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

On my way home I bought and downloaded a copy of Purcell’s Dido and Aeneas. How’s that for a recommendation?

Wounds Chantelle Dusette Directed by Zoe Ford To The End Of Love Edwin Preece Directed by Sean Turner ★★★ Pros: Two plays for the price of one. Well-crafted, well-produced performances set in an intimate space. Cons: The individual character storylines lacked that spark of originality. Our Verdict: An intensely moving and depressing show – wouldn’t recommend it for someone looking for a jovial night out. Gripping, though not particularly groundbreaking. Courtesy of Lonesome Schoolboy Productions When I was 14, I ...

George Bernard Shaw Directed by Paul Caister ★★★ Pros: You can’t beat George Bernard Shaw for witty, digestible period drama with a twist in the tale. The cast do a good job of delivering an enjoyable performance and provide plenty of laughs. Cons: There are some clunky bits and some performances are a bit hollow. At times the lines are delivered at such a pace that they become blurred, lose impact and are a little difficult to distinguish. Our Verdict: ...

Molière, adapted by Sarah E. Pitard Directed by Cat Robey ★★ Pros: Great choice of era (1920s) to set this 17th century French classic. The lavish and indulgent background feeds perfectly into the title character’s greed and his champion’s blind charity and devotion. Cons: The ‘frame’ of the piece (cabaret) was not clear until an out of place reference at the end of the show, and the physical space itself was too small for such an iconic farce. The show ...

Tom HuntDirected by Timothy J Howe★★★ Pros: A wonderful atmosphere and a few laughs. Cons: Lack of development or evolution of the characters. Our Verdict: Light and amusing, but it could be more engaging. Courtesy of LittleBerry Productions With curtain up being about the time of your evening meal, it’s not unusual to attend a show feeling a little peckish, which is somewhat worrying considering that this play is all about food. I should not have feared however, as this ...

Here at everything theatre we love a good bargain. A while back, as part of the research for our everyone theatre interview series, we spent a rather cold and miserable afternoon on the streets of London asking people about why they didn’t go to the theatre. The top excuse was the price. So that’s why it’s so exciting when theatre opportunities are given away at reduced prices. If things are being given away for free then that’s even better. Well, thanks to Mastercard, ...

Tom Wells Directed by James Grieve ★★★★ Pros: A superbly well-written, well-acted, and well-designed production. Cons: While charming, the script occasionally borders on cliché. Our Verdict: A truly outstanding production with a fine balance of humour and heart. Courtesy of Watford Palace Theatre Watford Palace Theatre is on a winning streak in my book – after four visits this year, I’ve not even come close to being disappointed by a single production. The venue strikes again this month, housing the premier run ...

Elchin AfandlyevDirected by Matthew Gould★★★★ Pros: Elchin Afandlyev is a world-renowned writer. He has the ability to condense a lot of thinking into a 90 minute play, and some of his musings are inspired. Cons: The script is very literary and as such it is a bit of a challenge. Our Verdict: It’s not every day of the week that you can go and get an insight into the affairs of Azerbaijan. With the exception of this week. Courtesy of ...

Anton Chekhov Directed by Gavin McAlinden ★★★ Pros: A terrific Chekhov script with some interesting performances. Cons: This show has plenty of moments which fall flat and are not quite believable. Our Verdict: An unusual production of a classic play which tends to be a bit samey elsewhere. It’s certainly nice to see these characters getting a revamp. Courtesy of Theatro Technis Much as I love The Seagull, it is one of those plays I’ve seen once too often. Chekhov ...

In a guest blog for Everything Theatre, London Assembly Member Tom Copley talks about the challenges facing small theatres in the capital, and about the investigation he is leading to look at what can be done to assist them.