Tuesday, November 19, 2024
★★★★ [TITLE OF SHOW], SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE Two decades on, this meta-musical retains its charm
Revival of New York show lifts the spirits
Not just a backstage musical, a backroom mu…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:36PMSunday, November 10, 2024
★★★★ BURNT-UP LOVE, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Ferocious three-hander finds love too hot to handle
Super writing and acting jolts us out of complacency
Mac is in prison for a long stretch. …
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06PMWednesday, October 30, 2024
★★★ HOW TO SURVIVE YOUR MOTHER, KING'S HEAD THEATRE Jonathan Maitland writes of his mother, but should we laugh or cry?
Lots of heartache, but a strange void where the heart of the pla…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:42PMFriday, October 25, 2024
★★★★ THE FORSYTE SAGA PARTS 1 AND 2, PARK THEATRE Epic adaptation falls away a little, but still packs a punch
Joseph Millson leads a super cast in a classy production from Troupe …
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06PMMonday, October 21, 2024
★★★ AUTUMN, PARK THEATRE Adaptation of Ali Smith's acclaimed novel drifts when it should bite
Promising production, beautifully acted, slides into side plots and confusion
Theatre is…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 12:02AMThursday, October 17, 2024
★★ LAND OF THE FREE, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE Good timing, but clunky structure and plodding pace limits appeal
A president shot, as a divided country seeks political solutions
Straddling th…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06PMWednesday, October 16, 2024
★★★ KNIFE ON THE TABLE, COCKPIT THEATRE London teenagers pulled into gang culture's world of drugs, knives and misery
This is exactly the kind of play that should be staged in 2024
…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:54PMThursday, October 10, 2024
★★★★ THE LEHMAN TRILOGY The rise and rise and rise of an iconic Wall Street institution - and its collapse
Sensational stagecraft elevates familiar tale of immigrant success in…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:12PMTuesday, October 8, 2024
★★★ FRENCH TOAST The English and the French, the men and the women, the young and the old, lock horns in 70s farce
Comedy gains momentum when characters are rounded out
It’s alw…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:18PMTuesday, September 24, 2024
★★★ HERE IN AMERICA David Edgar's new play sounds a warning from the past
When political expediency intervenes in a personal and professional friendship, what should one do?
The clu…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:48PMThursday, September 19, 2024
★★★ THE TRUTH ABOUT HARRY BECK Nostalgic comedy about the man who originated an everyday design classic
An English eccentric quietly re-invents our view of the capital
Iconic is a wor…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:42PMSaturday, September 14, 2024
★★★ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER AGAIN The perils of turning back the clock laid bare
The second album is still tough, even if you never recorded the first
We meet Joe first at the keys, si…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 10:42PMFriday, September 13, 2024
★★★ KIM'S CONVENIENCE, Gentle comedy delivers laughs, but proves too safe and too predictable
The play that inspired a Netflix series is heartwarming, but needs more spice to bite
O…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:36PMThursday, September 12, 2024
★★★ WHY AM I SO SINGLE?, GARRICK THEATRE Six's writers lay bare their souls in new musical
Marlow and Moss are back with deeply personal exploration of how lives are lived today
Going…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:36PMFriday, September 6, 2024
★★★★ THE SILVER CORD, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Narcissism up-close and disturbingly relevant
Beautifully staged and acted revival of Sidney Howard’s century-old black comedy
One of th…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:36PMThursday, September 5, 2024
★★★★ ART, THEATRE ROYAL BATH Three men fall out over a painting in a very French comedy
Male friendships buckle as egos clash, with a resonance for today's culture wars
For men, nav…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:32PMFriday, August 23, 2024
★★★★ SHIFTERS, THE DUKE OF YORK'S THEATRE Winning and witty 21st century love story
Only the third West End written play by a black woman will not be the last
Pete Waterman, respons…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 12:42AMTuesday, August 20, 2024
★★ THE FABULIST, CHARING CROSS THEATRE Plenty of ambition, but achieves very little
Beautiful music, but curious decisions in scripting and staging sink the show
On opening night, there…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:18PMFriday, August 16, 2024
★★★★ THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, USTINOV STUDIO, THEATRE ROYAL BATH Landmark play revived to shock and surprise all over again
Jane Horrocks garners the laughs in a very dark comedy for the…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:06AMWednesday, August 7, 2024
★★★★★ FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, REGENT'S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE As entertaining and poignant as ever, 60 years on
Unique venue adds a new dimension to canonical musical
If I were a ric…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:00PMSunday, August 4, 2024
★★ FRANKIE GOES TO BOLLYWOOD, SOUTHBANK CENTRE Small town girl makes good in Bollywood, then takes on the patriarchy
Bhangra-inspired musical let down by storyline and singing
In the 19…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:00PMThursday, July 4, 2024
★★★ NEXT TO NORMAL, WYNDHAM'S THEATRE Technically superb show gets ovation and tears
Award-winning comes to West End - bring your handkerchiefs
We open on one of those suburban Amer…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:02PMWednesday, June 12, 2024
★★★★ MISS JULIE, PARK THEATRE Sparks fly across class and gender divides that persist today
Much adapted play gets a traditional staging fuelled by electric leads
You have to tiptoe…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 08:06PMTuesday, June 11, 2024
★ MARIE CURIE, CHARING CROSS THEATRE Korean musical makes elementary mistakes
Celebrated scientist is ill-served by confused and dull show imported from Seoul
There are many women whose o…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 03:36AMThursday, May 9, 2024
★★ MULTIPLE CASUALTY INCIDENT, THE YARD THEATRE Too many tricks from the writer and the director dissipates the drama
Sami Ibrahim's play examines ethics in a war zone, but pivots to …
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:12PMWednesday, May 8, 2024
★★★★★ SPIRITED AWAY, LONDON COLISEUM Faithful adaptation will delight Studio Ghibli fans
Growing up with Chihiro/Sen is overwhelming, enlightening and beautiful
Legions of Ghibl…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:48PMFriday, April 26, 2024
★★★ TESTMATCH, THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE Kate Attwell packs too much into her kitbag as India challenges England
Winning performances cannot overcome a scattergun approach to a ragb…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:06PMTuesday, April 16, 2024
★★★★ AN ACTOR CONVALESCING IN DEVON, HAMPSTEAD THEATRE Paul Jesson finds considerable poignancy in Richard Nelson's bespoke play
Fact lightly repackaged as fiction in a fine example…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 12:54PMWednesday, April 10, 2024
★★★★ CASSIE AND THE LIGHTS, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE Warm, funny and moving ensemble play about three sisters finding a way to live
Heart-rending chronicle of difficult, damaged lives tha…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 09:18PMWednesday, March 27, 2024
★★★★ FOAM, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Skinhead finds his feet (in a pair of DMs) then leads double life as street thug and gay cruiser
Infamous neo-Nazi brought to life in compelling drama
…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 10:18PMThursday, February 29, 2024
★★★ CRUEL INTENTIONS, THE OTHER PALACE Bad people do bad things, but bangers from Britney and co save the day
Jukebox musical gets toes tapping, even if the thrill of transgression a…
SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 10:12PM 
