Lee Newby’s Magritte inspired set provides the ideal backdrop for James Kettle’s cleverly crafted play. The blue sky and cirrus whites are mirrored in the floor and furniture: the bowler hats are made for the character of David Tomlinson. This is the most recent collaboration between James Kettle and Miles Jupp - the two having worked together on Radio 4’s The News … [Read more...]
Review of Parenthood at The Space
The flyer says, ‘Not an Instagram version of parenting’ and Emily & Pete Moody’s musical is exactly that. On the hottest evening ever we needed some refreshing entertainment, and this we were given by the barrow load. From the laddish testosterone-fuelled bragging blokes and the naïve girls who definitely “won’t be having an epidural”, to the grandparents … [Read more...]
Review of Pygmalion at the Tower Theatre
A warm welcome awaits you at this wonderful and comfortable theatre, upstairs in the octagonal tower, home of the Tower Theatre Company. Emilia Teglia’s fabulous production of Shaw’s most popular play sticks closely to the original. The Victorian humour is perfectly reflected, it retains all the play’s social themes and provides us with a very entertaining … [Read more...]
Review of Cuttings at The Hope Theatre
Ollie George Clarke's brilliant new play, Cuttings, explores the influence and power of PR and examines what can now pass as an apology. After winning an Olivier Award, YouTuber turned actor, Arthur Moses delivers a drunken, offensive, expletive-ridden acceptance speech on live radio. His publicists then need to spin into action, handling frantic calls and social … [Read more...]
Three Sisters at The Almeida Theatre | Review
Three Sisters was written at a time when Chekhov was suffering from an illness which would soon claim his life. It is gloomy. The sisters are bored and trapped in their small town, and each dream of moving to Moscow. Annoyingly this is all they do and you find yourself screaming (inwardly) at them to do something about it. If a play is to have any sort of … [Read more...]
Alys, Always at The Bridge Theatre | Review
It’s always going to be a challenge to adapt a play from a novel but Lucinda Coxon’s Alys, Always just about gets away with it. A superb performance from Joanne Froggatt - narrating and playing lead character Frances Thorpe - holds the play together, Leah Gayer as Polly is excellent, her fickle “friendship” with Frances comes across well and Robert Glenister’s … [Read more...]
Review of Stories at The National Theatre
Nina Raine’s follow up to the hugely successful Consent confirms that, after a series of duds, the National is back on track. Stories nicely caps a good year for the theatre and is definitely one of their best recent productions. Eighteen characters are played by seven actors in the intimate and minimalist Dorfman set, the action taking place on a stage surrounded … [Read more...]