REVIEW - THE WEST - COLAB THEATRE -

Established in 2012 COLAB Theatre, focuses on creating immersive and interactive theatre. COLAB are the creators of Crooks 1926, which ran in London for 2 years, making it one of London’s longest running immersive experiences. This time around they are transporting audiences directly into The West.

In any immersive experience, an individual’s enjoyment will be in direct proportion to one’s willingness to participate. This new production from COLAB set in the Wild West certainly makes demands of its audience, requiring much collaboration during the running time. Tasks will be assigned. Interference will be run. At points, you may be asked to directly insert yourself into the proceedings. The intensity could possibly be too much for one of a less extroverted sensibility. From the start, the cast very astutely analyses personality with a series of casual questions as the audience gathers inside the courtyard entrance. This clever tactic allows quick observational insight into those most willing to interact and those of a more reserved nature (a safe word is provided just in case of panic). Large groups are encouraged to book, as the more self-conscious members may then have buffers.

The sheriff and mayor greet the audience at the door, welcoming each and every one to their town. Both are resplendently dressed in full cowperson regalia. A terrifying sandstorm has recently devastated the county. It is in hope that the new arrivals may offer their assistance in resettling the area. The sheriff inquires as to particular skill sets that may be of use. From a doorway, a shifty-eyed pastor acutely avoiding the sheriff’s attention beckons people indoors. With great elan, he offers to hear confessions and absolve sins. After the session, all are led to the saloon, where a ne’er do well greedily guzzles local moonshine. His tongue loosened, he spouts off about the virtues of the sheriff and mayor but laments their troubled son. No information divulged-or question asked-is informal in this environment. Listen carefully. All is linked to the internal mechanism of the plot. So as not to give too much away, from this moment revelations drop like bombs and the audience gets divided into groups, each following a particular member of the cast.

It is with genuine concern I continue hoping not to spoil with excessive explanation. I & my friend (along with another couple) wound up enmeshed with bandits, recruited to the dark side, plotting to overthrow authority. Our storyline incorporated escape room scenarios and role-playing prowess to achieve objectives. Only at the end, when our final assaultive act was abruptly halted by a more dominant framework was the brilliance of this work revealed. There had been signs that parallel stories had been unspooling next to ours, witnessed in the peripheral. In the course of a mission, I encountered people engaged in buying land, for instance, the purpose unknown to me. Tables in the bar were set for poker games we never played. There were rooms into which my group never stepped, although some activity was clearly staged there. The sudden crash knocked me sideways.

That The West has so many simultaneous narratives which are nimbly balanced without losing control speaks to a strong central, integrated spine and expert focus. While keeping each group fully engaged in their particular storyline, the creators must also on occasion bring the full audience together for a mass sequence. A showpiece trial, in particular, must have played out in several fascinating perspectives in relation to which group you were associated with. The actors commit with furious gusto and engaging charm to their broad Southern stereotypes. Improvisatory acumen comes to the forefront. The performers must be able to respond in the immediate to audience behaviour but also keep the narrative moving towards its scripted goals. It would be worth it, should you have the time, to sit down with other audience members following the show to discuss details (were others more privy than I to the multiplicity?).

With a limited budget but a commendable excess of DIY, “let’s put on a show” brio, COLAB has crafted a masterpiece of showmanship and verve. This is a layered and original work bursting with surprise. Book now for a rootin’ tootin’ time- you are guaranteed to emerge exhilarated.

