These Theatre Thoughts

  Tickets: Free Date: 29th September 2023 Seat: My Sofa Rating: 4 Stars We’re not gamers (is that even the right word?) in this family; we’re theatre nerds (as if that wasn’t obvious), so I’ll admit to being a little unsure when we sat down to watch RuneSical , a musical about the game RuneScape. There was no need to be anxious, and no need to be into computer games; Gigglemug’s fantastical and fun frolic through Gielinor to find the Mirror Dragon is a joyous and daft bit of entertainment that kept us hooked throughout, laughing out loud, gasping at one point (there’s a twist!), and just generally getting into the spirit of things from the comfort of the sofa. Wearing pyjamas.  Because here’s the thing: as well as being a great musical in its own right, RuneSical is online, in its entirety, and you can watch the whole thing on YouTube any time you want – which I thoroughly recommend you do.  In fact, you’ll want to watch RuneSical more than once because here’s the other...

  Tickets: Paid for Date: 27th September 2023 Seat: C27 Rating: 4 Stars There are two things I love most when it comes to my viewing options – theatre and horror films. So when those two things are combined, I’m excited. When they’re combined well, like they are in Shock Horror , I’m ecstatic. And terrified. And those are good things to be in my book.   Shock Horror tells the disjointed and upsetting story of Herbert, who grew up in an old cinema called the Metropol, where something unspeakable happened. He lived there with his mother, Norma, father, Jack, and something else too: the Darkness. Herbert has returned to the cinema, possibly the one place he felt safe in his life (although ‘safe’ is certainly a relative term in this case), one last time before it’s demolished. He doesn’t exactly want to be there, but someone’s got to keep the ghosts in the walls and the Darkness in check.   Written and directed by Ryan Simons, Shock Horror is a cleverly realised story that ...

  SADLER’S WELLS AND JONATHAN CHURCH THEATRE PRODUCTIONS PRESENT CURVE’S SMASH-HIT PRODUCTION OF THE BROADWAY MUSICAL A CHORUS LINE RETURNING TO CURVE IN 2024 FOLLOWED BY A SUMMER RUN AT SADLER’S WELLS AND A UK TOUR STARRING ADAM COOPER AS ZACH AND CARLY MERCEDES DYER AS CASSIE DIRECTED BY NIKOLAI FOSTER CHOREOGRAPHED BY ELLEN KANE Sadler’s Wells and Jonathan Church Theatre Productions are delighted to announce that Curve’s smash hit production of the Broadway musical A CHORUS LINE will return in 2024, playing at Curve from 28 June to 13 July 2024 , with a Summer run at Sadler’s Wells from 31 July to 25 August and a UK Tour.   The UK tour will visit The Lowry in Salford 23 to 27 July , Norwich Theatre Royal 27 to 31 August , The Marlowe in Canterbury 2 to 7 September , Birmingham Hippodrome 10 to 14 September , New Theatre , Cardiff , 16 to 21 September , Edinburgh Festival Theatre 24 to 28 September and Wycombe Swan 30 September – 5 October. ...

  Tickets: Gifted Date: 18th September 2023 Seat: G3 Rating: 3 Stars From the first chilling note to the final fiery scene, Rebecca is an all-out melodrama, complete with sinister plots, a soaring score, and characters that wouldn’t look out of place in a panto – but that’s all part of its charm. It’s an over-the-top, entirely gorgeous piece of outlandish theatre, and I absolutely loved it. Although, that’s not to say there aren’t a few issues.  One of the biggest problems with Rebecca is that something seems to have been a little lost in translation. The story still makes sense (although perhaps knowing the Daphne du Maurier novel or the 1940 Hitchcock adaptation with Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine does help with that), but some of the lyrics just seem too on the nose, or just not clever enough to be memorable. Perhaps the original German gives a different feeling, but in English, there are a few moments that get lost and aren’t as strong as they might be.  Plus, th...

My review of   Infamous  at The Jermyn Street Theatre, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  Emma Hamilton, born in 1765, was an iconic figure in 18th century England and, renowned for her beauty and charisma, she became the mistress of Admiral Horatio Nelson. Emma's captivating allure and social grace (including her ‘attitudes’ – Emma would strike various poses, embodying different characters and emotions, while dressed in elaborate costumes and surrounded by appropriate props and backdrops) made her a prominent figure in London society. Her life, marked by scandal and extravagance, is usually remembered because of Nelson; she doesn’t often get her own story.  They say that history is written by the victors, which is perhaps why Emma’s story has faded into the background (not something that could ever have been said about her during her lifetime) but Infamous, written by April De Angelis and directed by Michael Oakley, allows us to see Emma herself, along with other i...

Photo credit: The Other Richard My review of   God of Carnage  at The Lyric Hammersmith, on behalf of West End Best Friend:  It’s a tale as old as the hills; kids on the playground or in the park sniping, bickering, fighting, switching allegiances, changing sides… they’re friends one minute, enemies the next, ganging up on one another and never really understanding where it is they’re going or what they’re meant to do when they get there.  This is something we know. It’s something we’ve all been through.  Read more at:  https://www.westendbestfriend.co.uk/news/review-god-of-carnage-lyric-hammersmith-theatre

  Photo credit: Rod Penn Tickets: Gifted Date: 31st August 2023  Seat: H16  Rating: 5 Stars Who among us hasn't wistfully wished our lives were like a musical when we're sitting in a theatre, gazing up at the stage? I know I have, and I'm pretty sure I can't be the only one, otherwise  I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical  wouldn't exist.  It's a good thing it does.  Written by Alexander S. Bermange (who also appears on stage playing the piano – the only instrument used throughout across 16 songs in a rapid 70-minute runtime) and directed and choreographed by Matthew Parker, this short show is an ode not just to musicals, but to those who love them, from excited theatregoer to 'super fan', as well as the performers themselves.  I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical  starts as it means to go on, with the cast of Jennifer Caldwell, Julie Yammanee, Sev Keoshgerian, and Rhidian Marc donning glitzy gold waistcoats and high-kicking across the stage. Thi...