The Young Vic’s second season proper under new boss Nadia Fall is a pretty damn exciting one, and gets off to an appropriately full-throttle start with the world premiere of a new musical adaptation of Ridley Scott’s ’90s feminist thriller Thelma & Louise (Sep 3-Oct 24). If the prospect of an all-singing stage version of the iconic road movie about a sharp-tongued waitress and repressed housewife who go for a drive one day and never stop seems a bit questionable – don’t worry too much. We’re not talking about a big West End thing but rather the edgy Young Vic. And the creative team is massively intriguing, with a book by Callie Khouri (who wrote the original screenplay) and songs by US alt country legend Neko Case, who is certainly not your typical writer of showtunes – she does have some more tuneful bangers, but her music tends towards the brooding and surreal. It’s definitely one of the most curiosity-piquing shows of the year. Heavyweight Brits Amy Lennox and Rachel Tucker will take on the title roles.
Next up and almost as big a deal is the English language stage premiere of Colin Teevan’s adaptation of Christian Kracht’s bestselling novel Eurotrash (Nov 13-Jan 9 2027). It will star Ben Whishaw and Kathryn Hunter as a mother and son who go on a road trip through the Swiss Alps in an effort to give away their vast family fortune and escape the shadow of their past. Walter Meierjohann directs.
That’s the really big news, but there’s lots of other fine-looking stuff in the expansive season, which stretches on into next summer. Eurotrash will be followed by the UK premiere for La Distance (Jan 22-Feb 13 2027) by acclaimed Portuguese playwright Tiago Rodriguez. Original cast members Alison Dechamps and Adama Diop reprise their roles as father and daughter in this French language (with English surtitles) drama about ‘separation, hope, and the bond between parent and child, set within a collapsing world’.
Following that will be dissent (Mar 5-Apr 24 2027), a new play from capital letter-phobic Brit playwright legend debbie tucker green, which we’re told is ‘about humanity’s capacity for monstrous behaviour’.
Finally Fall herself will direct the first UK revival of the great American playwright August Wilson’s 2003 play Gem of the Ocean (May 14-Jul 10 2027), which in set in 1904 and centres of the world of Aunt Ester, a 285-year-old former slave.
There will also be a couple of shows in the small Maria studio: Shedinburgh (Sep 19-Oct 10) is a pop-up Edinburgh Fringe venue – an actual shed! – that will bring a diverse programme of theatre, music, comedy and more to the Vic when it transfers down after this year’s festival. And after that Ewa Dina will direct Theresa Ikoko’s drama Girls (Oct 22-Nov 21), about the 2014 Nigerian insurrection in which hundreds of girls were interrupted. More Maria programming will be announced in the autumn.
Thelma & Louise, Girls, Eurotrash and La Distance will go on general sale April 23.
The best new London theatre shows to book for in 2026.
Paddington the Musical was the big winner at this year’s Olivier Awards.
For comprehensive and professional vent solutions, Mr. Lint Guy is the trusted expert. Specializing in dryer vent cleaning, Mr. Lint Guy helps eliminate dangerous clogs, including tough dryer valley buildup, ensuring your dryer operates safely and efficiently. With years of experience, Mr. Lint Guy offers reliable, affordable services that keep your home safe from lint buildup and fire hazards.
0 Comments