Michael Longhurst has announced his second season as artistic of the Donmar Warehouse. The first production will be Pulitzer Prize-winner Suzan-Lori Parks’ modern epic In the Blood (17 April – 6 June 2020). Ellen McDougall will direct the first major UK production.
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.
‘Achingly beautiful’: ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS – Bristol
For every introverted socially awkward nerd Romantics Anonymous feels like seeing your fears and secrets on stage without being mocked.
PHOTOS: Kinky Boots stars reunite for cast screening ahead of the musical’s cinema release
Matt Henry and other members of the Kinky Boots cast reunited yesterday, a year after the multi-award-winning musical finished in the West End, for a private screening of the forthcoming cinematic release. And Mate Terri Paddock got a sneak-peek too. Time to get booking!
’A show for lovers of great music’: BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL – Touring ★★★★
Simultaneously an homage to talent, love and friendship – with others and oneself – Beautiful – The Carole King Musical is a masterclass in musical theatre.
NEWS: Mischief Theatre’s Magic Goes Wrong extends its West End run to August 2020
Mischief Theatre, the Olivier award-winning company behind The Play That Goes Wrong, has announced a new booking period for Magic Goes Wrong, with tickets now on sale until 30th August 2020.
FIRST-LOOK: Arresting production photos & trailer for new 1950s-set police drama COPS
We need to take a trip down to the station. Check out our gallery of production photos and trailer for the world premiere of Tony Tortora’s COPS, set in a Chicago police precinct office in 1957. It’s just opened at Southwark Warehouse, where it’s running until 1 February 2020 only. Time to get booking!
‘Some genuinely disturbing moments’: FIX – Pleasance Theatre
Despite the issues, the script’s range of influences and forms, combined with great performances, result in a generally strong production of Fix at the Pleasance Theatre.
Watch COPS’s post-show Q&A: How does a new play feel like a finely minted period revival?
To me, COPS, set in 1950s Chicago, comes across as so authentically period that it feels like it must be a finely minted revival. But it’s not: it’s a new play. Even more surprising then that it’s written by an author I’d never heard of before.
‘Asks some refreshing questions’: TWELFTH NIGHT – Brockley Jack Studio Theatre
As a slightly weary Twelfth Night veteran, personally I enjoyed this more sombre adaptation of the play, which remains accessible to newcomers while offering a fresh perspective to those who’ve seen it before.
‘Moves with a fast pace & sensitivity’: FOUR PLAY – Above The Stag Theatre ★★★★
Fourplay is a cleverly written, well-acted and directed, highly entertaining show that will make you laugh and think, and everything in between.
NEWS: Menier Chocolate Factory announces its spring season for 2020
The Menier Chocolate Factory has announced the forthcoming two productions – the European premiere of Paula Vogel’s Tony Award-winning play Indecent, directed by Rebecca Taichman; and Alan Bennett’s Habeas Corpus directed by Patrick Marber, who returns to the Menier following his hit production of Tom Stoppard’s Travesties.
Best of the Blogs: Les Misérables, Rags, Lullabies for the Lost & more
In our continuing series, our editor Lisa Martland picks out some of her Top Picks from the last week of theatre (to 19 January 2020), including Aleks Sierz’s view that the new production of Les Misérables at the Sondheim Theatre is marching on to victory.
‘Fascinating drama’: THE STORY / HELA – Touring
The Other Room’s The Story and Hela make a delightful and daring double bill of Welsh drama at Theatre503.
‘Hilarious play which brings the rom-com up to date’: JEW…ish – King’s Head Theatre ★★★★★
Co-creators Poppy Damon and Saul Boyer have morphed old and new in JEW…ish by combining the traditional family Jewish values and a modern polyamorous relationship, although it doesn’t sound like a match made in heaven the pair have created a play that has made it work.
REVIEW ROUND-UP: Rags the Musical at Park Theatre
We round up the reviews for Bronagh Lagan’s production of Rags which transfers to the Park Theatre following a run at the Hope Mill theatre last year.
‘A comic gem’: JEW…ish – King’s Head Theatre
The shifts in storytelling dynamics in JEW…ish at the King’s Head Theatreare fluidly brought to life, so they never jar, but continue to entertain.
‘There is little point in denying its political punch’: LES MISÉRABLES – Sondheim Theatre
New blood courses through the veins of the West End’s longest-running musical Les Misérables.
‘It is a star making performance from Daisy Wood-Davis’: BEAUTIFUL THE CAROLE KING MUSICAL – Touring
In this touring production of Beautiful, following on from lengthy London and Broadway runs, Daisy Wood-Davis plays Carole King from innocent 16 year old with enviable talent to an older and wiser woman.
NEWS: Six extends booking as first West End birthday celebrations begin
A new West End booking period for the hit London production of Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss’ musical Six will run until 31 January 2021, with over 90,000 extra seats going on sale on 17 January 2020 to mark the show’s first West End birthday at the Arts Theatre.
‘An effortless performance by the cast’: GOD OF CARNAGE – Touring ★★★★★
God of Carnage is a dissection of the middle classes familiar in Yasmina Reza’s work, presenting the characters in a farcical light that is so tragically funny.