7 Open-Air Theatres and Outdoor Performances to Experience in London
There is something completely different about watching a performance outside.
Instead of sitting inside a dark theatre surrounded by four walls, you can be surrounded by trees, watch the daylight disappear above you or even have the city itself become part of the performance.
And you don't have to leave London to experience it.
London has some of the country's best-known open-air theatre venues, as well as outdoor festivals that turn parks, streets and public spaces into temporary stages.
And because it is now the end of August, there is still plenty to catch in September 2026.
So if you've never tried outdoor theatre in London or simply want to do something different this month here are some places and performances worth knowing about.
1. Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - the classic London choice
Regent's Park
If someone says “open-air theatre in London”, this is probably the first place that should come to mind.
Regent's Park Open Air Theatre sits inside Queen Mary's Gardens, surrounded by greenery in one of London's most famous royal parks.
Its 2026 theatre season continues until 19 September, with Andrew Lloyd Webber's CATS running from 25 July to 19 September.
That means you still have most of September to experience one of London's best-known outdoor theatre settings.
And CATS isn't the only thing happening there.
The family production Anansi the Spider runs until 6 September, while other performances and events continue through the month.
So if you've never sat in this theatre before, September gives you one of the final opportunities to experience its main 2026 theatre season.
When:CATS until 19 September 2026
Where: Regent's Park, NW1
Best for: musicals, theatre and a classic London summer experience
2. Shakespeare's Globe - Shakespeare under the sky
Bankside
This is the open-air theatre experience most visitors probably associate with London.
Shakespeare's Globe is a reconstruction of Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, and its main Globe Theatre is open-air, allowing audiences to watch performances beneath the sky.
And September is actually a particularly good month to visit.
The current 2026 programme includes Love's Labour's Lost, running until 13 September, followed by As You Like It, which runs from 9 September to 25 October.
There is also Much Ado About Nothing, which runs from 27 August to 24 October.
So there are several opportunities to see Shakespeare in the open air as summer turns into autumn.
And if you're trying to do it without spending a fortune, the Globe currently lists £5 and £10 standing tickets for these productions, depending on the performance.
Standing in the Yard is also part of what makes the Globe experience so distinctive.
You aren't simply visiting an old-looking theatre.
You're experiencing a performance in a space designed around the traditions of Shakespeare's original theatre.
When: Performances continue through October 2026
Where: Bankside, SE1
Best for: Shakespeare, history and one of London's most iconic theatre experiences
3. Anansi the Spider - an outdoor theatre experience for families
Regent's Park
If you're looking for something specifically for children, Anansi the Spider is worth knowing about.
The production runs at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre until 6 September 2026 and brings West African and Caribbean folk tales to life through the story of Anansi, the famous trickster spider.
It is designed for families, with an age guidance of 4+.
The show takes place on the theatre's Picnic Lawn, giving it an even more relaxed outdoor feel than a conventional theatre production.
So if you have younger children and want to do something different before the summer officially disappears, this is a good one to consider.
When: Until 6 September 2026
Where: Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Best for: families and younger children
4. Greenwich+Docklands International Festival - outdoor theatre across London
Greenwich, Docklands and other locations
This isn't one theatre.
It's an entire outdoor performance festival.
The Greenwich+Docklands International Festival, or GDIF, describes itself as London's leading festival of free outdoor theatre and performing arts.
The 2026 festival runs from 21 August to 6 September, meaning there are still several September performances to catch.
And this is where things get particularly interesting.
On 3–4 September, CHAIR! and Kismat Walla take place at Queen's Market Square in East Ham.
On 4–5 September, Nature Speaks comes to Tump53 Nature Reserve in Thamesmead.
Then on 5 September, the festival brings a whole series of outdoor performances to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in Stratford as part of Dancing City, including Garbh, Benched, Man Down, BUG, Kokkon, Cicatrius and more.
And on 6 September, In(visible) Dancing takes place at General Gordon Square in Woolwich.
The best part?
GDIF events are typically free.
So if you're looking for outdoor theatre without paying for a traditional theatre ticket, check the GDIF programme before the festival finishes.
