Here is our weekly round up of stagey news, our 5* and 4* reviews, interviews, shows opening next week and ticket deals! Go on, have a little scroll.
NEWS OF THE WEEK
Top Theatre News Stories of the Week include:
The Almeida Theatre’s sell out production of A Streetcar Named Desire announced a West End transfer, running for 6 weeks at the Phoenix Theatre from the 20th March. In similar news, the award winning production of Rose, starring Dame Maureen Lipman is transferring to the Ambassadors Theatre for 28 performances in May and June. The West End production of To Kill A Mockingbird extends for a final time, the final performance will take place on the 20th of May 2023.
LISTEN UP CORNUTS, we finally have a date for the release of the Heathers pro-shot filmed last year, it will be released in cinemas on the 28th March 2023, tickets are now on sale!
I’m Off West End news, an incredible cast has been announced for the SpongeBob Musical, which opens in Southampton on the 5th April before touring the UK, and spending the summer at London’s Southbank Centre. The cast includes: Gareth Gates, Divina de Campo, Chrissie Bhima, and Hannah Lowther, among others! The casting for the world premiere of new musical Berlusconi, which is running at the new Southwark Playhouse Elephant from the 25th of March. Casting includes: McCallam Connell, John Conroy, Susan Fay, and Sally Ann Triplett, amongst others! Plus Evanna Lynch, best known as Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter films, has been announced to star in Under the Black Rock, a play set in 80s Belfast around the time of the Troubles and led by an Irish cast, which is on at the Arcola Theatre this March. And finally, the Donmar Warehouse have announced further shows for their 30th Birthday season, you can find out more here!
REVIEWS OF THE WEEK
Our top rated shows of the week are:
OTHELLO AT LYRIC HAMMERSMITH
‘A truly stunning experience – aggressive, raw and abrasive.’
– Jenny
CIRQUE DU SOLEIL KURIOS: CABINET OF CURIOSITIES
‘Get whisked away in the entertainment!’
– Jill
Check out Jill’s review in full here
THE ELEPHANT SONG
‘Writer Nicholas Billon entangles clever humour and genius dialogue.’
– Victoria
NOISES OFF
‘Expect to laugh hysterically from start to finish’
– Amy
INTERVIEW OF THE WEEK
Amy catches up with Broadway Musical Director Benjamin Rauhala ahead of his star studded London concert at the Cadogan Hall, Benjamin Rauhala and His West End Besties! You can read all about it here!
SHOWS OPENING NEXT WEEK
MOST ANTICIPATED
Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons, Lemons – a tender and funny rom-com about what we say, how we say it, and what happens when we can’t say anything anymore. Starring Aidan Turner (Poldark, The Lieutenant of Inishmore) and Jenna Coleman (The Serpent, All My Sons). The show is currently in previews, opening night is this Tuesday 31st January. The show is on at the Harold Pinter, tickets are from £25! Find out more here.
My Son’s A Queer (But What Can You Do?) – returning due to popular demand. Rob Madge’s show is back but this time its on at the Ambassadors Theatre. When Rob was twelve, they attempted a full-blown Disney parade in their house for their grandma. As Rob donned wigs and played Mary Poppins, Ariel, Mickey Mouse and Belle, their dad doubled as Stage Manager, Sound Technician and Goofy. Unfortunately, Dad missed all his cues and pushed all the floats in the wrong direction. Mum mistook Aladdin for Ursula. The costumes went awry. Grandma had a nice time, though. You can read our previous review of the show at the Edinburgh Fringe here! Tickets are from £20! Find out more here.
Much Ado About Nothing – Shakespeare’s much-loved comedy meets reality TV romance in a raucous and lyrical adaptation by poet and playwright Debris Stevenson (Poet in da Corner, Royal Court) at the iconic Duke of York’s Theatre in London’s West End. Tickets for this National Youth Theatre production start from £12!
OFF WEST END
The Mistake – Direct from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, an urgent new play by Michael Mears exploring the events surrounding the catastrophic ‘mistake’ that launched our nuclear age. On from 31st January – 4th February at the Arcola Theatre. Tickets from £15, concession and pay what you can available!
La Maupin – This Offie finalist production returns after their critically acclaimed run in 2022. Marie Antoinette meets The Pogues. They have a drink. They have a laugh. They have a massive brawl. And you’re invited. La Maupin is a folk punk play with songs, shining a light on a remarkable woman ahead of her time. You can catch the show at the Lion & Unicorn next week, tickets from £14 (concessions available).
TICKET DEAL OF THE WEEK
The Lehman Trilogy has a lottery on the TodayTix App, which gives you the chance to win the ability to book two tickets at £25 – just like the Cabaret lottery!
Pride and Prejudice *sort of is coming to Richmond next month and there are tickets available for £5 plus booking fee!
There are also £20 rush tickets available on TodayTix for George Takei’s Allegiance – be quick and at 10am on the day you want to see the show!
VAULT FESTIVAL SHOW OF THE WEEK
Our pick of the week at the Vault Festival is
CACEROLEO – Runner Up for the ATG Playwrights Prize: CACEROLEO examines “safe spaces” in the arts from the point of view of a young person who grew up witnessing domestic violence. You have until Sunday to catch it!
REVIEWS TO EXPECT NEXT WEEK
We’re very busy next week, you can expect reviews of: How Not To Drown, 2:22 A Ghost Story, My Son’s A Queer, Kissed By A Flame. Plus lots more Vault Fest reviews!
Have a lovely week, stay LIT!
- A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK – REVIEW – THEATRE503
The title of this winner of Theatre 503’s 2023 International Playwriting Award by Roxy Cook may seem like the set-up to a joke, but the narrative that unspools is instead an affectionate, gently barbed and at base quite sobering portrait of three ordinary souls (and one restless feline) adrift in modern Moscow. There is much … More A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK – REVIEW – THEATRE503 - PETER PAN GOES WRONG – REVIEW – LYRIC THEATRE
Peter Pan Goes Wrong first premiered in London at the Pleasance Theatre in 2013, and earlier this year the show made its Broadway debut. Now the production is back in the West End for the Christmas season. Following on from The Play That Goes Wrong, in this production, J.M. Barrie’s Peter Pan is staged by … More PETER PAN GOES WRONG – REVIEW – LYRIC THEATRE - GHOST STORIES BY CANDLELIGHT – REVIEW – SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE
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 - CINDERELLA – REVIEW – LYRIC HAMMERSMITH
Drum roll please…(Cue a literal drum rolling across the stage.) The Lyric pantomime is one of traditions with the return of many well-loved jokes and skits. Costumes and sets are all made at the Lyric itself by Good Teeth, with set pieces being reused year on year. This year Cinderella gets the Hammersmith makeover, with … More CINDERELLA – REVIEW – LYRIC HAMMERSMITH - INTERVIEW – LINUS KARP – DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY
Amy catches up with Linus Karp ahead of his performance of Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, at London’s Clapham Grand. Linus and Joseph of Awkward Productions are also the masterminds behind the new show Gwyneth Goes Skiing. Hello Your Majesty/ Candle Entrepreneur, how are you feeling coming back from a hugely successful fringe and … More INTERVIEW – LINUS KARP – DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY