Everything Theatre Reviews, interviews and news for theatre lovers, London and beyond

David SeidlerDirected by Adrian Noble★★★★ Pros: Flawless performances, clever set and great script. Will keep you riveted from start to finish. Cons: Sticks too closely to the film version. Our Verdict: A production destined for success, overall an excellent piece of theatre. Not to be missed. Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for The Guardian The film of The King’s Speech was one of 2010’s most successful movies, drawing widespread critical acclaim and no less than twelve Academy Award nominations, four of which ...

Libretto by Hugh Wheeler, based on the play by Christopher BondMusic & Lyrics by Stephen SondheimDirected by Jonathan Kent★★★★ Pros: Musicals as they should be; fantastic lead performances, great music and no overbearing set or special effects.  Cons: A couple of less engaging performances from the supporting cast.  Our Verdict: An excellent musical, even we were satisfied!  Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian I think you probably know us well enough by now to have realised that musicals are ...

Edward BondDirected by Angus Jackson★★★ Pros: Patrick Stewart gives one of several great performances in this beautifully designed play.  Cons: Edward Bond’s self-righteous play borders on dull.  Our Verdict: One for the big time Stewart fans, or those who like Bond, but don’t expect a rollercoaster of a ride!  Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian Chichester Festival Theatre is on a bit of a run, churning out some brilliant productions perfect for transfer to the West End. Sweeney Todd, ...

Written and Directed by Ben Webb ★★★★ Pros: Strong stylistic staging, excellent movement sequences. Cons: Overly lengthy at times, contains its fair share of stereotypes. Our Verdict: Enjoyable for people of all walks of life – gay or straight, a piece worth seeing. Courtesy of Risking Enchantment The Ovalhouse is a theatrical space in south London which strives to host ‘theatre for people with something to say’, and this is particularly the case for their latest season, entitled if only… ...

Richard BeanDirected by Nicholas Hytner★★★★★ Pros: Easily the funniest show in town, different-in-a-good-way to the original, Owain Arthur is ridiculously good, The Craze are still playing the music. Cons: None. Except for the fact that it gets out at the same time as Phantom of the Opera, forcing you to share limited pavement space with so-called ‘Phans’! Our Verdict: Still at the top of it’s game, it remains the must-see show in London. Courtesy of Alistair Muir for the Daily ...

Ryan Craig, David Greig, Zinnie Harris, Diana Son and Colin Teevan Directed by Nicolas Kent ★★★ Pros: A fascinating commentary on the influences and dangers of nuclear weapons in the modern world. Cons: A shame it is truncated into two productions – it seems bizarre not to present the origins of the bomb alongside its consequences. Sometimes feels like too much of a geopolitics lecture.  Our Verdict: An urgent and interesting production overall, and a fitting swansong for Nicolas Kent.  ...

Conceived and directed by Lloyd NewsonCo-Production between the National Theatre and DV8 Theatre★★ Pros: DV8’s stylised physical theatre. Cons: The political agenda is uncomfortable. Our Verdict: DV8 is a brilliant physical theatre troupe, it’s a shame about the topic they’ve picked to perform which only detracts from what they do best. Courtesy of Gergoe Nagy for the Guardian Through verbatim speeches and stylised movement, DV8 are back on stage at the National Theatre, tackling the potentially flammable issue of Islam’s ...

William ShakespeareDirected by Dominic Cooke★★★★ Pros: A wonderful cast and a fun, modern staging. Surprisingly emotional ending.  Cons: Not the funniest ever staging of the play, the set definitely dominates at times. Our Verdict: Plenty of laughs and plenty of reasons to go see it beyond the appeal of seeing Lenny Henry. Courtesy of Johan Persson for the Daily Telegraph It has been a while since I last queued at 7.30am for National Theatre tickets and I had almost forgotten ...

Richard NelsonDirected by Roger Michell★★★★ Pros: Fantastic cast who work excellently together and ticket prices for the Hampstead Theatre are brilliant. Cons: Underdeveloped ideas leave the audience wanting a bit more from the characters and the play. Our Verdict: Well worth a trip up to Swiss Cottage, ticket prices are very worthy for these top performances. Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian Deep in the heart of North London lies the Hampstead Theatre. It is a modern and comfortable ...

Nicholas WrightDirected by Nicholas Hytner★★★ Pros: Interesting and light-hearted story, some good performances and a superb set design. Cons: A little silly in places, and quite hard to concentrate at first because of the accents.  Our Verdict: Not the National’s best, but still very good and worth a trip! Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for the Guardian As always, it remains our intention to see everything that the National has to offer. So as part of a mop up of shows ...