Articles Culture National Theatre News Originals Performance Theatre

End draws David Eldridge’s trilogy to a satisfying conclusion at the National Theatre – review

It’s taken us about eight years, but we have now finally completed David Eldridge’s trilogy of plays exploring love and relationships. Like its predecessors Beginning and Middle, End is a two-hander which plays out as a real-time conversation. The focus of Beginning was on two young lovers on the night they met at a house party, while in Middle we met two people in an established relationship which had begun to go south. The narrative of End – as you may already have guessed – looks at two people who…

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Articles Culture National Theatre News Nicola Coughlan Originals Performance Siobhán McSweeney Theatre

Nicola Coughlan and Siobhán McSweeney star in revival of The Playboy of the Western World – review

When the National Theatre’s revival of JM Synge’s The Playboy of the Western World was announced, it grabbed headlines for starring not one, but two of the cast of the iconic Derry Girls: with Nicola Coughlan as the young Pegeen Mike and Siobhán McSweeney as the older Widow Quin, they take on two of the three lead roles (the trio being completed by Éanna Hardwicke who plays love interest Christy Mahon). Going into the theatre we didn’t really know anything about the show, beyond the attention-grabbing casting – so what…

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Articles Culture National Theatre News Originals Performance Theatre

Ballet Shoes tells a heartwarming tale at the National Theatre this festive season – review

We were really rather taken with Ballet Shoes when we caught it at the National Theatre last Christmas – so much so that when we were offered an opportunity to review it again this year, we leapt at the chance. Kendall Feaver has adapted Noel Streatfeild’s beloved children’s novel for the stage, and it is playing once again at the Olivier Theatre – the largest of the three spaces within the National Theatre. So how does this year’s production fare? Unsurprisingly it’s very similar – some of the cast has…

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Articles Culture News Originals Performance Theatre West End

The Spy Who Came In From the Cold makes for compelling viewing at the @sohoplace theatre – review

You may already be familiar with The Spy Who Came In From the Cold – John le Carré’s seminal spy novel from 1963 was swiftly adapted into a major film in 1965 starring Richard Burton – although somewhat surprisingly, none of the author’s stories have ever made it to the stage. Until now, that is: adapted by playwright David Eldridge, this production was first staged in 2024 at the Chichester Festival Theatre and has now transferred to London’s West End at the @sohoplace theatre. It is directed by three-time Olivier…

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Articles Christmas Culture News Originals Performance The Old Vic Theatre

A Christmas Carol returns with a hearty dose of festive cheer at The Old Vic Theatre – review

We’ll start with the same caveat we did last year: we’ve already seen this production of A Christmas Carol and we already know we like it. This is the ninth time that Jack Thorne’s adaptation of Charles Dickens’ classic tale has played at The Old Vic Theatre – we’ve not seen it every year (this is our fifth time) but it doesn’t really change much year on year. That’s absolutely fine by us, however – it’s a charming production sure to delight children and adults alike. If it ain’t broke,…

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Articles Culture Musical Theatre News Originals Performance Stephen Sondheim Theatre

Kate Fleetwood steals the show in delightfully daft revival of Into the Woods – review

We’d never actually seen a production of Into the Woods – Stephen Sondheim’s musical hasn’t played in London for many years – so we were excited to pay a visit to the Bridge Theatre to check out Jordan Fein’s new staging of the classic show, which will be celebrating its 40th anniversary this coming year. If you’re not familiar with the musical, fear not, because much of the material is well-known; Into the Woods intertwines a whole series of fairytale storylines. Favourites including Cinderella, Rapunzel, Little Red Riding Hood and…

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Articles Culture Music Musical Theatre News Originals Paddington Performance West End

Paddington: The Musical is the best new show in town this festive season – review

More than five years in the making, Paddington: The Musical has finally opened, just in time for Christmas – and we’re pleased to report that it has absolutely been worth the wait. Written by Jessica Swale, with songs by McFly’s Tom Fletcher and directed by Luke Sheppard (& Juliet, My Son’s a Queer), it tells a story that we’re sure many will be familiar with. Paddington – a bear from deepest, darkest Peru, with a penchant for marmalade sandwiches – is found by the Brown family at Paddington railway station…

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Alan Cumming Articles Culture Interviews LGBTQ+ Theatre Long Reads News Originals Performance Theatre

Alan Cumming on Out in the Hills: ‘We’re creating a joyful queer oasis’

WORDS BY CHRIS SELMAN PHOTOGRAPHY BY TOMMY GA-KEN WAN It’s always a pleasure chatting with Alan Cumming – the BAFTA, Emmy, Tony and Olivier-winning actor and all-round queer icon. During a break in filming for the new Russell T Davies series Tip Toe, we caught up with Alan to discuss the queer theatre plans he has for 2026. He recently took over as the Artistic Director of Scotland’s Pitlochry Festival Theatre, and has been busily curating new queer arts festival Out in the Hills, as well as a programme for the…

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Articles Culture LGBTQ+ Theatre Movies Music National Theatre News Originals Performance Pride Theatre

Dates announced for new Pride musical, based on award-winning film, in Cardiff and London

We’re big fans of the 2014 film Pride, which picked up the Queer Palm award at the 2014 Cannes Film Festival. The inspiring true story, set during the 1984 miners’ strike, sees a small group of gay men and lesbians lend their support to miners in a small village in south Wales. The film is being adapted to a new stage music, which will be brought to life on the National Theatre’s Dorfman stage from 11 June to 12 September 2026, following preview performances at Sherman Theatre in Cardiff from…

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Articles Culture LGBTQ+ Theatre News Originals Performance Theatre West End

Daddy’s First Gay Date is a quirky new queer comedy with a lot of heart – review

We are fans of the Seven Dials Playhouse, the cosy 100-seat theatre nestled in Covent Garden, in the heart of London’s West End – it’s an intimate space which regularly programmes new queer works. This week, we went to check out Daddy’s First Gay Date, from Mancunian playwright Sam Danson (his previous show BI-TOPIA received rave reviews last year) which is directed by the award winning Rikki Beadle-Blair. When we see queer lives portrayed on stage (or film or TV) it often focuses on white, middle-class, privileged experiences – so…

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