“Hilarious and somehow disturbing exploration of disposable consumerism, with hints of Black Mirror” ★★★ Returning to where it all began, acclaimed writer/performer Claire Dowie brings a retrospective repertoire of some of her greatest hits to the Finborough Theatre. In one of these pieces, See Primark and Die (Buy Little, Buy Less, Buy Nothing at All) , Dowie uses her unique “stand-up theatre” style to tell us the story of an ordinary, bargain-loving, and slightly “frayed at the edges” woman’s descent into the liberating madness of a new, secret epidemic called Shopophobia. Suppressed by the media, the illness is spreading through the population causing an unspoken Jedi revolution of scavengers and zero wasters. It’s a deeply intelligent and deceptively madcap monologue that is as relevant today, if not more so, with even more “tat” having moved online, as it would have been when it debuted in 2010. Beginning with a sudden panic attack in one of her favourite places, Peckham Primark, Dowie’s character finds herself experiencing a series of unusual occurrences, from knowing strangers to a laundry-line apparition, that take her into this black hole of shopping terror. What then follows is a sometimes hilarious and somehow disturbing exploration of disposable consumerism, with hints of Black Mirror or JG Ballard’s societal breakdown dystopia, High-Rise. I wonder if some of the more bleak political realities of globalised fast fashion have come to light in the years since it was originally performed and if reference to any of these could enhance the piece, not to mention the influx of AI-generated products currently flooding the internet. But nonetheless there’s certainly enough in there already to make a pitch-perfect satire of isms: quirky British shopping habits, capitalism, materialism, environmentalism. Overall, this is a tricky one though. Dowie is undoubtedly a huge talent with a distinguished career and a charismatic stage presence. The content of the piece is excellent and she’s naturally funny. But because of the fusion of stand-up with monologue, it can be difficult to know what’s fumbled and what’s deliberate: is something a stylistic innovation or just a mistake? In this case, quite frequently bungled lines have the potential to add to the performance, to be used to its advantage in creating character, tone, and form. If anything, this technique is actually required for that mode of storytelling. Here, though, I must admit that I found it distracting. Though I loved her personal style, it’s hard to achieve complete immersion if you find yourself concerned that lines, and often really good ones, are going to be forgotten, or fluffed, or rushed. Now, I wonder if some of that is because Dowie has undertaken the admirable task of performing many different monologue pieces at the same time throughout the season. And I also wonder if this is one of those rare cases where someone else’s interpretation of her brilliant text might bring it to life in a different way – incidentally, there have been many other international performances of it, as well as in Italian and German, and a large-cast version coming up later in the year. And I also wonder if some of that is just me – maybe I haven’t fully “got” the performance style. Or maybe, given that it’s her swansong, her heart isn’t as totally in it as it might have been. It is, in any case, warm, authentic, intelligent and without pretension, a rare piece of theatre. And I call that a bargain. Photography: Colin Watkeys See Primark and Die (Buy Little, Buy Less, Buy Nothing at All) Written by Claire Dowie Directed by Colin Watkeys Finborough Theatre, 10 June – 5 July 2025 Box Office: https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/claire-dowies-swansong/ Reviewed by Alix Owen

‘Light and entertaining examination of success and failure’ ★★★ Two males sit opposite each other in an awkward space. It soon becomes clear these two have previously crossed paths. One’s a jobbing slash failing actor. The other, is his former examiner who once awarded him the perfect grade of 100%. But if the actor was able to warrant such a flawless assessment, how come he can’t land any roles? How come, a decade after this eponymous grade, his unquestionable talent not been recognised or rewarded? And, why has he been dropped by his agent? The desperate actor, slightly odd, possibly a bit unhinged, demands answers. Played by one of the writers and originator of the piece Benjamine Sumrie (co-writers are Marco Biasioli and Liam Grogan) insecurity and low self-esteem seethe from every pore. The Scouse examiner, David Allen, who in his time has processed hundreds of young thespians in an educational factory somewhere, has no real memory of the individual before him and, finds himself in a game of wits, trying to double guess the motives of this young man, who has now worryingly locked the door. How the dynamics of this relationship play out in the claustrophic environment of the actor’s home – well recreated in the basement of Barons Court Theatre - form the arc of the piece. The power shifts and character reversals, keep the energy up for an entertaining hour of theatre. Hell hath no fury like an entitled ex-student but who is the biggest failure of the two? “It’s true, those who can’t do, teach” admits the examiner, once an understudy at the Lyric. Who exactly has had the most miserable work life? Who has achieved the least? It’s a fun premise for a two hander, but the characters are a little flat and could be more rounded. What has made the actor so desperate for validation? There’s a suggestion his issues have deeper roots, but this is not explored. There’s also a class element that hovers but remains unploughed. The ex-student, from a comfortable background, can languish in gainful unemployment in the parental home, in “a performativity of hardship.” The examiner, meanwhile, who becomes more Uber Scouse as tensions rise, must work to survive including work he doesn’t particularly like, such as examining young actors. One Hundred Percent is a comic two hander played for laughs. It cocks a snook at educational environments who fill students’ heads with unrealistic ideals and questions the meaninglessness of metrics when assessing arts-based subjects. Because the title and the promotional blurb give away the premise, there are few surprises for an audience and the somewhat predictable ending has the lightness of a comedy sketch. The direction could be more dynamic, and the space used more inventively but nonetheless, One Hundred Percent is an entertaining look at failure, success and how this is gauged. ONE HUNDRED PERCENT at Barons Court Theatre 17 – 21 June 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.baronscourttheatre.com/100 Presented by Precarious Theatre Director: Liam Grogan Writers: Benjamin Sumrie, Marco Biasioli, and Liam Grogan Producers: Liam Grogan and Benjamin Sumrie Assistant Director: David Allen Assistant Producer: Francesca Maria Izzo ​ Cast: ACTOR - Benjamin Sumrie EXAMINER - Francesca Maria Izzo & David Allen (alternating nights)

