The Donmar Warehouse has announced its autumn season
The schedule would now seem to be shored up, however, kicking off next month with the debut of a new play by the prolific, mercurial Mike Bartlett. Directed by James Macdonald, Juniper Blood (Aug 16-Oct 4) follows Lip and Ruth, a couple who have quit the city to pursue a more ethical life in the country. But what's the real price of pursuing your dreams in an imperfect world? As you'd imagine for a play that basically starts in a month, it has a full cast already: Terique Jarrett, Hattie Morahan, Nadia Parkes, Jonathan Slinger and Sam Troughton will star.
The most intriguing show of the season is an adaptation of Jean Genet's The Maids (Oct 13-Nov 29) by Kip Williams. Genet's surrealist class satire is a reasonably regularly performed classic (Jamie Lloyd did it not so long ago) but the really interesting dimension here is Williams. The Australian director is essentially solely known over here for his ultra high tech one-woman take on Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray (which starred Sarah Snook); next year he's back in the West End with a similar version of Dracula performed by Cynthia Erivo. Will this be along similar lines? We're promised a 'wild reimagining'; it'll be fascinating to see what that involves.
Finally, Donmar boss Tim Sheader directs a revival of JB Priestley's When We Are Married (Dec 6-Feb 7 2026). The comedy about a trio of Yorkshire couples who discover on the occasion of their triple silver wedding anniversary that they are not in fact married is probably Priestley's most famous play that isn't An Inspector Calls, but it's still not been done in London in an age and should be a fun way to see out 2025. The cast includes Siobhan Finneran, Samantha Spiro, Sophie Thompson and Marc Wootton.
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'I've been really interested in shame, and where shame lives in the body, and the power of pleasure as a tonic for that,' Gibson says. 'For women, especially – and I use that term really expansively – our bodies have been the site of so much violation, so the orgasm, the Grief Cum and sharing my body that way is a deliberate act of un-shaming. 'Even though I'm talking about my own story, what I'm actually talking about is another way of being with pain and grief and coming to love our bodies despite the wounds that we have.' While all this is a lovely idea, reality is rearing its cynical head. Yes, queer spaces are magic – but isn't Gibson worried about a more mainstream and possibly less respectful audience at the Edinburgh Fringe? Many of them may not be there for Betty Grumble, but for an eye-catching leaflet, or a night on the town. Some will likely scoff at and resist her art. 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She adds: 'I hope that this act of pleasure can be one that is of defiance, but also unity.' See Betty Grumble's Enemies of Grooviness Eat Sh!t from August 1 to 24 at 9.15pm at Assembly Roxy – Upstairs. Tickets here. Got a story? If you've got a celebrity story, video or pictures get in touch with the entertainment team by emailing us celebtips@ calling 020 3615 2145 or by visiting our Submit Stuff page – we'd love to hear from you. MORE: 'I was in love with an incarcerated man – now he's my Edinburgh Fringe show' MORE: 'I was in Amazon Prime's biggest surprise hit – now you can watch me in a hotel room' MORE: Jewish comedians devastated as Edinburgh Fringe shows axed despite being non-political
