Category: West End

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

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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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Articles Culture News Originals Performance Theatre West End

Ragdoll tells a compelling #MeToo tale based on real events – review

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Katherine Moar’s new play, Ragdoll, is inspired by the trial of American heiress Patty Hearst. We weren’t familiar with her story, so, for context: she was kidnapped by far-left guerrilla group the Symbionese Liberation Army in 1974, who raped her while she was held captive. She was coerced into committing crimes on their behalf, and was arrested after CCTV footage emerged of her involvement in a bank robbery. Initially she was deemed guilty and went to prison, though her sentence was commuted by President Carter and then a pardon was…

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Articles Culture News Originals Performance Theatre West End

Modern take on classic play The Maids makes for an intense, exhilarating night – review

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For those unfamiliar with The Maids – we hadn’t seen it until this week – it’s not an easy watch. Written by Jean Genet, who was closely associated with the ‘Theatre of Cruelty’ movement (theatre that shocked audiences at the time with portrayals of violence, and which challenged accepted social constructs), it explores the power dynamic between Madame and her two servants. This is a new translation by Kip Williams, who also directs; theatregoers will be familiar with Williams’ recent Olivier- and Tony-winning revival of The Picture of Dorian Gray,…

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Articles Culture News Originals Performance Susan Sarandon Theatre West End

Susan Sarandon and Andrea Riseborough star in poignant new play Mary Page Marlowe – review

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Mary Page Marlowe – a new play from Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Tracy Letts – recently made its UK debut in London at the Old Vic theatre, and there has been much excitement about the cast. The titular Marlowe is played by five different actresses, with Oscar-winner Susan Sarandon playing her at her oldest, and Oscar-nominee Andrea Riseborough portraying her midlife years. Marlowe’s various stages of youth are played by Rosy McEwan, Eleanor Worthington-Cox and Alisha Weir. A non-linear play spanning 100 minutes (no interval) we gather numerous insights into Marlowe’s…

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Articles News Performance Theatre West End

Mike Bartlett’s Juniper Blood is a thought-provoking new play about the climate crisis – review

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We’re big fans of plays that actually say something – and Mike Bartlett’s new show Juniper Blood certainly has a lot to say. Initially, it seems like we’re in for an extremely middle-class, lighthearted drama: we meet couple Ruth (Hattie Morahan) and Lip (Sam Troughton) on the farm they have recently acquired in a bid to live a more eco-friendly, sustainable life. They are visited by Milly (Nadia Parkes), Ruth’s former daughter-in-law; Milly’s friend Femi (Terique Jarrett); and neighbouring farmer Tony (Jonathan Slinger). What begins as an initial conversation about…

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Articles Music Musical Theatre News Performance Theatre West End

Achingly beautiful musical Girl From the North Country returns to London following Broadway success – review

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It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since Girl From the North Country – Conor McPherson’s musical, using the songs of Bob Dylan – premiered at London’s Old Vic Theatre. It subsequently enjoyed successful runs on the West End and Broadway – picking up Olivier and Tony Awards along the way – and spawned numerous tours. The show has now returned to its former home, spending this summer back at the Old Vic. So what’s it all about? Well, it’s not a cheery story: set during Great Depression-era…

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Articles Culture EVITA Jamie Lloyd Music Musical Theatre News Originals Performance Rachel Zegler Theatre West End

Rachel Zegler stuns in Jamie Lloyd’s dazzling revival of classic musical Evita – review

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How time flies – it’s hard to believe it’s been six years since we saw Jamie Lloyd’s revival of Evita at the Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre. Some elements remain the same – the sparse staging across a simple set of stairs with a giant ‘Evita’ sign as the backdrop, the impressive choreography, the strong singing – although the show has of course been reconfigured for its new indoor staging at The Palladium, and there’s a fair amount of tech involved now too. Everything has been dialled up to the…

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Samira Wiley is captivating in stunning revival of Intimate Apparel – review

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Intimate Apparel focuses on the life of Esther (Samira Wiley), a black seamstress living in New York in 1905. She has spent years creating romantic moments for others, sewing the titular intimate apparel for ladies all over the city, but has yet to find love herself. At 35 this is on her mind, but she knows her worth and refuses to settle for the suitors suggested to her. Somewhat unexpectedly, she receives a letter from George (Kadiff Kirwan), a Caribbean labourer who is working on the Panama canal. Thus begins…

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Articles Disney Hercules Movies News Performance Theatre West End

Hercules is a fun but flawed stage adaption of classic Disney film – review

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Earlier this week, Disney’s Hercules opened at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane – the exact same theatre where Frozen the Musical opened some four years ago. We were quite taken with that production – it didn’t blow us away, but it looked the part and was full of charm. So how does Hercules compare with its predecessor? It makes for an enjoyable evening of entertainment, but we’re not sure it holds up quite so well. If you’ve seen a Disney stage adaptation, you’ll know what to expect – everything happens…

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Articles Imelda Staunton News Performance Theatre West End

Imelda Staunton stars in West End revival of Mrs Warren’s Profession – review

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There once was a time when George Bernard Shaw’s play Mrs Warren’s Profession was banned from being performed, and honestly we can see why. We doubt that Victorian England was ready for a play on the theme of sex work – the profession to which the title alludes is that Mrs Warren owns and runs a successful chain of brothels – and we also doubt that many at the time would have approved of a show so critical of capitalism or society’s conventions. In the lead role of Mrs Warren…

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