London Reviews

Book and Lyrics: Ben Elton Music: Andrew Lloyd Webber Director: Hannah Chissick Reviewer:  Richard Maguire The second show in The National Youth Musical Theatre’s takeover of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s new venue, The Other Palace, is none other than his 2000 musical The Beautiful Game, and these young actors do him proud. Their production is only on for four days, but ...

Writer: Morgan Lloyd Malcolm Director: Nicole Charles Reviewer: Stephen Bates The grand library that stretches across the back of the Globe’s stage is unlikely to include any works by the writer Emilia Bassano Lanier, whose long life is being celebrated in an epic production on a scale commonly associated with the plays of her contemporary, William Shakespeare. Unlike him, she ...

Directors: Malena Arcucci and Mariana Aristizabal Pardo Reviewer: Scott Matthewman During this devised physical theatre work, a voiceover explains that there are four types of traveller: whether one is running away from something or running towards something else, merely travelling for the journey, and those for whom migration occurs more from necessity than desire. Those four archetypes do not map ...

Writer: Sam Coulson Director: Sean Aydon Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Modern dating can be a soulless business; online platforms mean we can dismiss a hundred potential partners with just a click or a swipe. Just getting to a first date is based almost entirely on looks, ability to write a humorous profile and a social media check of their dating past. ...

Writer: Frances Hodgson Burnett Adapted Book and lyrics: Carl Miller Music and lyrics: Marc Folan Additional lyrics: Adey Grummet Director: Emily Gray Reviewer: David Guest There is something of a welcome and exciting renaissance in the world of youth theatre, with young people not only being given a chance to perform but also to appear in productions at well-regarded London ...

Music: AnneMarie Lewis Thomas Script and Lyrics: Phil Willmott Director: Brendan Matthew Reviewer: Karl O'Doherty There has clearly been a huge amount of work put into this production - a 17 strong cast, musicians, original writing and more. The ambition to have a large scale, vibrant and punchy musical is evident. However, the show passes a lot of that work ...

Writer:  Jordan Seavey Director:  Josh Seymour Reviewer:  Richard Maguire This tidy, but talky, examination of gay life in America is the latest addition to plays about LGBTQ+ people being shown in London this summer. It’s a ripe period with the Young Vic’s The Inheritance and Fun Home, the White Bear’s A Little Hero and the King’s Head Theatre’s whole season of queer ...

Music: Mark-Anthony Turnage Director: Jonathan Moore Reviewer: Maryam Philpott In recent years, opera companies have worked hard to shake off their elitist image. Cheaper ticket prices, more work performed in the English language and initiatives such as opera up-close, taking shows to more intimate venues. Mark-Anthony Turnage and Jonathan Moore know that story and setting are half the battle, and ...