Reviews for London Theatre and West End shows from theatre industry publication The Stage.
Here’s a selection of reviews of London shows from the theatre and arts critics at The Stage newspaper.
The chief theatre critic at The Stage is Sam Marlowe. Freelance critics include Dave Fargnoli and Paul Vale. Anya Ryan also contributes to The Stage reviews.
See below for a full run-down of star ratings and theatre opinions about West End shows in London from The Stage.
Boys From The Blackstuff at the Royal Court Liverpool (2023)
★★★★
"Ambitious and timely" "Heartfelt performances power James Graham’s galvanising stage version of Alan Bleasdale’s acclaimed anthology series" "There’s plenty of…
Untitled F*ck M*ss S**gon Play at the Young Vic theatre (2023)
★★★
"Urgent and clever, but elusive" (Royal Exchange Manchester) "Kimber Lee’s response to Asian stereotypes in the blockbuster musical Miss Saigon…
Beautiful Thing at the Theatre Royal Stratford East (2023)
★★★
"Message of 1990s play remains pertinent" "Enjoyable revival that reinforces Jonathan Harvey’s play as a cultural landmark" "This 30th-anniversary production…
Vanya at the Duke of York's Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Masterclass in acting" "Andrew Scott’s shapeshifting solo Chekhov performance is haunting and thrillingly theatrical" "Watching this extraordinary production, you might…
Operation Epsilon at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant (2023)
★★★★
"Smart and incisive" "Egos and ethics clash in this compelling UK premiere of Alan Brody’s cerebral character study" "Playwright Alan…
It’s Headed Straight Towards Us at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Pitch-perfect" "Well-appointed revival that roots its comedy in the tragedy of the human condition" "In this pitch-perfect production directed by…
Rebecca at the Charing Cross Theatre (2023)
★★
"Lacks imagination" "Poorly staged adaptation of the Daphne du Maurier classic replaces subtlety and suspense with bombast and romantic melodrama"…
The Little Big Things at the @sohoplace Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Breaks new ground" "New musical based on Henry Fraser’s bestselling memoir is groundbreaking and huge-hearted, but needs more finesse" "That…
Private Lives at the Ambassadors Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Solid and safe" "Patricia Hodge carries this polished, traditional production of Coward’s bittersweet romcom" "While Michael Longhurst’s staging for the…
God of Carnage at the Lyric Hammersmith (2023)
★★★★
"Uproarious farce" "Exuberant performances animate this revival of Yazmina Reza’s award-winning dark comedy" "Exploring the fine line between civilised behaviour…
Farewell Mister Haffmann at the Ustinov - Bath Theatre Royal (2023)
★★★★
"Witty and sharply focused" "Handling its weighty subject matter with humour and sensitivity, this award-winning 2016 play from French author…
As You Like It at the Shakespeare's Globe (2023)
★★★
"Beguiling - Queer reimagining of the pastoral comedy twinkles and charms" "It’s no revelation that fluidity around gender and sexuality…
A Mirror at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Jonny Lee Miller heads a starry cast in this sharp satire about state censorship" "In its opening moments, this dark,…
Next to Normal at the Donmar Warehouse (2023)
★★★
"Truthful, affecting moments" "Committed performances help to ground this UK premiere of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey’s flawed but affecting…
The Effect at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Tender, thrilling and elegantly brutal" "Scorchingly intelligent staging probes the workings of head, heart and body, and the mysteries of…
Matthew Bourne's Romeo and Juliet at the Sadler's Wells Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Well-showcased choreographic inventiveness" "Bourne’s uncomfortable reimagining plays fast and loose with Shakespeare’s plot" "Bourne’s choreographic inventiveness is well showcased, and…
The SpongeBob Musical at the Queen Elizabeth Hall London (2023)
★★★★
"Lewis Cornay’s voice is a wonder" (Birmingham Hippodrome) "Joyful UK premiere of the daft, colourful musical about an underwater sponge"…
Macbeth at the Shakespeare's Globe (2023)
★★★
"Ordinary domesticity alongside murderous ambition" "Gender subversions and moments of shock and horror enliven a production that needs a sharper…
Rock Follies at the Minerva Theatre Chichester (2023)
★★★
"Turns the fun factor all the way up to 11" "1970s TV hit becomes a galvanising new musical in this…
The Crown Jewels at the Garrick Theatre (2023)
★★
"Al Murray is aimless comedy's saving grace" "Writer Simon Nye turns an eccentric moment in British history into a messy,…
Word-Play at the Royal Court Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Meditative" "Thoughtful, if sometimes frustratingly opaque, play about the impact of the language we use" "Hussain’s play – during the…
Ride - A New Musical at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant / Charing Cross Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Liv Andrusier delivers a barnstorming performance" (Charing Cross Theatre) "Emotionally rich new musical biopic featuring two intense, entertaining performers" "The…
The Sound of Music at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Songs are the star”" "Sincere, solid revival of the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic" "... a brilliantly solid version of the…
Grenfell: In the Words of Survivors at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Clutches at the throat and heart" "Powerful verbatim drama blends terrifying personal testimony and political rage" "Now, journalist and novelist…
The Empress at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (2023)
★★
"More dryly explanatory than fiercely revelatory" "An important historical retelling that lacks an emotional core" "If scale makes good drama,…
Cuckoo at the Royal Court Theatre (2023)
★★
"Fatally flimsy" "Play about family life and the dangers of digital addiction lacks substance, originality and a sense of direction"…
Disruption at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Compelling dark comedy about AI" "Timely and incisive speculative satire predicts the insidious influence of AI" "... Andrew Stein’s compelling…
Miss Saigon at the The Crucible Theatre, Sheffield (2023)
★★★
"Performances that emphasise the rage and anguish" "UK’s first brand-new production of the blockbuster musical is starker and grittier, but…
In Dreams at the Leeds Playhouse (2023)
★★★
"Roy Orbison's music fuels a grown-up jukebox musical" "Roy Orbison’s back catalogue provides a poignant backdrop to David West Read’s…
Dr Semmelweis at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Stylish and highly stylised" "Mark Rylance gives a fascinating, febrile performance in this unwieldy but absorbing historical drama" "... the…
Beneatha’s Place at the The Young Vic (2023)
★★★
"Compelling, deeply felt performance from Cherrelle Skeete" "Play drawing on the classic A Raisin in the Sun is politically potent…
The Wizard of Oz - UK & Ireland Tour at the London Palladium (2023)
★★
"Efficient rather than inspired" "Confused revival lacks magic but is saved by star performances" "Foster’s production, with souped-up orchestrations adapted…
Crazy For You at the Gillian Lynne Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Non-stop pleasure" "Gershwin show is a dream of swooning romance, choreographic genius and megawatt performances" "Gliding into the West End…
