Johan Persson

Listen: OLIVER! 2024 London Cast Recording Now Streaming

The new 2024 cast recording from the London company of Oliver! is now available on digital. Recorded in front of live audiences at Chichester Festival Theatre last year, the recording features iconic songs like “Food, Glorious Food”, “Consider Yourself”, and more. Listen to it here!

Critics' Choice: Franco Milazzo's Top 30 Immersive Shows of 2024

In 2024, the immersive genre in London and beyond grew and grew and grew, with the independent sector overshadowing the biggest names.

Critics' Choice: Gary Naylor's Best Theatre of 2024

There's praise for plays old and new and musicals, well, mainly old

Review Roundup: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 at the Donmar Warehouse

Arriving in the glittering opulent world of Moscow High Society, the impulsive and romantic Natasha Rostova awaits the return of her fiancé from the front lines. But when she falls under the spell of an intoxicating aristocrat, it is up to the unlikely hero, Pierre, to pick up the pieces of her shattered reputation.

Review: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812, Donmar Warehouse

“Nothing is trivial, and nothing is important, it’s all the same.' Conflict rages around the world, and yet normal life (with its requisite anxieties) is expected to go on regardless. This is the situation in which Tolstoy’s War and Peace characters find themselves; the Napoleonic Wars continue, but high society and family dramas will never rest.

Review: NUTCRACKER, London Coliseum

It has been some time coming. For nearly 15 years English National Ballet enthusiastically performed Wayne Eagling’s Nutcracker, a traditional but rather staid production with a fuzzy narrative and lacking opportunity for the company to shine.

Photos: NATASHA, PIERRE, AND THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 Makes its UK Premiere

All new photos have been released for the UK premiere of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 which marks new Artistic Director Tim Sheader’s directorial debut at the venue. Check out the photos here

Review: CARLOS ACOSTA'S NUTCRACKER IN HAVANA, Southbank Centre

Carlos Acosta's touring show is a delightful Christmassy treat

Review: MATTHEW BOURNE'S SWAN LAKE: THE NEXT GENERATION, Sadler's Wells

Even 30 years after he created it, Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake is still his defining production. Just why hasn’t he yet surpassed this masterpiece?

Review: THE LITTLE FOXES, Young Vic

We love watching a rich family crumble on stage. From Oedipus and his mother to Chekhov’s families fractured by existential angst, to Ibsen’s split by socio-politics paradigm shifts. The Hubbards, the family of former plantation owners in Lilian Hellman’s The Little Foxes, could be the spiritual successor of them all

Photos: THE LITTLE MERMAID at Bristol Old Vic

Production photos have been released for Bristol Old Vic's Christmas spectacular, The Little Mermaid. Check out the new photos and learn more about this production here!

Critics' Choice: Louise Penn's 2024 Highlights

From the bold new musicals aimed at Gen Z audiences, to classic play revivals and experimental dance productions, London has offered a variety of shows across its stages this year. Louise Penn celebrates her pick of the work of the West End and smaller off-West End spaces.

Photos: NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 In Rehearsal At Donmar Warehouse

Go inside the rehearsal for the UK premiere of Dave Malloy’s Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet Of 1812 which marks new Artistic Director Tim Sheader’s directorial debut at the Donmar House. See the photos.

Interview: 'People Are In For a Real Treat!': Actor Declan Bennett on NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812

Seven years after it closed on Broadway in 2017, Natasha, Pierre and the Great Comet of 1812 is finally arriving in London at the Donmar Warehouse in December. The show, written by Dave Malloy, takes a seventy-page segment of Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace (Part Eight, to be specific) and transforms it into a sung-through musical. The titular characters of Natasha Rostova and Pierre Bezukhov are respectively played by Chumisa Dornford-May and Declan Bennett.

Interview: 'It's Very Emotionally Intense': Actor Aaron Sidwell on Playing Bill Sikes in OLIVER!

Recently, we had the chance to talk with Aaron Sidwell, who takes on the infamous role of Bill Sikes. We discussed what made him want to be involved in Oliver!, how he is able to take on such an emotionally demanding role and what makes this production so special compared to other versions of the musical.

Review: RAMBERT DANCE: PEAKY BLINDERS at Grand Théâtre

This week, we had the privileged of attending  Rambert’s formidable show Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. This was clearly one of the most anticipated shows of the season.

Photos: NUTCRACKER IN HAVANA at Norwich Theatre Royal

Choreographed and directed by Carlos Acosta CBE, NUTCRACKER IN HAVANA opened at Norwich Theatre Royal tonight, 1 November 2024. It will then embark on a UK tour including a week-long run at London’s Southbank Centre in December 2024. Check out photos here!

Review: & JULIA at Stage Operettenhaus Hamburg

Do we need a Musical packed with Hits from Max Martin ( Producer/ Songwriter for Britney Spears, Backstreet Boys, Pink, Katy Perry, Justin Timberlake, Celine Dion, and many others)?

LES MISÉRABLES' Adam Pearce Raises Awareness On World Stroke Day

Adam Pearce, currently starring in Les Misérables in London’s West End, is using World Stroke Day to raise awareness about stroke recovery. After surviving a stroke in December 2022, the 40-year-old actor has returned to the stage and is now sharing his journey to encourage others facing similar challenges.

Review: ONLY FOOLS AND HORSES THE MUSICAL, Theatre Royal

Based on John Sullivan’s legendary television show, this critically acclaimed home-grown musical spectacular features cherished material from Britain’s best-loved TV series