★★★★★

“an evening of uproarious fun, blasphemy and laughter”

Pantomime season has opened, we’re hurtling toward Christmas so there is no better way to get into the festive spirit than spending an evening at the Pleasance Theatre at this gloriously chaotic remix of Wicked and the Wizard of Oz.

You know you are in for a great evening as soon as you get to your table – the theatre is mostly laid out in cabaret style. The bar has been packed with characters from across the spectrum sending the sound levels sky high, while in the performance space, sparkly lights and a shimmering green fringe curtain get you in the mood for what’s to come.

Soon the green-skinned wicked witch (Gigi Zahir) bursts on to the stage bewailing her lot and spraying curses. Her name, it turns out, is Adele and her departed sister was the unfortunate ruler of Winkie Country killed by Dorothy a few years back. But – the clue is in the name – is she actually wicked or just misunderstood? There are going to be a lot of twists and turns before the end.

Soon Dor (Ro Suppa) and Tin 2.0 (Lew Ray) appear. Dorothy has turned non binary (a joke is made about non-binary, one syllable names) and the Tinman has refashioned into a woman. Dor has been swept out of Kansas (again) by a great wind and dumped down here in Oz-Lington (we get a lot of play on words and on the local setting). There is a great blizzard (get it?) coming to destroy everything and her mission, with Tin, is to save the area from it/him/her/them. That it actually was freezing cold outside, on press evening, somehow added to the fun.

Soon the Good Witch (Eleanor Burke in a magnificent frothy gown) and her brainless assistant, Scarecrow (Nick MacDuff) appear to spread happiness and, with a puppet lion attached to Scarecrow, our cast is complete.

Writer/director Shane ShayShay Konno has given us everything here: a fabulous set and costumes (creations of Isabella van Braeckel); great songs (pop parodies, of course); glorious characters; and lots and lots of audience involvement. The characters are not always what they seem – the good witch (Eleanor Burke) is making a lot of environmentally unfriendly bubbles in spreading joy. There are climate crisis references and diversity tolerance messages; skin tone, cosmetically enhanced boobs and breast removal scars are all present.

Finally, in what must have been a great coup for the cast and creative team, we have two celebrity appearances, albeit on a small drop-down screen, with Jeremy Corbyn (the wizard of Oz-Langton) and Ian McKellen (Toto the dog). Can anyone mimic an old dog, with his tongue hanging out, like Sir Ian?

Forget the tired innuendo of your Aladdins and Jack & the Beanstalks. This is a great drag romp and pantomime brought bang up to date. The cast were all superb, with the outstanding performances belonging to Zahir and Burke as the witches prancing about to audience boos and cheers.

It’s confession time. I don’t follow TikTok, listen to pop songs, or usually go to Christmas pantomimes. Worse, I have never seen Wicked. For cultural references this evening, I was a dinosaur. Most of the parody and jokes went straight over my head, and I failed at the audience singalongs and gesture dances. All of which, after a great evening in the company of massive talent and a fully engaged audience, made me think about how much I must be missing. If you are in the same boat, please make sure you find your way down the yellow brick (Caledonian) road to Oz-Lington for enlightenment and an evening of uproarious fun, blasphemy and laughter.

JANE EYRE

Arcola Theatre

★★★★★

“at once powerful and raw while remaining refined and focused”

Green Opera’s production of John Joubert’s Jane Eyre turns the best parts of opera into a phenomenal work of art. I strongly encourage anyone who “doesn’t like opera” to try it – productions like this will make you think again!

An abridged adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s original story, the audience sees a mysterious woman in white engrossed in a blood red tapestry with branches, keys, books and other plot references suspended above us. As the lights go down, the woman suddenly flits between these objects, foreshadowing what is about to unfold. Then in darkness, tongues of flame illuminate the full cast before the lights come up on the end of Jane’s time at Lowood School. She is considering leaving to become Rochester’s governess at Thornfield Hall and a fierce argument ensues with Brocklehurst, the school’s supervisor, before she frees herself of his cruelty. Times skips forward to Thornfield Hall as Jane rescues Rochester from incendiary catastrophe. It’s clear the two already share feelings for each other and by the close of Act 1 they are planning their future together. However, the course of love never did run smooth, and a shocking revelation forces Jane to flee Thornfield Hall until love finally calls again.

