Reviews

‘Good for drag comedy lovers’ ★★★ ½ This show perfectly illustrates the point I often make when I’m talking to students about reviewing. You have to set aside personal taste, prejudice and preference and assess the work objectively. For myself, I am not keen on drag comedy but am happy to acknowledge that Thatalie Girl and Brent Would are very accomplished at what they do. Thatalie Girl gives us a diminutive Mr Christmas, clad in all the usual gear including a long white wig which she rather summarily tosses back over her shoulders every few seconds. Brent Would is a tall, glitteringly attractive Mrs Christmas in a startlingly curvy red trouser suit. It is Christmas Eve and they are welcoming the audience as guests to whom they sing, and with whom they play games. And, effectively, that’s the plot although there are references to their rather on-off recent history together. These actors work seamlessly together with a lot of very slick quickfire response, The singing – most of the obvious Christmas songs are in – is rather good and comes with lots of innuendo. But most impressive is the improvisation. They set up a game with audience volunteers which is effectively like three dimensional consequences with the story line getting ever manically sillier and, my goodness these actors are good at thinking on their feet. And Thatalie Girl is impressively versatile, dropping into the right accent for the locations the audience randomly suggest and she really can sing in a wide range of registers and moods. As the audience find their seats they are asked to write a quotation from a song, film, book or whatever. These are then put in a hat and Thatalie Girl and Brent Would create a silly drama out of randomly reading them so that the dialogue gets ever more surreal. The comic timing is excellent and at the performance I saw, the very raucous audience was almost hysterical with laughter. There are some (very) lewd jokes in this show. Don’t take your young children or your prissy great aunt Jemina. But it all went down a treat with the audience I shared it with. And it’s excellent to see Bridge House Theatre full to capacity. I rest my case. I didn’t personally enjoy it much but it’s a strong show of its type showcasing rich talent. Mr and Mrs Christmas, Actually Thatalie Girl (That Girl aka George Lester) and Brent Would (Francesca Read) At Bridge House Theatre, Penge 2 – 6 December 2025 Box Office https://thebridgehousetheatre.co.uk/shows/mr-mrs-christmas-actually/

‘Manos Koutsis gives a genuinely sparkling turn as Lieutenant Columbo.’ ★★★1/2 Prescription: Murder follows Dr. Roy Flemming, a suave and calculating psychiatrist who orchestrates the perfect murder of his wife with the help of a young accomplice. Confident in his brilliance, Flemming believes he has constructed an airtight alibi - until Lieutenant Columbo, an unassuming, rumpled detective with a sharp mind, begins to unravel the case. As Columbo politely needles Flemming with questions “just one more thing…”, the façade of the perfect crime starts to crumble. The cast delivers a committed ensemble performance. Max Norman, as Dr. Roy Flemming, embraces the cold, meticulous exterior of the calculating psychiatrist. Yet, despite this strong foundation, the performance doesn’t always find the necessary ebbs and flows; as Flemming’s devilish plan begins to unravel, the expected panic or desperation behind his stoicism never quite materialises. Mimi Newby plays Claire Flemming with excitement and energy, bouncing off Norman, giving their scenes texture. Ana Cilas’s Susan Hudson begins somewhat tentatively, but she grows into the role in Act Two, finding emotional clarity and conviction. Aidan Morris is fabulous as Miss Petrie, imbuing a smaller role with distinctive personality and comic identity. Meanwhile, James Andrews offers strong additional support as Dave Gordon, rounding out the ensemble with warmth and ease. The shift into Act Two brings with it a welcome injection of energy thanks to Manos Koutsis, who gives a genuinely sparkling turn as Lieutenant Columbo. Koutsis captures the detective's unhurried geniality, offbeat wit and surgical intelligence with real charm. His scenes gleam with life, and his back-and-forth with Norman produces some of the production’s most engaging moments. While Act Two benefits enormously from the arrival of Lieutenant Columbo, its pacing does at times feel uneven. Certain scenes sparkle with lively, engaging exchanges, while others unfold more slowly, gently softening the momentum at points where the tension could build more tightly. Yet, the introduction of more overt comedic tones