3 Star Shows

HMS Pinafore

As W S Gilbert once observed, “Oh, wouldn't the world seem dull and flat with nothing whatever to grumble at?” Cal McCrystal provides plenty of material for that in his pro…

Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike

The Tony Awards for comedy must have had a lean year in 2013 when Christopher Durang won Best Play for Vanya and Sonia and Masha and Spike.

Boy Out The City

Boy out the City at Battersea’s Turbine Theatre is a solo piece performed by Declan Bennett.

The Dresser

Ronald Harwood’s The Dresser evokes memories of a bygone age in British theatre and no setting more befits it than that glorious monument to thespian achievement, the Richmond Th…

The Idea

The Brockley Jack Theatre is currently offering the opportunity to see a rarely performed and probably almost unknown operetta by Gustav Holst.

Hamlet

The long-awaited Hamlet, directed by Greg Hersov, is finally on stage at the Young Vic and as teh young prince Cush Jumbo gives a commanding performance that keeps the whole produc…

How to Survive an Apocalypse

The renowned Finborough Theatre is still alive and well as witnessed by its latest production of Jordan Hall’s How To Survive An Apocalypse presented by Proud Haddock.

The Normal Heart

Tissues.

Love, Genius and a Walk

Love, Genius and a Walk, at Theatro Technis, a venue billed as ‘one of London's best-kept secrets’, is an ambitious exploration of how artistic individuals struggle with ma…

The Comedy of Errors / La Commedia degli Errorir

The mother of all mistaken identity comedies, The Comedy of Errors gets a lockdown makeover in the hands of the bilingual theatre group The Blind Cupid Shakespeare Company.

This is Paradise

This is Paradise, Michael John O'Neill’s new play at the Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, is a lengthy monologue in which Kate (Amy Molloy) provides a complex interweaving of the…

Sweating the Small Stuff

Writer and director Annabel Lunney used the inspirations from anonymous submissions to create the play Sweating the Small Stuff.

Absolutely Burlesque Cabaret

One of the great things that the Edinburgh Fringe has always done is to give a platform to local schools of various performing arts within an actual arts festival.

Love Me

Aisling Lally's Love Me is one of three plays bought to the Edinburgh Fringe 2021 by York DramaSoc.

Somebody Special – The Aca-Betrayal

This twelve-strong company are enthusiastic, bright young things who sing, sway and beat-box with great spirit.

A Suffocating Choking Feeling

What can an aspiring popstar do to get her big break and rise to stardom? Faking brain cancer might not be your first guess, but that is exactly what Simone Hamilton did.

1001 Open Mic Nights

This energised group of youngsters bounce about the stage with glee, making a capella look far easier than it truly is and throwing themselves into the Fringe vibe with abandon.

Tues Night @ Social Club

Tues Night @ Social Club is one of those 'Marmite' shows that some people would consider their worst nightmare, while others could consider it tailor-made for them.

Tick Tick

Tick Tick could give The Wolf of Wall Street a run for its money when it comes to the frequency of “Fuck”.

Swallow the Sea Caravan Theatre

Puppetry, shadow theatre, mime and music all contribute to this charming oddity, which Caravan Theatre do indeed perform in a caravan.

Bard in the Yard: The Scottish Play

Meet Shakespeare, but not the Shakespeare you know.

Still

Review
★★★
Richard Beck
Scotland
21st Aug, 2021

Still by Frances Poet makes its world premiere courtesy of The Traverse Theatre Company at their theatre.

Burnt Out

Following the recent United Nations climate report, which has been described as a “code red for humanity,” it is more important than ever that we explore the issue of the clima…

The Preacher

One of the strangest Fringe shows of recent memory is A Young Man Dressed as a Gorilla Dressed as an Old Man Sits Rocking in a Rocking Chair for 56 Minutes and Then Leaves – a sh…

A Highly Suspect Murder Mystery

Highly Suspect is a highly novel theatrical experience in which four actors take on the roles of supporting players from the Sherlock Holmes stories - Watson, Le Strade, Mycroft an…

Tickbox

In a moving one-woman show, Lubna Kerr explores race, heritage, gender and health in the context of her and her family's experiences as a Pakistani family in Glasgow.

