Chicago’s tale of murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, adultery and treachery whispers back into the Edinburgh Playhouse with a thrum of double bass, a twitching off-beat on the drums and a haunting moan of muted trumpet.
‘Wants for nothing in terms of spectacle or budget’: THE LION KING – Touring ★★★★
Visually arresting, the touring production of The Lion King which is booked into the Playhouse until March 2020, wants for nothing in terms of spectacle or budget.
‘Deserves to be remembered for years to come’: THE KING & I – Touring ★★★★★
The collective charisma of the cast in a stunning production of The King and I earns a well-deserved standing ovation.
‘How can you resist it?’: MAMMA MIA! – Touring ★★★★
It’s not just one of us who was pleased to have Mamma Mia! back on the Edinburgh Playhouse stage – an air of expectation and excitement filled the entire auditorium for the show.
‘Excellence continues to abound throughout’: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – West End ★★★★★
With its first major cast change since opening – as well as a shift across the Thames – Trevor Nunn’s Fiddler On The Roof remains one of London’s musical theatre jewels.
‘It soars in its second half’: HAIR THE MUSICAL – Touring ★★★★
Over 50 years on and the Age of Aquarius is still providing a relevant, controversial (in parts) and – eventually – thunderously entertaining piece of musical theatre in Hair.
‘Fun, entertaining & feelgood’: CLUB TROPICANA – Touring ★★★★
Passports at the ready! It’s time to jet off to the Club Tropicana Hotel in this brand new jukebox musical which is touring the country.
‘Should you go & see it? I have a strong suspicion that you should’: THE MOUSETRAP – Touring ★★★
The world’s longest-running stage production The Mousetrap returns to Edinburgh to thrill a whole new audience in this classic murder mystery tale at the Playhouse
‘What stands out is the sheer power of storytelling’: MATILDA THE MUSICAL – Touring ★★★★
Stories rule in the RSC’s brilliant production of Matilda The Musical in an adaptation which feels properly true to the spirit of its Roald Dahl original – complete with dangerous spikes and revolting children.
‘Andy Nyman does sterling work to bring Tevye off the page’: FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – West End ★★★
Andy Nyman does sterling work to bring Tevye off the page, breaking the fourth wall to chat with the Almighty, and rubbing his arthritic joints to punctuate Sheldon Harnick’s lazy ‘deidle deidle deidle dumb’ lyrics in ‘If I Were A Rich Man’.
‘One of the best Josephs there has been’: JOSEPH & THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAMCOAT – Touring ★★★★
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat proves it’s still at the top of its game as it returns to the Playhouse – again – over 50 years since it first launched.
‘There is never a bad moment’: JERSEY BOYS – Touring ★★★★
Never mind your eyes, your ears will adore the tour of Jersey Boys which has arrived at the Edinburgh Playhouse for a fortnight turn.
‘Musically this is properly exciting stuff’: AMERICAN IDIOT – Touring ★★★★
The tenth anniversary tour of Green Day’s American Idiot kicks up a storm as this Selladoor production arrives at the Playhouse for a week.
‘A five-star cast deliver distinctly flawed material’: CAROLINE, OR CHANGE – West End ★★★
Caroline, or Change is a curious show that sees a five-star cast deliver distinctly flawed material. Set in an early 1960s Louisiana.
‘Doing much more than singing the hits’: Talking to the creatives behind Motown The Musical
Big of voice and oh so slick in presentation, the West End production of Motown the Musical – which is now on UK tour through 2019 and pausing at the Edinburgh Playhouse for a three-week run – was everything I had expected.
‘Might be a good way to introduce children to the world of theatre’: MADAGASCAR THE MUSICAL – Touring
Madagascar The Musical is very much a show that only young children will enjoy. Unlike other kids shows, however, there’s just not nearly enough adult content to keep them entertained too.
‘Boldly brash & and brazen with it’: BENIDORM LIVE – Touring ★★★★
However, by the time the whole auditorium is on its feet for the finale, dancing along to Y Viva Espana, you’d be forgiven for forgetting how many cracks in the Benidorm carapace have been papered over to get there.
‘Best new musical to hit theatres in years’: THE BAND – Touring ★★★★★
Heart-warming and bursting with pop songs, The Band perfectly captures teenage fandom as Take That’s songs shine in this brand new musical.
‘Cheesy but really uplifting too’: AN OFFICER & A GENTLEMAN – Touring ★★★★
Yes, the show is cheesy and a little bit over the top at times, but it is also really uplifting. If you’re looking for a fun, feel-good, romantic musical to see this summer, then An Officer and a Gentlemen is the perfect ticket.
‘Properly entertaining evening of innocent fun’: SUMMER HOLIDAY: THE MUSICAL – Touring ★★★
A properly entertaining evening of innocent fun pitched at a level which remembers the old days as being good but without ever indicating they would be worth going back to.