Reviews

"Do not devise evil against your neighbor, for he dwells by you for safety's sake.” (Proverbs 3:29) ★★★ There is a simple motto lying under this musical’s jilting music and the haunting yell of the town crier, aided by a set of movement pieces which admirably avoid The Glitch Theatre’s support pillars: look after your neighbours and your neighbours will look after you. It acts as a heady and reviving spirit as you plunge into the venue just outside of Waterloo. For The Witch and The Whistleblower, a tale of lost community, soothsayers and a pub landlord, chimes nicely with much that has been lost due to the gentrification of the area. It may be uneven in places but its execution, struggles valiantly through till the end and the script, purpose made for these performances, truly achieves something nearing a supernatural excellence. It’s 1597 and to be a freethinking woman at this time often meant being outcast, held with suspicion and continually subjugated by the law. The play remarks in song and dance upon how a witch trial could be placed upon a woman with an incredibly scarce amount of evidence. Imagine if homeopaths, social media influencers, fitness instructors, the local tarot card readers on Brighton pier and cat breeders, were reported on BBC News for being burnt at the stake. The protestors would be out indeed. The play reveals the injustice of Witch Hunters and their craft of spinning dubious tales about women supposedly in conspiracy with the devil, during The Great Scottish Witch Hunt, the least documented of five such social upheavals. Now, praise has been given where its due, exception could be made to some of the creative calls. A Scottish accent wouldn’t go amiss during a performance which relies so heavily upon period costume; likewise, cuts could be made to the ending which drags just a tad (even if, I admit, the transitions between scenes were spectacular); and finally, the energy achieved in the choreography needs to be injected into the dialogue sequences. Roo Berry, playing Marion, our pub hostess for the evening is a delight and the script gives her all the opportunity to showcase her remarkable talent for fighting, at first with tenderness but then with fury, against Dan Davidson playing John Cowper. Davidson’s voice upon the stage is a feat in itself with its fierce power but, I was still left wondering about his motivations for his character becoming such a beast. Displaying the complexities of the church is always a difficult subject for a piece of new writing and it was most impressive the way that they handled the church in its rural 16 th century costume. But though It was clear how complicated private faith structures worked for women at the time, for men, questions were left unanswered as the audience erupted into a final applause. I do hope The Glitch is a beginning for this theatre group as they clearly can work historical accounts into an engaging narrative, casting a spell upon an audience who certainly attended with all their senses. It is a piece of new writing that definitively moves us into that time and makes us think of all those forgotten women, left locked in cells, awaiting their imminent execution. Box Office https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vaultcreativearts/1874827 Presented by Arcana Theatre Cast: Roo Berry - Marion Megan Farquhar - Margaret Dan Davison - Minister John Cowper Tia Ray - Edith Lauren Foreman - JaneSarah Allwright - Hester/Ensemble Polly Maltby - Anne/Ensemble Jonty O’Callaghan - Minister Campbell/Ensemble Meg Russon - Mrs Campbell/Ensemble Sam Speed - Matthew/Ensemble Crew: Writers - Roo Berry, Megan Farquhar, Lauren Foreman, Tia Ray Composers - Ell Thompson and Jake Dufton Director - Evie Kerr Producer - Maddy MacConnol Movement Director - Vivi BaylissDesigner - Hayley Rae Stage Managers - Chaz Webb and Kirstie Campbell