‘Lush & ribald, a swoon of Shakespearean slang.’ ★★★★ It’s the oldest story in the book. Boy meets girl; boy loses girl. It’s a cliché, nothing new but nonetheless devastating when it happens. The boulevard of broken dreams is a well-trodden path, in art and life, but this interpretation is fast, funny, and fresh. One man, skinhead geezer, shiny dome, spray-on jeans, red braces, the writer of this piece (Matthew Lyon) is also the alpha male who falls for the young woman in a little denim skirt with red flowers in her hair. (Laura Maxwell) In “a SodaStream of gilded beams” they lock eyes on a tube, Last Tango in Shepherds Bush. The arc unfurls: love, sex, dreams, connection until the rot sets in. Broken presents the particulars of this relationship in West London, with sticky duvets and a mountain of fast-food wrappers. The initial idealism and fantasy, just looking at her gives him “eyegasms” is set against the disillusion and reality of two individuals who so wanted to become their own rhyming couplet. Inevitably, it all finishes with “boo hoo eyes and lamenting sighs.” There’s some wildly entertaining physical theatre in Broken, accompanied by the playful piano keys of silent cinema but it’s the language that sets it apart as something unique and enjoyably different. The entire 75 minutes is told in verse, his perspective and hers. Ribald and lush, it’s a swoon of Shakespearean slang delivered with the proletariat vowels of Alex’s Nadsat from A Clockwork Orange. Fans of poetry and the Bard will enjoy the verbal footnotes and references to many classic plays and poems scattered throughout. Impressively crafted and well-paced, the mood chops and changes as the relationship runs its course. Alongside the many laugh-out loud scenes, are a few that are genuinely moving which explore the painful solitude of a fresh extraction. There’s a real rapport between these two performers. Lauren Maxwell who has toured internationally with mime, circus and clown performances sparkles as a posing, posturing, pint-sized pin-up, the perfect complement to his wide swagger and blokeish demeanour. Broken by Matthew Lyon has been treading the boards for seven years and last year won the Best Writing award at the Bitesize Festival, 2024. Now at the Riverside for only a few days more, catch it while thee can. BROKEN by Matthew Lyon at Riverside Studios until June 15th 2025 Box office https://riversidestudios.co.uk/see-and-do/broken-166501/

 ‘an entertaining ride, especially for those looking for a blend of circus, camp, and mythology’ ★★★ There are four gods featured in this cheeky circus retelling of Greek mythology: Cupid, Dionysus, Apollo, and Hercules. Though, one might ask, does Hercules really count as a god? That debate becomes part of the show’s narrative. What do we expect from a circus? Daring feats, gasps of wonder, and bursts of applause—moments that push human physicality to the edge. GODZ certainly delivers some of these “wow” moments: aerial stunts, precarious balances, and yes, full nudity. But while the spectacle is there, the variety is limited. The majority of the routines centre around balancing on high objects, with few diversions. Aside from a humorous nude dance involving plates, the show can feel repetitive, making the pacing feel somewhat flat. Rather than relying solely on momentum and spectacle, GODZ introduces a loose narrative arc—Hercules’ mythic journey—as a way to thread the acts together. It’s a clever device, but the execution doesn’t always land with the finesse required to keep the audience fully engaged. That said, it’s still an entertaining ride, especially for those looking for a blend of circus, camp, and mythology. Somewhere between acrobatics and theatre, GODZ doesn’t fully commit to either form, and that in-between space can feel both novel and uneven. HEADFIRST ACROBATS GODZ PEACOCK THEATRE 11-14 JUNE Wednesday to Saturday – 7.30pm Saturday matinee – 2.30pm 75 mins Tickets £18 to £45 The show is recommended for ages 18+ This performance contains full nudity We’re sorry, children under five are not allowed to attend this performance. Booking https://www.sadlerswells.com 020 7863 8000 (Mon-Sat, 12-6pm, excluding Bank Holidays).

“director Sam Smithson comes to play in this funny, provocative and inventive piece of theatre” ★★★★1/2 Martin Crimp’s ‘Attempts on Her Life’ is a director’s playground, and Not Quite Ready’s director Sam Smithson certainly comes to play in this production at the Hen & Chickens Theatre. With ‘17 scenarios for the theatre’ written sans character, sans stage direction, and sans narrative thread bound only by a female other, namely Anne/Annie/Anya/Annuhska – who might be a terrorist, or an expensive sports car, or the girl next door, or a backpacker or an artist documenting her suicide attempts – Crimp’s play demands a response to present socio-political context. His surrealism is aptly summarised in the line, ‘it’s surely the point that the search for a point is pointless,’ as the play cuts between harrowing depictions of ethnic violence and satirical monologues on capitalism. Not Quite Ready Productions boast an impressive ensemble who manage, with great energy and craft, to build a narrative out of the apparent episodic chaos of the play. What that narrative is depends on the audience member, so I will avoid my own interpretation so as not to ruin the fun. There are many elements to compliment, notably the video and lighting design from Beril Yavuz; I was absorbed particularly by animations of girls in lingerie that felt like a strange crossroad between a strip club, The Sims and a campaign for positive sex work. Wil Pritchard’s sound design and composition is equally as effective, the final piece of a unique creative puzzle. Director Sam Smithson demonstrates a sophisticated command of storytelling, staging THE CAMERA LOVES YOU in a 2000s nightclub, GIRL NEXT DOOR as a leather-clad rock number (performed by a captivating Tom Terry), and TRAGEDY OF LOVE AND IDEOLOGY as a kind of writers’ room set against the backdrop of the Third Reich. Another favourite was UNTITLED (100 words), where Cameron Wilson plays a flamboyant art critic, glasses thick-rimmed and nose up-turned, walking the boundaries of satire with expertise. Meghan Bartual Smyth brings a calm steadiness to the play’s anarchy, while Bethany Monk-Lane delivers racking monologues with a crazed but crafted twinkle in her eye. While the company’s name does suggest that the show needs a final polish, this is a funny, provocative and inventive piece of theatre that entertains on both an absurd and a human level. Whether you know the play or it’s your first venture into Crimp’s weird world, Not Quite Ready’s production of ‘Attempts on Her Life’ is not to be missed. Photography: Claire McHugh Attempts on Her Life by Martin Crimp Not Quite Ready Productions Hen & Chickens Theatre 10 th – 14 th June 2025 Box office: https://www.unrestrictedview.co.uk/attempts-on-her-life-by-martin-crimp/ CREATIVE Director - Sam Smithson Video and Lighting Designer - Beril Yavuz Sound Designer and Composer - Wil Pritchard ENSEMBLE Bethany Monk-Lane Cameron Wilson Meghan Bartual Smyth Tom Terry Social media: @nqrproductions

