Reviews

'The hedonism of humans especially young adults will never fail to provide theatrical delight' ★★★ “You cannot serve both God and Mammon” proclaims the Bible and Vaughan Evans’s new play. Mammon, the very encapsulation of material wealth, idolatry and obsessive possession, “slowly twists itself inside you” claims one of Vaughan’s characters. The hedonism of humans especially young adults will never fail to provide theatrical delight. Now, Krimson Kestrel Theatre have not made a religious play. Instead, they’ve formed a piece set in a simple London living room, that challenges the idealistic morals of university students and how quickly they will learn the corrupting realities of money. We have the set-up of a great play here: A five-bit cast, comprised of four students, studying Medicine, Acting, Economics and Finance, respectively; a few locations constructed through a very simple set which mostly travels well over the ten-year period this work is set within; moments of remarkable insight about lost youth, compromised love and lust for power. Yet, something still feels missing. Scenes that should have packed a punch ended as a misfire and changes between them could have been that little bit tighter. Complete and compelling character arcs were few and far between in the script whilst the costume or set department might have gone that little bit further to remedy some of these problems. Often the characters felt based on stereotypes. Jim (Stefan Chanyaem), at first portrayed as a cocky, disagreeable, money-crazed sleazebag, feels more like an artist’s caricature of an investment banker than the real deal. Even the resident actor of this student group felt restrained, either as a self-doubting teenager who hasn’t removed her baby teeth yet – even in her 20s - or an insufferable stage star that can’t connect with her peers. It was our actors who carried the play upon their shoulders. A remarkable group effort by all the performers. Christian Loveless, Mia Nuttgens, Laura Rea, and Stefan Chanyaem shook with emotional fervour on all the right beats. If required to play drunken 20-somethings, 30-year-olds having an existential mid-life crisis, or convincing lovers, each of them succeeded together with notable spirit. Daniel Wain, who stepped on for all of ten minutes, gave two exceptional portrayals of older, disillusioned business managers, jolting the second act’s start into the correct gear. Overall, Hello Mammon provided a decent outing for those wanting to grab a pint and forget these dark December nights at the moment. I admire Vaughan’s commitment to tackle topical and intriguing issues through plots that have universal relevance. However, there is certainly room for dramatic improvement and some more general script edits. HELLO MAMMON Written by Vaughan Evans Cast Mark: Christian Loveless Sam: Mia Nuttgens Chloe: Laura Rea Jim: Stefan Chanyaem Brad & Philip: Daniel Wain Director: Sean Orsolya Nagy Producer: Vaughan Evans Reviewed by Harry Speirs

‘It’s only the end of one world.’ ★ ½ This interactive production about an alien anthropologist being sent to Earth to study its inhabitants has a strong title, without much else. Audiences are sitting in a theatre space watching a projection of a zoom call, that has the script running underneath as subtitles for the actor to read off, whilst they stand in front of a green screen that is only used for one location. All I could think, was that this is the wrong medium for such a show. This would fare better as a web series with pre-recorded story options, although the times when the audience is called upon to pick dialogue options do not affect the narrative at all. Furthermore the modus operandi of the piece seems very mean-spirited in exclaiming all the ills of the world without giving any insight into how to make sense of it all. Whilst it is commendable for anyone to put on their own original production, I’m afraid this is one that feels very low effort. This show is part of TALOS Science fiction Theatre / Greek Theatre festival. More information of the festival can be viewed here https://www.cyborphic.com/talos-2025

