THEATRE REVIEWS
‘some very well-executed rug pulls’ ★★★ ½ Friends can often be as close as family, but they can never quite be family. As we grow older and differences in economic and familial circumstances become more apparent, that truth can make sustaining a friendship difficult. And that’s before you throw romantic relationships into the mix. It’s this fertile ground for drama that Zoe Hunter Gordon’s ‘1.17am, or until the words run out’ inhabits. Katie and Roni, played by Catherine Ashdown and Eileen Duffy respectively, have been friends since childhood, but a series of events has pushed them apart in adulthood. One night, they meet in an incredibly inauspicious location and hash it out. The play asks whether their friendship can be revived – and, more importantly, whether they truly want it to be. This is a closed-time, closed-location two-hander. At points, that confinement results in a sense of repetition, with the characters circling the same arguments without clear progression. Yet Gordon largely sustains dramatic tension across the 75-minute runtime, aided by some very well-executed rug pulls (on that note, I would urge prospective audiences to avoid promotional material, which reveals one of the play’s early twists). Sarah Stacey’s direction ups the ante on the script’s tension. Two particularly effective aspects of the production are the set and sound design. Mim Houghton’s set includes walls that tower over the characters, intensifying the claustrophobic atmosphere. Meanwhile, Sarah Spencer’s sound design – much of it muffled, thumping techno – pulses beneath the dialogue. The script’s dialogue leans heavily into naturalism: Katie and Roni trail off, interrupt one another, and allude to things rather than tackling them head-on. Whilst this lends a compelling truthfulness to the dialogue, it becomes somewhat frustrating, as the audience is left with too little to hang on to. This is especially true towards the end of the play, where the precise nature of a pivotal rupture remains unclear. Some may find this ambiguity compelling; I found myself wishing the script would offer a little more. 1.17am, or until the words run out by Zoe Hunter Gordon / Finborough Theatre / 10 February – 7 March 2026 https://www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk/productions/117am-or-until-the-words-run-out Production Images Credit- Giulia Ferrando
‘These Roots are Made for Walking is a unique anthropology of 3 feminist and queer stories that only leaves us wanting to hear more.’ ★★★★ 3 performers, 3 different women, 3 different stories in time and place. From London during the 2 nd world war, through the very first Dyke March in Washington D.C. to an exotic dancer accused of collaboration in Paris, the audience is swiftly transported into each setting. With minimal props or set design, the performers all succeed in grasping us into the lives of these women, ultimately in search of freedom, meaning and justice. They move between humour, joy and tragedy striking us with a play full of emotions and poetic imagery. Thrown amidst a moving goodbye dance, a crazy declaration of love through karaoke, or a very funny exotic dance, there is no time in this piece to feel disengaged. Emily Wollenberg, creator of Unearthed Theatre Company, opens the show with ‘She’, a story of impossible queer love in 1941 in London. Told with a delicate tone and heartfelt humour, this hidden love story set in an artillery factory reminds us both of the fate of women during the war – which is often too little talked about – and the hopelessness of an unthinkable love. Caro Vinden swoops in with incredible energy in her play ‘Lesbians Eat Fire’ which transports us effortlessly, with a selection of 90s hits and an electric dance sequence, to the heart of New York City where the Lesbian Avengers fight for lesbian visibility and battle the AIDS crisis. Joanne falls in love with a woman she saw speaking at a Dyke March, and as she throws herself impulsively and passionately in this new world we can’t help but fall in love with her too. In the third act, Isabel Hees incarnates the mystic Mata Hari, and tells us with flair and wit a story of survival, of a woman pursuing her own freedom, and inevitably, the fatal consequences of it. Isabel carries this third part brilliantly and gives the show a poignant end. Why the choice of these 3 women in particular? Firstly, even though the stories are dated, the relevance of this play today is obvious both for the feminist and LGBTQ+ communities. And ultimately, as Isabel Hees says it in the end, there are so many untold stories of women - looked over, imprisoned or even murdered - that deserve justice. This show is for them. These Roots Are Made For Walking, a new play by Unearthed Theatre Company Canal Cafe Theatre, Little Venice 7 p.m. Feb. 11th, 13th, 14th, and 15th BOX OFFICE
