UK / WEST END THEATER REVIEWS

After the Act is entirely different to any other musical currently running in London. Worlds away from the glitz and the glamour of the West End, theatre company Breach have tackled an era of British queer history through the form of a verbatim musical, and the result is a raw, creative performance ...

As perfectly realised a revival as one could ever hope to see, full honour paid to both the incomparable source material and the times in which we live now...

If John Steinbeck had been asked to create a musical, it may have looked something like this. Soundtracked by the songs of Bob Dylan, Girl From The North Country is, at heart, a bleak meditation on untimely death; not just physically due to illness, murder and suicide (though that’s here too) but ...

Heathers the Musical is touring the UK after a successful premiere at The Other Palace in 2018, which was followed by several revivals, all of which have contributed to its cult status as a musical in its own right, not just the 1988 movie on which it is based. ...

Mari Lloyd's new play will speak loud and clear to young people today, but misses a chance for dramatic development as its structure all but disallows the chance to see its subjects together in the same space....

After Hitler’s death and the German defeat, the Führer’s top nuclear scientists are being held in the English countryside while the Pacific continues. With nothing to do but read redacted newspapers, skim through familiar books, and write censored letters, the six men wallow in their boredom, u...

Guys and Dolls is now playing at the Bridge Theatre! The production runs from 3 March 2023 with opening night on 14 March 2023. Tickets are initially on sale through to 2 September 2023. Read reviews for the production!...

Queerstory the Musical is a fantastic show that is both hilarious and informative. Mercury and Maxim do a wonderful job of combining humour and music while also remembering those who lived before us, fighting for queer rights and standing up for who they love. I look forward to attending more lectur...

Punchdrunk’s The Burnt City is undoubtably one of the biggest and most impressive shows in London, if only by sheer physical scale. Is it worth upgrading to their VIP experience?...

Come for Nessun Dorma; stay for love's triumph over death...

Sleepova is a lovingly told story of female friendship, and one that’s specifically - and proudly - Black and queer. Writer Matilda Feyiṣayọ Ibini introduces us to four best friends: Rey, Elle, Shan and Funmi. ...

It’s a show about everything and nothing, with comic patterns that are so deliciously millennial and referential that a lack of contextual knowledge from the audience destroys its outcome. When the pieces fit together, however, your cheeks will be sore from laughing for an hour straight. They’re...

“How do you raise a son?” is the leitmotif question that runs through Olugbeminiyi Bammodu’s one-man play. He is John, a second-generation Nigerian in the UK, who was raised by a mother who loved her two sons and daughter evenly but differently and a father who treated his brother to days out ...

The Freshwater Five is a show that may have a powerful message, but it is buried beneath layers of confusion that are never unravelled. Audience members shouldn’t have to do their own research to figure out the basic information a show is based on - I’d much rather a show has too much exposition...

The piece interrogates the very core of our existence, bringing up a line-up of themes that are as thought-provoking as they are difficult to explore in 75 minutes. Lateral reflections on the limitation of free will and the ethics of choosing euthanasia sit side by side with an interesting view of t...

Returning to London with their double bill, Pioneers, Ballet Black continue to enhance their reputation as Britain’s most diverse and daring ballet company.   ...

Meyler’s empathetic style has the capacity to make this a polished drama filled with escapism. Her writing has a bittersweet vein, vividly depicting how real-life expectations can mar and taint the power of imagination. It would be interesting to see Kites focus more on the character’s reality a...

Frances Mayli McCann and Jordan Luke Gage return for a limited West End season of the cult-sensation Bonne & Clyde following a sell-out run at The Arts Theatre. Did the critics think they had raised a little hell?...

Gush is an unassuming comedy with big stand-up vibes until its real nature is revealed. The show takes an abrupt u-turn right before the end, unveiling the writer’s plea. Will Armstrong directs with explosive energy, leaning into the initial weakness of the narrative and juxtaposition between Neil...

Back at VAULT Festival for another rollicking production, Incognito Theatre take their humour seriously. The company deliver a smooth, entertaining comedy that’s unpretentious but well-calibrated in its refinement. Catherine Cranfield directs Angus Castle-Doughty, Charlie MacVicar, Daniel Whitlam,...

Lerner and Loewe's My Fair Lady is blessed with the sort of songs that never grow old. While the music is timeless, the plot and characters are firmly stuck in 1913, and this revival doesn't do quite enough to endear them to modern audiences....

A comedy that certainly does not jump the shark, instead offering finely drawn characters, poignant moments and, most precious of all, big laughs....

Jordan Luke Gage and Francis Mayli McCann return to the roles and you can tell are incredibly comfortable with the characters. Their chemistry remains tangible....

ReMythed zhuzhes up a series of fables, giving it a queer spin, to put what many consider “modern concepts” in perspective and combating LGBTQ+ erasure. They rejig handed-down tales from all over the world, questioning identities, challenging heteronormativity as well as “traditional values”...

Sellman-Leava’s piece was only a work-in-progress at the last pre-pandemic VAULT Festival. Since then, it’s had a run at Edinburgh last summer and a subsequent tour, growing into a surprisingly introspective and revelatory exploration of the effects of fanship. ...