This feels like a moment; I haven’t been able to do a best of theatre list since 2019 because of ‘you know what’. It’s been huge fun revisiting the plays I’ve seen – nearly 50. And while that total is down on pre-pandemic levels, it was still tricky to narrow down my choices, but here goes.
‘Remains an impressive achievement’: CRUISE – Apollo Theatre ★★★★
I wasn’t perhaps as bowled over by Cruise on a second viewing, but it unquestionably delivers on its triple promise of fusing theatre with club culture, a history lesson, and a rambunctious piece of entertainment. If you couldn’t get to see it first time around, don’t miss your chance now… it’s quite a thrill ride.
What are this year’s biggest Olivier Awards shortlists snubs & surprises?
It’s always said that the honour is being nominated at all; in artistic endeavour, it should be a competition anyway. But what about those who are not nominated at all? Where does that leave them?
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.
‘A West End stage is exactly where this story belongs’: CRUISE – Duchess Theatre
Duchess Theatre, London – 13 June 2021 As theatres reopen, the long influence of digital forms is already making itself felt. Jack Holden’s new play Cruise premiered online last month via Stream Theatre and last week stole a march on its digital equivalents by becoming one of the first shows to open in the West End. The opportunities afforded by …
‘One of the most stunning performances I have seen onstage’: CRUISE – Duchess Theatre
Jack Holden’s Cruise is a timely look at LGBT history, for fans of Russell T Davies’ It’s a Sin it touches on similar themes of 80s London in the shadow of the HIV/AIDS pandemic. It is a celebration of the culture, the music, the sex and people who were loved and lost.
As restrictions lift, Mark Shenton offers a comprehensive update on opening nights in London & across the UK
This weekly column keeps track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, as theatres start reopening from tonight (17 May) in London and at other theatres in the UK.
Being in the room where it happens: How quickly are theatre audiences going to return?
As theatre next week starts to finally edge cautiously out of a full lockdown of over five full months, plus only very intermittent appearances in the nine months before that, the question arises will the audiences be there for it?
Mark Shenton’s weekly chart of forthcoming theatrical comings & goings has some new entries
This weekly column keeps track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, as theatres prepare to re-open from next month onwards. It will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
‘The writing rejoices in the sound of the words’: CRUISE – Stream.Theatre (Online review)
Writer/performer Jack Holden’s full on powerhouse performance in Cruise will hold you in awe for 90 minutes.
Returning & new productions heading for the West End & beyond post-lockdown: Are you up to date?
Meanwhile, I want to start keeping track of the shows that are coming back, or are newly being announced, in a new feature here that will be updated weekly until such time as it becomes a reality, and from then on will provide a weekly update to that week’s openings and future ones.
NEWS: World premiere of Jack Holden’s new play Cruise will have a West End run at the Duchess Theatre
Aria Entertainment and Lambert Jackson have announced that the world premiere of Cruise will reopen the West End’s Duchess Theatre from 18 May to 13 June 2021 with a press night on 20 May. Written and performed by Jack Holden (War Horse, West End; Ink, Almeida Theatre) and directed by Bronagh Lagan, Cruise is an urgent, moving, and inspirational new play with live music and spoken word.
NEWS: Jack Holden’s new one-man play Cruise has its world premiere online in April 2021
Aria Entertainment and Lambert Jackson Productions in association with Shoreditch Town Hall will present a filmed production of Cruise, a new one-man play with live music, written and performed by Jack Holden (War Horse, West End; Ink, Almeida Theatre), available to watch via Stream.Theatre from 15-25 April 2021.
A Tuesday in Panama
It’s a Tuesday in January and I’m watching a flock of pelicans dive for supper in the fish-rich gulf of Panama: the sun is so blinding I have to retreat into the air-conditioning of the cabin as it’s pushing 90 degrees on the balcony. In England there’s up to a foot of snow and Heathrow […]
The post A Tuesday in Panama appeared first on JohnnyFox.
A Tuesday in Panama
It’s a Tuesday in January and I’m watching a flock of pelicans dive for supper in the fish-rich gulf of Panama: the sun is so blinding I have to retreat into the air-conditioning of the cabin as it’s pushing 90 degrees on the balcony. In England there’s up to a foot of snow and Heathrow […]
The post A Tuesday in Panama appeared first on JohnnyFox.