'Riveting, intense and funny' ★★★★★ “One of the hardest things for boys to learn is that a teacher is human.” An Alan Bennett masterpiece done with justice! A truly explosive and exceptional delivery from this cast. Set in the 1980s, in the north of England, Bennett explores education, coming of age and sexuality; as these school boys prepare for exams in their final term before heading to university. Lots of pressure, big hopes and high ambitions! This show was performed at such a high standard; there could be a paragraph regarding each actor, so to abbreviate this commendation; every single cast member is phenomenal. Individually and collectively they knock it out of the park. Whether it is the essence of the rowdy boys, the pensive encounters or the intellectual battle of wits; every moment is full of truth. Though the play entertains challenging themes, this production is equally full of hilarity. Acknowledgement to the creatives must mention the set design. The multi-platform design with illuminative features and a keyboard atop; this really elevates the work. Movement Director Greta Abbey works wonders; adding further dimension and momentum to the adaptation. Director Florence Carr-Jones shapes an engaging, dynamic and emotionally agile production. What a triumph! While it is a joy to see the talent up close; this production could easily make a transfer to stages to the likes of the West End. It is a memorable revival that will most definitely stay with audiences. Riveting, intense and funny; Glassroom Company produces immensely strong storytelling. This boisterous bunch breathes life into Bennett! Ticket Information Performance Dates: 14th – 25th April 2026 Performance Time: 7.30pm / 2.30pm Run Time: 150 mins (including interval) Tickets: £26.50 / £22.50 / £20 (includes booking fee) BOX OFFICE Presented by Glassroom Company CAST Amaan Patel (Akthar), Ben Harvey (Timms), Duncan Hess (Hector), Isaac Green (Crowther), Jack Calver (Posner), Jake Dove (Dakin), James Mace (Lockwood), Jamie Coll (Rudge), Joshua Hogan (Scripps), Leonardo Shaw (Irwin), Stefan Brennan-Healey (Headmaster Felix) Susannah May (Mrs Lintott). Presented by Glassroom Company Writer Alan Bennett Director Florence Carr-Jones Designer Miranda Cattermole Lighting Designer Jacob Henney Music Director & Composer Georgia Gabrielides Sound Designer Rafael Solimeno-Harris Producers Jack Calver & Emilia Woodgate Deputy Stage Manager Ash Purt Assistant Stage Manager Carly Hendricks Movement Director Greta Abbey Photography

“The performances are where the production truly excels.”★★★ Ellie Ward’s THE ILLS WE DO presents itself as a taut, claustrophobic spy drama. MI6 agents Mona and Em are holed up in a safe house, tracking a missing operative whose disappearance could have catastrophic global consequences. As the hours tick by, however, the external crisis gives way to a fraught personal battleground, with old resentments, jealousy and unresolved tensions rising rapidly to the surface. Ward’s writing is often witty and occasionally affecting, and the premise is undeniably strong. Yet the structure proves a double-edged sword. Mona and Em are introduced as highly skilled professionals, but much of their interaction centres on rivalry and romantic entanglements - boyfriends, exes, husbands, bosses -resulting in a dynamic that can feel reductive. The focus on these personal grievances frequently overshadows the central thriller narrative, making the conflict seem surprisingly trivial for two agents in such high-stakes circumstances. When the play’s deeper framework begins to emerge, it brings greater clarity and purpose, though arguably too late to fully reframe those early impressions. The performances are where the production truly excels. Mira Morrison delivers a commanding, emotionally resonant turn as Em, matched toe-to-toe by Rebecca Pickering’s Mona. Their chemistry and control elevate the material, carrying the play through shifts from biting humour to simmering intensity and ensuring it remains engaging even when the script falters. Set and design is lowkey: dust sheets, a countdown clock, and an apparently endless supply of provisions effectively evoke the isolation of the safe house while keeping the focus firmly on the actors. THE ILLS WE DO is an ambitious piece with much to admire. Powerful performances and flashes of sharp writing stand out, but a preoccupation with interpersonal squabbles and playing into familiar gender dynamics ultimately undermines its thriller credentials. Box Office: https://www.ticketsource.com/the-bridge-house-theatre/e-bgrrkp

