2025 marks the 130th birthday of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and today it unveils its new season of work that showcases the bold, original storytelling that has kept this Frank Matcham auditorium at the heart of West London and UK theatre for over a century.
Reuniting the team behind the critically acclaimed Iphigenia in Splott, Gary Owen’s reimagining of Henrik Ibsen’s Ghosts is directed by Artistic Director Rachel O’Riordan. This world premiere production resituates this classic story into the modern day, and follows in the footsteps of similarly re-lensed classics in the Lyric’s recent history including A Doll’s House and Accidental Death of an Anarchist. Playing from 10 April – 10 May 2025.
Sathnam Sanghera’s critically acclaimed novel Marriage Material is adapted for the stage for the first time by Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti (A Kind of People) and directed by Iqbal Khan (East is East). This multi-generational drama follows one Sikh family and their corner shop in Wolverhampton from the 1960s to the present day, uncovering themes of inequality, duty and ambition. Playing from 22 May – 21 June 2025.
The UK premiere of Sing Street, a new musical based on the 2016 movie of the same name by John Carney (Begin Again, Once) is playing from 08 July– 23 August 2025. With a book by Tony Award winner Enda Walsh (Lazarus, Once) and music and lyrics by Gary Clark (frontman of Danny Wilson) and Carney, this heartfelt, joyous coming-of-age story set in 1980s Dublin is directed by Tony Award winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent).
Completing this season is a major new version of Bram Stoker’s Dracula, written by Morgan Lloyd Malcolm (Emilia) and directed by Emma Baggott (A Taste of Honey). This reimagined version of the classic horror novel centres the female voices at the heart of the story, and continues the Lyric’s long history of bringing thrilling tales to the stage. Playing from 11 September – 11 October 2025.
Tickets are on-sale from 10am Wednesday 09 October for Lyric Members; public booking opens from 10am on Friday 11 October at www.lyric.co.uk
Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, said: “In 2025, our stunning Frank Matcham auditorium celebrates its 130th birthday. Originally designed as a music hall, it is in the DNA of the Lyric to present work in that same spirit: bold, eclectic, entertaining. Stories that take on the most important, current subjects and bring a broad audience together under one roof to enjoy them. So I’m delighted to be announcing a new season of four shows which absolutely exemplify that spirit for today in this special anniversary year for the Lyric.
This season truly has something for everyone – an Ibsen classic radically reimagined, a family saga set against the changing face of Britain, a heart-warming musical based on a beloved coming-of-age film, and a major new adaptation of a horror classic.
The four extraordinary playwrights who make up this season of work – Gary Owen, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Enda Walsh and Morgan Lloyd Malcolm – are as dynamic and varied as our audience, and represent some of the most exciting voices in contemporary theatre. I cannot wait for audiences to see their work on our beautiful stage and can think of no better way for the Lyric to celebrate this milestone birthday.”
