MyTheatreMates is a portal for independent theatre bloggers, run by Terri Paddock. We currently have over 45 bloggers whose sites and content are regularly featured and hundreds more guest bloggers. We love meeting new mates! Are you a champion of theatre? Do you regularly blog and tweet about it? Why not join us?
Terri Paddock co-founded MyTheatreMates in 2015 with the help of leading theatre critic and industry commentator Mark Shenton, a mate for life! Find out more about the ethos behind the site. And join our mailing list.
Editor’s picks
NEWS: Danny Mac & Aimie Atkinson take the lead roles in West End’s Pretty Woman The Musical
11th December 2019Aimie Atkinson will play Vivian and Danny Mac will play Edward in Pretty Woman: The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre from 13 February 2020 where it will play for a strictly limited engagement of 46 weeks. Full casting to be announced soon.… .. Read more
NEWS: Casting announced for London production of Be More Chill
9th December 2019Casting for the UK premiere of Be More Chill, the hit Broadway musical has been announced. The lead roles of Jeremy Heere will be played by Scott Folan (recent credits include Mother of Him at Park Theatre, Damned By Despair at the National Theatre) and… .. Read more
‘The beauty and rawness of it pull you in’: CYRANO DE BERGERAC – West End ★★★★★
8th December 2019Playhouse Theatre, London – until 29 February 2020 The last time Jamie Lloyd directed James McAvoy in a play, he had him riding around the stage on a unicycle in nothing but his pants. In Cyrano de Bergerac, their latest… .. Read more
NEWS: Samantha Barks will play Elsa in the West End production of Frozen
6th December 2019It has been announced that British actress and singer Samantha Barks has been cast as Elsa in the West End production of Frozen The Musical, opening at the newly refurbished Theatre Royal Drury Lane in October 2020. Probably best known for… .. Read more
Featured shows
‘His power is absolute, there’s no hope of fighting’: Director Asya Sosis explores the dark themes in Dragon
11th December 2019Asya Sosis directs a new production of 1944 Soviet satire Dragon for two performances only this weekend, hot on the heels of the UK's general election. In the piece, a brave knight's attempts to kill an evil dragon are met with hostility… .. Read more
WATCH: What do audiences and critics think of Graeae’s One Under revival?
11th December 2019"A great piece of theatre", "really moving, very thought-provoking" - check out what audiences think of Graeae's touring production of drama One Under, and what critics have said, then book your tickets for its London runs at the Arcola Theatre.… .. Read more
WATCH: Natasha Santos tells London Live about the Christmas reinvention of break up comedy Getting Over Everest
10th December 2019"No-one wants to be dumped at Christmas!" Watch playwright and performer Natasha Santos talking to London Live about the personal experiences that inspired her comedy Getting Over Everest and adding festive fun to the emotional mix. Book your tickets now! Santos' female-led… .. Read more
NEWS: For the Sake of Argument brings drama of language and war to the Bridewell Theatre
6th December 2019New play For the Sake of Argument tests the old saying that the pen is mightier than the sword with its tale of a journalist at the time of the Iraq war that runs at the Bridewell Theatre early next year. Book… .. Read more
FIRST LOOK: Take a trip into the past, present and future with images from A (One-Man) Christmas Carol
5th December 2019How does a solo performer bring all the characters in Charles Dickens' festive classic to life for A (One-Man) Christmas Carol? Some of the answer lay in the production images below. Take a look, then book your tickets! The solo adaptation of… .. Read more
New pre-election post-show Q&A: Join Terri to discuss risks for the NHS at Blood Orange
5th December 2019Is the NHS "on the table" in trade negotiations with Donald Trump if Boris Johnson wins a majority at the ballot box next week? This may be the Brexit election, but YouGov polling shows that, after Brexit (and hardly mutually exclusive), the… .. Read more
Other recent articles
‘Wants for nothing in terms of spectacle or budget’: THE LION KING – Touring ★★★★
13th December 2019Touring – reviewed at Edinburgh Playhouse Guest reviewer: Hugh Simpson Visually arresting, the touring production of The Lion King which is booked into the Playhouse until March 2020, wants for nothing in terms of spectacle or budget. The stage version… .. Read more
‘Pushes the comedy to its maximum potential’: FITTER – Soho Theatre ★★★★
13th December 2019Soho Theatre, London – until 4 January 2020 What is it? Ell Potter and Mary Higgins return with their second devised show to dance their way through a interrogation of masculinity, using almost 50 interviews of cis, transidentifying men. What… .. Read more
Also visit Terri’s social media directory for musicals
‘Fun & clever dark comedy’: TEENAGE DICK – Donmar Warehouse ★★★★★
13th December 2019Donmar Warehouse, London – until 1 February 2020 Teenage Dick is one of those play titles you have to be careful mentioning or googling, a bit like Cock at the Royal Court – but it is wholly appropriate for Mike Lew’s… .. Read more
‘Bleak & powerful’: A KIND OF PEOPLE – Royal Court Theatre
13th December 2019Royal Court Theatre, London – until 18 January 2019 Opening with the kind of house party you’d be quite happy to end up at after a few drinks down the pub, you can kinda see where the Royal Court is… .. Read more
‘A mesmerising production’: THE OCEAN AT THE END OF THE LANE – National Theatre ★★★★★
13th December 2019Dorfman, National Theatre – until 25 January 2019 Neil Gaiman has had a good year when it comes to book adaptations. A great year in fact. Not only did the second season of American Gods air but Good Omens, a… .. Read more
Text of the Day: Philip Pullman on lying
12th December 2019Random and topical thoughts and quotes gathered by My Theatre Mates contributor Aleks Sierz, first published on www.sierz.co.uk. “Being a practised liar doesn’t mean you have a powerful imagination. Many good liars have no imagination at all; it’s that which gives… .. Read more
‘Hilarious & unexpectedly relevant tale’: JOAN OF LEEDS – New Diorama Theatre ★★★
12th December 2019New Diorama Theatre, London – until 21 December 2019 Joan of Leeds is a hilarious and unexpectedly relevant tale of Joan, a 14th century Nun, who fakes her own death in order to escape her convent and break her vow… .. Read more
‘Warm & entertaining production’: THE SNOW QUEEN – Park Theatre ★★★★
12th December 2019Park Theatre, London – until 4 January 2020 While the theatre world is currently excited about the casting of Elsa in Frozen the musical in London next year, the Park Theatre is celebrating the original Snow Queen with its Christmas… .. Read more
‘Sparkling production’: THE BOY FRIEND – Menier Chocolate Factory ★★★★
12th December 2019Menier Chocolate Factory, London – until 7 March 2020 Guest reviewer: Claire Roderick Just walking into the theatre and seeing Paul Anderson’s vibrantly coloured set chases away the winter blues and transports you to 1920s Riviera in this sparkling production. The… .. Read more
‘Bold, lively & razor sharp from start to finish’: CYRANO DE BERGERAC – West End ★★★★
12th December 2019Playhouse Theatre, London – until 29 February 2020 Jamie Lloyd’s stripped back but immensely enjoyable production highlights the power of language thanks to Martin Crimp’s engaging adaptation. For this contemporary and lively version of Edmond Rostand’s Cyrano de Bergerac, Jamie… .. Read more