RECOMMENDED SHOWS CURRENTLY STILL PLAYING
A Christmas Carol★★★★★The Old Vic
A CHRISTMAS CAROL at the The Old Vic ★★★★★ “The quality and theatricality of this production is unparalleled” Few pieces of literature have had such a profound impact on how we think of Christmas today as Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol. Has the festive season truly begun unless you’ve read
She Stoops to Conquer★★★★Orange Tree Theatre
SHE STOOPS TO CONQUER at the Orange Tree Theatre ★★★★ “It is the sharp wit and intelligence of the language that sustains the piece and cushions it from the risk of being labelled dated” Oliver Goldsmith’s period comedy, “She Stoops to Conquer”, was first performed in London a quarter of
A Pissedmas Carol★★★★★Leicester Square Theatre
A PISSEDMAS CAROL at Leicester Square Theatre ★★★★★ “a rollicking good time” There’s nothing better to get you in the Christmas mood than a smashed Ebenezer Scrooge slurring his way through some festive pop songs while ranting about free range chicken eggs. ‘A Pissedmas Carol’ is a retelling of A
A Sherlock Carol★★★★Marylebone Theatre
A SHERLOCK CAROL at the Marylebone Theatre ★★★★ “one of the cleverest and most entertaining of the current festive productions” Sherlock Holmes was just thirty-seven years old when he was reported to have died in the Reichenbach Falls in 1891; having fallen to his death in a struggle with the
The Little Big Things★★★★Sohoplace
THE LITTLE BIG THINGS at @Sohoplace ★★★★ “The script may read like a Hallmark greetings card at times, but the show has all the hallmarks of a major hit.” Being challenged in life is inevitable, but being defeated is optional. So runs one of the tag lines for Henry Fraser’s
Nutcracker★★★★★Tuff Nutt Jazz Club
NUTCRACKER at the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club ★★★★★ “McOnie’s clarity of vision and impeccable execution results in a production that is fun, fanciful, and doesn’t take itself too seriously” Entering the Tuff Nutt Jazz Club, squirrelled away underneath the Royal Festival Hall on the Southbank, you can already tell you’re
A Christmas Carol: A Ghost Story★★★★Alexandra Palace Theatre
A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY at Alexandra Palace Theatre ★★★★ “The icing on the (Christmas) cake is Paul Wills’ set” You might think that an adaptation of Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol” by Mark Gatiss, whose credits include ‘The League of Gentlemen’, ‘Little Britain’, ‘Inside No. 9’, ‘Sherlock’ and
Sleeping Beauty Takes a Prick!★★★★Charing Cross Theatre
SLEEPING BEAUTY TAKES A PRICK! at Charing Cross Theatre ★★★★ “a fabulously silly night out of innuendo, double entendres and tongue twisting rhymes” Pantomime is one of Britain’s most enduring Yuletide traditions. Its origins go back to 16th century Italian Commedia dell’Arte although, as with most Christmas traditions, it was
Backstairs Billy★★★★Duke of York’s Theatre
BACKSTAIRS BILLY at the Duke of York’s Theatre ★★★★ “Evans’ performance is majestic in itself – flamboyant, teasing and mischievous, yet complicated” William Tallon started writing letters to the Royal Household, asking for work, when he was aged ten. His dream was achieved five years later, in 1951, when he
Ikaria★★★★Park Theatre
IKARIA at the Park Theatre ★★★★ “The performances are strong, with excellent chemistry and range” Ikaria is both the name of an idyllic Greek island, and the deeply bleak student halls where this play takes place. This dark juxtaposition is indicative of a script filled with ironic humour, but also
King Lear★★★★Wyndham’s Theatre
KING LEAR at Wyndham’s Theatre ★★★★ “an approachable and nothing-to-fear Lear” Kenneth Branagh acts in and directs this welcome West End Shakespearean production. Compressed into two hours and performed without an interval, this is an approachable and nothing-to-fear Lear. When on stage, Branagh leads from the front, always at the
Dear England★★★★★Prince Edward Theatre
DEAR ENGLAND at the Prince Edward Theatre ★★★★★ “This is a football play for people who don’t necessarily like football” James Graham is writing history in real time. This open-ended chronicle of Gareth Southgate’s turnaround of the England Men’s football team’s footballing culture has built a rightful reputation as a
A Woman Walks Into a Bank★★★★★Theatre503
A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK at Theatre503 ★★★★★ “there’s lots of laughs. In a doleful, what-can-you-expect-this-is-Russia kind of way” Roxy Cook’s A Woman Walks Into A Bank is a thoroughly delightful—yet pointed, in the way that Gogol’s Dead Souls is pointed—portrait of a corrupt and brutal society drunk on
Aladdin★★★★Hackney Empire
ALADDIN at the Hackney Empire ★★★★ “Clive Rowe is truly the grand dame of panto dames” Stuff Shakespeare, Pantomime is probably my favourite theatrical tradition. There are not many other settings where you can have babies, grandparents, and long-suffering assorted other relatives entertained for a couple of hours by good
Two Strangers (Carry A Cake Across New York)★★★★★Kiln Theatre
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) at the Kiln Theatre ★★★★★ “Tim Jackson’s lively production never misses a beat, played out on a revolve that circles Soutra Gilmour’s ingenious set” Given a limited amount of time, would you rather spend it with someone you’ve never met or with
The Mongol Khan★★★★★London Coliseum
THE MONGOL KHAN at the London Coliseum ★★★★★ “its scale is epic, almost biblical” Apparently, “The Mongol Khan” is a milestone for Mongolian theatre. It marks the first time that a play has been exported outside of the country. To say that it is an eye opener is an understatement.
