UK / West End Theater Reviews: Best Shows & Critic Recommendations Page 5

Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 46: HOLST'S THE PLANETS, Royal Albert Hall
by Aliya Al-Hassan - August 26, 2024

If anyone were to worry about the future of classical music, Prom 46 would surely reassure them that we are in good hands. Students from the Royal College of Music Chamber Choir, Royal College of Music Symphony Orchestra and the Sibelius Academy Symphony Orchestra came together for an incredibly pow...

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: PLAYFIGHT, Roundabout @ Summerhall
by Abbie Grundy - August 25, 2024

Comedic and heartbreaking all at once....

Review: JULIA BULLOCK AND BRETTON BROWN, Bold Tendencies
by Matthew Paluch - August 27, 2024

Since 2007, Bold Tendencies has been bringing “radical practices, new generations of talent, learning opportunities and sought-after disciplines to Peckham” - and judging by the performance I saw: Julia Bullock and Bretton Brown, the original mission is still very much in full swing....

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: FAILURE PROJECT, Summerhall
by Abbie Grundy - August 25, 2024

An apt look the ways in which success and failure intermingle....

EDINBURGH 2024: Review: BAD HABIT, The Space @ Surgeons Hall
by Abbie Grundy - August 24, 2024

A production full of laughter and promise....

Review: THE INCREDIBLY SCARY OBJECT, Jack Studio Theatre
by Gary Naylor - August 24, 2024

A NASA press conference goes off the rails as the probe, and the probing, goes awry...

Review: LOST SOUL 2, Liverpool's Royal Court
by Sarah OHara - August 23, 2024

Brick Up the Mersey Tunnels and Council Depot Blues writer Dave Kirby is back at Liverpool’s Royal Court with Lost Soul 2....

Review: MR PUNCH AT THE OPERA, Arcola Theatre
by Franco Milazzo - August 22, 2024

It’s not every show that hands out party poppers as you go in. Aimed at young audiences, Mr Punch At The Opera whips together the iconic hand-puppets with a musical amuse-bouche....

Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 42: BEETHOVEN'S NINTH BY HEART, Royal Albert Hall
by Louise Penn - August 22, 2024

Since 2005, Aurora Orchestra have been performing classical pieces from memory with no score and free movement around the stage. Their passion for their craft is wonderful, and extends to all those who are lucky enough to see them work. This was an inclusive and accessible Prom, vibrant and vivaciou...

Review: SHIFTERS, Duke of York's Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan - August 22, 2024

An eloquent and very funny depiction of two young black British people, navigating their way through a waxing and waning relationship. It is a bittersweet, intelligent and exciting piece of theatre....

Review: OKLAHOMA! IN CONCERT, Theatre Royal Drury Lane
by Mica Blackwell - August 21, 2024

Oh, what a beautiful evening indeed! Oklahoma! In Concert is a triumphant celebration of the musical's 80-year legacy and lasting impact over musical theatre. With a star-studded cast who bring freshness to the iconic roles with an edge of familiarity, there’s no better way for Oklahoma! to return t...

Review: THE 39 STEPS, Trafalgar Theatre
by Franco Milazzo - August 20, 2024

Patrick Barlow’s parody The 39 Steps creaks and groans in places but still has plenty of laughs. Wrapped around the central character of Richard Hannay, the story unfurls as we see him accused of murder, run from the police and then defeat a foreign cabal of spies. ...

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: ABBY WAMBAUGH: THE FIRST 3 MINUTES OF 17 SHOWS, Pleasance Courtyard
by Christiana Rose - August 20, 2024

For Wambaugh’s debut hour at the Edinburgh Fringe 2024, the shows premise is the offering of a top 17 set of ideas for beginning a comedy show. This provides a light-hearted exploration of varied comedic styles, of which all work superbly....

