All stories by Gary Naylor on BroadwayStars

Monday, November 29, 2021

The Good Life, Richmond Theatre review - popular sitcom gets its own origin story by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE GOOD LIFE Nostalgic comedy with a surprising resonance 45 years on  Tom, Barbara, Jerry and Margo are back in the '70s, but with a message for today "Off-grid" wasn't a thing…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 07:03AM
Friday, November 26, 2021

A Christmas Carol, The Old Vic review - not quite a festive-season cracker by Gary Naylor

★★★ A Christmas Carol - Immersive Dickens production not quite a Christmas cracker Stephen Mangan's Scrooge learns his lesson in imbalanced Dickens adaptation Four years and a Broadw…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:42AM
Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike, Charing Cross Theatre review - Tony-winning play checks out Chekhov by Gary Naylor

★★★★ VANYA AND SONIA AND MASHA AND SPIKE Comedy mines Chekhov for laughs and finds some rich seams  Super London debut for Russian-inspired Broadway comedy Vanya and Sonia and Mas…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 06:36AM
Saturday, November 13, 2021

Footfalls and Rockaby, Jermyn Street Theatre review - Beckett up close and personal by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ FOOTFALLS AND ROCKABY, Beckett's ferocious contemplations on the ebbing of life Double bill finds the Irish master at his most raw Like all great art, Samuel Beckett's works…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 07:42AM
Wednesday, November 10, 2021

Milk and Gall, Theatre 503 review - motherhood in the age of Trump by Gary Naylor

★★★★ MILK AND GALL, Baby turns New Yorkers' lives upside down, while Trump has a tantrum or two  No holds barred comedy lays bare the unsentimental side of parenting Tuesday, 8 No…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 10:32PM
Tuesday, November 9, 2021

The Choir Of Man, Arts Theatre review - old school hits in an old school pub by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE CHOIR OF MAN, Decent blokes sing old school hits in an old school pub Lots of songs and lots of sugary sentimentality Like a previous occupant of this venue, Six, The Choir Of…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:12PM
Friday, October 29, 2021

The Magician's Elephant, Royal Shakespeare Theatre review - family musical doesn't fully deliver by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE A musical about trust and hope, and an unexpected elephant An elephant awakens an emotionally shattered town Trigger warnings h…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:42PM
Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Vanara, Hackney Empire review - fine singing, but a plodding book and one-pitch score in this new musical by Gary Naylor

★★ VANARA, HACKNEY EMPIRE Falls well short of its West Side Story inspired ambition Two tribes feud over fire in a post-apocalyptic world's last surviving forest Two tribes, both alike…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 11:32AM
Tuesday, October 5, 2021

What If If Only, Royal Court review - short if not sweet by Gary Naylor

★★★★ WHAT IF IF ONLY Caryl Churchill's short play considers the despair of grief and the optimism of hope A beautifully staged reflection on the pain of confronting loss and the nece…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:42AM
Tuesday, September 28, 2021

Back to the Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre review - a spectacular West End show to delight fans old and new by Gary Naylor

★★★★ BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL, ADELPHI THEATRE A spectacular West End show to delight fans old and new Whether you've seen the movie ten times or never, this will be a night …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:48AM
Saturday, September 25, 2021

The Last Five Years, Garrick Theatre review - bittersweet musical treat gets West End upgrade by Gary Naylor

★★★★ THE LAST FIVE YEARS, GARRICK THEATRE Jason Robert Brown's semi-autobiographical show gets a West End upgrade  Flaws remain, but audiences will lap up the gorgeous melodies, be…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 07:06AM
Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Blithe Spirit, Harold Pinter Theatre review - an amusing, if dated, revival of the Coward classic by Gary Naylor

★★★ BLITHE SPIRIT, HAROLD PINTER THEATRE Jennifer Saunders delights her fans in classic comedy Jennifer Saunders delivers a fine turn as the celebrated Madame Arcati in Sir Noël Cowa…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:03AM
Tuesday, September 7, 2021

Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act, Orange Tree Theatre review - a blast from the past with lessons for today by Gary Naylor

★★★ STATEMENTS AFTER AN ARREST UNDER THE IMMORALITY ACT, ORANGE TREE THEATRE Timely revival of Athol Fugard's searing indictment of Apartheid Forty-nine years on, Fugard's anger has l…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:54AM
Monday, August 30, 2021

Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury review - dazzling Disney rewrite by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY Dazzling Disney rewrite Beloved Angela Lansbury film is in sure, safe theatrical hands Bedknobs and Broomsticks has al…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 03:54AM
Thursday, August 19, 2021

Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre review - a spectacular show that hits and misses by Gary Naylor