Song From Far Away at the Hampstead Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Beautiful, meditative performance from Will Young" (Hampstead Theatre) "Will Young’s quietly absorbing performance makes this meditation on grief and loneliness…
Then, Now & Next at the Southwark Playhouse Borough (2023)
★★★★
"Quick-witted double love story" "Bittersweet and quietly funny musical illustrates the unpredictability of life and love" "This new musical about…
Robin Hood The Legend. Re-Written at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Delirious evening of summery fun" "Madcap take on the Sherwood adventure is chaotic fun" "Robin’s gender swap is the least…
Mrs Doubtfire The Musical at the Shaftesbury Theatre (2023)
★★
"Cumbersome and charmless" "Musical based on the popular Robin Williams movie is loud, cumbersome and charmless" "Here, then, it is…
The Pillowman at the Duke of York's Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Gut-twistingly arresting and morbidly funny”" "Starry cast delivers gallows laughs in Martin McDonagh’s violent, grotesque fairytale drama about the power…
Dear England at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Joseph Fiennes is uncanny as Gareth Southgate" "Joseph Fiennes gives an extraordinarily uncanny central performance in James Graham’s entertaining character…
The Third Man - A Musical Thriller at the Menier Chocolate Factory (2023)
★★★
"Masterfully staged" "Atmospheric aesthetics and crisp choreography can’t disguise the lacklustre songwriting in this downbeat musical thriller" "This stylish but…
The Crucible at the Gielgud Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Staged with real dramatic flair" "Visually arresting production captures the menace and madness of Arthur Miller’s timeless allegory" "Transferring to…
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical at the Phoenix Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Funny and a little nostalgic" "Ambitious stage outing for the familiar puppets with every bar raised except perhaps the satirical"…
School Girls or The African Mean Girls Play at the Lyric Hammersmith (2023)
★★★★
"Relatable expression of teenage girlhood" "Eloquent exploration of the effects of colourism delivers a valuable lesson and lots of laughter"…
Frank and Percy at the Theatre Royal Windsor (2023)
★★★
"Allam and McKellen are wonderfully watchable" "Tender performances animate this dramatically inert comedy about queer love in later life" "Like…
Romeo and Juliet at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Rebecca Frecknall's revival feels newly shocking" "Visceral, balletic reimagining of Shakespeare’s tragedy is urgent and freshly shocking" "This is a…
42nd Street at the Sadler's Wells Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Megawatt exuberance" "Fun, whimsical revival of the classic tap-dancing backstage musical" "There’s a bucketload of chin-up positivity, plenty of sparkle…
When Winston Went To War With The Wireless at the Donmar Warehouse (2023)
★★★
"Colourful performances from Campbell Moore and Scarborough" "Drama about the fight for BBC impartiality educates and entertains, but doesn’t quite…
Assassins at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Killer" "Electrifying revival of Sondheim’s revue about presidential killers is darkly entertaining and deeply scary" "Now, this is killer. Stephen…
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant (2023)
★★★★
"Very strong, heartfelt new musical" "New folk musical is soaring and swooningly romantic" "The show premiered at Southwark Playhouse in…
Groundhog Day at the The Old Vic (2023)
★★★★
"Brutally brilliant" "Sharp, dark musical from Danny Rubin and the Matilda dream team makes a triumphant return" "Sharper and darker…
Patriots at the Noel Coward Theatre (2023)
★★★
"“Telling this story is a political act" "Tom Hollander and Will Keen astonish as Berezovsky and Putin in West End…
Re-Member Me at the Hampstead Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Shrewd and eloquent" "A striking meditation on life and death through the words of Hamlet" "Re-member Me, Dickie Beau’s original…
The Shape of Things at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Slick and sinister" "Committed performances empower this slick, unfussy revival" "LaBute has made slender tweaks to the text in preparation…
Great Expectations at the Garrick Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Moments of greatness" "Eddie Izzard romps entertainingly through the Dickens classic" "Fresh from a New York run, Izzard’s solo-take finds…
Rose at the Ambassadors Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Maureen Lipman is precise and subtle" "Timely revival of Martin Sherman’s moving monologue describing a century of war, displacement and…
Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre (2023)
★
"One giant ick" "Return of Michael Ball can’t redeem this baffling revival of the thin, sugary musical or excuse its…
A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Shakespeare's Globe (2023)
★★★★
"Potent enchantment" "Fresh production of the Shakespearean summer favourite delivers a magical mix of darkness and moonshine" "Every summer brings…
The Comedy of Errors at the Shakespeare's Globe (2023)
★★★
"Frenetic and unapologetically shallow”" "Breezy and accessible take on Shakespeare’s classic farce of mischance and mistaken identity" "Bursting with exuberant…
Bleak Expectations at the Criterion Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Dickensian spoof is entertaining but runs out of steam" "Amusing stage adaptation of the award-winning radio comedy wears thin surprisingly…
Brokeback Mountain at the Soho Place Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Finely drawn" "Love story of the American West favours poignant delicacy over epic emotional force" "Here, those visuals are replaced…
Once On This Island at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Gabrielle Brooks radiates star quality" "Sun-drenched atmosphere and stunning singing struggle to lend substance to this flimsy musical" "... this…
How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying at the Southwark Playhouse Borough (2023)
★★★
"Zany but frustratingly incoherent" "Zany but uneven production of Frank Loesser’s classic musical" "How to succeed in staging a creaky…
Biscuits for Breakfast at the Hampstead Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Powerful" "Stirring two-hander about love of food and lack of food from Bruntwood Prize-winner Gareth Farr" "At the centre of…
4000 Miles at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Eileen Atkins gives a consummate performance" "Gripping performances energise this downbeat drama about social responsibility and intergenerational friendship" "Slow moving…
Operation Mincemeat at the Fortune Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Brilliant thriller, brilliant comedy, brilliant musical" "SpitLip’s superb musical about an outlandish chapter in British history hits the West End,…
August in England at the Bush Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Lenny Henry charms in his powerful debut play" "Poignant monologue explores the experiences of the Windrush generation with humour and…
Cymbeline at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon (2023)
★★★★
"Breezy adventure" "Gregory Doran’s RSC swansong is lively, lavishly designed and full of uplifting warmth" "Marking former artistic director Gregory…
The Motive and the Cue at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Absorbing" "Mark Gatiss and Johnny Flynn are mesmerising in this absorbing real-life tale of Gielgud and Burton’s Broadway Hamlet" "There…