‘based on real people and real events, it gets right into your head and leaves you asking, what really happened’ ★★★ Ruthless is an interesting look at the “One-Lady-Trauma” that was Ruth Madoff, the wife of multi-billion dollar Wall Street fraudster Bernie Madoff. We find out that her husband was the mastermind of the world’s largest ever Ponzi scheme, a fraud where early investors are paid off with the investment funds deposited by more recent investors. To those of you who are unfamiliar with this, it is like a certain famous politician’s recent bit-coin scam, where he and his associates made millions and hundreds of thousands off gullible MAGA supporters who lost all their money. These ‘Ponzi schemes’, like crypto currencies have been referred to as “crime-ridden scams” though little is ever done to reimburse the victims. Perhaps they are viewed as what in a war might be called collateral damage. In this case Ruth Madoff is clearly one and very possibly her son too, who committed suicide by hanging himself in front of his own child. There is little mention of or thought given to the harm done to the thousands of innocent investors except for the effect it has on the mind of the guilty. Although one does make a brief appearance late in the play. Starting at a sedate crawl, the curtains are opened on the pill and alcohol fueled self pitying misery of Ruth’s last days. We are uncertain who she is talking to until we realize that this poor woman is leading a life of delusion. Is she alone? No, she is just the lonely victim. Everything in her life that meant anything has been taken away from her but her self-pity flies out of the window at the drop of a hat when the hunky Italian pizza delivery man rings the doorbell. We are left wondering if she is really that damaged as from that point her self-pity turns into blame. Indeed, Emily Swain steers us through a journey of ever-changing moods and reflections of a woman whose life’s events have left her clearly disturbed. Eventually moved to suicide she enters a state of hallucination or visit to heaven, depending on whichever belief you decide to adopt in your own life, where the truth of the matter is laid bare to her. In reality, employees in fact stated “Ruthie runs all the books” a reference to her job as the bookkeeper of the family firm, which does rather point the finger of guilt or at least compliance in the fraud in her direction. And back in the play Ruthie is tormented with guilt at the accusation that she may well have been the driving factor that caused the whole fraud to happen in the first place. Although the play is fiction, it is based on real people and real events and so gets right into your head and leaves you asking what really happened. Although a whole range of reasons, excuses, blames, lies and bullshit were thrown at Ruthie by her lost family members and her own twisted mind, we in the audience may be left to figure it out for ourselves. In the end it makes you want to go home and look up what really did happen or for the less interested, it leaves you guessing as to the truth about this weird sort of who-done-it type of mystery. Or if you feel less motivated you can take it just as it comes. Read LPT interview with the writer Roger Steinmann here RUTHLESS At Arches Lane Theatre (formerly The Turbine Theatre), Battersea 3 - 29 June BOX OFFICE https://app.lineupnow.com/event/ruthless-by-roger-steinmann Written and directed by Roger Steinman Emily Swain as Ruth Madoc

‘Jason Moore’s direction of both plays gives them a sense of continuity that makes sense and feels fresh.’ ★★★★ Audiences want to laugh, the old adage goes. If nothing else, The Red Peppers/Aged in Wood double bill at the Tabard proves it to be true. Set in 1936, Noel Coward’s short comedy Red Peppers follows a music hall husband-and-wife double act, George and Lily Pepper (Jon Osbaldeston and Jessica Martin), who deliver jokes on stage and insults backstage, both against each other and their increasingly frustrated colleagues. While plays about backstage antics are always fascinating to watch, OnBook’s production of Red Peppers is particularly enjoyable, with two outstanding central performances, as well as an impressive attention to detail that successfully brings to life the 1930s theatre scene within the confines of the Peppers’ dressing room. Martin and Osbaldeston play off each other with ease and the supporting cast does a fantastic job of keeping up with them. The second play in this double bill, Cian Griffin’s Aged in Wood, is a much more sombre affair. Set in the present day and in the exact same dressing room, Aged in Wood follows Denna Ames (Jessica Martin), an aging actress coming to terms with the fact that she is no longer a wide-eyed ingenue. Its title is surely a reference to the much talked-about play-within-the-film in All About Eve (1950) and it’s no surprise that Deena is a sort of modern-day Margo Channing. Her career has taken a hit, her divorce is yet to be finalised, her children want to move out of the family home and her leading man can’t remember his lines. While not particularly ground-breaking in terms of the subject matter, Aged in Wood is a performance-driven piece, and that’s where it’s at. Martin delivers a wonderfully nuanced performance, showing us that comedy is about being serious, as yet another adage goes. The occasional overdone joke about the theatre, thespians and the likes is well-balanced by an array of one-liners, delivered beautifully by Avis (Emma Vansittart), Deena’s agent and best friend. Jason Moore’s direction of both plays gives them a sense of continuity that makes sense and feels fresh. A well thought-out double bill that makes for a very entertaining night at the theatre. Photography: Leda Omra RED PEPPERS / AGED IN WOOD An OnBook Theatre production May 28 – June 21, Tabard Theatre BOX OFFICE https://tabard.org.uk/whats-on/red-peppers-aged-in-wood/ Carol Saint Martin is a screenwriter, playwright and pop culture blogger. Her play HABITAT was performed in 2024 in Twickenham and her short film OPEN HELL was selected for the London Lift-Off Film Festival in 2025.

