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

Presented by SOOPDirected by Nathan Chapman★★★★ Pros: Highly talented and dynamic cast, clever and simple design, interesting subject. Cons: The stakes of the story often took a back seat to the comedy, leaving something to be desired from the conclusion. Our Verdict: A fantastically funny and clever tribute to some unsung heroes of World War II – a history lesson without the lecture! Courtesy of The Space The first thing you should know about SOOP’s production of Scallywags at The ...

Jack ThorneDirected by Sam Miller★★★★ Pros: Simple, effective, easy to ‘get’, thought-provoking, funny and stylishly executed. Cons: I needed clarification on the plot in some places (but I’m not that bright, so…) Our Verdict: Great stuff once again from this excellent young company. Worth every penny of the measly £10 cost. Courtesy of All The Pigs I know we’ve raved about All The Pigs before now: our review of Scooter Thomas was so gushy that I could understand people believing ...

Euripides, in a new version by Mike BartlettDirected by Mike Bartlett★★★★ Pros: Bartlett seldom puts a foot wrong, and his adaptation of Medea is no exception. Cons: Perhaps overly and unnecessarily keen to keep some of the aspects of the classic tragedy format intact. Our Verdict: A brilliant introduction to a timeless classic, with an incredibly strong central performance from Rachael Stirling. Courtesy of Manuel Harlan for The Guardian Mike Bartlett has, to be honest, had a pretty awesome few ...

Presented by Smoking Apples Theatre★★★ Pros: The show boasts lots of very interesting and original ideas. Cons: The actors overstretch their abilities making the show seem amateurish in places. Our Verdict: An interesting show with some great ideas. Credit: Jax Braithwaite Situated off Camberwell Road in South London, the Blue Elephant is a vibrant arts venue offering a variety of award-winning, multi-cultural performances from every genre imaginable. Founded in 1999, this hidden gem has staged a huge amount of successful, ...

Henrik Ibsen, in a version by Brian FrielDirected by Anna Mackmin★★★★ Pros: A first class production – the cast is fabulous, the set and lighting design are stunning and the play itself is a masterpiece worthy of its place amongst the great dramas of all time. It has one of the most dramatically staged endings imaginable. Cons: It is long – at times it is hard to stay focused on the lengthy, lilting dialogues. Our Verdict: This production engenders everything ...

everything theatre originally reviewed this production in the Cottesloe Theatre at the National. It will transfer into the Olivier Theatre at the National on 23rd February 2013, where it is currently booking until 15th May 2013: http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/this-house James GrahamDirected by Jeremy Herrin★★★★ Pros: A cracking script, scintillating performances, and a great overall concept. Cons: Few and far between, but I didn’t think some of the musical interludes were fitting. Our Verdict: A brilliant piece of new writing, and a high quality ...

Jonathan LewisDirected by David Grindley★★★★ Pros: A brilliant ensemble piece with strong performances all round by talented, up and coming actors. Cons: The continuity was confusing… but that might just be me! Our Verdict: This play is as relevant today as it was in 1993. It should provide laughs and tears in equal measures and is a delight to watch. Courtesy of Tristram Kenton for The Guardian One of the true pleasures that living in London has given me over ...

A clever twist on a classic opera.

William ShakespeareDirected by Tim Carroll★★★★★ Pros: A great ensemble, wonderful music, and some amazing laugh out loud moments. Cons: Really? Our Verdict: Do whatever needs to be done to see this one. (Legally). Courtesy of Simon Annand for The Daily Telegraph Before you get all hot and flustered at our ‘rule-breaking’, we booked our tickets months and months ago and also queued an hour in advance to ensure ourselves good positioning in the yard. What I’m trying to say is, ...

Written and Directed by Phil OrmrodPerformed and co-devised by Tom Walton & Abigail Moffatt★★★★ Pros: Perfectly choreographed, great performances and nice design. Cons: Stream of consciousness monologues can make it a little hard to follow the plot in places. Our Verdict: Great! Another fun, engaging piece from the Ovalhouse. Courtesy of the Ovalhouse It’s been a while since we last ventured down to the Ovalhouse Theatre, March in fact. Since we’ve last been down, the theatre bar and restaurant area ...