All stories by MATT WOLF on BroadwayStars

Monday, April 15, 2024

2024 Olivier Awards: The Snubs and Surprises by Houman Barekat, Matt Wolf and Alex Marshall

Our theater critics and a reporter discuss the big winner — “Sunset Boulevard” — and the rest of the honorees at Britain’s equivalent of the Tonys.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:32AM
Friday, April 12, 2024

‘Player Kings’ Review: Ian McKellen’s Juicy Assignment as Falstaff by Matt Wolf

In Robert Icke’s adaptation of Parts 1 and 2 of “Henry IV,” the veteran stage actor’s performance belies his age.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:06AM
Wednesday, April 10, 2024

Power of Sail, Menier Chocolate Factory review - alternately stiff and startling by Matt Wolf

Dominic Dromgoole directs UK premiere of Paul Grellong play, wit Julian Ovenden, 2024 Olivier nominee Giles Terera, and Michael Benz

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:31AM

Power of Sail, Menier Chocolate Factory review - alternately stiff and startling by Matt Wolf

Paul Grellong play delivers in its final passages The Menier Chocolate Factory has made something of a habit of late out of trawling unexpected corners of the contemporary American reper…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:06AM
Tuesday, April 9, 2024

Trevor Griffiths, Marxist Writer for Stage and Screen, Dies at 88 by Matt Wolf

For him, “art played a particular role in social change,” the director Mehmet Ergen said. “Everything was political.”

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:42PM
Wednesday, April 3, 2024

Long Day's Journey Into Night, Wyndham's Theatre review - O'Neill masterwork is once again driven by its Mary by Matt Wolf

Patricia Clarkson powers the latest iteration of this great, grievous American drama Memory is a confounding thing. By way of proof, just ask the Mary Tyrone who is being given unforgettable…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 07:54AM
Tuesday, April 2, 2024

Opening Night, Gielgud Theatre review - brave, yes, but also misguided and bizarre by Matt Wolf

Sheridan Smith gives it her all against near-impossible odds Is there a more purely likeable actress than Sheridan Smith, the performer who was still a teenager when she stole the show at t…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:54AM
Monday, April 1, 2024

April on the London Stage: A Tight Olivier Awards Race, Alex Newell in Pippin and a Starry Long Day's Journey by Matt Wolf

New York isn’t the only game in town. London is continually busy, as befits a theater town that thinks not in terms of seasons but of exciting and rewarding shows throughout the year. Just…

SOURCE: Broadway.com at 10:48AM
Friday, March 29, 2024

'The Divine Mrs S' review – Rachael Stirling commands the stage in this portrait of a pioneering actress by Matt Wolf

Rachael Stirling and Dominic Rowan are in fine, aptly fruity form in April De Angelis play about the legendary British tragedienne

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 12:20PM
Tuesday, March 26, 2024

'Priscilla The Party!' review – let your hair down at this joyfully immersive shindig by Matt Wolf

30 years on from the film, Stephan Elliott's road movie is now an excuse to grab some drinks

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 12:54PM
Monday, March 25, 2024

'Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle' review – prepared to be amazed at this joyfully silly comedy by Matt Wolf

Henry Lewis and Jonathan Sayer bring their Mischief-inflected silliness back to London after a New York run

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 02:38PM
Thursday, March 21, 2024

'Faith Healer' review – Rachel O’Riordan’s scorching revival of Brian Friel's play is the best production in years by Matt Wolf

Justine Mitchell gives a performance for the ages in superb revival of Brian Friel's onetime Broadway flop, with Nick Holder and Declan Conlon in fine form, as well

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 08:08AM
Thursday, March 14, 2024

'Harry Clarke' review – Billy Crudup is mesmerising as an unreliable shapeshifter in this Ripley-esque tale by Matt Wolf

Billy Crudup makes his West End debut in David Cale play previously seen Off Broadway

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 11:46AM
Monday, March 11, 2024

Uncle Vanya, Orange Tree Theatre review - Chekhov served up choice by Matt Wolf

Trevor Nunn, age 84, makes a blinding return to form "We all live here in peace and friendship," notes Telegin (David Ahmad), otherwise known as Waffles, early in Uncle Vanya, to which one …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 02:18AM
Monday, March 4, 2024

'The Duchess of Malfi' review – Rachel Bagshaw's staging of this dark tale is a genuine sensation by Matt Wolf

Francesca Mills is a first-rate Duchess, with sterling support from, amongst others, Arthur Hughes, Jamie Ballard, and Olivier Huband in Rachel Bagshaw's expert production

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 07:34AM
Thursday, February 29, 2024

'Shifters' review – Tosin Cole and Heather Agyepong are simply irresistible in this heavenly romance by Matt Wolf

