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MAISIE ADAM – APPRAISAL

★★★★

UK Tour

MAISIE ADAM – APPRAISAL at the Tyne Theatre & Opera House ★★★★ “a welcomingly confrontational and awkward evening of stand-up with a bit of something for everyone” On the biggest night of her new tour, Maisie Adam presents a raucous night of heckling the audience right back, and journeying through

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PORT CITY SIGNATURE

★★★½

Hope Theatre

PORT CITY SIGNATURE at the Hope Theatre ★★★½ “a riveting, exciting watch” Port City Signature by Nathaniel Brimmer-Beller is a Noir-styled suspense story centred around the arrival of the naïve Newcomer into the local public house after having missed her train home. The mistrustful Regular and his sex-working partner-in-crime, Lady

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PAST TENTS

★★★

Golden Goose Theatre

PAST TENTS at the Golden Goose Theatre ★★★ “The actors, as writers, producers and performers, are committed and sincere.” Alan and Justin take a lot of getting used to. Alan, in particular, is a rancid bundle of petty aggression and intolerance. He literally crashes into a campsite having totalled his

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THE RIVER

★★★

Greenwich Theatre

THE RIVER at the Greenwich Theatre ★★★ “each actor was incredibly committed and the chemistry between them was fantastic” Jez Butterworth’s The River returns to London at the Greenwich Theatre. A play about a man who takes his girlfriends to a lovely country cabin by a river. Yet he is

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FRONTIERS

★★★★

Sadler’s Wells Theatre

FRONTIERS at Sadler’s Wells Theatre ★★★★ “an impressive showcase of talent, both established and on the up” The National Ballet of Canada arrived at Sadler’s Wells this season for the first time in over a decade. Company Director Hope Muir leans into the national heritage with a programme of works

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INCARNATION

★★★★

Theatre Royal Drury Lane

INCARNATION at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane ★★★★ “Caruso is a meticulous performer; each step choreographed with a purpose” “I remember that day like it was yesterday. I remember being tied up, being unable to speak. I remember how much I hurt trying to escape”. Maria Caruso’s pre-recorded voice swoops

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THE HISTORY BOYS

★★★★

UK Tour

THE HISTORY BOYS at the Cambridge Arts Theatre ★★★★ “an enjoyable and important revival of a play that has become a modern classic” Alan Bennett’s much-loved play celebrates the 20th anniversary of its National Theatre first performance with a new production and a national tour (Director Seán Linnen). The period

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ONE SMALL STEP

★★

Charing Cross Theatre

ONE SMALL STEP at the Charing Cross Theatre ★★ “Milla Clarke’s slowly revolving set reflects a narrative going round in circles” Set in the not-too-distant future, Takuya Kato’s “One Small Step” depicts a society where colonising the moon has become a practical reality. The scenario throws up many questions, some

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TUTU

★★★

Peacock Theatre

TUTU at the Peacock Theatre ★★★ “all six dancers look mighty fine in mini tutus and costumes, and all have beautiful classical technique – and legs” Tutu is dance-theatre from the French dance company Chicos Mambo, performed by a company of six male dancers who don’t take themselves too seriously.

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THE CABINET MINISTER

★★★★

Menier Chocolate Factory

THE CABINET MINISTER at the Menier Chocolate Factory ★★★★ “a lavish excursion into genteel decadence, handsomely mounted and delivered with flair.” The Twombleys’ London townhouse could pass as a railway tearoom such is the scale of arrivals and departures in Nancy Carroll’s perky interpretation of Arthur Wing Pinero’s family farce.

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REDLANDS

★★★★

Chichester Festival Theatre

REDLANDS at the Chichester Festival Theatre ★★★★ “Justin Audibert’s direction infuses the production with energy, enhancing the psychedelic ambience of the time” Redlands, a new play by Charlotte Jones, deliciously delivers an enthralling portrayal of a pivotal moment in cultural history. This fictionalised account of the infamous 1967 trial of

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NEVER LET ME GO

★★★

Rose Theatre

NEVER LET ME GO at the Rose Theatre ★★★ “Despite being engaging, it is nowhere near as devastating as it should, or could, be.” Back in 1997, the most famous sheep in the world grabbed our attention. Her name was Dolly. The first large mammal to be successfully cloned. Obviously,

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THE KING’S SPEECH

★★★★

Watermill Theatre

THE KING’S SPEECH at the Watermill Theatre ★★★★ “Peter Sandys-Clarke gives an excellent performance as the ‘dear, dear man’ held in a vocal prison by his childhood trauma.” Playwright David Seidler (1937–2024) developed a stammer at the age of three as his family travelled from the UK to the US

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COLIN HOULT: COLIN

★★★★

UK Tour

COLIN HOULT: COLIN at the Soho Theatre ★★★★ “a beautifully constructed show, every chaotic choice pays off” Colin Hoult was named after his father, and so he grew up as little (likkle) Colin. This is the springboard for a warm and moving show that muses on the language of neurodiversity,

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“Once glanced at by someone moderately famous”