André (Chris Haddock), so his daughter Anne’s (Lynne Harrison) new lover, Pierre (Luciano Dodero) tells Anne - and thus the audience - is ‘ill’. It is, sadly, not uncommon to see an older person gradually losing their critical faculties - doddery and senile characters who are made fun of are still to be found in theatrical productions (elsewhere, of course). The … [Read more...]
London Theatre Reviews - West End & Off West End
Latest London Theatre Reviews
Read our latest theatre reviews and find out what our team of reviewers thought of London's latest productions of plays, musicals and shows.
SHIDA: Written and Performed by Jeannette Bayardelle | Review
Jeannette Bayardelle is a talent to behold. She’s got pipes to rival Lincoln Cathedral and more than enough stage presence to carry the dozen or so characters she portrays in her 75-minute one-woman show. Funky, enthralling and categorically impressive, her musical creation SHIDA reveals awe-inspiring singing and performance skill with a palpable dedication to her … [Read more...]
The Eyes of the Night at the Cervantes Theatre | Review
Set entirely in a hotel room, and therefore a neutral venue to both parties, Lucia (Lanna Joffrey) and Angel (Samuel Brewer) meet and talk. Lucia needs to clear the air somewhat - her marriage is going through a rough time, to the point where she dreads the weekend because her high-flying corporate career ceases to be a distraction from the drudgery of domestic life. … [Read more...]
Review of Preludes at Southwark Playhouse
Alex Sutton’s production brings a strong cast together and tells an intense story on mental health and self-deprecation. Written and orchestrated by Dave Malloy (recently known for multiple Tony-nominated show 'Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812'), Preludes tells the story of Sergei Rachmaninoff. Rachmaninoff, a renowned composer from a young age and now … [Read more...]
What Girls Are Made Of at Soho Theatre | Review
Darlingheart was well and truly a band that came and went, lasting from 1992 to 1994, when its teenage singer, Cora Bissett (as herself), was as impressionable as she was young. Set in a world before the ubiquity of social media, this autobiographical production tells the story of a rock band who was torn down by their record company as quickly as they were built … [Read more...]
Women of Paradise at Trafalgar Studios | Review
When you sort through the chaff of the bitter wheat of this collection of Tennessee Williams-inspired short plays then it is pleasing and inspiring to come across a glinting, golden ear of maize in Happy Tenth of August - a superb piece of writing by Chloe Ewart, with magnetic performances by Ewart herself alongside Amy Garner Buchannan. The interplay of these two … [Read more...]
Review of AMSTERDAM at the Orange Tree Theatre
A letter always reaches its destination even if its intended recipient is long since gone. Who bears responsibility for its contents is the question that kicks off the narrative for Maya Arad Yasur’s play, Amsterdam. The play begins in 2019 with a young Jewish violinist living in Amsterdam and thrilled with her canal-side flat in a posh part of the city until … [Read more...]
Heartbeat of Home at Piccadilly Theatre | Review
The backdrops and projections in Heartbeat of Home, of which there are many, recalled to my mind a line from the opening scene of the Thornton Wilder play Our Town: “There’s some scenery for those who think they have to have scenery”. Likewise, there’s a story for those who would prefer dance and music shows like this one to have some narrative structure: in short, … [Read more...]
The Amygdala by Sophie Fox at Theatre503 | Review
Fleeting moments of physical theatre and abstract video projections permeate this unusual production. Thea (Sophie Fox) is doing research for her PhD, about why there are women murderers - their motivations and justifications. Kelsey (Amelia Gann) agrees to participate in ‘research’ (inverted commas mine), which gradually becomes something of a personal friendship … [Read more...]