These Theatre Thoughts

Photo credit: Mark Senior Date: 12th September 2024  Seat: E5 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 5 Stars  Stratford East’s revival of Abigail’s Party is a horribly familiar and dazzlingly uncomfortable affair, like a comfort blanket full of nails – and that’s just how we like it; this is where Mike Leigh’s suburban satire gets a fresh, sharp-witted twist, making the audience squirm and laugh in equal measure.  It’s hard to know just what makes Abigail’s Party so fantastic (as Beverly herself would say), but the characters are definitely a big part of why this play has endured for almost 50 years, and Tamzin Outhwaite steals the show as Beverly, a force of nature who bludgeons her guests with charm and alcohol. She’s the queen of passive-aggressive hosting, and when she talks there’s a delicious undercurrent of menace in the sweetness. But there’s a sad kind of desperation too; the way her face lights up when Ange says she wants to see the ‘pornographic’ picture hanging in the bedroom is heartbr

Photo credit: Danny Kaan  Date: 11th September 2024 Rating: 4 Stars  There’s a bee, there’s a bee… Yes, ‘Interlude in B Minor’, the act one closer from new musical Why Am I So Single? has been stuck in my head since I saw the show, and no, I’m not mad about it. In fact, it’s great to have something different, funny, fascinating, and chaotic to enjoy – and if that doesn’t sum this show (written by creators of Six , Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss) up, I don’t know what does.  The show is an unapologetic celebration of the chaos that is modern dating and Jo Foster and Leesa Tulley, playing two best friends caught in a never-ending cycle of bad dates and existential questions, bring a warmth and authenticity to the stage that’s both hilarious and touching. They’re not just characters; they’re the friends you’ve confided in after a disastrous Tinder match, and you’ll find yourself rooting for them to find love – or at least some peace – along the way.  The ensemble is a scene-stealer, quite

  Date: 20th August 2024 Seat: R15 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars  Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is something we’ve all grown up with; it’s just always been there, reliable and faithful as the car itself, so what would it be like on stage? Could it be just as heart-warming and nostalgia-inducing? The answer is yes – the show is full of charm, energy, and just the right amount of nostalgia. If you love the film, you’ll love the show; there are even some extra song and dance numbers thrown in.  One of the things that really makes a show like Chitty , much like the film itself, is the cast, and this cast is an exceptional one. Adam Garcia shone as Caractacus Potts, bringing warmth and charisma to the role, and his performance of “Hushabye Mountain” was beautifully heartfelt, and his playful banter with Ellie Nunn’s Truly Scrumptious was spot-on. She’s a modern-day Truly, trousers and all, and it works for a modern-day audience without taking away anything that makes the character special.  Ph

  Photo credit: Mark Senior Date: 19th August 2024 Seat: N10 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars  If you're in the mood for a night of silliness, dashing derring-do, and enough theatrical tomfoolery to make your head spin, then make a beeline to the Trafalgar Theatre. The 39 Steps has stormed back into London with all its madcap energy, and it’s going to make you smile.   The issue is that it might not make you laugh out loud. That doesn’t mean it’s a bad show (it’s not, it’s great), and it doesn’t mean it’s not worth watching (it is – I absolutely recommend it), but it might not be the side-splitting humour you’re looking for. On the plus side, this ingenious production, where four fearless actors play an astonishing 139 roles, is a masterclass in how to turn the serious business of a classic Hitchcock spy thriller into a gleeful, giggling romp. Tom Byrne, as our pencil-moustachioed hero Richard Hannay, is the epitome of stiff-upper-lipped charm, dashing about with a mix of clu

  Photo credit: Mark Douet Date: 6th August 2024 Seat: F1 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars Like all the best plays, When It Happens To You seems simple at first – the sparse set, the lack of props, the small cast… it all adds up to a quick (the entire run-time is only 85 minutes without any interval) story told well.  However, like all the best plays, that’s just the surface level. There’s so much more underneath, and writer Tawni O’Dell has packed a huge amount into her autobiographical play that’s a harrowing but also profoundly moving and perhaps even uplifting exploration of the aftermath of sexual assault.  There might not be much in the way of set – although a soothing blue cityscape does tower over everyone and everything – but that’s the point; this is a story about people, not things and, even though specific cities are involved, not really places either. The entire point is that this can happen to you, no matter who you are or where you are. It can happen to someone you k

Date: 28th July 2024  Seat: G1 Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars Sometimes musicals are just a bit of fluff - albeit enjoyable fluff - that don’t mean an awful lot, and that’s fine. We can all do with some fun nothings from time to time. But sometimes musicals actually mean something, and Fantastically Great Women Who Changed The World is one of those musicals. The fact that it’s aimed at children (although it works for adults too) makes it even more special.  The musical is based on the children’s book of the same name by Kate Pankhurst (and yes, she is a direct descendent of Emmeline Pankhurst). It's adapted by Chris Bush with music by Miranda Cooper and Jennifer Decilveo and lyrics by Chris Bush and Miranda Cooper. It’s directed by Amy Hodge. And it’s a triumph.  Fantastically Great Women tells the story of Jade, a young girl on a school trip to a museum who accidentally stumbles on an exhibition that’s currently closed to the public when she gets left behind. That exhibition is