The press performance of Cinderella on Monday got cancelled, and so did last night’s “gala opening”; Andrew Lloyd Webber has now threatened to pull the plug on the entire show…. or has he?
Streaming now: Mark Farrelly celebrates the legendary Quentin Crisp in Naked Hope
Quentin: Crisp, written and performed by Mark Farrelly and directed by Linda Marlowe, is now available globally via Stream Theatre until Sunday 1 August 2021.
NEWS: Witness for the Prosecution announces new London cast
Casting has been announced for for Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution, due to return to London County Hall from 14 September 2021. The production is booking through to 20 March 2022.
NEWS: Alfie Boe leads a cast of West End, Broadway & music stars at the Picnic Proms Summer Concert Series
Alfie Boe, Sir Willard White, Aled Jones, Tenors Unlimited and Queen Symphonic will headline Picnic Proms Summer Concert Series, a three-day series of concerts featuring musical theatre legends, orchestral icons, a symphonic spectacular and spellbinding silent firework displays.
NEWS: Camden Fringe returns with 267 shows across 21 London venues
The Camden Fringe is back this August after an enforced year off because due to Covid. The festival of theatre and comedy, which was established in 2006, runs from 2 to 29 August 2021 across 21 London venues, with 15 shows available to view online.
NEWS: Covid self isolation guidance forces West End opening night of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella to be postponed
Following the cancellation of weekend performances of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella at London’s Gillian Lynne Theatre, due to one member of the company testing positive for Covid-19, the composer has announced today that the opening night and gala evenings (19 and 20 July 2021) will also not go ahead.
An Indecent Proposal? No, more like an invitation to Terri Paddock’s post-show Q&A discussing the new musical at Southwark Playhouse
Following the 7.30pm performance on Thursday 4 November 2021, My Theatre Mates founder Terri Paddock will be talking to the cast and creatives at Southwark Playhouse about the 21st-century perspective on Indecent Proposal and its themes. Any questions? Join us!
NEWS: Covid-enforced absences result in the cancellation of Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company’s production of The Browning Version
Due to an increasing number of Covid-enforced absences, the Kenneth Branagh Theatre Company/Fiery Angel new production of Terence Rattigan’s play The Browning Version, due to play at London’s Riverside Studios from 5-29 August 2021, has had to be cancelled.
‘I can’t wait to see & hear the children’s reactions to the play’: Peter Glanville on Polka’s pop up show Maanika & The Wolf
The Polka Theatre’s artistic director chats to Love London Love Culture about the theatre’s pop up performance of Maanika & The Wolf.
A double whammy of encore performances proves to be a pleasure
Regular readers will know that I like nothing more than seeing shows I’ve already seen and loved again… and again. As a critic, you see shows under specific circumstances — as invited by the production.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: The Invisible Hand at the Kiln Theatre
Love London Love Culture rounds up the reviews for Indhu Rubasingham‘s revival of Ayad Akhtar’s play at the Kiln Theatre.
NEWS: Theatres gear up for reopening following the 19 July roadmap announcement
Prime minister Boris Johnson has confirmed that England will move to Step 4 of the Government roadmap on 19 July 2021, meaning that theatres will be able to return to full attendance levels.
Q&A Queen Terri Paddock is back to discuss Salome at Southwark Playhouse
Post-lockdown, Lazarus Theatre returns to the stage with a revival of their 2019 gender-twist version of Oscar Wilde’s Salome, in a limited season at London’s Southwark Playhouse. Having chaired a lively discussion on this piece two years ago, I’m delighted to reunite with Lazarus for a fresh go.
Streaming now: Brendan Murphy does sitcom solo in FRIEND (The One With Gunther)
Hilarious sitcom homage FRIEND (The One With Gunther), written and performed by Brendan Murphy, is now available globally via Stream Theatre until Sunday 25 July 2021.
NEWS: Original 2-part West End production of Harry Potter & the Cursed Child resumes in October 2021
The original two-part multi-award-winning production of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will resume performances at London’s Palace Theatre on 14 October 2021. After over a year and a half of shutdown due to the pandemic, rehearsals for the West End production will begin this August.
West End shows have a fight on their hands post ’Freedom Day’
Social distancing restrictions may be about to be lifted, but can the West End survive the mass self-isolation that the current virus surge will require?
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Bach & Sons at the Bridge Theatre
Find out what critics have had to say about the world premiere of Nina Raine’s new play Bach & Sons at the Bridge Theatre.
‘Teenage angst in the bathroom… & classroom’: BE MORE CHILL – Shaftesbury Theatre / HEATHERS – Theatre Royal Haymarket
There comes a point in every lifelong theatre lover’s career when you suddenly wake up and wonder: am I simply too old for this? Ben Brantley, former chief critic of the New York Times, hit this particular critical nail on the head when he ended his review of the 2018 Off-Broadway summer run of the cult musical Be More Chill (before it was propelled to Broadway in turn) by advising: “It may be helpful to think of this bounding, exhaustingly enthusiastic puppy of a show as the theatrical equivalent of one of those high-pitched dog whistles that only those under 25 can hear.”
Streaming now: Apphia Campbell conjures Nina Simone in Black Is the Color of My Voice
Black Is the Color of My Voice, inspired by Nina Simone and written and performed by Fringe First winner Apphia Campbell, is now available globally via Stream Theatre until Sunday 18 July 2021.
NEWS: Indecent Proposal finally gets its MeToo musical makeover in October
Indecent Proposal, originally due to premiere in May 2020, has announced new dates at London’s Southwark Playhouse, where it will now run from 22 October to 27 November 2021, with a press night on 2 November.