Glory Ride at the Charing Cross Theatre (2023)
★★
"Lacks dramatic texture" "Old-fashioned and underpowered production saluting the heroic Italian cyclist Gino Bartali" "Unfortunately, this fully staged world premiere…
Richard III at the Liverpool Playhouse / Rose Theatre Kingston (2023)
★★★
"Adjoa Andoh makes a formidable Richard" (Rose Theatre Kingston) "Adjoa Andoh’s vivid vision animates this flawed but thoughtful production" "Putting…
Retrograde at the Kiln Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Ivanno Jeremiah is magnetic as Poitier" "Compact biographical drama examines repression and racism in the golden age of Hollywood" "Playwright…
No ID at the Royal Court Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Tatenda Shamiso’s play is triumphantly lyrical" "Brilliantly funny and imaginatively staged insight into gender transitioning in the UK" "Tatenda Shamiso’s…
The Good Person of Szechwan at the Sheffield Theatres & Lyric Hammersmith (2023)
★★★★
"Lots of fun" (Crucible, Sheffield) "Brecht with an inventive twist" "Any director reviving a play by Bertolt Brecht faces the…
Blue at the London Coliseum (2023)
★★★★
"Compelling production by Tinuke Craig" "Compelling debut work tackles racist violence and family tragedy" "Jeanine Tesori and Tazewell Thompson’s opera…
Animal at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★
"Fails to snap into motion" "Meandering exploration of what dating is like for disabled people" "... though there are vivid,…
Ain't Too Proud - The Life And Times Of The Temptations at the Prince Edward Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Hits and winning performances draw you in" "Slickly entertaining version of the Temptations’ turbulent story" "They all impressively replicate the…
The Secret Life of Bees at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Committed performances" "Songs carry the emotion in an ambitious musical of friendship and the American civil rights struggle that lacks…
Dancing at Lughnasa at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Gorgeous" "Shimmering, beautifully acted revival of a modern Irish classic that probes the mysteries of life" "Josie Rourke’s shimmering revival…
Private Lives at the Donmar Warehouse (2023)
★★★
"Stephen Mangan and Rachael Stirling are brilliantly bitchy" "Sharp-edged revival brings out the cruelty in Noël Coward’s classic comedy" "There’s…
Hamnet at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon (2023)
★★★
"Madeleine Mantock is a gloriously sensual Agnes" "Adaptation of Maggie O’Farrell’s Shakespearean novel has a lush loveliness that will win…
The Dry House at the Marylebone Theatre (2023)
★★
"Unfocused" "Powerfully performed but clumsily told story of a family caught in a downward spiral of grief and addiction" "By…
A Little Life at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"James Norton is extraordinary" "James Norton is astonishing in this pulverisingly brutal play based on the cult novel" "... in…
For Black Boys Who Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at the Apollo Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Exhilarating and emotionally rich exploration of Black masculinity and mental health" "There’s a moment in Ryan Calais Cameron’s moving choreopoem…
Bad Cinderella at the Imperial Theatre in New York (2023)
★★★
"Better Cinderella" "Slight improvements make for better, but still not great, version of Cinderella by Andrew Lloyd Webber" "Though it…
Black Superhero at the Royal Court Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Erratically engaging and often very funny" "Spikily entertaining play about masculinity and representation with a Black queer focus and flights…
The Way Old Friends Do at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Full of heart (Park Theatre)" "Affectionate new comedy exploring the highs and lows of friendships and fandom" "Among all the…
Further than the Furthest Thing at the Young Vic Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Jenna Russell is riveting" "Strange and slippery tale of remote island life compels despite a ponderous staging" "Life is relentlessly…
Marjorie Prime at the Menier Chocolate Factory (2023)
★★★
"Anne Reid stars in chilly sci-fi drama" "Thoughtful if slightly sterile contemplation on family, memory and mortality" "Walter’s function is…
Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"When it cuts loose, it triumphs" "Promenade staging of the classic musical shows audiences a swaggering, swell time" "The immersive…
A Doll's House at the Hudson Theatre, New York (2023)
★★
"Jessica Chastain stars in bloodless adaptation" "Jessica Chastain valiantly muddles through a bloodless production" "Jamie Lloyd’s minimalist production of A…
After the Act at the New Diorama Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Heart-rending yet joyful" "Breach’s latest show brilliantly conveys the hysteria and outrage of Section 28 in propulsive musical form" "...…
The Great British Bake Off Musical at the Noel Coward Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Scrappy, home-baked vibe" "Musical version of the TV show is too vanilla" "The Great British Cash-In, coming to the West…
Sleepova at the Bush Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Effervescently entertaining" "Joyous rites-of-passage drama is a giddy sugar rush" "Like a jar full of bright jelly beans, this new…
Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York's Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Sheridan Smith is radiantly charming" "Sheridan Smith reanimates Willy Russell’s well-worn monologue" "This time around, in an eminently capable production…
Oklahoma! at the Wyndham's Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Captivating, offbeat and pulsing with sexual tension" "Stark, unsettling and wholly contemporary reimagining of the classic musical" "Less a revival…
The Winter's Tale at the Shakespeare's Globe (2023)
★★
"Undeniably inventive" "Gimmicky and disjointed production straddles both Globe stages" "This glib and gimmicky version, helmed by Shakespeare’s Globe associate…
The Walworth Farce at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant (2023)
★★★★
"Dark, absurdist comedy" "Committed performances carry this bleak revival of Enda Walsh’s dark farce" "Enda Walsh’s dark, absurdist comedy grapples…
Grenfell: System Failure at the The Playground Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Stately, subdued power" "Understated and affecting interrogation of the causes of the 2017 fire" "Kent’s minimal staging lets the words…
Women, Beware The Devil at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★
"Vaguely satirical romp" "Nebulous diabolical drama is frustratingly muddled but sumptuously staged" "Lulu Raczka’s new play sounded so enticing –…
Romeo and Julie at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Faultlessly performed tale of rage and hope" "Sweet and savage working-class love story scintillatingly writes its own rules" "Gary Owen’s…
Bootycandy at the Gate Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Rips your heart out" "US writer Robert O’Hara’s brilliantly kaleidoscopic comic exploration of queerness and identity makes its hilarious, emotionally…
Trouble in Butetown at the Donmar Warehouse (2023)
★★★
"Richly involving" "Piercingly lovely ensemble drama set in wartime Tiger Bay" "Atuona presents a gripping ensemble drama set among the…
The Rhinegold at the London Coliseum (2023)
★★★★
"Sky-high musical standards" "Wagnerian epic falls visually short, though the music is superb" "Over several decades the director has given…
Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical at the Birmingham Rep (2023)
★★★
“Puppets make fun but faltering march to the stage” "It’s impressive to see 106 beautifully crafted puppets over the course…
Medea at the @sohoplace (2023)
★★★★
"Sophie Okonedo is sensational”" "Sophie Okonedo is sensational in Dominic Cooke’s astute, intense production of the seismically shocking tragedy" "Dominic…
Sylvia at the The Old Vic Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Ensemble is drilled to perfection" "Breathless hip-hop history of the suffragette movement is broad, but at times exhilarating" "Prince’s motormouth…
Standing at the Sky's Edge at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Seizes your heart and squeezes it tight" "Thrilling Sheffield-set musical charts six decades of social change and salutes the extraordinary…
Winner's Curse at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★
"Funny but unfocused" "Overstretched comedy portraying the messy process of international diplomacy" "Though insightful and frequently funny, Taub and Patterson’s…
Phaedra at the National Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Pulverisingly hectic”" "Politics, privilege and lust collide in a gut-punching and horribly funny reworking of classical myth" "Here, Phaedra –…
The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Production of colossal elegance" "Sam Mendes’ stunning epic returns to the West End" "Lindsay approaches Henry very differently from the…
Linck & Mülhahn at the Hampstead Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Sparky chemistry, nuanced performances" "Compelling historical drama about gender-nonconformity in the 1700s" "Ruby Thomas’ ambitious, if somewhat overstuffed drama draws…
The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (2023)
★★★
"“Alex Kingston is fiercely luminous”" "Impassioned Alex Kingston as a gender-swapped Prospero illuminates a muddled staging" "... Alex Kingston brings…
Carmen at the London Coliseum (2023)
★★★★★
"Grab tickets while you still can" "Shimmering production is a stunning testament to this company’s strengths" "It is a male…
2:22 A Ghost Story at the Lyric Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Cheryl appears completely at home" "You can practically hear the critics sharpening their fangs – but to get straight to…
Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Timely and tart" "Slick, starry production of Sam Steiner’s tart but undernourished two-hander" "It gets slick, sensitive direction here from…
Steel Magnolias at the UK Tour (2023)
★★★
"Brings new depths to a modern classic" "Thoughtful reassessment of a modern classic, clarified by a pitch-perfect ensemble" "The film…
Sound of the Underground at the Royal Court Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"An evening of party, celebration and confession" "Riot of a show exploring the realities of the queer club scene" "In…
Noises Off at the Phoenix Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Solidly entertaining" "Michael Frayn’s masterpiece of meta-comedy doesn’t hit the comedy high notes" "... this 40th-anniversary production of Michael Frayn’s…
The Unfriend at the Criterion Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Packed with pithy one-liners" "Strong performances energise this West End transfer of Steven Moffat’s light, likeable comedy" "Reece Shearsmith is…
Alex Edelman: Just for Us at the Menier Chocolate Factory (2023)
★★★
"As thoughtful as it is beguiling" "Whip-smart comedy explores what connects and divides us" "Edelman has been performing the piece…
George Takei's Allegiance at the Charing Cross Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Intense, busy production" "Earnest if unbalanced musical illuminates a dark period of American history" "The book by Marc Acito, Jay…
A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Ferociously gripping" "Psychologically penetrating, emotionally devastating fresh take on a classic" "Rebecca Frecknall’s staging of the Tennessee Williams classic –…
On The Ropes at the Park Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Absorbing and infuriating" "The human cost of the Windrush scandal is explored in an absorbing and infuriating, if sometimes sluggish,…
Watch on the Rhine at the Donmar Warehouse (2023)
★★★★★
"Rousing" "Urgent revival of a searing, 80-year-old wartime drama" "Equal parts wartime thriller, tart drawing-room comedy and rousing call to…
Derren Brown: SHOWMAN at the Apollo Theatre (2022)
★★★★★
"As clever as it is charismatic" "Existential profundity elevates mischievous, moving, mind-bending entertainment" "So dazzling and discombobulating, so uplifting, funny…
As You Like It at the @sohoplace (2022)
★★★
"Welcome warmth on a cold night" "At its best, the staging has a golden-russet shimmer, as if it’s aglow with…
Jack and the Beanstalk at the London Palladium (2022)
★★★★
"Lavish taster menu of a pantomime" "Spectacular, star-studded pantomime with a hit-and-miss line-up of traditional routines" "Producer and director Michael…
Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol at the Queen Elizabeth Hall, Southbank Centre (2022)
★★★
"Sugary Christmas treat" "Cornball musical strictly for the sentimental" "Bathurst is no singer, so it’s a relief that he only…
Sons of the Prophet at the Hampstead Theatre (2022)
★★
"Pensive and sharply observed" "Bleak tragicomedy struggles to rise above a thoughtful but leaden script" "Karam’s writing is pensive and…
Paradise Now! at the Bush Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Smart, funny, heart-bruising" "Sharply funny look at female friendships and the lure of success" "Perry delves into female friendships, desperate…
Merrily We Roll Along at the New York Theatre Workshop (2022)
★★★★
"Piercing" "Starry cast excels in this moving and incisive production of Sondheim’s time-travelling musical" "Friedman’s production sparkles with high notes…
A Christmas Carol at the Rose Theatre Kingston (2022)
★★★★★
"Terrific" "Fresh, inspired take on Dickens’ seasonal classic" "This new adaptation of Charles Dickens’ ubiquitous perennial is surely one of…
Mother Goose at the Duke of York's Theatre (2022)
★★★★★
"A solid gold hit" "Flawless writing, excellent design and matchless performances" "The musical numbers veer from classic Broadway to Boomshakalaka…
The Nutcracker at the Royal Opera House (2022)
★★★★★
"Feel-good confection of the highest order" "Flawless take on a Christmas classic" "Wright’s cosy, smartly crafted, traditional classical dance spectacle…
Mandela at the The Young Vic (2022)
★★★
"Galvanising performances" "Tribute to the great freedom fighter is simplistic, but blazingly performed" "... the book, by Laiona Michelle (creator…
Disney's Newsies at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Infectious sense of fun" "Spectacular choreography and catchy songs elevate this Disney musical" "Alan Menken’s tunes are typically tender and…
Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty at the Sadler's Wells (2022)
★★★
"Bourne can do better" "Visually gorgeous but overheated spiced-up classic" "At its best, Bourne’s choreography has a refreshingly brisk, no-nonsense…
Kerry Jackson at the National Theatre (2022)
★★
"Clumsy" "Part soap, part sitcom and irredeemably clumsy, this new play by April De Angelis is an absolute howler" "In…
Hex at the National Theatre (2022)
★★
"Sleeping Beauty inspired musical is a frustrating, overcooked mess" "The book, by Tanya Ronder, is befuddling, the music by Jim…
Orlando at the Garrick Theatre (2022)
