These Theatre Thoughts

  My review of   Then, Now & Next  at Southwark Playhouse (Borough), on behalf of Everything Theatre:  Then, Now & Next , written by  Christopher J Orton  and  Jon Robyns , offers a poignant, heartbreaking, heartwarming view of one woman’s life, and the people and events that have brought her from  then  to  now  to  next . From her first experiences of love to the challenges she faces in the present, the show presents a heartfelt exploration of personal growth and resilience, of loss and trauma, and of how time can heal, even if it won’t let you forget. Read more at:  https://everything-theatre.co.uk/2023/06/review-then-now-and-next/

  MURDER MYSTERY DINNER MURDER AT MOTHLEY ZOO Friday 11 August from 7pm , The Hawth Spotlight Restaurant Crawley As the glorious weather shines down, families have flocked for a day out at Mothley Zoo, and if the kids misbehave while there, they can be dragged around the moth house as punishment. This weekend, the queue is excitedly snaking up to the gorilla enclosure due to the new arrival, Alpro, the Silverback Gorilla. The trouble is, when the red curtain to the enclosure is pulled back, Alpro is nowhere to be seen, and in his place is the body of the Head Zookeeper. With no CCTV (a rebellious parrot smashed the servers a few days ago), Inspector Rutherford requires your assistance to get to the bottom of all this monkey business. Join Moonstone Murder Mysteries at The Hawth for an evening of Murder Mystery, packed with plot twists, suspicious suspects, and plenty of red herrings along the way! Tonight, you are the detectives, and it’s your job to crack the case before

  FULL CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR THE NEW UK TOUR OF THE AWARD-WINNING SMASH HIT PLAY THE FULL MONTY BY SIMON BEAUFOY OPENING AT THE EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM ON 14 SEPTEMBER 2023   Everyman Theatre Cheltenham & Buxton Opera House in association with Mark Goucher and David Pugh are delighted to announce full casting for the UK Tour of Simon Beaufoy’s THE FULL MONTY , opening at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham from 14 September 2023. Full tour schedule below. www.fullmontytheplay.com   Joining the previously announced Danny Hatchard as Gaz, Jake Quickenden as Guy, Bill Ward as Gerald, Neil Hurst as Dave, Ben Onwukwe as Horse and Nicholas Prasad as Lomper will be Oliver Joseph Brooke , Katy Dean , Laura Matthews , Danny Mellor , Adam Porter Smith , Suzanne Procter, Alice Schofield , and Leyon Stolz-Hunter . The young actors playing the role of Nathan on tour will be Cass Dempsey , Theo Hills , Rowan Poulton and Jack Wisniewski .   Danny Hatchard is probably b

My review of   The Third Man  at The Menier Chocolate Factory, London, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  The Third Man , a new musical adaptation of the iconic film, takes to the stage with a tantalising promise of bringing fresh life to a beloved classic, and with impressive staging and watchable performances, the production certainly creates a captivating atmosphere. But there is one aspect that doesn’t quite live up to the rest: the music.  Read more at:  https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-the-third-man-menier-chocolate-factory

My review of   Fury & Elysium  at The Other Palace Studio, London, on behalf of Adventures in Theatreland:  Fury & Elysium  is an exciting, brand-new musical by Calista Kazuko Georget with a book by Stephanie Martin that gives the audience a glimpse of the way Berlin witnessed the indelible imprints of six remarkable female figures who played a pivotal role in shaping the Weimar Republic. These influential icons brought their unique and distinctive contributions to the cultural fabric of the city. Read more at:  https://adventuresintheatreland.com/2023/06/15/fury-elysium-the-other-palace-studio-%E2%AD%90%E2%AD%90%E2%AD%90%E2%AD%90/  

This is lovely; a video featuring the Emcees of London’s CABARET at the Kit Kat Club celebrating John Kander and Joel Grey’s Tony Lifetime Achievement Awards.