'Layered and nuanced.' ★★★ Two queer men in a relationship are both in therapy - unknowingly - with the same doctor. This is the alluring premise of Liam Scanlon’s new Lottery Grant-winning play, which premiered at the Canal Cafe and is now at Clapham’s Bread & Roses Theatre. Dan, a softly-spoken and reflective American former monk, played by Dan Holland finds himself in London, where he meets Edward, a fey and snooty aristocrat who dabbles in art and drugs. Played by Marley Brown with more theatrical posturing than realism, the contrast sets up a pleasing dynamic, although one character feels more authentic than the other. Edward comes off as more of a caricature: think Gen Z Sebastian Flyte of Brideshead Revisited with undiagnosed ADHD. Their relationship which spools out over the course of two years becomes interdependent and not always in a mutually beneficial way. There is passion, toxicity, LSD & S&M. When Edward’s mother, cast as an old-school, eccentric duchess type who looks like a “drag queen,” wants to write a book about Ryan, the young man from a blue-collar background finds himself in receipt of a handsome advance and effectively bought out by Edward’s family - who live in a stately home complete with butlers to complete the Waugh-inspired allusion. How will this play out? Can and should this unlikely relationship survive? Can Dr Lucarelli, the American therapist played by Bernice Tougher help them navigate the choppy seas as buried traumas surface and resentments and frustrations grow? The lengthy play with no interval has all three characters on stage for the entire 1 hour and 50 minutes. Even though we, the audience, know Ryan and Edward are seeing the therapist separately, it’s effective to hear their responses layered one on top of the other: a mille-feuille of self-examination, self-narration, self-reflection, and self-deflection. When the couple break out of therapy mode and address each other directly in moments of intense attraction orfierce combat, the play moves up a gear and the audience leans forward. While the set is clean and modern, the staging for Attachment Theory is largely static. The therapist character who sits in her chair throughout is opaque with few lines and narratively doesn’t quite earn her keep. While her unethical lack of integrity is ultimately exposed: “Is this data sex for a future paper?” It's too little, too late and this play could potentially have worked more effectively as a shorter and leaner two-hander with the therapist offstage throughout. Liam Scanlon’s writing is layered and nuanced, full of wit and observation, although more action, surprises and stakes would wake up this tasteful talkathon which is full of potential and promise. Box Office

“A compelling modern take on Euripides’ late play.” ★★★ ½ Euripides’ tale of war and an older generation sacrificing a younger one; of parents, specifically fathers, prioritising conflict over their own children, sadly remains as relevant as ever. On the eve of the Trojan War, Agamemnon, king and commander, is weak as only a fearsome warrior can be. Early on we realise he is presented with a terrible dilemma – sacrifice his beloved daughter Iphigenia to appease the goddess Artemis in order to give his fleet a fair wind for battle, or face munity and chaos. In adaptor and director Serdar Biliş’ version we see Agamemnon (played by turns with compassion and fury by Simon Kunz) as a loving father faced with a dreadful choice. But he is also a man who doesn’t seem to spend too much time in making his decision or ever seriously consider choosing family over war. Through the medium of video we also hear real life testimonies of daughters reflecting on their fathers, initially affectionately but their recollections take a darker turn in an effective use of footage. Mithra Malek is strong in the title role. Naively joining her father for what she thinks is her wedding, her terrible fate only gradually dawns on her. Indra Ové as Clytemnestra, Iphigenia’s mother, provides the moral core of the play, confronting her husband about the full horror of his actions. But ultimately the characters are locked into their fates. Biliş’ direction ranges from the playful breaking of the fourth wall in the beginning to incorporating the video testimonies, but doesn’t lose its focus on the tragedy. Kalia Lyraki’s mournful songs add pathos. A compelling modern take on Euripides’ late play. Playing at the Arcola theatre until 2 May: https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/iphigenia/ IPHIGENIA by Euripides, English version by Stephen Sharkey, adapted and directed by Serdar Biliş Production images: Ikin Yum

