Reviews
Review: Cutting the Tightrope: The Divorce of Politics from Art
An essential, raging and ranging collection of works flashing with humour and teeth, flecked with harrowing stories and above all love for a humanity the establishment wishes us to other and consign to tragedy. A must-see.
Review: Stranger Than the Moon
Essential for anyone interested in Brecht or 20th century drama, it’s far more: starkly entrancing, then engrossing over 110 minutes.
Review: Now That’s What I Call a Musical
The cast grab this by the scruff of its shoulder pads and make us love them. A must-see.
Review: Twelfth Night
Tom Littler again brings an intimate, wintry music to middle Shakespeare: it’s his unique gift. Never sour, never sweet without salt, and with very few reservations, a definitive close-up Twelfth Night.
Review: Ruari Conaghan Lies Where It Falls
Ruari Conaghan has nowhere to hide in every sense. He exudes the charismatic of 100 watts cosplaying a glowing 40, then hits you between the eyes
Review: John Collins Organ Recital St Nicholas Church, Brighton
Another Collins gem. And so much more music, and composers of whom we've never heard. We are luckier than we can realise.
Review: Napoleon: Un Petit Pantomime
A sure-fire miniature epic, spanning history and damn lies. Sublimely written and with a superb cast both seasoned and fresh, the finest concentration of panto this season.
Review: {Title of Show}
Delicious, certainly, truly witty and fast-moving, never indulgent about self-indulgence, this is a sure-fired soufflé
Review: Berniya Hamie Piano Recital St Nicholas Church
We will be hearing much more of Berniya Hamie in future
Review: The Real Black Swann: Confessions of America’s first Black Drag Queen.
An astonishing story of the first gay activist.
Review: My Fanny Valentine: Rebirthed
Megan Juniper is the Disney Princess of Gynaecology in this hilariously funny mix of stand-up comedy, musical theatre, and vagina facts.
Review: Other Side Comedy
A collection of up-and-coming comedians from London take the stage with great humor, stories, and jokes.
Review: Sexy Rude Harp Concert
Across an hour of original (and quite rude!) songs and stories, Sexy Rude Harp Concert presents one woman’s journey to get railed, among other things...
Review: JESTATION: An Immersive Drag Cabaret
Following the tragic death of her lover, faded cabaret performer Madame Mirage puts on one last show against all the odds. But with an alien invasion occurring in the city above, it's only a matter of time before her show takes a turn for the bizarre...
Review: CULT of the Information Superhighway
Brought to you by your favourite Gothenburg-based drag cult of kings, queens, and creatures, CULT of the Information Superhighway is here to plunge you into a the depths of the digital.
Review: Women Who Blow on Knots
As fine a realisation as anyone could manage. The immediacy, cries, reveals are inherently theatrical and precious. A must-see.
Review: Dementia the musical
A fascinating exploration theatrically of the condition of dementia, a very important topic to many within Scotland.
Review: Burnt-Up Love
One of the very finest three-handers I’ve seen for a long time, Burnt-Up Love refuses to judge and nor will anyone left reeling after seeing this. Stunning.
Review: Love in Action
This production alters not just our perspective on Nagasaki, but in a switchback of Russian, Japanese, even American cultures is something of a fission. Noda’s metaphor blazes with spectacle and irony. A must-see.
Review: 1984
This is the fleetest most theatrical version I’ve seen for some time. Telegraphic in its conveying a nightmare world, it nevertheless does so by lightning strokes.
Review: The Welkin
The sheer acting catches fire: not a weak link. With their most ambitious production ID triumph. There’s nothing like them at full stretch.
Review: Men Don’t Talk
A vital piece of advice wrapped in the right delivery mechanism for an age, and ages, that needs it more than ever.
Review: The Ungodly
The Ungodly which playwright Joanna Carrick also directs is different, and special. No wonder it transfers to Off-Broadway next spring. An outstanding piece of theatre.
Review: Autumn
This is a partially bewitching production and it might send you back to the novel or quartet
Review: Alas! Poor Yorick
Almost a play in three acts...but strangely, rivetingly not. Ridiculusmus put the shovel into Shakespeare.
Review: The Wild Duck
This production carries one truth that refreshes: strip all the directors’ concepts and editing, and for once truth will set Ibsen, and ourselves as free as it imprisons its characters. Outstanding.
Review: Gigi & Dar
Compelling and unanswerable, it’s more humane than recent history in several parts of the world allow. Setting it in 2016, Josh Azouz knows history itself has been overtaken. Highly recommended.