Plasters

Plasters is an original play by Emma Tadmor who founded RJ Theatre Company with co-producer, Daniel Feldman.

Corpsing

For a show at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe entitled Corpsing you might be forgiven for thinking it’s a comedy about laughing out of place.

Grin

Challenging, daring, with longeurs but also explosive moments, this makes for uncomfortable viewing but is a much-needed and to be applauded show.

The End of the Line

At the end of the line; a story of waiting for life to begin and the delays we experience to get there.

Dance Base Unwrapped

Review
★★★
Amy Macrae
Edinburgh Fringe
Dance Base
14th Aug, 2021

Tucked in between the bustling pubs of the grassmarket is the capital's home of dance and its latest exhibition, Dance Base Unwrapped.

Dirty Tricks: How the Illusionati Rule the World

Review
★★★
Victor Black
Camden Fringe
Canal Cafe Theatre / Hen & Chickens Theatre
14th Aug, 2021

The Great Baldini sets the stage excellently for his show, greeting each audience member at the door, and asking their name, which he will repeat when he invites them to volunteer …

Run

Jonathan Smeed is making his Edinburgh Festival Fringe debut in Run by Stephen Laughton at Lauriston Halls, courtesy of No Frills Theatre Company.

Moonlight On Leith

Moonlight on Leith, by Emilie Robson and Laila Noble, at theSpaceTriplex is inspired by the ‘Save Leith Walk’ campaign; a grassroots movement seeking to preserve the historic s…

#txtshow (on the internet)

Do you think that most fringe shows are utter rubbish? That you can write a better script? Well, here’s your chance! In #txtshow, if you don’t like the script, just blame yours…

Taiwan Season: Fighters

We need heroes in these strange times is the thesis of this show, and Les Petites Choses’ Fighters brings us five.

Esther Manito: #NotAllMen

Review
★★★
Millie Bayswater
Camden Fringe
Hen & Chickens Theatre / Museum of Comedy
9th Aug, 2021

Esther Manito, still a relatively fresh-face in the comedy scene, brings her new show #NotAllMen to the Camden Fringe.

Tropicana

Billed as ‘the future of queer comedy cabaret’ Tropicana is Aidan Sadler’s 80’s solo show of classic queer hits at the suitably late hour of 23:15 at theSpaceTriplex.

Love in the Time of Lockdown

Lockdown has been a universal experience for everyone in this country.

Move

Review
★★★
Isla Whateley
Edinburgh Fringe
Traverse 3 / Traverse @ Silverknowes Beach
6th Aug, 2021

Transgressing borders, ethnicity and culture, MOVE is an epic tale of women across the world and how their stories intertwine.

My Night With Reg

Is there an issue with capturing plays from the second half of the twentieth century that deal with gay issues of the period? The Southwark Playhouse recently managed a production …

every seven years

For many it will be impossible to see writer/director Jack Fairey’s every seven years at the Brockley Jack Studio Theatre and not be reminded of the groundbreaking sociological T…

The Game of Love and Chance

As if so-called ‘Freedom Day’ had not generated enough excitement on Monday 19th July, the Arcola Theatre had its planned reopening that evening and showcased its fabulous new …

Helium

Review
★★★
Richard Beck
London Fringe
The Space
10th Jul, 2021

The Space on the Isle of Dogs continues its practice of supporting new talent with Helium, an original work by Grumble Pup Theatre, a fledgling company founded in the Black Country…

The Tragedy of Dorian Gray

Blue Devil Productions closed the Rialto Theatre’s Brighton Fringe season last week with a two-act production,The Tragedy of Dorian Gray; their first full-length play.

