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

Jack ThorneDirected by Vicky Jones★★★ Pros: The vibrant conversation and wit between the two characters in the first half of the show was delivered perfectly. Cons: I thought David’s action two-thirds of the way through the play was unexplainable and Marian’s response equally bizarre even taking into consideration the severe sadness they’ve had in their lives. Our Verdict: An interesting concept with strong performances from the two actors. Unfortunately the characters’ histories don’t quite match up with their behaviour on ...

Originally devised by Let Slip TheatreRedeveloped by Crank Theatre ★★★★ Pros: Clever, quirky, visually striking, fun, and thought-provoking. Cons: A few bits were hard to follow, and a fuller conclusion would have been welcome. Our Verdict: A great first piece for Crank Theatre; lots of fun and very smart! Courtesy of Battersea Arts Centre Crank Theatre and their inaugural production of Machines for Living at the Battersea Arts Centre this week were born from Let Slip’s original production of the ...

William ShakespeareDirected by Ricky Dukes★★★ Pros: A nice, wintery feel to a traditional summer tale (who doesn’t love a good snow machine?). Smooth and creative scene changes, a terrific performance from Bottom and quite a few very funny moments (though mostly thanks to Bottom). Cons: Some of the performances require toning down and sadly the show never quite comes together fully. Our Verdict: A promising production which still requires a lot of improvements to make it work really well. The ...

Written and Performed by Hannah Silva ★★★★ Pros: A political satire which works remarkably well on many different levels. A brilliant performance from a dynamic young artist. Cons: The sound effects and the music occasionally drown out the words. This is particularly bad during an important speech at the end. Our Verdict: This is abstract theatre for people who don’t like abstract theatre (as well as those who do, of course). A unique, funny, incredibly clever one-woman show from a ...

Shamser SinhaDirected by Tim Stark★★★ Pros: A brilliant and haunting ending, great performances from the female actors in particular and a noble script attempting to raise the profile of refugees. Cons: Often moments involving the male actors weren’t quite believable; dodgy accents in places didn’t help. Our Verdict: A show of two halves. It took a while for us to suspend that pesky disbelief, but the ending was tremendous. Courtesy of the Finborough Theatre Khadija is 18 marks the full-length ...

Delyth Jones & James Lark, based on the book by Jenny NimmoDirected by Delyth Jones★★★★ Pros: A really interesting script, incredibly talented performers, and a great design. Cons: Though advertised for children, some moments came off as potentially too dark for the youngest viewers. Our Verdict: A delightful and engaging adaptation suitable for kids and mature viewers. Courtesy of the Ovalhouse Theatre In their latest production at the Ovalhouse, the Io Theatre Company has successfully intertwined children’s literature with music ...

Written and directed by Darren Raymond★★  Pros: A great performance space, talented young performers and a company that has a truly applaudable mission. Cons: Poor choices made in mixing Shakespearian language with contemporary expression made it hard to keep up, resulting in the feeling that the production was unpolished and lazy; an interesting set design in theory turned out to be a hassle for viewing. Our Verdict: An overall inconsistent, lackluster attempt to update Shakespeare’s complex and intriguing Othello. Courtesy ...

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 ...

Hugh LeonardDirected by Eleanor Rhode★★★★ Pros: A remarkable script with a knock-out central performance. Cons: Not every actor can do the Irish accent convincingly which spoils the illusion at times. Our Verdict: A great revival of an underrated script. Courtesy of the Finborough Theatre A Life is a Tony award-nominated play from esteemed Irish playwright Hugh Leonard. The story centres around Desmond Drumm, an embittered civil servant, as he grimly faces his own mortality. Drumm also features as a minor ...

This unique theatre experience is enjoyable for adults and older kids alike.