William Shakespeare Directed by Emily Morrison ★★★★ Pros: Gorgeous costumes, inspired direction and world class acting. Cons: Not much to report here. A few of the actors didn’t quite hold my attention but this is only a minor dent in a truly dazzling show. Our Verdict: A stunning feat of wholly engaging entertainment with highly creative directing and two astonishing central performances. This came dangerously close to a 5 star review. Courtesy of Emanate Theatre Company Whoever calls the shots at the ...

Christopher Marlowe, adapted by Bernie C. Byrnes Director Bernie C. Byrnes ★★★ Pros: The themes of the play (the corruption of power and the struggle between personal morality and worldly temptation) are acutely condensed into an intelligent view on the faults of society today.  Cons: While the actors clearly understood the play inside out and presented an impressively cohesive and entertaining piece in half the usual rehearsal time, it did lack a certain polish.  Our Verdict: This play as a ...

Danny West & Ben Fensome  Directed by Danny West★★★ Pros: A strong all-female cast with a very interesting and relevant subject matter Cons: There seemed to be a few inconsistencies in the script, a potentially biased representation of Catharina Linck and the final moments lacked passion Our Verdict: A very interesting script and a strong cast make this show worthwhile, despite some tiny flaws Courtesy of The Last Refuge The new production, Linck, at The Last Refuge in Peckham has ...

Amelia Bullmore Directed by Anna Mackmin★★★★ Pros: A play about life and friendship that is easy to relate to, funny and heart-warming. It is brilliantly acted by a high calibre cast and the costumes and sound design realistically evoke the passing of time. Cons: There are a lot of unnecessary set changes which chops up the flow of the drama and as there is no crew, the actors make the changes themselves which gets a bit distracting. Our Verdict: Guaranteed to ...

Adapted by Roe Lane from the story by Stanley Kenani based on an idea by Amy Bonsall Directed by Roe Lane, Amy Bonsall and Kate Stafford ★★ Pros: Strong ideas, interesting subject matter and a fearlessly ambitious approach. Cons: Rather confusing and hard to follow. Our Verdict: Despite important and relevant subject matter, impressive acting and a thoughtful set, the narrative is tricky to follow and I found it difficult to relate to the characters. Courtesy of the Ovalhouse This ...

Alexander Moschos Directed by Matthew Parker ★★★ Pros: A polished and well-crafted show. Excellent sound, lights and projection with good performances. Cons: The middle of the show drags and it started to feel a little bit repetitive. A shorter, punchier version would have more impact. Our Verdict: A good show which is nearly an excellent show. The company is doing great work and the Brockley Jack is a lovely venue. Courtesy of Brockley Jack The Brockley Jack is a charming venue, attached ...

HomerDevised by Nicholas Rawling, Imogen Charleston, Caroline Williams, Irena Stratieva, Christopher Reed, Ed Dowie, Quinta and Matthew Brown★★★★★ Pros: The combination of hand drawn and carefully cut out puppets with 21st century technology produces an intriguing take on the ancient art of paper and shadow puppetry. Cons: None to speak of but I think Paper Cinema are going to have to think hard about how they will top this one. Our Verdict: A must see! The performers utilise their attention ...

William Shakespeare Directed by Zoé Ford ★★★★ Pros: Some excellent performances and great direction. This well known script is engaging throughout the two hour and forty five minute performance. Add the sixties soundtrack and this modern take will appeal to a wide audience. Cons: At times the sound and lighting are a bit clunky and I am not convinced by the interpretation of Juliet as a weeping frailty. A few performances pale against the more dynamic ones. Our Verdict: Hiraeth Artistic Productions ...

Ronald Harwood Directed by Brigid Larmour ★★★ Pros: A great cast and a polished production featuring funny and touching moments. Cons: The last leg of the play unfortunately does not compare in quality to the first two-thirds. Our Verdict: A very decent production in most ways, which sadly loses some of its impact since the conclusion unravels before the curtain closes. Courtesy of Watford Palace Theatre It’s always nice to see an old-fashioned parlour-room drama which manages to compete in ...

Written and directed by Rachel Mars and nat tarrab ★★★★ Pros: Two great performances, great big laughs from start to finish and an interesting, intelligent script. Cons: Not much to report here. If you’re easily offended by jokes about the Falklands war and such, best avoid this one. Our Verdict: A brilliant night out brimming with light-hearted fun but also featuring many poignant ideas on feminism, homophobia and other important issues. A great show! Courtesy of the Ovalhouse The Ovalhouse ...