Call Me Elizabeth: An Audience with Elizabeth Taylor Arrives in London After Edinburgh Fringe Run

Following its appearance at the Edinburgh Fringe, Call Me Elizabeth: An Audience with Elizabeth Taylor is heading to London for a limited run at The Playground Theatre from 1 to 6 September 2026. The one-woman show promises to peel back the layers of one of Hollywood's most iconic figures, offering audiences an intimate portrait of Dame Elizabeth Taylor that goes far beyond the red carpet.

Starring Kayla Boye as the legendary actress, the production takes audiences on a journey through Taylor's remarkable life: from her beginnings as a child star opposite Lassie, through the blockbuster triumph of Cleopatra, her passionate and turbulent relationship with Richard Burton, and her pioneering AIDS activism that helped reshape public attitudes towards the disease.

A Personal Connection to the Taylor Legacy

What makes this production particularly distinctive is the personal connection at its creative heart. The show is dramaturged and presented by Olivier Award winner Guy Masterson, who was twice Elizabeth Taylor's nephew by marriage through her relationship with Richard Burton. That familial link lends the production an authenticity and emotional depth that few biographical shows can claim, offering insights that go beyond the well-documented public persona.

Direction comes from Mike Weber, who shapes the production into something that feels more like a confessional conversation than a conventional biographical drama. The format, styled as "an audience with" the star herself, allows Boye to address the crowd directly as Taylor, creating an atmosphere of intimacy and revelation.

Elizabeth Taylor: More Than a Movie Star

For younger audiences who may know Elizabeth Taylor primarily as a name from old Hollywood, this production serves as a powerful reminder of just how extraordinary her life was. Born in London in 1932 to American parents, Taylor was thrust into the film industry as a child and went on to win two Academy Awards, appear in some of cinema's most celebrated films, and live a personal life that kept the tabloids busy for decades.

Her eight marriages (including two to Richard Burton) made her a constant fixture in the gossip columns, but it was her later work as an AIDS activist that arguably cemented her legacy. At a time when few public figures were willing to associate themselves with the HIV/AIDS crisis, Taylor threw her considerable fame and fortune behind the cause, co-founding the American Foundation for AIDS Research (amfAR) in 1985 and the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991.

The production reportedly addresses all of these facets of Taylor's life, painting a portrait of a woman who was simultaneously vulnerable and formidable, glamorous and grounded, a survivor of Hollywood's most punishing spotlight.

The Playground Theatre: An Intimate Setting for an Intimate Show

The choice of The Playground Theatre as the London venue feels apt. This Off West End space in North Kensington is known for championing bold, character-driven work in an intimate setting, which should suit the confessional tone of the production perfectly. With a limited six-night run, audiences will be close to the action in a way that larger venues simply cannot replicate.

The venue's compact scale mirrors the show's ambition to strip away the spectacle and bring audiences face to face with the real woman behind the legend. There are no elaborate sets or cast of thousands here. This is storytelling at its most direct and personal.

Tickets and Practical Information

Call Me Elizabeth: An Audience with Elizabeth Taylor runs at The Playground Theatre from 1 to 6 September 2026. General admission tickets are priced at £25, with concessions available at £20 for seniors (60+), students, unemployed theatregoers, and those requiring access provisions. These are genuinely accessible prices for a London theatre show, particularly one arriving with the buzz of an Edinburgh Fringe run behind it.

Given the intimate scale of The Playground Theatre and the short run, this is likely to be a production where early booking is advisable. Shows of this nature, particularly those with strong reviews from Edinburgh, tend to sell briskly once word of mouth builds.

Edinburgh Fringe to London: A Well-Trodden Path

The journey from the Edinburgh Fringe to a London stage is one of British theatre's most established pipelines for new work. Some of the most celebrated productions in recent memory have made exactly this transition, and the Fringe continues to serve as a proving ground where shows can find their feet, refine their performances, and build an audience before tackling the capital.

For one-person shows in particular, Edinburgh remains an invaluable launching pad. The festival's appetite for solo performance and biographical drama means that productions like Call Me Elizabeth can attract significant attention from audiences and industry professionals alike. The fact that this production is making the move south suggests it made a strong impression during its Fringe run.

London's Off West End scene has become increasingly important as a destination for post-Edinburgh transfers, offering the right combination of artistic credibility, audience engagement, and manageable costs for productions that may not yet be ready for a full West End run.

Should You Book?

If you have any interest in Hollywood history, biographical theatre, or simply enjoy watching a skilled performer inhabit a larger-than-life character, Call Me Elizabeth looks well worth your time. The combination of Kayla Boye's performance, Guy Masterson's personal connection to the Taylor story, and the intimate setting of The Playground Theatre creates a compelling proposition. At £20 to £25 a ticket, it is also one of the more affordable options on the London theatre calendar.

The limited run means this is very much a "book now or miss out" situation. Six performances in a small venue will not leave much room for procrastination.

Explore more new shows coming to London, or browse the full list of current productions available to book through BritishTheatre.com.