Book, Music & Lyrics: Max Vernon Director: Jonathan O’Boyle Reviewer: Heather Deacon Two years after its premiere at New York’s Lynn Redgrave Theater, the self-professed provocative musical, The View Upstairs, finally makes it to London, shaking up the Soho Theatre with a stirring, sensitive score and peerless performances. Based on a true story, the show is rocking if a little ...
Read More »
Writer: Becca Marriott Director: Helena Jackson Reviewer: Karl O’Doherty There’s certainly some “reimagining” done here, but not much of it is “radical”. Musically enjoyable, the new draft of the storyline and libretto from Becca Marriott (also one of the alternating singers for Violetta) seeks to modernise the plot, bringing in contemporary references and language. Engaging and sharp in places, it, ...
Read More »
Book: Nadim Naaman Music and lyrics: Nadim Naaman and Dana Al Farden Director: Bronagh Lagan Reviewer: David Guest Important social issues mix with a heartbreaking love story in a new musical with a story to tell across decades, languages and cultures. Broken Wings is a tale of doomed passion set in turn of the century Beirut, based on the seminal ...
Read More »
Writer: Diane Samuels Director: Anne Simon Reviewer: Molly Richardson Kindertransportsounds joyful, like kindergarten or Kinder Surprise eggs; but the reality is the polar opposite, for this was the term used when thousands of children were sent away from their families in Germany ahead of the Second World War in order to escape the Nazi regime. The story begins in Hamburg, ...
Read More »
Book/Lyrics: Steven Sater Music: Duncan Sheik Director: Luke Sheppard Reviewer: John Roberts Over the past few years, the exciting partnership between Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment and Joe Houston and Will Whelton of Hope Mill Theatre have single handed changed the face of the Manchester Fringe Scene. In the atmospheric warehouse space in Ancoats, magic really does take place, mainly ...
Read More »
Writer: Joe DiPietro and David Bryan Director: Benji Sperring Reviewer: Richard Maguire Finally, the 2016 Southwark Playhouse production of The Toxic Avenger gets its London transfer. Based on the cult classic film of 1984, this musical, penned by the writers who gave us the underrated Memphis the Musical, is chaotic, messy and irreverent – to quote some of its lyrics, ‘it kicks ass, ...
Read More »
Book and Lyrics: Joe DiPietro Music and Lyrics: David Bryan Director: Benji Sperring Reviewer: Stephen Bates The Garden State has little need to import weed killer. Tromaville, New Jersey (pop 15,000) is, we are told, the toxic chemical capital of the world and this spoof rock musical looks set to put it right on the map. The show’s origin ...
Read More »
Writer: Louis Nowra (aka Mark Doyle) Director: Wayne Harrison Reviewer: Ann Bawtree Cosiis set in an Australian psychiatric hospital during the late 1960s when the Vietnam war was raging and the population of the country was beginning to regret the country’s involvement in it. This black comedy is the story of a social experiment, the engagement of some of the ...
Read More »
The Reviews Hub Champions of truly nationwide theatre coverage