Both the Bridewell Theatre and its resident company Sedos are largely hidden gems. Quietly tucked behind Fleet Street they continuously produce high quality plays and musicals. Their latest, Ragtime, is a remarkable achievement for an amateur company at a fringe venue. A simple wooden set easily adapts to every scene, while excellent costumes add genuine authenticity; all of which provide a credible snapshot of New York in the early 20th Century. Sitting close to the dividing curtains stage left I ...

Pros: A talented and tuneful cast making the most of a limited performance area. Cons: A low key Act I suffers in comparison with a sparkling Act II which emits a genuine West End feel. Urinetown is hardly the most obvious title for a musical, but its purpose soon becomes apparent as an antidote to the sugar coated fayre common to the genre. The show made its debut off Broadway in 2001 and went on to win two Tonies and ...