★★★★★
“Theatre to make the heart leap" "Giddily gorgeous staging captures the transgressive spirit of Woolf’s novel" "What rare glory is…
Othello at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Potently intelligent, intermittently effective landmark Shakespeare staging" "It is thoughtful rather than seismically moving: Giles Terera is meticulous in the…
It's A Wonderful Life at the London Coliseum (2022)
★★★
"Vigorously heartwarming" "Passionate performances drive the drama in a new work of rich orchestral colour" "Jake Heggie’s operas include the…
Best of Enemies at the Noel Coward Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Richly entertaining" "James Graham’s fizzingly astute drama, in a production by Jeremy Herrin transferred from the Young Vic, zeroes in…
Jack and the Beanstalk at the Lyric Hammersmith (2022)
★★★★
"Emmanuel Akwafo brings the house down" "Entertaining and appropriately defiant pantomime that puts community at its heart" "Christian and Jalaly’s…
Henry V at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (2022)
★★★★
"Subversive interpretation that doesn't play by the rules" "Moody reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s patriotic history play" "From its opening moments, it’s…
A Sherlock Carol at the Marylebone Theatre (2022)
★★
"Struggles to conjure much flair" "Dickens and Doyle mash-up struggles to transcend a prosaic production" "Ben Caplan’s querulous Holmes is…
Elf The Musical at the Dominion Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Riot of colour, comedy and magic" "Infectiously upbeat musical adaptation of the Will Ferrell movie" "... this revival of the…
Sarah at the The Coronet Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Well-observed writing" "Jonathan Slinger’s dynamic performance powers this drama about a disintegrating marriage in the American South" "Jonathan Slinger is…
A Christmas Carol at the The Old Vic (2022)
★★★★★
"One of the best Christmas shows you’ll ever see" "Flawless and resonant retelling of the Dickens classic" "Brussel sprouts dangling…
Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial at the Wyndham's Theatre (2022)
★★★
"An unexpected state-of-the-nation drama" "Liv Hennessy has edited seven days of court transcripts into two hours of match highlights, creating,…
The Sex Party at the Menier Chocolate Factory (2022)
★
"Embarrassingly limp" "Limp comedy that strains for socio-political significance" "... this new comedy – which reopens the Menier after an…
Blackout Songs at the Hampstead Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Sharp and jagged dialogue" "Two-hander of love and addition has a sour potency" "This new two-hander by Joe White captures…
From Here To Eternity at the Charing Cross Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Sharper, grittier, more intense" "Compelling musical treatment of James Jones’ award-winning novel" "In Smock’s gritty traverse staging, everything seems amplified.…
A Christmas Carol at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Timely, lavishly designed revival of David Edgar’s didactic adaptation of the Dickens classic" "David Edgar’s strident 2017 adaptation aims to…
Not One of These People at the Royal Court Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Extraordinary theatrical experiment exploring identity and the ethics of art" "There are lots of people living inside playwright Martin Crimp’s…
Super High Resolution at the Soho Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Articulate warning" "Compassionate, darkly funny depiction of individual and institutional crisis in the NHS" "... it is a departure from…
Mary at the Hampstead Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Fiercely relevant" "Fascinating reframing of the downfall of Mary, Queen of Scots continues Rona Munro’s epic history cycle" "Written by…
Elephant at the Bush Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Heartfelt musical-monologue" "Musical monologue gently unpicks complex issues around identity, class and Britain’s imperial legacy" "Handling weighty themes with the…
Tammy Faye – A New Musical at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Surface-skimming romp" "New musical about the iconic televangelist takes you halfway to heaven" "This new musical, with book by playwright…
King Hamlin at the Park Theatre (2022)
★★
"Frequently moving" "Uneven but powerfully performed drama exploring poverty and gang violence" "There’s a sense of grim inevitability saturating King…
A Single Man at the Park Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Piercing" "Poignantly effective and witty adaptation of Christopher Isherwood’s iconic 1964 novel about love, loss and loneliness" "While the novel’s…
@sohoplace at the @sohoplace (2022)
"A glittering jewel-box of glass, steel and wood, adorned with gleaming marble and constellations of twinkling lights, producer Nica Burns’…
Marvellous at the @sohoplace (2022)
★★★
"Understated, charmingly eccentric bio-drama" "Touching tribute to Neil Baldwin’s remarkable life lifts the curtain of Nica Burns’ new @sohoplace theatre"…
Light of Passage at the Royal Opera House (2022)
★★★★★
"Moving, articulate and beautifully choreographed expression of humanity" "Flight Pattern remains a masterly work in its own right. Together, though,…
Local Hero at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Lovely performances" "Every element is great. Lovely performances from Paul Higgins as local barman-cum-hotelier-cum-accountant-cum-lawyer Gordon; from Gabriel Ebert as puppyish…
My Neighbour Totoro at the Barbican Theatre (2022)
★★★★★
"Unadulterated joy" "Exquisitely lovely and enormously beguiling take on the anime classic" "Faithfully adapted by playwright Tom Morton-Smith and directed…
Good at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"David Tennant gives a meticulous performance" "A chilling warning against the apathy and self-regard that allows evil to thrive" "It’s…
The Doctor at the Duke of York's Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Vital" "Juliet Stevenson is all ice and fire in an immensely timely study of identity politics" "It’s all in the…
The Caucasian Chalk Circle at the The Rose Theatre Kingston (2022)
★★★★
"Boisterous energy" "Visually striking revival of Brecht’s sprawling wartime parable" "... Brecht’s epic parable of war, justice and the venal…
The Band's Visit at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★
"Staged with economic eloquence" "Slight and sweet musical story of human connection beyond politics" "Yazbek’s score, which blends Arabic music…
The Boy with Two Hearts at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Glows with one family’s love" "How to convey the scale of this family’s ordeal on a stage? Director Amit Sharma…
Dmitry at the Marylebone Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Knotty tale of toxic nationalism" "Weighty, if sometimes overwrought, take on Friedrich Schiller opens the new London venue" "In a…
Tosca at the London Coliseum (2022)
★★★
"Musically impressive" "Where the show scores highly is in individual performances and on the musical side generally." "Both of the…
Iphigenia in Splott at the Lyric Hammersmith (2022)
★★★★★
"Essential theatre" "Astounding and essential cry of rage and pain against Tory inhumanity" "Played by Sophie Melville with a power…
John Gabriel Borkman at the Bridge Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Solid rather than sensational" "This new version by Lucinda Coxon gives it a modern-day setting but leaves much of the…
Noises Off at the Theatre Royal Bath (2022)