Following a sell-out Broadway run, ATG Productions are delighted to announce that t wo-time Tony Award ® winner Matthew Broderick and two-time Emmy Award ® winner Sarah Jessica Parker, will lead the cast in the West End transfer of Neil Simon ’s hit comedy PLAZA SUITE. Directed by Tony Award ® winner John Benjamin Hickey, PLAZA SUITE will play a strictly limited season at the Savoy Theatre from 15 January to 31 March 2024 with tickets on sale in September 2023 . Sign up for access to tickets before anyone else at plazasuiteuk.com Matthew Broderick returns to the West End stage following his acclaimed run in The Starry Messenger in 2019. PLAZA SUITE will mark Sarah Jessica Parker ’s West End debut.  In New York, PLAZA SUITE became the must-have ticket for Broadway audiences. The production played to sold-out houses and shattered multiple box-office records at the Hudson Theatre, becoming the third-highest grossing play revival in Broadway history during its limited 19-we

Photo Brittain Photography My review of   Grindr The Opera  at The Union Theatre, London, on behalf of Theatre Weekly:  Grindr The Opera  bursts onto the stage with a creative flair that pushes boundaries and invites audiences on a captivating journey. Written by Erik Ransom, this production seamlessly blends heartfelt storytelling, exceptional performances, mesmerising music, and imaginative staging to create a theatrical experience that leaves a lasting impression. Read more at:  https://theatreweekly.com/review-grindr-the-opera-at-the-union-theatre/

Following much anticipation, The Orchard Theatre, in Partnership with Dartford Borough Council, presents Dartford Pride 2023 .   SATURDAY 22 JULY 2pm – 7pm   This is the second year of Dartford Pride after it first launched in July 2022. WATCH VIDEO FROM DARTFORD PRIDE 2022   The event is a fantastic platform to represent and support the local LGBTQIA+ community and takes place outside The Orchard Theatre, with an outdoor stage and live performances.   Leader of Dartford Borough Council Jeremy Kite MBE said: “Our Dartford Pride event had a fantastic first year last summer and we couldn’t be happier to be working with The Orchard Theatre again this year. “We have a wonderful LGBTQIA+ community in Dartford, I want this to be an amazing event for them and for the whole community.”   The Pride stage 2023 will include returning performances from River Medway and Queenz and well as new entertainment from our host X Factor’s Anton Stephans , Strictly Come Dancing star Gra

  David Ian for Crossroads Live is delighted to announce a new production of the most fantasmagorical musical of all time, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG , opening at Mayflower Theatre, Southampton on 30 April 2024 where it will play until 12 May 2024 ahead of a UK tour. See more at:  chittyontour.com . Based on Ian Fleming’s timeless story for children and later made into the famous 1968 film, CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG features the unforgettable songs by the Sherman Brothers including Toot Sweets , Hushabye Mountain , Truly Scrumptious and the Academy Award-nominated title song, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang .   This new production will be directed by Thom Southerland ( Titanic, Parade ), choreographed by Karen Bruce (BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing, The Bodyguard ) with Set and Costume design by Morgan Large ( Newsies, Joseph and the Technicolour Dreamcoat ), Orchestrations and Musical Supervision by George Dyer (The Wizard of Oz, Annie, Billy Elliot) and casting by Debbie O’Brien .   In

  Full casting is announced today for Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre.   Haydn Gwynne, Damian Humbley, Bradley Jaden, Gavin Lee and Jason Pennycooke will join Broadway Legends Bernadette Peters and Lea Salonga alongside Christine Allado, Janie Dee, Bonnie Langford, Joanna Riding, Jeremy Secomb , Jac Yarrow, Marley Fenton and Beatrice Penny-Touré. The company will also include Harry Apps, Bella Brown and Monique Young , completing a cast that is truly the best of the West End and Broadway. Devised and Produced by Cameron Mackintosh , Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends will run at the Gielgud Theatre for 16 weeks only from 16 September 2023 – 6 January 2024 . Tickets are on sale now at sondheimoldfriends.com Cameron Mackintosh said today “I’m delighted to be welcoming so many old friends from my past productions, most of whom have stopped the show as well as some brilliant new ones, to star in Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre this autumn

  Image: Paul Torode/VenUe Media In a secret room in the heart of London’s Theatreland there is a secret, stagey haven filled with talented West End performers serving dinner and cocktails. SingEasy’s singing waiters host a highly theatrical West End party with delicious food and cocktails every Thursday to Saturday. At SingEasy everyone is in the front row, and for the first time, they are launching an exclusive membership scheme. New members will be issued a digital wallet membership card granting them SingEasy priority. This entitles them to priority entry, allowing them to skip The Piano Works queue and head straight down to SingEasy, as well as being the first to hear about exclusive events, experiences and offers. The membership scheme has been introduced as SingEasy will only be open to bookings and membership card holders and their guests from 1st June 2023 in order to ensure SingEasy is an exclusive and affirming space. Membership also includes discounted entry on Friday and S