does noticeably lift the room. These lighter beats generate stronger audience engagement and bring welcome energy to the narrative, even if the surrounding pacing issues prevent the act from fully sustaining that spark. There are, however, moments in the direction where the production feels less assured. Newby’s approach contains some thoughtful ideas, but too often the execution feels unfinished. Claire’s killing, staged on the floor, is invisible to most of the room - an oddly anticlimactic decision for a narrative hinge point. Throughout, there are long pauses between lines that neither enhance tension nor contribute to the psychological atmosphere. With sharper pacing, cleaner cueing and bolder physical storytelling, the piece could pack far more punch. What is crafted with real finesse, however, is the design. The staging makes excellent use of the Bread & Roses’ compact space, arranging the Flemmings’ apartment with clarity and sophistication. Even more impressive are the costumes, which not only reinforce the 1960s setting but subtly deepen characterisation - particularly in the contrast between Flemming’s cultivated sleekness and Columbo’s delightfully rumpled aesthetic. The technical elements, though functional, would benefit from greater refinement to match the demands of a psychological thriller. Several sound and lighting cues felt either slightly late or tentatively delivered, softening moments that should have landed with crisp precision. The production’s minimalist approach is not inherently a drawback, but without tightly timed transitions or more confident technical punctuation, key shifts in tension risk losing their impact. Sharper cueing - whether in door buzzers, phone rings, lighting changes or musical transitions - would give the production a stronger sense of rhythm and help reinforce the stakes of the unfolding drama. There is an undeniable charm to this production. The company’s enthusiasm for the material is clear, and when the show finds its rhythm, it offers moments of genuine enjoyment - from stylish visual touches to flashes of sharp humour and well-played tension. There is a clear affection for the world of Columbo, and the production succeeds in capturing the playful spirit and intrigue that have made the character so enduring. Ultimately, this production sits in a middle ground: enjoyable, at times very charming, and bolstered by strong performances and excellent design work, yet held back by direction that needs more precision and nuance. Reviewed by Olivia Lovat Prescription: Murder at Bread and Roses Theatre 2 – 6 December 2025 BOX OFFICE https://app.lineupnow.com/event/prescription-murder CAST Dr. Roy Flemming - Max Norman Claire Flemming - Mimi Newby Susan Hudson - Ana Cilas Miss Petrie - Aidan Morris Lieutenant Columbo - Manos Koutsis Dave Gordon - James Andrews CREATIVES Written by William Link and Richard Levinson Directed by Mimi Newby

‘Greek philosophy as we never knew her’ ★★★ I don’t think any theatre publicist should ever promise a laugh a minute. It’s virtually impossible to live up to. And if, like QED at the Drayton Arms, there are quite a few genuinely witty lines, and a rather amusing idea at the heart of the show, you do yourself no favours by over-promising. These lines and this idea carry the hour-long show along quite pleasantly, and you are inclined to enjoy the entertaining dialogue and the easy, understated performances, and not worry too much about the aching gap where a plot ought to be. The play is set in ancient Greece and there are three characters: the young blood Glaucon (Aidan Parsons, all boyish enthusiasm); the philosopher Plotinus (Huw Landauer, getting a laugh from physical timidity); and the woman whom they believe to be a man, Aristion (Alice Hope Wilson in a child’s playbox black beard which she has to lift up to drink.) Because they believe her to be a man, she is a suitable object upon which to lavish love and sexual adoration, and the discovery that she is in fact female comes as a nasty shock to both of them. But when they recover, they decide to “spit in the face of polite society” and direct their attentions to someone of the opposite sex.  There’s a lot of philosophical banter, and lot of scatological jokes, most of them about male sexual organs. There are some very funny moments which, the night I was there, did not get the laugh they deserved. I am not sure why, but I wonder if the cast (who are good) need to look at their comic timing. The moment when Glaucon reads her the love poem he has written, which turns out to be a limerick, ought to have done better with the audience than it did. QED by JAMES TURNER at the Drayton Arms 2 – 6 December 2025 BOX OFFICE https://thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/qed DIRECTOR / SEBASTIÃO MARQUES LOPES PRODUCER | CHRISANTHI LIVADIOTIS CAST GLAUCON | Aidan Parsons PLOTINUS | Huw Landauer ANDREIOS/ARISTION | Alice Hope Wilson

