All stories by Houman Barekat on BroadwayStars

Monday, March 17, 2025

In ‘Weather Girl,’ Climate Change Sets Off a Meltdown by Houman Barekat

A new one-woman show from the producer of “Baby Reindeer” and “Fleabag” is an irreverent allegory about wildfires and global warming.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:02PM
Friday, March 7, 2025

In ‘The Seagull,’ Cate Blanchett Outshines a Director’s Tired Tropes by Houman Barekat

Thanks to Blanchett’s charismatic turn as a fading actress, this new Chekhov adaptation in London hangs together in spite of Thomas Ostermeier’s antics.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:12PM
Monday, February 24, 2025

Luke Thallon Rides the Stormy Seas in a Maritime ‘Hamlet’ by Houman Barekat

Luke Thallon expertly blends sincerity and neediness as the embattled prince in the Royal Shakespeare Company’s latest production.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:02AM
Tuesday, February 18, 2025

Jonathan Bailey’s Bratty, Bad-Boy ‘Richard II’ at the Bridge Theater by Houman Barekat

The actor, on a hot streak after “Wicked,” takes on his biggest stage role to date. In London, he plays Shakespeare’s unfortunate king as a flouncing sociopath.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:54PM
Friday, February 7, 2025

Rami Malek and Brie Larson Try Sophocles in London by Houman Barekat

Sophocles is suddenly everywhere on the city’s stages. In concurrent shows, Rami Malek is playing Oedipus and Brie Larson is taking on Elektra.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:18PM
Monday, December 23, 2024

Review: ‘Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812’ Comes to London by Houman Barekat

Dave Malloy’s musical, which was a hit in New York, comes to London in an antirealist staging that loses the 1812 setting and some emotional punch.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:24AM
Thursday, December 12, 2024

The Highs and Lows on London Stages in 2024 by Matt Wolf and Houman Barekat

Our critics discuss which A-lister performances on the West End were worth the ticket price, and why so many new musicals struggled this year.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 03:36AM
Friday, September 27, 2024

Review: Roald Dahl Is Antisemitic, but Not a Cartoon Villain, in ‘Giant’ by Houman Barekat

A new play in London portrays the beloved children’s author as a rounded character, while making no apology for his bigotry.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:12PM
Thursday, September 12, 2024

‘Why Am I So Single?’ Review: After ‘Six,’ a Scrappy, Sappy Dating Musical by Houman Barekat

The duo behind the Broadway hit follow it up with a meta reflection on finding love online that is relatable and fun but lacking narrative drive.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 06:42PM
Tuesday, August 27, 2024

Is This the Edinburgh Fringe, or a Wellness Convention? by Houman Barekat

Grief narratives were in vogue, and psychological maladies, too, at the annual Scottish arts showcase.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:18PM
Friday, August 23, 2024

‘Hannah Gadsby: Woof’ Review: A Comic’s Pet Themes by Houman Barekat

In a soul-baring new show at the Edinburgh Fringe, the Australian stand-up leans once again into fears, anxieties and mental health worries.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:48AM

At Edinburgh Festival, Sometimes Simpler is Better by Houman Barekat

The event’s best theater production avoided the gimmicks of other shows in favor of well-drawn characters and well-written dialogue.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:42AM
Tuesday, August 20, 2024

At Edinburgh Fringe, There Are 2 Plays About Gwyneth Paltrow by Houman Barekat

Multiple shows at the Edinburgh Fringe make camp fun out of the 2023 civil action that spurred a thousand memes — and one of them is a triumph.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:06PM
Monday, July 1, 2024

‘Starlight Express’ Review: The Gravy Train Rolls On by Houman Barekat

Nostalgia will undoubtedly lure many to a London revival of the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical. It has more in common with a theme park than with theater, our critic writes.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 09:42AM
Monday, May 27, 2024

‘Bluets’ Review: This Maggie Nelson Adaptation Is All About the Vibes by Houman Barekat

How do you bring an almost plotless book of elliptical fragments to the stage? The director Katie Mitchell has tried with three actors, four screens and three bottles of whiskey.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:32PM
Friday, May 24, 2024

