REVIEW: Pinter One / Pinter Two (Harold Pinter Theatre) ★★★★
The Jamie Lloyd Company’s epochal season Pinter At The Pinter is making a lot of noise for a writer famed for his silences. Ten years on from Pinter’s death, the first two of seven servings of his complete one-act plays gave us a direct sense of his anger and shock value, and his under-regarded humour. […]
REVIEW: WICKED (Apollo Victoria Theatre) ★★★★★ (2018)
Wicked, based on the American novel ‘Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West’ by Gregory Maguire, is not, in fact, a prequel as everyone deems. The musical, utilising the same themes and characters as The Wizard of Oz, is described by the author as ‘a re-imagining of the same world’, […]
REVIEW: Kinky Boots (Royal & Derngate) ★★★★
Following successful runs on both the West End and Broadway, Kinky Boots is stepping out to the provinces. So where better to kick off the tour than in Northamptonshire where it all began? Kinky Boots is based on the true story of Steve Pateman who took over an Earl’s Barton shoe factory when his father […]
CHITA RIVERA to play two shows at London’s Cadogan Hall
A theatrical icon and one of Broadway’s greatest triple-threat talents, Chita Rivera is one of the most nominated performers in Tony Award history having earned 10 nominations, won twice and received the 2018 Special Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. Returning to London, Chita Rivera will play just TWO concerts at Cadogan Hall, […]
New cast announced for the London production of HAMILTON
Full casting announced for the London company of HAMILTON which is going into its second year at the Victoria Palace Theatre. The production is booking to 30 March 2019. Jamael Westman continues as Alexander Hamilton, Tarinn Callender as Hercules Mulligan/James Madison, Rachelle Ann Go as Eliza Hamilton, Jason Pennycooke as Marquis de Lafayette/Thomas Jefferson and […]
REVIEW: 42nd Street (Theatre Royal Drury Lane) ★★★★★
From its opening overture to its infectious toe-tapping finale, 42nd Street is pure theatre. I don’t actually think shows get more theatrical than this. Chorus guys and gals tap-dance their way through a story about the production of a new musical hit, set in the heart of New York’s legendary theatre district, with one delightfully hummable […]
StageCon “postponed”
Following on from my blog about StageCon earlier this week, in which I promised to let you know if I heard anything more, the organisers have announced they are postponing the event until 2019, passing control to United Theatrical as Producer and General Manager. StageCon was originally planned to run over the weekend of 3 & […]
REVIEW: Collabro – Road To The Royal Albert Hall ★★
Collabro are back with their recently-released fourth album, “Road To The Royal Albert Hall“, so named in honour of their upcoming 2019 concert date which presumably they’re quite happy about (and I’m guessing “Road To Southend-On-Sea” wouldn’t have had quite the same ring. Although I’m sure it’s lovely). The ‘Britain’s Got Talent’ winners are clearly […]
REVIEW: 4.48 Psychosis (New Diorama Theatre) ★★★★★
Deafinitely Theatre brings its celebrated bilingual approach to Sarah Kane’s 4.48 Psychosis, a lyrical and haunting play about mental health. 4.48 Psychosis has no specified setting, stage directions or characters, meaning that productions of the play vary greatly. This production explores the taboo of mental illness within the death community using a cast of four, […]
REVIEW: KIDS PLAY (Above the Stag Theatre) ★★★★
We have before us a pleasantly decorated Brighton hotel room; the air is thick with tension as a smartly-dressed gentleman paces back and forth, watched by a comparatively younger man in a band T-shirt and shorts. Greg is our older man, and he is unhappy with Theo’s arrival. We discover that we are witnessing an […]