“A thoughtfully constructed production with strong design and performances” ★★★ Subject X wakes in a ClearMind facility, having apparently consented to participate in a clinical trial for an experimental dementia drug. With no memory of her past or how she arrived, she is subjected to a daily routine overseen by Supervisor Y, who administers a new dose and asks the same three questions. As Subject X begins to question the nature of the trial and her role within it, the play opens into a broader ethical dilemma, forcing her to confront a stark question: what does survival mean, and at what cost? Rory Clarke’s set design is a particular strength. The stark, clinical environment - white walls, plastic curtain strips, and an ever-watchful CCTV camera - feels both controlled and quietly oppressive, effectively immersing the audience in Subject X’s confinement. Costume design is similarly assured: Subject X’s attire strikes a careful balance between futuristic and functional, while Supervisor Y’s lab coat and bespectacled appearance evoke a familiar archetype of the scatty scientist. Macsen Brown delivers a standout performance as Supervisor Y, combining affable charm with an endearingly bumbling quality - a polished Hugh Grant rom-com persona with echoes of an over-eager holiday rep. He navigates the script’s tonal shifts with precision, allowing both its humour and its darker implications to land. Freya Popplewell gives a confident performance as Subject X, charting a clear emotional trajectory from vulnerability to suspicion, and ultimately to a more complex, morally ambiguous position. Mercy Brewer’s debut script presents an intriguing premise but is hindered by its execution. Dialogue is frequently weighed down by exposition and dense clinical language, slowing the pace and diluting tension. Key ideas are over-explained beyond necessity. A tighter edit, and greater trust in the audience’s ability to follow the narrative, would significantly sharpen the pacing and impact. TR[IA]L’s central concern - anxieties surrounding the ethics of artificial intelligence, particularly the implications of sentience and self-preservation - is timely. However, its central argument - that an AI choosing its own survival as inherently problematic - feels underdeveloped. The play stops short of fully interrogating the moral complexity of this position, instead, instead presenting it in broad strokes. In a cultural moment rich with debate around AI’s potential risks and benefits, there is a missed opportunity to explore the subject with greater nuance and depth. TR[IA]L is a thoughtfully constructed production with strong design and performances, but its thematic exploration remains surface-level, leaving it feeling more suggestive than provocative. Box Office: https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/tr%5Bia%5Dl

“Pulls no punches in exploring a difficult, painful issue." ★★★ Sarah and David, a young couple in love, both have stressful jobs; she’s a commercial writer and he’s a primary school teacher. After a romantic proposal, a year into their relationship, complete with flowers, Prosecco, a bended knee and loving dance. Sarah feels like, “the luckiest girl in the world”. Her fiance even responds positively to the unplanned pregnancy. David, played by Callum McGregor, is charming, charismatic and polite, quite a catch for Sarah who likens herself to Princess Fiona in Shrek and is played by writer Phoenix Benham. Their friends are excited by the news - Sarah is the first in their circle to tie the knot and as wedding plans ensue, there is mounting pressure within the relationship and David’s job. Strangely enough, we hear nothing else about Sarah’s job after the opening scene. The tricky thing about knowing exactly what a play is about before you see it, this is loudly promoted as a domestic abuse play, is there are no surprises. The themes, written large in the marketing material and the initial audio voiceover of necessary trigger warnings, remove any uncertainty at all what you're in for. As David’s behaviour turns from reasonable to unreasonable and from protective to controlling, the audience become complicit bystanders, as the cycle of isolation, manipulation, coercion and physical violence unfolds. Based on a true story, this is a realistic portrayal of how trust is eroded and abusers flourish in secret and silence. The responses of their friends, a demonstrative tight circle, to what’s going on are to deny and rationalise. There’s endless banter with the bros and plenty of giggling with the girls and with a cast of 8, the gang of pals bring amusing improvised dialogue and great energy to the heavy emotional space this subject necessitates. Michael, a droll cynic, is engagingly performed by Fin Phoenix. He is Sarah’s best friend and comes closest to seeing what's going on and confronting the situation. His mum was a victim of domestic abuse so his radar is more