There’s nothing quite like reviewing a festive family production when the auditorium is full of excitement from the four busloads of primary school children sitting ready and waiting the wonders that are about to come alive on the stage. At 10.30am, spirits were running high for Rapunzel at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury.
‘Creating a world for adults & children to travel to’: THE SLEEPING SWORD – Watermill Theatre, Newbury ★★★★
Based on the 2002 book by Michael Morpurgo and adapted by Tatty Hennessy, The Sleeping Sword tells the story of the Arthurian legend-obsessed Bun, who has read the story many times. Swept up by the magic of Merlin and the innocence of young Arthur removing Excalibur from the stone.
‘Delves deep into the depths of heartbreak’: THE SOLID LIFE OF SUGAR WATER – Orange Tree Theatre ★★★★
The Solid Life of Sugar Water is an exceptionally strong 75-minute performance from two highly emotive passionate actors. Alice (Katie Erich) and Phil (Adam Fenton) met in the Post Office queue and started talking. While there, Phil has an untimely accident with his oversized “exploding” box of risque items he is sending to his brother.
‘Powerful & chilling’: THE CORAL – Finborough Theatre ★★★
How can such a small item of jewellery create so much chaos and disruption? The blood coloured coral brooch appears to lead the wearer to become obsessed with power and wealth. The Coral makes its first staged performance in one hundred years. The storyline is still relevant in our society and strained family relationships are probably more relatable.
‘I was hooked from the first number’: Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – Touring ★★★★★
There’s nothing to dislike about Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch, I was hooked from the first number. As a company, they have set their sights on performing in the West End and I honestly think they have an excellent chance of fulfilling that dream.
‘Thought-provoking production delivered by a strong cast’: LANDSCAPE WITH WEAPON – Cockpit Theatre ★★★★
Landscape with Weapon at the Cockpit Theatre focuses on Ned (Danny Szam) whose deadly vision is to create a flock of drones capable of taking out enemies that are hiding in buildings or underground with horrifying precision. Therefore eliminating the need for mass killing and destruction of civilians often caught up in the firing line.
‘There’s nothing to dislike about Karp’s feline alter ego’: HOW TO LIVE A JELLICLE LIFE – Edinburgh Festival Fringe ★★★★★
Linus Karp’s deconstruction of the relatively unpopular movie adaptation of Cats, How to Live a Jellicle Life: Life Lessons from the 2019 Hit Movie Musical CATS, is a one-person cabaret show which combines everything bad and partly good about the star-studded film based on the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical of the same name.
‘Memorable production’: WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND – Watermill Theatre, Newbury ★★★★
The Watermill’s bespoke setting and compact stage wouldn’t be my first choice of venue for a revival production of the musical Whistle Down the Wind based on the book by Mary Hayley Bell, adapted to music by Andrew Lloyd Webber with lyrics by Jim Steinman. However, the results are extremely impressive.
‘An intriguing life’: THE WOMAN WHO AMUSES HERSELF – Brockley Jack Studio Theatre ★★★★
Victor Lotado’s story The Woman Who Amuses Herself is based on true events which took place back in 1911 when Vincenzo Peruggia stole the famous painting Mona Lisa from the Louvre in Paris. Posing as a workman and dressed accordingly the theft in his opinion was effortlessly carried out.
‘Suspending your disbelief is an imperative requirement’: THE THRONE – Charing Cross Theatre ★★★
Finding yourself stuck in a portaloo toilet with Her Majesty the Queen would be nerve-wracking enough for anyone, add a bomb into the equation and an anti-Royalist and The Throne at the Charing Cross Theatre has all the ingredients for an explosive performance.
‘The immersive experience is a must’: Fawlty Towers The Dining Experience – President Hotel ★★★★★
The President Hotel located in Russell Square is currently the home to Fawlty Towers The Dining Experience. Situated a few minutes walks away from Russell Square tube station it’s conveniently located for a West End night out.
‘The ensemble precision & attention to detail are superb’: CHICAGO – Touring ★★★★
New Wimbledon Theatre presented the latest touring production of the “sleek and sassy” successful West End musical Chicago. Set in the heart of 1920s America, the inner moral compass has virtually vanished, underground clubs are a common part of the social landscape and literally anything goes.
‘Humorous & bawdy’: BLEAK EXPECTATIONS – Watermill Theatre, Newbury ★★★★
Anthology Theatre productions and David Wolstencroft have adapted the BBC Radio 4 comedy production Bleak Expectations and bought it to the stage. Its cast of nine brings many of the famous Charles Dickens characters to life with a twist away from their usual narrative surroundings.
‘A perfectly balanced & in sync production’: DIRTY DANCING IN CONCERT –Touring ★★★★
Marking the 35th anniversary of the popular iconic film Dirty Dancing written by Eleanor Bergstein which starred Jennifer Grey and the late Patrick Swayze, Dirty Dancing The Movie in Concert comes to the stage and is now on tour.
‘This complicated murder mystery unravels before us’: THE DA VINCI CODE – Touring ★★★★★
This touring version of The Da Vinci Code maintains the storyline of the original book where the codes come thick and fast and the dialogue is clear and concise allowing you to follow the storyline with ease.
‘Unrushed & sympathetic performances’: THE RED – Original Theatre (Online show) ★★★★★
Back in 2019 when Marcus Brigstocke premiered The Red at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, I was lucky enough to meet him at one of the food venue vans and was personally flyered by him.
‘Throughout the play, I felt personally caught up in this family battlefield’: THE FEVER SYNDROME – Hampstead Theatre ★★★★
The first thing you notice upon entering the auditorium is the impressive dominating cross-section of the Myers’ family’s four-storey, ageing townhouse based in Manhattan.
‘Christina Bianco doesn’t fail to deliver with an incredible range of voices’: THE RISE & FALL OF LITTLE VOICE – Touring ★★★★
Suffering, poverty, grief and alcoholism predominantly run through the entire performance of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.
‘Rich, funny & heart-rending’: SAME TIME, NEXT YEAR – Touring ★★★★
Sarah Kempton in the role of Doris and Kieran Buckeridge as George embark on two extremely challenging roles in Same Time, Next Year.
‘For Alan Bennett fans such as myself, it is a real treat’: HABEAS CORPUS – Menier Chocolate Factory ★★★★
In 1973 when Habeas Corpus was first staged, it reflected attitudes and behaviour indicative of its time.