‘A story of fame and ambition that explores the thin line between stardom, notoriety and obscurity.’ ★★★★ THE PAPER DOLL HOUSE is an ode to old Hollywood – the stars and the camp. Like many such tales, it is a story of fame and ambition that explores the thin line between stardom, notoriety, and obscurity. Julie Balloo’s play takes place in 1956 Los Angeles and introduces Betty and Eddie, a young couple looking to make their way in Hollywood. Despite Betty’s acting aspirations and Eddie’s on-set experience, the couple faces the economic realities of dreaming in Hollywood; bills are paid by way of Betty’s door-to-door makeup sales and Edie’s grifting. By contrast, Charlotte Shelby and her daughter Mary Miles Minter have been through fame and back. They are washed up actresses from the shores of Broadway and the silent pictures, respectively. Hollywood has not been kind to either couple. Once adored for her beauty and youth, Mary’s celebrity was unceremoniously cut short following the mysterious death of a famous director with whom she was having a romantic affair. Though the murder was never solved, the court of public opinion decided Mary or her mother Charlotte must have pulled the fatal trigger. Following their exile from the industry, the two have spent the last several decades aging in isolation surrounded by mementos of their former lives. Mother and daughter are literally and figuratively stuck in the past, still fighting over who bought the mansion in which they are slowly wasting away. To the audience, their lives are a testament to the fleeting and fickle nature of fame and the power of public perception. To Eddie, they are perfect marks and he sets out to con the women into a recorded confession. Balloo and co-writer Donna Kings’ script is full of cultural references, bordering on self-referential. Before SUNSET BOULEVARD is ever mentioned aloud, it’s clear that Jan Goodman’s Charlotte is her own sharp-tongued Norma Desmond. The script plays with form and genre. A cheeky reference to Ronald Reagan nods at satire within realism. A clever framing device draws on film noir tropes of the 1950s to immediately establish a distinct setting and ambiance. Characters are hybrids of nuance and cliché, which serves the play’s short run time. Even if we have not met these exact characters, we understand their literal and figurative roles and can slip easily into their world. The show’s success is a result of fantastic performances from all four actors. Chloe Teresa Wilson’s Betty is a wide-eyed and endearing beauty salesman with a dream. Carol Been’s Mary is a tragic representation of the generations of child stars eventually shunned from public view as soon as their value - youth and beauty - diminishes. Tom Inman as Eddie accomplishes no small feat by successfully imbuing the play’s antagonist with undeniable charm. Were these performances any less strong, Jan Goodman’s Charlotte would be an even greater standout. As it is, her incredible performance, full of comedy and pathos, is nearly matched by the fellow talent onstage. As TVs proliferate across American living rooms, each character in Balloo’s play must reconcile their role in the growing attention economy. Betty and Eddie are desperate for a way in, Charlotte is desperate for a way back , and Mary is desperate to drink away the knowledge that none of them have any control. Despite its use of tropes, THE PAPER DOLL HOUSE succeeds in offering an original look at the underside of the American Dream just beneath the glitz and glamour of showbiz. The script is strongest when it is commenting on the nature of fame and the lengths we go to secure it and weakest when obliquely referencing gender-based relationship dynamics and violence. Much like a paper doll house, fame is not as solid as we might like or want to believe. THE PAPER DOLL HOUSE Written by Julie Balloo Additional Material from Donna King Directed by Tug J Wilson The Old Red Lion Pub & Playhouse Presented by The Lollywood Players Performance Dates: 11th – 14th February 2026 Performance Time: 8pm (3pm Saturday 14th) Run Time: 75 mins Tickets: £18 / £15 Get 15% Off on Group Bookings of 6 or more with Discount Code DOLLS 2 for 1 on Full Price Tickets for Valentine’s Day with Discount Code LOVE14 https://weareoldred.co.uk/whats-on/freshfest-2026/the-paper-doll-house/ Reviewer Jessica Steans-Gail is a New York City transplant currently pursuing an MA in Writing For Performance & Dramaturgy from Goldsmiths University. She is a life-long writer and performer and recently performed her solo show The Fundamentals of Acting across NYC. Jessica has managed multiple prominent comedy venues and worked in marketing & press for Broadway shows that include Hamilton, Mamma Mia! and more.