'the cast provides emotional depth even when the script falters' ★★★ Bernardo Santareno’s SISTER NATIVITY, translated by Sebastião Marques Lopes, reaches the Drayton Arms with evident care and commitment from its creative team. Yet the play itself proves a perplexing choice for revival. Once, its interrogation of faith, moral duty, and institutional rigidity may have been bold and provoking. However, in 2025, its impact feels muted, leaving the audience questioning the narrative’s relevance. On Christmas Eve, in a convent of contemplative nuns, the sickly Mother Superior faces an unwelcome dilemma. She is caught between the cool, unyielding logic of Sister Trinity and the unsettling fervour of Sister Nativity, who claims a personal bond with Christ himself. Set entirely within a single room, the play attempts to examine the spiritual tensions and communal bonds of cloistered women. Yet the writing, by a male playwright, belies assumptions about convent life that verge on the unintentionally comic; Santareno’s speculative vision of how nuns spend their days - running, giggling, and "playing with Jesus" - undermined the austere atmosphere he sought to evoke. Fortunately, the cast provides emotional depth even when the script falters. Efè Agwele delivers a grounded portrayal of the Mother Superior, capturing a delicate blend of compassion, authority, and fragility. Jasmine Holly Bullock matches her with steely conviction, while Chrisanthi Livadiotis imbues Sister Angelica with luminous devotion. Emily Millwood, though brief in appearance, brings crucial intensity - her portrayal of religious zeal, bordering on insanity, is deftly executed. Sebastião Marques Lopes’s direction strives to maintain momentum in a largely static text. Much of the action occurs offstage, leaving extended stretches of circular dialogue. Despite his efforts, pacing lags, and the heavy, repetitive dialogue struggles to sustain dramatic tension. The central thematic conflict - between an ageing Mother Superior who leads with her heart and her iron-willed successor-in-waiting - is articulated but never fully felt. Production values, however, are strong. Costumes, set, and props are meticulously realised, and the sound design and choral work evoke the quiet, echoing hush of monastic life and lend the production a touch of authenticity. Coming to Santareno’s work with fresh eyes, one might hope to uncover a neglected gem. Unfortunately, SISTER NATIVITY is not it. The themes - faith, obedience, hierarchy and resistance to change - remain timeless, but their expression here feels diluted, lacking urgency and disconnected from the experience of a contemporary audience. Admirable though it is to champion a lesser-known playwright, this particular play does not feel like a story pressing to be retold. Box Office WRITER Bernardo Santareno (1920–1980) was one of Portugal’s leading playwrights and a trained psychiatrist. His works explore themes of repression, morality, sexuality, and freedom, with acclaimed plays including O Lugre, O Crime da Aldeia Velha, and O Judeu. Creatives DIRECTOR & TRANSLATOR | SEBASTIÃO MARQUES LOPES PRODUCER | CHRISANTHI LIVADIOTIS Cast Mother Superior | Efè Agwele Sister Trinity | Jasmine Holly Bullock Sister Angelica | Chrisanthi Livadiotis Sister Nativity | Emily Millwood

‘An entertaining hour of fun and thrills. Giving the boys a run for their money.’ ★★★★ In deepest, darkest Essex, Bex and Yaz find themselves in a tricky situation. Bex, who has a driving ban, due to her penchant for speeding, pops out for a sneaky Mackie D and accidentally hits a pensioner. This unfortunate incident puts Bex’s life in peril. How will the two bosom buddies get out of this one? Doughnut Drive, written, directed and featuring Finella Waddilove as Yaz, is a comedy criminal caper set in England’s badlands, home of the Cursed Land Rover. With sharp writing and well delivered comic beats, here are two engaging characters whose relationship, replete with cockney banter, is core to the narrative. Yaz, kitted out in 1990s sportswear and Adidas stripes, lives in her own imagination, has a childlike enthusiasm for random subjects and may be on the spectrum. Bex, performed by Sarah Parkins, is the straighter, more mature character who says less but drives the story forward more. She’s grieving for her father but this is deliberately