Theatre Reviews

______ 8 March 2025 ______ 5***** ______ The genius of Matthew Bourne is encapsulated in his desire to offer opportunities to up and coming dancers and then being able to capture their loyalty via his New Adventures company. With ‘Swan Lake’ on tour, he has two more shows waiting to be launched to theatres across […]

______ 28 February 2025 ______ 2** ______ The stage musical of Mary Poppins has eluded this reviewer since it first opened in London in 2004, now on a national tour, the show has the pedigree of the original novel, Disney film, director Richard Eyre and co-director Matthew Bourne behind that premiere production. Far from slavish

______ 6 February 2025 ______ 4**** ______ It is something of a mystery why ‘On Golden Pond’ is, seemingly, so rarely performed, so when the opportunity to see this award-winning play comes along, one would be foolish to miss out. Made famous by the Oscar-winning film version starring Katherine Hepburn and Henry Fonda, the play

______ 30 January 2025 ______ 5***** ______ Light, frivolous and entertaining, ‘Present Laughter’ certainly is, but there is a deeper tone in Noel Coward’s autobiographical play which speaks of the insecurities borne by the rich and famous. “Have any of us got what we want?” says Garry Essendine, the central figure in the story. Tackling

______ 23 January 2025 ______ 4**** ______ The transition of Damon Runyon’s short stories into one of the most successful stage musicals ever, is a triumph of skill, foresight and artifice. 75 years since it first appeared on Broadway, the show retains a freshness, an originality and a charm which a number of more modern

______ 19 December 2024 _______ 4**** ______ So, the reviewing year comes to an end and how appropriate to have a production of A Christmas Carol as the finale along with a first visit to the Marine Theatre in Lyme Regis. Charles Dickens would, no doubt, be astonished by the sheer number of versions and

______ 17 December 2024 ______ 5***** ______ There are many lists containing the elements of what makes for a good pantomime – or any stage show for that matter – you can tick boxes if you like. With Theatre Royal Plymouth’s 2024 offering of ‘Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs’ just about completes a full

______ 9 December 2024 ______ 4**** ______ For the third year running, the comedy company, Le Navet Bete, are taking a central role in the Exeter Northcott Theatre pantomime; from the, frankly, dark depths of awfulness that it was a few years ago, the annual show is reaching a level which succeeds on almost every

______ 6 December 2024 ______ 4**** ______ The 2006 film ‘The Devil Wears Prada’ was a huge hit, almost recouping its $35m budget in the opening weekend in the US and Canada. It has an enormous following. The stage musical first opened in 2022 when it was panned by the critics and taken to task

______ 29 November 2024 ______ 5***** _______ If there is a more sublime musical experience than hearing a pipe organ being played beautifully in a sacred setting, then I would be surprised. I had the pleasure of reviewing Matt Walters’ first major concert at Wells Cathedral in the summer of 2023 and subsequently wrote an