Staircase

The Southwark Playhouse has been transformed into an authentic 1960’s barbershop for the revival of Charles Dyer’s hit play Staircase, by Two’s Company and Karl Sydow in asso…

Warhol: Bullet Karma

Garry Roost’s one-hander, Warhol: Bullet Karma, at the Rialto Theatre, as part of the Brighton Fringe, explores aspects of the artist’s life through encounters with various peo…

Hold Me Close

From dance routines dating back to childhood, to embarrassing anecdotes relating to their PE teacher, Hold Me Close is a wonderful montage of Sophie and Jade’s friendship.

Mayhem at the Cabaret Voltaire

The apologetic opening to Mayhem at the Cabaret Voltaire, explaining the failure of the actors to turn up, might seem out of place in any standard piece of theatre, but then it wou…

Liz and Jessie's Undiscovered Country

A family comedy show with a twist, Liz and Jessie's Undiscovered Country follows Liz and Jessie as they set out to explore places in the UK that may have had a connection to th…

I am Echoborg Online

Is artificial intelligence here to save us or to destroy us? Is the future more like Cameron’s Terminator or Spielberg’s A.

The Secrets of Jack Roulette

Imagine the setting.

Ross Kamp: Seeing Queerly

Seeing Queerly was a comedy show that presented a different take to life during and after lockdown, as well as dating.

LEGS

It was interesting to see a show that presented the possibility that we take our bodies very much for granted.

Henry Churniavsky: Lockdown Diaries 2020-2021... Any End?

Let’s admit it – Zoom calls are not ideal for stand-up comedy.

An Intervention

Juicy Lime Productions presents Mike Bartlett’s 2014 play An Intervention, as part of the Brighton Fringe at the Sweet Room, Old SteineTwo characters, identified in the script on…

After All These Years

After All These Years is a trilogy of plays courtesy of Close Quarter Productions and Theatre Reviva! in association with Holofcener Ltd.

An Evening With Professor Edvard von Goosechaser

Professor Edvard Von Goosechaser is the leading 17th Century monsterologist promising to entertain us with his Anglo-Saxon insult-based humour.

The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde

There seems to be a resurgence of interest in the adaptability of works by Robert Louis Stevenson for the stage, with productions popping up in many quarters.

Broken Link

It’s been five years since Ellie’s death.

About The Garden

Take yourself away from the busy seafront streets and you’ll find About the Garden, a charming and quirky production staged in 4 Rigden Road’s garden, in the heart of Hove.

Between Two Waves

Between Two Waves by Australian playwright Ian Meadows interweaves an urgent call to recognise the world’s impending climate crisis and the troubled smaller world of a young clim…

The True Story Of The Little Girl Who Thought She Was The Second Coming Of Jesus Christ

Ellie is a schoolgirl with a very bright future ahead of her.

The Signalman

Review
★★★
Monica Yell
Online & Broadcast
London
27th Apr, 2021

Adapted from Charles Dickens’ eerie and twisty short story, The Signalman weaves a spooky yarn about ghosts and trains (but no ghost trains).

The Black Cat

The notion of a man becoming particularly attached to a handsome black cat may initially feel a familiar experience, especially as around 3.

Readymade Cabaret 2.0

The first rule about a Dada performance is that you don’t start one with the history of Dada.

Ingénue: Deanna Durbin, Judy Garland and the Golden Age of Hollywood

A simple premise lays the foundation for Melanie Gall to recount the story of two of Hollywood’s brightest golden age stars, Deanna Durbin and Judy Garland: a New York Times jour…

An Intervention

It is a complete delight to watch these two actors practice their craft.

Every Time A Bell Rings

The phrase "Every Time a Bell Rings" is well known and resonates especially at Christmas time: straight away we expect a link to the classic It’s a Wonderful Life, and …

Little Gift

M6 Theatre Company have put together a heartwarming show filled with the Christmas spirit, with some truly charming use of puppetry, storytelling and stage magic It is exactly the …

Howerd's End

Review
★★★
Kate Copstick
UK Regional & Tours
Golden Goose Theatre / The Old Joint Stock Pub
1st Nov, 2020

A lot of love has gone into this imagined duet between Frankie Howerd and his lover Dennis Heymer.

