Since its Broadway premiere in 1976, Pacific Overtures has become a surprising addition to the musical theatre canon. Telling the story of Japan’s isolationist foreign policy transformed in 1853 by the arrival of American forces was and is not traditional musical theatre fare. Nor is the manner of telling; writers Stephen Sondheim and John Weidman, … More PACIFIC OVERTURES – REVIEW – MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY
Following on from a successful run at the Edinburgh Fringe, this boy band Christmas music has made its way to the Seven Dials Playhouse. With an obvious influence from Dickens’ classic Christmas story, Chris Kirkpatrick is visited by an Angel – Marky Mark and is allowed to make a wish. What follows is an hour … More CHRISKIRKPATRICKMAS – REVIEW – SEVEN DIALS PLAYHOUSE
Two Strangers (Carry a Cake Across New York) is a brand-new musical by Jim Barne & Kit Buchan. The production centres around Dougal (Sam Tutty), a young man who has flown to New York City for his father’s wedding, the father he has never met, and Robin (Dujonna Gift) the sister of the bride-to-be, who has … More TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK) – REVIEW – KILN THEATRE
Creating musical theatre around historic events has become an increasingly popular thing to do within the last few years, following on from the international successes of Hamilton and Six. However, it doesn’t always work, and unfortunately, that is the case with Treason the Musical. Treason began its life as a 5 track EP in 2020, … More TREASON THE MUSICAL – REVIEW – ALEXANDRA PALACE
When Annie first hit Broadway in 1977, it won a Tony award for Best Musical as well as Best Actress for Dorothy Loudon as Miss Hannigan and has been a staple of the musical theatre canon ever since. Yet perhaps more famous than Loudon is the original young prodigy, Andrea Macardle, whose enormous belt has … More ANNIE – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
There are a huge amount of film-to-musical adaptations currently on, or coming soon, to the West End, and the latest is The Time Traveller’s Wife. The 2003 novel has been adapted into a film, a TV series, and now a musical, with music and lyrics by Joss Stone and Dave Stewart, and a book by … More THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE – REVIEW – APOLLO THEATRE
Lizzie Borden was tried and acquitted for the axe murders of her father and stepmother in Fall River, Massachusetts in 1892 – no one else was ever charged with the murders. The case garnered widespread media attention at the time, and remains a topic of popular culture today, with a large number of films, theatre … More LIZZIE THE MUSICAL – REVIEW – SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE ELEPHANT
Jamie Lloyd is known for his trademark minimalistic style of direction, with bare staging which allows the performances to truly shine. Sunset Boulevard is no exception. Based on the 1950 film, Don Black and Christopher Hampton’s book follows a young writer, Joe Gillis (Tom Francis) as he tells us the story of meeting Norma Desmond … More SUNSET BOULEVARD – REVIEW – SAVOY THEATRE
It has been seven years since Flowers for Mrs Harris opened in Sheffield in 2016, but it has finally come to London in Bronagh Lagan’s production for Riverside Studios, this time with Jenna Russell in the title role. It is a musical which has built up a lot of love in the last seven years, … More FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS – REVIEW – RIVERSIDE STUDIOS
Ben Elton’s musical theatre success has been variable, We Will Rock You was famously panned by critics during its premiere, and received a similarly lukewarm response during its Coliseum run this summer. His latest musical follows the life of Twiggy, the 60s cultural icon. The set by Timothy Bird consists of white squares on the … More CLOSE-UP: THE TWIGGY MUSICAL – REVIEW – MENIER CHOCOLATE FACTORY
A solid family favourite since the movie premiered in 2001, the musical adaptation soon followed, premiering on Broadway in 2008. Currently on a tour of the UK, stopping off in Wimbledon this week, whilst this production of Shrek The Musical may transport the younger members of the audience to a land Far Far Away, there’s … More SHREK THE MUSICAL – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON THEATRE
(PLEASE NOTE: This review contains spoilers!!) I left the brand-new English production of Rebecca with mixed feelings. The highs are exceptionally high: Lauren Jones as the new Mrs de Winter is outstanding. Her voice is a joy to listen to and I found myself excited every time she came on stage. Jones performed the transition … More REBECCA – REVIEW – CHARING CROSS THEATRE
One-person musicals are rare; Tell Me on a Sunday is perhaps the only well-known example of a commercially successful one-woman musical, and that is only one act. Ewen Moore’s new musical, Battersea Bardot, is thus ambitious; it is a one-woman musical in two acts, chronicling the life of troubled British actor Carol White. White first … More BATTERSEA BARDOT – REVIEW – NEW WIMBLEDON STUDIO
On July 18th, 2009, 17-year-old Henry Fraser severely crushed his spinal cord in a freak accident which left him paralysed from the waist down; “I know what you’re thinking, a terrible idea for a show, right?” declares Fraser to the audience at the start of the show. It is a clever aside, but we never … More THE LITTLE BIG THINGS – REVIEW – @SOHOPLACE
The National Youth Music Theatre revives a Sondheim classic, showcasing their boundless talent and energy; this young cast does an excellent job of tackling this notoriously difficult musical. Merrily We Roll Along tells the story of three friends as they grow up together and subsequently grow apart. The audience meets the characters at the end … More MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG – REVIEW – SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE
“Mental illness is seldom a private affair. It bleeds out onto others. While it doesn’t spread as reliably as smallpox, it can easily consume a family and everyone around it.” Conceived in 2008, Next to Normal became the recipient of three Tony Awards and the prestigious Pulitzer Prize. Described not so much as “feel good” … More NEXT TO NORMAL – REVIEW – DONMAR WAREHOUSE
As a musical nerd who recently realised that she’s almost definitely asexual, Asexuality! The Solo Musical was one of my most eagerly anticipated shows of the Fringe, and it did not disappoint. The show charts the writer/performer, Rebecca McGlynn’s relationship with her aceness and her gender identity. As the only performer on stage, McGlynn delivers … More ASEXUALITY! – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE
Les Millénniables is a pop parody musical based (very loosely) on Les Misérables. Jean Valjean (Natalie Sullivan) is fresh out of college and has racked up a lot of debt, we see her run-ins with the tax man, boomer Javert (Tony Gonzalez) over the next 10+ years. The show also features other characters loosely based … More LES MILLÉNNIABLES – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE
Tabloid journalist Beth (Molly Lydon) is conflicted about the morality of her job. When she is chasing the next big story she finds herself in a gallery where a portrait of ‘scarlet woman’ Emma Hamilton (Caitlyn Calfas) springs to life, and takes her back through time to the 18th century to convince Beth to tell … More IRREPRESSIBLE – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE
Having premiered at the fringe last year, where it received critical acclaim, Kathy and Stella Solve A Murder! is back – and bigger than ever. Last year the show took up residence in the Roundabout at Summerhall – with a capacity of 168, this year the show is selling out Underbelly’s big purple cow with … More KATHY AND STELLA SOLVE A MURDER! – REVIEW – EDINBURGH FRINGE
