‘technically impressive, visually bold, and full of kinetic intensity’ ★★★★★ GRAVITY by Ryu and Friends opens with a screeching soundscape and sharp, deft movement cutting across the stage. From the beginning, the dancers appear caught by an invisible force: shaken, pulled, scattered, and drawn back together again. The movement is fast-paced and physically demanding, performed by ten-strong dancers with superb technique and stamina. There is a constant sense of bodies negotiating different force, such as gravity, attraction, collision, resistance, and the choreography builds a restlessly shifting relationships. Although there is no clear storyline, the piece builds a strong rhythmic flow, and the full 65 minutes feel tightly held. The soundscape and lighting do a great deal of the dramaturgical work, creating the atmosphere the piece needs: alien, tremorous, sometimes harsh, sometimes strangely beautiful. What is impressive is how carefully the stage picture is composed. The lighting, costumes, sound and choreography work together to create a strange and charged atmosphere. Nothing feels accidental. The floating orbs add a clear visual metaphor, suggesting planets, bodies, worlds, or the fragile objects around which human relationships form. The energy is sustained throughout, and even when the concept becomes abstract, the company’s physical precision keeps the work compelling. GRAVITY is a striking introduction to Ryu and Friends: technically impressive, visually bold, and full of kinetic intensity. GRAVITY By Ryu and Friends Part of Festival of Korean Dance The Place 15th May 2026 A Festival of Korean Dance runs across five venues from 13 - 30 May. Gravity was also presented at Tramway on 13th May. BOX OFFICE https://theplace.org.uk/whats-on/

'welcome to my world’★★★ ½ The Circle Of Everything is a solo interdisciplinary performance of live painting, aerial dance and digital visuals projected onto a backdrop. The show explores birth, awakening and spirituality in a modern contemporary style. Originally scored and illustrated, this performance features the making of a live Enso painting; an ancient practice originating from East Asia. A zen circle to be done in one stroke, motion and breath. Once done, the painting is not meant to be changed or altered. The Enso is meant to express the Zen mind. This component in the show emulated a sense of simultaneous creation; giving us both a performance and finished artwork at the end. Balancing anticipation and action; Camila CK plays with movement and staging levels. This show had a ‘welcome to my world’ feel to it. A criticism of this piece would be that the performance itself was the short duration of thirty minutes. The length combined with the genre confined it to feeling more like a multi-faceted theatrical art installation when it had the potential to become a fuller story. A longer show might give the opportunity for these themes to unfold further and branch into a clearer narrative; making it accessible to reach a variety of audiences. This was a show that makes good for contemplative conversation. A synchronised piece of entertainment; The Circle Of Everything offers a perspective on the Chaos and Order theory. As well as a physical analogy of the link between the subconscious and conscious brain. This show is dual disciplinary, playful and an exploration of self. More info Performance Trailer 1min @kamila_ck_artist

‘The UK is (finally) waking up to the glories of Korean culture.’ ★★★★ A woman retreats to a bunker in Seoul as a mysterious virus spreads throughout the world, a premise which has more plausibility post-Covid, although we have not yet experienced the zombie apocalypse like in The Last Man. This play was very successful in Korea and this is the first production in England. It is a one person cast where the actor alternates each night. Lex Lee takes the role for half the run but this night it was Nabi Brown. The play starts with her retreating into her bunker, or rather her banjiha (a semi-underground flat). Although a one person play, Brown is not totally alone, there is a four-piece band visible above the stage. The music (Seungyeon Kwon) is lively and the band are fantastic, it is always good to see live music in a musical at a smaller venue. The songs (book and lyrics Jishik Kim) drive the action along and have some dark humour. The survivor has supplies for a few months but as these run low the mood darkens. The play has plenty to say about the difficulties of self-efficiency and sustainability, as well as the isolation and brutality of modern capitalism. The end of the world does not save you from the demands of landlords and bailiffs. Brown is excellent in the title role. It is a lot to carry the whole piece, but the songs mean there is variation, and with Daljung Kim’s astute direction the play never feels monotonous. The UK is (finally) waking up to the glories of Korean culture. Whether it is film, Netflix series or music, quality Korean works are everywhere at the moment. So it is great to have this thought provoking, quirky and unique play on in London. Playing at the Southwark Playhouse Elephant until13 June BOX OFFICE https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/the-last-man/ THE LAST MAN Book & lyrics Jishik Kim, music Seungyeon Kwon, dramaturg Jethro Compton. Directed by Daljung Kim. Presented by NEO, Inc. photography by Rich Lakos 

