Cora Bissett’s What Girls Are Made Of is an engaging story, framed – in truth or hope, as one of naivety, overreach and reinvention. But it’s also a tale told from a single perspective;
‘A refreshing tale brilliantly told’: QUEEN OF THE MIST – Charing Cross Theatre
Pint of Wine’s production of Michael John LaChiusa’s Queen of the Mist transfers from the Brockley Jack Studio to the traverse stage of the Charing Cross Theatre, keeping its original cast in tact.
‘Sometimes rhapsodic & always beautiful’: CHIAROSCURO – Bush Theatre
Chiaroscuro succeeds as a celebration of how the lives of different black women are thriving, whatever their sexuality.
‘A guarantee of quality’: THE STRANGE CASE OF JEKYLL & HYDE – Brockley Jack Studio Theatre & Touring
Arrows and Traps’ residency at the Brockley Jack is a guarantee of quality. This new adaptation, from director and writer Ross McGregor, of the classic novel sets the scene in 21st century America; amongst school shootings, right wing rhetoric, sexuality and the science that makes Jekyll & Hyde seem a possibility rather than a fantasy.
‘Unlikely to either open minds or stimulate them’: A VERY EXPENSIVE POISON – Old Vic
Though it’s in places informative, A Very Expensive Poison is a very expensive means of sapping the intrigue and human interest from one man’s inhumane death
‘Charming, witty & high-energy’: MACBETH THE MUSICAL – White Bear Theatre
Hands up if you’ve seen MacBeth. Now keep your hands up if it was a musical version. Now keep them up if it was a musical performed by (what I assume for legal reasons aren’t actually) muppets.
‘Burlesque & circus are a match made in heaven’: ROUGE – Underbelly Festival
Promising ‘a decadent and astonishing blend of sensational acrobatics, soaring aerial trapeze, operatic cabaret and tongue in cheek burlesque’, Rouge transfers to London straight off the back of its UK premiere for Underbelly at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe.
‘You won’t be disappointed’: CABARET – Touring
What a pleasure to see Rufus Norris’ award winning production of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret at the Churchill Theatre in Bromley.
‘Family drama that digs deeper’: GO BANG YOUR TAMBOURINE – Finborough Theatre
With Go Bang Your Tambourine, the Finborough Theatre has once more succeeded in digging out a purportedly dated play and bringing it to life in a manner which is faithful to the playwright but does not alienate a modern audience. Kudos to them.
‘The writers & cast are to be commended’: WARHEADS – Park Theatre
I commend the writers Taz Skykar and Ross Berkeley Simpson and the director Toby Clarke of Warheads for attempting to tackle the topic of PTSD for soldiers and how it affects their loved ones.
‘Ned Bennett’s direction is another star of the show’: EQUUS – West End
Ned Bennett’s direction is another star of the show; the relationship between Ira Mandela Siobhan as Nugget, a Chestnut horse who has a close relationship with Strang, is stunning.
‘Has the spirit of Zinn’: THE TIME OF OUR LIES – Park Theatre
Bianca Bagatourian’s script adapts the life and work of Howard Zinn (who passed away in 2010) into this 65-minute long play.
Best of the Blogs: The Mates give their verdicts on Peter Pan, The Worst Witch, Crystal Clear & more
Best of the Blogs: The Mates give their verdicts on Peter Pan, The Worst Witch, Shackleton’s Carpenter & more
‘Modern, relatable & relevant’: WRATH OF ACHILLES – Union Theatre & Edinburgh
Distilling a significant chunk of Homer’s ancient epic into a fringe-friendly 55 minutes is a huge task, but one which writer Jack Fairey somehow achieves with ease in Wrath of Achilles.
‘An immersive treasure-hunt of a performance’: THE TEMPEST – Oxford
Creation Theatre’s The Tempest is well worth a trek to Oxford, especially for reluctant theatre-goers who might have given up on Shakespeare in the past.
How the Mates Rate: The Night Of The Iguana at the Noel Coward Theatre
Clive Owen has returned to the West End for the first time in 18 years to play the Rev. T. Lawrence Shannon in Tennessee Williams’ The Night Of The Iguana in a new production directed by James Macdonald. So what did the Mates think of this production?
‘The three leads seem to lack chemistry’: THE NIGHT OF THE IGUANA – West End
James Macdonald is the latest director to tackle The Night of the Iguana, perhaps best known from its film adaptation starring Richard Burton , Deborah Kerr and Ava Gardner.
‘Sheer exuberance & joy’: YOURS SINCERELY – King’s Head Theatre & Edinburgh ★★★
Yours Sincerely is a coming of age story from Will Jackson (also performing) and Lucy Bird, founders of Quick Duck Theatre, directed by Anna Himali Howard.
‘Prepare to weep, jump & hold your breath’: LUNATIC 19’S – Finborough Theatre
For a play that starts and ends with the sound of the ocean, Lunatic 19’s is one tight, claustrophobic package in between.
‘Be prepared to be enchanted, provoked & emotionally drained’: OTHELLO: REMIXED – Omnibus Theatre
Be prepared to be enchanted, provoked, and emotionally drained in Othello Remixed. This passionate interpretation of Othello feels so right and so believable.