underplayed, “I’m not a Moon Pig card.” Waddilove has a talent for comic timing. Sometimes, she doesn’t have to say anything, just a confused or nonplussed glance has the audience in peels of laughter. With time-specific and atmospheric sound design by Cameron Pike, this is a jaunty and entertaining, well-paced hour of fun and thrills; I actually could have done with another ten minutes, especially in the final act. That aside, it’s great to see a female spin on what has traditionally been male Guy Ritchie type- territory. The relationship between these two bird blokes of Billericay is warm, funny, and engaging. It’s great to see historically male narrative territory and, the familiar fare of film, remapped through a female lens onto the stage. Catch the girl geezers while you can; they will put some cheer into the chilly evenings. DOUGHNUT DRIVE by Finella Waddilove at Drayton Arms 25 - 29 November 2025 BOX OFFICE Cast Sarah Parkins & Finella Waddilove Writer/Director Finella Waddilove Producer Rachel Duncan Assistant Producer George Bird Composer/Lighting Designer/Technician Cameron Pike

‘Ingenious but esoteric’ ★★ Two actors are in a gloomy theatre dressing room. The show, which rumbles in the background via relay, is Julius Caesar. They are understudies to Brutus (John Chisham) and Cassius (Adam Goodbody). “ He [Caesar] doth bestride the narrow world like a Colossus; and we petty men walk under his huge legs”. These men are bored because there have been a hundred performances but neither has ever been on – a pretty unlikely situation in real theatrical life – so they find playful ways of amusing themselves. They are, however, so mired in Julius Caesar that conversation is often mingled with text from the play (all captioned) and they help each other with line learning so we hear a lot of Shakespeare. Thus it inches towards being the advertised “radical reworking” of Julius Caesar. Then something happens on stage in the distance which changes everything and we see increasing tension between the understudies. A power cut adds to the drama. And don’t forget there’s a ghost scene in Julius Caesar. Petty Men is effectively a play within a play but the storytelling gets lost. It’s an intriguing concept but it would fall pretty flat if you weren’t familiar with the plot and text of Julius Caesar. Moreover it loses plausibility on several counts. Two actors dissing the skills of their leading man amongst themselves would refer to their colleague as “Fred Blogs” not as “Caesar”. Moreover I’m pretty sure that no actor learns lines by randomly committing act, scene and line numbers to memory. Response to cues would be far more natural. And at the Petty Men press performance a chunk of dialogue was repeated and it was unclear whether this was deliberate (and if so, why?) or down to first night nerves. This play seems to be trying to pose some interesting questions: Can actors change the world? If you commit to an acting career what are your expectations? What can Julius Caesar teach us in 2025? And more. Sadly none of them is fully explored. And all of that is a pity because a great deal of work and thought has evidently gone into this show which certainly highlights the talents of two decent actors and their director. Petty Men by John Chisham, Julia Levai & Adam Goodbody Directed by Julia Levai Presented by Buzz Studios Arcola Theatre, Studio 2 Box Office https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/pettymen/ Cast: John Chisham and Adam Goodbody Direction by Júlia Levai; Set and Costume Design: Tomás Palmer; Lighting Design: Lucía Sánchez Roldán; Sound Design: Tingying Dong; Caption Design: Perri Schofield; Dramaturgy: Sofia Gallucci; Access Support: Megan Ekinsmyth; Creative Consultancy: Pinny Grylls; Technical Stage Management: Emily Darley Produced by Tom Dixon (Buzz Studios) Photo credits: Olivia Spencer

'The ending lands, but the road there is bumpy.‘ ★★ ½ What happens when we put our loved ones on a pedestal? That's the question behind An Ideal Husband, a social comedy by Oscar Wilde. When a blackmailer shows up, a devoted wife learns that her husband's past isn't as a spotless as she believed. Can he escape ruin? And can she forgive him for destroying the image she cherished? In typical Wilde fashion, the proceedings play out in a flurry of wry one-liners. Much of the mechanics revolve around the husband's bachelor friend, Lord Goring, who tries to save the day. The production calls itself ‘a stripped down reimagining set in the rehearsal room, imbued with a gritty naturalism that juxtaposes with Wilde’s flamboyant prose’. That sounds promising, but it's (a) not