It’s no secret amongst my family and friends: Matilda is without doubt my favourite musical of all time. I’ve seen it 15 times. So this production of another Roald Dahl classic, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, was really going to have to go some to compete. But I just love that story so it was off to a fighting start! The show sells itself as ‘a world of pure imagination’ drawing from Dahl’s original book and the Warner Brothers’ film. ...

Pros: An engaging and meticulously researched script, combined with superb performances, make for a genuinely harrowing story. Cons: Needless sound effects and some unwieldy dialogue diminish the overall power of the piece. To my shame, this was my first visit to the Jermyn Street Theatre. On the strength of this visit, it won’t be my last; the theatre is welcoming, comfortable and damned accessible by public transport. Interestingly, to get to the theatre’s toilets you actually have to go across the stage and through ...

A festive take on a Shakespeare favourite that embraces the play’s darker undertones as well as the fizzy fun.