‘Ladies, Gentlemen, and Variations Thereupon!’ ★★★★ Coming in to watch ‘Babel Beast,’ a cabaret concerning the pantheon of Greek Goddesses, I’ll admit I was not in a good mood that particular evening. However within five minutes of watching Sofia Natoli I couldn’t stop smiling. As someone whom had never watched a cabaret before I didn’t know what to expect, yet what I experienced was a fun, sexy, and intimate show. Sofia is a master of performance, becoming one unique character, then jumping to another with ease whilst always commanding the room. She would give Peter Sellers a run for his money. The central conceit of language and multiculturalism is a fascinating motif without coming off as obvious or sanctimonious. The myriad of hand-made props show the care and passion that has gone into this show. The musical cues are perfectly timed and never outstay their welcome whilst every inch of the stage, and audience, is used to thrilling effect. Perhaps the one wish I have was that it was longer as I simply didn’t want it to end. To conclude everything you could want from a cabaret, from burlesque stripteases to high octane vocals are not only on display but elevated, and if you get the chance to take in this show then you should thank the Gods! This show is part of TALOS Science fiction Theatre / Greek Theatre festival. More information of the festival can be viewed here https://www.cyborphic.com/talos-2025 BABEL BEAST Writer and Performer: Sofia Natoli Co-directors & Co-Producers: Luna Laurenti and Al Hawkins  Choreographer: Martina Bizzari

‘Queer, joyful, breathless; a sweet (if stumbling) adaptation of a sweeter story’ ★★★ Sarah Ruhl’s Late, A Cowboy Song is an exercise in binaries and boundaries. What’s real vs. what’s not real; the life lived vs. the life imagined; shall I stay or shall I go? We follow three eclectic characters – ‘always late and always married’ Mary , childhood sweetheart, husband and modern-art obsessed Crick , and Red , the lady cowboy teaching Mary to ride a horse just beyond the city limits (and conventions). As the central marriage spirals through questions of love, gender expectations and actualising adult life, Mary and Red forge a connection based on Red’s ability to encapsulate a true, raw rendition of the American Dream: to be and do and live how she wants. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Alex Stroming’s direction leans generously towards these character studies, to varying impact, setting this slice of life against sparse, functional staging that allows all focus on the acting three. Oriel Bathurst’s Mary is undoubtedly the standout performance. At her core, Mary is a woman in the process of absconding the rulebook of her Pittsburgh existence, at times confused and often unable to contain her lust for life; Bathurst manages this balancing act with care and intelligence: verve in the emotional peaks, tenderness and introspection in the quiet moments. As cowboy Red affirms at a later juncture, “You have to believe in invisible things”, and Bathurst’s performance certainly makes one want to. Her chemistry with Konnie Kendall’s Red rings true, if somewhat let down by the pacing of their earlier interactions. Red herself could almost be a figment of Mary’s imagination, circling her life as she omnisciently circles the stage; cowboys hats off, also, to Kendall’s stellar vocal turn as she ballads her way into Mary’s plans and affections. Particularly enchanting was the dance they share at one point. That being said, there isn’t much to elevate Red beyond a caricature of the slow-talking, lady-romancing, Wild West yeehawer. But lesbian. Crick (Alex Osborne) was a question mark in more ways than one: almost perpetually annoying, money-squandering, and endlessly immature, the audience might feel a smidge resigned to his petulant contribution, and only slightly alarmed at his sudden feint at violence at the play’s somewhat lukewarm dramatic showdown. Similarly perplexing was Crick and Mary’s relationship. We seem to meet both characters already at the trail end of the behaviours that lead to the ultimate breakdown of their relationship. Though she meets catalyst Red early doors, we are left a little unsure of the affection that has supposedly kept Crick’s leash on Bathurst’s curious and freedom-seeking Mary, enough to have a baby with him. The phantomatic presence of the intersex baby itself could also have been handled with a tighter touch. Overall, these are characters an audience might feel they wish they knew more about, whilst simultaneously feeling like they’ve been spoon-fed in interpreting. Ruhl’s play raises questions on queerness, on identity, on marital abuse, on nostalgia and while Stroming takes a good punt at answering them, as stated above, this is also a script seemingly designed to allow a theatrical audience to fill in some of those emotional gaps themselves. With more organic pacing and a reassessment of character dynamic pressure points, it could be really engaging. As it is, Stroming has created a thoughtful, sensitive staging, replete with romance and joie-de-vivre. Director: Alex Stroming  Cast: • Mary - Oriel Bathurst • Red - Konnie Kendall • Crick - Alec Osborne Producer/Company: T. Regina Theatre Co. Musical director/composer: Konnie Kendall Design: Emily Nelson Stage Manager: Jessica Potts Lighting Designer: Phil Hamilton Intimacy Director: Liz Kent Voice Coaching + Marketing/Social Media: Meighread Dandeneau