Review: Dear Evan Hansen
In Ryan Kopel and Lauren Conroy two future stars are born within a first-rate cast led by the exquisitely moving Alice Fearns; and Kopel with such a range is someone whose next role will probably surprise even him. Two and half hours blaze by like a first date. Outstanding.
Review: Beryl Cook: A Private View
A further triumph in Kara Wilson’s groundbreaking fusion of words and paint.
Review: Sussex Musicians Club
This is special, commemorating the life of pianist, choral conductor educator and above all musician Muriel Hart (1924-2023).
Review: Salomé
Dramatically this is the most creative response I’ve seen live. Here, a director’s reach should exceed their grasp, or what’s a production for.
Review: Eurydice
Stella Powell-Jones coaxes provisional miracles from her cast and space. The medium’s playful, even fun. The message though is bleak; and love is still in the letting go.
Review: Meet Me at Dawn
An aching, unflinching look at what we might face. Yet few seek to live through such a pact as bestowed here. A Greek gift. Unmissable in the south east.
Review: The Cat and the Canary
An exceptional ensemble delivering a delirious twist on a tale that truly deserves it. Unmissable.
Review: The Events
A combined production of community and profession which shows why both should have a mutual dependence upon each other.
Review: Evelyn Harrison and Zhanna Kemp-Dashkovskya St Nicholas Church Recital
Evelyn Harrison is a remarkable and underusing artist with a very time that never falters; and Zhanna Kemp-Dashkovskya a loyal and gifted accompanist often seen on the Brighton circuit.
Review: Re:Incarnation
Powerhouse Afrodance celebrating the creative energy of Lagos, presented by Dance Consortium
Review: Giant
Giant is both a magisterial debut and a landmark work for braving a terrain littered with - as Tom says - "booby traps... And surprise surprise - boom."
Review: Coriolanus
Certainly a Coriolanus blazing with extrinsic relevance, it brings clarity to a play that can seem an unmitigated grey
Review: St Nicholas Ellie Blackshaw Solo Violin Recital
Ellie Blackshaw’s a vital, rapt performer and composer on the Brighton and south east scene.
Review: Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret
Who could object to its urgency, or its starry messenger? A gem.
Review: Stoppard The Real Inspector Hound; Bartlett Contractions
As ever it’s a more worthwhile production than several professional ones we’re likely to see.
Review: Gareth Strachan Project M.E. The Rock Inn Pub
Strachan proves he can pull together serious talent who believe in his work. It’s a step up in all directions
Review: St Nicholas Emmanuel Sowicz Guitar Recital September 11th 2024
A consummate guitarist already marked - by many - for greatness.
Review: BBC Prom 68 Britten A Midsummer Night’s Dream Garsington Opera
A triumphant revival, it’s still the most elusive of Britten’s major operas, easy to enjoy, still hard to fathom the melodic root of.
Review: 23.5 Hours
A worthy successor to Never Not Once, almost from the other side of the glass, it makes Crim one of the most visible and exciting of US dramatists.
Review: EPHEMERAL ECHOES
A Collaboration between Indepen-dance, LPM Dance Company and ConCuerpos Dance Company
Review: Trick of The Eye
A short piece of dance which does all it needs to, to engage and enrich our understanding of how we see people and need to recalibrate.
Review: Greenhouse Festival LAMDA Festival New Directors in association with Orange Tree
Every one of these productions could enjoy a run at the Orange Tree: they’re exciting and accomplished.
Review: Flux and Flourish
Diverse dance performed with panache, glitter and well-deserved confidence.
Review: Contemporary Sisyphus
A solo journey of pain and discovery beautifully imagined in a movement piece with tremendous grace.
Review: A Conversation Between Hands and Feet
An impressively engaging multi-disciplinary and multilingual showcase of sang, shoogling and music.
Review: WHAKAPAPA
A powerful and heady mix of dance and film that blows your prejudicial cobwebs away.
Review: Morag, You’re A Long Time Deid
An affectionate portrait of the love of song across generations which is prompted by one piano.
Review: The Comedy of Errors
The most intelligent Comedy of Errors I’ve seen since the NT production of 2012 and truer to the play’s temper.
Review: The Silver Cord
A darkly thrilling masterpiece, given what might be its finest UK revival. All are outstanding and Alix Dunmore, and certainly Sophie Ward, should be up for some glittering prizes.
Review: The Real Thing
The Real Thing is infinitely more stimulating than many popular comedies, and though it doesn’t quite ache as it should, James McArdle bestrides this production like a hopeful monster who’s got lucky.
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