Festive and quite fun

Tanya Bridgeman tells us about her play Shoes To Fill

Flowers, bunting, colourful lights, what’s not to like?

Pros:  The performance of Cassiopeia Berkeley-Agyepong. Cons: Uncomfortable benches resulted in noisy fidgeting which made it difficult to hear. This Folk musical tells the story of the Haymarket Affair, an incident at a gathering of striking workers in May 1886, at Haymarket Square, Chicago, USA.  What started as a peaceful rally to support strikers demanding an eight hour day, ended up with a number of police and strikers being killed when a bomb was thrown into the police line. The police, in ...

Pros: The characters, the cast, the venue… do I need to go on? Cons: There are no loos on site, so don’t overdo it on the interval drinks! Iris Theatre’s shows at Saint Paul’s Church in Covent Garden, also affectionately known as the Actor’s Church, are one of those fixtures of the summer theatre calendar. After a foray into darker realms last year with Macbeth, the company is back on familiar, family-friendly ground with The Three Musketeers. This adaptation by ...

Pros: All the advantages of being outside in a garden space helping to create a magical atmosphere – flowers, breeze, full moon in a clear sky. Cons: All the disadvantages of being outside in a garden space, spoiling the magical atmosphere – pollen, noises off, helicopters. Right in the heart of Covent Garden, St Paul’s Church Yard is a cool space even on one of the hottest days of the summer, shade provided by the surrounding buildings and a gentle breeze.  Being ...

The history of London’s theatres is almost the history of London itself, so enmeshed is the West End with the cultural tapestry of the capital. Folklore, tales of catastrophe and the personalities who make their name in the Smoke; all surround the bright lights of theatreland, and every year millions of tourists are entranced by the sweeping architecture and picture book antiquity of London’s glamorous pathway to the stars. Every name trips off the tongue even if you have never ...

A really approachable version of one of Shakespeare’s most loved comedies that’s suitable for all the family. A talented cast bring the play to life with song, dance and spirited delivery of the Bard’s words.

Crime novelist M. G. Scarsbrook digs through the glitz and glamour to explore the dark side of London's most popular tourist destinations.

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.