‘Clever fun but too long’ ★★★ ½ Dating, in various forms, from the 405 BC and 1970s this pretty bonkers show tells the story of Dionysus (Dan Buckley – good) and his slave Xanthias (Kevin McHale – fine work) visiting Hades to rescue George Bernard Shaw so that he can save civilisation. As it turns out they meet Shakespeare while they’re there and set up a TV style reality competition. Of course he wins so they take him back to life and leave Shaw behind. The titular frogs, of which Dionysus is terrified, live in the river Styx. It’s certainly very funny and full of anachronisms which make for good comedy. “We’re in Ancient Greece and the present” McHale tells us at the beginning and that sums it up. There is also a huge amount of self-referential joking about theatre itself which went down very well on press night when the house was full of actors, directors and theatre creatives. It might, however, be a bit esoteric for a mainstream audience on a wet Thursday night. The writing is brilliant, however. Sondheim, with all that effortless rhyming was probably the best lyricist since WS Gilbert. And the music, played by a five piece band with Ed Zanderson (covering for MD Yshani Perinpanayagam) on keys, purrs along wittily. There are hints of other Sondheim songs and clever references to Shaw, both musical and verbal via Pygmalion/My Fair Lady. The cast of ten are a talented bunch. It’s effectively a group of accomplished principals who form a well choreographed (Matt Nicolson) ensemble when required rather than an ensemble from which small roles emerge. There is, for example, bravura work from Karl Patrick, first as the laconic Charon bobbing up and down like a jack-in-a-box and treating his passengers to a dead pan cruise-style commentary. Then he is show-stoppingly funny as Pluto’s gatekeeper complete with a speech impediment characterised by perfectly timed sibilance. Bart Lambert, who sings in an attractive rich baritone, delights as the ever serious Shakespeare who expresses every thought in his own words – another bit of quite clever in-joking. The ensemble, as and when it forms, is neat and vibrant. And the sequence at the end of Act 1 when they become frogs, all wide legs and leaps of both feet is suitably climactic. Yes, there’s plenty to enjoy here but at over two and a half hours with interval, the show is too long for what it is. THE FROGS at Southwark Playhouse 23 May - 28 June 2025 Music & lyrics Stephen Sondheim Loosely Adapted from Aristophanes by Burt Shelgrove and Nathan Lane BOX OFFICE https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-frogs/ Photos by Pamela Raith

‘Undercooked and underdeveloped’ ★★ Love and theatre can both be messy. At their best, they can lead to wild, unpredictable and exciting encounters – at their worst you’ll wonder why you ever came in the first place. Game Play, by R.K. Chui, is unfortunately more illustrative of this latter tendency than the former. Things kick off with strong energy as our protagonist duo Izzy (Hayley Calleia) and Dom (Sam Law) fire themselves up with a gym workout before recounting the first date that kicked off their relationship. Filled to the brim with karaoke, to which both Calleia and Law give some very high energy lip-syncing, we jump in time almost immediately to the couple having moved in together and become thoroughly bored of each other. It’s a whiplash that glosses over the development of much-needed substance for a relationship that should be the heart of the play. Things don’t get much better as the issues in the relationship become clear – Dom is seeing other women, with the consent of a highly tortured Izzy. Suspicions that there may be more going on than it seems are fueled by Dom’s bizarre referral to Izzy as ‘holographic’, but this proves to be a red-herring for what is in fact a very straightforward and arbitrary dynamic between the two, one that plays into the ‘games’ of the title but again without much-needed substance. Many things in the play simply happen, without build-up or justification. Direction from Aoife Scott does well to inject pace and energy into proceedings, and the hour does fly by, but there’s only so much that can be done with flawed material. In particular, the pace and sense of the play is disrupted by regular fourth wall breaks in which Calleia/Law grab a microphone to either justify themselves or simply antagonize the audience. A handful of times these instances are funny, but far more often they only work to suck the oxygen out the room and undermine any tension or drama that had been built up to that point. Crucially, during the play’s climax as the couple’s problems seem too great to overcome and Law leaves, there is a quiet moment of sadness only for him to return citing that the director has told him to. So much for world of the play – it’s a baffling and self-defeating story beat that doesn’t do the show any credit and epitomizes just how undercooked the fundamentals are. While there’s plenty of talent on display, significant revision in the writing is needed before any of that same talent can shine here. Photography by Ross Kernahan Game Play runs at Brockley Jack from 3rd – 7th June Written by R.K Chui Directed by Aoife Scott Produced by Hayley Calleia Lighting and Tech by Darwin Hennessy Box office: https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/game-play/ Produced by Kitchen Revolt Productions Reviewed by Harry Conway

'Sure to score a hit with audiences' ★★★★ Two fresh-faced Ozzies are smitten with each other. Candy (Freya James) and Dan (Ed McVey, who played Prince William in The Crown) could be straight out of Neighbours. Cute, cool, and carefree, this could be Kylie and Jason, Gen Z style. But sweet as the title of this play is, which starts with tenderness, intimacy, and lots of artful canoodling, don’t be deceived. This is a play about heroin, how it finds its way into people’s lives, what it does to individuals and how it affects relationships. Dynamically directed and choreographed by Kate Elliott who worked on the adaptation of the novel with Freya James, Candy is a combination of direct address and scenes that trace the arc of this chemically challenged relationship. The 75 minutes running time flies by, always the sign of a production that is tight, focused and absorbing, as you are drawn into this sensory world, based in 1980s Sydney and Melbourne, Australia Dan is pure surf boy, tanned with floppy blonde fringe. Candy is a quirky artist, blue eyes “like a mist,” open-minded and up for new experiences. He’s a regular user; she wants to try it, just a tiny bit. Initially, he’s reluctant but eventually they become joint users, on a mind-bending journey together. This menage a trois, with heroin as the third party, soon spirals, as the drug exerts ever greater control. The use of sound and music is sometimes stripped back, and single notes set an audio framework for shifting emotions and needs. From “indescribable bliss” to desperate need, audiences experience a full gamut of emotion, from the heady peaks, to the dismal, humiliating troughs. Despite the growing dominance of the drug, the couple still have dreams. They hope for children. He wants to grow vegetables and keep chickens; she wants to paint. But heroin has other ideas. With a great rapport and two great, physical performances, the actors manage lots of entertaining multi-roling and some hilarious vignettes including a drug-addled, ‘four-way’ and dinner with her parents. You can’t, even against your better judgement, help but fall for these two hopelessly inter-dependent junkies. Based on the 1997 novel by Luke Davies, Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction, the story was also turned into a 2006 film with Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish. This stage version, the second run, last seen at the Old Red Lion in 2024, doesn’t fall into any of the depressing tropes associated with heroin stories and refuses to moralise, sermonise, or demonise. Heroin is a fact of many lives and this little window, joyous in its own subversive way, offers more empathy than judgement. CANDY, a stage adaptation of Luke Davies’ novel Candy: A Novel of Love and Addiction White Bear Theatre 3rd - 14th June BOOK NOW Director: Kate Elliott who worked on the adaptation of the novel with Freya James Choreography/Movement: Co-directed by Alexandria McCauley and Laure Bachelot Cast Freya James and Ed McVey

