UK / WEST END THEATER REVIEWS

The main thing to know about this production is it is very, very funny. Silly, sure; but cheek-achingly funny. From the moment Nicholas Murchie's begins his high-energy rendition of 19th century everyman Sir Philip Bin, Bleak Expectations is a laugh-a-minute tumble through this naturally dramatic er...

Blood and guts in Ancient Rome, Atri Banerjee’s production of Jean Racine’s historical tragedy is no Roman Holiday....

Lindsay Duncan is magnetic in this revival of Strindberg's black comedy. Read our BWW critic's review. ...

On a summer night in West London, a blazing fire of a Russian opera did battle with the chill night air. The opera won (albeit on points)....

Whether it’s all a big scheme to get bums on seats or these actors are all of a sudden genuinely interested in being in plays, it’s working. The West End is swarming with film and tv stars at the minute and patrons are flocking to see them. Read our BWW critic's review. ...

The Queen musical is not entirely at ease with being brought into the social media age, but is nonetheless an evening of riotous good fun that is sure to delight audience members with even the most limited knowledge of the band's work. Read our critic's review....

See what our critic thought of seeing the popular film accompanied by a big orchestra....

Vicki Berwick's new play has its roots in Classical Greece, but is gripping in its embrace of contemporary concerns...

The Greeks seem to be trending at the moment. Last year TikTok went mad for Madeline Miller’s book Song of Achilles, Ivo van Hove brought his mash-up of myths to the Barbican at the start of the month, and the Almeida’s latest project is being compared to a Greek masterpiece. London seems to be ...

As the most notorious monarch in British history, Henry VIII's rule was tyrannous and imposing. Known for his colossal physique and consort of six unlucky wives, Henry Tudor has long stood as an example of the damage done by brutish men with excessive power. His reputation as a prolific abuser of wo...

any attempt will end in crushed bodies and shattered bones is most definitely not for the faint-hearted. For his latest production at Sadler’s Wells, Flemish choreographer Jan Martens has created in ways which will shock any sane person to their core a highly engaging and provocative piece of po...

When Legally Blonde came out in 2001, its main character Elle Woods became an instant icon. Witty comebacks in hot pink stilettos, she tore down stereotypes and validated blondes across the world. She probably also inspired generations to pursue a law degree and not be intimidated to hide the multi-...

Satinder Chohan's new play has plenty of comedy and tragedy, but struggles to catch the right tone consistently, packing in more themes than its plot can comfortably sustain...

In this bloody tale of grief and revenge, the year is 2043 and Reem and her husband Sayeed have an apparently simple life: she cooks lentils and watches Arab Idol, he sells fruit and veg and, on Thursday nights, the pair pop out for a spot of al fresco group sex on contested land under the watchful ...

It’s likely that South West London’s Richmond Theatre has never had to display a sign saying that toast and confetti will be confiscated at the front doors, but Rocky Horror Show often brings rather over-enthusiastic audience participation....

Life has a funny way of happening. We have all these preconceptions around what it should be and what’s successfully worth living that we forget that we are experiencing one. Jane (Grace Collett) is struggling with that....

A leading promoter and producer of opera, ballet and classical music for the last 50 years, the fact that Raymond Gubbay CBE is not a household name is baffling. For those who are in the know, he has been a tireless champion of the arts and has brought trailblazing innovation to many of his producti...

Three actors take us on a whirlwind tour of aviation history with laughs and mystery on the way...

Due to its intrinsically adult nature, cabaret as an art form is a revolution that cannot be televised. And nor should it be — like some other grownup activities, it is best experienced in the flesh, preferably in company and in dark, intimate surroundings....

Read our critic's review. Gandhi's assassin tells his story across the backdrop of India's struggle for independence....

According to Google, an artist is “a person who creates paintings or drawings as a profession (or hobby)”. It’s hard to be one on a creative level, but it’s even harder when your livelihood strictly depends on your ability to create. Inspiration needs to take a backseat and discipline take o...

Fraser Grace's new play examines the impact of PTSD on a soldier returning home after witnessing the horrors of the aftermath of the Russian Revolution...

Audiences are in for a treat with this high-energy revival of the crowd-pleasing hit, which welcomes a new generation of talent to the stage....

Same household, five decades. Starting from 1965, playwright Beth Steel accompanies the Websters as they live and die in a Britain that’s not on their side. From Harold Wilson’s Labour all the way across Thatcher’s Tories to Brexit, the Websters see their Nottinghamshire home turn to ruins....

Expectations have been high for My Fair Lady. It is easy to see why it was such a hit on Broadway; brimming with English period tropes of top hats, Ascot races, lovable cockneys and snobbish toffs. Bartlett Sher's revival now comes to the West End. It looks stunning, but does not always hit the hi...