attuned to the signs. Kelly (Esme Pembury Smith) also senses something awry; her friend has become more absent and closed off but she too turns a blind eye and ultimately, both rationalise away their dark suspicions. YOU WON”T HELP ME, gives plenty of space for the audience to witness the unfurling of David’s true nature, his insecurities and mounting threats as Sarah, bewildered and shocked, is caught on the back foot and proceeds to explain, forgive, resist and retreat. At two hours with an interval, this is a long production, composed of many short scenes with clunky transitions. There’s lots of shuffling on and off stage which reminds us we’re watching a play and break moments of emotion. This is a structural issue, not a narrative one which sets up the story and builds tension well. Stylistically, there's a thread of breaking the fourth wall at certain points: the action freezes and Sarah addresses the audience directly with present-tense exposition, just in case anyone missed something. This device could be used more creatively to introduce a counter narrative or future voice but is used generally to state something evident in the action. There’s a clever scene that explores power dynamics between a female and male police officer. DI Peters (Johnny Mark) has bought David’s version entirely that she ‘likes it rough’ DI Harding by contrast, a female officer (Samantha ‘O’ Connor) is more suspicious and empathetic but she is shut this down with a condescending attitude. This interesting inclusion illustrates that institutionalised misogyny and power imbalance happen in the real world, not just the online manosphere. According to a recent survey, over 1.4 million women experience domestic abuse every year in the UK. YOU WON’T HELP ME - pulls no punches - no irony intended - in dramatising and exploring this difficult, painful issue that often happens within relationships and behind closed doors. Working alongside Women’s Aid and the ManKind initiative, Distorted Rebel Productions hope to raise awareness and encourage those who suspect someone is being abused, to speak out and to not be that person who did nothing. Box Office https://unrestrictedview.co.uk/events/you-wont-help-me

‘In a world that does everything to keep them apart, their attraction and need for each other never dies, and the chemistry between these two carry the play till the end.’ ★★★★ Jack and Louise live in different worlds, at opposite sides of the United States, in the middle of World War II. Jack, a military doctor stationed in Oregon and Louise, an aspiring musical theatre actress living in New York. Whilst their realities couldn’t be further apart, they start exchanging letters, hopeful to be able to meet in a near future. The show is solely based on their letter exchanges, that slowly blends into being conversations. Their obvious affection for each other quickly grows despite their distance. ‘Sometimes I want to be in a show so much I want to cry about it. Do you ever feel like that about anything?’ Louise asks timidly, scared to reveal too much of herself. ‘I guess I’m angry at the war’ Jack replies, trying to keep up with her relentless energy. Their relationship feels so tangible yet so fragile – what if suddenly one of them stops writing? What if they meet other people? And as Louise’s Broadway dreams start to come true, and Jack suffers the consequences of the escalating war, will they ever meet? Both parts are splendidly casted. Eva Feiler portrays Louise beautifully, a young woman fighting for her dreams, throwing herself playfully and whole-heartedly into everything that comes her way. Preston Nyman as Jack, completely perfects the pair: he is sweet, kind and reserved, and his passion for everything that Louise does is all the more touching. In a world that does everything to keep them apart, their attraction and need for each other never dies, and the chemistry between these two carry the play till the end. The set recreates realistically both Jack and Louise’s worlds on each side of the stage. While the show feels quite static, especially during the first part of the play, the audience stays captivated and engaged in their unexpected love story. The pairing of awarded playwright Ken Ludwig and acclaimed director Simon Reade works its magic, creating a piece full of light-heartedness and humour, whilst delving into the absurdity and cruelty of the war. Refreshing, amusing and moving, ‘Dear Jack, Dear Louise’ brings hope and love to a world fractured by war where everything feels impossible. Dear Jack, Dear Louise by Ken Ludwig, Directed by Simon Reade Arcola Theatre 2 April – 2 May 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/dear-jack-dear-louise/ Photography: Alex Brenner

