Reviews

July 16th 2026. Dear diary: Heathers is back in town. The musical written by Laurence O'Keefe and Kevin Murphy is based on the 1989 film of the same name. Veronica Sawyer is a nobody, until she finds a way into the world of the Heathers - the most popular girls in school. When she meets, and falls in love with, Jason “JD” Dean, things quickly get out of hand. Photography by Pamela Raith Heathers the Musical has, over the years, become one of those musicals that everyone kn

There's a particular thrill in watching two actors capture the friction and unspoken affection of siblings so convincingly that you'd be forgiven for assuming some real life history between them. Hit Machine delivers exactly that, with Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin turning in performances so finely tuned to one another that their fraternal chemistry becomes the beating heart of the show. Hit Machine is a three person play with music, telling the story of Wes and Alex, two broth

The Jonathan Larson Project directed by John Simpkins and now playing at the Southwark Playhouse Borough, is a tribute piece to the work of Jonathan Larson - one of the most globally renowned voices of the musical theatre industry. With a West End revival of ‘Rent’ on the horizon, and, even more importantly, with 2026 marking 30 years since Larson's passing, it is only right that a reimagined version of ‘The Jonathan Larson Project’ arrives in London to celebrate Larson’s leg

On Saturday night, I was invited to attend and review Shanay Holmes' debut concert at Cadogan Hall. Now, I must preface this by stating that as I was feeling quite unwell due to the heat and exhaustion, I left at the interval. This is definitely not a habit of mine, but regardless, I thought I should share my thoughts on what I did see. Shanay Holmes is an incredible performer, I fell in love with her voice when I first heard her sing her now famous "As Long As He Needs Me" f

A trip to The Mill at Sonning is always at the top of my most anticipated outings of the year, though rarely for the shows themselves. My theatrical curiosity is, of course, always piqued, as the plays at this venue are never ones I have previously encountered. That said, this venue does not necessarily target my generation, and its shows often reflect this through revivals of niche twentieth century plays that are inevitably quite dated. However, that does not mean that I ev

The musical, based on the 1997 Disney classic, follows the journey of the demigod Hercules as he strives to reclaim his place among the gods on Mount Olympus after being stripped of his immortality by the villainous Hades. Despite including fan-favourite songs like "Go The Distance," "Zero to Hero" or "I Won't Say (I'm In Love)", this musical is not quite the adaptation I expected. Disney has gotten quite the reputation over the years for its lavish, big-budget productions, w

Based on Harper Lee's timeless novel, Aaron Sorkin’s adaptation of To Kill A Mockingbird returns to the West End after several years away. The story is told by Scout Finch, the youngest daughter of the town's renowned lawyer Atticus Finch. During the course of the play, Atticus represents a Black man, Tom Robinson, who is accused of heinous crimes against the daughter of Bob Ewell. It is a difficult but wonderful story, as through his actions, Atticus teaches his children emp

We are all familiar with World War One to some extent, having learned about it in school from a young age. Many people recognize that the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand was the key event that sparked the Great War. However, what many of us are not aware of is how Gavrilo Princip became one of history's most infamous murderers. Rajiv Joseph's 2017 play narrates the tale of how a group of young revolutionaries got involved in the plot to kill the Archduke. The show o

Franki Valli and the Four Seasons are back for a 20th Anniversary tour - starting off right here, in London. Jersey Boys is a name one hears often in this industry. Hailed as one of the most successful jukebox musicals, its reputation precedes it. And it delivers, with some minor caveats. Jersey Boys tells the story of a mismatched group of four guys who come together to form a band, whilst also being involved in some less-than-legal activities. It’s a musical that immediatel

This show follows the story of four very different siblings as they come together to discuss how to split the assets left to them following their mother's death. It is a delicate subject, one that is hard to tackle on stage without depressing audiences completely in the face of that most inherent of human flaws: greed. It starts off as an introduction to all the characters: Olivia (played by Sally Phillips) is considered the matriarch of the group, Jonny (JJ Feild) is the old

