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...]
Reviews of Plays in London West End and Off West End
If you are planning to visit London to see a play at one of the West End theatres, or a play in one of the many Off West End or Fringe venues, then maybe our reviews section can be of help? Read one of the latest reviews or use the search button to find and view one of our previous reviews. We use a star rating system on our site.
Small Island adapted by Helen Edmundson at the Olivier Theatre
After the recent Windrush Generation government scandal, this National Theatre production of Small Island couldn’t have come at a better time. Based on Andrea Levy’s 2004 novel and adapted for the stage by Helen Edmundson, it tells the stories of two families, one white and one black leading up to the arrival of immigrant workers from the Caribbean on the Empire Windrush in 1948. Read the full review...
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...]
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...]
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...]
Review of The Mousetrap at Princess Theatre Torquay
Agatha Christie's, The Mousetrap is full of suspense, humour, wit and thrills which keeps you on the edge of your seat from start to end. Set in the Great Hall of the recently renovated, Monkswell Manor guest house, 7 guests come to stay, unaware of what twists and turns they'll soon have to face. In true Christie tradition, we're introduced to each character one … [Read more...]
How Love Is Spelt at Southwark Playhouse | Review
How Love is Spelt is a bitter-sweet play, written by Chloe Moss in 2004, about twenty-year-old Peta who has come to London looking for romance, friendship and for exciting people to lead her on to big adventures, but she can only afford to live in a rather squalid bed-sit which doesn’t even have a proper bed! The play is structured into five scenes, Peta taking the … [Read more...]
Review of The Fishermen at Trafalgar Studios
Mesmerising and muscular, Jack McNamara’s production is a must-see for fans of Chigozie Obioma’s celebrated novel, The Fishermen. Giving intense perspective to moments within the story and the internal worlds of two of the brothers, Ben and Obembe, who are key to the family saga of the novel, Gbolahan’s adaptation complements rather than attempts to recreate the … [Read more...]
Review of Torch Song at The Turbine Theatre
Harvey Fierstein’s semi-autobiographical, Tony award-winning play Torch Song seems to have been around forever. It was originally three one-act plays International Stud, Fugue In A Nursery and Widows And Children First!, the first of which was produced off-Broadway in 1978. Then in 1981, the three became one in Torch Song Trilogy starring Fierstein as the thinly … [Read more...]