Barry Humphries’ show The Man Behind the Mask is an exploration of his life and career, and what influenced and prompted him to ultimately become an international star selling out theatres in the West End and on Broadway.
News, Reviews and Features
These are all of our in-house news and features as well as syndicated article excerpts from our 45+ theatre bloggers. You can also access All Our Mates' Posts in comprehensive list form and view individual author pages.
‘Likely to infuriate as many people as it enchants’: OKLAHOMA! – Young Vic Theatre ★★★
Daniel Fish’s sexed-up, pared-down version of Oklahoma! at the Young Vic Theatre (co-directed for London by Jordan Fein) is less a revival and more a full blown deconstruction of the original material.
‘Remains an unstoppable sensation’: THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG – Touring
Now a global hit and having spawned a BBC series and other Goes Wrong spin offs, this latest tour of The Play that Goes Wrong maintains its breathless energy.
‘A watercolour on the landing of middle life’: MIDDLE – National Theatre ★★★
David Eldridge’s play Middle at the National Theatre’s Dorfman space is a sketch, a watercolour on the landing of middle life: sensitive, accomplished but not likely to stop you in your tracks.
‘Full of suspense’: THE END OF THE NIGHT – Park Theatre ★★★★★
Based on the incredible true story, The End of the Night takes place in the house of Felix Kirsten (Michael Lumsden), who has invited Nazi Heinrich Himmler (Richard Clothier) to meet with Jewish man Norbert Masur (Ben Caplan) who serves as a representative of the Jewish people.
NEWS: Full line-up announced for London’s freshest multi-arts festival ChewFest at the Lion & Unicorn Theatre
Following cancellation after cancellation of festivals for early-career creatives to showcase their work, the OFFIE award-winning ChewBoy Productions is curating ChewFest, a week-long event of celebrations, experiments and brand-new, never-before-seen work at London’s Lion and Unicorn Theatre from 23-28 May 2022. Get booking now!
’It runs like clockwork’: ANYTHING GOES – Touring ★★★★★
The West End hits central Edinburgh this week, as Cole Porter’s seaborne musical Anything Goes sails into the Festival Theatre for a very limited run until this Sunday.
FROM DOWN UNDER: Girl From the North Country in Melbourne & Touring
Artfully conceived and oh so lovingly crafted, Girl From the North Country tempers a heart-rending narrative with the heart soothing balm of more than 20 exquisitely arranged Bob Dylan songs.
‘A reminder of what a powerful actor Mark Rylance can be’: JERUSALEM – Apollo Theatre
As Jez Butterworth’s production returns to the West End, with original cast members Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook, it is interesting to reflect on how well-anointed modern classics fare more than a decade after they were originally feted.
NEWS: Cold Feet actor Sally Rogers’ playwriting debut The Still Room premieres in June
Cold Feet actor-turned-playwright Sally Rogers’ debut play The Still Room finally gets its world premiere in June at London’s Park Theatre, with a cast that includes her former co-star in The Bill, Chris Simmons. Time to get booking!
‘Brilliantly accessible experience’: THE EMPEROR’S NEW CLOTHES – Polka Theatre
Aimed at ages three to eight, The Emperor’s New Clothes at the Polka Theatre is a fun show with a moral message that remains as relevant today as it ever was.
‘The real reason to see the play is for Walker’: THE CORN IS GREEN – National Theatre
However, Dominic Cooke’s production of Emlyn Williams’ play The Corn Is Green makes a good case for reviving it but the real reason to see the drama is for Nicola Walker.
‘There is enough heart & brain in the play to keep it going’: RED ELLEN – Edinburgh ★★★
Red Ellen, at the Lyceum, co-produced with the Nottingham Playhouse and Northern Stage, suffers from many of the faults that affect biographical drama, and is far too long for its own good. Nevertheless, it has an abundance of compassion and an excellent central performance from Bettrys Jones.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Prima Facie at the Harold Pinter Theatre
Love London Love Culture’s Emma Clarendon rounds up the reviews for Suzie Miller’s solo show starring Killing Eve’s Jodie Comer.
‘Intimate & immediate’: LA BOHEME – King’s Head Theatre ★★★
Mark Ravenhill’s production of La Boheme is pared down to 90 minutes and four on-stage characters, with a piano taking the place of an orchestra. This makes it intimate and immediate.
FEATURED SHOW: Heather Alexander’s Virginia Woolf-inspired ★★★★★ play Room is heading to Brighton & Edinburgh Fringe
Heather Alexander’s acclaimed one-woman play Room, a unique dramatised interpretation of Virginia Woolf’s A Room Of One’s Own, is being staged this summer at Brighton Fringe and Edinburgh Fringe ahead of another London run in September.
‘A bit of a muddle’: MIDDLE – National Theatre
David Eldridge’s trilogy about relationships, which started in 2017 with the hit show Beginning, now reaches its second part with Middle, which has opened at the National Theatre.
‘An extra special, female empowering watch’: THE CHER SHOW – Touring ★★★★★
So many female performers and creatives currently at the top of their game in a male-centric world. This makes The Cher Show an extra special, female empowering watch.
‘Really brings the story to life through numerous different techniques’: THE MISFORTUNE OF THE ENGLISH – Orange Tree Theatre
Based on true events, the world premiere production of The Misfortune of the English at the Orange Tree Theatre features three completely engaging performances – but it does seem to run out of steam towards the end.
‘Waves of affection lap around him’: BARRY HUMPHRIES: THE MAN BEHIND THE MASK – Touring
Barry Humphries is 88, five shows into a 27-date tour, The Man Behind The Mask, and this time he is presented as himself, the trickiest character of all.