Reviews

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

When I started taking classes in musical theatre some years ago, I was told repeatedly that the world's best belters were young kids. Their natural ability to lay their souls bare on stage without a single worry about what the person in row H could be thinking is the greatest of gifts, something that is lost much too quickly as we grow up. These kids are simply grateful to be singing and dancing on stage, and it really shows. In comes Annie, a story everyone around the world

The world premiere of Dark of the Moon is now playing at the Charing Cross Theatre until early August. Based on the 1940s play, it follows the story of Barbara Allen and John the Witch Boy as they defy the odds for their love. A witch boy who sacrifices his immortality to be with the woman he loves; a woman set apart by the village in which she lives. It is a Little Mermaid, Beauty and the Beast and Twilight fusion, and on paper, it is a great story. The set looks as though i

Since 2024, Giffords Circus has earned a permanent place at the top of my theatrical calendar. I attended the circus as a child, though it was never quite the spectacle that captured my heart. Giffords is something else entirely. This is not simply a circus. It is a world you step into. Upon arrival, a charming village of caravans unfolds before you, dotted with food stalls, merchandise and drinks, all at genuinely reasonable prices: hot dogs at £7.50, posters around £5 and c

Care is a translation of the French play 'Une Morte Dans La Famille' by Alexander Zeldin, now making its Young Vic debut under Zeldin's direction. It tells the story of Joan (Linda Bassett), who finds herself in a care home following a series of bad falls. Her daughter and difficult grandsons are all she has left in the world, but when she finds herself confined against her will, she makes the best of her situation amongst a cast of fascinating characters. The writing of this

The Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind has now transferred to the West End at @sohoplace. This new and modern venue has been transformed into an intimate thrust staging where every seat feels like part of the action - a feeling reinforced from the very first moments, as the cast moves through the audience with a ease and familiarity that made this reviewer beam from ear to ear. I only wish it had continued throughout. The story follows 13-y

This isn't a political piece. Except it is, in every sense of the word. There is very little objectivity when it comes to a work with such a strong message. This reviewer finds herself almost sick to the stomach contemplating how, almost 500 years on, very little has changed in men's attitudes towards women. 1536 is a formidable year in history, one whose events are known throughout England, and yet very few could place it with any precision. It is, of course, the year when H

Album Cover This is a little bit of a different medium for this blog, but you'll understand soon enough why I had to write this review. Earlier this week, I was invited to get a first look at Henry Patterson's new album, Broadway Maybe, and I can tell you that I fell in love almost instantly with this music. Recorded in a single day at Abbey Road Studios, this album fuses jazz and musical theatre hits to create a brand new sound, one that is accessible to Broadway lovers and

For its 70th Anniversary season, the Royal Court is rolling out the red carpet for an incredible lineup of shows and artists. 5 months into the year and we have already had some phenomenal works grace its stages, both upstairs and downstairs, including Guess How Much I Love You? (with BAFTA winning actor Robert Aramayo and Olivier Award Nominee Rosie Sheehy), The Sh*theads and John Proctor is The Villain. This month, we are going back to the roots of the theatre with a 2-in-1

There are some composers whose music feels too big for an ordinary stage. Jim Steinman was one of them. And the London Coliseum, grand and sweeping as it is, felt like the only fitting venue for an evening dedicated to his work. From the opening number to the final bow, this was a concert that understood exactly what Steinman's music requires: scale, commitment, and the kind of voices that can match an orchestra at full cry. My journey with this music started years ago, but i

This whole experience is quite unique to The Mill, and every time I have been blessed enough to be invited to see a show there, I have absolutely loved it. Although every trip is distinct in its theatrical experience, the food and service part of the package has always been top-notch. This following paragraph has been taken from a previous review I have written, and still very much applies to this occasion. The Mill at Sonning has one of those stellar reputations - and not wi

Tonight, this reviewer was invited to see a new play by Callum Pardoe, staged in the intimate theatre nestled on the second floor of a North London pub. The play presents a novel concept: an anthology of scenes from various fictional television programmes. Upon entering the space, the four cast members are visible on stage in pairs, facing the walls and engaged in what appear to be tense, frustrating conversations. The pre-show music and audience noise make it difficult to ca