‘It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s hilarious and witty.’ ★★★★ ½ The safe haven of the women’s bathroom on a night out in London soon becomes a place of life changing events in the beautiful chaos of ‘Drunk Girls Cry Here’. Opening as Flick (Eva Regan), Saph (Emily Puttick) and Liv (Áine O’Neill Mason) are out clubbing to celebrate Saph’s birthday, they find themselves drunk in the bathroom, reflecting on the patriarchy while snorting cocaine. The ‘Free Palestine’ badge on each of their bags is hard to miss, but it’s a feminist message that the play has chosen to be at its core. What starts as an ode to their friendship gets messy and messier as the night takes a stressful turn of events, full of secrets. Liv is pregnant. Saph is leaving to New York. And Flick has just been sexually assaulted. But she can’t tell anyone yet, or hasn’t realised it’s actually happened. On a simple set revolving around the single toilet cubicle, while the music, constant throughout the show, blasts out hits from ABBA to Mr. Brightside, the ensemble’s incredible chemistry works its magic and keeps the audience on their toes until the very end. Blair McAlpine’s directing is flawless, a perfect addition to Regan’s fascinating, unique writing. The comedy never misses a beat and the visceral reactions, from gasp to laughter, and sometimes (in my case) even a little cry – only shows how invested and captivated the whole audience is. Even the choreography, the dance floor and karaoke moments are captivating to watch, making each transition greatly enjoyable and dynamic. With the help of McAlpine’s exquisite creativity, the performances are remarkable. Both subtle and unpredictable, forming a mesmerising, vibrant and authentic magnetism within the group of friends, as the audience inevitably ends up deeply caring for each one of them (or at least I did). Regan’s Flick is delightfully portrayed, with chaos, humour and tenderness at the same time. Puttick’s Saph is on the contrary, much more grounded and responsible. She plays out impeccably her interior dilemma: how can she tell her best-friends she’s leaving half way across the world, when she’s not even sure of the decision herself? O’Neill Mason as Liv is absolutely stunning. We can hear each of her thoughts and it is gut-wrenching to see the actual fear on her face as she stares at the positive pregnancy test and the life and comfort she’s always known suddenly vanishes. Jacob Hutchings as Archie (Saph’s partner) is simply brilliant. As he learns Liv is pregnant with his friend Jack (played excellently with both delicate empathy and light-hearted humour by Jordan Peedell), Hutchings goes through every single emotion possible, in one of the funniest moments of this show. Finally, as Charlie, Kieran Robson gives a finely-tuned portrayal of a charming young man hiding something much darker. Dealing at its core with sensible societal issues through the eyes of a group of friends, ‘Drunk Girls Cry Here’ is nothing but brutally real. It’s raw. It’s messy. It’s hilarious and witty. Overall, it’s definitely a must-see. Photography: Lizzie Sneller Drunk Girls Cry Here by Eva Regan at The Hope Theatre 12 – 16 May 2026, directed by Blair McAlpine BOX OFFICE https://www.thehopetheatre.com/drunkgirlscryhere CAST Eva Regan Jacob Hutchings Áine O’Neill Mason Jordan Peedell Emily Puttick Kieran Robson

'Baroque and prole' ★★★★ Who would be an actor? As Patti Lupone said, “theatre is like a gym membership: you pay a lot, suffer in front of people, and nobody claps when you finish.” This is just one quote in the programme, gathered by Matthew Lyon who writes, directs, produces - and of course, acts in - his latest fifty-minute show. Player is all about the trials and tribulations of that most expressive, vulnerable, and unstable of professions. For anyone who delighted in the linguistic joys of Broken, Lyon’s first Riverside show about a relationship breakdown, Player will not disappoint. It is similarly a two-hander, male and female, where conflicts flare and chemistry fizzes. The male character, embodied by Lyon, is inspired to become an actor when watching Jack Nicholson in The Shining. He comes from a troubled background with an alcoholic mother and dreams of escape. He wants to be a famous actor. Constructed as a series of small scenes, Player takes us on a journey through one wannabee actor's life. Inspired by Steven Berkoff’s Actor, a series of comedy sketches sees him standing up to family, navigating a dismissive official at the job centre, auditioning with pretentious directors and taking any tiny role that’s offered. Hurrah! Seventh spear carrier! Hurrah! A cheese and pickle sandwich! It’s all acting. Multi-talented Ola Forman, Lyon’s female sidekick, shines in multiple character roles with her impressive breadth of accents: braying Felicity, the insufferable head of drama school; drawling Megan, an award-winning Mormon actress and flighty Tabitha, a ‘visionary’ director who has no idea. Dripping in parody and satire , this slice of comedic theatre is also an acerbic commentary on the conceits and contrivances of the acting world and its inherent class bias. In this competitive, travelling circus, honesty is demanded but authenticity is rare and much remains superficial. Everyone performs most of the time. Lyon has a distinctive look, voice and style: a senior skinhead in braces and DM boots, he resembles a young Donald Pleasance. For anyone who loves language, his writing displays dazzling verbosity. Overblown, florid, exuberant, he has a layered, linguistic ball with poetic verse, cockney rhyming slang and brand names. His words are like a torrent, packed with metaphors and similes often hard-edged and masculine. He talks of his dreams being crushed “like Hillsborough fences.” While Lyon drives the whole creative project, his writing stands out as audacious and unique. Arguably, Player could have a stronger opening and closing, and the transitions between the scenes could be smoother—things a director might have focused on more astutely. But this aside, Player is a terrific piece of work, worth fifty minutes of anyone's time, full of wit, sharp observation and yes - honesty. READ INSIGHTFUL INTERVIEW WITH MATTHEW LYON'S HERE BOX OFFICE Player | Riverside Studios