‘one of the most ingenious productions of Shakespeare seen for many a year’ ★★★★ As we filed in the four actors were already on stage. What they were doing and why wasn’t immediately obvious, pulling and straining at pieces of cloth as if they were in an ancient Roman laundry. What emerged was that we were looking at the full extent of their props and the whole cast of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar. Hard to believe at first and not at all apparent but what was about to unfold must have been one of the most ingenious productions of Shakespeare seen for many a year. The action started with energy and movement, a profound contrast to the deep humming soundtrack. That felt like it had been lifted off Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”. The pace was lively and the scenes moved well with just enough dialogue edited out to keep everyone in the audience well informed about what was happening in the story, whether this was their first time or whether they were a veteran viewer of The Bard’s work. The breaks between scenes were downtime to allow the audience and the four actors to have a breather. The physical movements were sometimes in slow-motion, sometimes synchronized between the actors but always with the booming drama of the music; a great way to slow everything down and yet build the tension for the next scene. Early in the play it became clear that the four on stage at the start were to be the entire cast of the play. For those that don’t know, Julius Caesar has a large cast. So how were the ‘fantastic four’ going to get through this without spreading utter confusion? Well they managed and they managed very well. Not sure if they stuck strictly to the words of the play, as on more than one occasion a new scene was started with one actor addressing another by name when he had just played the role of another character in the previous scene. But I could be wrong about that, maybe that is the way it was written. Whatever the case, there was no confusion about who was playing who. All four must be commended for bouncing seamlessly from Portia to Mark Anthony or Cassius to Calpurnia, Caesar to Octavius, referred to as Caesar, just to stump those not paying attention because of course he was, because that became the title of the Emperors and lastly of course Brutus to, well Brutus. Perhaps he was somebody else early on but it didn’t really matter if you forgot. In fact it would only prove how good they were if you did. The props, all cloth were used for everything. And the death toll of the many murders and suicides was racked up with sheets on hooks hung ominously along the back of the stage as the proceedings unfolded. The lights and shadows were used effectively and sparingly, giving the whole a range of dazzling, dark, secretive or stormy looks which were fitted perfectly to the individual scenes. On the whole a well thought out, well acted and well directed performance. A Rag and Bone Theatre Production Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar at The Hen and Chickens Theatre 4 - 7 June 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.unrestrictedview.co.uk/julius-caesar/ DIRECTOR Directed by Anna Blackburn ( Winner London Pub Theatre’s Special Commendation for Excellence with her version of The Tempest for Burnt Orange Theatre) CAST British-Chilean Louis Cruzat , (who recently performed with Steven Berkoff and was the lead in Mary & Mietek which won Best Black Box production at the London Pub Theatre Awards). Minnesotan actor Greta Hansen , (who last year worked with Miles Teller and Anya Taylor-Joy in The Gorge and in Adam Deacon’s Sumotherhood). German-Italian actor Clio Carrara (who led the surreal Slow Death of a Lotus Flower at the Drayton Arms Theatre).  and Arnold Patrick Lumu features, ( Ugandan graduate of Guildhall who was a part of the immersive production of 1984 at Hackney Town Hall). COMPANY This collective is coming together to create the first offering from Rag & Bone Theatre, a new company focused on reframing classical narratives for modern audiences.

‘a warm, witty show about love, insomnia, and the pursuit of normality’ ★★★★ There’s a girl who sells caffeine — coffee, to be precise. She has insomnia. One day, her watch breaks. She goes to have it fixed and falls in love with the watch fixer, who, it turns out, follows a completely different sleeping pattern. This witty and warm story by Isabella Waldron is a clever analogy for life in modern society - the frenzy of constant wakefulness and the sense that our time is somehow broken. In her search to “fix” what it means to be “on time,” the watch fixer ironically turns to the Victorian concept of biphasic sleep, suggesting a return to the past in order to rediscover a personal sense of normality. Hannah, our bouncy, high-caffeinated protagonist, panics and runs - until she comes to embrace the idea that differences are okay. Ironically, that’s exactly what she used to tell her mother to help her understand her sexual identity. Ciana Howlin, who plays Hannah, exudes vibrant energy, while Kate Crisp, as Zoe, radiates calm serenity. Their chemistry makes the show all the more believable and engaging. The clever use of signage and LED lights on the set’s pillars is both inventive and effective, and Merel Wheldon’s direction is clear and full of compassion. The Watch is a warm, witty show about love, insomnia, and the pursuit of normality in a disjointed world. Runs until the 9th of June.  The Watch at The Glitch, SE1 7AE Until 9 June 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.tickettailor.com/events/vaultcreativearts/1617333 ? CAST Ciana Howlin (Hannah) Kate Crisp (Zoe)

‘Clunkily unclear’ ★ ½ We’re in a croft in the remote village of Coillie Ghillie in the Highlands which had to be abandoned in the 19 th century because of contagion. From that historical starting point Ali Milles’s play presents three pairs of women at different points in the history of the building. Or at least I think it does. The story telling is clunkily unclear. This touring production of The Croft is a revival, now directed by Alastair Whatley. It was originally directed by Philip Franks but the tour had to be aborted in March 2020 at the beginning of the Covid 19 Pandemic. It opens with two women arriving at the titular croft, in the present, after a long journey north from Letchworth. For the young one (Gracie Follows) this is returning to the family holiday home for a quality time break with her older lover (Caroline Harker) whose mind is preoccupied by her two teenage sons and estranged husband. Of course there is little or no phone signal. There are audibility problems in this production, right from the start: I struggled to catch many words even from Row G. This may be due to acoustic issues in the Churchill but either way it is not acceptable in a much hyped professional production. It’s billed as a ghost story and chilling thriller but actually it’s simply a series of, sometimes baffling, time slip scenes with very loud clichéd “ghostly” sound effects (by Max Pappenheim) which quite often drown out the dialogue completely. The sound balance is woeful although the occasional snatches of traditional Scottish music are quite effective as a location reminder. Attempts have been made, moreover, to ratchet up the ghostliness with devices such as pictures falling unaccountably off the wall and a rocking chair moving by itself – a trope nicked from The Woman in Black. Characters often ask, not always with convincing timing, “What was that?” and it gets wearingly predictable. There are five actors in the cast which necessitates a lot of doubling and it’s often confusing. If you find yourself thinking “Oh it’s him again. Who’s he meant to be now?” which I did several times, then the piece is failing dramatically. Having said that, there is sense in Caroline Harker - she is the best thing in the entire show - playing both Laura’s older (mother figure?) lover, Suzanne, and her mother who has died from cancer and whose presence she still feels strongly. And Follows makes a reasonable job of playing Laura as an adult and as a child although the significance of her also playing a young unmarried pregnant woman in the nineteenth century scenes was lost on me. The Croft runs for two hours including an interval but it feels much longer as you watch scene after scene, each flagging up possible story developments but failing to follow them through. It’s always a pity to see, and report on, a show into which a great deal of hard work has evidently been invested but which ends up as a lacklustre muddle. But it’s a critic’s job to be truthful. Photography: Manuel Harlan The Croft by Ali Miles starring Liza Goddard, Caroline Harker & Gray O’Brien On tour from May - July 2025 Tour details https://www.thecrofttour.co.uk

