I doubt I will see another show in 2022 that matches the allure and sense of occasion as Rebecca Frecknall’s much-anticipated production of Cabaret.
‘A bonkers funfest of innuendo, audience interaction & toe-tapping tunes’: ROCKY HORROR SHOW – Touring
Having seen the show a few times beforem I knew exactly what to expect from the affectionate pastiche of old B-Movies, but my husband (and co-blogger) was a newcomer, having never even seen the film adaptation.
Year in review: My favourite in-person shows 2021
When I had a look through my list of shows, it wasn’t too hard to choose a top 10 – the hardest thing was getting them in the right order
‘It’s just too rich a seam for artists to ever tire of exploiting it’: Isobel McArthur on Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of)
‘Pride & Prejudice* (*Sort Of) an affectionate, faithful re-telling of Jane Austen’s iconic novel – only, told by the servants, with karaoke.’
Year in review: Ian’s 10 favourite shows of 2021
Just a little bit late… Here’s 10 of my favourite shows, both online and onstage but fully acknowledging that I saw a lot less than usual, I might actually have broken the back of this theatre obsession – it just took a global pandemic to do it…!
Year in review: Ian’s 10 top theatrical moments of 2021
As distinct from my favourite shows of the year, this list celebrates the fact that sometimes the good and the not-so-good co-exist right next to each – some of my favourite moments.
Year in review: Emma’s 7 favourite theatre productions of 2021
Despite everything that has been happening in the world, last year saw some fantastic theatre being produced under difficult circumstances: here are just a few of our favourite productions.
‘Plenty of stunning gymnastic-inspired choreography, high levels of energy & joy’: BRING IT ON – Queen Elizabeth Hall then Touring ★★★★
This pom-pom filled musical might be slight in story, but it certainly has much to enjoy thanks to Fabian Aloise’s choreography.
‘Relentlessly upbeat & cheerful to watch’: ANYTHING GOES (Online review)
Light as a souffle but such a delight. It’s doubtful whether there has ever been a classier bit of froth than this Cole Porter show.
‘Beautiful, a bit strange, quite sinister & entirely transporting’: CABARET – West End ★★★★★
I’m not sure anything prepared me for quite how earth-shatteringly sensational Rebecca Frecknall’s take on Cabaret would turn out to be.
‘Learning a new skill in cheerleading was really exciting’: Actor & resident director Samuel Wilson-Freeman on Bring It On
Samuel Wilson-Freeman is currently starring as Steven in Bring It On The Musical, which is at London’s Southbank Centre this month before continuing its UK-wide tour.
Looking back on the last two plague years: Part 2, The Repeat
In the months from May to December 2021, it was, once again, possible to see live shows and review them in London and across the country: for me Birmingham, Sonning, Lowestoft, Ipswich, Norwich, Colchester, Northampton and elsewhere.
NEWS: Vault Festival cancels tenth-anniversary programme featuring 600+ shows
Organisers of London’s VAULT Festival, which was due to return this month bigger and better than ever, today announced that the entire 2022 programme has been canceled in the face of continuing uncertainty with the Omicron variant.
Looking back on the last two plague years: Part 1, The Onset
I set out to chronicle and celebrate the return of live theatre since May 2021. And this will follow. But when I totted up the 2021 score – 60 theatre nights, 30 being completely new plays and 19 brand-new productions – it seemed to me only decent to pause, look back at the year before.
‘It charmingly epitomises the Jazz Age’: GATSBY THE MUSICAL – Southwark Playhouse ★★★
F Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby was first published nearly 100 years ago yet it still continues to inspire modern adaptations and interpretations.
‘The routines are without fail breathtakingly good’: BRING IT ON – Queen Elizabeth Hall then Touring
Fabian Aloise’s banging choreography spikes, basket-tosses and split-lifts this cracking production of Bring It On – the Musical.
‘Captures the spirit of the era with aplomb’: FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE – Upstairs at the Gatehouse ★★★★★
My first thought when I heard that Five Guys Named Moe was coming to the Gatehouse was: how will all that song and dance work in such a small space? I needn’t have worried.
New work, new voices, hybrid approaches: How theatre changed in 2021
It has been another complicated year for theatres with venues unable to welcome in-person audiences for more than five months of 2021 and the tail end of the year returning to enforced closure and performance cancellations.
Five of my favourite theatre productions of 2021
We all know how we feel about 2021. What we need to do is celebrate what made it fabulous so here is my pick of what the year had to offer.
Film Review: West Side Story is a ‘soaring cinematic achievement’
Respectfully adapted and lushly scored, dreamily romantic and heartbreakingly moving, the new movie adaptation of evergreen classic West Side Story gleams with the splendour of mega-budget movie magic.