‘A perfect show for Christmas’ ★★★★ Of course streaks are there to be broken, but they are often sustained for a long period. Sugar Ray Robinson (91 fights, 91 wins). The Undertaker at Wrestlemania (21 straight wins) and, most importantly, my current run on Wordle (297 unbroken - aiming for the full year). And we also have the Jack Studio Theatre’s streak of wonderful Christmas shows - but what of this year? Kate Bannister and Karl Swinyard have re-visited a show they produced some 12 or 13 years ago - Charles Ludlam’s 1984 satirical and farcical tale of werewolves and vampires . It’s a perfect show for Christmas as it melds multiple elements of traditional pantomime - high camp, wordplay, quick costume changes, cross dressing - with (Carry On) Hammer horror so we have jump scares, lashings of blood, and plenty of howling and thunderclaps. It’s also a ‘Whodunnit’ (or a ‘Whoisit’)? A mildly deranged but oddly serious Egyptologist Lord Edgar Hill Crest (Joe Newton) is enchanted by his second wife Lady Enid (James Keningale) whilst still wanting to honour his first wife Lady Irma - literally, via the lit candle beneath her painting which hangs over the mantlepiece. Set deep in the isolated moors, Lady Irma’s passing was something of a mystery and, in a workmanlike scene-setting first half, the layering of the potential horror-driven story begins. Lady Enid begs Lord Edgar to blow out the candle and remove the painting to the disgust of the mis-trusting housekeeper (a bravura turn from Newton once again). There’s also a man-servant Nicodemus - played by Keningale in full ‘Matt Lucas mode’ - who of course has a wooden leg……. The quick changing of costume and character must be an actor’s dream I would imagine and, under Kate Bannister’s typically sharp and pointed direction, both Newton and Keningale have a lot of fun, a lot of chemistry and keep things moving along at a pace. The second half opens in deepest Egypt and rattles through with a good deal more humour, mugging to the audience and bawdy / camp dialogue and interplay - I would have liked more of this in the slightly laboured first half. Things come to a head, everything is explained and the tie up is neat. In reality, the play itself was maybe a touch underwhelming. You could also say that once you’d seen one actor talking out of a door whilst the other quickly changed to re-appear moments later you didn’t necessarily need to see it happen again and again - but that’s the strength and weakness of a two actor ‘quick change’ show. But, along with two strong performances and the ever-assured direction, what elevates Irma Vep (btw can you spot the anagram?) to a 4-star review is the usual fine work on staging, sound, lighting & costumes. London Pub Theatres Special Award winner Karl Swinyard (with assistant Lizzie Spinks) once again delivers a charming, period-notable set brilliant in its simplicity to allow the actors to deliver what they need to do. Any horror show needs the right lighting and the right sound so kudos to Laurel Marks and Julian Starr whose work makes the stage seem ‘bigger’ somehow. I also noted and enjoyed the costumes from Martin J Robinson - spot on. So, the streak very much continues. Merry Christmas. The Mystery Of Irma Vep : A Penny Dreadful By Charles Ludlam Jack Studio Theatre 9 December 2025 - 4 January 2026 BOX OFFICE Written by Charles Ludlam Directed by Kate Bannister Set Design: Karl Swinyard Lighting Design: Laurel Marks Sound Design: Julian Starr Costume Design: Martin J Robinson Fight Director: Gabriele Lombardo Company Stage Manager: Jolie LeBell Produced by Jack Studio Theatre CAST James Keningale and Joe Newton Photography: Davor at The Ocular Creative