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: I WISH MY LIFE WERE LIKE A MUSICAL, Gilded Balloon at The Museum
by Christiana Rose - August 20, 2024

I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical by Alexander S. Bermange, directed and choreographed by Matthew Parker, features four sublimely talented performers; Luke Harley, Sev Keoshgerian, Jessi O’Donnell and Julie Yammanee....

Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING, Open Bar Theatre
by Aliya Al-Hassan - August 19, 2024

Even if this summer has been a bit of a washout, there's much sunshine to be had at Open Bar Theatre's touring production of Much Ado About Nothing....

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: RACHEL FAIRBURN: SHOWGIRL, Underbelly, Bristo Square
by Christiana Rose - August 19, 2024

Fairburn fulfils the show’s title by appearing in a fabulous sequin jumpsuit and fluorescent tassels, entering to warm and rapturous applause. The set begins and the laughs are instantaneous in response to Fairburn’s winning, vibrant personality and blunt outlook of no-nonsense social commentary, wh...

Review: EDINBURGH 2024: FOUNTAIN OF YOU, Assembly Rooms
by Mary Baillie - August 21, 2024

The Royal Conservatoire of Scotland brings Tasha Gordon-Solomon and Faye Chiao's new play Fountain of You to the Fringe, diving deep into the perils of female ageism. The plot follows Kristen (Matrya Wróbel), a once-thriving actress deemed 'too old' for Hollywood after her 35th birthday. In a desper...

Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 38: STRAVINSKY'S 'FIREBIRD', Royal Albert Hall
by Michael Higgs - August 19, 2024

With the inclusion of several beloved all-time classics and an exceptional new cello concerto by Spanish composer Francisco Coll, the 38th 2024 BBC Prom marks a tremendous success for conductor Tianyi Lu....

Review: UTØYA, Arcola Theatre
by Gary Naylor - August 18, 2024

With Far Right terrorism and toxic masculinity defacing the summer, this 2015 play's UK premiere could no be more timely...

Review: COCKFOSTERS, Turbine Theatre
by Mica Blackwell - August 16, 2024

A laugh-out loud riot perfect for anyone who’s put up with the London Underground, Cockfosters captures the love-hate relationship we’ve all had with it over the last 160 years. With a cast who nail the comedy and are having the time of their lives, I urge you to get the next train to Battersea Powe...

Review: NORTHBOUND BOY, King's Head Theatre
by Josh Maughan - August 16, 2024

A venue that champions queer stories in an extraordinary way is The King's Head Theatre, now home to James Hogan’s new queer comedy, Northbound Boy. With a fantastic cast at its helm, Northbound Boy has the makings of a fascinating insight into the queer experience, however, it falls short in its cu...

Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 35: ELLINGTON, BRAXTON AND MARY LOU WILLIAMS
by Aliya Al-Hassan - August 16, 2024

Two giants of the jazz world and one composer who has had vast influence on modern music made up a mixed, but interesting, evening at the BBC Prom 35 in the ever-majestic Royal Albert Hall....

Review: BBC PROMS: PROM 34: 21ST-CENTURY SOUNDTRACKS, Royal Albert Hall
by Alice Cope - August 15, 2024

Robert Ames leads a superb performance from the London Contemporary Orchestra....

Review: PEANUT BUTTER AND BLUEBERRIES, Kiln Theatre
by Louise Penn - August 15, 2024

Peanut Butter and Blueberries is original, sweet, touching and vibrant. It is extremely refreshing to see a play about the British Muslim experience where trauma and tradition are, of course, acknowledged, but are not the main focus of the drama. As this is Manzoor-Khan's first play, it will be fasc...

Review: ANTONY & CLEOPATRA, Shakespeare's Globe
by Debbie Gilpin - August 14, 2024

'Age cannot wither her, nor custom stale her infinite variety.' Aside from a couple of Horrible Histories songs, most people probably know Cleopatra for her unique manner of death - almost certainly an apocryphal story (it's far more likely that she simply poisoned herself), but that and her ill-fat...