'dynamic, entertaining, enlightening' ★★★★ Latin Americans are one of the fastest growing migrant groups in London, especially in Southwark and Lambeth and specifically, areas like the Elephant & Castle. With an estimated population of 145,000, the precise figure is not known due to the lack of a Latin American tick box in data monitoring. This below the radar invisibility/identity was one of the key creative impetuses for the development of My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar which combines social commentary with cabaret and cartoon capers. If you missed this dynamic, sold out production in 2023, it’s back in the hood. The Hale, an independent arts producer, and Lambeth’s Brixton House present a new run - and are putting their money where their mouth is, by offering limited £5 tickets to those from the Latinx community. Co-created by Valentina Andrade, Elizabeth Alvarado, Lucy Wray, Tommy Ross-Williams and Joana Nastari, it’s 90 riotous minutes of performing resistance, subverting stereotypes and challenging norms. My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar , is rooted in the lives and experiences of writers Valentina Andrade and Elizabeth Alvarado whose conversations and musings we hear as voiceovers. It’s a multi-layered hybrid piece: part play, part song and dance, part interactive games. It kicks off with some hard core Latinx rap and voguing from the kick-ass cast who guide audiences through the conflicting territory of what it means to be Latinx, London-based, female or non-binary and straddling two cultures. Alejandra (played by Yanexi Enriquez) is a hard-working A-Level student who hopes to get into Cambridge. Feisty big sister Catalina (Lorena Andrea) is an investigative journalist from Chile and on a case. Cute and kooky Lucia (Cecilia Alfonso-Eaton) is a student activist, demon coder and runs a queer club night called My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar while Honey (Nathaly Sabino) is in charge of a gang of Latinx cleaners in a City based bank - one that happens to be laundering money from Columbian drug cartels. The premise: a group of Latinx office cleaners rumble and expose the bad guys - is all a bit daft - although HSBC did launder $881 million dollars from Colombian and Mexican drug cartels between 2006 and 2010. Tonally, it veers around a bit from political commentary to vigilante comedy thriller. The short, choppy, scenes are ironically, a little drawn out although the cabaret and quiz parts are joyful and entirely absorbing. The tri-lingual subtitles—English, Spanish and Portuguese—projected above the performers were difficult to read and slightly distracting, though the idea was worthy in principle. While the story plays out like the squares in a cartoon strip, the personality of the performers and heart of the show translates into feel good dances, surreal performances and songs that range from the raunchy to sweet. The winner of a 2024 OFFIES Special Recognition Award for Representation, My Uncle is Not Pablo Escobar adds up to more than the sum of its parts. It is a rewarding, enlightening, and entertaining show, offering a welcome blast of positive, feel-good, can-do energy - something we could all use right now. Listings information 7 Apr – 3 May Brixton House , 385 Coldharbour Lane, Brixton, London SW9 8GL BOX OFFICE Company information Writers Elizabeth Alvarado, Valentina Andrade, Tommy Ross-Williams, Lucy Wray Co-creators Elizabeth Alvarado, Valentina Andrade, Joana Nastari, Tommy Ross-Williams, Lucy Wray Dramaturg Joana Nastari Directors Tommy Ross-Williams, Lucy Wray Showrunner Tommy Ross-Williams Producer Dais Hale, The Hale Associate Producer Sean Brooks, The Hale PA & support worker Riss Obolensky, The Hale Production manager Daniel Basnett Community organising and festival production Valentina Andrade Choreography Myron Birch Lighting design Roberto Esquenazi Alkabes Set and costume design Tomás Palmer Originating sound design Xavier Velastín Production manager Daniel Steward Translation Elizabeth Alvarado & Lucy Wray (Spanish), Victor Esses (Portuguese) Video design & captions Rachel Sampley Cast Alejandra Yanexi Enriquez Lucia Cecilia Alfonso-Eaton Catalina Lorena Andrea Honey Nathaly Sabino Photo credit Lucy Le Brocq of Kaleidoshoots