Love Story
What can you say about a girl, a 25 year old girl who died? These lines begin one of the most beautiful shows ever written (in my opinion) by Howard Goodall. Love Story is the sad story, following piano protégée Jenny who gives up her dream of going to study in Paris to stay in […]
Speed The Plow
The hottest ticket in town right now is for Speed The Plow. The 1988 play written by David Mamet, which premiered on Broadway starring Madonna. A 2006 revival in Los Angeles featured Alicia Silverstone and now it is the turn of Lindsay Lohan in the UK revival. The biggest question in the West End right […]
Here Lies Love
After much success at the Public Theater in New York last year, Here Lies Love receives its European premiere at the National’s newest venue, the Dorfman. Rather than calling this a musical theatre show, however, I would describe Here Lies Love as a musical theatre experience. Musicians David Byrne (from the band Talking Heads) and […]
Frances Ruffelle
The intimate yet energetic space that is the St James’ Studio exudes an air of mystery with the smoke machine and the blue lights shining down on the heavenly laden stage including the drum kit, two saxophones, a clarinet, a flute, acoustic guitar, a double bass, a plastic chair, and piano. Upon the piano is […]
Next Fall
When Adam sees Luke praying to his sandwich early on in their relationship, his Christian beliefs are brought out in to the open. Non religious Next Fall examines the relationship between two men in New York with opposite feelings about god. Adam has some obvious questions including “how can god love you when you are […]
Great Britain
It’s not overstating things to say that playwright Richard Bean is currently on something of a roll. His massive hit One Man, Two Guvnors is currently on its second UK tour, his historical drama Pitcairn is at the Globe, the Park Theatre recently hosted an enjoyable revival of his debut play Toast and we’re […]
West End Heroes
Arriving at the Dominion Theatre amongst the vast hoards of people, I realise this is going to be an evening to remember and it wasn’t until I got the programme that I then realised there were a lot of guest star performers! The evening began with a glorious Fanfare from The Band of the Queen’s […]
Snakes! The Musical
Snakes! The Musical has enjoyed success as a cult hit at Reading and Edinburgh Fringe festivals and has now made it into the West End for a three week run at the Leicester Square Theatre. The concept is a musical about putting on a musical of the b-movie Snakes on a Plane. We, the audience, […]
The Vertical Hour
David Hare is one of my favourite playwrights – intense, awkward dialogue between just two or three people and a discreet drama that comes from nothing more than conversations. They’re real and it’s this that makes them so powerful. Oliver Lucas (Peter Davison) is our narrator, a successful physician who had an accident a few […]
Rudy’s Rare Records
The atmosphere in the Hackney Empire while watching Rudy’s Rare Records was something I very rarely experience at the theatre. Whoops of laughter, clapping after comedic lines deliver their punch, audience members singing along under their breath and even a spot of heckling, it had the feel of watching a sitcom being filmed in front […]