‘The icon we know; the woman stays hidden’ ★★ Dick Van Dyke, the eternal chimney sweep, turned 100 last year, and Mel Brooks of Young Frankenstein fame will, all being well, reach his centenary next month. Eva Marie Saint, the oldest living Oscar winner, is 101. And, had her flame not burned out at 36, Marilyn Monroe would have joined the Hollywood hundred club on 1 June. Which gives us the conceit for this short musical skim through the highlights and background of the career, life, loves and lows, very low lows, of a woman with a claim to have been the most famous in the world in her time. Her 100-year-old ghost (played by Donna King) looks back on her life as scenes from it play briefly before her, young Marilyn (Alice Mayer, largely clad in the white dress familiar from Seven Year Itch) sprinting from schoolgirl to model to starlet to icon. The music’s good (Tom Fowkes), inventive and sprightly, if not particularly representative of any particular era of Marilyn’s 15 years of fame, though the singing isn’t strong. The show suffers in other respects from a script that simply skims every surface, like a Wikipedia entry but without the links we could click to find who, say, Joe Di Maggio or Arthur Miller or Paula Strasbourg were or why they mattered either to Marilyn or to anyone else. It’s a curious paradox that anyone who knows anything about Marilyn will learn nothing new while anyone who knows nothing at all about her will learn nothing at all. There’s simply too much incident (one thing after another) and too little context or explanation to give the actors, most playing multiple roles, much room to develop character or relationship in scenes without link or milieu. Ultimately, Marilyn is the icon hiding little Norma Jean, Di Maggio and Miller the eminences in their own fields discombobulated by finding themselves in her glowing shadow, and so the sun rises and the tides flow. The promise of the frame – a century-old Marilyn reviewing her life – doesn’t come to much as her ghost simply narrates events and the narrative ends when she does in 1962. The icon, the incredible icon, we know and can see; the woman sadly stays hidden as a brief 70 minutes flickers out. MARILYN: THE WOMAN BEHIND THE ICON by Andrea Milton-Furlotti at Upstairs at the Gatehouse 12 – 24 May 2026 Music by Tom Fowkes and Andrea Milton-Furlotti Directed by Andrea Milton-Furlotti Box Office: https://www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com Reviewer David Weir’s plays include Confessional (Oran Mor, Glasgow) and Better Together (Jack Studio, Brockley, London). His novel The Honourable Member for Murder will be published in August by Allison and Busby

‘A joyful celebration of sound and energy’ ★★★★ It was announced loud and clear, the Yamato ensemble troupe of drummers of Japan have returned to London. They have already graced the London stages in 2019 and 2024 and have thrilled the audience to an exhilarating experience. “Hito no Chikara” The Power of Human Strength is a brand new show presented to an avid London audience, some who may be quite familiar with the highly explosive drum beats and passionate performance of the artists. This time, the fusion of technology with natural stage and lighting designs serve to create immersive theatrical atmospheres that are both raw and controlled. This collaboration blends the qualities of innovation and advanced intelligent lighting tools with the natural aesthetics associated with East Asian culture. The stage, for a start, was overlooked by a grand impressive light fabric curtain backdrop onto which the digital image of the ‘Mitsudomoe’ symbol was projected. The traditional, three-comma shaped symbol represents the Shinto religion and the three-fold harmony of humans, earth and sky. Which underlines the very essence the performers aspire to attain to, with each strike of the Taiko drum: the harmonious existence of human beings with earth and the heavens. It was no denying that the energy and unshakable spirit of the Yamato’s drummers reigned supreme on that opening press night. They drummed with fierce power, they danced to breathtaking choreography, they roared like lions, they performed in calm gentle movements, they drummed with other musicians playing the flute and the shamisens, they increased the tempo of the drum beats, they paced themselves in tune with other artists, they moved and circled around amongst each other, drums attached to their body and yet the sound of the drum beats resonates and reverberates across the auditorium, continuing the rhythmic cadence without flaw. Some sounds produced by smaller drums were high pitched, some sounds produced from heavier drums deeply resonated through the body. Huge drums were crafted from a single piece of tree trunk, and the most impressive one was the odaiko drum with dimensions of two metres wide, and crafted from a 400-year old tree. The audience was delighted with a drum off session between two drummers, similar to a dance off challenge. Several Japanese drums of various shapes, known as the wadaiko, were brought on stage, from the small to the heavy drums that needed several man power to be wheeled onto the centre stage. Later, the performers broke the fourth wall, attempting to have conversations in English with the London audience. There was some humour introduced with the performance, and the invitation to audience interaction, very Panto-esque like, seemed to please many, as the crowd joined in, clapping hands and raising arms. Pure shared moments of joy. A celebration of sound and energy. Hito no Chikara vision is to be more than a performance. It encourages us to feel the heart beat of humanity, to experience the power of human strength, to live in harmony. To what extent they can achieve this noble vision within their production run from 12 to 30 May 2026, is yet to be known. Yet, through the artform of the Taiko drumming, a centuries-old tradition in Japanese culture, the drummers of Yamato originating from the Nara prefecture in Japan, continue to push themselves to new heights, or rather decibels, exploring new avenues and atmospheric spheres and in the process, challenging the boundaries of what it can be. Review by Melanie Lam YAMATO The Drummers of Japan “Hito no Chikara” The Power of Human Strength Created by The Yamato Drummers Composer and Artistic Director: Masa Ogawa Costume and Designs by Akiko Ogawa Venue: Peacock Theatre 12 – 30 May 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.sadlerswells.com/whats-on/yamato-hito-no-chika-the-power-of-human-strength/

‘Elizabeth Counsell is convincing … it’s a subtle, resonant performance’ ★★★ ½ Into a room lined with mementoes shuffles an old, old woman. It’s maybe her one hundredth birthday and all her family are clustered around, but there seems to be more sadness than celebration, and she finds it extraordinarily hard to get anyone’s attention. And this is a woman who is used to being noticed. Elizabeth Counsell presents a monologue, written by Gail Louw, directed by Anthony Shrubsall, that tells the life and times of Sara Tauba Klagsbrun, who was born in Tarnow in Poland, escaped from Poland to Antwerp to avoid the German invaders, escaped again from the invasion of Belgium, just about got to England, and then had some diamond times, putting the ashes of Holocaust Europe behind her. It’s been a full life, with loves and family and Chanel gowns, and now, here at the end, she has time to reflect on the good and the bad, the ashes and the diamonds, and on her warring relationship with her daughter. Elizabeth Counsell is convincingly an ageing glamour-puss with a selfish bent, and still making her a survivor, a winner, a brave confronter of overwhelming forces ranged against her. It’s a subtle, resonant performance. The focus on a single flawed individual, however, is perhaps less effective at making Sara live. We have to treat her anecdotes as the whole story when we can hear how unreliable and self-serving she is. It’s the story of a Polish Jewess who makes it through, and it hints at the cost she has to pay for surviving. There needs to be more honesty available, more reason to believe this woman has been, is, loved. Elizabeth Counsell does a very creditable job, maybe Gail Louw could have made it somewhat easier. Ashes and Diamonds at White Bear Theatre 5 - 16 May 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.whitebeartheatre.co.uk/whatson/ashes-and-diamonds Photo Credit: Paddy Gormley

