Written and directed by Vanessa Brooks ★★★★ Pros: Beautifully written and very well performed with a great design and excellent music. Cons: I can’t think of any real drawbacks. There is a very clichéd plot twist at one point but it doesn’t spoil the fun. Our Verdict: This show is like a little ray of sunshine. A toe-tapping, knee-slapping evening of pure joy. Courtesy of Dark Horse Theatre I think we can all agree that Spring seems to be taking ...

Presented by Glass-eye Theatre ★★★ Pros: A wonderful story line full of humanity and imagination. Cons: Alexandra Krassa’s depiction of ten year old Ailsa Thomas was unconvincing at times, preventing much of an attachment to the character. Our Verdict: A captivating performance which uses physical theatre to convincingly place you in an imaginary world. It also involves some very exciting shadow puppets. Courtesy of the Blue Elephant Theatre One of the many joys of visiting the Blue Elephant Theatre is ...

KG SowerbyDirected by Jonathan Miller★★★★ Pros: An important play, powerfully directed by Jonathan Miller, with excellent dramatic leads. Cons: Some of the secondary male characters seemed far too shallow – but then in many ways this adds to the anger against male oppression which the play explores. Our Verdict: Excellent performances, excellent direction, excellent lighting, excellent edit of the script. All in all, excellent! Courtesy of Watford Palace Theatre Rutherford and Son was written in 1912 by KG Sowerby, and first ...

Devised and performed by Molly Naylor★★★★ Pros: A sweet, honest and funny show. A very pleasant and engaging production.Cons: Although the music was a nice personal touch, it would have been great to see more interaction with the folk duo. Our Verdict: A very nice show but a short run. Keep an eye out for future shows. Courtesy of The Battersea Arts Centre Anyone who has ever been to the Battersea Arts Centre will know that it is a rather ...

Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson TurnerDirected by Richard Hurst★★★★ Pros: An excellent , well-honed, very funny show which everyone should enjoy regardless of their pre-existing Harry Potter knowledge! Cons: I can’t complain, I left will a smile on my face, as did most of the audience. If anything, I wanted more! Our Verdict: Need a way to entertain children for 70 minutes one afternoon? Or just want to laugh at some innocent, old-fashioned humour? Then this one’s for you. Courtesy of the ...

Ovalhouse Creative Youth★★★★ Pros: A beautifully written and compiled piece of theatre performed with heaps of energy throughout.Cons: After a fantastic build up, the finale was disappointing and felt like it needed more substance. Our Verdict: This was a fantastic production performed on the streets of South London with a host of talented writers/actors voicing their stories. Courtesy of Ovalhouse Growing up, I was exposed to the traditional side of theatre – plush seats, gilded cherubs and polite applause. The ...

Ben AitkenDirected by Josh Roche★★★★ Pros: An all-round, very strong piece which deftly explores the harmony (or lack of) between self-identity and circumstance. Cons: I couldn’t see the benefits of making this show site-specific. Our Verdict: A very absorbing, intriguing narrative which is relevant to anyone living in Britain in 2013. Courtesy of The Old Red Lion Although the title refers to a place, this play is about people and the complex factors defining who we are. It delves into ...

Lisa Gifford Directed by Paul Linghorn ★★★ Pros: An interesting script with some very funny moments and a top performance from Lisa Gifford. Cons: Some of the actors appeared to be playing for laughs every now and again, which got irritating. Our Verdict: This show isn’t ground-breaking but it is lots of fun with enough plot twists to keep you engaged till the end. Courtesy of Capital City Entertainment This is not my first time seeing Lisa Gifford’s sassy, modern play about ...

Nikolai Erdman Directed by Adam Hemming ★★ Pros: An unexpectedly funny script and a full cast with great comic timing and energy. Cons: The performance was shallow overall, relying totally on comic delivery. Moments which weren’t funny but had true potential to be meaningful were rushed through and caused confusion later. Our Verdict: A valiant but ultimately ineffective effort to make this 20th century Russian play refreshing for new audiences. Courtesy of The Space Arts Centre Space Productions’ current show ...

Tom H C Holloway Directed by Becky Catlin ★★★ Pros: The characters are very well developed and observed. Some strong dialogue and dynamic action on stage and the scenes where time is passing are clever and well performed. Credible acting gives this performance a little sparkle. Cons: The plot isn’t strong enough to sustain interest throughout. It feels more like an illustration than a story and the writing could focus more on the audience and what they take away. Our Verdict: There ...