Author: The Reviews Hub - Central

Writer: Mark Haddon Adaptor: Simon Stephens Director: Ned Bennett Chris isn’t like other girls. She doesn’t look different, but she is. Somehow her brain works quite differently and this colours her entire perception of the world and of herself. And the way this manifests itself can mean the rest of us have to try harder when her behaviour isn’t what we’d perhaps expect. Although it’s never mentioned in the play (or the source book) as such, Chris is neurodivergent and, it seems, on the autism spectrum. She speaks plainly and struggles with things like metaphor: she can define metaphor, for…

Book, Music and Lyrics: Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe Director: Andy Fickman Heathers the Musical arrives at the Belgrade with a reputation larger than the theatre needed to sell out on press night. Since its 2018 West End debut Heathers has built a genuinely devoted following, and this touring revival plays to it, delivering assured performances, excellent vocals and a set that shifts fluidly around a fixed Westerberg High School frontage without ever quite finding the extra gear that would lift it beyond simply doing the job well. That devotion is obvious from the opening scene: when the three Heathers…

Writer: Beth Steel Director: Caroline Steinbeis Beth Steel’s Till the Stars Come Down was nominated for two Olivier Awards on its journey from the National Theatre to the West End, and has since been staged around the world. This month it receives its first regional premiere, at Nottingham Playhouse, and it couldn’t be more appropriate. Steel is from Mansfield, the play is set in the county, with artistic director Adam Penford describing it as “finally coming home.” The setting is a family wedding, and the people in it are instantly recognisable — the kind of aunts, sisters and in-laws most…

Writer and Director: Paul Hendy The Last Laugh runs at 80 minutes, with a cast Q&A following the interval that forms part of the evening rather than an optional extra. Most of what matters happens in the first act, and those who left before the second half missed some worthwhile material — not least the show’s own history. What began as a short film and premise tester found its way to the Edinburgh Fringe, where it was spotted as worthy of a West End run and given a slot at the Noël Coward Theatre before setting out on tour. A…

Writer: Agatha Christie Director: Hannah Chissick Agatha Christie has been entertaining audiences across the world for more than 100 years. Her mysteries are twisting, unpredictable, filled with outlandish characters, and much beloved. The Mousetrap has existed in story form since 1947, premiered as a stage play in October 1952, and has been running on the West End since November 1952. This tour (starting in Birmingham) is celebrating the unbelievable length of this show by seeing it into its 75th year. Although one might expect there would be little audience for a show that has been performed well over 30,000 times,…

Book: Will Jackson Music: Elinor Peregrin Lyrics: Will Jackson and Elinor Peregrin Director: Will Jackson Sea Change is the kind of new musical that reminds us why new musical theatre is so important. Enchanting, energetic and brimming with heart, British Youth Music Theatre’s latest production sweeps its audience away to the fictional coastal village of Blackwater Cove, where a tight-knit community is upended by the sudden arrival of eight mystical selkies. Beneath its fantastical story and folk-inspired score, Sea Change asks some surprisingly poignant questions about belonging, identity and the courage it takes to step into the unknown. The production…

Writer: Graham Greene Adaptor: Clive Francis Director: Philip Wilson When Graham Greene visited Havana, it left a lasting effect on him, as did his time as a counter-intelligence officer for MI6. When he combined these experiences, it led him to write the espionage comedy Our Man in Havana. Set in Cuba during the pre-revolutionary years and inspired by real-world events like the Suez Crisis that exposed the ineptitude and gullibility of Cold War intelligence agencies, he walked the line between a story and a diary entry. Originally published in 1958, the story centres on Jim Wormhold, a down-on-his-luck vacuum cleaner…

Book: Karey Kirkpatrick and John O’Farrell Music and Lyrics: Wayne Kirkpatrick and Karey Kirkpatrick Director: Jerry Zaks Few who’ve seen it will forget Robin Williams’ performance in the 1993 film Mrs. Doubtfire. By turns manic and chaotic, then tender and warm, his larger-than-life performance at the height of his powers helps make the film. The stage adaptation has had to overcome several obstacles, including a complete change of creative team and previews being rudely interrupted when Broadway went dark as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic. Nevertheless, the team persevered, and various versions were spawned, culminating in a West End…