Author: George Rennie

GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT – REVIEW – SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE

27th November 2023

Drawing heavily from the classic canon of the British supernatural, High Tide’s trio of contemporary Gothic narratives uses traditional storytelling formats to address contemporary themes. Directed by Elayce Ismail, reverent musical interludes accompany tales of apparitions and nighttime conjurings that speak of women from the East of England. Unfortunately, the effect is less chilling and … More GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT – REVIEW – SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE

FISHERMAN JON: WHAT’S ON THE END OF MY ROD? – REVIEW – THE PUPPET BARGE

10th November 2023

Roll up lubbers and walk those unshaven sea legs to the Puppet Barge, for Fisherman Jon is in port! With a charmingly toothless grin and inexplicably filthy rod, Coral Bevan’s sweet and scurvaceous title character is here for one good reason: to catch a fish. And it’s his lucky day — for tonight there are … More FISHERMAN JON: WHAT’S ON THE END OF MY ROD? – REVIEW – THE PUPPET BARGE

PORTIA COUGHLAN – REVIEW – ALMEIDA THEATRE

23rd October 2023

Carrie Cracknell’s revival of Marina Carr’s rich and mythical tragedy sees its titular character fall into a long-festering wound in a revival that leans into the lyricism of its backdrop. It’s Portia’s 30th birthday, and she spends it drinking whiskey and lingering at home, in the pub, and by the Belmont River where she goes … More PORTIA COUGHLAN – REVIEW – ALMEIDA THEATRE

DEAR ENGLAND – REVIEW – PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE

20th October 2023

It feels pertinent to preface this review with the disclaimer that I am not a football fan, nor do I profess to understand the so-called ‘beautiful’ game, and grew up without a team, in a family that was at best sceptical about the sport’s relationship with toxic masculinity and nationalism. Having said all of that, … More DEAR ENGLAND – REVIEW – PRINCE EDWARD THEATRE

[INSERT PLAY] – REVIEW – CAMDEN FRINGE

24th August 2023

Two actors and a stage manager try to break out of their own play in [INSERT PLAY], a not-quite-successful experiment in clowning and meta-theatre by Onsen Presents, Sam Toocaram, and Joe Sear-Myles. Dressed in blacks and ready to tackle their hopeless, sprawling, repeatedly rewritten script, confusion and banter reign supreme in this physical, jokes-heavy hour … More [INSERT PLAY] – REVIEW – CAMDEN FRINGE

DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

16th August 2023

The People’s Princess gets a superficial fangirl treatment in this tidy, camp celebration of her ‘iconic’ status. It’s a great idea for a show, combining a well-known royal scandal with nostalgia and a lightweight drag performance. Linus Karp plays Lady Spencer with poise and pursed lips, retelling her classic narrative of a fairytale wedding gone … More DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

ELF AND DUFFY: HEIST – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

16th August 2023

A deaf and a hearing person team up in this bonkers mashup of mime, improv, and children’s theatre that explores the theatrical possibilities of a very sexual BSL lesson. For fans of Lyons’ playful, provocative, and large-in-charge clowning style, this feels like a quintessential show and a totally unique take on accessible storytelling. Drawing on … More ELF AND DUFFY: HEIST – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

YOGA WITH JILLIAN – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

16th August 2023

A hilarious and surprisingly gut-wrenching account of a struggling yoga instructor offers thought-provoking commentary on the concepts of wellness and toxic positivity. Using a highly effective, extended interactive format, American lawyer-turned-yogi, Jillian (Micole Biancosino), brings ten willing audience members down onto the mats, to be led through a session that lasts the full length of … More YOGA WITH JILLIAN – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

CREEPY BOYS – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

16th August 2023

Two bratty boys celebrate their thirteenth birthday party, yelling, dancing, whining, and playing games in a loosely-structured, queer, childish comedy show that never quite takes off. The snotty duo use over-the-top vocal and physical caricatures to create a cartoon-esque style that feels somewhere between the Beano, Cartoon Network, and children’s theatre. The energy level is … More CREEPY BOYS – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

LUCY AND FRIENDS – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

16th August 2023

A reigning queen of Edinburgh Fringe tears apart the rulebook in this hysterically absurd piece of ‘character/theatre art with alternative comedy’ that never does what you expect it to. Like a hurricane, Lucy McCormick sweeps through songs, interaction, pole dance, singing, monologue, drinking, self-pleasuring… The list goes on. It’s a spellbindingly original maelstrom of laughter … More LUCY AND FRIENDS – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