★★★★
"Timeless" "Stellar performances in a rollicking farce surely set to delight for another 40 years" "The balance sheet is loaded…
Woman in Mind at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Things get thrillingly weird" "Our understanding of mental health has changed hugely in the 37 years since Woman in Mind…
Jews. In Their Own Words at the Royal Court (2022)
★★★
"Undoubtedly ambitious" "Illuminating but inconsistent verbatim piece centres the experiences of Jewish people in contemporary Britain" "Despite the sensitivity of…
The Crucible at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Thrillingly gripping" "Masterly staging that finds new resonance in a classic and chills to the bone" "From its opening moments,…
Eureka Day at the The Old Vic (2022)
★★
"Never hits home" "Given the trauma of the pandemic, you’d think the play would feel needle-sharp. Not so. In Katy…
The Wonderful World of Dissocia at the Theatre Royal Stratford East (2022)
★★★★
"Exuberant riff on Alice in Wonderland" "Energetic and engaging revival of Anthony Neilson’s surreal, irreverent exploration of mental illness" "First…
Cages at the Riverside Studios (2022)
★★
"Fails to replicate genuine emotion" "Cages is a film, a musical and a technological firework display. It purports to be…
Rose at the Park Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Maureen Lipman commands attention" "Panoramic rendering of a Jewish life story with a commanding performance by Maureen Lipman" "One-person shows…
The Two Popes at the The Rose Kingston & UK Tour (2022)
★★★★
"Compelling" "Consummate performances from stars Nicholas Woodeson and Anton Lesser lift Anthony McCarten’s cerebral character study" "... The Two Popes…
Handbagged at the Kiln Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"An exceptional cast" "Uproarious dramatisation of Thatcher’s royal audiences becomes a freshly poignant tribute" "Buffini’s script is immensely funny, but…
The P Word at the Bush Theatre (2022)
★★★
"The actors shine" "It’s complicated being Pakistani and gay – and Waleed Akhtar’s The P Word doesn’t flinch from it."…
The Snail House at the Hampstead Theatre (2022)
★★
"Dramatically flat" "Plodding, unpolished drama of family dynamics and intergenerational tensions" "Dramatically flat and struggling to cohere around a central…
The Clothes They Stood Up In at the Nottingham Playhouse (2022)
★★★★
"Skilled adaptation with plentiful laughs" "Funny and thoughtful lesson in liberation from material possessions" "Dealing with loss and change, and…
The Clinic at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Wild, witty and shocking" "Gripping and original drama of family tension, activism and mental heath crisis" "Now, this is a…
Antigone at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Vivid" "Uneven urban reworking of the classical tragedy is energised by eloquent movement and vivid poetry" "The writing features flashes…
Silence at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★
"Crammed with vivid testimony" "Urgent accounts of Indian partition demand a more focused dramatisation" "It’s crammed with vivid testimony, and…
Who Killed My Father at the The Young Vic (2022)
★★★★
"Understated and socially engaged" "Engaging and accusatory monologue delivered by the gently compelling Hans Kesting" "Though the pacing is at…
Gary Barlow - A Different Stage at the Duke of York's Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Barlow's star quality shines when he sings" "Gary Barlow’s autobiographical show is engaging enough but sadly lacking in songs" "While…
I, Joan at the Shakespeare's Globe (2022)
★★★
"Lusty rallying cry for equality" "I, Joan review“Lusty rallying cry for equality” "Part queer fantasia, part protest march, part ecstatic…
The Narcissist at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Bristles with ideas" "Razor-sharp and thought-provoking exploration of America’s political and social landscape tries to tackle too much" "Shinn aims…
All's Well That Ends Well at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon (2022)
★★
"Moving lead performance" "Rosie Sheehy lends real heart to Blanche McIntyre’s clamorous production of Shakespeare’s tragicomedy" "Despite its erraticism as…
Into The Woods at the Theatre Royal Bath (2022)
★★★★
"Glossy, stylised vision" "Terry Gilliam and Leah Hausman’s opulent, if overstuffed, production of Sondheim’s musical fable" "There’s a rich vein…
The Trials at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★★
"Gripping" "Timely and troubling speculative drama imagines the grim repercussions of our current climate emergency" "Though the dialogue’s sometimes bogged…
All of Us at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Fizzes with rage and protest" "Martinez, who has lived with cerebral palsy all her life but prefers the term ‘wobbly’,…
South Pacific at the Sadler's Wells (2022)
★★★★★
"Sumptuous" "Daniel Evans’ delicately revelatory staging is a Rodgers and Hammerstein revival for the ages" "This is emotionally and intellectually…
Identical at the Nottingham Playhouse (2022)
★★★
"Considerable charm”" "Young twins excel in Trevor Nunn’s uneven production of Erich Kästner’s post-war children’s classic" "Designer Robert Jones provides…
The Lion The Witch And The Wardrobe at the Gillian Lynne Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"There's no denying its charm" "Inventive adaptation of the CS Lewis classic arrives in the West End" "The production does…
Sister Act at the Eventim Apollo (2022)
★★★
"Genuinely uplifting" "[Knight] brings vocal heft and requisite presence to the role – though she’s far more engaging when inspiring…
101 Dalmatians at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Energetic and fast-paced”" After a hectic first half, the production comes into its own in the second act. As dusk…
Jack Absolute Flies Again at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Strives to be heartfelt but doesn't stick the landing" "Entertaining but relentlessly frothy transposition of Sheridan’s comedy to wartime Britain"…
Much Ado About Nothing at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Stylish, summery and deliciously designed" "Godwin’s style can sometimes feel aggressively slick, but for all its surface gloss this is…
Crazy For You at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Rollickingly fun time” "It’s easy to see why Charlie Stemp returned to Chichester Festival Theatre for romantic comedy musical Crazy…
Billy Elliot The Musical at the Curve Theatre Leicester (2022)
★★★★
"Powerfully relevant" "Ambitious revival of Lee Hall’s coming-of-age musical bursting with energy and heart" "Artistic director Nikolai Foster handles the…
Peaky Blinders: The Rise at the Camden Garrison (2022)
★★★★
"A must-see for fans" "Fast-paced, atmospheric, immersive show that skilfully melds quality storytelling with pure fun" "A gritty but glamorous…
Millennials at the The Other Palace (2022)
★★★
"Easy to see why it's a TikTok sensation" "It might not get to the core of the millennial experience, but…
Patriots at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Unsettling political drama from Peter Morgan”" "In this slow-burning overview of Russian politics through the 1990s to the early 2010s,…
The Tempest at the Theatre Royal Bath (2022)
★★★★
"Multi-layered cleverness" "Deborah Warner’s inaugural season – thanks to the pandemic – been a long time coming. But the opening…
The Seagull at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Striking" "Nuanced, quietly radical ensemble piece strips Chekhov’s dark comedy to the barest bones" "Anya Reiss’ bleakly comic take on…
