Reviews by Alan Fitter

As you enter the tiny space that is the Old Red Lion Theatre above the pub of the same name in Islington, you’re transported back to a rock star’s room in San Francisco in the late 1960s. The stage is set with a large, overstuffed couch covered with throws, large plants, a dressing room screen covered in clothes, posters and Indian art on the walls, sheepskin rugs and a drinks table full of bottles of Southern Comfort. There’s even a chandelier covered with a cheesecloth scarf to dim the light – … [Read more...]

After being closed for over two years due to covid, the Arcola Theatre has re-opened with Barney Norris’s love song to the people who raised him, We Started To Sing marking seven years since the writer made his name at the same theatre with Visitors. On a fairly bare stage featuring an upright piano and a few chairs, We Started To Sing tells the story of David (played by David Ricardo-Pearce), his parents Peggy (Barbara Flynn), Bert (Robin Soans), his wife Fiona (Naomi Petersen) and Rob … [Read more...]

Hooray, there’s a brand-new theatre in south London and it’s a splendid place for theatregoers, be they living in the area or anywhere else for that matter. Brixton House is the replacement for the late, lamented Ovalhouse which nurtured many an actor and director’s career. Forced to close a couple of years ago, the much loved but down at heel venue has moved to a state of the art, modern building just a few minutes' walk from Brixton tube station. It contains two black box theatres, one seating … [Read more...]

In a city the size of London you can never have too many top-notch cabaret venues and now there’s a new one, QT Presents The Green Room in the basement of the Middle Eight Hotel in Covent Garden. It’s called the Green Room because it’s being curated by jazz musician and promoter Leo Green who has previous in this kind of cabaret environment. The hotel is very elegant and The Green Room’s decor echoes the hotel's understated sophistication. It’s quite pricy but it’s at the top end of the cabaret … [Read more...]

Jewish Hollywood is the latest in Chris Burgess’s series of Jewish-themed revues following on from The Great Jewish American Songbook, That’s Jewish Entertainment etc. This iteration does what it says on the tin and tells the story of the movie moguls such as Samuel Goldwyn, Jack Warner and Harry Cohn who laid down the foundations of the Hollywood movie industry and those that followed in their footsteps. It’s an amazing story of how recently arrived penniless immigrants who left their homes in … [Read more...]