Selected reviews by Jessie Thompson, theatre critic of The Independent.
Jessie Thompson is Arts Editor for The Independent, and an accomplished writer, editor and critic, specialising in the arts.
Jessie’s previous roles have included Deputy Arts Editor at the Evening Standard.
More about Jessie Thompson:
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Shirley Valentine at the Duke of York's Theatre (2023)
★★★★★
"Sheridan Smith gives the performance of the year so far" "Willy Russell’s 1986 warm, wistful play about a bored housewife…
The Independent
Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons Lemons at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2023)
★★★
"Aidan Turner and Jenna Coleman squeeze out the juice" "It’s nice that Sam Steiner’s 2015 fringe gem has been plucked…
The Independent
A Streetcar Named Desire at the Almeida Theatre (2023)
★★★★
"Paul Mescal’s cruel Stanley leaves Normal People’s gold chain in tatters" "The ‘Aftersun’ actor gives an entrancing performance in Rebecca…
The Independent
Orlando at the Garrick Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Emma Corrin is magnificent as Woolf’s punk rock protagonist" "Michael Grandage’s production has an inventiveness and creativity that’s true to…
The Independent
Tammy Faye – A New Musical at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Camp, cutesy and hard to resist" "Rupert Goold’s production at the Almeida about the televangelist, with music by Elton John,…
The Independent
Patriots at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★
"Tom Hollander gives one of the performances of the year" "If the play sometimes gets heavy – the political and…
The Independent
The Seagull at the Harold Pinter Theatre (2022)
★★
"Doesn’t half drag-on" "Indira Varma is excellent, but this self-referential rewrite of Chekhov’s 1895 play feels slow and self-indulgent" "It’s…
The Independent
That Is Not Who I Am at the Royal Court Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"This strange political mystery is a significant work" "Kirkwood’s pseudonym and the play’s fake title – it’s really called Rapture…
The Independent
A Dolls House, Part 2 at the Donmar Warehouse (2022)
★★★
"A bit of Ibsen fanfic that’s more of a think piece than a drama" "Is this meta-fiction? Or Ibsen fanfic?…
The Independent
The House of Shades at the Almeida Theatre (2022)
★★★★
"Anne-Marie Duff is on spectacular form" "At almost three hours, the play can feel unwieldy. Blanche McIntyre’s direction allows us…
The Independent
Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) at the Criterion Theatre (2021)
★★★★
"This anarchic Austen reboot will make you happy" "This sweary, anarchic reboot of Pride and Prejudice by Scottish writer Isobel…
The Evening Standard
Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical at the Lyric Theatre (2021)
★★★★
"Arinzé Kene is a knockout. This is a joyful night out that also feels like an important cultural event" "'My…
The Evening Standard
📷 Main photo: Jessie Thompson
