New Frame Productions co-produced the Olivier Award nominated A STRANGE LOOP at The Barbican during Summer 2023.

The ground-breaking and critically acclaimed, Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning ‘Best Musical’ came to London for a one time only, limited season. The production received high critical praise including “Highly entertaining and magnificent” from The Guardian and “I'd watch it again in an instant. Spectacular” from Evening Standard

The show was produced by Howard Panter for Trafalgar Theatre Productions, the National Theatre, Barbara Whitman and Wessex Grove in association with the Barbican.

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

Kyle Ramar Freeman (6) in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company (4) of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
Eddie Elliott and Yeukai Ushe in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company (5) of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
Danny Bailey and Kyle Ramar Freeman in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
Eddie Elliott and Kyle Ramar Freeman in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
Kyle Ramar Freeman in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company (6) of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company (3) of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
The Company (2) of A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
Tendai Humphrey Sitima in A Strange Loop. Credit Marc Brenner.jpg
1. Kyle Ramer Freeman (Usher) and cast in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Photo credit Marc Brenner.jpg
8. centre - Kyle Ramar Freeman (Usher) and cast in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Photo by Marc Brenner.jpg
7. l to r - Stephen Brackett (director) and Michael R. Jackson (writer) in rehersals for A Strange Loop. Photo credit Marc Brenner.jpg
6. The cast of A Strange Loop in rehearsals. Photo credit Marc Brenner.jpg
4. Kyle Ramar Freeman (Usher) and Michael R. Jackson (writer) in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Photo credit Marc Brenner.jpg
2. Kyle Ramer Freeman (Usher) and cast in rehearsals for A Strange Loop. Photo credit Marc Brenner.jpg

Photography by Marc Brenner of West End cast

Post-Show events throughout the run:

31 July - Expression & Identity: Waving the Flag

3 August - Matt Wolfe in conversation with Kyle Ramar Freeman

11 August - A Queer Eye on Storytelling

30 August - The Art of Making a Musical

31 Aug – Themes of HIV through a scientific and community lens

6 Sep – Radical Queer Rebels

More information about the full lineup is here

“It's stuffed with really catchy tunes full of triumphant melodies, with big high notes, snatches of literary and musical reference constantly winking at us"
***** Evening Standard

“Michael R Jackson’s Pulitzer-winning play is a strikingly original, highly entertaining tour of identity politics and the struggles of selfhood. Magnificent”
**** The Guardian

“It’s irreverent and funny, but also very dark. In contrast to our tame, safe West End, Michael R Jackson’s left-field meta-musical is dazzlingly other”
Time Out

FIND US AT THE BARBICAN

 

CAST

Usher

KYLE RAMAR FREEMAN

Thought 1

SHARLENE HECTOR

Thought 2

NATHAN ARMARKWEI-LARYEA

Thought 3

YEUKAYI USHE

Thought 4

TENDAI HUMPHREY SITIMA

Thought 5

DANNY BAILEY

Thought 6

EDDIE ELLIOTT

THE TEAM

Playwright, Composer, Lyricist

MICHAEL R. JACKSON

Choreographer

RAJA FEATHER KELLY

Director

STEPHEN BRACKETT

Music Supervisor

RONA SIDDIQUI

Costume Design

MONTANA LEVI BIANCO

Orchestrations

CHARLIE ROSEN

Scenic Design

ARNULFO MALDONADO

Lighting Design

JEN SCHRIEVER

Sound Design

DREW LEVY

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