★★★★★

“an invitation into a rare, sensual, and thought-provoking world”

Everything about this show is remarkable and enchanting. Director Paul Foster and choreographer Joanna Goodwin have created a production that is both visually stunning and emotionally resonant—a true triumph in modern musical theatre.

Based on the novel by Compton Mackenzie, Extraordinary Women transports us to the windswept and mysterious isle of Sirene, where a group of fiercely independent women attempt to imagine and build a life without men. It’s a story filled with irony, longing, and layers of identity, elevated by a strong creative vision and a superb ensemble cast.

The performances are nothing short of extraordinary. Sophie-Louise Dann dazzles in multiple roles, including one of the sirens. She brings nuance, wit, and warmth to each of her characters, particularly to Cleo, a talented pianist and one of the complex lovers of Rosalba. Rosalba is portrayed by the brilliant Amy Ellen Richardson, whose charisma on stage is magnetic. Her character is one you might love or hate, but Richardson’s masterful command of song, dance, and emotional range ensures you’re captivated every moment she’s on stage, and eagerly waiting for her return whenever she exits.

Equally commendable are the performances of the other sirens: Jasmine Kerr as the fiery and elegant Ligeia, Amira Matthews as the poetic and mysterious Sappho, and Monique Young as the alluring and sharp-witted Parthenope. Each brings something unique to the stage, contributing to the layered tapestry of characters living on Sirene.

The story unfolds primarily in a grand seaside villa, recently acquired by Aurora, the passionate and devoted lover of Rosalia. Aurora is portrayed with poise and emotional clarity by Caroline Sheen, who lends a grounded warmth to the character. As the summer wanes and the relationships among the women become increasingly tangled, the stakes rise and the show leans into its themes of love, loss, and reinvention.

Though the women shine throughout, special mention must be given to Jack Butterworth, who delivers five distinct roles with impressive versatility, timing, and flair. He provides essential transitions between scenes and tonal shifts, and his adaptability is one of the show’s secret weapons.

Visually, the production is breathtaking. The lighting design by Alex Musgrave is integral to the storytelling, creating a world that feels at once connected and disjointed, fluid and fractured, much like the emotions of the characters. The lighting guides the audience through dreamlike sequences and grounded moments alike, giving each scene its own emotional signature.

Musically, the show is underscored by an ethereal and melancholic motif, a lullaby drifting from a distant piano bar, played live by Sam Sommerfield and James William-Pattison. Their live music feels like a memory you can almost touch.

And then there are the costumes, particularly the sirens’, designed by Carla Joy Evans. They are a visual feast, evoking mythology, femininity, and rebellion, all at once. The effect is heightened by the ingenious set designed by Alex Marker, which captures the charm of a remote Mediterranean island, somewhere off the Gulf of Naples. Though the stage is modest in size, its impact is anything but small.

In the end, Extraordinary Women is more than just a musical, it’s an invitation into a rare, sensual, and thought-provoking world. With its stunning ensemble, unforgettable visuals, and haunting music, it lingers long after the final curtain.

A must-see.

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 on me, apparently, rather than the other way round. It takes the second act to make me realise this, and my puzzled expression turns to one of realisation, all the while a smile reluctantly spreading across my face. The belated appreciation is inadvertently symptomatic of a musical that is, after all, fundamentally about second chances.

You have to ignore the flimsy plot to get to its heart. On the surface the story follows the celebrated matchmaker, Dolly Levi, as she travels to Yonkers, New York, to find a match for the miserly half-millionaire Horace Vandergelder. It soon becomes clear, though, that Dolly intends to marry Horace herself. We think it’s all about the money, but as the twists unravel, we discover the true threads of the tale. Love is in the air, ultimately, conquering feelings of grief and bereavement as it sweeps through the auditorium in waves of feelgood farce. In the title role, Imelda Staunton gives a fantastically understated performance as she slowly lets go of her late husband’s ghost to find her way back to where she belongs.

Based on Thornton Wilder’s 1930s ‘The Matchmaker’, it premiered in 1963; so there is always the danger that today’s audiences will find it outdated and out of style. Yet it conveys a bygone age that we are willing to be transported back to. Escapism is the key. Rae Smith’s sumptuous sets mix turn of the century realism with animated backdrops; rickety trolleybuses and sandstone buildings with blue skies – into which, at one point, a full-size steam train billows out clouds of steam. Smith’s costumes match the opulence of the production, particularly during the signature scene in which Dolly descends the famous staircase of the Harmonia Gardens restaurant. The title number of ‘Hello Dolly’ builds slowly towards its ovation-grabbing finale. Dancing waiters and chefs epitomise Bill Deamer’s extravagant and flawless choreography. Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival, except for a few lines of Michael Stewart’s book. Yet the execution is faultless, and Jerry Herman’s music and lyrics are given full flight, buoyed up by the twenty strong orchestra down in the pit.

Staunton, to her credit, never steals the show in what is pretty much an ensemble piece (that also boasts one of the largest ensembles in London – it has more swings than a holiday camp playground). Andy Nyman’s Horace Vandergelder is a gently mocking Scrooge, extending his derision to himself as much as anyone else. His rebellious employees, Cornelius Hackl and Barnaby Tucker (respectively Harry Hepple and the underused Tyrone Huntley) make a fine comedy double act that borders on cliché but thankfully just stops short. The other star turn comes courtesy of Jenna Russell’s Irene Molloy, the milliner who craves to swap her hat shop for a love nest yet is more than twice shy having been bitten by grief too many times.

The songs are not so much old fashioned as old school. Refreshingly nostalgic and timeless. Russell delivers one of the highlights; ‘Ribbons Down My Back’ with an aching hunger while some of the other rousing numbers fill us with joy. Staunton, of course, makes ‘Hello Dolly’ (the song and the show) her own, betraying a unique sense of self-doubt within her layered character. She likes to be in control of everybody’s lives, including her own, but her femininity is never victim to her feminism. There is strength and vulnerability. But also a glorious sense of fun. “It’s no use arguing – I have made up your mind” Dolly says to the redemptive Vandergelder.

There is no arguing with the success of this show either, or the ovation it received. Admittedly the first act drifts a bit, but by curtain call it is well and truly ‘back where it belongs’.

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Jermyn Street Theatre

★★★★★

“an invitation into a rare, sensual, and thought-provoking world”

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

Jermyn Street Theatre

Reviewed on 25th July 2025

by Beatrice Morandi

Photography by Steve Gregson

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN

HELLO, DOLLY! at the London Palladium

★★★★

“Nothing seems out of place in Dominic Cooke’s staging of this revival”

HELLO, DOLLY! at the London Palladium

Reviewed on 18th July 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Manuel Harlan

More reviews from Jonathan:

HELLO, DOLLY!

HELLO, DOLLY!