"Striking just the right balance between sinister and entertaining" ★★★★ Presented by Half Light Creative, FIVE is a sharp and unsettling psychological thriller that examines society’s fascination with true crime, notoriety, and the dangerous allure of getting too close to darkness. It’s a production that understands the power of restraint, wisely avoiding overcomplication and allowing the writing and performances to remain front and centre. Written and directed by Lilwen Faulkner, the play follows Morris, a true crime podcaster who begins interviewing a serial killer imprisoned for strangling five people. Initially determined to uncover what makes the murderer tick, Morris gradually becomes drawn into the killer’s orbit over a series of increasingly intimate interviews. What begins as journalistic curiosity gradually mutates into obsession, as the boundaries between interviewer and subject blur and Morris’ own life begins to spiral dangerously out of control. The dialogue feels natural and incisive, while the tension is allowed to simmer. The script is peppered with witty lines and dark humour, lending the piece an energetic pulse that prevents its heavier themes from becoming oppressive. There is a pleasing intelligence to the writing, particularly in the way it explores power, manipulation, and society’s voyeuristic fascination with violence. The performances are confident and polished throughout. Filippo Brozzo charts Morris’ emotional unravelling with impressive subtlety, while Zak Rosen delivers a deliciously playful yet deeply unsettling performance as the killer. The chemistry between the two leads sustains the production’s tension effectively, creating a sense of creeping unease that steadily deepens as the story progresses. Despite the production being largely static, Faulkner's direction creates a strong sense of rhythm and momentum, ensuring the piece always feels active and engaging. Visually, the production embraces simplicity; the stripped-back staging magnifies the performances and allows the audience’s imagination to fill in the darker corners of the story. Where FIVE stumbles slightly is in its final stretch. A key revelation during the final interview feels rushed, lacking the emotional groundwork needed to make the moment fully convincing. In doing so, the production sacrifices some of the realism and careful psychological layering that the earlier sections establish so effectively. Still, these issues do little to undermine what remains a clever, gripping, and sharply performed piece of theatre. Striking just the right balance between sinister and entertaining, FIVE proves itself a compelling exploration of obsession, intimacy, and the cultural fetishisation of murderers, elevated by confident performances and a production style that trusts both its material and its audience. Box Office: https://www.thelionandunicorntheatre.com/whats-on

Even the spotlights have comic timing. ★★★★⯪ This is a ridiculous show—in the best possible way. Are you a fan of contemporary dance, but wish it featured more orgies? Do you like your Rossini with a chainsaw murder? Your Offenbach with gigantic rubber ducks? Does ‘The Buttcracker’ make you giggle? If so, this is the show for you. If this entire paragraph made something inside you die a little, avoid at all costs. Derrière on a G-String is production company Some Smith and Moore's response to the question: How do we make dance more accessible? The answer, apparently, is lots and lots of sex. We kick off with a collage of classical music's greatest hits, then launch into a strip-tease. The emphasis is on a soundtrack everyone will recognise, which helps the audience anticipate the comic beats. It's a little like Disney's Fantasia, if Fantasia included latex and a whip. The six cast members are all excellent at movement, comedy and not having a breakdown while performing their 15 th quick-change. Each character technically has a name—Flop, Drip, Grunt, Slosh, Twitch, Vinyl—but they are never spoken aloud. Nothing, really, is spoken aloud, apart from nonsense words. Think baby talk crossed with an alien having a stroke: ‘Zibbidie-doo?’ ‘Zap-zap’ ‘Heyyyyy’. The set is straight from music-hall farce, one big wall of doors and windows for heads (and bananas) to pop through. An archway of lightbulbs flashes merrily in tune with the music, and the lighting design is crisp. Even the spotlights have comic timing. And within this mass of silliness, the creative team has conjured up some strangely beautiful imagery: who knew that vaping could look stunning, if the lighting is right? Props must also go to the props department, which has sourced a mini vault of comedy objects, from umbrellas and bedsheets to bubble machines and old-fashioned phones. There are twenty sketches in all. Some characters (or at least costumes) make multiple appearances, and throwaway gags are repeated between scenes. But the storylines, if they can be called that, are unconnected. Only at the end of the show does director Alfred Taylor-Gaunt attempt to tie it all together, in a nightmarish collage. This means that everyone will have their favourites, and it truly is hard to choose—the gigantic swan stampeding across the stage, chasing a floppy, deeply phallic loaf of bread? The dancing duvet cover? The audience darling on press night was The Buttcracker Pas de Deux, which ends with a builder embracing his queer identity. It's clear that the creative team was bursting with ideas, and none of them are bad. It's just that there are, perhaps, a few too many crammed in. This is particularly noticeable with the repeated gags: repetition makes them funnier until it doesn't. A ten minute trim of the running time, or a stronger through-line, would fix this. Derrière won't be to everyone's taste, but it objectively takes slick skill to pull off something this deeply silly. And if you're worried about the nudity warning, don't be—strategically placed slips and knitting wool cover all crucial areas. Tickets from £10.00 Pay What You Can: 9th May 2026, 1pm Booking link: https://kingsheadtheatre.com/whats-on/derriere-on-a-g-string-md7x Cast & Creative Team Written and created by: Some Smith and Moore Cast: Sammy Moore, Cam Tweed, Ryan Upton, Alice O'Brien, Courtney Cyrus, Ena Yamaguchi Director/choreographer: Alfred Taylor-Gaunt Set designer: Emily Bestow Costume Designer: Reuben Speed Lighting Designer: Andrew Ellis Sound designer: Findlay Claydon Casting director: Sarah-Jane Price Assistant director: Sammy Moore Assistant choreographer: David Rhys Musical arranger: Luke Bateman Production manager: James Anderson Company stage manager: Elizabeth Khabaza Assistant stage manager: Abbie Williams Marketing: The 5th Wall Public relations: Kevin Wilson Social media: Jonni Knight Graphic designer: Laura Whitehouse Set construction: Set Blue Scenery Producer: Some Smith and Moore Associate producer: Daniel Chowdhury Photography: Charlie Flint

