Iman Qureshi’s The Ministry of Lesbian Affairs, directed by Hannah Hauer‑King, begins like a buoyant sitcom, only to pivot—sometimes too sharply—into earnest, confessional drama. At its best, it sparkles with wit and warmth; at its most uneven, it feels like two distinct shows blocking one another.
Days are getting longer, nights are warmer, and we have a brand new musical romantic comedy premiering in East London. Written by the creators of the phenomenon that was the podcast My Dad Wrote A Porno, Jamie Morton and James Cooper, with music by Bryn Christopher and Martin Batchelar, Lovestuck is a relatable, cute musical guide for modern dating with only one flaw. Why did Lucy end up stuck upside down in a window after her date with Peter? The answer is more complicated than you might think.
A play within a play is not a new concept, but Say It Again, Sorry’s ...Earnest? brings something quite new to the stage. Having come a long way since its premiere at Islington's Pleasance in 2019, the show follows a rather tortuous production of Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Earnest which loses cast members one by one, only to replace them with unsuspecting members of the audience.
Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with James Cooper, who wrote the book and lyrics for Lovestuck. We discussed what it’s been like to work in the theatre industry for the first time, what it’s been like to create for a variety of mediums and what he hopes audiences take away from this new musical.
Someone once told me writing a musical with an original story would be like climbing Everest. This turned out to be not entirely true. A mountaineer at least knows Everest is there to be climbed. That it has a top to be reached. That it will not disappear under him halfway up. None of these comforts are afforded the writer. You have to have a really good reason for abandoning the reassurance of a pre-existing story.
Mischief’s new action-packed thriller The Comedy About Spies is gripping audiences with laughter at the Noël Coward Theatre. The multi award-winning team behind The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy About a Bank Robbery step into 1960s London in this hilarious spy caper full of misunderstanding, miscommunication, and mistaken identity.
Has there been a British comedy franchise as successful as Mischief’s since the days of the Carry On films? While The Play That Goes Wrong is still going strong in the West End and New York, their latest The Comedy About Spies rolls off the conveyor belt at the Noël Coward Theatre.
Established in 1976, the Olivier Awards celebrate the world-class status of London theatre, and are Britain’s most prestigious stage honours. Leading the way this year is Tom Scutt's Fiddler on the Roof which matches Hamilton's record-breaking 13 nominations, represented in every acting and creative category.
Erik Kahn’s play tested very positively in the States early last year and has gained even more resonance since then. Reviewing it on the day of the United States Presidential Inauguration, where Elon Musk gave a hasty Roman salute to Trump’s rapt audience, hit differently. In front of us, Charlotte Cohn impeccably directs a fish tank of cruelty from the past. On our screens, another one plays out.
Titanique, the hit off-Broadway musical, has finally docked in London. Currently playing at the Criterion Theatre, the show mixes the iconic story of Titanic with the equally iconic music of Céline Dion, transforming the “Ship of Dreams” into a “hysterical musical fantasia.”
Created by Recent Cutbacks, Hold On To Your Butts is a “shot for shot” parody of the iconic Jurassic Park film, with three actors taking on the movie in only seventy minutes (the original film has a runtime of two hours and seven minutes). Jack Baldwin and Laurence Pears take on nearly all of the characters (yes, even Mr. D.N.A makes an appearance!) through simple costume and prop changes.
For its 25th pantomime, the Hackney Empire is putting on Dick Whittington and His Cat, directed by and starring Clive Row, who has been the resident Dame of the Hackney Empire for years. This particular production of Dick Whittington has been written by Will Brenton with original music and songs by Steve Edis and stars Kandaka Moore as the titular Whittington and Kat B as Tommy the Cat.
From the bold new musicals aimed at Gen Z audiences, to classic play revivals and experimental dance productions, London has offered a variety of shows across its stages this year. Louise Penn celebrates her pick of the work of the West End and smaller off-West End spaces.
Incomprehensible drama fails to breach the cultural gap between Japan and England.
TATTOOER, written by Takuya Kaneshima, translated by Linda Hoaglund, inspired by the short story, Shisei, by Junichiro Tanizaki and directed by Hogara Kawai will gets its UK premiere Monday 14 October to Saturday 26 October direct from a run in Tokyo, Japan. Check out photos from the production!
Cheese and pineapple on a stick, anyone? The latest musical from Birmingham Rep takes us back to 1970s Britain, where trousers were flared, birthday parties required Iced Gems, and boys definitely didn't play girls in school musicals without everyone having something to say about it. BWW's critic weighs in.
Bold Anglo-Japanese production fizzles out when it needs to take off like a rocket writes BWW's critic.
New play packs plenty of ethical questions into an engaging and fascinating production that offers much to think about on the way home
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