Duel is at Camden People’s Theatre September 19-23

Beautiful Thing, Jonathan Harvey’s iconic coming-out story, enjoys a 30th anniversary production at Theatre Royal Stratford East. Teenage boys Ste and Jamie live on a south London estate. Both are being bullied, Jamie at school and Ste at home by his violent father and brother. Together they come to terms with their sexuality and explore their feelings. Sept 8-Oct 7. stratfordeast.com/

SUGAR explores where and when women learn the art of self-exploitation. We follow Mae through her first kiss, her business seizure by the authorities, and her experience as a Sugar Baby. Until Sept 9. In Press, film producers David and Kate anticipate their Civil War epic will be nominated for plenty of Goldies. Then they learn that the film’s heroic lead role, played by a white actor, was in real life actually black. Fearing a career-jeopardising backlash, David and Kate frantically try to keep the film from getting any attention whatsoever. Sept 13-16. oldredliontheatre.co.uk/

Casting Off at Jackson’s Lane [Scott Hone]

Three Australian performers dispense with stereotypes as they tumble, talk, fly, and balance precariously in Casting Off  intergenerational circus about living on the edge. Sept 8-9. jacksonslane.org.uk/

Mlima is one of the last “Great Tuskers” – elephants with tusks so large they touch the ground. His ghost follows those connected to his death. From poachers, to government officials to ivory carvers, he watches as capitalism, greed and corruption marks everyone in the ivory trade. Lynn Nottage’s Mlima’s Tale is at the Kiln Theatre from Sept 14-Oct 21. kilntheatre.com/

One woman, two passports, and two names: Peyvand is British, and Parisa is Iranian. As a child, Peyvand visited Iran with her father. They’re held by the Iranian government. Peyvand eventually returns. But what of Parisa? At Camden People’s Theatre, Dual is an award-winning solo work featuring drag, animation and puppetry, accompanied by an Anglo-Persian pop soundtrack. Sept 19-23. cptheatre.co.uk/

God of Carnage at Lyric Hammersmith

In Yasmina Reza’s God of Carnage (translated by Christopher Hampton) at Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith, two sets of parents attempt to resolve the falling out of their children. As night falls civility falters and chaos ensues. Until Sept 30. lyric.co.uk/

Inspired by Eastern European folklore and Uladzimir Karatkievich’s popular novel, King Stakh’s Wild Hunt follows the ghostly hunt to free a young heiress from an evil curse. Belarus Free Theatre’s production at the Barbican unites actors, opera singers and musicians from Ukraine and Belarus, many of them political refugees, and interweaves opera, theatre, multimedia and live music. Sept 14-16. barbican.org.uk/

Sacred Bath at the Etcetera Theatre, presented in Portuguese and English, explores objectification and issues around trust, navigating the complex nature of consent, influenced by culture and religion. A tapestry of poetry, movement, storytelling, and humour. Sept 18, 20-21. etceteratheatrecamden.com