Stephen Sondheim's final musical, Here We Are - critic's pick in the New York Times - runs in London this year! Created by Sondheim and David Ives and directed by Joe Mantello, the production draws inspiration from the surrealist dinner parties of the films of Luis Bunuel. In Here We Are, a group of friends embarks on a surreal journey through increasingly bizarre dining experiences, only to find themselves trapped in a mysterious room where they confront their secrets, desires, and the looming chaos of the outside world.

Director Lynette Linton (Blues for an Alabama Sky, Shifters) heads up a bold new staging of the award winning writer Michael Abbensetts' Alterations, at the National Theatre. This fresh production of the essential work features additional material by playwright Trish Cooke, bringing fresh urgency to a defining story of resilience, community and, ultimately, self-worth. Set against the backdrop of 1970s London, it paints a vivid portrait of the Windrush generation's struggle to carve out success in an often hostile new world.

The National Theatre hosts the world premiere of Inter Alia, a bold new play by the award-winning playwright Suzie Miller (Prima Facie). Starring Oscar and BAFTA nominee Rosamund Pike in her debut performance at the National Theatre, Inter Alia looks at the precarious balancing act of motherhood, professional ambition and masculinity in the modern world. Directed by Justin Martin who worked with Miller on Prima Facie, Pike will be joined on stage by Jamie Glover (Waterloo Road) and Jasper Talbot (Redlands), for this gripping exploration of life's most complex roles.