BAKLÂ – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

15th August 2023

‘I am baklâ but I am strong.’ This word, the title of Max Percy and Friend’s latest show, is used in the Philippines to denote an effeminate, female presenting man or transgender woman. Through solo performance, Max Percy explores the richness of its meanings, unpacking an explicitly sexual, personal-cum-political narrative that shifts and opens up … More BAKLÂ – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

FRANKIE THOMPSON AND LIV ELLO: BODY SHOW – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

15th August 2023

Frankie Thompson and Liv Ello have captured the zeitgeist with this kaleidoscopic, burnt-plastic-fantastic pageant of deconstructed brilliance. Barbenheimer, meme culture, and body image are put under a flaming microscope, with this year’s frenzy for repackaged visions of gendered beauty standards being presented through a disjointed, edgy performance style that links it to 2023’s other cultural … More FRANKIE THOMPSON AND LIV ELLO: BODY SHOW – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

PLAYING LATINX – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

14th August 2023

What a phenomenal actor! Guido Garcia Lueches displays his chops in this hilarious and thought-provoking hour of interactive satire that directly confronts the widespread racist undertones that pervade the casting system. In a show that incorporates and embodies a swathe of stereotypes associated with Latinx identity, Lueches unpacks the frustrations of working in an industry … More PLAYING LATINX – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

PARTY GHOST – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

14th August 2023

Double Take’s outstanding circus magic twins with playful Gothic camp in this delightfully macabre and death-defying acrobatic cabaret for the dead. Starting with a veil-clad mother weeping over her lost children, the show throws us immediately into a twilight world, where deceased children return as manic ghosts only to reignite the stage with a series … More PARTY GHOST – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

RAMALAMA DING DONG – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

14th August 2023

With looped music, animations, and a lifetime’s worth of experiences, Roshi Nasehi’s charming and clear-sighted attempt to make ‘a funny show about racism’ weaves a delicate balance of humour, pathos, and self-reflection. It’s a personality-driven piece that benefits hugely from her grounded and authentic musician’s perspective, and a flare for storytelling that grants her the … More RAMALAMA DING DONG – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE

1000 WAYS THE WORLD WILL END (& HOW IT STARTS AGAIN) – REVIEW – KINGS HEAD THEATRE

28th July 2023

Mushrooms, magic, and mythology entwine around this trans-historical sapphic drama that doesn’t quite know where it wants to be. Alice Flynn’s debut play starts with Astrid (Kalifa Taylor) and Yrsa (Phoebe Cresswell), two friends on a camping trip to observe a solar event. They are connected through the interwoven fibres of the fairy ring that … More 1000 WAYS THE WORLD WILL END (& HOW IT STARTS AGAIN) – REVIEW – KINGS HEAD THEATRE

PETER SMITH’S DIANA – REVIEW – SOHO THEATRE

22nd July 2023

Peter Smith’s Diana promises to deliver a ‘tour-de-force’ ‘musical spectacular’ in Soho Theatre’s largest space. Supposedly inspired by that interview with Martin Bashir, Smith’s monologue begins conversationally, addressing the audience with a faux-intimate familiarity that sets up what will proceed: an extended and somewhat shapeless ramble on herself. Referring to her husband and waiting to … More PETER SMITH’S DIANA – REVIEW – SOHO THEATRE

A PLAYLIST FOR THE REVOLUTION – REVIEW – BUSH THEATRE

5th July 2023

Can a playlist change the world? This question, with its focus on protest music, relationships, and the spirit of revolution is what lies at the heart of AJ Yi’s brilliantly clever, hyper-poppy story of revolution that builds in power to a heartening crescendo. Starting out with a meet-cute before unfolding an exploration of its protagonist, … More A PLAYLIST FOR THE REVOLUTION – REVIEW – BUSH THEATRE

ROMEO AND JULIET – REVIEW – ALMEIDA THEATRE

16th June 2023

O brawling love! O loving hate! Rebecca Freknall’s latest theatrical conquest sees Romeo and Juliet bursting through an earthen wall with visceral ensemble dance, uncompromisingly emotional performances, and a true command over the holy potential of light. Shakespeare’s introduction of ‘two hours’ traffic’ always seemed an unattainable goal, yet Frecknall’s production somehow manages to capture … More ROMEO AND JULIET – REVIEW – ALMEIDA THEATRE

LONDON CLOWN FESTIVAL OPENING CABARET – REVIEW – SOHO THEATRE

13th June 2023

Never have I had a more desperate demand to give a five star review. Accidentally outing myself as there to ‘report’ on the show, emotional wreck and Estonian witch healer clown Julia Masli began tearing off her clothes in a bid to secure that sweet accolade of success. It was hilarious, intense and somehow convincing … More LONDON CLOWN FESTIVAL OPENING CABARET – REVIEW – SOHO THEATRE