★★★ CINDERELLA, GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE A spectacular show that hits and misses A good night out, but with unrealised ambition to be rather more than that Belleville has lost its Prince…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:36AM
Saturday, August 14, 2021

2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre review - unconvincing, sporadically amusing, genre play by Gary Naylor

★★ 2:22 A GHOST STORY, NOËL COWARD THEATRE A big name cast wring all they can from a flawed script A few shocks and laughs but lacking in character-led credibility Danny Robins tells u…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06AM
Friday, August 6, 2021

Big Big Sky, Hampstead Downstairs review - a perfectly realised character study by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ BIG BIG SKY, HAMPSTEAD DOWNSTAIRS A wonderful play about decent people This poignant, uplifting play is just what we need right now Get to Swiss Cottage early because Bob …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06PM
Saturday, July 17, 2021

South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre review - gloriously revived and also refreshed by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ SOUTH PACIFIC, CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE Rodgers and Hammerstein classic given renewed relevance  Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is given renewed relevance in a spectacu…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 02:54AM
Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Pippin, Charing Cross Theatre review - happy-clappy vibe by Gary Naylor

Light up a joss stick for this pared-back version of Stephen Schwartz 's 1972 musical If Time Magazine’s Man of the Year in 1966 was anyone under the age of 25, why couldn’t a teenage…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:48PM
Wednesday, June 23, 2021

Raya, Hampstead Downstairs review - a richly fraught reunion by Gary Naylor

Deborah Bruce's play puts multiple topics on the table Thirty years on, Alex and Jason meet at a university reunion and cab it back to Jason’s old student house where Alex is thinking “…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 11:03AM
Friday, May 31, 2019

BWW Review: VENICE PRESERVED, Swan Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon by Gary Naylor

Prasanna Puwanarajah's revival of Venice Preserved brings the look of the show right up to date - its narrative is very 21st century, so needed nothing.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 05:06AM
Tuesday, May 28, 2019

BWW Review: TOSCA, Royal Opera House by Gary Naylor

Gorgeous and gruesome, this revival of Jonathan Kent's production fills the Royal Opera House with emotion and passion - and a warning of what chaos can ensue in a failing state.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 05:50AM
Friday, May 24, 2019

BWW Interview: Tom Brennan Talks EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION at Trafalgar Studios by Gary Naylor

Tom Brennan explains that what you want, what you really, really want, is a comedy set in a school in May 1997.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 06:15AM
Thursday, May 23, 2019

BWW Review: USER NOT FOUND, The CoffeeWorks Project, Battersea Power Station by Gary Naylor

USER NOT FOUND plunges us into the very contemporary and very real issues concerning one's digital legacy. Do you hit the big red button and kill that person again Or do you let them live on…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 05:06AM
Tuesday, May 21, 2019

BWW Review: VINCENT RIVER, Trafalgar Studios by Gary Naylor

When Davey musters the courage to go speak to Anita instead of merely stalking her, both have to confront psychological trauma that can no longer be denied.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 06:06PM

BWW Review: ANDREA CHENIER, Royal Opera House by Gary Naylor

Andrea Chenier is a feast for eyes and ears with Roberto Alagna, Sondra Radvanovsky and Dimitri Platanias magnificent in the tale of the poet who stays true to love as the world descends int…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 06:44AM
Friday, May 17, 2019

BWW Review: HAPPY JACK, Jack Studio Theatre by Gary Naylor

Happy Jack is an early play by John Godber full of working class warmth tempered with a hard edge of social criticism.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 05:32AM
Thursday, May 16, 2019

BWW Review: UTE LEMPER: RENDEZVOUS WITH MARLENE, Arcola Theatre by Gary Naylor

Ute Lemper Rendezvous with Marlene sees a living legend portraying a now lost legend - up close and personal and a privilege to see.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 07:16AM
Monday, May 13, 2019

BWW Review: THE LAST TEMPTATION OF BORIS JOHNSON, Park Theatre by Gary Naylor

Jonathan Maitland delivers a satirical take on Brexit in general and Boris Johnson in particular, that lacks the insight and the jokes required to do justice to its source material's rich po…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 07:24PM
Friday, May 10, 2019

BWW Review: THE PROVOKED WIFE, RSC Swan Theatre, Stratford upon Avon by Gary Naylor

The Provoked Wife combines tremendous comedy with a hard-edged look at human nature and the institutions that underpin society - as relevant today as when it was written over 300 years ago.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 09:06AM
Wednesday, May 8, 2019

BWW Review: AMOUR, Charing Cross Theatre by Gary Naylor

Amour is a delightful fable that bathes you in the warmth of Legrands music and Sams' lyrics, brilliantly realised by a hardworking cast under the sure direction of Hannah Chissick. Musical …

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 07:35PM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Nov 17, 2024: Elf - Marquis Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 17, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre