All stories by Not Exactly Billington on BroadwayStars

Saturday, November 17, 2018

‘Hall’s text is a creeping force of nature’: THE MOUNTAINTOP – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

The night before Dr Martin Luther King Jr’s assassination on the balcony outside of his Memphis motel room, Katori Hall’s play The Mountaintop takes us inside Room 306 where he was stayi…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 12:00PM
Friday, November 16, 2018

‘Less grime, more glitter’: ROCK OF AGES – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Having come to Rock of Ages with no prior reference other than the 2012 film version (mostly memorable for featuring a surprisingly entertaining performance from Tom Cruise) I was, let’s s…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 12:00PM
Thursday, November 15, 2018

‘Displays none of McDonagh’s trademark pitch-black farce’: A VERY VERY VERY DARK MATTER – Bridge Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

A Very Very Very Dark Matter lacks the coherence and pleasing culmination of the playwright’s other works. Despite the ‘upbeat ending’, this play displays none of Martin McDonagh’s t…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Saturday, November 10, 2018

‘Mark Gatiss gives a remarkably touching performance’: THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

The Madness of George III offers a great part for an actor, one which Mark Gatiss relishes. His vocal and physical tics are memorable, while never reducing mental illness to a series of quir…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:00AM
Thursday, October 18, 2018

‘Crowd-pleasing, rousing & fun evening’: CALENDAR GIRLS THE MUSICAL – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

To say Calendar Girls The Musical is celebratory seems cliché, yet there’s no better description; Calendar Girls is an unashamed celebration of love, life, and community (and cake!).

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 01:00PM
Friday, October 12, 2018

‘Watchable & well-produced’: CILLA THE MUSICAL – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Overall, Cilla the Musical is a watchable and well-produced show. On the other hand, I think there’s possibly a more interesting story in there.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, October 5, 2018

‘Veritable cornucopia of delights’: MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Bourne’s Swan Lake is timeless, this production as fresh as ever, while a company that embodies a tireless amount verve, ingenuity, precision and emotion ensure this is a revival to be uni…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:00AM
Wednesday, September 26, 2018

‘Celebrates the need for humour in difficult times’: THE WIPERS TIMES – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Despite a lack of connection, The Wipers Times celebrates a great, previously untold story, about war, journalism, tenacity, and the need for humour in difficult times.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, September 18, 2018

‘One of the best plays I’ve seen this year’: THE LOVELY BONES – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

The Lovely Bones is one of the best plays I’ve seen this year. In fact, Melly Still’s vital production is the best page to stage adaptation I’ve seen since Curious Incident.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Wednesday, September 12, 2018

‘Buckhurst has a sure-fire hit on his hands’: SWEET CHARITY – Nottingham by Not Exactly Billington

In Bill Buckhurst’s production of Sweet Charity we benefit from the delicate balance between the seediness of the New York backstreets with the technicolor of Charity’s blithe daydreams.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Tuesday, September 4, 2018

‘What most excites me here is McDonagh’s capacity to entertain’: THE LIEUTENANT OF INISHMORE – West End by Not Exactly Billington

Whatever criticisms people may have of McDonagh, his neat plotting and big jokes are enough to entice people not usually interested in theatre. It may be Aidan Turner drawing the crowds in, …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:00AM
Tuesday, August 28, 2018

’Its musings on death are emotionally affecting’: EXIT THE KING – National Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

Exit the King’s interest in the crumbling of a kingdom is relevant, and I found its musings on death – and Anthony Ward’s visual representation of this – emotionally affecting.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, August 24, 2018

‘By turns cynical, touching & with a rogue twinkle in its eye’: ALLELUJAH! – Bridge Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

By turns cynical, touching and with a rogue twinkle in its eye, Allelujah! doesn’t set the stage alight, and as both a black comedy and state-of-the-nation play it feels underpowered, but …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Tuesday, August 21, 2018

‘Generously places the focus firmly on plot and character’: OTHELLO – Shakespeare’s Globe by Not Exactly Billington

Claire van Kampen’s decision to eschew gimmick/concept is a bold statement in a production of Othello that generously places the focus firmly on plot and character, and pays dividends for …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Wednesday, August 1, 2018

‘Lacking its own definite sense of identity’: THE LEHMAN TRILOGY – National Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

Like America promises so much to Henry Lehman when he stands on the dock side, The Lehman Trilogy at the National Theatre promised so much as well.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Friday, July 20, 2018

