Theatre Shows Inspired by True Stories and Real People

Some of these are a serious homage, others are tongue-in-cheek and satirical. Some play fast and loose with the truth, while others aspire to be faithful to history. Regardless, we’re sure you’ll walk away from these shows both entertained and educated - if not always in the way you’d expect. Here are some of our favourite shows inspired by true stories and real people.

Hamilton at the Victoria Palace

The cast of HAMILTON. Image courtesy of production.

Possibly the most famous recent example of history brought to the stage, Lin Manuel Miranda’s globally beloved musical reimagines the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton. War, revolution, duels, love affairs, and even cabinet meetings are brought to life through an electric blend of hip-hop, R&B, and operetta, and famous historical figures like George Washington and Thomas Jefferson are reborn as vivid, colourful, and complex characters.

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SIX at the Vaudeville Theatre

The cast of SIX: THE MUSICAL. Image courtesy of production.

Like Hamilton, SIX offers a modernist, revisionist take on history, repurposing the story of Henry VIII’s six wives to put the women at the forefront. Equal parts concert and musical, this history remix reimagines Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boleyn, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Katherine Howard, and Catherine Parr as a girl group, each inspired by a different pop icon, as they tell their story of love, power, and heartbreak, while poking fun at the husband who wronged them.

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Oh, Mary at the Trafalgar Theatre

Artwork of OH, MARY! Image courtesy of production.

Another delightfully cheeky historical satire, Oh Mary takes Mary Todd Hamilton, wife of the famous US president Abraham Lincoln, and reimagines her as a foul-tempered, alcoholic, former cabaret dancer. This absurdist, gleefully anachronistic Broadway transfer follows Mary in the days leading up to Lincoln’s assassination, but turns on its head everything you think you know about American history and this First Family.

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Kenrex at The Other Palace

Jack Holden in KENREX. Image courtesy of production.

It sounds like a thrilling Western film, but Kenrex is astoundingly based on a true story. In the small town of Skidmore, Missouri in 1981, the tyrant and criminal Ken Rex McElroy is killed in broad daylight but all 60 witnesses to the murder refuse to testify. Part Western, part true crime, this story of a community banding together against oppression is all the more exhilarating because it really happened.

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Punch at the Apollo Theatre

The cast of PUNCH. Image courtesy of production.

One from recent history, Punch is a heartbreaking drama inspired by the memoir by Jacob Dunne, who recounts with raw and vulnerable honesty how a drunken brawl led to the death of a stranger and a long, painful journey towards redemption. Adapted for the stage from a tragic true story, Punch is a searing exploration of masculinity and violence that feels just as timely today.

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To Sir, With Love at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Artwork of TO SIR, WITH LOVE. Image courtesy of production.

Memoirs are ripe with incredible true stories that are perfect for stage retellings. In this case, E R Braithwaite’s powerful memoir of the same name, which also inspired a 1967 film, comes to the stage with the story of a former RAF pilot who takes a job as a teacher at an inner city school in London, where he’s faced with deep-rooted racism as well as the challenge of inspiring a class of troubled students.

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Marie and Rosetta at Soho Place Theatre

Beverly Knight and Ntombizodwa Ndlovu in MARIE AND ROSETTA. Image courtesy of production.

The best thing about retelling stories from history is being able to give a voice to those who were overlooked by the eras they were born into. In this case, Marie and Rosetta brings to life the story of Sister Rosetta Tharpe, who revolutionised music through a mix of rock n roll and gospel, and her protegee Marie Knight, who toured the segregated states of the American South in the 1940s. This incredible true story is set to a dazzling score that blends blues, gospel, and rock n roll.

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Dead Man Walking at the London Coliseum

Artwork of DEAD MAN WALKING. Image courtesy of production.

Sister Helen Prejean’s harrowing memoir is based on her experiences as a nun who served as spiritual adviser and confidante to Joseph De Rocher, a convicted murderer on death row, as she seeks his confession in his final days. Previously adapted as a film, this powerful true story of faith and compassion is retold as a hauntingly beautiful opera.

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Shadowlands at the Aldwych Theatre

Hugh Bonneville in SHADOWLANDS. Image courtesy of production.

We all know C S Lewis, writer of the beloved fantasy series, The Chronicles of Narnia. Shadowlands, inspired by Lewis’s own writings about his life, tells the story of his love affair and marriage with American poet Joy Davidman, and his crisis of faith after her tragic death from cancer. This breath-taking play shines a light on a fascinating and often underlooked period of history in the life of a man who had a remarkable impact on literature.

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I’m Every Woman: The Chaka Khan Musical at the Peacock Theatre

Artwork of I'M EVERY WOMAN: THE CHAKA KHAN MUSICAL. Image courtesy of production.

Like MJ: The Musical and Tina: The Tina Turner Musical before it, I’m Every Woman celebrates the life and legacy of a musical legend, in this case the Queen of Funk herself, Chaka Khan. Step into the unforgettable musical era of the 1970s, and follow Chaka’s inspiring rise to stardom from humble beginnings, set to a track list of her greatest hits. Fans of Chaka Khan and the funk genre will fall in love with this powerful celebration of the woman behind the diva.

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