“an authentic show that presents an important and untold story” ★★★ Mrs T Foresees is as bonkers as pub theatre gets, but for very good reasons. Through a series of devised vignettes, it documents the true(ish) story of the Irish fortune-teller Molly Tolpuddle (Mrs T) who ventured to Australia in the 19 th century to make something of herself. She was an entertainer, and so the red curtains and wooden crates above the Lion & Unicorn pub and the interaction with the audience are a fitting means of storytelling. We meet Molly as she arrives at the Yarra Bend Home for the Lunatic and Insane in New South Wales and is taunted by her new inmates, Franny, Lewis and Pinky. Molly (Carol Tagg) monologues about her journey and her life as an entertainer, a servant, a mother, a wife and an outcast. A lively and physically impressive ensemble of actors spook in ghostly makeup and tremble with the weight of their mental illnesses, playing the characters that peppered her life. The play is a great example of well-researched and innovative devised theatre, but unfortunately suffers from being too long. The writer and director, Gail Matthews, has created lyrical beauty from old wives’ tales and colonial lullabies, but gives them too much space in the play. Mrs T Foresees runs for over two hours, when really the story only needs one. It is more novel-esque than drama: the monologues press on too long and it is far more descriptive than action-led. The play’s strength lies in the absurdity and commitment of its ensemble (Dottie Lubienska, Michael Nowak, Tom Barnes) who swarm Molly with their lunacy and react viscerally to her every word. Their madness is confrontational, in-yer-face, and requires the breadth of the actors’ voices and bodies – they are excellent. Tagg’s performance as Molly is just as committed, but tires with the length of the script. In the director’s note, Matthews writes that the cast sprung from an improvised drama group called Three Worlds, and it is evident that the show was built through workshopping and improvisation. Having participated in many projects like this throughout my Drama degree, I can appreciate the work that it takes to build a world from newspaper cuttings, interviews and piles upon piles of research. One cannot discredit the creative team’s commitment to building an authentic show that presents an important and untold story, but the show would benefit from their condensing the piece by at least half. I thoroughly enjoyed the scenes in the asylum and wondered if, to give Molly more agency, there might be scope for a framing device where Molly instructs the ensemble to re-enact the important moments in her life. This would serve to tighten each scene, each transition, and in turn abbreviate a play whose brilliant moments are at present lost amongst the sheer quantity of material that has made it into the script. Photography: Tara Basi Mrs T Foresees by Gail Matthews and Copilot Projects Lion & Unicorn Theatre 27 th May – 7 th June 2025 Box office: https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on Written and directed by Gail Matthews Visual Creative Director – Sara Curnock Crook Technical Creative Director – Richard Allport Technician – Laura Hulme  Cast Carol Tagg – Molly Tolpuddle Dotty Lubienska – Franny Michael Nowak - Lewis Tom Barnes – Pinky Social media: @MrsTForesees

‘a wonderful homage’ ★★★★ Heather Alexander is raw in her delivery, bold in her performance and bewitching on this stage of her own. Emul8 Theatre’s Room, written and performed by Heather Alexander and directed by Dominique Gerrard, takes the audience on a journey through Virginia Woolf’s seminal work A Room of One’s Own. This famous essay is based on two lectures delivered by the author at Girton and Newnham College in October 1928, challenging the injustices faced by women throughout history. Through Emul8’s adaptation, Woolf’s glittering prose is reborn – triumphant and as resonant today as it was a century ago. It’s refreshing (and Woolf herself would find it so!) that in an adaptation of a text that centres around women’s lack of freedom, Alexander is so courageous and unshackled in her expression. She glides seamlessly between emotions, from frustration and anger in one moment to episodes of complete calm in the next. It’s a testament to Alexander’s skills and Gerrard’s direction that the show rarely feels rushed or repetitive, even when chunks of prose are repeated. The repetition only adds to the neurosis, which in turn adds to her frustration and our understanding of the importance of the issues at hand. The set is cluttered and inviting, brimming with creativity and littered with all the usual debris you’d expect to find inside a writer’s room. There are two Virginia’s on the stage, as a voiceover reads lengthier chunks of the essay in soundbites and recordings indented between Alexander’s performances. A bold direction from Gerrard, this allows the larger chunks of the text to be performed without interrupting Alexander’s emotional response. This creates an inescapable sentimentality between the two Virginias, as the distance between the corporeal Virginia on stage and the recorded Virginia (also voiced by Alexander) somewhat bridges the distance between the real Virginia Woolf and Heather Alexander. It’s a moving use of voiceover and one that also adds a brilliant pacing to the show. Room is a thoughtful adaptation and Alexander brings a wonderful vulnerability to Virginia Woolf’s words and character. One moment, we see Alexander sitting on an armchair relaying to the audience stories of fishes and cats that feel like a bedtime story. The next, she is enflamed about women’s poverty and the injustices towards herself and women in history, talking of Shakespeare’s forgotten sister, Jane Austen, and Aphra Behn with tenderness. Often remembered and revered in academia for the bold and complex woman she was, it’s particularly poignant to see her in these anxious and tender moments. It’s in these moments of doubt that the perpetual relevance of A Room of One’s Own breaks through. In Room, Woolf is not relegated to a shelf but brought to life as a flawed and physical individual facing dilemmas that face all women, then and now. It’s a varied and passionate performance and a wonderful homage to a celebrated and important text.  BOX OFFICE Performance 29 th and 30 th May, 7.30pm at the Jack Studio Theatre. Theatre Company: Emul8 Theatre.

