director Rachel O’Riordan for a contemporary take on Ibsen’s Ghosts, following their acclaimed Iphigenia in Splott. Set in modern-day Wales, this version stars Victoria Smurfit and Callum Scott Howells as a mother and son navigating the fallout from a long-buried family secret.
Lyric Hammersmith, 10th April – 10th May. More info.
9. The Great Gatsby
The Broadway hit has crossed the Atlantic at speed, landing at the London Coliseum. Don’t expect psychological depth, reviews from the US suggest this version of The Great Gatsby is more dazzle than darkness, but with a big stage and big voices, it’s a stylish spring night out.
London Coliseum, 11th April – 7th September. Buy tickets.
10. Krapp’s Last Tape
Stephen Rea stars in this acclaimed Irish production of Beckett’s one-man meditation on memory, regret and time. Directed by Vicky Featherstone, it opens at the Barbican just as Gary Oldman stages his own Krapp up in York, proof that Beckett still draws the biggest names.
Barbican Centre, 30th April – 3rd May.
Look out for reviews of several of these London theatre productions in the coming weeks from our theatre critic John Martin, only on EyeOnLondon.
[Original article: Time Out]
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