Review: Ballet Shoes
A paean to wonder and possibility, dreaming to some purpose. Like other winter growths, this should prove a hardy perennial, evergreen as the book.
Genre: Musical Theatre
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: 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: Dementia the musical
A fascinating exploration theatrically of the condition of dementia, a very important topic to many within Scotland.
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: Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret
Who could object to its urgency, or its starry messenger? A gem.
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: Morag, You’re A Long Time Deid
An affectionate portrait of the love of song across generations which is prompted by one piano.
Review: Trust Me, I’m From Essex
A One Woman Solo Musical full of nostalgia and a whole lot of heart
Review: Silence! The Musical- The Unauthorised Parody of the Silence of The Lambs.
Closer Clarice, closer to the musical version of the classic movie.
Review: DIVA: Live from Hell!
A blood stained love letter to Broadway, live from Hell, as Desmond Channing is forced to retell his journey to the Underworld over and over again.
Review: I Wish You Well: The Gwyneth Paltrow Ski Trial Musical
An hour of campy extravagance highlighting the lunacy of the American justice system.
Review: ARI: The Spirit of Korea
Unforgettable - infectiously exceptional - The glorious family story of father and daughter, Shin ki-mok and Ari.
Review: Ctrl+Alt+Deceit!
A new musical by Ariella Gordon about our relationship with technology. This is a feel-good piece that challenges the idea that the internet and social media is, well, social at all – and that we humans need real relationships – not just emojis.
Review: The Techtonics : 44 Days of Liz Truss (A Cappella)
Completely ridiculous and alarmingly accurate tale of utter incompetence
Review: Diary of a Gay Disaster
A musical force of nature which charts an awakening of desire thanks to a couple of angels and a diary.
Review: To Be A Prince
A musical appeal on behalf of the downtrodden Prince to be considered to be more than a sidekick and the equal of a Princess.
Review: Yes-Ya-Yebo!
A feast of South African dance flavoured by the spice of authentic voice without a misstep.
Review: Daniel Cainer’s Jewish Chronicles
Heartwarming songs and stories from a masterful writer and entertainer.
A musically riveting, dramatically rather episodic production where the dancers and singers make the best of it
Review: Gruppo Corpo Dance Company
Gruppo Corpo Dance Company summons Brazilian history, culture and spirituality in two joyful UK premieres
Review: Tiny Little Town
A thrilling and triumphant musical return to the Fringe from Theatre Movement Bazaar
Review: Oliver!
There’s not a moment in this two-hours-40 where you’re not at the edge of your seat. The best musical revival this year. Don’t wait till it transfers to the West End.
Review: An Officer and a Gentleman
What brings this musical home is the drawing-together of threads that hang loose in Act One. And finally you believe in a story that doesn’t flinch from darkness and sings its distress. Thoroughly enjoyable.
Review: Sister Act
In short, a fabulous example of British talent, now endangered, bringing quadruple threat to a magnificent production. Not all such mainstream shows on tour even approach outstanding, but this truly is.
Review: Oliver!
You’re not going to see anything this special in most (if any) revivals, however luxury-cast. In stripping-back, then regrowing a complete ensemble with even lesser songs, this is the most complete Oliver! we’re likely to see.
Review: Just For One Day
Despite history’s caveats, O’Farrell’s core message isn’t about white saviours or pop stars but how ordinary people unite to change things.
Review: For Entertainment Purposes Only
Philip Ayckbourn’s songs are the heart of this collection. It’d be thrilling to see a full musical here; and staged in London. Enthusiastically recommended, there’s gems, with more of Ayckbourn’s elegiac sensibility than I’ve ever seen. More of this please.
Review: Cowbois
Cranford’s gone Wild West, via the Court and RSC. Cowbois is of course daft. But it’s magnificent in its silliness, contains wonderful – and truthful – moments. Deadly serious can have you rolling in the aisles and still jump up for the revolution.
Review: Odyssey: A Heroic Pantomime
This compact one hour 45 show must run again. The most inventive, best-written and possibly best-sung panto in Town.
Review: Oh What a Lovely War
Musically directed by Ellie Verkerk the six-strong cast play instruments throughout. They’re a phenomenal team, singing beautifully a capella or in solo. With six young actors mostly fresh out of drama school absolutely at the top of their first game, we’re treated to acting both hungry to prove and yet touched by the world they’ve entered. This is an outstanding production.
Review: Something Rotten
If the proof is in the pudding (or the omelette, if you’ve seen the show), this production is proof of what can happen when community theatre is given the support and resources that allow people to showcase their innate creativity and talents.
Review: Greatest Days
It’s a one-stop night out to spot upcoming with established talent. Everything from costume-change to curtain-call is a kaleidoscope.