Richard III reviews - RSC Stratford at the Stratford Upon Avon (2022)
★★★★
"Strong and diverse cast" "Striking performances lend power to this bloody, melodramatic conclusion to the RSC’s civil war play cycle"…
Mad House at the The Ambassadors Theatre (2022)
★★
"Dark and punchy" "Offbeat black comedy loses focus despite meaty performances from David Harbour and Bill Pullman" "Rebeck’s characters are…
That Is Not Who I Am at the Royal Court Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Knotty interrogation of truth in fake news era" "Urgent, unsettling thriller stands up to scrutiny despite the questionable artifice of…
A Dolls House, Part 2 at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★★★
"Genuinely thought-provoking" "The stage-stealer is Dumezweni, whose presence is mesmerising and whose voice has an impact all on its own…
The Car Man at the Royal Albert Hall (2022)
★★★★
"Powerful, super-heated sleaze" "Welcome return for Matthew Bourne’s epic ballet noir" "Matthew Bourne’s talent as a choreographic storyteller is unassailable.…
The Gunpowder Plot at the Tower Vaults London (2022)
★★★
"Light but lively immersive theatre" "Entertaining if fairly tame new immersive and digital tourist-attraction for London" "If you’re used to…
Tony! [The Tony Blair Rock Opera] at the Park Theatre (2022)
★★
"An unrelenting stream of obvious jokes" "Harry Hill’s musical about the the former prime minister is overlong and obvious" "It’s…
The Unfriend at the Chichester Festival Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Tour de force of toilet farce" "Sherlock creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss team up for a hilarious dark comedy…
The Glass Menagerie at the Duke of York's Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Uncomfortable" "Amy Adams gives an understated performance in Jeremy Herrin’s restrained production" "It’s all quite self-consciously stylised. Herrin is keen…
Legally Blonde The Musical at the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Impossible not to have fun" "It’s a statement piece with a generously Gen-Z approach that celebrates diversity of gender, ethnicity,…
The House of Shades at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Audacious" "A riveting watch from an incredibly exciting playwright – an explosive family portrait of secrets, grief, despair and division”"…
My Fair Lady (2022)
★★★
"Lead performances outshine the production" "The musical’s biggest switch is Eliza’s from flower girl to lady, a transition made convincing…
Grease at the Dominion Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Slick" "Nikolai Foster’s .. has replaced all the twee of the fan favourite with something darker." "All the joy of…
Passion at the Hope Mill Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Passionate and well-paced, but overwrought" "Beautifully realised, Ruthie Henshall-starring revival of Sondheim’s horniest musical that, while full of fire, lacks…
Oklahoma! at the Young Vic Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Stark and sparse – Oklahoma with a snarl" "Curly’s relationship with Laurey – a captivating, unsmiling Anoushka Lucas with a…
Much Ado About Nothing at the Shakespeare's Globe Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Sunshine after a hard winter" "The wartime setting, at times, feels a bit like dressing, primarily an excuse to strew…
Macbeth at the Longacre Theatre (2022)
★★
"Stripped back and overstuffed" "Daniel Craig and Ruth Negga give strong performances in a stylistically overstuffed production" "[Amber] Gray is…
Jerusalem at the Apollo Theatre (2022)
★★★★★
"It remains phenomenal" "Thirteen years on, Jerusalem remains an extraordinary experience anchored by an incredible performance from Mark Rylance." "Jerusalem…
Funny Girl at the August Wilson Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Respectful rendering" "Mayer’s respectful rendering serves the text well enough and features a star turn from Beanie Feldstein but, while…
The Corn is Green at the National Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Precision-tooled acting from Nicola Walker" "Nicola Walker leads a stunning cast in Dominic Cooke’s smart revival of Emlyn Williams’ autobiographical…
Marys Seacole at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★
"Incisive" "Nadia Latif’s direction is, however, fussy to the point of distraction. The staging excludes the audience, and the creation…
Punchdrunk: The Burnt City at the One Cartridge Place (2022)
★★★★★
"Ambitious, intoxicating – simply nothing else like it" "Punchdrunk’s new show features heady, brilliant storytelling that resists easy interpretations" "The…
Scandaltown at the Lyric Hammersmith (2022)
★★★
"None of its blows land strongly" "Stirling best understands how to handle the material, pitching her performance at the right…
Zorro The Musical at the Charing Cross Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Energy, talent and excitement" "Durham’s production is a celebration of storytelling and he has gathered a diverse and multi-talented cast…
The 47th at the The Old Vic (2022)
★★★
"Bertie Carvel is magnificent" "Mike Bartlett’s new blank verse play about the 2024 US presidential election is not always satisfying…
Anyone Can Whistle at the Southwark Playhouse (2022)
★★★
"A revival that celebrates diversity" "Sondheim described his show as a “cartoon”, which seems a fitting description for Rankcom’s fantastically…
Straight Line Crazy at the Bridge Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Big, lively characters" "Maybe the biggest flaw is the underuse of Helen Schlesinger as Jane Jacobs. Often mentioned in the…
Cock at the Ambassadors Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Frank and funny" "Taron Egerton and Jonathan Bailey star in a stylish, savage but surface-skimming production of Mike Bartlett’s play…
Maria Friedman & Friends - Legacy at the Menier Chocolate Factory (2022)
★★★
"Exudes energy like a firework" "An indulgence, she calls it, and that’s the nail on the head really. For anyone…
The Collaboration at the The Young Vic (2022)
★★★★
"Humanises artistic icons" "For a play about mould-breakers, it’s structurally and dramatically formulaic, but McCarten has a real knack for…
The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theatre (2022)
★★★
"We’re left wanting more. Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster don’t quite gel in a restrained revival with moments of exuberant…
Bring It On: The Musical at the Queen Elizabeth Hall (2021)
★★★★
"Flawless choreography" "Lin-Manuel Miranda’s early high school cheerleading musical is enlivened by some superb choreography" "Transgender performer Jal Joshua excels…
Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club (Playhouse Theatre) (2021)
★★★★★
"Eddie Redmayne and Jessie Buckley are sublime" "But Frecknall’s direction doesn’t let style sideline substance. Perhaps her strongest play is…
Best of Enemies at the The Young Vic (2021)
★★★★
"Compelling" "Taut political docudrama showcases thrillingly combative performances from leads David Harewood and Charles Edwards" "Director Jerremy Herrin – who…
A Chorus Line at the Curve Leicester (2021)
★★★★
"Nikolai Foster’s new production of the bittersweet backstage musical is vivacious" "The ensemble delivers quite a husky rendering of Marvin…
The Book of Dust at the Bridge Theatre (2021)
★★★
"A rollicking adaptation" "At the Bridge rather than the Olivier, on stage rather than in a book, Hytner and adapter…
The Ocean at the End of the Lane at the Duke of York's Theatre (2021)