quite true and (b) doesn't quite work. Naturalism generally encourages you to forget that you're watching actors, well, act. This production does the opposite. The first half is essentially a staged reading: a row of tables, with the performers seated in one long line. Movement is rare. The second half breaks things up— literally. The tables are split apart and shoved to the sides. The actors zip around on their office chairs, chasing each other across the stage. Is it naturalistic? Of course not, but it's a lot more engaging than the static part that came before. If the slow burn is intentional, it's a miscalculation. Seated actors winking at the audience, scripts in hand, can be entertaining—but not for an hour. The first half consequently drags, and it's difficult to get emotionally invested. What follows is more inventive. It also makes clever use of the staging concept to drive home a critique of Wilde's text . The ending lands, but the road there is bumpy. That being said, the cast is generally excellent. Lizzie MacGregor radiates quiet strength as the disillusioned wife, Lady Chiltern. Every line by antagonist Mrs. Cheveley (Anastasia Velikoraodnaya) gleams with spiteful mischief. Veteran director Ramin Gray has embraced his actors' international backgrounds, and accents run riot. Ingénue Mabel (Philippine Velge) is now exuberantly French, while her brother Lord Chiltern (German Segal) is not. Does it matter? Not at all. It's refreshing and it's fun. Most controversial for Wilde enthusiasts, perhaps, is the choice to have the quintessentially English Lord Goring (Michael Tcherepashenets) spoken in a southern drawl, cowboy hat to boot. Lines that are usually rapid-fire quips are now delivered in a slow American deadpan. Goring slouches in his chair, any remnants of emotion hidden behind dark glasses, and observes the chaos around him. As a result he is set apart—the outsider reluctant to fully join his society's mores. It's a bold choice. It could be terrible. But it works. In fact, the majority of bold choices this play makes work. The issue is that it takes an hour to get to most of them. Creatives Directed by Ramin Gray Cast Lord Goring: Michael Tcherepashenets Lord Chiltern: German Segal Lady Chiltern: Lizzie MacGregor Mabel Chiltern: Philippine Velge Laura Cheveley: Anastasia Velikorodnaya Lord Caversham: John Rice Lady Markby: Jane Hamlet

‘Political clowning; bizarre, hallucinogenic, irresistible’ ★★★ ½ Clutching a fist full of laurels from Canada’s fringe theatre scene, a double act from Toronto have brought their show, Colonial Circus, an irresistible mix of clowning, dance, satire & improvisation to London. “If you look at what colonialism did to the world, the whole thing feels like an absurd joke…like a handful of clowns went on a massive power trip…and somehow the world just played along” explain creators and performers, Shreya Parashar and Sachin Sharma of Two2Mango. A combination of Commedia dell’arte and Bouffon Clowning, the two have white faces and painted circles around their eyes, red velvet slippers and Noggin the Nog bonnets with jester’s bells secreted inside. A bizarre, avant-garde, slightly wild sight, the audience, unmoored and disarmed, are not only entertained but, through eighty hallucinogenic minutes, enlightened. They come to understand how it might feel to be colonised by an alien species, with their strange religion and tableware, delicate ways, and little fingers. The opening sequence involves an ancient and tribal Mongolian chant and a long bolt of red, shiny cloth, held ceremoniously by the two performers. Sharma is taller than Shreya and as the piece unfolds, the red cloth – which may represent the silk road - acts as a secondary curtain, stage, path, boat, costume, or puppet. The initial chanting and parading of the red cloth, it could be a funeral dirge, goes on uncomfortably long, but has a purpose. The sounds and words, difficult to locate or reference, compel audiences into a position of passivity and reception. What is going on here? What is this all about? And that’s only for ten minutes! Imagine if this feeling were held for an entire lifetime and through several generations? Although, they state in the opening preamble: ‘We are not a circus’, this piece involves some metaphorical tight-rope walking. How to take the non-brown audience with you while confronting the evil deeds of their ancestors? How to offer the tools for empathy and understanding and enable the boot to be worn on the other foot? How to do all this yet still raise laughs and give value to ticket buyers? Challenging white guilt and debunking white saviours, colonialism