“The production uses the magnificent space of the Hackney Empire well and there is a great atmosphere from the packed audience of young people.” ★★★★ In Malorie Blackman’s seminal novel Noughts & Crosses the world is flipped. Black people (the Crosses) rule and have privilege, whilst the white people (the Noughts) are discriminated against and have little access to education and justice. A classic work for young people, this deeply unjust parallel world exposes the systematic racism of our own. This touring production, adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz, brings the novel to life. The pacey direction, which uses video and the set (designed by Simon Kenny) very cleverly, keeps the novel’s complexity without getting bogged down in subplots and tells the story well in two and a half hours. At the heart of the story is the friendship between “Cross” Sephy (Brianna Douglas) and “Nought” Callum (Lewis Tidy), excellently played by the young actors. Echoing Civil Rights-era America, Callum is among the first Nought students to be allowed into a Cross majority school, but is met with hate and violence. Sephy, a liberal Cross, gets caught in the crossfire as she attempts to welcome the new students. Her situation is complicated by her father (Chris Jack) being the Home Secretary in the authoritarian government. As the play progresses the characters have to make decisions about justice and trying to do the right thing whilst fighting for freedom. The production uses the magnificent space of the Hackney Empire well and there is a great atmosphere from the packed audience of young people. A really strong production of a classic work which is unfortunately only in London for a few nights but continues to tour. Photography: Von Fox Promotions NOUGHTS & CROSSES based on the novel by Malorie Blackman adapted by Sabrina Mahfouz. Directed by Esther Richardson. Produced by Pilot Theatre in association with Northern Stage Playing at the Hackney Empire until 14 May (then continuing to tour): https://www.hackneyempire.co.uk/events/noughts-and-crosses

'a gripping exploration of wealth, socioeconomic class and moral values' ★★★★★ Kai Creative Studios presents a revival of Dinner by Moira Buffini. A story in two acts; wherein a hostess invites a group of her supposed friends for an extravagant dinner. One evening, several courses and plenty of drama. Dish after dish, a metaphor of madness ensues! This play explores wealth, socioeconomic class and moral values. Buffini flirts with the symbolism of consumption in both the societal and culinary meaning. Executed by a deliciously talented cast, these characters clash and collide within this movemented, pacey and eerie piece. While there are moments of purposeful uncertainty for the audience, the storytelling provides a thorough scope of each character. Striking, believable and funny individual performances all round. Directors David Fairs & Conor O’Kane construct a version of this play that feels raw, immersive and gripping. The show's set design defines an elegant and refined aesthetic. It reinforces the sense of wealth and spoiltness possessed by the characters. The dining table; a prop centric to the narrative, shape shifts from scene to scene; accumulating a sense of unpredictability and time passing. Sound Design equally provides an undertone of unsettledness throughout. Dinner is a hard show to pin down. What is its genre? This adaption is a bold, chilling surrealist thriller full of conflict and debate with a garnish of lust. Whether you love it or hate it, you cannot deny that it is well done. Acted and staged with conviction. An unhinged whirlwind that is both bizarre and high quality entertainment. This revival of Dinner is a hypnotic, atmospheric concoction! Photography: Charles Flint DINNER BY MOIRA BUFFINI PRESENTED BY KAI CREATIVE STUDIO DIRECTED BY DAVID FAIRS & CONOR O'KANE AT OMINIBUS THEATRE UNTIL 24 MAY 2026 BOX OFFICE