Hot Mess returns after a successful run at last year's Edinburgh Fringe and Southwark Playhouse last autumn, now playing at The Other Palace, welcoming back Danielle Steers in the role of the Earth alongside newcomer Morgan Gregory as Humanity. It is a brilliantly written love story between Earth and Humanity, and more than that, it carries the powerful message that we have but one Earth and it is our duty to look after its wellbeing. I absolutely loved this show. Despite the

A musical about a top secret MI-5 operation during World War 2? God, that’s brilliant! Complete with a cast of just five, Operation Mincemeat launches headfirst into the bonkers true tale of a ragtag team of MI-5 misfits who conspire to outwit the Nazis with nothing more than a dead body, a fake identity, and a mountain of audacity. The result? A gloriously improbable mission that somehow works - equal parts espionage, eccentricity, and unfiltered British wit. Like its ch

As the show was starting, the producer came into the auditorium and announced that there had been a few injuries within the cast, and so they had spent the whole day rehearsing the piece to present us something regardless. What they presented was a flawless piece. Shocking, perverse and altogether a difficult watch. But flawless. That's live theatre. The whole design of this show, put together by Georgia Wilmot on set and Bethany Gupwell on lighting, is sensational. As you wa

"The secret of life is enjoying the passage of time." - James Taylor Theatrical legend Lorna Dallas takes to the stage once again to present a cabaret of her favourite songs from the show tune songbook. Dallas comes from a small town in Southern Illinois and dared to dream her way to the stage, despite her family's views on the life of an artist. Hearing her talk and sing, you can hear that Lorna lives and breathes for the stage. Having appeared in the Adelphi Theatre product

"Some do cocaine, I do cabaret" Written by Olivier and Tony Award nominated playwright Peter Quilter, this show follows the story of a "mischievous and musical" woman, Allegra (played by Dame Maureen Lipman), who often finds herself in trouble for her peculiar ways. Her brother Ronen hires a woman to help her deal with household chores as she advances in age, and out of it is born a beautiful friendship anchored in the simple joys of life. It's a moving story full of heart, a

Kurt Vonnegut's Slaughterhouse-Five finds itself on stage, boldly adapted by Eric Simonson. The novel, published in 1969, remains one of the great anti-war works of the twentieth century, blending autobiography, science fiction and dark comedy into something wholly its own. It follows Billy Pilgrim, a World War Two veteran who becomes unstuck in time and ends up captured by aliens from a planet called Tralfamadore. The narrative is deliberately non-linear; it is altogether un

Shantify is not a show built on narrative - and it doesn't need to be. Much like the popular Choir of Man, it takes famous songs and turns them into sea shanties, and having heard a lot about it yet not being a fan of the former, I was sceptical going in. But from the minute they started singing, all of those apprehensions disappeared. The cast of six West End performers harmonise to perfection, entertaining a crowd who cannot help but clap, laugh and cheer. The story follows

My, what a swell party this was! For the first time in what feels like forever, High Society is back gracing the London theatre scene with grand Cole Porter tunes and Golden Age storytelling. This is a classic Golden Age musical, where plot lines intertwine in absolute chaos but somehow, more or less everyone ends up happy. This one follows the Lord family as the eldest daughter, Tracy (Helen George), prepares to throw the wedding of the year. Her father ends up caught in a h

“To difficult and brilliant women who persist, keep being bloody difficult” Sarah Tara Ray's debut play, Our Mothers' Daughters, follows The Artist (LJ Williams) and her two roommates Billy (Sarah Tara Ray) and Kat (Natasha Mula) as they deal with the difficulties that come with being a woman in her twenties. It is a stunningly relatable story, with every character representing a wealth of different obstacles women could face, and handling every one with class. It is also a p

Making theatre is a labour of love - one that is in equal parts deep, passionate, turbulent and challenging. Nevertheless, despite years of uncertainty and a whole lot of trust, both the creation process and true love itself, are worth every struggle. This sentiment echoes through Redcliffe, a debut musical from Jordan Luke Gage currently playing in the Large at Southwark Playhouse Borough. After three years in development, the musical beams with Gage’s devotion to the previo