‘Has a relentless giddy charm’: SOME MOTHERS DO ’AVE ’EM – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Curve, Leicester 17thJuly, 2018 “Wherever there’s trouble, I can guarantee you I’ll be there” Apparently this stage adaptation of Raymond Allen’s 1970s’ c…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Wednesday, July 11, 2018

‘Exceeds all expectations’: FUN HOME – Young Vic by Not Exactly Billington

Fun Home exceeds all expectations. It’s one of those productions where everything – book, music, performance, design – comes together in perfect harmony and by the final notes you know…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Wednesday, July 4, 2018

‘The actors deserve something meatier to sink their teeth into’: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE FINAL CURTAIN – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

If I have been overly harsh, I apologise, and I’m sure many audience members found aspects to enjoy in The Final Curtain, however, if ‘cosy crime’ is your thing, I think you’d be bet…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Tuesday, July 3, 2018

‘Multi-layered, provocative exploration of racial representation’: AN OCTOROON – National Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

In all of the hot air, there’s been lately about the 25 greatest plays since Angels in America, I cannot argue against the decision to include An Octoroon high on the list.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:04AM
Friday, June 22, 2018

‘The sense of kinship is refreshing & invigorating’: MISCHIEF MOVIE NIGHT– Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Mischief Movie Night is enormous fun and the cast clearly loves what they do. The sense of kinship is refreshing and invigorating as we giggle alongside the actors on stage at the absurdity …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 01:00PM
Thursday, June 21, 2018

‘Surprisingly relatable’: JULIE – National Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

Polly Stenham has updated August Strindberg’s 1888 play Miss Julie to contemporary London. Why? Well, it would be foolish to think that this new version is modern only because of its langu…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Monday, June 11, 2018

‘Packed with ingenious & witty choreography’: CRAZY FOR YOU – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

In their latest touring production, Ken Ludwig’s musical comedy, Crazy For You, Paul Hart and the Watermill Theatre have enhanced a much-loved classic with flights of fanciful footwork and…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 01:00PM
Wednesday, June 6, 2018

‘An under-appreciated 20th-century classic?’: ABSOLUTE HELL – National Theatre by Not Exactly Billington

I was thrilled that a new generation (myself included) could get an opportunity to see the play and experience a plethora of luscious characters that are frightened of their selves as much a…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, June 1, 2018

‘For its sexy design, its novelty & its ambition, it is oddly enjoyable’: TARTUFFE – West End by Not Exactly Billington

Gérald Garutti’s production of Molière’s Tartuffe hasn’t convinced me that it’s the finest play in the French canon. Yet, for its sexy design, its novelty, and its ambition, it is …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Saturday, May 19, 2018

‘They take the humour to another level’: FLEABAG – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Now, Soho Theatre and DryWrite (the latter of which is run by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Vicky Jones) are taking Fleabag on the road again, handing down the performing reins to Maddie Rice.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Saturday, May 12, 2018

‘Where the play flounders, the production remains enjoyable & stylish’: LOVE FROM A STRANGER – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Here, Agatha Christie’s and Frank Vosper’s 1936 play is in the assured hands of Lucy Bailey in a production for the Royal & Derngate. Where the play flounders, the production remain…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Tuesday, May 1, 2018

‘How difficult it is to re-create the nostalgia of childhood favourites’: STRICTLY BALLROOM THE MUSICAL – West End by Not Exactly Billington

In summary, stage adaptations of films should be justified by bringing something new to a well-known story, and Strictly Ballroom misses the mark on this point.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Thursday, April 19, 2018

‘Several moments of musical ecstasy’: AN OFFICER & A GENTLEMAN – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

This new musical adaptation of An Officer and a Gentleman, receiving its world premiere at Curve, makes no apologies for embracing the melodrama of the movie. In doing so, it delivers a poli…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:17PM
Thursday, April 5, 2018

‘Embraces silence & precision’: THE YORK REALIST – Sheffield by Not Exactly Billington

Robert Hastie once said that the director’s role is “to provide the clearest conduit between a writer and an actor”. Such an approach, effectively of getting in the way as little as po…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, April 4, 2018

‘Nothing but praise for the central performances’: KISS OF THE SPIDER MAN – Menier Chocolate Factory by Not Exactly Billington

While Puig’s masterpiece Kiss of the Spider Woman doesn’t quite work when fleshed into a physical entity, I am reminded of the unique and all-conquering power of the human imagination, a…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, March 30, 2018

‘The greatest Dahl adaptation to date’: MATILDA THE MUSICAL – Touring by Not Exactly Billington

Matilda is THE family musical of this generation and a must-see for musical theatre aficionados for Minchin’s score alone. The fun and mischief are infectious and I can’t remember the la…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM

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