REVIEW: THE MAN IN THE WOMAN’S SHOES (Tricycle Theatre)
Ireland, 1978. Pat Farnon is quietly giving an entire new level of meaning to the phrase “walk a mile in someone else’s shoes”. Or at least, he’s quiet on the outside. Inwardly, this man, who is mute and middle-aged who lives alone and repairs shoes in a rural cottage, is alive with chatter and intelligence […]
REVIEW: RADIOMAN (Old Red Lion Theatre)
Last night, tucked away in a small theatre above the Old Red Lion pub, a masterpiece was unveiled. Radioman is one of the most beautiful, intelligent and innovative pieces of theatre I have seen in years. Very rarely does writing, sound, lighting and set come together so seamlessly that you don’t see them as different […]
REVIEW: BILLY ELLIOT (Sunderland Empire)
Billy is coming home declares the publicity and what a triumphant home-coming it was. The theatre-goers at Sunderland Empire certainly thought so, rising as one to give a very much deserved standing ovation at the end. Set in Easington, less than 10 miles away from the Empire and we were entertained by Easington Colliery […]
REVIEW: LABELS (Theatre Royal Stratford East)
Labels is about immigration, racism and why we feel the need to file each other into neat little categories. Is it fear? Curiosity? Or can labelling be a case of intelligent and wilful emotional manipulation? A one man show that has enjoyed an award-winning run at the Edinburgh Fringe, Labels has a stint at the […]
REVIEW: ALL OR NOTHING (THE VAULTS)
All Or Nothing: The Mod Musical by Carol Harrison and directed Tony McHale is based on the rise and fall of famous 1960’s band The Small Faces. Kenney Jones, Ian Mlagan, Ronnie Lane and Steve Marriot begin life as a band as talented teenage boys with passion, humour, and a touch of attitude leading them […]
REVIEW: The Wonderful Discovery of Witches in the County of Lancaster (Greenwich Theatre)
‘The Wonderful Discovery of Witches in the County of Lancaster’ at the Greenwich Theatre is an interpretation of Thomas Potts infamous account of a series of English witch trials that took place in the summer of 1612. The play revolves around the accounts regarding the Pendle witches, who, among the twenty men and women under […]
REVIEW: GOODNIGHT MISTER TOM (Richmond Theatre)
Based on Michelle Magorians 1981 classic, the uplifting story of Goodnight Mister Tom is brought to life in a charming stage adaptation by David Wood, directed by Angus Jackson. We begin in a peaceful Dorset village in the home of elderly recluse Tom Oakley, played by David Troughton. The show opens when Tom is abruptly […]
REVIEW: SUNSET BOULEVARD (English National Opera)
It is always lovely to see historical moments in theatre history recreated. Recently we had Marti Webb reprise the role she originated in Tell Me On A Sunday (thirty years after the fact) and now we have Glenn Close reprising the award winning role of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard at the ENO. Norma Desmond […]
REVIEW: AMERICANA IN CONCERT (Theatre Royal Stratford East)
It’s not often that you want to leave the theatre ninety seconds after the lights go down. ‘Americana in Concert’ is sadly one such instance. ‘Americana’ is about growing up queer as a young American at High School. Sound familiar? Think ‘Rent’ or ‘Bare’ or ‘Xanadu’ or any of the other countless musicals that deal […]
REVIEW: How the Other Half Loves (Theatre Royal Haymarket)
Awkward situations. Perhaps one of the worst case scenarios for the stereotypical British person. We don’t handle them well and if we do find ourselves in said awkward situation, we tend to ignore it. However, in the theatre we adore them, especially the humour that arises from them. Alan Ayckbourn writes awkward scenes extremely well […]