DEPTFORD BABY★★★Jack Studio Theatre
DEPTFORD BABY at Jack Studio Theatre ★★★ “a successful ode to community strength and resilience in the face of larger forces” Deptford Baby is an anarchic, freewheeling, and joyous expression of local pride in the face of the rising tide of gentrification, inflected with the language of Southeast London’s community,
WUTHERING HEIGHTS★★★★Crossrail Place Roof Garden
WUTHERING HEIGHTS at the Crossrail Place Roof Garden ★★★★ “almost Shakespearian at times in the rhythm of the language yet peppered with modern profanities and anachronisms” One always admires companies who tackle outdoor shows in the UK. They are always risky undertakings, what Oscar Wilde would describe as a ‘triumph
THE BOX★★★White Bear Theatre
THE BOX at the White Bear Theatre ★★★ “a good watchable show, with some interesting themes to explore” Brian Coyle’s ‘The Box’ follows Tom (Martin Edwards) and Kate (Sarah Lawrie), a couple with a mysterious box in their lounge. How are the box and the pair connected? That’s one of
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST★★★★Reading Abbey Ruins
THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST at Reading Abbey Ruins ★★★★ “a wonderful adaptation of the Wilde Classic in a uniquely atmospheric setting” The wit of the famed Irish playwright sparkled in the evening sun in this outdoor production by Progress Theatre. In the shadow of the gaol in which he
HELLO, DOLLY!★★★★London Palladium
HELLO, DOLLY! at the London Palladium ★★★★ “Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival” By interval, while slowly making my way through the bottleneck towards the bar, I’m feeling a bit like the child from ‘The Emperor’s New Clothes’ folk tale. Only the joke is
SH!T-FACED A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM★★★★Leicester Square Theatre
SH!T-FACED A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Leicester Square Theatre ★★★★ “With the actors all multi-rolling throughout the run, each performance feels fresh – packed with improv and lightning quick reactions” Sh!tfaced Shakespeare is, by now, a well-known commodity. This year marks their eleventh year at Edinburgh Fringe, their fourteenth year
VISIT FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN★★Hampstead Theatre
VISIT FROM AN UNKNOWN WOMAN at Hampstead Theatre ★★ “Hampton is not a writer known for his humour, but the script is relentlessly grim” Since Hampstead Theatre lost its Arts Council funding their programming has been shaped by the need for philanthropic donations. It seems a safe choice then, to
DORIAN: THE MUSICAL★★½Southwark Playhouse Borough
DORIAN: THE MUSICAL at Southwark Playhouse Borough ★★½ “George Renshaw as Harry Wotton gives a show stealing solo performance” Oscar Wilde seems to be having a bit of a moment. There is a production of The Importance of Being Earnest upcoming at the National Theatre, and The Picture of Dorian
MEAN GIRLS★★★★★Savoy Theatre
MEAN GIRLS at the Savoy Theatre ★★★★★ “The performances are rich and joyous. It’s hard to take a part that’s so familiar and make it your own, but this cast does it.” In case you’ve been living under a rock, this show is a Covid delayed U.K. premiere of the
BARNUM★★★★Watermill Theatre
BARNUM at the Watermill Theatre ★★★★ “it’s the songs and the thrill of the circus big top that makes this production sing” Cy Coleman’s Barnum is a big, big-top musical in the small Watermill Theatre proving that size doesn’t matter, as this is a big bold production. The skillset of
CELEBRATING LIONEL BART★★★JW3
CELEBRATING LIONEL BART at JW3 ★★★ “the star of the evening is Michaela Stern who beautifully concludes the show” “There are many lyrics which wouldn’t get past the sensitivity reader these days” quips Nigel Planer before launching into a tongue-in-cheek rendition of Lionel Bart’s ‘Living Doll’. He singles out the
SKELETON CREW★★★★Donmar Warehouse
SKELETON CREW at the Donmar Warehouse ★★★★ “a subtle and quiet portrayal of people who feel real and vivid” Not a lot happens in this play but that’s the crux of its genius. It elevates the everyday. It’s about everything and nothing. Written in 2014 and first performed in New
YOUR LIE IN APRIL★★★Harold Pinter Theatre
YOUR LIE IN APRIL at the Harold Pinter Theatre ★★★ “a fun-filled show, packed with bubbly pop numbers and heartfelt performances.” The net is wide for source material for musicals so an adaptation of a hit manga turned anime feels like a ripe opportunity both for visual delights, and for
CARLOS ACOSTA’S CARMEN★★★★Sadler’s Wells Theatre
CARLOS ACOSTA’S CARMEN at Sadler’s Wells Theatre ★★★★ “a spectacular fusion of the traditional and modern, of classical opera and Cuban flavour” Carlos Acosta’s Carmen is the choreographer and dance legend’s second adaption of Bizet’s classic opera, following a one-act production in 2015, and it sparkles with life, featuring the
GLITCH★★★★Minghella Theatre
GLITCH at the Minghella Theatre ★★★★ “Liz Elvin doesn’t give us theatrical fireworks, but something much more subtle and involving” What has been described as ‘the biggest miscarriage of justice in British legal history’ is the focus of this interesting new play by Zannah Kearns. It is drawn from Nick
THE GIANT KILLERS★★★★UK Tour
THE GIANT KILLERS at Wilton’s Music Hall ★★★★ “This is a story of flat cap versus top hat, the salt of the earth against the posh and toffee-nosed and it’s firmly on the side of the underdog” Falling firmly in the middle of the off-season with only the European Championships
THE SECRET GARDEN★★★Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
THE SECRET GARDEN at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ★★★ “With a strong ensemble cast directed tightly by Anna Himali Howard the first act was a delight” A normal child would cry but Mary Lennox is not a “normal child” as we discover in Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic children’s novel,
HASBIAN★★★★Omnibus Theatre
HASBIAN at the Omnibus Theatre ★★★★ “This is an impressive play with real heart” Has-bian. Slang for someone who ‘was’ a lesbian. But what does that really mean? Society’s understanding of sexual (and gender) identity has become more fluid in recent years. The binary of gay or straight is being
NEXT TO NORMAL★★★★★Wyndham’s Theatre
NEXT TO NORMAL at Wyndham’s Theatre ★★★★★ “as close to extraordinary as is physically possible” Many years ago, as a young father, I often interrupted my children’s playtime by asking what they were doing. They never thought it an intrusion – always happy to answer. One particular day, in response
THE MARILYN CONSPIRACY★★★★Park Theatre
THE MARILYN CONSPIRACY at Park Theatre ★★★★ “Genevieve Gaunt captures the mannerisms and the breathy vocals without resorting to cliché” Vicki McKellar and Guy Masterson’s “The Marilyn Conspiracy” is an intricately structured new drama, that undulates chronologically. Like a pendulum, swinging between the ‘before’ and ‘after’; in the centre of
“Once glanced at by someone moderately famous”