Benedict Lombe returns to the site of her award-winning solo play 'Lava' with a follow-up two-hander

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 05:29AM
Thursday, February 22, 2024

The Hills of California, Harold Pinter Theatre - ladies' night for Jez Butterworth by Matt Wolf

Laura Donnelly once again soars in tailor-made part/s scripted by her partner Art makes for unexpected bedfellows, and so it proves in Jez Butterworth's moving if meandering The Hills of Ca…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 12:18PM

'King Lear' review – this thrillingly epic production is both atmospheric and viscerally felt by Matt Wolf

At last, a "King Lear" that achieves lift-off, thanks to director Yael Farber, leading men Danny Sapani, Fra Fee, and Clarke Peters, and a thrilling design team

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 09:08AM
Wednesday, February 21, 2024

An Enemy of the People, Duke of York's Theatre - performative and predictable by Matt Wolf

Matt Smith stars in heavy-handed adaptation of Ibsen's 1880s classic, here with onetime Tony nominee Paul Hilton (The Inheritance) in glowering support

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:50AM

An Enemy of the People, Duke of York's Theatre - performative and predictable by Matt Wolf

Matt Smith gives his all in unyielding adaptation of Ibsen morality play Real life is a helluva lot scarier right now than you might guess from the performative theatrics on display in the …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:48AM
Thursday, February 15, 2024

Dear Octopus, National Theatre - period rarity is a real pleasure by Matt Wolf

A pitch-perfect Lindsay Duncan leads a large and splendid cast in Dodie Smith rediscovery Sisters are doing it for themselves, just as families as a whole are, too, on the London stage thes…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 02:54PM
Monday, February 12, 2024

'Metamorphosis' review – poet Lemn Sissay transforms Kafka's celebrated study in shape-shifting by Matt Wolf

Scott Graham directs this latest, language-heavy take on Franz Kafka's seminal 1915 novella, here starring Felipe Pacheco as Gregor Samsa

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 05:54AM
Tuesday, February 6, 2024

'Othello' review – Ola Ince's provocative production makes this a blistering play for today by Matt Wolf

Ralph Davis stands out as Iago in a new Othello that casts two actors as the jealous Moor: Ken Nwosu and the excellent Ira Mandela Siobhan; Ola Ince directs.

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 04:33AM
Monday, January 29, 2024

Plaza Suite, Savoy Theatre review - real-life married couple brings panache and pain to period comedy by Matt Wolf

Neil Simon's 1968 play allows for fun, yes, but also sadness Sarah Jessica Parker's screen renown as Carrie Bradshaw in Sex and the City has made a London event out of the West End revival …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 03:48AM
Monday, January 22, 2024

'Cowbois' review – this big-hearted queer take on the Wild West bangs a drum for tolerance by Matt Wolf

Sophie Melville and Lucy McCormick shine in rambling if roisterous queer take on the gunslinging wild west

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 06:09AM
Thursday, January 11, 2024

'The Enfield Haunting' review – this spine-tingling play features ghostly growls not heard since The Exorcist by Matt Wolf

Catherine Tate, David Threlfall, and Grace Molony in Angus Jackson production, whose opening was delayed by a month

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 01:03PM
Wednesday, December 27, 2023

Best of 2023: Theatre by Matt Wolf

The National Theatre fielded hit after hit, and smaller venues scored as well Wait, and your wishes are answered. That seemed to be the case during the theatre year just gone, following on f…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 02:02PM
Sunday, December 17, 2023

'Rock 'N' Roll' review – this empathetic Tom Stoppard revival strikes the heart as well as the head by Matt Wolf

Nathaniel Parker, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd and the splendid Nancy Carroll head director Nina Raine's rending reappraisal of Tom Stoppard's 2006 play.

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 12:24PM
Thursday, December 14, 2023

'Ulster American' review – Woody Harrelson, Andy Serkis and Louisa Harland fully inhabit this savage, anarchic satire by Matt Wolf

Woody Harrelson marks his third London stage appearance across 21 years in London transfer of David Ireland's 2018 Edinburgh Festival success, here directed by Jeremy Herrin.

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 07:02AM
Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Pacific Overtures, Menier Chocolate Factory review - lesser-known Sondheim scores afresh by Matt Wolf

Stephen Sondheim's fascinating 1976 show enriches aurally and, this time round, visually This is, by my reckoning at least, the third major London production over the years of Pacific Overt…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 06:24AM
Thursday, December 7, 2023

'The Homecoming' review – Harold Pinter's provocative play remains both menacing and elliptical by Matt Wolf

Nicolas Tennant is a standout in starry revival of Pinter's breakout play, here directed by Matthew Dunster and with Joe Cole as Lenny and Jared Harris as Max

SOURCE: LondonTheatre.co.uk at 01:46PM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards