These Theatre Thoughts

  Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars What do you want from a play? Something new? Something interesting? Something that gets your mind nicely working and the cogs whirring around? If that’s the case, you’re in luck; these are the things that Torben Betts’ Murder in the Dark gives you in a neatly wrapped-up package full of scares and twists. Just when you think you’ve definitely worked out exactly what’s going on, the rug (or in this case, perhaps sofa or maybe dining table) is very firmly yanked out from under you, and you have to start all over again, with just the merest scraps of clues to help you.  Here's a hint: those clues won’t help. By the time you get to the end of this masterclass in psychological horror, you’ll barely know what’s up and what’s down, let alone what’s real – and what’s just a shadow.  Photo credit: Pamela Raith Murder in the Dark is the story of Danny Sierra, a has-been pop idol who, along with his brother, William, ex-wife, Rebecca, son, Jake, and girlfr

  Photo credit: Jack Merriman Date: 9th April 2024  Seat: S11 (Stalls) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars In a world where cynicism often overshadows genuine human connection, Calendar Girls is a warm, fun, genuine musical that lifts spirits and puts smiles on faces wherever it goes. Based on the true story that inspired the beloved film, this stage adaptation transports audiences into the heart of Yorkshire, where a group of ordinary women embarks on an extraordinary journey of friendship, courage, and self-discovery – they are members of the WI, and they decide to do a ‘tastefully nude’ calendar to raise money for their local hospital after the death of one member’s husband there.  Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle with sensitivity but with a smidgeon of naughtiness thrown in, the production captures the essence of the original story, whittling it down to its bare bones but keeping in all the important elements. From the moment the curtain – with its wonderful sunflower depicted on it – r

Photo credit: Simon Vail Date: 5th April 2024  Seat: B23 (Large) Tickets: Gifted Rating: 3 Stars Sherlock Holmes is a well-loved and well-known character, and adapting one of his stories for the stage is potentially a thankless task – there will always be fans who find fault. However, there will also always be fans who are happy that their hero has yet another life, and when the adaptation is done well, it can be a true joy to see Holmes, Watson, Mrs Hudson, and the rest of the gang brought to life in front of your eyes.  Blackeyed Theatre has done well with this adaptation by Nick Lane, and Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is a fun murder mystery story that allows the audience to investigate along with the titular detective to come to a conclusion that, if not altogether shocking, still offers enough of a twist to entertain.  There are 20 characters in the story from beginning to end and only five performers, and although that could make things confusing – especially when you

  FINAL CASTING ANNOUNCED  AND ADDITIONAL TICKETS RELEASED FOR  SPRING AWAKENING 15 TH ANNIVERSARY REUNION CONCERT  OF ORIGINAL WEST END PRODUCTION  AT THE VICTORIA PALACE THEATRE SUNDAY 2 JUNE 2024   Producers Jack Maple and Evelyn Hoskins are delighted to announce final casting and the release of additional tickets for the 15 th Anniversary reunion concert of the original West End production of Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik’s Tony, Olivier and Grammy award-winning musical SPRING AWAKENING , based on the play by Frank Wedekind.   Celebrating the original London production’s 15 th  anniversary, the concert will reunite many of the original London cast for this one night only celebration on Sunday 2 June 2024 at Victoria Palace Theatre. Final tickets are on sale now.   Olivier Award nominated and WhatsonStage Award-winning actor, Jack Wolfe ( Next to Normal , Donmar Warehouse), will be joining the company as Moritz and original West End cast member Richard Southgate (

  Stamptown Proudly Presents: JACK TUCKER: COMEDY STANDUP HOUR After a sold out seven-week twice-extended run Off-Broadway at SoHo Playhouse; New York Times Critic’s Pick, and Vulture’s ‘Top Comedians You Should & Will Know’ -  Zach Zucker returns to London’s Soho Theatre, with his award-winning clown/character show   15th -20th July. Soho Theatre, Dean Street, London https://sohotheatre.com/events/jack-tucker-comedy-stand-up-hour/     NEW YORK TIMES CRITIC’S PICK (2024)   VULTURE’S TOP COMEDIANS YOU SHOULD & WILL KNOW (2023)   “As played by Zach Zucker, in a RAUCOUSLY FUNNY portrait of a catastrophically dim stand-up comic, Tucker fails in bunches, in quantity and quality, flopping so fast you might miss some errors. Just when you think he can’t stumble again, he does. And it’s a TRIUMPH.”  NEW YORK TIMES CRITIC’S PICK (Comedy Standup Hour review - SoHo Playhouse, March 2024)   Chortle’s Comedian’s Comedian (2020) and quintessential New Yorker, Ja

James Seabright presents   World Wide Comedy Award Winner FRIEND (The One With Gunther) Written by Brendan Murphy Starring Joseph Maudsley Directed by Hamish MacDougall   Venue:              King’s Head Theatre, London Dates:              Tuesday, 14 th to Saturday, 26 th May Time:                7.00pm (Tues to Fri), 6.00pm (Sat & Sun) Box Office:        0207 226 8561 Online                www.kingsheadtheatre.com   In Loving memory of James Michael Tyler (the real Gunther) and Matthew Perry  “OUT OF FIVE STARS, IT SHOULD BE SEVEN… SEVEN… SEVEN” ★★★★★ Broadway World To celebrate twenty years since the final episode of FRIENDS – the world’s most successful sitcom - James Seabright is delighted to announce a highly anticipated return London season for Brendan Murphy’s award winning show Friend (The One With Gunther) . One man, one hour, ten seasons. The entire 236 episodes of the hit 90s TV show,  FRIENDS , retold through the eyes of Gunther,

In celebration of its 80 th anniversary, RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S OKLAHOMA! returns to its original West End home, Theatre Royal Drury Lane, in concert on Monday 19 August and Tuesday 20 August . RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S OKLAHOMA! in Concert stars Emmy, Critics Choice & Olivier Award-nominated actor Phil Dunster (Ted Lasso) as Curly alongside West End star Zizi Strallen (Mary Poppins) as Laurey.   The production is directed and choreographed by Olivier Award-winner Bill Deamer , and features Robert Russell Bennett’s full original 28-piece orchestrations performed by the London Musical Theatre Orchestra , conducted by Ben Glassberg .   Further casting and creatives are to be announced.    Tickets go on sale at 10am on 19 April. Pre-sale sign up is available now at www.oklahomaconcert.co.uk   British actor, director, writer, and producer Phil Dunster has quickly emerged as one of Hollywood’s most globally sought-after creatives. He received an Olivier nominatio

Tickets: Gifted Rating: 4 Stars Solo performances, which seem to be all the rage at the moment, can be a bit hit and miss, especially if the performer has to take on multiple roles, but in Original Theatre’s Jekyll & Hyde , Forbes Masson is a hit, taking on the varied roles in the story, from Utterson the lawyer (and perhaps somewhat unreliable narrator) to the titular dual role itself, with gusto, able to switch personalities on a whim, it seems, all with little more than the buttoning up of a waistcoat, a rolling down of sleeves, and a change of accent or, in some cases, just tone of voice. It’s a remarkable performance that draws you into the story quickly, so that within the first couple of minutes the audience is hooked – we can’t leave now, not when there’s so much happening and such an eerie tale to get to the bottom of.  The story has been adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s source material by Gary McNair, who has managed to take the original story and condense it down