'Every moment sounds and sparkles with community spirit' ★★★★ A brand-new pantomime has taken to the streets of Catford on all four of its paws. Susie Mckenna’s child and adult friendly show, brings all the flavour, colour and style of the Windrush Generation back to life in post war London. Every moment sounds and sparkles with community spirit. Though you might catch Uncle Vincent, the singing, dancing embodiment of Catford’s cultural monument – ‘The Catford Cat’ - taking a staged nap, the audience are awake and entertained throughout. Dick Whittington arrives on stage aboard the iconic, enormous and cleverly crafted cut out of the HMT Windrush. He starts looking for a job aided by Uncle Vincent, our brand-new panto bombshell star, magically formed out of the ship’s cat. Tossed to and fro between the charms of Fairy Bowbells (Lisa Davina Phillips) to the clutches of evil rat queen Vermina (Natasha Lewis), Whittington’s luck flips quickly from good to bad. He falls in love, loses everything, but is eventually cajoled back from the London outskirts by the musical bells of the city, singing his name. All ends well: it is a pantomime after all. Along the way, we meet music hall inspired Sarah the Cook, giving risqué and raunchy humour that gives older audience members a cackle, hidden in nuanced double meaning from the younger kids. Almost everything lands in the show and its celebration of a multicultural London is both tasteful, uplifting and clearly hits all the right notes with the public. When you struggle to pick a standout performer whilst reviewing, it becomes clear that the cast and ensemble are all doing their bit. Durone Stokes as Whittington packs a punch in his voice. Justin Brett is quick on his feet with a pun as Sarah the Cook, so watch out if you're in the front rows. Not to even mention Wayne Rollins, who swaggers across stage with energetic comedy, keeping the whole audience bobbing along in song or crying with tears of laughter. It was also incredibly rare to see the ensemble that supported all the lead performers miss a beat or note. This panto is something rare to find nowadays. It really has a beating heart and is an inspired memorial for everything Windrush. It's much more than just dazzling costumes, smart dances and blasting songs, soon showing itself as a celebration of all things South London. At 23 years old, without children of my own, I’m by no means your regular pantomime goer. But it was regular for all the audience to be united in participation or song. In fact, the elders were just as excited and amused as the kids they brought. It's a show that will gear you up for any festivity and certainly will do for Christmas. Box Office: boxoffice@broadwaytheatre.org.uk  Photography: Mark Senior Reviewed by Harry Speirs Find everything you need to know or their free digital programme here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1iksgVdE_CCHntoAnB4ZQUJwauBaNE1sx/view

'The set and costumes are meticulously considered, immediately establishing a timeless, self-contained world.' ★★★ The Boline Inn marks the London debut of Liverpool-based, female-led company Meadow Report. Combining movement, song and an absurdist performance style, the production carries a distinctive atmosphere and a confident visual identity. The most striking element is its design. The set and costumes are meticulously considered, immediately establishing a timeless, self contained world. There are echoes of the surreal domesticity seen in work like The Flea at the Yard Theatre, situating the audience in a space that feels both familiar and unsettling. The movement work, particularly its use of breath, is handled with sensitivity and precision, while the songs are beautifully sung and thoughtfully placed, offering moments of emotional contrast against an otherwise uneasy narrative. The juxtaposition of warmth and discomfort is one of the show’s strengths. As a female-led production, it is refreshing to encounter a story shaped through women’s perspectives, and the care taken in the making of the piece is evident throughout. However, while the visual and sonic elements remain engaging, the narrative itself feels somewhat predictable from early on, limiting the dramatic tension and emotional surprise.  The Boline Inn is a carefully crafted and visually assured production. With further dramaturgical development, it has the potential to match its strong aesthetic with greater narrative depth. The Boline Inn By Eilis Mulholland, assisted by Ophélia Gourbault The Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, Islington, N1 1RL 2 – 13 December 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.thehopetheatre.com/thebolineinn CAST Marley Craze as Betty Cara Dougherty as Jane Eilis Mulholland as Old Women Meg Grace Mia Harvey as Val Natasha Jobst as Caro Chloe Stokes as Althea CREATIVE TEAM Costume design by Hannah Wickham sound design by Joseph Staines Stage management: Joe Judd Photo credit: Hannah Wickham

