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A Strange Loop at the Barbican Theatre

by Michael R. Jackson
a co-production with Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theatre Productions, Barbara Whitman and Wessex Grove
in association with the Barbican

Artwork treatment for A Strange Loop - images of six characters displayed either side of the head of a smiling man in profile.

Booking and details

17 June — 9 September 2023
This show has now ended
The event location is

Barbican Theatre

 Silk St, Barbican, London EC2Y 8DS

The ground-breaking and critically acclaimed winner of every ‘Best Musical’ award on Broadway and the Pulitzer Prize comes to London for a one time only, limited summer season.

Meet Usher: a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer writing a musical about a Black, queer writer…

A Strange Loop exposes a young Black artist grappling with desires, identity and instincts he both loves and loathes. Hell-bent on breaking free of his own self-perception, Usher wrestles with the thoughts in his head, brought to life on stage by a hilarious, straight-shooting ensemble.

Hailed as ‘the most thrillingly playful and hilarious new musical to hit London in years’ (Evening Standard), don’t miss your chance to experience Michael R. Jackson’s ‘strikingly original and highly entertaining’ (Guardian) heart-felt masterwork – now playing at the Barbican until 9 September only.

Performed 17 June — 9 September 2023 in the Barbican Theatre.

Reviews

★★★★★

‘The most thrillingly playful and hilarious new musical to hit London in years. Spectacular.’

Evening Standard

★★★★

‘Strikingly original and highly entertaining.’

Guardian

★★★★

‘A dazzlingly clever, multi-layered musical.’

Financial Times

★★★★

‘A tour de force. Slick, tuneful, irreverent and funny.’

Time Out

★★★★

‘An experience you won’t forget.’

Independent

★★★★

‘A revolutionary musical with heart.’

Whatsonstage

6 reviews

Suitability

Age restriction: Under 16s will not be admitted

This production contains explicit language, references to racism, sexual assault, homophobia and scenes of an adult nature. The show uses strobe, flashing lights and sudden loud noises.

Extensive content advice, including a detailed summary of the show (including spoilers), is available on the Barbican website.

Video

Artwork treatment for A Strange Loop - images of six characters displayed either side of the head of a smiling man in profile.
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Watch the new trailer

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An audience member in the Barbican foyer.
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Watch audience reactions to A Strange Loop

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Gallery

A character in a red bell-hop cap and jacket stands, arms outstretched and sings or exclaims loudly.
A character in a red bell-hop cap and jacket stands, arms outstretched and sings or exclaims loudly.
A character in a red bell-hop cap and jacket stands, arms outstretched and sings or exclaims loudly.
View 13 images
A character with a worried expression sits centre-stage, with a keyboard behind him, whilst six other characters, ll wearing hotel bathrobes, sit and stand around him. A character with a beard and wearing a patterned satin dress is talking to someone standing with their back to camera in the left foreground. Two characters wearing sleveless tops and baggy trousers in a matching pale colour, stand shoulder-to-shoulder. Seven characters in a variety of outfits stand across a stage lit in blues and with smoke swirling upstage. A character stands in a neon strip-lit doorway. A character in a blue t-shirt with white lettering dances centre-stage, with a line of 6 other characters behind him, wearing matching outfits. We see two characters standing back-to-back, one looking towards the camera, smiling with arms outstretched, the other in profile, looking pensive. A character in a red bell-hop cap and jacket dances centre-stage, with a line of 6 other characters behind him A character in casual clothes sits on a flip up chair, arms outstretched, defensively warding off another character in a red bell-hop jacket, who sits two seats along, smiling and leaning towards the first character. A character in a blue t-shirt with white lettering stands, their thumbs hooked through the straps of a rucksack they are wearing. A seated character holding a large water bottle, looks up at someone who could be a doctor. A biology illustration of a cross-section of a human body is on a screen behind them. A character in a long-sleeves shirt stands centre-stage, in a spotlight, with a line of 6 other characters behind him, all standing in a doorway framed in neon strip-lights.

Barbican production gallery

Kyle Ramar Freeman leading the cast in a scene, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop.
Kyle Ramar Freeman leading the cast in a scene, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop.
Kyle Ramar Freeman leading the cast in a scene, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop.
View 11 images
Rebecca Bernice Amissah, Eddie Elliott, Yeukayi Ushe and Sharlene Hector rehearsing a scene for A Strange Loop. Kyle Ramar Freeman standing and singing, and Michael R. Jackson playing eletric keyboard, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Tendai Humphrey Sitima and Yeukayi Ushe, standing, smiling, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Kyle Birch and Kyle Ramar Freeman, leaning against wooden bars and a mirrored wall, smiling at something out of shot, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Four of the cast of A Strange Loop standing and interacting in pairs, in rehearsals. Kyle Ramar Freeman leading the cast in a scene, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Rebecca Bernice Amissah, Momar Diagne and Jean-Luke Worrell, sharing a laugh, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Kyle Ramar Freeman and Stephen Brackett standing together, sharing a joke, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Kyle Ramar Freeman leading the cast in a scene, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Stephen Brackett, sitting at a desk and gesturing with right arm extended, in rehearsals for A Strange Loop

London rehearsal gallery

 

Cast

Rebecca Bernice Amissah photo portrait

Rebecca Bernice Amissah

Understudy Thought 1

Danny Bailey
Danny Bailey photo portrait

Danny Bailey

Thought 5

Kyle Birch photo portrait

Kyle Birch

Usher cover

Momar Diagne photo portrait

Momar Diagne

Understudy Thought 2, 3 & 4

Eddie Elliott
Eddie Elliott photo portrait

Eddie Elliott

Thought 6

Kyle Ramar Freeman
Kyle Ramar Freeman photo portrait

Kyle Ramar Freeman

Usher

Sharlene Hector
Sharlene Hector photo portrait

Sharlene Hector

Thought 1

Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea photo portrait

Nathan Armarkwei-Laryea

Thought 2

Tendai Humphrey Sitima
Thendai Humphrey Sitima

Tendai Humphrey Sitima

Thought 4

Yeukayi Ushe photo portrait

Yeukayi Ushe

Thought 3

Jean-Luke Worrell photo portrait

Jean-Luke Worrell

Understudy Thought 5 & 6

Production team

Playwright, Composer, Lyricist

Michael R. Jackson

Choreographer

Raja Feather Kelly

Director

Stephen Brackett

Music Supervisor

Rona Siddiqui

Orchestrations

Charlie Rosen

Scenic Design

Arnulfo Maldonado

Costume Design

Montana Levi Blanco

Lighting Design

Jen Schriever

Sound Design

Drew Levy

Ticket prices

What's on guide

Download a pdf of the latest guide (2MB)

Download a pdf of the latest guide in Alternative format (1.4MB)