{🎟 AD: PR Invite – Tickets gifted in exchange for an honest review}

SONG OF SONGS – REVIEW – PARK THEATRE
by Mailí Ní Ghormáin
The Biblical book Song of Songs stands out; unashamedly erotic, for women as well as men, it has long been a subject of controversy, and it is this book that writer, director and lead performer Ofra Daniel takes as the subject of her musical. First performed in Daniel’s home of San Francisco in 2017, this run at the Park Theatre marks the musical’s first visit to London. It is difficult not to be thrilled by the world presented in A Song of Songs. The soundscape is one of klezmer music and infectious rhythms, composed by Daniel and Lior Ben-Hur with collaborators Ali Paris … More SONG OF SONGS – REVIEW – PARK THEATRE
SLEUTH – REVIEW – RICHMOND THEATRE
by Mailí Ní Ghormáin
Who’s afraid of Stephen Sondheim? I certainly would have been, having seen this show. Playwright Anthony Shaffer’s original title, an homage to the Broadway composer and puzzle obsessive, was changed to Sleuth before the play’s 1970 premiere, whereupon it won the Tony for best play, and has since been adapted for screen by both Joseph L. Mankiewicz and Harold Pinter. It is certainly an auspicious beginning, and it is a delight to see that fifty years on, this clever play can still stay a step ahead of its audience. The play opens with Andrew (Todd Boyce), a writer of detective fiction, delivering … More SLEUTH – REVIEW – RICHMOND THEATRE
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
by Anne Reimers
Jesus Christ Superstar reimagines the biblical story of Jesus’ last days through a contemporary lens, portraying him as a rockstar figure navigating betrayal, redemption, and finally crucifixion. At the New Wimbledon Theatre, this iconic musical comes to life with electrifying energy and innovative staging. Fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the dynamic duo of England’s musical theatre scene, will recognise the typical elements of their work; and they are as electrifying as ever. The rock score is performed by a mainly hidden live band, filling the theatre with a pulsating sound. The observant audience member can spot the guitar … More JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
SPIRITED AWAY – REVIEW – LONDON COLISEUM
by Amy Rye
Spirited Away premiered in Tokyo in February 2022 and is now having its European premiere at the London Coliseum. Hitting theatreland following the success of the RSC’s adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro, which is transferring to the West End next year. Based on the 2001 anime film, Spirited Away centres around Chihiro a young girl, who inadvertently winds up in a world ruled by witches and spirits – with her parents turned into pigs. What follows is her quest to save her parents and return to the real world. The highlight of this production is the creative elements; the set, designed by Jon Bausor is vast, imaginative, and transportive, bringing … More SPIRITED AWAY – REVIEW – LONDON COLISEUM
THE ACCOUNTANTS – REVIEW – AVIVA STUDIOS
by Jennifer Roberts
The Accountants is a multimedia stage spectacle, melding dance and modern communication. It premieres at Aviva Studios and is the UK debut performance for the Terrence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company and Xiexin Dance Theatre. Liam (Josh Hart) is trying to find himself while travelling Asia, keeping in contact with his favourite ‘auntie’ Kash (Shobna Gulati). Using Kash’s wisdom to guide him around India and China, Liam tries to understand his own identity as an Asian person while watching the accountants in his head dance. After I picked my ticket up from the box office, I was collared by a (very … More THE ACCOUNTANTS – REVIEW – AVIVA STUDIOS

SONG OF SONGS – REVIEW – PARK THEATRE
by Mailí Ní Ghormáin
The Biblical book Song of Songs stands out; unashamedly erotic, for women as well as men, it has long been a subject of controversy, and it is this book that writer, director and lead performer Ofra Daniel takes as the subject of her musical. First performed in Daniel’s home of San Francisco in 2017, this run at … More SONG OF SONGS – REVIEW – PARK THEATRE
SLEUTH – REVIEW – RICHMOND THEATRE
by Mailí Ní Ghormáin
Who’s afraid of Stephen Sondheim? I certainly would have been, having seen this show. Playwright Anthony Shaffer’s original title, an homage to the Broadway composer and puzzle obsessive, was changed to Sleuth before the play’s 1970 premiere, whereupon it won the Tony for best play, and has since been adapted for screen by both Joseph L. Mankiewicz … More SLEUTH – REVIEW – RICHMOND THEATRE
JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
by Anne Reimers
Jesus Christ Superstar reimagines the biblical story of Jesus’ last days through a contemporary lens, portraying him as a rockstar figure navigating betrayal, redemption, and finally crucifixion. At the New Wimbledon Theatre, this iconic musical comes to life with electrifying energy and innovative staging. Fans of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, the dynamic duo of … More JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
SPIRITED AWAY – REVIEW – LONDON COLISEUM
by Amy Rye
Spirited Away premiered in Tokyo in February 2022 and is now having its European premiere at the London Coliseum. Hitting theatreland following the success of the RSC’s adaptation of Studio Ghibli’s My Neighbour Totoro, which is transferring to the West End next year. Based on the 2001 anime film, Spirited Away centres around Chihiro a young girl, who inadvertently winds up in … More SPIRITED AWAY – REVIEW – LONDON COLISEUM
THE ACCOUNTANTS – REVIEW – AVIVA STUDIOS
by Jennifer Roberts
The Accountants is a multimedia stage spectacle, melding dance and modern communication. It premieres at Aviva Studios and is the UK debut performance for the Terrence Lewis Contemporary Dance Company and Xiexin Dance Theatre. Liam (Josh Hart) is trying to find himself while travelling Asia, keeping in contact with his favourite ‘auntie’ Kash (Shobna Gulati). Using … More THE ACCOUNTANTS – REVIEW – AVIVA STUDIOS