Director Barlett Sher brings 1913 London to life through My Fair Lady in the touring production of the same name. Based on George Bernard Shaw’s novel Pygmalion, the story focused on Eliza Doolittle’s quick rise through the classes as an experiment devised by Professor Henry Higgins.
‘It is certainly a good night out’: THE COMMITMENTS – Touring
Originally from the Roddy Doyle book, which was also adapted into a wonderful Neil Jordan film, this is the latest touring
version of the musical, The Commitments. Set in 1980s Dublin, this is the story of a young band coming together to ‘bring soul’ to Ireland, before it all falls apart. Featuring a great soundtrack of soul songs, this has been around in some form in the UK for the last 10 years, and for good reason.
NEWS: A reality television spoof with toe-tapping songs: Lisa Gaye Wright’s The Real Housewives of Codswallop arrives on the London Fringe
Lisa Gaye Wright’s new and original comedy spoof musical The Real Housewives of Codswallop – funny, quirky and full of parody with toe-tapping songs throughout – will be staged at The Theatre at the Tabard in Chiswick from 30 January to 2 February 2023 and the Bread & Roses Theatre, Clapham from 6 to 8 February.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Touring
The National Theatre’s production of The Ocean at the End of the Lane is currently on a UK tour – here’s what critics have been saying about it so far.
Hitting the road: Love London Love Culture offers a guide to shows touring in 2023
Remember it’s not just the West End where excellent shows can be found. Here’s a guide to some of the shows we can’t wait to catch on tour.
‘The talent of these kids is astounding’: BUGSY MALONE – Alexandra Palace Theatre & Touring
When I heard that the touring production of the Lyric Hammersmith’s Theatre production of Alan Parker’s Bugsy Malone The Musical, was going to stop at Ally Pally for six weeks over Christmas and New Year, I became very excited that I would finally get to see this version of the classic musical in such an appropriately styled venue.
‘Live entertainment has come back with an encouraging roar’: Alun Hood celebrates his Top 20 new theatre shows of 2022
As somebody who loves a listicle plus a bandwagon to jump on, how could I NOT compile my list of my top 20 new (to me) shows of 2022? It’s been 12 months in which live entertainment has come back with an encouraging roar, although the impending cost of living crisis is inevitably, and understandably, causing anxiety in theatrical circles. Please do get out there, if you can, and support your local venue in 2023.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Mother Goose at the Duke of York’s Theatre & Touring
We take a look at what critics have had to say about Mother Goose at the Duke of York’s Theatre & touring, the pantomime starring John Bishop and Ian McKellen, currently touring until April.
‘Feelgood, festive escapism the classic musical theatre way’: WHITE CHRISTMAS – Touring ★★★★
Following a successful West End engagement at the Dominion back in 2019, White Christmas has been taken on the road for the 2022 festive season. This time round, the Irving Berlin classic musical stars Jay McGuiness, Dan Burton, Jessica Daley, Monique Young, Lorna Luft and Michael Starke – and of course includes several renditions of the famous title song.
‘Continues to sparkle’: THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW – Touring ★★★★★
The Rocky Horror Show started as a tiny fringe production upstairs at the Royal Court, nearly 50 years ago. Over time it has grown and developed, but still retains the connection with fans with the constant breaking of the fourth wall, and encouraged callbacks (example: when Janet is first mentioned, you shout “Slut!”).
‘Inventive & dreamlike’: MATTHEW BOURNE’S SLEEPING BEAUTY – Touring ★★★★★
New Adventures and Matthew Bourne return to The Lowry with their Gothic take on the classic fairytale Sleeping Beauty. A firm favourite in the company’s repertoire and celebrating 10 years since it was first performed, this stylish and supernatural production reawakens for 2022.
‘Just as magical as ever’: THE NUTCRACKER – Touring ★★★★
The Northern Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is everything you could want in the lead up to Christmas. Enchantment paired with stellar dancing means you’ll have a captivating time, whether you’re an adult or child.
‘Razor-sharp &captivating’: FRANTIC ASSEMBLY: OTHELLO – Touring ★★★★★
Lean, mean and totally uncompromising, Frantic Assembly bring a newly updated and gritty version of Shakespeare’s Othello to The Lowry as part of their UK tour. Razor-sharp and captivating, Frantic Assembly’s pulsating and athletic physical style adds new depth to Shakespeare’s text.
‘Tremendous energy but misses a trick’: A DEAD BODY IN TAOS – Touring
David Farr’s new play A Dead Body In Taos, briefly in London following performances in Bristol and Plymouth and before moving on to Warwick Arts Centre, is an earnest addition to an underpopulated genre. Undeniably ambitious, but more ponderous than engaging, it doesn’t make a great case for creating stage dramas in this mould.
‘Filled to the brim with passion’: ORFEO ED EURIDICE – Leeds & Touring ★★★★★
A highly-dramatic and first-class performance of Opera North’s Orfeo Ed Euridice was extremely well received with rapturous applause at the exquisite Grand Theatre, Leeds. This must be one of (if not the most) tragic love stories ever imagined; beautiful and disturbing.
‘Became quite farcical’: BOMBAY SUPERSTAR – Touring
The plot of Bombay Superstar transpires to be a bit of an unofficial biopic of the Bollywood actress Rekha. Rekha’s story has been subtly changed and some life events have been swapped with her then leading man, Amitabh Bachchan, for what I can only imagine to be creative/entertainment purposes.
‘An extremely important story’: The Shadow Whose Prey the Hunter Becomes – Touring
Framed by the lens of the intrusive and boundary-breaking rise of artificial intelligence, The Shadow Whose Prey Becomes the Hunter by Back to Back Theatre serves as a wake-up call on how non-disabled people alienate people who have what are referred to in Australia as ‘intellectual disabilities’.
‘Vigorous new take on Molière’s play’: TARTUFFE – Birmingham ★★★★
Many great comedies are reimagined and this re-adaptation of Moliére’s Tartuffe, originally commissioned and produced by the Royal Shakespeare Company made with The Rep, is very obliging to the audience. Highly enjoyable and offering a new radical take on the original book that was produced in 1664.
‘Thrilling to watch from start to finish’: Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby – Touring ★★★★★
Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby continues to play at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre is an exhilarating way to explore the world of the Shelby family, brought to stunning life thanks to the show’s creative team.
‘A spooktacular treat’: THE CANTERVILLE GHOST – Southwark Playhouse ★★★★★
Fear and laughter often go hand-in-hand (you only have to look at work from the likes of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith to see that), so Tall Stories’ approach to the Oscar Wilde novella The Canterville Ghost is not as bizarre as it may first seem. Their vaudeville stage adaptation is currently playing at Southwark Playhouse, before heading to Bristol and Newcastle.