Review: In ‘Romeo and Juliet’ With Tom Holland, Plenty of Style, but Little Love by Houman Barekat

The London production, starring Tom Holland, sold out in hours. But its understated rendering of the central romance may leave some theatergoers wanting more.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:02AM
Wednesday, May 22, 2024

New ‘Richard III’ Raises an Old Question: Who Should Wear the Crown? by Houman Barekat

A production at the Shakespeare’s Globe theater faced criticism because a nondisabled actor plays the scheming king. But disputes like these miss the point, our critic writes.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:24PM
Friday, May 3, 2024

‘The Cherry Orchard’ Review: Chekhov in the Fun Zone by Houman Barekat

Benedict Andrews’s production in London offers perfectly pitched comedy where other directors find somber tragedy.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 11:54AM
Thursday, May 2, 2024

A Challenge for the Royal Shakespeare Company’s New Leaders by Houman Barekat

The Royal Shakespeare Company’s co-artistic directors have put together a challenging debut season. But many visitors come to Stratford-upon-Avon seeking something more traditional.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:06PM
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
Tuesday, March 26, 2024

‘Opening Night’ Review: Ivo van Hove Makes a Stylish Movie Into a Sludgy Travesty by Houman Barekat

Ivo van Hove’s stage adaptation of the 1977 John Cassavetes film, with music by Rufus Wainwright, turns a taut character study into a corny melodrama.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:42PM
Monday, March 25, 2024

On London Stages, Uplifting Tales of Black Masculinity by Houman Barekat

“For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy” and “Red Pitch” offer generous portrayals of male bonding.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 02:06PM
Friday, February 16, 2024

Review: Sarah Snook Is a Darkly Funny Dorian Gray by Houman Barekat

In a stage adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s “The Picture of Dorian Gray,” Snook plays all the characters — with the help of screens.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:18PM
Friday, February 9, 2024

‘Hills of California’ Review: A Stage Mother’s Unhappy Brood by Houman Barekat

Jez Butterworth’s new play explores the family dynamics of a song and dance troupe that didn’t make the big time.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:24AM
Monday, January 22, 2024

Review: Ivo van Hove Takes on ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’ by Houman Barekat

The Belgian director’s revival of “Jesus Christ Superstar” showcases some of his signature aesthetic techniques. But it’s an odd pairing.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 01:54PM
Tuesday, December 19, 2023

Ralph Fiennes and David Tennant: Two Very Different ‘Macbeths’ by Houman Barekat

Ralph Fiennes and David Tennant take Shakespeare’s psychodrama along divergent paths in two simultaneously running shows.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 08:36AM
Thursday, December 14, 2023

Review: Onstage, the ‘Stranger Things’ Franchise Eats Itself by Houman Barekat

“Stranger Things: The First Shadow,” a London theater show based on the Netflix series, pummels the audience with sensory overload and its lavish budget.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 07:12PM
Friday, October 27, 2023

‘Boy Parts,’ the Play, Is a Winking Pastiche of Trauma Tropes by Houman Barekat

A London production adapted from Eliza Clark’s debut novel refuses to justify its unreliable narrator’s violence, but lacks narrative depth and complexity.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 12:37AM
Friday, September 22, 2023

Review: Andrew Scott Plays Every Part in ‘Vanya.’ Why? by Houman Barekat

In London, transforming Chekhov’s “Uncle Vanya” into a one-man show is an impressive feat, but it costs the play its pathos.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:55AM
Monday, August 21, 2023

In ‘The Effect,’ Paapa Essiedu and Taylor Russell Delight by Houman Barekat

In a revival of Lucy Prebble’s play at the National Theater, in London, Paapa Essiedu and Taylor Russell are terrific as a couple who meet during a pharmaceutical trial.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 05:55AM
Thursday, August 17, 2023

At Edinburgh Fringe, Small Shows With Big Ambitions by Houman Barekat

This year, the stronger productions in the open-to-all event were on a par with many in the more prestigious, curated Edinburgh International Festival.

SOURCE: The New York Times Subscription at 10:33AM

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