Stephen Schwartz's 1971 musical Godspell is probably not his most famous work, it is, however, the first one I became aware of when, aged 13. I was granted a solo in my church choir's performance of Prepare Ye which, it turns out, was nothing like Schwartz had originally intended (and not just because I was slightly out of tune). When I arrived at Cadogan Hall this … [Read more...]
Witness for the Prosecution at London’s County Hall
The Mousetrap is perhaps Agatha Christie's most famous offering to London Theatre, but there's another Agatha Christie across town which is just as gripping. The Witness for the Prosecution is a courtroom drama, following the trial of Leonard Vole who is accused of murdering his rich friend. He looks certain to be hanged - even his wife, Romaine, has become a … [Read more...]
La Realidad/The Reality written by Denise Despeyroux | Review
What is reality? That is essentially the overall question that this play asks. As twin sisters on different sides of the world talk to, and manipulate, each other, it is clear that their recollections of the same childhood are remarkably different. What’s more, their whole lives have been shaped by their feelings, Lucy retreating to the other side of the world and … [Read more...]
The Elephant in the Room at the Hen & Chickens Theatre
We're overrun at the moment with stories of women struggling to be taken seriously and to break through the glass ceiling in a male-dominated business environment, but who would have thought this problem was just as rife in the criminal underworld of South-West London in the 19th and 20th centuries? The Elephant in the Room shatters any illusion that Victorian gangs … [Read more...]
My White Best Friend and Other Letters Left Unsaid at The Bunker
"Straight, white, able-bodied males to the back, queer, ethnic minority females front and centre." The first line of the show. Later on class was used to arrange the audience too and so, as a straight, white, middle-class female, I found myself on the fringes of the audience from the get-go and that is where I stayed both physically and metaphorically for the rest of … [Read more...]
The Clockmaker’s Daughter Studio Cast Recording
For theatregoers, cast albums essentially serve two separate purposes. For those who haven’t seen a show before they provide a taste of the show and may influence a decision about whether to visit; for those who have seen the show, a cast album provides the chance to relive the show and to enjoy the memories. So when listening to The Clockmaker’s Daughter I have … [Read more...]
Di and Viv and Rose at the White Bear Theatre | Review
Di and Viv and Rose is one of the most beautifully written and intricate plays I have ever had the privilege to see. Amelia Bullmore, best known perhaps for her TV work such as Scott and Bailey, has produced a script that is both hilariously witty and deeply moving. Seeing the play in the West End I fell in love with it instantly, and, having read it several times … [Read more...]
Broadway @ Leicester Square Theatre: Jenna Russell with Seth Rudetsky
Jenna Russell with Seth Rudetsky was almost like musical theatre meets the Graham Norton show, and I mean that in the best possible way. A chat show with a charismatic host who draws out crazy and hilarious anecdotes from his guests, but with added show tunes. What’s not to love? Seth Rudestsky is the perfect interviewer - funny and charming with an easy manner and … [Read more...]
Review of Blink at Drayton Arms Theatre
Blink is a surprisingly heart-warming, if slightly strange, tale of life and loneliness in London. When Sophie and Jonah find themselves in the big city, having recently lost loved ones, loneliness takes hold until Sophie comes up with an unusual way to make herself feel more visible in a city of strangers. Sending her downstairs neighbour Jonah a camera, she goes … [Read more...]