‘Failure project is a risky, daring and brave address to the world' ★★★★ The minimalist set design of a solo chair in the middle of the stage, underneath which lies a bouquet of loose flowers, some also scattered across the black box stage, draws the audience into an almost sacred ambiance and atmosphere. A soft spoken voiceover opened up the one woman show, followed by the entrance of the playwright, actor and co-director, Yolanda Mercy, under the co-direction of Joseph Barnes Phillips. Mercy portrays Ade, a South Londoner of Nigerian heritage with a gentle soul, sharing her life story, almost as a stand-up comedian. She addresses and interacts with ease, the many strangers, acquaintances, friends and family, and she dares to be open hearted about her experience of being, or of becoming a successful writer. Although Ade started as an actor herself, performing in several venues including her favourite Soho open mic nights, she found success as a writer with an agent and received several writing commissions. However the pressure of the industry demands her to write black stereotype characters, which led her to frustration. Her second script ‘Day Girl’ portraying the life of a black girl winning a scholarship in a private school, attracted the interest of a renowned theatre. Ade is over the moon but when the decision by the programmers to cast another actor to play the part of the lead, someone who is more influential than Ade herself, that sinking feeling of erasure and being invisible came as a stab in the back. Through the mix of comedy and silent repressed anger, Ade watched her script being performed on stage by the influencer actor, using words that were not even written by the writer. A horrifying feeling all too common to the zillions of playwrights out there, whose written words have been manipulated, changed, erased and edited to fit in with what the industry wants to hear, or what they think the audience wants to pay for. Be wary, the performing arts industry in reality is not one of freedom of expression and creativity but more so, a controlling commercial manipulative mechanism whose aim is to sell tickets and make profits. Ade commutes to Norwich regularly to visit her mother at her childhood home and hopes to find solace at a difficult time of her career, when her shows got cancelled. Instead of finding encouragement and support, she comes face to face with the realities of being the eldest daughter “who does not drive a car”, unlike the younger sibling, and being the one who is in a creative profession that is not sustainable. Mercy performs several characters, with great characterisation, the highlight being expressing the mannerism and accent of her Nigerian mother. Her prowess at storytelling supported by a wide selection of special sound effects and voice overs was so relatable that it was easy to forget that we were watching a one person show for the 75 minutes run. One cannot help but have empathy for all the playwright creatives who are struggling in a very competitive arts industry, but continue to press on only because they have a story to share. Failure project is a risky, daring and brave address to the world that there is space for kindness in such a cold-hearted industry. Following a critically acclaimed and sell out Edinburgh Fringe in 2024, BAFTA nominee Yolanda Mercy is touring her self-penned work Failure Project across the UK including Harrogate Theatre, Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Soho Theatre, London from the 27 May to 14 June and the Norwich Theatre Stage Two on 20 June. Failure Project Soho Theatre, London 21 Dean St, London W1D 3NE Tuesday 17 May - Saturday 14 June, 6:45pm. Tickets: £11-£20 Age 14+ Running time 75 minutes https://sohotheatre.com/events/failure-project/ Writer & co-Director & Performer: Yolanda Mercy Co-Director: Joseph Barnes Philips

‘Shopland exhibits strategic mastery in this witty play, revealing the cause of underlying tensions’ ★★★★★ Every once in a while we can be met with a play that resonates deeply within ourselves, something that we can relate to in every sense. Something that touches our innermost feelings and thoughts and reflects what we believe and what we think and what we fear. Not very often, I must admit but just often enough to surprise us. On the occasions that this happens we are happily reminded how sublime some of the work done in this industry is. Tonight it was so with this play. Primarily involved with the relationships of three couples, although we don’t see some of the partners, it starts in the house of Ruth and Frank Townsend. Ruth is a former psychologist married to Frank a hospital administrator who tonight is complaining about someone parked in his driveway. A visitor comes round, the local vicar’s wife who does not seem quite right, is agitated and a bit jumpy which may or may not be her natural disposition but anyway we find out later about that. The next to entre is Simon Waller, a neighbour who works in a gardening centre and whose wife has recently left him. This all sounds a bit serious and what we also find out is that all these people are holding onto something. This is a story about secrets, secrets that get revealed as the story proceeds. This is an incredibly funny and very witty play but underneath the witty comments traded between the couple whose house it is there is an underlying tension which inevitably comes to the fore. After having the audience in stitches for most of the time, the first half of the play ends in a massive brawl. The second half of the play then proceeds to examine the aftermath. Gone is the humour, replaced by a psychological and emotional insight into what has really been going on. The drama starts when explanations and back stories come out in an example of writing that exhibits strategic mastery . Why everyone was so full of anger and angst, venom, guilt and confusion is shown by the writer who does a fantastic job of allowing each character to relate their own story in turn. Laying bare the human condition this allows us to understand how things from their pasts have shaped their present and govern their behavior. The things that caused the characters to have their problems, issues and misunderstandings between each other are wrapped together to form a fascinating plot. This is a very deep study into people’s lives and relationships and is expertly done by the writer. All of the cast without exception were outstanding. The comedy of Callum Patrick Hughes as Simon Waller was underpinned by a sense of deeper emotional trouble in his character. The eccentricity of Lucy Farrett who played the vicar’s wife Marie Gilchrist was there for great comic effect but also to disguise the fact that something else was afoot. The plain speaking Hamza Al-Haytham played by Behkam Salehani expertly shifting between blokishness and gooey infatuation. Ellis J. Wells as Frank Townsend and Shereen Roushbaiani as Ruth Townsend both gave emotional performances as husband and wife, as well as showing how strain in a relationship gets unleashed in passive aggressive bickering hiding in plain sight as witty banter. In the end some of the problems were resolved between some of the couples but I’ll leave you to find out what happens to whom. You must go and see this if you can, it is the best play I’ve seen for years and possible the best modern play I’ve ever seen. Once again I must say how outstanding the acting was and that some if not all of the cast and writer need to be nominated for some kind of an award. Don’t miss it. Read LPT interview with writer and director David Shopland here Images: Kat Foryth CUL-DE-SAC Director and writer David Shopland Omnibus Theatre, 1 Clapham Common North Side, London SW4 BOX OFFICE https://www.omnibus-clapham.org/ Produced by Fake Escape Website www.fakeescape.org/cul CAST Shereen Roushbaiani Ellis J. Wells Callum Patrick Hughes Lucy Farrett Behkam Salehani Stage Manager Ellie Holloway Assistant director Lexie Woodroof Movement Director Jahraine James Dramaturg Roann Hassani McCloskey