is condensed into a series of simple scenes, easy enough for a child to understand. The nebulous distinctions between the savage and civilised, the principles of stealing and pillaging from others, both treasure, nature, culture and resources, the idea of white and British supremacy, the dissing of another’s religion and life, the starving of subjugates, “the Bengal Famine with 3 million dead, ‘like your Irish Famine’ “has still received no apology from any British dignitary. The list is horrific, but the performance remains entertaining and engaging even with some entire scenes in the Indian language, a performative reclaiming of the mother tongue. Colonial Circus, an organic piece, has grown with every performance and evolved according to the responses and interaction of the audience and will continue to grow and evolve. After good reviews in Canada, the performers chose to come to Britain, whose map was once pink with belligerent triumph and land grabs. Colonial Circus demonstrates a real sadness behind the clown’s mask, gives space to experience one’s own humanity and illustrates the communicative power of comedy and performance. The show marked its fiftieth performance at The Rosemary Branch. Here’s to the next fifty... COLONIAL CIRCUS Review at Rosemary Branch Theatre 19 – 23 Nov 20252 Presented by Two 2 Mango Website: www.two2mango.com Instagram: @two.2.mango

‘Original, thoughtful and mildly traditional’ ★★★ ½ This hip-hop pantomime is genuinely different. Sonia Jalay tells a strong story predicated on the importance of imagination, a quality we all have in our heads but it’s vulnerable. And although most of the traditional elements (slosh scene, sing along, children on stage, calling out, two person cow) are in, there aren’t many puns or tedious one liners. And it’s bespoke for Hammersmith. There’s a distinct, and very welcome, freshness here. Jack Trott (Joey James), dressed in school uniform, is about to start at the Fleshcreep Academy where his sister Jill (Sienna Widd) is already established and his mother (Sam Harrison) is a dinner lady. The school is Dickensian with headteacher, Sir Fleshcreep MBE (John Partridge) coming somewhere between Mr Creakle and Miss Trunchbull as he menaces the children and their imaginations into submission. He looks and sounds like Nigel Farage too. The worst punishment is being “sent to the giant” Then in the second half, when we arrive in the giant’s kingdom, we’re effectively inside Fleshcreep’s head and it isn’t pretty. The show opens with the terrifically talented Jade Hackett as Fairy Godfather. She sports a delicious Caribbean accent, moves like rubber, commands the stage and looks hilarious cuddling up to her love interest, Mama Trott, who is at least 18 inches taller. Sam Harrison, with all the requisite outrageous costumes (designed by Georgia Lowe) finds the right blend of camp, kindness and pathos in his take on the Dame. Joey James also excels as the very nervous Jack gradually finding the confidence not to depend on his alter ego sock puppet and Sienna Widd’s Jill is delightful as the feisty elder sister – a very far cry from the usual “Silly Billy” brother whipping up the audience into forming gangs. And it’s all supported with some very pleasing ensemble work. In many ways, though, this show belongs to John Partridge who cackles so unpleasantly that he really is foul rather than funny as he lords it over everyone – every word spat out with relish and spiced with some engaging body movement. Why am I not surprised to read that he trained as a dancer, initially at the royal ballet school? The second half of this show is surprisingly dark – shades of both His Dark Materials and the Wizard of Oz. Being “sent to the giant,” as Jill has been, is seriously sinister but no spoilers. Suffice it to say that it makes a subtle but very pertinent political point about education and what, at its worst, it does to young people. It’s fortunate that most of the songs (Corin Buckridge) are rap because the words are inclined to disappear in the more pop-style numbers, partly because the music – well played by a four piece band led by Olivia Zacharia - is often too loud. For myself I really liked this reworking of the panto genre but I suspect it might not do for families looking for the sort of light-hearted seasonal romp they’re used to. The children around me were engaged and willing to yell when required but there wasn’t all that much laughter. JACK AND THE BEANSTALK at Lyric Hammersmith Written by Sonia Jalay Directed by Nicholai La Barrie BOX OFFICE https://lyric.co.uk/shows/jack-and-the-beanstalk-2025/ Photography: Manuel Harlan