‘This female-led creative team definitely have stories to tell, but …’ ★★⯪☆☆ With an all-female creative team and a delightfully gripping title, Stanislavsky Can’t Save Me From the Apocalypse is a coming of age comedy, set in a theatre summer camp in Maine, where five young women find themselves in charge of a group of kids after a mysterious apocalypse. The story revolves around the five main characters – we never see or hear the children in the camp – as they navigate friendship, romance, and have to confront their new disastrous reality. Once aspiring actors, musicians or even theatre technicians, they are now stranded far away from their hopes and dreams of a future in New York or LA. The play is full of theatre and film references used for comedy purposes which at times end up slightly overpowering the character dynamics. In the intricate space of the Baron’s Court Theatre, the set design is only constituted of musical theatre production flyers, scattered on the walls, which struggle to reflect the disruptive spirit expected from an apocalypse. While it’s understandable for a pub theatre production to have a limited budget, the few moments where actors mime onstage – such simple actions as pouring a glass of prosecco – doesn’t work and is unsettling for the audience. Perhaps the show could have used a stronger sound design or music presence, especially as the audience is teased with talks around musical theatre and expects some instrumental or singing interludes. Such an occasion only occurs once, when Molly Wolff’s character Erika picks up a guitar, bringing together the group in a beautifully heart-warming moment. Overall, the plot struggles to move forward: the first scene reveals Dani’s death (Christie Griffin) as the group tries to figure out who is responsible for the murder. But the scenes that follow fail to maintain such high stakes within the fractured timeline of the play. The animosity between Dani and Erika (who we know has ‘accidentally’ killed Dani) quickly becomes repetitive. Undeniably, the energy from the actors onstage is remarkable, but the constant screaming and shouting eventually undermines the performances, making some dialogues quite hard to follow. This female-led creative team definitely have stories to tell, and ones we need to hear, but while the concept of their play is intriguing, the current shape of this production is missing the structure of a compelling story. Stanislavsky Can’t Save Me From the Apocalypse at Barons Court Theatre 5 – 9 May 2026 Written & directed by Maggie Dickinson Produced by Cate Johannessen Living Room Productions Photography: Izzy Reeve

“A must-see. FLUSH fits an entire carousel of the female experience into a single women’s room in a Dalston nightclub” ★★★★ April Hope Miller’s ensemble-comedy FLUSH is a must-see. Of course, FLUSH’ s unique humor, point-of-view, and narrative structure are no surprise coming from the winner of the 2025 Fringe Theatre Award. It’s clear the audience is in safe hands from the moment of entrance. Before audience members are seated, they are first ‘stamped,’ consistent with passing through the door of a nightclub. The set is immediately visceral and transportive; the tags and graffiti plastered across the three toilet stalls are comically accurate. Under careful direction by Merle Wheldon, FLUSH fits an entire carousel of the female experience into a single women’s room in a Dalston nightclub over the course of a single night. The play’s talented ensemble rotates through characters and stories – actresses are tasked with portraying at least three characters each – through a series of fragmented toilet visits. These characters are recognizable fixtures of any ladies room on a night-out: drunk bridesmaids, teens with fake IDs, strangers hiding out from bad Hinge dates, and - worst of all - ghosts from the past we must avoid on the dance floor. Although the audience is privy to just a series of brief moments from the recurring characters’ evenings, Miller and her company deliver a complete narrative full of comedy, pathos, drama, and authenticity. Female audience members have a unique ability to relate to the events on stage. We are likely filling in gaps in the characters’ evenings without realising. Women will recognize the unique intimacy of this specific shared space; Miller’s decision to tell her particular story in this particular place is an incredible marriage of setting and content. The ladies room is full of secrets, drugs, romance, community, and connection, both universal and unique to womanhood. Impossible beauty standards, struggles with body image, the proliferation of plastic surgery, and the politicization of Black womens’ hair all show themselves in the bathroom mirror. In this singular setting, women will recognize moments showcasing the prolific cruelty of teenage girls, the nuances of female friendship, and the shared responsibility we feel to protect each other under an invisible umbrella of sisterhood. A shared responsibility that compels us to call Ubers for strangers. While highlighting shared experience, FLUSH is also careful not to flatten femininity or sanitize the role of race and sexuality in the female experience. Women’s rooms are, at their best, unique bastions of safety in environments and in a world with the constant threat of violence, just outside. And yet, the women’s room cannot escape this violence thanks to TERF weaponisation of the space. FLUSH is for anyone who has or has not been inside a women’s room. Non-female-identifying audience members are invited to share in a secret world for just over an hour. Perhaps it’s the first time they’ve seen the ASK FOR ANGELA poster, which female-identifying audience members know all too well from toilet stalls and mirrors across London. FLUSH , of course, represents the axiomatic futility of attempts at institutional protection against sexual violence. As any performance centering the female experience at night must, FLUSH reckons with the dark reality that begets the posters. These moments are, unfortunately, the weakest in the script and Jazz Jenkins is left to carry what feels like nearly all of the show’s heaviness and darkness alone. Jenkins is the only actress who represents a single character and story throughout the night. Jenkins’s Billie is a recent Michigan transplant on a corporate night out, attempting to befriend new coworkers in a new city. The brief encounters we witness between her and her teammates only underscore that she is alone. Through no fault of Jenkins, Billie’s moments drag and the content of her story arc is the most on-the-nose. Her arc flirts with heavy-handedness and predictability, flaws the rest of the show so masterfully avoids. Miller’s ear for dialogue is clear in both her script and her performance. Miller herself stars alongside Jenkins and fellow co-stars Ayesha Griffiths, Miya Ocego and Joanna Strafford. Each actress is as talented as the next and all transition impressively between roles, reconstructing new and three-dimensional characterizations within minutes. All of this to say, London audiences should be sure to catch this 75-min comedy-drama at the Arcola Theatre through 6 June. You are guaranteed to laugh, relate, and possibly cry at just how true it all is. FLUSH 6 May - 6 June Arcola Theatre 75-mins, no interval 16+ Information & tickets available at - https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/flush/

