Alan Stuart Malin, Author at North West End UK

31Jul

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Tommy On Top – Above The Stag Theatre

Billed as a “giddy and gloriously foul-mouthed comedy”, the storyline on ‘Tommy On Top’ is one of jeopardy and hilarious lies. Our lead character, Tommy is a closeted Hollywood heartthrob struggling to keep a lid on his love life and he is willing to go to the greatest lengths to achieve his goal, to win the award for his latest movie. After all, no “out” gay man has ever won Best Actor at the Oscars. Fortunately, Tommy isn’t an out gay man, he is very much in the closet. Unfortunately, gossip hack Kiki (Becky Sanneh) suspects he’s got a lot more in his closet than just a freshly pressed white tuxedo... The development of a perfect theatrical farce takes careful planning and structure is everything. It is vital that things happen with exact precision so as never to get lost on the au...

11Jul

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Magic Mike Live – Hippodrome Casino

For those of you that are familiar with the brand, the two Magic Mike films reinvigorated the art of the male strip tease that had not really been seen in the mainstream since the famous Chippendales thrust around world stages in the 80’s and 90’s. The reimagined movie concept was loosely based on the experiences of star Channing Tatum, who was an 18-year-old stripper in Tampa, Florida and now Tatum completes what he is previously billed as a “trilogy” with a live action stage show that he not only created, but also directs alongside Alison Faulk in London’s historical the Hippodrome. For 120 years the Hippodrome has pushed the boundaries of how London entertains, and Magic Mike Live is no exception. From the opening scene, as the dancers begin their first number, with hip thrusts and p...

Heathers the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket

6Jul

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Heathers the Musical – Theatre Royal Haymarket

You know when you wake up the next day singing the songs that you have seen a good musical. Those little ear worms working away overnight, doing what they do best and making sure the tunes continuously occupy our minds long into the next day and beyond. A great musical connects with its audience, involves them, allows them to care about the characters they are seeing and to become invested in what is happening to them regardless of the subject matter. THAT is exactly what ‘Heathers the Musical’ does. As a result, its high energy music, and quirky, easily memorable, witty book are fast developing a cult following. Produced by Bill Kenwright and Paul Taylor-Mills, this high-octane black-comedy rock musical, based on one of the greatest cult teen films of all time, starring Winona Ryder an...

24May

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

CRUISE – Duchess Theatre

Having reviewed the online stream of CRUISE during the last lockdown back in April, I was super excited to see how this intimate piece would translate from the screen to the stage, and believe me it did not disappoint. CRUISE is a lyrical celebration of queer culture, a musical and spoken word tribute to the veterans of the AIDS crisis written and performed by Jack Holden. In every way it is a perfectly crafted piece of queer theatre and whilst the online version was deeply personal in its storytelling, the on the stage narrative hits you with full force square between the eyes. A brilliant, beautiful and yet gut wrenchingly brutal piece of theatre. Poetic. Artistic. Honest. One man’s memory of a horrific period in the gay culture of ‘80s London. CRUISE is the true story of what shou...

22May

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

ABBA MANIA – Shaftesbury Theatre

“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life…!” There really are no better lyrics to sum up Shaftesbury Theatre’s grand re-opening after what has been a challenging and lengthy journey out of lockdown. The night kicked off with an emotional welcome from the theatre's CEO, thanking the audience for returning to the West End, and showing honest appreciation to his team for sticking with him during the pandemic. You could sense from everyone a real gratitude that we were back, and the words “thank you for coming” repeated throughout the evening holding a true sincerity and purpose. It was impossible not to start the evening feeling emotional and it provided the perfect foundation for what proved to be a lively and exhilarating experience for all. However, that sai...

21Apr

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

REVIEWS

Hymn – Sky Arts at Almeida Theatre

Lolita Chakrabarti’s thoughtful new play ‘Hymn’ was conceived with a live audience in mind. However, Blanche McIntyre’s recent production filmed under COVID-safe, socially distanced conditions at the Almeida Theatre, initially live-streamed and then shown this weekend on Sky Arts works perfectly in communicating the relationship between two men, Gill (Adrian Lister) and Benny (Danny Sapani). The play centres only on Gill and Benny, and opens with the funeral of Gill’s Father, Gus. Gill delivers the eulogy. Benny is also at the funeral. The two men meet, not at all by chance, and even though they are from vastly different social backgrounds, with different education and different prospects, this opens a course of events that draw the two into what becomes a powerful and emotionally charg...

Cruise – Aria Entertainment and Lambert Jackson

16Apr

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

REVIEWS

Cruise – Aria Entertainment and Lambert Jackson

Oscar Wilde suggested that the theatre is the “greatest of all art forms, the most immediate way in which a human being can share with another the sense of what it is to be a human being” and this sentiment is beautifully represented in Jack Holden’s latest play CRUISE. A lyrical celebration of queer culture, CRUISE is a musical and spoken word tribute to the veterans of the AIDS crisis. A perfectly crafted piece of queer theatre. Poetic. Artistic. Honest. It is a brutal depiction of a horrific period in the gay culture of ‘80s London. Of course, there is no message more powerful or indeed primal than that which shows the need of a human to protect their tribe and this story, told through the eyes of a 30-year-old Jack (jack Holden) in 2021, is the perfect example of survival, of ...