When: Until 6 September 2026
Where: Various London locations
Cost: Typically free
Best for: outdoor theatre, dance, circus and unusual performances
5. Andrew Logan's Alternative Miss World: Gaia - a one-night-only spectacle
Regent's Park
If you want something that isn't a conventional play, there's a very different event coming to Regent's Park.
Andrew Logan's Alternative Miss World 2026: Gaia takes place on 13 September at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
The event is described by the theatre as a spectacular, one-night-only celebration of the planet, and it forms the 16th edition of Andrew Logan's Alternative Miss World.
This isn't your traditional theatre production.
It's much more of a visual performance event, bringing together art, costumes, performance and Logan's distinctive Alternative Miss World concept.
And because it is happening at an open-air theatre, the setting becomes part of the experience.
When: 13 September 2026
Where: Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Best for: something unusual, theatrical and highly visual
6. Regent's Park Live Music Week - outdoor performances after the theatre season
Regent's Park
Here's something you might not expect.
Even after the main theatre season finishes, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre continues with a week of live music.
The 2026 Live Music Week runs from 22–27 September and currently includes five different performances:
Echo & The Bunnymen - 22–23 September
Alfa Mist - 24 September
Doves - 25 September
Café del Mar Classical - 26 September
Nick Mulvey - 27 September
The final addition, Nick Mulvey, was announced by Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in August.
So even though the main theatre season ends on 19 September, you can still experience the venue under the night sky later in the month.
And the setting makes these more than ordinary concerts.
You're watching live music inside an open-air theatre surrounded by Regent's Park.
When: 22–27 September 2026
Where: Regent's Park Open Air Theatre
Best for: live music and an outdoor evening experience
7. See Shakespeare at the Globe as summer turns into autumn
Bankside
If you've never experienced an evening performance at Shakespeare's Globe, September is a particularly good time to do it.
You can watch the performance as daylight fades, with the open roof above you and the atmosphere of Bankside surrounding the theatre.
The September programme gives you several choices.
Love's Labour's Lost runs until 13 September.
As You Like It runs from 9 September to 25 October.
And Much Ado About Nothing runs from 27 August to 24 October.
So even if you don't make it during the first week of September, there are still plenty of opportunities later in the month.
And remember, this is genuinely an outdoor theatre.
The Globe advises visitors to dress appropriately for the weather.
Bring a jacket.
Bring something waterproof.
And don't assume that because the afternoon was warm, the evening will be.
When: September through October 2026
Where: Shakespeare's Globe, Bankside
Best for: Shakespeare, evening performances and an iconic London experience
Which one should you choose?
If you want the classic London open-air theatre experience, go to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre.
If you want Shakespeare and history, choose Shakespeare's Globe.
If you're taking young children, Anansi the Spider is the obvious choice while it is still running.
If you want something free and unusual, look at the remaining September programme for Greenwich+Docklands International Festival.
And if you've missed the main summer theatre season, don't assume outdoor performances are finished.
Regent's Park continues through September with special events and its Live Music Week, including Nick Mulvey's newly added performance on 27 September.
What happens if it rains?
This is probably the first question most people ask.
And the answer is simple: you are going to be outside.
That's part of the experience.
At Shakespeare's Globe and Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, you should check the venue's current weather and performance policies before travelling, particularly if there is severe weather.
For an ordinary September evening, however, the best approach is simply to dress for it.
Bring a waterproof layer.
Bring something warm.
And if you're sitting outside for several hours, don't underestimate how quickly the temperature can drop once the sun disappears.
Open-air theatre is one of those London experiences worth trying at least once
There is something special about watching theatre outside.
At the Globe, you're standing or sitting beneath an open sky on the South Bank, in one of the world's most recognisable theatrical spaces.
At Regent's Park, you're surrounded by gardens and trees instead of the walls of a traditional theatre.
And at GDIF, the streets, parks and public spaces of London themselves become the stage.
So if you've never tried it, September is still a great time to start.
You can see CATS at Regent's Park before the main theatre season ends.
You can watch Shakespeare at the Globe well into October.
You can find free outdoor theatre around London through GDIF before 6 September.
Or you can return to Regent's Park later in the month for live music beneath the night sky.
Just remember one thing.
You're going to be outside.
So check the forecast, bring a jacket and enjoy the fact that you're watching a performance somewhere that isn't surrounded by four walls.
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