A house party booming Latin music becomes the broken fourth wall to the audience watching a play placed onto a Hackney skyline. It’s an absurd work and nothing but an absurd setting would be fitting. Based upon Nikolai Gogol’s short story, The Nose, written in the early 19 th century and, making a protagonist of an official’s nose, who losing his master’s face, enjoys the autonomy of being its own entity. Basset Theatre, a brand-new collective with a nose for the bizarre, bring together sculptors, performance artists and chefs to provide a truly inventive, original but haphazard, theatrical event which certainly behaves by its own rules. Though the whole didn’t always feel complete, the attempt was admirable. It's in the promenade, meaning in this case we walk up through a block of flats whilst the inhabitants stare at us with a mixture of acceptance and suspicion. A rather lovely rendition of Eastern European music greets us at the entrance, composed by a man tunefully blowing on a recorder and a woman, in period dress, singing with a passionate, calm and excellent cadence. Before you know it, when the musical motif repeats for a second time on a balcony, you’re surrounded by party goers and even these few drinkers our stunned. Your reviewer, though wondering what the heck might be going on, enjoys himself with a glass of red wine, people watching at first before deciding to pluck up the courage and speak to the performers who are loitering about. Gogol himself, a Russian novelist, short-story writer and playwright originally from Ukraine had a penchant for all things weird and wonderful, especially for anything grotesque. This play, albeit very loosely, tells Gogol’s story of Collegiate Assessor Kovalyov, whose nose eventually finds itself, herself or himself (I do wonder what the pronouns for a nose would be ) at a greater rank than the face it belongs to. It’s a wacky satire of Russian society and the Table of Ranks. This renditions defiance for the absurd, though valuable made the practical retelling rather difficult to follow. Frankly, the performance played second fiddle to the absurdity in this case. That being said, there was some great shadow puppetry by Drew Colby and there were no complaints here about the quality of the food. A three-course meal, in fact, rarely goes down badly and much can be made of the borscht, as main course. Compliments to the chef! Ultimately, I think the artists need to refocus on the story. After all, theatre relies upon narrative, perspective and repetition. These things sit rather difficultly with the random splendour of the design and work. This takes nothing away from the experience, the desire to reinvent and I hope this is just the beginning for a group which could take our breath, or nose, or what you will away, at the right moments. P.S: Thank you, to the kind partygoer, who did a round of crisps for the whole audience. It was much needed with the wine on an empty stomach. Produced by Bassett Theatre

'virtuoso performance that had all the elements of a blockbuster movie' ★★★★★ The Night Ali Died is a one-man show, written and performed by Chris Sainton-Clark. This virtuoso performance of storytelling started with a gripping account of the life of a simple man with a dull job, until things began to change. This was a performer who with the minimal of props and a few well placed sound effects gave us a performance that had all the elements of a blockbuster movie. It was like watching a film and the whole audience were drawn into a world of crime, drama and comedy. After the initial outline of the story, given to us by Ali, the lights went down momentarily. Then another character appeared to give us an alternative version of the events. Then another, then another. With each additional person, we were treated to continual plot twists, with each adding another layer of understanding of just what was going on the night Ali died. The answer was drug dealing, violence, a crooked policeman, suspense and revenge. The writing was very good and so too was the acting. The accents and mannerisms flowed so effortlessly from one character to the next, that at times, it was barely believable that there was only one person on stage. With a well toured piece like this, with its myriad of good reviews, awards and nominations you would by now expect the performance to be flawless. I'm sure it was, and I for one didn't notice anything wrong with it. I would highly recommend this to anyone. Even if it turns out not to be your thing, at 55 minutes and with all that was going on, the time will fly by regardless. Chris will be continuing his tour, showing off his talents in the hope that one day his material will be adapted for the screen. He also intends to record an album of his Pub Tales. Something we can all look forward to. Written and performed by Chris Sainton-Clark Directed by Rosanna Mallinson Website of the performer here Photography: Jonathan Dodds

'rage and poetry' ★★★★ That rage is in good hands with Amar Chadha-Patel, who plays the solo role of AK, a young Indian-British boy growing up on an island which is not very tolerant of nuance, of difference, of a family with a different background. The love interest. The rival. The racism. They are all there in this mostly storytelling, at times spoken word poetry of a piece: high energy, staccato phrases. AK’s early crush on Katie is spoiled by her fling with Max, a rival since the early days on the football pitch. This coming-of-age starts during 90s Britain and takes us into AK’s adulthood. Sometimes victim, sometimes aggressor, AK moves between gentle, caring moments (sharing music with his best friend) and having to find ways to stand up for himself. The violent, if slightly anticipated, ending splits in two parts, which is also foreshadowed, and yet not predictable. And there is sufficient humour to alleviate this pressure cooker of a play. Chadha-Patel is captivating from the start. Despite this being his stage debut, he is no stranger to acting and this is a compelling part for him to chomp on, requiring a tremendous energy from him. He commands the space, and he demands attention, and despite his intensity, makes us laugh at moments; it is beautifully directed by Annie Kershaw. His gentleness and power range helps him take the voices of father, mother, nemesis, lover, rather than imitating voices. The set has everything despite its deceptive simplicity. The bold, round light at the front that contrasts with the streetlight upstage, the mike slightly off-stage. A single bench so central. The slight fog that becomes evident in certain light evokes a sense of the sea air. The constant background beat, building tension. There is a lot to unpack in this piece, especially about familial responsibility and expectation, but the largest themes are about finding yourself with so much against oneself. There is resonance of these themes today, even as political tensions rise along racial lines. There are moments that speak to me, having grown up not on an island, but with a similar background in a different land. Hearing a story I can connect to like this… well, it’s poetry to my ears. Photography: Steve Gregson Presented by Indira Varma and HFH Productions In association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre BOX OFFICE Written by Titas Halder Performed by Amar Chadha-Patel Directed by Annie Kershaw Assistant Director:Jillian Feuerstein Set and Costume Designer: Cara Evans Lighting Designer: Rajiv Pattani Composer and Sound Designer: Pierre Flasse