“The Full Monty with cultural knobs on.” ★★★★ Spanning the Christmas season and welcoming in the New Year, Boys in the Buff brings glamour, glitter and glowing thongs to Camberwell’s Golden Goose with a month-long run.Since this musical revue by Lambco Productions first appeared at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival, it’s been recast and updated with new faces and additionally relevant songs to capture the zeitgeist. We meet statuesque and formidable Maxie (Tish Weinman who performs internationally as the charismatic drag artist, Letitia Delish) as she presides over her ‘boys’, a troupe of young men who prepare for a new show that will require them to strip off. As these characters share feelings and stories about their bodies, which span bullying for looking different to being arrested for flashing, it prompts a broader conversation about male self image in today’s world, The pressures young men experience in an age of social media perfectionism, deep fakes, body dysmorphia and body shaming translates into ninety minutes (with an interval) of entertaining and engaging song and dance. From punishing rituals at the gym, body modification and medical intervention, what was once traditionally the self-flagellating regime of most women is now the normalised experience of many men; what was once part of gay culture has proliferated into the mainstream. The loose narrative structure, sometimes a little clunky and less than seamless, is trumped by the music and dance; Writer, Chris Burgess, Director/Choreographer, Robbie O’Reilly and Musical Director, Aaron Clingham cook up an irresistible offer including, My Foreskin and Me (Yes, foreskin reconstruction is a thing) The Fat Jab Rag ; Size Doesn’t Matter and My Favourite Thong Song . It's the Full Monty with cultural knobs on and walks a tricky tightrope between show biz razzmatazz and social messaging. The boys: Liam Bradbury as Richard; Rowan Armitt-Brewster as Dan; Adam Norton as Phil and Max Rizzo as Luca, all talented singers and dancers, are well synchronized and harmonious. While they may titillate some of the audience, they do not physically challenge them. All are good looking young men with near perfect, hairless bodies, all are white; slim, young and able bodied. To gaze upon physically different bodies while hearing songs like What We Have in Common and Love Me For Who I Am would bring a different, more charged resonance to the show. This doesn’t take away from what’s been achieved but conceptually there’s space for Boys in the Buff to be adapted or rolled out into more diverse communities. That said, this burlesque musical revue offers up a fabulously entertaining evening and will spread a seasonal message of good will, male self acceptance and body positivity into 2026 and beyond. BOYS IN THE BUFF at Golden Goose Theatre, 146 Camberwell New Road, London, SE5 ORR 10 December 2025 - 10 January 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.goldengoosetheatre.co.uk/whatson/boys-in-the-buff

'The Revel Puck Circus is bijou, accessible, committed to community engagement, and very good fun.’ ★★★★ Set up in Walthamstow’s Town Square, there is a Big Top. It’s quite a small Big Top, but nonetheless, it’s a circus tent. It’s the home of Revel Puck’s Winter Festival from now until January 4 th next year. The Revel Puck Circus is bijou, accessible, committed to community engagement, and very good fun. They have brought two different shows to Walthamstow, a show for little ones called The Ugly Duckling which the company describes as ‘a Circus Story’, and the circus show proper – seven performers, loads of routines, not much glitter or edge of the seat thrill-seeking, but colourful, good-natured, and well executed. Seeing acrobatics and slack wire acts performed a couple of rows away, by performers who don’t look as other-worldly as many such acts, who occasionally mess up but always get back on the horse and achieve the desired result, is a refreshing experience. Children aren’t looking up into the heavens with a look of awestruck wonder, they are looking straight ahead at friendly performers on a slightly raised platform, wearing clothes that are colourful but that might come from a high-street shop. It’s a very refreshing, very engaging way to do circusing. The pick of the acts is a young gymnast, wheeled onstage on a large sofa reading a book, who proceeds to turn herself into a human pretzel, her toes turning the page from behind her head, all the while studying the book with great attention. It is beautifully done but very low key, so that after a few minutes you start to think that anyone could walk round furniture on their hands. But anyone can’t. The skills so lightly worn are impressive, the pacing is top notch, the smiles are infectious. The company has made its home in Walthamstow several times before, and likes being there. They have delivered a show that is quick-fire, fun, and accessible. Circus can be many things, but the Pucks have made a family friendly entertainment. It may lead to people signing on to learn circus skills rather than leaving the smell of sawdust and popcorn with wonder on their sticky faces, but that sounds like a very good outcome, if it leads to performances as enjoyable as this. Find full details of the event on Revel Puck’s website here https://www.revelpuckcircus.com/winterfestival