RECOMMENDED SHOWS CURRENTLY STILL PLAYING
🎭 TOP TOURING SHOW 2024 🎭WAR HORSE ★★★★★UK Tour
WAR HORSE at The Lowry ★★★★★ “Every part is played with truth and passion, the cast make us feel, even cry at times” The National Theatre’s new production based on the well known, much loved book by author Michael Morpurgo, is compelling viewing. A powerful indictment of conflict and the
BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL★★★★UK Tour
BAT OUT OF HELL THE MUSICAL Peacock Theatre ★★★★ “a non-stop blockbuster of a musical” Jim Steinman’s epic rock and roll masterpiece returns to London as part of its UK tour. Whispers of Meat Loaf’s original song greet the incoming audience, like hearing a ghost from the past. There are
SABRAGE★★★★Lafayette
SABRAGE Lafayette ★★★★ “a stream of virtuosity, acrobatics, dancing, singing, burlesque, gravity-defying feats, sassiness, sexiness and humour is unleashed onto the stage” ‘Lafayette’ is a name that conjures exoticism, glamour, and a Parisienne ‘je-ne-sais-quoi’; mixed in with the ‘big-easy’ hedonism of New Orleans. But tucked away in London’s King’s Cross,
🎭 A TOP SHOW IN NOVEMBER 2024 🎭THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA★★★★★Dominion Theatre
THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA at the Dominion Theatre ★★★★★ “Crisp, dazzling, bold and brash” Back in 2003 a young woman was hired as a personal assistant to a very well-known editor-in-chief for ‘Vogue’ magazine. When Dame Anna Wintour (for it was she) learned that a novel (reportedly earning its author
🎭 A TOP SHOW IN FEBRUARY 2024 🎭HADESTOWN★★★★★Lyric Theatre
HADESTOWN at the Lyric Theatre ★★★★★ “Hadestown is the West End musical you’ll want to see this year. And next year. And the year after.” Hadestown is that remarkable thing: an adaptation of a tragic Greek myth that isn’t an opera or a film, or a series of elegiac poems,
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG★★★★★Duchess Theatre
THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG at the Duchess Theatre ★★★★★ “May it enjoy 10 more years of destroyed sets and injured cast members!” The Play That Goes Wrong celebrates its 10th anniversary this year making it the 28th longest-running show on the West End. Conceived by the Mischief Theatre Company,
CANDY★★★★White Bear Theatre
CANDY White Bear Theatre ★★★★ “a truly enthralling seventy minutes of theatre about love and addiction” Can love truly conquer all? Candy, the stage adaptation of Luke Davies’ novel about love and heroin addiction, would argue it cannot. Director and co-adaptor Kate Elliott along with star and co-adaptor Freya James,
THE RECKONING★★★★Arcola Theatre
THE RECKONING Arcola Theatre ★★★★ “a beautiful tribute to the lives of Ukrainian war survivors” Dash Arts has brought to life transcripts of Ukraine War survivors, creating a wonderful verbatim art piece that reminds us not to forget the people behind the numbers. Co-written by Anastasiia Kosodii and Josephine Burton
THE FIFTH STEP★★★★@Sohoplace
THE FIFTH STEP @Sohoplace ★★★★ “the direction is slick and there’s always a sense that something is around the corner” About halfway through this bracing alcohol-and-redemption two-hander, James suddenly appears in a rabbit’s head. This is a call-back to a dream that Luka recounts, Luka being a newcomer to the
GIFFORDS CIRCUS: LAGUNA BAY★★★★★UK Tour
GIFFORDS CIRCUS: LAGUNA BAY Chiswick House and Gardens ★★★★★ “The drizzle is still hanging in the air, but the sunshine created by this extraordinary circus show is still blazing in our hearts” Giffords Circus is as old as the Millennium. Which makes it sound old, until you remember that this
LETTERS FROM MAX★★★★Hampstead Theatre
LETTERS FROM MAX Hampstead Theatre ★★★★ “The pair occupy the stage for two hours but there is rarely a moment that does not busy the mind or heart” The friendship of Sarah Ruhl and her student Max Ritvo was lyrical, beautiful and tragically – horrendously – short. Ruhl’s epistolary play,
THE MOUNTAINTOP★★★★Royal Lyceum Theatre
THE MOUNTAINTOP Royal Lyceum Theatre ★★★★ “a powerful play with a satisfying, if unrealistic, ending” Katori Hall’s award winning play The Mountaintop is a timely revival at Edinburgh’s Lyceum Theatre, as the United States once again faces, in King’s words, “the urgency of the moment.” Directed by Rikki Henry, with
MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION★★★★★Garrick Theatre
MRS WARREN’S PROFESSION Garrick Theatre ★★★★★ “A masterfully acted, visually exquisite and morally knotty production” Dominic Cooke’s production of George Bernard Shaw’s Mrs Warren’s Profession receives a thrillingly sharp and stylish revival that balances moral complexity, aesthetic beauty, and arresting performances. This production proves Shaw can still provoke and entertain,
THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK★★★★★Riverside Studios
THE EMPIRE STRIPS BACK Riverside Studios ★★★★★ “a beautiful representation of the power of live performance” I can confidently say that you do not need to have seen Star Wars to enjoy this show. I say that because, shamefully, I went to see this without having ever seen it. With
