An innovative approach to storytelling, as leading figures from Irish history cross swords in a rousing clash of ideals.
Read More »Drama
Hamlet, Who’s There?, Park Theatre – Review
Pros: An incredible Hamlet, internally desperate and silently anguished, and a claustrophobic and unnerving atmosphere Cons: Heavy abridgement, and slightly hammed up Ophelia and Gertrude. Back to the Park Theatre, and back to Hamlet, this time abridged and renamed Hamlet, Who’s There? Fresh productions of this most over-performed tragedy do beg the question ‘what’s new about it?’ Too often the answer is not enough. Putting on Hamlet is always tricky, admittedly, and to truly do it justice the audience has to ...
Read More »Sket, Park Theatre – Review
Pros: Hilarious, recognisable and dark in equal measure, this hits all the spots in one solid hour of entertainment. Cons: The ending is abrupt and less well-rounded than the rest of production, and feels as though it misses something. On the face of it, Sket is one of those playground comedies, a lens through which we can all look back at our teenage years and cringe until we laugh. Sket has all the raw ingredients: the pouting and popular girl ...
Read More »Blue on Blue, Tristan Bates Theatre – Review
A production that bravely addresses issues some theatre-makers wouldn’t dream of handling, and worthy of all the coverage it receives.
Read More »Your Ever Loving, Theatre N16 – Review
The story of Paul Hill is told with just the right balance of sensitivity, brutal reality and humour. It is an incredibly thought provoking and engaging play.
Read More »Love Lies, The Hope Theatre – Review
Pros: Who hasn’t heard of a relationship that was based on deception? Love Lies is a play to which everybody can relate in some way. Cons: Every element of this production misses a bit of sparkle. After a sold-out run of its first production Snapshots, presented in 2015 at the Rosemary Branch, LEMAD comes back to the London theatre scene with Love Lies. Behind the acronym LEMAD are Liz Mead, Elizabeth Rutherford-Johnson, Mari Lloyd, Mary Ann Pashigian and Daphne Peña, ...
Read More »My Mother Said I Never Should, St James Theatre – Review
Pros: A bright script, with some sparkling one liners and an excellent cast, led by the redoubtable Maureen Lipman. Cons: Although it pays tribute to the strength and stoicism of women, the story doesn’t really pick up the equality issues to which it frequently alludes. Before watching My Mother Said I Never Should, ever the history buff, I was drawn to the programme notes and a timeline entitled ‘100 years of progress’. Major developments in women’s rights were listed, from the ...
Read More »Underexposed, Old Red Lion – Review
There is real variety and some exciting talent on show in this tightly orchestrated evening.
Read More »Time of my Life, Jack Studio Theatre – Review
A good production with plenty of wit, although the repetitiveness makes it lose some of its charm.
Read More »Stench, Conway Hall – Review
Sparky cast had to work hard to compensate for less than ideal setting, and unpolished script.
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