I WANT MY HAT BACK TRILOGY★★★★★Little Angel Studios
I WANT MY HAT BACK TRILOGY Little Angel Studios ★★★★★ “witty, visually inventive, and profoundly charming” There is a specific kind of alchemy that happens at the Little Angel Theatre, and this production of the I Want My Hat Back Trilogy is perhaps its purest form. Directed by Ian Nicholson
ARCADIA★★★★★Old Vic
ARCADIA Old Vic ★★★★★ “extremely intelligent, stimulating, challenging and fun” It is rare in the theatre when the question about why jam cannot be ‘unstirred’ from a bowl of rice pudding sets our thoughts on a mind-boggling tangent about the universe. But it epitomises the skill and the beauty of
GUIDELINES★★★★New Diorama Theatre
GUIDELINES New Diorama Theatre ★★★★ “Punchy, pacy and full of bite” Something sinister lurks beneath social media’s glossy veneer. CONGLOMERATE’s debut show, ‘Guidelines’, is a striking new work fusing nuance, power, levity and darkness into something eerie and exhilarating. Two sisters in a wood. A dancing man. A frog with
THE VIRGINS★★★Soho Theatre
THE VIRGINS Soho Theatre ★★★ “The writer has this gossipy girl talk just right and it’s exquisite” Virginity, and the loss thereof, is a big money game. Miriam Battye’s playful script initially lowers the stakes when sweet 16-year-old pals Jess and Chloe convene in the bathroom ahead of their big
THE GAMBLER★★★★Coronet Theatre
THE GAMBLER Coronet Theatre ★★★★ “a vital and dramatic production that draws us out of our comfort zone” Fyodor Dostoevsky wrote his short novel, ‘The Gambler’, under pressure to repay gambling debts. Originally set in a hotel and casino in an unnamed German city, the themes inevitably reflect his own
DEBATE: BALDWIN VS BUCKLEY★★★★Wilton’s Music Hall
DEBATE: BALDWIN VS BUCKLEY Wilton’s Music Hall ★★★★ “a vital reminder that dangerous ideas often come speaking eloquently and dressed in a nice suit” In 1965, two prominent American intellectuals, acclaimed Black author James Baldwin and white conservative commentator William F. Buckley Jr. met at Cambridge University to debate the
LOST ATOMS★★★★Lyric Hammersmith
LOST ATOMS Lyric Hammersmith ★★★★ “Sometimes quirky, often heartbreaking, but invariably mesmerising” ‘Your future self is watching you right now through your memories’. The quotation, which has wormed its way into meme status on social media, can be traced back to biomedical scientist Aubrey de Grey, but any free thinker
DAGMARR’S DIMANCHE★★★Crazy Coqs
DAGMARR’S DIMANCHE Crazy Coqs ★★★ “plenty of star quality, with stunning vocals and a carefully curated set list” If you’re craving golden age Hollywood glamour, the next instalment of Dagmarr’s Dimanche: ‘Songs from the Cinema’ at Crazy Coqs delivers silver screen seductresses, past and present. Though the opening is a
A LESSON FROM AUSCHWITZ★★★White Bear Theatre
A LESSON FROM AUSCHWITZ White Bear Theatre ★★★ “crisply executed, powerful and deliberately gruelling” Auschwitz, 1941. Topical? On the day this quasi-monologue was staged at the White Bear Theatre, The Washington Post reported that US Immigration and Customs Enforcement was acquiring a series of sprawling industrial warehouses in at least
MATES★★★★Hen and Chickens Theatre
MATES Hen and Chickens Theatre ★★★★ “playful, delightfully bonkers yet intelligently conceived” Mates – ‘sounds like something you’d put on at a pub’ complains one of the budding actors early on in this exuberant and often hilarious metatheatrical comedy; and indeed, it is. Or rather, a highly reputable theatre above
JACK AND HIS GIANT STALK★★★★Brick Lane Music Hall
JACK AND HIS GIANT STALK Brick Lane Music Hall ★★★★ “delightfully chaotic” February may be looming, but there’s still time to catch Brick Lane Music Hall’s bright and bawdy adult panto, ‘Jack and His Giant Stalk’. Paired with a hearty meal and classic music hall camaraderie, it’s a memorable antidote
BALLAD LINES★★★★Southwark Playhouse Elephant
BALLAD LINES Southwark Playhouse Elephant ★★★★ “a fearless exploration of motherhood and self definition, powered by a searing score and phenomenal cast” Craving more folk in your theatre? Fear not – ‘Ballad Lines’ begins its anticipated London debut. Spanning centuries of womanhood, this sweeping folk musical blends heart, humour and
BIGRE / “FISH BOWL”★★★★Peacock Theatre
BIGRE / “FISH BOWL” Peacock Theatre ★★★★ “heartfelt, inventive and highly entertaining” Once upon a time, three people met and found themselves far closer than they ever intended. Not because they shared interests or similarities, quite the opposite. They have almost nothing in common, and their unlikely proximity only seems
MRS PRESIDENT★★★Charing Cross Theatre
MRS PRESIDENT Charing Cross Theatre ★★★ “exciting and compelling to watch” There are a few key questions at the heart of Mrs President, a reworked and deepened version of John Ransom Phillips’ play, first presented last year. Who gets to control your image, especially when a visual representation is intended
JORVIK★★★The Glitch
JORVIK The Glitch ★★★ “an hour of tremendous fun” Down in the depths of the underground warren of spaces near Waterloo, the Vikings have arrived and are in battle. Or are planning their invasion of Northumbria. Or are celebrating their success with stories. I was never fully clear about what
CABLE STREET★★½Marylebone Theatre
CABLE STREET Marylebone Theatre ★★½ “an important story with a compelling core and an impressive cast” After two sold out 2024 runs, ‘Cable Street’ marches back into London. Based on the Battle of Cable Street, where ordinary people stood up to antisemitism and fascism, this musical offers a timely take
