IN CLAY★★★★★Upstairs at the Gatehouse
IN CLAY at Upstairs at the Gatehouse ★★★★★ “a hugely enjoyable and upbeat production, despite the moving subject matter” The cosy pub venue is transformed by set designer Rachael Ryan into an artist’s studio/kitchen with dark wood shelves, stylishly chaotic pots and a potter’s wheel. A live band of guitar,
HIDE AND SEEK★★★★Park Theatre
HIDE AND SEEK at the Park Theatre ★★★★ “a real testament to exciting new writing, a brilliantly well-constructed meditation on fantasy and reality” Tobia Rossi’s tale of teenage exploration and alienation is a great new take on attraction across the divide. There are shades of Holden Caulfield in Louis Scarpa’s
POLICE COPS: THE MUSICAL★★★★Southwark Playhouse Elephant
POLICE COPS: THE MUSICAL at Southwark Playhouse Elephant ★★★★ “It’s great to see how this company has grown and thrived, and have created this polished and dynamic production” Police Cops began as three men – Zachary Hunt, Nathan Parkinson and Tom Roe, with a shared comic vision. It has since
APRICOT★★★★Theatre503
APRICOT at Theatre503 ★★★★ “entertaining, engaging and ultimately relatable where it needs to be” Apricot is a comedy about abortion. Right off the bat- this may be a hard sell for some. The show makes no apologies and pulls no punches in this pithy dark comedy which opens with an
AUTOBIOGRAPHY (v95 & v96)★★★Sadler’s Wells Theatre
AUTOBIOGRAPHY (V95 & V96) at Sadler’s Wells Theatre ★★★ “Autobiography’s saviours are its dancers who are technically talented with unmitigated enthusiasm.” Self, Life, Writing. The essence of the word Autobiography and a reflection of how Wayne McGregor sees the world, breaking it down to its core components. Autobiography was first
GUYS & DOLLS★★★★★Bridge Theatre
GUYS & DOLLS at the Bridge Theatre ★★★★★ “a captivating, energetic show that you’d bet on to run and run.” The Bridge Theatre’s production of Guys and Dolls opened a year ago to rave reviews and now a new cast continues the party. This show really does feel like a
PUDDLES PITY PARTY★★Soho Theatre
PUDDLES PITY PARTY at the Soho Theatre ★★ “The show is weird, but not weird enough to be interesting, or experimental” It is a strange experience to be part of an audience which is half fervent superfans and half baffled and bored. Puddles Pity Party seems to be quite well
BLUE★★★★Seven Dials Playhouse
BLUE at the Seven Dials Playhouse ★★★★ “The claustrophobic atmosphere is masterfully built and each new twist sheds new light on the truth” In this searing and hard-hitting two hander, the personal and political are blurred to explore a very human take on the current American culture wars. It’s a
FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY★★★★Garrick Theatre
FOR BLACK BOYS WHO HAVE CONSIDERED SUICIDE WHEN THE HUE GETS TOO HEAVY at the Garrick Theatre ★★★★ “a beautifully poetic and bold piece of theatre” For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy, takes your brain and your heart. It is a rollercoaster party
THE LONELY LONDONERS★★★★Jermyn Street Theatre
THE LONELY LONDONERS at Jermyn Street Theatre ★★★★ “an energetic and stylish play that could easily become a classic” Adapted by esteemed British playwright Roy Williams, The Lonely Londoners at the Jermyn Street Theatre is the first staging of British-Trinidadian Sam Selvon’s 1956 novel. It’s somewhat surprising that the material
JUST SO★★★½Bridewell Theatre
JUST SO at the Bridewell Theatre ★★★½ “It is an enjoyable experience though, with some memorable and entertaining moments” This musical is at its best when it leans into the silliness, and bubbles with campy fun. Just So is a 1984 adaptation of Kipling’s childhood favourite Just So Stories. This
MARRY ME A LITTLE★★★Stage Door Theatre
MARRY ME A LITTLE at the Stage Door Theatre ★★★ “The production’s saving grace is Markus Sodergren’s performance” Revues can be hard to pull off, but Marry Me A Little feels confused and somewhat directionless. The performance is a series of Sondheim songs, pulled from other musicals, which are knitted
CLOSURE★★★★Theatre Royal Windsor
CLOSURE at the Theatre Royal Windsor ★★★★ “a witty, pacey and up-to-the-minute thriller” Theatre Royal Windsor’s current offering is ‘Closure’ – a brand new thriller by experienced writing duo Catherine O’Reilly and Tim Churchill. They were given enthusiastic support in developing this fast-moving premier by the late Bill Kenwright, the
LUCY AND FRIENDS★★★★★Soho Theatre
LUCY AND FRIENDS at the Soho Theatre ★★★★★ “You will leave gasping for air, and an urgent desire to wash your hands.” Lucy McCormick returns to the Soho Theatre with another outrageous, audacious, and electrifying show that keeps the audience on the edge of their seats, and with an umbrella
MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE★★★Queen’s Theatre
MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE at the Queen’s Theatre ★★★ “pertinent and important, and a visually strong reimagining of an iconic and powerful story” When Hanif Kureishi’s romantic comedy-drama film was released in 1985 it was swiftly hailed as being a mirror to society at the time, casting a sharp eye on
SARAH QUAND MÊME★Drayton Arms Theatre
SARAH QUAND MÊME at the Drayton Arms Theatre ★ “a confusing and frustrating experience” Sarah Quand Même is a one-woman show about the life of Sarah Bernhardt, a French actress who recalls her life to her granddaughter Lysiane. You need to know that the entire play is performed in a
THE HUMAN BODY★★★Donmar Warehouse
THE HUMAN BODY at the Donmar Warehouse ★★★ “this is a play that promises much and fails, ultimately, to deliver” Lucy Kirkwood’s new play The Human Body is a complex creation, not unlike the human body itself. Michael Longhurst and Ann Yee’s stylish direction makes many pretty pictures of the
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE★★★★★Gillian Lynne Theatre
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE at the Gillian Lynne Theatre ★★★★★ “it is beautiful, and moving, and has real grit” Standing at the Sky’s Edge is an unabashed love letter to Sheffield. It follows three generations of residents in Park Hill, the infamous brutalist 1960s former housing estate which dominates
AMUSEMENTS★★★★Soho Theatre
AMUSEMENTS at the Soho Theatre ★★★★ “light-hearted and bizarre performed with precision and spontaneity” Amusements opens with Ikechukwu Ufomadu approaching the microphone clutching a teacup with a pained expression and dressed in a tuxedo. Already inciting laughs, he reactively winces at an audience member opening a crisp packet before addressing
CABLE STREET★★★Southwark Playhouse Borough
CABLE STREET at Southwark Playhouse Borough ★★★ “a good effort to remind the audience of the power of the people against malevolent political forces” It’s not often that you get a musical written about your old street. As a previous resident of one of the roads leading off Cable Street,
“Once glanced at by someone moderately famous”