Should a ‘puppet’ have been used to portray an ‘autistic child’ in ALL IN A ROW?
I am a big supporter of Autism charities, campaigning for there to be more ‘Relaxed Performances’ of theatre shows, so that people of all abilities can experience the magic of theatre. So when I heard about #puppetgate online, I was immediately intrigued. A huge backlash circulated on social media toward the play All In A […]
REVIEW: BAD GIRLS THE MUSICAL (Upstairs at the Gatehouse) ★★
BAD GIRLS the Musical, written by Maureen Chadwick and Ann McManus (writers of the original ITV prison drama) premiered at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2006 before a three month run at the Garrick Theatre in London’s West End in 2007. Rachel Hicks, a young new mother, is admitted to G-wing at HMP Larkhall on […]
REVIEW: WHATSONSTAGE AWARDS 2019
There have been many public votes which have proved controversial – Brexit. The American presidency. Will Young vs. Gareth Gates, lest we forget. Thankfully, the WhatsOnStage Awards 2019 provided yet another fantastic evening of embracing the general public’s opinion in having their say on the best of on and off-West End and regional UK theatre. […]
REVIEW: Happy Ever After? (Bunker Theatre) ★★★★
Do you ever wonder what happened after you closed the book of fairytales? WoLab put out a call for pieces from female and non-binary writers for their latest scratch night. The brief was to be no more than 10 minutes long, addressing the ending of a Disney Princess story and questioning if it was indeed […]
REVIEW: The Pirates of Penzance (Wilton’s Music Hall) ★★★★★
Returning to London this spring after its Australian tour, Sasha Regan’s The Pirates of Penzance lays siege to Wilton’s Music Hall, bringing comedy, romance and unending silliness in equal measure. The all-male cast navigates the maritime melodies of Gilbert and Sullivan’s much-loved operetta – fast approaching its 140th anniversary – and takes us on a […]
Nominees announce for the OLIVIER AWARDS 2019
Nominations for the Olivier Awards 2019 with Mastercard, which takes place on Sunday 7 April at the Royal Albert Hall, hosted by Jason Manford have been announced today. Marianne Elliott’s new gender-switched production of the Stephen Sondheim musical Company, running at the Gielgud Theatre, has nine nominations: Best Musical Revival, Best Director, Best Set Design, […]
REVIEW: The Grand Expedition (Gingerline) ★★★★★
The Grand Expedition is an immersive dining experience cooked up by ‘Gingerline’, who describe themselves as a ‘group of food and drink enthusiasts whose goal is to create the ultimate dining experience’. As an eating enthusiast, I was very excited to see what they had dreamt up. Having been texted at 4pm with the ‘top […]
REVIEW: BEFORE 30 (Waterloo East Theatre) ★★★★★
Chris, a 29-year-old Deliveroo driver, laments the years that he has spent feeling misguided and unfocused. We meet this character aged 29, and as he blows the candles out on his cake, he sets himself a 12-month challenge: to get his shit together before the big 3-0. But what does this actually entail? What does […]
REVIEW: WOMAN! PILOT! PIRATE? (Vaults Festival) ★★★
Starting its short run this week, Woman! Pilot! Pirate? is a quaint look at Emmy (Grace Lyons Hudson), a dreamer, who finds out that her hero, pilot Amelia Earhart, has been missing for 81 years following a plane crash. Although her life puts some obstacles in the way, Emmy looks for ways to rescue her […]
REVIEW: Life is a Dream (Curve Leicester) ★★★
Rambert’s latest contemporary dance piece, Life is a Dream, visits Curve this week. Based on the play by Pedro Calderón de la Barca and choreographed by Olivier Award winning Kim Brandstrup, Life is a Dream tells the story of a director who has nodded off to sleep who dreams vivid images from the rehearsal as […]