REVIEWS Archives - Page 4 of 641

26Oct

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Complicité – Jack Studio Theatre

This is the new play written and directed by Finn Lanchester. It is 65 minute whirlwind of humour, ideas and physicality. Simon a primary school teacher has been handcuffed to a tree as part of an anti-oil climate demonstration and abandoned by his colleagues. At 3 am in the morning he is encountered by Benoit, a smoothly dressed French oil company executive slightly worse for drink. Thus, the scene is set for a heated debate on the merits or otherwise of oil extraction and the threat it poses to our planet when out of blue an immediate existential threat manifests from a completely different source. This is a very fast-paced piece performed to a very high standard by the two actors. Alex Westwood made a very believable Simon: naïve, sexually repressed with views based...

26Oct

By Phil MeikleNo Comments

London

The Master Builder – Arcola Theatre

Staging any Henrik Ibsen play is always an event, as he is one of the greatest masters of playwriting to have ever lived, and his work consistently tackles taboo subjects. In The Master Builder, Ibsen takes a magnifying glass to one of the most unsettling subjects he ever wrote about: the grooming of a minor and gaslighting. He couples this with his protagonist's inherent mistrust of, and fear of, the young. Halvard Solness (Greg Hicks) is a selfish, arrogant man; a self-taught builder who never officially qualified to call himself an architect. His days of building grand churches with impressive steeples are behind him, shown quite literally here as model buildings line the bare brick back wall of Robert Innes Hopkins' elegant backdrop. Solness fears that his young apprentice, Ragna...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – St Helens Theatre Royal

26Oct

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – St Helens Theatre Royal

Goldilocks and the Three Bears at St Helens Theatre delivered a lively and colourful pantomime experience that captured much of the fun and chaos families come to love. From the start the cast brought an infectious energy to the stage, clearly enjoying every moment as they worked effortlessly to keep the audience engaged. Their enthusiasm was one of the production’s strongest qualities and helped to create a welcoming atmosphere throughout. The show was jam-packed with bright visuals, playful costumes and plenty of classic panto humour. The audience both young and old were enjoying the slapstick moments, larger-than-life characters and the opportunities to join in with the story whether it is booing Baron Von Vipplemol as the baddie with a Gru like energy and theatrical villainy or chee...

26Oct

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

The Shamrocks – Bridgewater Hall

The Shamrocks delivered an evening that transformed Manchester’s Bridgewater Hall into a space filled with music, emotion and pure celebration. Their performance built steadily throughout the night, beginning with beautifully crafted arrangements and rich harmonies, before growing into a full-blown party atmosphere that had the audience on their feet, dancing, singing and completely swept up in the joy of it all. Vocally, the group were flawless. Their harmonies were beautifully balanced, with each member bringing a distinctive tone that contributed to their resonant sound. Whether it was performing lively, foot-stomping numbers or more tender, reflective pieces, their voices carried effortlessly through the hall, showcasing not only their exceptional skill, but a real emotional depth t...

Catch Me If You Can – Northwich Memorial Court

23Oct

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Catch Me If You Can – Northwich Memorial Court

Catch Me If You Can follows the story of Frank Abagnale Jr as he runs away from an unhappy home life, reinventing himself as many characters, including a pilot, a doctor and even a lawyer, forging millions of dollars in cheques and staying one step ahead of the FBI. All while being chased by FBI Agent Carl Hanratty. The staging is fantastic with a runway style rostra that comes out from the main stage and surrounds a centre section of seating, making us all feel involved. The use of this extra staging is genius as it helps take the attention from the main stage so scene changes can take place. All of which are seemless and slick and, as with the main character, keeps on the move throughout. This brings the vision of director Ben Ireson to life, allowing the lead character, Frank Jr, to ...

23Oct

By Prateek SonnyNo Comments

London

him. – The Union Theatre

Fun. Flamboyant. Fantastic. Written by Natalie Ekberg and directed by Simon Fielding, him. follows Jane (Hannah Chalmers), her gay best friend Charlie (Niall Sheehy), and his husband, Osmond (Gary Tushaw). Through a non-linear narrative, the play explores love, friendship, sexuality, marriage, and individuality. As we enter, Osmond is preparing for a party. The party is for Charlie’s fortieth birthday, and everything seems well until an unexpected guest arrives. Jane, whom they haven’t seen in sixteen years, walks through the door, much to Osmond’s dismay. What follows is a story that moves between the present and the past, slowly revealing why Jane left and what brought her back. Through flashbacks, we see Jane and Charlie’s younger days in London, where the two were inseparable...

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The 39 Steps – Hull Truck Theatre

Early on, when watching The 39 Steps at Hull Truck Theatre on Thursday night, I began to wonder how much more of the production I could take, as I’d laughed so much and so hard. I was on the front row, so escape for some respite would have been noticed by the incorrigible actors responsible for my near demise - James Keningale, Kathryn Perkins, Sophie Bloor and the rather dishy Ryan Starling. Understudy Tom Mitchell was the “invisible” scene shifter. Dressed in a dark, tightly fitted onesie-type outfit, he removed and installed furniture, often at the wrong times, finally, briefly emerging onesie-free as Chief Inspector Albright - to huge cheers from the audience. At “curtain up”, to the left on the raised stage was a red leather armchair, side table holding an old-fashioned d...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

22Oct

By Grace LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Go, go, Joseph! The Altrincham Garrick Playhouse has struck theatrical gold with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, delivering a dazzling production that proves this much-loved musical still has the power to bring generations together. Directed by Joseph Meighan, this is a fabulous production bursting with colour, energy, humour and heart. From the opening number to the final curtain, there is something to delight everyone, making it the perfect family-friendly night out and a wonderful reminder of why this musical has remained such a firm favourite for decades. Written by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with lyrics by Tim Rice, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat tells the biblical story of Joseph, his jealous brothers, his extraordinary coat and his journey from betrayal t...

Life Would be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA – Bread and Roses Theatre

22Oct

By Holly LilyNo Comments

London

Life Would be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA – Bread and Roses Theatre

After debuting in Edinburgh in 2025, winning the Keep It Fringe Award, and then appearing as part of Brighton Fringe, Life Would be Pretty Dull Without Sex, Raves and MDMA has found its way back to writer Bex Wall’s home: London. With bright lights, loud music and some funky dance moves (and yes, make sure you’ve got your own ones ready too), this play is guaranteed to have you laughing out loud and then shedding a tear, all within the space of 60 minutes. Writer Sarah Asante Gregory and co-writer/performer Bex Wall have written a play about grief and the fact that there is no correct way to deal with it. We see Bex deal with the loss of her brother and receiving her cancer diagnosis by embracing 90s rave culture, having lots of sex and dabbling in a few drugs… maybe more than...

Derren Brown: Only Human – Apollo Theatre

22Oct

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Derren Brown: Only Human – Apollo Theatre

The legendary Derren Brown returns to the stage with his latest show, Derren Brown: Only Human, a fascinating blend of storytelling, mind reading and seemingly impossible predictions that leaves audiences questioning just how much control we really have over our own fate. Are our choices entirely our own, or could the future be more predictable than we think? These are just some of the questions that linger long after the curtain falls. Watching Brown appear to anticipate what audience members will do or say before they have even done so is an experience that is difficult to comprehend. Is he genuinely predicting their next move, or is he such a master of illusion that he can subtly influence events to unfold exactly as expected? Whatever the answer, the uncertainty is part of what ...