★★★★
"Darkness and dreamlike strangeness" "Capturing the darkness and dreamlike strangeness of Neil Gaiman’s bestselling 2013 novel, The Ocean at the…
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) at the Criterion Theatre (2021)
★★★
"Uproarious and irreverent" "It’s good fun, even if the pacing feels a bit off at times and some of the…
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at the Lyric Theatre (2021)
★★★★
"Brims with unbridled charm" "It’s a relief to report that this new show about the life of the great Bob…
Frozen The Musical at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (2021)
★★★★
"Stunning performances” "A huge determiner of Frozen’s success comes down to the casting of Anna and Elsa, the princesses of…
Cinderella at the Gillian Lynne Theatre (2021)
★★★
"Amusing, unexpected, enjoyable" "It’s the cast that carries the show: Carrie Hope Fletcher takes the lead and stomps around the…
Mary Poppins at the Prince Edward Theatre (2021)
★★
"Distinctly lacking in magic" "When so many top-drawer creatives are trying to cast different spells, no wonder the enchantment doesn’t…
Anything Goes at the Barbican Theatre (2021)
★★★★★
"It's delightful, It's delicious. Sutton Foster makes her London debut in a sumptuous production of the classic Cole Porter musical"…
Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre (2020)
★★★★
"Still spectacular" "It’s really quite magnificent. When you combine the new production with the renovated theatre, the experience is completely…
Cirque Du Soleil - Luzia at the Royal Albert Hall (2020)
★★★★
"Luzia is fresh and invigorating"" "The corporate soullessness that has anaesthetised many productions has been replaced by something approaching joy."…
Magic Goes Wrong at the Vaudeville Theatre (2020)
★★★
"Mischief theatre's entertaining fusion of magic and comedy" "Funny and entertaining, if under-powered, fusion of magic and comedy. Though it…
Cyrano de Bergerac at the Playhouse Theatre (2019)
★★★★
"Words are everything in Jamie Lloyd’s stripped-down and shaken-up Cyrano" “Martin Crimp’s adaptation plays fast and loose with Edmond Rostand’s…
& Juliet at the Shaftesbury Theatre (2019)
★★★★★
"The apotheosis of the jukebox musical" "Having covered all three Schuyler sisters in Hamilton, The Stage Debut Award winner Miriam-Teak…
DEAR EVAN HANSEN at the Noel Coward Theatre (2019)
★★★★
"Powerful, moving and superbly performed" "As shown in The Greatest Showman, Pasek and Paul have cracked the formula for four-chord…
The Girl Who Fell at the Trafalgar Theatre (2019)
★★★
"Well acted and sensitively written, if overloaded exploration of grief and guilt" "Sarah Rutherford’s exploration of the aftermath of a…
A Day In The Death Of Joe Egg at the Trafalgar Theatre (2019)
★★★
"Engaging but too-clean revival" "Engaging but too-clean revival of Peter Nichols’ frank, funny and wrenching play about parenting a disabled…
Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre (2019)
"Utterly exhilarating" "If we must have jukebox musicals, I only wish they were all as vivacious and utterly exhilarating as…
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at the London Palladium (2019)
★★★★
"It’s a massive blast of joy" "Lloyd Webber and Rice wrote it for a school choir. It makes so much…
Wife at the Kiln Theatre (2019)
★★★★
"It’s remarkable, both structurally and stylistically." "The more familiar you are with A Doll’s House, the better you’ll be able…
The Starry Messenger at the Wyndham's Theatre (2019)
★★★
"Broderick and Eleazar are both brilliant, as is the always excellent Jim Norton, as a straight-talking old man on his…
Sergei Polunin at the London Palladium (2019)
★
"Obnoxious, tedious and uncomfortable - the paying public shouldn’t be prey to him." "Strap yourself in for some hollow sentiment…
Betrayal at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2019)
★★★★
"Stylish, intimate and superbly performed" "All three actors are at ease with the rhythms of Pinter's language and at filling…
Waitress at the Adelphi Theatre, (2019)
★★★★
"Sweet as the best homemade pie" "It’s really wonderful, with the sweetness, crispness and comfort of the best homemade pie,…
9 to 5 The Musical at the Savoy Theatre (2019)
★★★
"his is very much of the more is more school of musical theatre." "McQueen’s Doralee has the same irresistible positivity…
All About Eve at the Noel Coward Theatre (2019)
★★★
"A stylish but functional production" "Though Van Hove’s adaptation sticks pretty closely to the original, it strips a lot of…
True West at the Vaudeville Theatre (2018)
★★★★
"A wickedly funny revival" "This comes through in the performances of Game Of Thrones’ Kit Harington and singer-songwriter-actor Johnny Flynn.…
Clueless - The Musical at the The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre (2018)
★★
'A capable cast can’t save a tonally mismatched and awkwardly staged musical production of the popular 1990s film.' 'The nostalgia…
Fiddler On The Roof at the Meniere Chocolate Factory (2018)
"Trevor nunn's tight, trad revival" 'Nunn is a master of musicals, and one who knows the Menier space well. He…
Hole at the Royal Court Theatre (2018)
★★★
‘Ellie Kendrick’s flawed but ferocious debut play reverberates with feminist rage’ ‘Rage and frustration blaze throughout this play – but…
Billionaire Boy at the NST City, Southampton (2018)
★★★★
"Irreverent, funny new hit British musical" “Irreverent, fantastically funny and hit-heavy new musical based on David Walliams’ monster-selling novel” "Walliams’…
Hadestown at the National Theatre (2018)
★★★★
"Stunning new folk opera" "Anais Mitchell’s folk musical is much more than just the love story." "Dialogue melts imperceptibly into…
Company at the Gielgud Theatre (2018)
★★★★★
"An astonishing reinvention" "Stephen Sondheim and Marianne Elliott unite for an astonishing reinvention of a classic musical. Marianne Elliott has…
Killer Joe at the Trafalgar Studios (2018)
★
"An unpleasant revival of a nasty play" "Despite Bloom’s protestations, one thing is for sure: there is nothing remotely feminist,…
Julie at the National Theatre (2018)
★★★★
"Provocative and profound" ”Provocative and profound update of Strindberg’s classic with a blinding central performance from Vanessa Kirby. August Strindberg’s…
Red at the Wyndham's Theatre (2018)
★★★
"Alfred Molina is superb" “Taut revival of the play about Mark Rothko that highlights its limitations as well as its…
An Ideal Husband at the Vaudeville Theatre (2018)
★★
Jonathan Church’s An Ideal Husband feels like it’s going through the motion. It’s capably played for the most part but…
The Girl On The Train (2018)
★★
"Lacking in tension" "If you were coming to the production with little knowledge of the source material, you’d struggle to…
Tina - The Tina Turner Musical at the Aldwych Theatre (2018)
★★★★
"Incredible" "Yes, it’s a jukebox musical. And no, it’s not imaginatively told, galloping straightforwardly through Tina Turner’s life and works…
Hamilton at the Victoria Palace Theatre (2017)
★★★★★
"World-shattering" "Brought across the Atlantic by impresario Cameron Mackintosh to a lavishly refurbished theatre, this show doesn’t feel like the…
Oliver! at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane (2009)
"On the surface no expense has been spared in this much-anticipated staging of Lionel Bart’s Oliver!, a reinvention of Sam…
Thriller Live at the Lyric Theatre (2009)
★★★★
"Quite literally, thrilling" "This is very much an ensemble company and the dance team here deserve a special mention. The…
📷 Main photo: The Stage
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