SpaceXPat

SpaceXPat explores the motivation and aftermath of an astronaut expat called Pat deciding to stay permanently on the International Space Station (spot that pun in the title).

Five Lock Down

Conceived, written and acted by Timothy Quinlan, this short film features some of the better acting on offer at the Fringe, and like so many others, is inspired by the strange real…

Boom Room

The Boom Room is a sweet little radio play that captures the ennui and idiosyncratic Englishness of lockdown – cleaning out spice racks, a sudden urge to plant potatoes – and p…

Too bored to stay in, too scared to go out!

The 72-year-old cabaret performer Nigel Osner knows a thing or two about ageing and self-isolating during the pandemic.

Shoe Lady

Viv (Katherine Parkinson) has lost her shoe on her London commute.

Ask Me Anything

Review
★★★
Elanor Parker
Brighton
The Old Market
12th Mar, 2020

It’s embarrassing recalling your teenager years, isn’t it? Awkward crushes, cringe-worthy fashion choices and dramatic mood swings; most of us are very happy to leave those yea…

W*nk Buddies

“It’s about us—together,” explain Jake Jarratt and Cameron Sharp, in their new play in which two drama students – straight “Jake”, gay “Cameron” – end up trying…

Matt Hoss: Here Comes Your Man

Matt Hoss is a man on a mission.

The Visit

Though we aren’t given the choice that may be implied by the inclusion of the subtitle in The Visit or The Old Lady Who Comes to Call, it is a play that uses juxtaposition as it …

Is Trying Enough?

Families come in all shapes and sizes.

Darling, It’s Not About You

Love is never easy.

NUMB

NUMB, by Timothy Cobeanu, has an unusual start.

A Little Space

Review
★★★
Monica Yell
Brighton
The Old Market
11th Dec, 2019

Watching A Little Space made me think of Marmite.

No Place Like Home

Connor is on a night out and ready to be open about his sexuality.

Hayley Ellis & Sally-Anne Hayward

Review
★★★
Beth Watson
Brighton
Komedia Theatre
17th Nov, 2019

Going to see comedians with no prior knowledge of their work is always a bit of a risk.

Shadows by Jon Fosse

Suspended from the ceiling of the Coronet Theatre are five crystalline orbs that almost look like faces.

A Kind of Loving

The decade might be set in history as ‘Swinging’, but for many of us who lived through the ‘60’s the appellation has only a marginal connection with the realities of life.

Murder in the Cathedral

Performing a play in a cathedral about an archbishop assassinated in a cathedral might sound like a match made in heaven.

The Beauty Queen of Leenane

Martin McDonagh’s The Beauty Queen of Leenane is an intensely Irish play set in the wilds of Connemara, premiered locally by the Druid Theatre Company in Galway in 1996.

A Life Twice Given

Review
★★★
Monica Yell
Brighton
Rialto Theatre
1st Nov, 2019

A simple production, A Life Twice Given stretches itself to do justice to a very complicated idea, with only limited resources and space.

Gaslight

Gaslight has stood the test of time in the canon of British theatre.

TICKLE the Musical

While browsing some of the more risqué websites you may discover some titillating videos of various people trying to get each other to laugh, moan and groan simply by tickling.

Breaking The Code

It’s only two years until the face of Alan Turing appears on the new £50 note.

Dead Funny

The Tower Theatre Company seek to outrage and (somewhat) inspire with their recreation of Dead Funny.

Stiletto Beach

The world premiere of Sadie Hasler’s Stiletto Beach has burst onto the stage at the dynamic Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch in a bold, brave, fearless and funny exploration of what…

Falsettos

Review
★★★
Richard Beck
West End
The Other Palace
12th Sep, 2019

Falsettos has been around since 1992, but it’s UK premier has only just opened at The Other Palace, London.

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