‘hilariously funny … the individual characters were familiar and convincingly and the audience loved them’ ★★★★ Let me start by saying that this was an incredibly funny well written and well acted play. You don’t really need any more from me, just go and watch it, you will not be disappointed. Alternatively you can read on if you like but my words can barely do them justice. The play is centered on three women actors in their fifties about to go on stage to perform a murder mystery play. We get a fascinating insight into their uncensored and unashamed honest opinions on almost anything. Proceedings are brought to a halt after a death or two and are then examined by a detective. Or are they? . . . . I’ll leave you to find out for yourself. The writer has succeeded in celebrating the wealth of attributes brought to the acting profession by ‘older women’. Helen Bang as Elizabeth Treasure, Rosalind Blessed as Angelica Finchley-Power and Laura Morgan as Sheila Jayne Punnock are all absolutely fantastic. The parts are sensitively written and the embodiments are expertly crafted. Their professional comic delivery was hilariously funny, their individual characters were familiar and convincingly believable and the audience loved them. The supporting cast was James MacKay as James Maguffin and Jonny Davidson who played Sebastian Fawn the director of the murder mystery. They join the rest of the cast giving faultless performances. Finally we come to Detective Inspector Charles Fortitude played by Peter Rae who also gave us a great performance as well as writing this play. We must thank the rest of the team, unfortunately too many to mention all here by name, who helped put the show together. Everyone involved must be congratulated for this first rate piece of work. “This is NOT a Murder Mystery” was produced by Canonbie Productions who are Peter Rae the writer and Helen Bang the director. They are regulars at the Drayton Arms and have over the years developed and evolved a group of actors into an ensemble of exceptional talent. Their attitude and dedication needs your appreciation and their performances are an example to all of how theatre should be done. Canonbie Productions also have a feature film coming up so that should be worth seeing too so keep an eye out for that one. Images: Lily Renshaw This is NOT a Murder Mystery at Drayton Arms Theatre 27 May - 7 June 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/not-a-murder-mystery Cast: Helen Bang Rosalind Blessed Jonny Davidson James Mackay Laura Morgan Peter Rae Creative team: Director - Helen Bang Assistant Director - Oettie Devriese Lighting Design - James Denny & Mudlark Creative

'witty, heartfelt play with a strong cast' ★★★ ½ This is a play that starts with a handshake. Just two lads, Paddy (Eoin Sweeney) and Mick (Matthew Blaney)—old chums, ride or die. The type of mates who, if this were ‘Derry Girls’ rather than ‘Derry Boys’, might have scrawled ‘P+M 4 Ever’ on the school walls. Derry Boys follows them across two decades, from puberty-fuelled shenanigans to the bleak realities of an adulthood that has taken them down very different paths. At its heart, Derry Boys is about feeling out of joint: not quite belonging, not quite right, living in a world that doesn't know where to put you. The two leads are born in Derry—or Londonderry. Depends on who you ask. A place so torn between identities it can't even settle on a name for itself. The boys feel this keenly. ‘I care that I'm Irish’, one of them says. ‘And I care that there are people out there who can tell me that I'm not.’ They burn with resentment for past injustice, and for everything their fellow Irish still don't have. They dream of following in the IRA's footsteps. Maybe if they blow up the right thing—or person—they can solve it all. Derry Boys is at its best when it mixes keen observation with some very funny lines. Writer Niall McCarthy was adamant about avoiding stereotypes: ‘I’ve also seen A LOT of really terrible plays about Irish people written by English people’, he said in an interview. He wanted to create something different, a piece authentically rooted in its setting. Without question, he's achieved that. Knowing laughter rippled through the audience at each Derry-specific line. A Derry resident I spoke to afterwards said that the show had nailed it all, from the Protestant/Catholic school segregation down to the Derry City vs. Celtic jerseys hanging in the foyer. But a storyline that mixes scenes of heartwarming friendship with a semi-satirical plotline about terrorism will always have a hell of a tonal challenge ahead of it. Derry Boys is at its weakest when it doesn't trust the audience, when it spells its message out too much: ‘We shouldn't be trying to make things worse for the English, we should be trying to make things better for the Irish’, one character earnestly says. It is Paddy's girlfriend Aoife (Catherine Rees) who draws the short straw here, as she is almost always relegated to being the voice of reason, the sensible woman who scolds her boyfriend to please just grow up. Rees plays her well and sympathetically, but it's clear that McCarthy is interested in his duo, not a trio. She's there to make a political statement, and to raise the stakes for Paddy. At one point, when Paddy was wavering between life options, I wondered whether the show was going to make her pregnant. It did. All of that is to say that there are some formulaic structures on display here, well-known to anyone who's watched coming-of-age sagas before. The more the production went on, the more I yearned for it to shake things up and (without giving spoilers) it ultimately does, in a big way. I would just like to have been a little more surprised on the road we took to get there. None of that changes, however, that this is a witty, heartfelt play with a strong cast. (Watching Blaney's frantic interpretation of the hellish gawkiness of puberty is almost worth the cost of admission alone.) You'll come out thinking—and desperately hoping nobody asks you which side of the ‘Derry’ vs. ‘Londonderry’ divide you're on. Images: Harry Elleston Derry Boys by Niall McCarthy at Theatre503 20 May – 7 June BOX OFFICE https://theatre503.com/whats-on/derry-boys/ Cast MICK Matthew Blaney PADDY Eoin Sweeney AOIFE Catherine Rees Creative Team WRITER Niall McCarthy DIRECTOR Andy McLeod PRODUCER Iona Bremner SET AND COSTUME DESIGNER Caitlin Abbott LIGHTING DESIGNER Jodi Rabinowitz SOUND DESIGNER Rudy Percival STAGE MANAGER Tricia Wey PRODUCTION MANAGER Herbe Walmsley MOVEMENT DIRECTOR Emily Orne