Tag Archives: London

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 ...

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 ...

Writer:  Valeriy Pecheykin Director:  Charlotte Evans Reviewer:  Richard Maguire Many of us can remember Thatcher’s Clause 28 of 1988, which prohibited the promotion of homosexuality by local boroughs, and the teaching in schools of homosexuality as a ‘pretended’ family relationship. In 2013 Russia introduced its own version where homosexuality cannot be discussed in front of children. A Little Hero, a Russian ...

Writer: Abigail Hood Director:Glen Walford and Kevin Tomlinson Reviewer: Maryam Philpott In the middle of a very personal tragedy, help can come from the most unexpected sources and you might find a lasting friendship in the last place you would think to look. Abigail Hood’s new play Spiral, in which she also stars, has its debut at the Park Theatre ...

Book:  Jeff Whitty Music and Lyrics: Amanda Green, Tom Kitt, and Lin-Manuel Miranda Director:  Ewan Jones Reviewer:  Richard Maguire The youthful cast of this American high school musical certainly bring it on, but it’s a shame that the Southwark Playhouse didn’t bring on some air conditioning. Although Bring It On occasionally reaches camp zeniths, it’s the audience that remains smoking hot. ...

Reviewer: Maryam Philpott Most cabaret shows essential boil down to love - romantic love, self-love, love of musical theatre - and the format barely changes, a few songs, some anecdotes and a loose theme to string it all together. Off-Broadway star Linda Glick makes her Zedel debut with Teach Me Tonight a very traditional cabaret show, with plenty of sentimental love ...