The art of illusion and magic has arrived at the Palace Theatre as Wonderville takes to the stage. Normally home to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, Wonderville has taken up residence for the next six weeks. Acts including Chris Cox, Young and Strange, Edward Hilsum, Kat Hudson, Symone and Emily England superbly mesmerise and wow the audience.
‘Never defaults into a tale of woe is me’: HEAD/LINING – Pleasance Theatre ★★★★★
Hard-hitting autobiographical theatre such as head/lining offers audiences an insight into the harsh and angry struggles that go unspoken behind many homes throughout the country.
‘Outstanding tribute’: QUENTIN CRISP: NAKED HOPE – Stream Theatre (Online review) ★★★★★
Famous flamboyant, charasmatic homosexual writer, raconteur and actor Quentin Crisp aka Denis Pratt returns to the stage through an entertaining and heartfelt performance by the extremely talented writer and actor Mark Farrelly.
‘Brings a new life & dimension to the dangerously charismatic Gray’: THE TRAGEDY OF DORIAN GRAY – Blue Devil Productions (Online review) ★★★★
Writer and director Ross Dinwiddy’s vision to create a black and white adaptation of Dorian Gray adds a twist to the gothic tale. Moving away from the rich luxury often associated with Wilde, The Tragedy of Dorian Gray offers a deeper depth into the dark soul traded to the devil for eternal youth.
‘Lockyer’s adaptation brings this incredible play to a new audience’: TAKE OFF YOUR CORNFLAKES – White Bear Theatre ★★★★★
The first of two press night for the White Bear’s latest production Take Off Your Cornflakes saw Mark Lockyer leave the stage to rapturous applause. After performing to sell-out audiences across Ireland in 2019, the play is currently making its UK premiere.
‘Delightful & informative’: Gilbert & Sullivan’s Improbable New Musical – Brighton Fringe (Online review) ★★★★
Coily Dart Theatre presents Gilbert & Sullivan’s Improbable New Musical, a brand new production for the Brighton Fringe 2021. This fully audio production tells the little known story of Helen Carte and the important contribution she made to the D’Oyly Carte Legacy.
’Takes you on a fast track journey through social media platforms’: PUBLIC DOMAIN – Vaudeville Theatre ★★★★★
Written and performed by Francesca Forristal and Jordan Paul Clarke, Public Domain is now making its first appearance on the West End stage in the Vaudeville Theatre.
‘A sharp & intriguing journey’: AAAAA [FIVE A] – Lion & Unicorn Theatre ★★★★
In AAAAA writers David Brady, Jack Albert Cook, Gabrielle Nellis Pain and Kim Scopes weave a sharp and intriguing journey into how the world might look to someone who finds themselves grasping onto the fragile thread between life and death.
‘Formulated with warmth & deep heartfelt compassion’: FROM ME TO US – Battersea Arts Centre (Online review) ★★★★
From Me To Us by Wayne Steven Jackson is part of the Battersea Arts Centre’s season Wild Times which is available to stream between 10-16 May 2021.
‘Brings this macabre masterpiece to life’: THE BLACK CAT – Threedumb Theatre (Online review) ★★★★★
This week saw the opening night of Threedumb Theatre’s fourth post lockdown production The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe. Set within the old Church and using the outside areas, cameraman David Smith follows the main protagonist performed by Stephen Smith around the building as he tells us the tale of The Black Cat.
‘A dark & slightly twisted tale’: STRANGERS – Online@TheSpaceUK (Online review) ★★★★
Written and directed by Nick Card, Strangers is a dark and slightly twisted tale. Two strangers meet by chance in a pub and due to circumstances beyond their control neither of their worlds can ever be quite the same again.
‘Brings to life another modern-day issue without any sugar coating’: WALK OF SHAME – Glass Half Full Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
Writers Stephanie Silver and Amelia Marshall-Lovsey bring to the online stage Walk of Shame, produced by Caley Powell for Glass Half Full Theatre.
‘Develops into an intriguing & sinister plot’: CLOSE YOUR EYES, I’M FILMING – Greedy Pig Theatre Company
The Greedy Pig Theatre Company’s latest production Close Your Eyes, I’m Filming follows an up and coming vlogger.
‘The cast brilliantly succeeds in creating the horror’: After The Turn: The Mystery of Bly Manor – Nine Knocks Theatre (Online review) ★★★★
In After the Turn: The Mystery of Bly Manor, Nine Knocks Theatre company has shown the wealth of talented actors in their company along with their ability to create a powerful and atmospheric performance without actually being on the same stage.
‘Each of the five characters are recognisable’: LOST SOULS – Loosely Based Theatre (Online review)
The latest work by Jayne Woodhouse comprises of five monologues performed in the compilation of Lost Souls produced by Loosely Based Theatre.
‘There’s no better time to think outside of the box’: A SEPARATE PEACE – The Remote Read (Online review)
Originally written for television in 1964, this particular Tom Stoppard production has been performed to raise money for stage technicians and creatives along with supporting The Felix Project food charity.
‘Watching this opened my eyes to an interesting part of British Empire history’: DRAWING THE LINE – Hampstead Theatre ★★★★ (Online review)
Judge Cyril Radcliffe has been ordered by the British government to go and map out the territories dividing up India as the empire begins to close down. A somewhat daunting prospect for somebody who had never been to India.
’An excellent connection on stage’: THE DOCK BRIEF – Cockpit Theatre
The Dock Brief is a two-man production written by the late Sir John Mortimer the barrister and playwright whose most famous work has to have been Rumpole of the Bailey.
‘Have a “futtingly” good night out’: UPSTART CROW – West End ★★★★★
The quick-witted comedy you expect from Ben Elton which is seen in the BBC series runs throughout this incredibly funny stage production of Upstart Crow.
‘Still has exactly what it takes to entertain audiences’: MAMMA MIA! – Touring ★★★★
There was a really good party atmosphere at the end of Mamma Mia! which saw quite a large proportion of the auditorium get up, dance and sing along to the final numbers before the cast took their final bows.