West End

Writer: Joshua Harmon Director:  Daniel Aukin Reviewer:  Richard Maguire This smart and talky new play by Joshua Harmon, who gave us Bad Jews, tackles racism within the high school and university admissions systems in America. Although the action takes places in leafy New Hampshire we have similar problems in the UK with Oxbridge accepting fewer black students than other less prestigious ...

Artistic Director: Masa Ogawa Reviewer: Maryam Philpott In most bands, no one remembers the drummer, the lead vocalist, of course, the bass guitarist probably, but the poor drummer tends to be forgotten. Not so in Japan where the drum group Yamato have been impressing fans since 1993, taking their show on tour to more 50 countries including a brief spell ...

Music and Lyrics: Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss Directors: Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Behind every great man, there is a great woman or in Henry VIII’s case six great women, and they’re back to set the record straight. With a UK tour already under its belt, a second stint at London Art’s Theatre and an American ...

Music and Lyrics: Sarah Bareilles Book: Jessie Nelson Director: Diane Paulus Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Broadway’s latest import to the West End is as American as cherry pie. Waitress, based on the 2007 film by Adrienne Shelly, was given a musical makeover in 2015 and prides itself on its female-centric narrative and creative team. Arriving in London with former American Idol and ...

Composer: Franz Lehar English Lyrics: Richard Thomas English Book: April de Angelis Director: Max Webster Conductor: Kristiina Poska Reviewer: Maryam Philpott In a show that purposefully sets out to celebrate the resourceful and determination of women, it is in the orchestra pit that the real star of Max Webster’s new take on The Merry Widow resides. Kristiina Poska is still that ...

Writer: Molière, adapted by John Donnelly Director: Blanche McIntyre Reviewer: Scott Matthewman It seems that Molière’s tale of a conman posing as a man of faith who inveigles his way into a high society family has a resonance with today’s theatre audience. How else could one explain this, the third version in a year of Tartuffe, following Christopher Hampton’s West ...

Writer: Carrie Marx Director:  Chris Lincé Reviewer:  Richard Maguire Performer Carrie Marx was behind one of the most creepy shows from last year’s VAULT Festival. In Unburied, a play about a lost children’s TV show, Marx took the audience into the dark web, with terrifying results. Her new show, April, is also unsettling and eerie. Aprilis an internet sensation. She ...

Book, Lyrics and Music: Paul Whitehouse and Jim Sullivan Director: Caroline Jay Ranger Reviewer: Scott Matthewman For over twenty years, through sixty-four episodes across seven series and countless Christmas specials, Only Fools and Horsesaudiences watched Derek “Del Boy” Trotter selling knock-off goods that promised the world, but were ultimately a let-down. There is a new musical of Only Fools and ...