‘Joey never quite made it to London … but boy oh, boy are we glad that O’Dwyer did’ ★★★★★ Poised upon the church doorstep in Galway wearing a mesh top, Joey is afraid that he won’t be let in. A queer, Irish, Catholic lad, struggling to merge these three worlds together, he’s armed only with a hurling stick painted with flowers and the mascara that runs down his face. Emerging playwright Conor O’Dwyer, holds their first solo show Homo(sapien) up to the limelight — a queer coming of age story that twists in and out of humour or tears — with a joyous charm worthy of a Dublin session, complete with fiddle, folklore and song. In the story, Joey never made it to London, cancelling his place at Kings College London to remain in the town of his birth alongside his best friend, frightened of the big smoke and leaving everything behind. But boy oh, boy, are we glad, quite selfishly, that O’Dwyer did. Take the absurd from Samuel Beckett, sprinkle it with Judith Butler, queer joy and transformation, till you get a simple, stripped-down set of three chairs alongside a cross covered with flowers in the background supporting O’Dwyer’s sprawling narrative. It moves about in time like Joey moves in and out of accepting his identity. The show has had its own journey, bouncing about Ireland and the British Isles from Dublin’s Gay Theatre Festival last May and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival during July, complemented by O’Dwyer’s screen work. Celtic Tiger in the arts scene may have just found one of its new faces. Let’s pick at a few cherries on top of this play from frankly a whole cake of cherries: The top of a chair is used to form the water level (to remarkable effect) when Joey is up to his neck in the sea through his tears on a nasty come down; in a repeated skit Jesus enters Joey’s consciousness as a camp, guardian angel, warding him off taking the plunge and losing his virginity, battled by a libido produced through a strange but hilarious Scottish accent (Shakespeare fans please remember Launcelot Gobbo from The Merchant of Venice); a hurling stick, a memorable token from childhood, performs the function of a penis for multiple urinal scenes, where Joey meets other men. Nothing on stage is mere ornamentation. Nothing is decoration without purpose. Everything is truly in its right place. It’s a lesson on what to do on a tight pub theatres budget. The tech desk also taps to this tune. Lighting motifs, appearing again and again throughout to signal club nights, times that Joey was beaten up for his sexuality and church interiors, that snap or crackle with Jen McGregor’s tight stage direction. Colour builds up like a musical motif highlighting different moments from the past with different perspectives. There is something Wilde about O’Dwyer. A natural stage presence, a witty pun always waiting on his tongue. He challenges not only the institutions of his past with a cool, considered script and with endless empathy but generational trauma, cascading down from parents, children, teachers, suggesting if the queer community are forced into hiding, then the ricochet spreads so much further and wider. I can firmly say that this should be the beginning of a spectacular career.  Presented by Genesis Theatre Productions and Conor O’Dwyer HOMO (SAPIEN) Written and performed by Conor O’Dwye Theatre503 5 – 9 May 2026 BOX OFFICE https://theatre503.com/whats-on/homosapien/ Creative Team: Writer/Performer: Conor O’Dwyer Director: Jen McGregor Producer: Michelle McKay Lighting Designer: Abbie Lowe Technical Operator: Jen McGregor Sound Designer: Parasol Wu Set Designer: Sandra Karolak

‘electrifying music, but lacks the shape and high stakes a play needs to remain engaging’ ★★ ½ Thrown into the underground punk rock scene of the late 70s in London, Stickin’ Boy features the gritty music of rock’n’roll band Taurus Trakker, led by Martin Muscatt, also writer and director of the play. The story follows Eddy (Tom Patrick Coley) in his early 20s as he fights to follows his dreams as a musician while he stumbles upon the underground sex & drugs scene of the ‘beginning of punk rock’. Muscatt introduces the musical through a documentary-style interview: he appears on screen (while being physically onstage, playing live with his band) to retell parts of the story – his story. The mixed media remains throughout, with interludes of Muscatt speaking to camera, while time passes with footage of Soho’s hottest streets. If the setting transports us directly into the world of Taurus Trakker, and the raw rebellious music pulls us instantly into their frantic energy, the overall writing struggles to match the power of the musical performances. The narrative structure follows Eddy encountering various characters. The beginning feels like a slow burn: Eddy works in a warehouse, where his boss comes in twice before actually firing him. His father appears, but doesn’t bring essential conflict to the rest of the play – apart from the fact that he later visits the same prostitute whom Eddy develops feelings for, yet even this comedy potential isn’t fully exploited. It is only when Eddy meets Candy (Phoebe White) that the play truly starts unfolding. The world of the brothel is the most captivating part of the show. Madame O (Jennie BelleStar) runs the business where Candy, Mandy (Jojo O’Donoghue) and Wendy (Freya Christina Thomas. ) spend their time meeting men, drinking and laughing, recruiting Eddy as their ‘sticking boy’. Their songs are playful and enjoyable to watch, especially Phoebe White’s heartbreaking ‘So Far Down’, which was an incredibly moving performance. Meanwhile, unfortunately Eddy’s character remains sort of passive in his own story, and the drive of the plot seems unsure of itself. This is a general retelling of his life, and ultimately, it lacks the shape and high stakes a play needs to remain engaging. Overall, Stickin’ Boy’s electrifying music, inspired by The Clash, shows great potential for a new punk rock’n’roll musical. Stickin’ Boy By Martin Muscatt at Etcetera Theatre 5 – 10 May 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.etceteratheatrecamden.com/events/stickin-boy-la8zx-l263p The play has an accompanying double album of songs, performed by London band Taurus Trakker, cast members and Special Guests. Link to sound track https://taurustrakker.bandcamp.com/album/stickin-boy