★★★

“The themes are beautifully dealt with in song”

Moominvalley in November is a musical homage to Tove Jansson’s much loved Moomin family. Most particularly it is based on her final book in which the Moomins themselves never actually appear.

It’s important to say that upfront because if you haven’t actually read this book (as a child I read and adored all the early ones) you – and any children you bring along – are going to be very disappointed not to see even one hippopotamus-like creature on stage. There is a slight exception to this, but that would be giving too much away.

What this piece is actually about is loss, resilience and rediscovery. The book itself, on publication, was hailed as a meditation for all ages (they all are) and “the wisest and most moving book about mourning that I have ever read” (Frank Cottrell Boyce). Bear that in mind as you go and see this.

The story centres around five very different characters – some of whom we have met in Jansson’s other books, such as Snufkin – who find themselves arriving at Moominvalley, just before winter. They arrive simultaneously, all seeking the comfort of the family for different reasons. All are devastated to find the family gone, not to return. Over the course of the next two hours they have to come to terms with this, learn about getting along with each other, and undertake their own transformation.

The choice by Hans Jacob Hoeglund (book, music and lyrics) to turn this tale into a musical, was absolutely the right choice. The themes are beautifully dealt with in song. Not all of them come off, but there are one or two that you will find yourself humming as you leave the theatre. The set (Lu Herbert) is suitably whimsical. Director and choreographer Amanda Noar extracts committed performances from the actors: Jane Quinn, Matthew Heywood, Stuart Simons, Izzie Winter, Martin Callaghan and Abigail Yeo. They are all fine singers and good physical actors; and the pace of the production never lets up.

Yet somehow, for all the energy – and a huge, talented, creative team – it doesn’t quite gel properly and comes over as chaotic. My theatre-going companion, who had no previous knowledge of the Moomin books (hard to believe, but there are some) was bewildered: she had no idea what was going on and found the characters unlovable. That is a serious fault: Jansson always handled oddness with brilliance and empathy. Throughout her books, readers are led to open their hearts to even the most weird and potentially repellent – think Groke, who gets a mention here. Jansson’s writing is celebrated worldwide, not just for its beauty but also because early on she showed the case for tolerance and understanding.

I suspect the team should have paid more attention to the reality that any stage production of a loved book must, ultimately, be able to stand on its own. This is a musical being premiered at Upstairs at the Gatehouse and has great potential. It needs a clearer narrative and tough filtering to warm our hearts and to open up the beautiful story to a new Moomin audience.

MAKE ENGLAND GREAT AGAIN

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★★★

“Silas Hawkins as Max Moore is horribly believable”

Keir Starmer doesn’t need a writer to help him explain the scary prospect of a government with The Reform Party in charge. He should just tell his followers (and doubters) to see Francis Beckett’s new play ‘Make England Great Again’ .

By coincidence, (actually, no, of course it wasn’t) on the very night after Starmer delivered his anti-Farage conference speech, MEGA opened at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, the north London pub theatre consistently punching above its weight in entertainment and, as now, political satire. MEGA covers the same territory as our real Prime Minister, but with the power of humour, four excellent caricatures and a series of rapid scenes in which are played out the Trumpian-style outcome of a far right in control.

King Charles III (a brilliant comic performance by Clive Greenwood) is on stage as the play opens, watching the news to find out he has a new prime minister. This is the first of the many breaks with constitutional process to come – we know that he should be the first to know, before any public pronouncements. Immediately after, the man himself, Max Moore, confidently strides in for his first weekly ‘audience’ with the sovereign. What follows is a piece of stage business worthy of Morecambe and Wise as King Charles attempts to correct Moore’s apparent (or deliberate) ignorance of the protocols attending that interview. And we are off, on a fairground ride involving the King, the Prime Minister, a glamorous press secretary/political journalist Samantha (Abi Haberfield), who just happens to have a few ambitions of her own, and the leader of the opposition Pam Jones (Miranda Colmans).

Silas Hawkins as Max Moore is horribly believable, given our recent experience of political leaders. It’s a great turn. Hawkins has worked before with Beckett and director Owain Rose, most notably in UATG’s ‘Vodka with Stalin’, and he was clearly their obvious choice. His populist speeches are rousing and grim in equal measure. The best speech, however, is saved for Colmans as Pam Jones. In this, Beckett delivers his real political message. Suitably, he suspends all laughs and we are treated to a really effective piece of oratory about the importance of embracing diversity, transparency and unity within the political spectrum.

It is entirely appropriate that Rose has kept the set completely simple, comprising just a dark background, three chairs and a coffee table which are discreetly rearranged by the actors, in accordance with the needs of their scene. That and a very subtle soundscape – yielding at some points hollow echoes of Moore’s pronouncement and at others, rabble cheers – are all the dressing we need to complement four very good performances and keep the messaging up front.

We were treated on this opening night to an extended post-performance audience discussion led by Beckett with former Labour Party Leader Neil Kinnock. I’m not a fan usually of these events, but this was very special indeed if only to be reminded of how charismatic a Prime Minister we might once have had, alongside one who is balanced and does actually care about the people. I mention it here, only because even if Keir Starmer can’t actually say ‘go and see this play if you want a snapshot of the damage a far right party could do’, Kinnock actually did.

MOOMINVALLEY IN NOVEMBER

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★★

“The themes are beautifully dealt with in song”

MOOMINVALLEY IN NOVEMBER

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed on 28th October 2025

by Louise Sibley

Photography by Simon Jackson

Previously reviewed at this venue:

MOOMINVALLEY

MOOMINVALLEY

MOOMINVALLEY

MAKE ENGLAND GREAT AGAIN

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★★★

“Silas Hawkins as Max Moore is horribly believable”