Tag Archives: Union Theatre

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 ...

Music and Lyrics: John Bucchino Director:  Tania Azevedo Reviewer:  Richard Maguire Based on the songs of John Bucchino, It’s Only Life is currently playing at the Union Theatre. Not a musical, but a revue where the songs are performed without a narrative arc linking them together, It’s Only Life is a pleasant introduction to the work of Bucchino, albeit a very one-note ...

Faced with saturated media coverage of Harry and Meghan’s nuptials, the theatre could seem like a good place to escape all talk of royal weddings for an hour or two, but not so at London’s Union Theatre, where the new satirical musical HR Haitch has just opened. The show’s director, Daniel Winder, took time off to chat with The Reviews ...

Book and Lyrics: Maz Evans Music: Luke Bateman Director: Daniel Winder Reviewer: Maryam Philpott In the run-up to this weekend’s royal wedding, there has been plenty of commentary about a fresh-start for the Windsors, as a new and very different young woman marries into our most illustrious family. There is no better time then for the Union Theatre to stage ...

Music and Lyrics: Lionel Bart Book: Julian Woolford Director: Bryan Hodgson Reviewer: Maryam Philpott If you’ve been thinking what the world really needs is a Robin Hood musical, well you’re in luck because in 1965 Lionel Bart wrote one – that’s theLionel Bart, who gave the world the musical theatre force that is Oliver! The Union Theatre has found a copy ...

Book and Lyrics: Phil Willmott Director: Phil Wilmott Music: Georges Bizet Arranger: Teddy Clements Reviewer: Karl O'Doherty The original opera is a relatively bleak production. Death, loneliness and danger stalk throughout the love story at its core. This vibrant reimagining manages to somehow increase the shadow of violence and yet come out as a vibrant, energetic and charismatic show. This ...

Writer: George Bernard Shaw Director: Phil Willmot Reviewer: Richard Maguire Towards the end of his life, and frustrated with the slowness of social reform, Bernard Shaw called for a dictatorship to be established in Britain. A dictator, Shaw reasoned, would get things done, and rekindle the desire for Socialism. Although Heartbreak House, currently playing at the Union Theatre, was written ...

Music and Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Book: Arthur Laurents Director:  Phil Willmott Reviewer: Maryam Philpott It’s a rare thing to be told before you see a show that it’s widely considered to be terrible, but in the programme for Stephen Sondheim and Arthur Laurents’ Anyone Can Whistle, which has been revived at The Union Theatre, Director Phil Willmott, Sondheim himself and ...