These Theatre Thoughts

  Photo credit: Darren Bell My review of   The Way Old Friends Do  at The Criterion Theatre, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  You can’t beat a bit of Abba, and Abba tribute acts are always a draw. What’s that? It’s all been done? Here we go again, we know the start, we know the end? But wait! What about a drag Abba tribute act? It’s perhaps not a question you’ve ever asked yourself before, but by the time you reach the curtain call of The Way Old Friends Do , you’ll wonder why; Abba and drag just go together so well.  Read more at:  https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-the-way-old-friends-do-criterion-theatre

  Photo credit: Johan Persson My review of   La Cage Aux Folles  at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, on behalf of Theatre Weekly:  La Cage Aux Folles  has been around, in various guises, for 40 years now, but rather than becoming stale, it’s still as ground-breaking now as it was then (and just as relevant), and this new production of Harvey Fierstein and Jerry Herman’s astonishingly vibrant and sassy musical hits all the right notes without a sequin, feather, or witty comment out of place. Directed by Tim Sheader,  La Cage Aux Folles  is a beautiful celebration of life, love, and being yourself, and that’s something we all need to make more time for. Read more at: https://theatreweekly.com/review-la-cage-aux-folles-at-regents-park-open-air-theatre/

  Tickets: Gifted Date: 4th August 2023  Seat: Unallocated  Stars: 2 The story of the Boleyn family is a rich and fascinating one filled with mystery, intrigue, and some very well-hidden skeletons in some very ornate closets; The Sphere of Light , written and directed by Ann Henning Jocelyn and based on her book of the same name, tries valiantly to capture that captivating essence. It almost succeeds, too, and with some tweaks, this play about not just Anne but lesser-known Boleyn family members could become something wonderful. It’s just not quite there yet.  Performed in the gorgeous setting of Hever Castle’s loggia, there could be no better place to watch the drama behind one of the most notorious and little-understood families in history play out – after all, the castle was Anne Boleyn’s childhood home. Surrounded by expansive gardens on one side and the stunning lake on the other, the atmosphere was evocative and meaningful. Unfortunately, the play didn’t live u...

Photo credit: Mark Senior Tickets: Gifted Date: 3rd August 2023  Seat: H20  Rating: 4 Stars Trailer:  https://youtu.be/lH7qiP4tDQY Colourful costumes? Check. Bright set design? Check. Jokes for kids? Check. Jokes for adults? Check. Fantastically fun music, larger-than-life characters, a whimsical and wacky storyline, and cool camp charm? Check, check, check, and a very definite check.  You could say that The SpongeBob Musical has it all. You could say that, and after having watched it at the gorgeous Queen Elizabeth Hall in London’s Southbank Centre, I am saying that. The SpongeBob Musical is a daft and delightful caper that you just know is going to have a happy ending, but that gives your heart a bit of a flutter along the way even so.  The story is set in Bikini Bottom, home of SpongeBob Squarepants himself, where the titular sponge, along with his friend Patrick and an assorted cast of characters including Squidward, Sandy Cheeks (a squirrel – under the se...