Joubert’s complex score creates a rich and varied soundscape, heightening the emotional rollercoaster we find ourselves on. From clashy, postmodernist discordance, to sublime, soaring harmonies, it perfectly punctuates each scene and drives the plot forward in its own right. The complexity may not be the easiest on the ear for the musically uninitiated; but you don’t need technical knowledge to appreciate musical director and conductor Kenneth Woods’ accomplished interpretation of the conflict and harmony this powerful composition conveys.

Kenneth Birkin’s English libretto is refreshingly selective in its use of source text, emphasising the moments of emotional intensity and skipping over the rest. This creates an emotionally charged experience, elevating key scenes without seeming self-indulgent. In fact, the libretto is surprisingly clear, avoiding too much repetition (an opera bugbear of mine), and holding your attention even if you are familiar with the text. Though anyone unfamiliar with the story would benefit from doing some pre-reading to fill in the gaps.

Another opera bugbear of mine can be the lack of dramatic immersion, especially in more static productions when you’re up in the gods (sadly the only seats I can afford). Producing this in the Arcola Theatre is a revelation, as the intimate space draws us into the cast’s full spectrum of emotions without having to take out a loan. Eleanor Burke’s direction immerses us further, extracting powerful performances and cleverly using space, levels, movement and visually striking symbolism. Though my favourite part is the use of the woman in white and her tapestry. The reason Jane flees Thornfield probably isn’t a surprise and the reveal risks becoming hackneyed; instead Burke uses that prior knowledge to manipulate the narrative, creating tension by foreshadowing events through her. Movement designer Alex Gotch also makes her presence ghostly in new ways, such as her unnatural actions and voiceless breathing.

Emeline Beroud’s set design is a stroke of genius. We open with key plot references lifted from the page and into the air in fragments. There is enough to keep the narrative grounded but their involvement remains delightfully abstract. The minimalist design reflects this abridged adaption and yet packs in a surprising amount of storytelling through very effective symbolism, particularly the recurring motif of red cord which functions as a restraint, fire, societal duty and more at different points, and the unravelling blood red tapestry hanging ominously over the stage.

Beroud’s Georgian inspired costumes are also steeped in symbolism, with an oppressively monochrome palette. Trui Malten’s lighting design appears deceptively simple as initially shadowy, cool lights flicker into flames before warming Jane and Rochester’s blossoming romance with gold tones. It’s simple but inventive, at one point using nails in the wall to cast reaching shadows onto Rochester’s emotional prison. Gotch’s movement design is woven seamlessly throughout the story with a spasmodic ballet – at times dancing, climbing, escaping – overshadowing Jane and Rochester’s love.

The cast is a performance masterclass. Laura Mekhail shows us Jane’s transformation with grace, grit and soul, while showcasing her sparkling soprano top notes and powerful lower register. Hector Bloggs’ booming baritone makes the whole space reverberate with Rochester’s regret and despair. Anna Sideris, Emily Hodkinson and Lawrence Thackeray offer some welcome levity as the Rivers’ family, jokingly showing off their exquisite harmonising. Steffi Fashokun’s Bertha Mason wordlessly conveys deep pain and turmoil. The small but mighty troupe of musicians (Alex Harmon, Aleem Kandour, Daniil Zemtstov, Thomas Vidal, Evangeline Tang, David Wheeler, Lewis Graham) deserve a huge round of applause for their expert performance, filling the space with beautiful, driving sound.

This focused adaption of Jane Eyre is at once powerful and raw while remaining refined and focused. It benefits from a little pre-reading, though as someone who doesn’t love opera I can wholeheartedly say it’s a phenomenal piece of art which works on many levels. Don’t miss your chance to fall in love with opera today!

WICKED WITCHES: A POPULAR PANTO FOR ADULTS!

Pleasance Theatre

★★★★★

“an evening of uproarious fun, blasphemy and laughter”

WICKED WITCHES: A POPULAR PANTO FOR ADULTS!

Pleasance Theatre

Reviewed on 20th November 2025

by Louise Sibley

Photography by Ella Carmen Dale

Previously reviewed at this venue:

WICKED WITCHES

WICKED WITCHES

WICKED WITCHES

JANE EYRE

Arcola Theatre

★★★★★

“at once powerful and raw while remaining refined and focused”

JANE EYRE

Arcola Theatre

Reviewed on 6th August 2025

by Hannah Bothelton

Photography by Camilla Greenwell

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

JANE EYRE

JANE EYRE

JANE EYRE

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