Review: Blood Brothers
This reinvigorated classic has overwhelming impact: as story, as lyric fable, as terrible moral for these distracted times.
Review: This Way For The Gas, Ladies and Gentlemen
Based on the writing of poet Tadeusz Borowski and the paintings of Arnold Daghani This Way For The Gas bears explosive witness to shape the pulse of that post-Holocaust world. Bill Smith, Angi Mariano and their colleagues have wrought an enormous service. In the last great reprise of 'Never' we realise we're seeing the finale of an emerging masterpiece.
Review: An Afternoon With Anton Du Beke and Friends
Du Beke would have easily been able to present a polished, over-the-top extravaganza to rival the Ziegfeld Follies, but this being the Fringe, he gave us an intimate, scrappy hour that provided the perfect tonic for a rainy day in the last week of the festival.
Review: Brain Hemingway
A blocked playwright with a looming deadline is haunted by the subject of her last failed show: Ernest Hemingway.
Review: After This Plane Has Landed
New musical drama based on the harrowing story of kidnapped British journalist John McCarthy and Jill Morell's relentless campaigning for his freedom.
Review: Chriskirkpatrickmas: A Boy Band Christmas Musical
Even the Grinch Would Enjoy This Blast From the Recent Past
Review: Potty the Plant – A New Dark Comedy Musical
A light hearted pseudo-horror story with a few jibes at current affairs
Review: Alan Turing : A Musical Biography
Competent biography portraying the highlights of Alan Turing's life, from school to grave, with songs
Review: Bowjangles: Dracula in Space
The stakes are high, as a talented string quartet encounter Dracula, with tremendously entertaining shenanigans aplenty
Review: A Good Panto Die Hard
The alchemy required to create this panto/action/comedy/musical, and get away with it, should not be underestimated.
Review: La Petite Gerda
Imaginative retelling of Snow Queen story with beautifully sung songs, excellent acting and creative storytelling.
Review: Oscar at the Crown
An immersive neon extravaganza that brings us Oscar Wilde, not as we know him and not as we ought to either.
Review: Too Big for Her Britches
Audience members were laughing, crying, then returned to laughing again
Review: The Sound of Music
This is a top, not just first-rate cast; a riveting, rethought revival. There’s not a weak link - and some vocal surprises. The end is almost unbearably moving. Some still come over mountains as here, some in small boats. You might not feel the same about something you thought you knew. An outstanding revival.
Review: Then, Now and Next
The Book and Lyrics are peerless for this scale, or indeed anywhere: and we can only look forward to much more from Orton and Robyns. This is a heart-rending, heart-warming piece. Laughter certainly, tears, yes those too. The must-see musical of the summer.
Review: Tony!
There’s no doubt this is an offbeat, brilliant, rude, absolutely necessary musical. Its acid test will come from younger Millennials and Zoomers. But then that’s the point: the winners rewrite history. History has just struck back, and it’s a blast.
Review: Waldo’s Circus of Magic and Terror
Dazzling spectacles and poignant moments against a background of Nazi oppression
Review: Tony!
There’s no doubt this is an offbeat, brilliant, rude, absolutely necessary musical. Its acid test will come from younger Millennials and Zoomers. But then that’s the point: the winners rewrite history. History has just struck back, and it’s a blast.
Review: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying
This is certainly the best attempt yet to revive this musical with a new accent, and the way to see this musical. With such a company, see it anyway. It’ll prod you with questions and send you singing for answers.
Review: Idle Women
Musical theatre that motors along the canals of England with women at its heart and helm.
Review: Sugar Coat
Essential theatre. Five singer-actors, memorably punchy music, witty and heartbreaking – most of all groundbreaking – storytelling. 90 minutes of this and you’ll know just what to do with the patriarchy.
Review: Heathers
Rethought, rejigged, bright with humour and shadowed with plangency, this is the Heathers we’re meant to have
Review: Fisherman’s Friends: The Musical
A glorious night out, a wonderful cast and in Shahmir a mesmerising star in the making.
Review: A Mother’s Song
An incredible musical feat of centuries of connection made through song, motherhood and a dazzling sense of bridging continents and time with ballads.
Review: The Emergence Festival
A fascinating evening of well-considered works that augur well for many with a real future in the arts.
Review: Rocky Horror Show
The most lucid-voiced Rocky I’ve seen and on balance strongest cast for a long time. Two great reasons to return, or adventure for your first awakening on Planet Transexual.
Review: From Here to Eternity
Grabs you from the towards the close of Act One and doesn’t let go: from here to curtain we’re in heart-stopping eternity.
Review: Cher A New Musical
See it here first before you feel compelled to travel to pay West End prices.