STILETTO★★★★Charing Cross Theatre
STILETTO Charing Cross Theatre ★★★★ “a luscious musical that intrigues and teases with, rather than pulls, our heartstring” The first thing you notice about the new musical, “Stiletto”, is the opulence of Ceci Calf’s set. Dimly lit in the pre-show, it depicts not so much a Venetian palazzo but something
SHUCKED★★★★★Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
SHUCKED Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ★★★★★ “The fun factor is dolloped on as thick as melted butter on crispy corn on the cob” You can imagine exactly whereabouts in the United States Cob County (the fictional location for the musical comedy “Shucked”) would lie. Somewhere on the border of
🎭 A TOP SHOW IN NOVEMBER 2024 🎭THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON ★★★★★Ambassadors Theatre
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON at the Ambassadors Theatre ★★★★★ “every member of the ensemble cast is a vital cog in the intricate mechanism of this fine piece of theatre” Five years ago, “The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” unveiled itself to little fanfare at Southwark Playhouse. Jethro Compton’s
QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT★★★★UK Tour
QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT London Palladium ★★★★ “stirring, faithful and poignant” Two questions immediately spring to mind. The first is: why candlelight? Why does the stage of the London Palladium have the appearance of a Guns N’ Roses video dressed as it is with hundreds of flickering (albeit artificial) flames. There
MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE★★★★Duchess Theatre
MURDER, SHE DIDN’T WRITE Duchess Theatre ★★★★ “The direction is astounding to maintain a delicate balance between a comedy and the central ‘whodunit.’” Over 13 years since its first performance, Murder, She Didn’t Write is still touring and delighting audiences more than ever as it embarks on a UK tour
HOUSE OF LIFE★★★★★UK Tour
HOUSE OF LIFE Soho Theatre ★★★★★ “this is how art can uplift and bring hope in trying times.” Sheep Soup’s Gospel Church inspired Rave brings joy to the heart of London with this wonderful hour’s worth of music, glitter and audience interaction. An experience that not only aims to bring
THE BRIGHTENING AIR★★★★Old Vic
THE BRIGHTENING AIR Old Vic ★★★★ “a rich and entertaining family drama” “How are you doing?”, a priest asks jittery Dermot (Chris O’Dowd) midway through this fine new play. “I’m fine”, replies deadpan Dermot, although “the circumstances around me are challenging”. Dermot is not alone in his plight. In the
ROCKY HORROR SHOW★★★★UK Tour
ROCKY HORROR SHOW at the Dominion Theatre ★★★★ “pure anarchic campy joy” First produced at The Royal Court in 1973, Rocky Horror has been entrancing its cult fan base for over 50 years and this new production follows confidently in the show’s successful footsteps. The plot is incoherent, and broadly
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF★★★★★Barbican
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Barbican ★★★★★ “Fein’s direction and Julia Cheng’s muscular choreography is marked by sublime precision” In its Barbican transfer, director Jordan Fein’s revelatory Fiddler on the Roof retains the elemental power that made it a five-star phenomenon in Regent’s Park. He strips the beloved 1964 musical of
THE COMEDY ABOUT SPIES★★★★Noël Coward Theatre
THE COMEDY ABOUT SPIES Noël Coward Theatre ★★★★ “another all-conquering crowd-pleasing triumph” There’s a reliable joy to a Mischief Company production – a blend of manic precision, cheerful chaos, and the comforting sense that, whatever happens – or doesn’t – you’re in safe hands. The writing team of Henry Lewis
RETROGRADE★★★★Apollo Theatre
RETROGRADE Apollo Theatre ★★★★ “the tension is expertly paced, punctuated with sharp quips and well-timed barbs that keep the drama crackling” Ryan Calais Cameron’s Retrograde is a taut and electrifying drama that captures a pivotal moment in Sidney Poitier’s career and moral journey. It’s the mid-1950s, and Poitier is on
BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF★★★★UK Tour
BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF Theatre Royal Windsor ★★★★ “Tragedy and farce link arms and are not afraid to share the same lines of dialogue.” Although Alan Bleasdale wrote the original series of television plays before Margaret Thatcher came to power, it wasn’t first broadcast until 1982 and was consequently seen
MARIE AND ROSETTA★★★★★UK Tour
MARIE AND ROSETTA Rose Theatre ★★★★★ “soul-stirring, celebratory and foot-tappingly uplifting” It is sometimes extraordinary how a figure can fade into the back pages of history. Sister Rosetta Tharpe was a huge star in the 1930s and 40s, who struck a chord with a white electric guitar slung around her
ELEPHANT★★★★Menier Chocolate Factory
ELEPHANT Menier Chocolate Factory ★★★★ “We are fascinated by what Lucas has to say, but it’s the music that truly speaks for itself” As we sit round an upright piano, we are given an in-depth analysis of the aftereffects of striking a piano key. How the slim slab of ivory
