REVIEW: ACORN (Courtyard Theatre) ★★★★
The women in Greek mythology are often presented in extremes. Either shrieking, swathed in fury and hungry for the flesh of men or swooning, excessively beautiful and unforgivably gullible, the two archetypes struggle to mesh with our continually evolving understanding of the modern woman. Taking two of the most well-known legends, the stories of Persephone […]
REVIEW: THE BOYS IN THE BAND (Park Theatre) ★★★★★
First seen on Broadway in 1968, the year before the Stonewall Riots, THE BOYS IN THE BAND shocked audiences when it was first released for its openness about gay life. It’s Harold’s birthday and Michael is throwing him a party, full of his closest friends, for a night of fun, cocktails and lasagne. Donald, Michael’s […]
REVIEW: THIS LITTLE LIFE OF MINE (Park Theatre) ★★★
The world premiere of THIS LITTLE LIFE OF MINE comes to Park Theatre for a limited season. The book is written by Michael Yale, who also directs the production. The music is written by Charlie Round-Turner, with set and costume design by Zahra Mansouri, and musical direction by Thomas Duchan. The show is produced by […]
REVIEW: ONE MAN TWO GUVNORS (Bridewell Theatre) ★★★★★
I first saw this hilarious play during its third UK tour, in early 2015. It is a modern adaptation of SERVENT OF TWO MASTERS – the classic Carlo Goldoni play – and Richard Bean’s script is both exceedingly clever and witty. As such, I was looking forward to seeing it a second time immensely – […]
REVIEW: MURDER BALLAD (Arts Theatre) ★★★
The UK Premiere of MURDER BALLAD burst into London’s West End this week at the Arts Theatre with an impressive cast of West End performers on its billing. Sarah (Kerry Ellis) ends an unhappy but sexually charged relationship with Tom (Ramin Karimloo) in favour of a more normal life of marriage and kids, with Michael […]
DANGER: MEMORY! (Theatro Technis) ★★★
These rarely performed one-act plays by Arthur Miller were not a big success when they opened at Lincoln Center, in the intimate Newhouse Theater, in New York in 1986, with the Mark Rich of the New York Times stating they were “gray” and devoid of drama. British audiences and critics were not convinced either when […]
REVIEW: UNDEAD BARD (Theatre N16) ★★★
Well, this was certainly a unique piece of theatre! Robert Crighton’s self-performed one-man show is a play of two halves, exploring the afterlife of William Shakespeare in all of its pantomime and woes. The first half, ‘The Shakespeare Delusion’, provoked laughter from the audience within seconds, continuing at this comedic pace throughout. Professor Ashborn, an […]
REVIEW: SUNNY AFTERNOON (Sunderland Empire) ★★★★★
Olivier Award winning SUNNY AFTERNOON rocks into Sunderland this week. A jukebox musical based on the life and music of The Kinks. Like THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY and JERSEY BOYS before, it’s a tale of dreams and aspirations, complex contracts, volatile relationships and, ultimately, success in the face of adversity. Written by Ray Davies and Joe Penhall this […]
REVIEW: LOST SOULS AND LUNATICS (The Hope Theatre) ★★★★★
The Hope theatre in Islington is betrayed by its name. A tiny box theatre above a trendy bar that is a champion of the ambition of some of London’s finest producers, directors and performers. Against the tsunami of commercialism in the West End and elsewhere, the triumphs of innovation are coming from London’s independent theatres, […]
REVIEW: THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE (Greenwich Theatre) ★★★★★
Jim Cartwright’s 1992 play Little Voice is famously known for the 1998 film adaption starring Jane Horrocks, Ewan McGregor and Michael Caine. It tells the story of the mouthy northerner, Mari Hoff, who lives in a derelict home and survives off of a diet of alcohol and sex. Her daughter LV (Little Voice) is a […]