Written and performed by Ashley Alymann★★★★★ Pros: Combining the art of storytelling with contemporary performance, this piece captures the all-encompassing excitement one might remember from childhood.Cons: Slightly too long in running time, the ending seemed rather abrupt for such a captivating and intricate piece.Our Verdict: A masterfully told tale; an enthralling and empathetic experience that allows just enough give at the end to marvel at the feat of the performance just witnessed. Courtesy of the Etcetera Theatre It’s very easy to ...

Joseph Wilde Directed by Rebecca Atkinson-Lord  ★★★★ Pros: A most unusual script brought to life by two strong actors.  Cons: Nothing much to report. Some elements of the show didn’t quite work but nothing too bad. Our Verdict: Funny, touching and incredibly intense, this is new writing at its best.  Courtesy of the Ovalhouse There have been a lot of shows about the riots in recent times. Some have been sympathetic to the rioters, whilst others have presented the facts ...

Adam Kelly MortonDirected by Matthew Gould★★★★ Pros: Strong acting and a captivating storyline. Cons: The staging was perhaps a little too bleak. Our Verdict: An accomplished and intelligent piece of writing performed with flair and intense emotion. Courtesy of Giant Olive Speeches are the old-fashioned status updates: most people tolerate them, others even encourage them, but more often than not they end up self-indulgent and utterly tedious. And like status updates, they should always be short and sweet. Which is ...

Written and performed by Peter Cutts Directed by Mandy Fox ★★★★ Pros: An exceptional all-round play designed for the stage with imagination, creativity and talent. Fascinates from start to finish. Cons: A rushed latter half and unnecessary musical interludes. Our Verdict: If you want to explain to anyone what’s so great about theatre, take them to this. A piece with plenty of thought invested in it that pays the audience dividends. Courtesy of The Cockpit There’s a saying about acting: ...

Craig Donaghy, Ziella Bryars, Jack Fiehn and Daniel Frankenburg Directed by Sophie Davies, Ziella Bryars, Nikita Strange and James Veitch ★★★★ Pros: Clever, short, sharp scripts performed by a solid cast. Leaves you wanting more.  Cons: A little unpolished at times.  Our Verdict: Short, sharp bursts of good quality theatre. Perfect for a mid-week theatre trip. Courtesy of The Love Bites Plays As a regular theatre goer, I am used to seeing shows of all lengths, from the twenty-minute one ...

Sarah Daniels Directed by David England ★★★★   Pros: A funny, hard-hitting and incredibly well written play.   Cons: The large space made for a tricky acoustic meaning some speech is lost every so often.    Our Verdict: A seriously fantastic play that, despite its Victorian setting, is incredibly relevant to society and women today.     Courtesy of The Space Victorian South East London: the docks are alive and buzzing with traders, ships and livestock ready to be sent to ...

Nikolai Gogol Directed by Lucy Richardson ★★★ Pros: An interesting take on a familiar classic.  Cons: Everyone was so interesting to watch on stage that it was hard to decide who to focus on at any one time.  Our Verdict: A comedy of errors with a healthy dose of slapstick humour.  Courtesy of LMU Recently I watched a ‘comedy’ on the fringe that, unfortunately, I didn’t find very funny. With dramatic plays, much can be forgiven if it’s not enjoyable. ...

The actors bring the story to life with humour and the space and minimal props are used well. Definitely worth seeing if you are new to opera and I’m sure that seasoned opera-goers may enjoy the change.

Written and directed by Rachel Yates ★★★★ Pros: A lovely set design. Deeply moving performances from all of the cast. Cons: Somewhere around the middle I felt it went a little slower than necessary. The show covers a lot of material but there was so much to take in I felt it could run straight through. Our Verdict: A strong attempt to explore the thoughts and feelings of the UK foster care system. Worth seeing! Courtesy of the Chickenshed Theatre ...

Bola Agbaje Directed by Franko Figueiredo★★★★ Pros: Fantastic, polished design and an excellent script with a great balance of drama and comedy Cons: The chemistry of the cast was at times a bit inconsistent Our Verdict: A well-produced and unique production by an acclaimed writer in a great space – you can’t go wrong! Courtesy of The Albany The Albany Theatre in Deptford is currently home to The Burial, a new play by acclaimed playwright Bola Agbaje. It is a ...