‘the weight of living’ ★★★★ ARTISTS Hours by Rachel Elderkin Citizens of Grief by Si Rawlinson Before the After by Taylor Lauren Hughes The evening opened with a feminine piece that evoked Virginia Woolf’s The Waves. Two female dancers, with great specificity and physical precision, conveyed a sense of loss, longing, and blockage. The work was poetic and the physical execution was clear, but the overall dramaturgic arc of the piece felt somewhat muted. Although the show delved into feelings of being lost, directionless, and exhausted, it could benefit from stronger structural progression to deepen its impact. The highlight of the evening was Citizens of Grief by Si Rawlinson. The performance opened with mystical South Asian music, creating an unexpected cultural framing for the mixed-heritage British Chinese performer. What first appeared to be an exploration of identity soon developed into a deeply personal story of survival and the burden of living. The piece proposed that grief is not only tied to loss, but is something we carry constantly as part of being alive. Through a combination of elements that do not usually come together - standup comedy, hip-hop dance set to South Asian music, and themes of grief - the show left the audience with a strong sense of the weight of the lives we all carry. The evening concluded with Before the After by Taylor Lauren Hughes, guiding the audience through an Alice in Wonderland-like world filled with contorted, yogic postures and fluid movements. The structure was clear in its overall trajectory, guiding the audience from beginning to end, yet the central section felt less defined. While the choreography intentionally embraced unpredictability, with their chance-based methods, mid-section development might strengthen piece in general. Overall, the evening suggested the general impression of the weight of living - the uncertainty of direction, and the question of whether the lives we inhabit feel fully real. RESOLUTION 2026 Festival of new choreography The Place, London BOX OFFICE https://theplace.org.uk/resolution-2026/
‘The hell of war’ ★★★★ War isn’t just hell. It’s pointless, meaningless hell. Evil runs rampant, and good doesn’t triumph. There are no heroes and no villains. It offers nothing but misery heaped on misery. The triumph of London-based Ukrainian playwright Olga Braga’s Donbas is that it doesn’t take the easy route of simply lionising heroic little Ukraine. Instead it shows us the heartbreaking squalor of living in the midst of a war. Braga’s compassion and understanding extends, not just to the young Ukrainian, newly released from a Russian prison, who wants to go and fight for his country; but also to his father, who has no patience for such quixotic ideas, lives in the world as it is with his home region of Donbas under Russian control, works for the Russians, scrapes together enough to feed his family, has obtained a Russian passport, and is determined to see his son do the same. Her compassion extends, not just to the 15-year-old girl whose beloved mother is gunned down for being on the street after curfew, but also to the wretched Russian soldier who shot her. Sashko’s father’s arguments against going to fight for his country are presented cogently and forcefully. Does Sashko think he is defending his nation? But he has a Russian grandmother. Just what is his nation? What is your nation, or mine? We are all mongrels. This is a very fine play because it avoids easy answers and simplistic narratives, and it shows us human beings, with all their failings and weaknesses, in a war zone. It’s a play which really demands a bigger space and more facilities than it can have in the tiny Theatre503, and I hope in time it gets them, but meanwhile it’s brought to the 503 stage with economy and gritty realism by director Anthony Simpson-Pike, and held together by a brilliant central performance from Jack Bandeira as Sashko. (Bandeira doubles as a Russian soldier, such are the exigencies of pub theatre.) The rest of the cast are excellent too; there is not a weak performance. It’s not perfect. Sometimes Braga goes off piste for a little too long and forgets she is telling a story. I wasn’t convinced by the dream sequences, which required various members of the cast to dress up as Cossacks and stand around looking silently meaningful. Nonetheless, this play establishes Braga as probably the best writer Ukraine has given the English language since the great, and now sadly late, Marina Lewycka. It’s beautifully written, with character emerging from dialogue, as it should. “He died a good death” says Sashko of a friend killed fighting the Russians. “No, he just died” says his father. Read our INTERVIEW with director Anthony Simpson-Pike HERE DONBAS by Olga Braga at Theatre503 5 - 28 February 2026 BOX OFFICE Artistic Team Writer Olga Braga Director Anthony Simpson-Pike Designer Niall McKeever Lighting Designer Christopher Nairne Sound Designer Xana Movement Director Nevena Stojkov Cast Jack Bandeira Ksenia Devriendt Liz Kettle Philippe Spall Sasha Syzonenko Steve Watts Photography: Helen Murray
“The truth is priceless” ★★★★ This two-hander production exhibits the friendship of William Hogarth and David Garrick; exploring themes of legacy, competition and aspiration. An intriguing compilation of encounters between the pair; highlighting the professional achievements of them both. This work paints them not only as the great figures of their time but as life-like, faulted characters too. While this play presents Garrick in a flattering light; his initial upper class ignorance to poverty is not something that this production shies away from. Hogarth's persistence to inform him, allows this work to feel relevant to the present day. Over the course of the play we spectate how the two challenge and spur one another on. How does one create art? How does one perceive it? How do we use art to challenge an unjust world? Between Hogarth’s blunt wit and Garrick’s florid linguistics we find ourselves searching for the answers. Gareth Armstrong, writer and director of this staging, sheds light on these influential artists with intelligent, funny dialogue and presents us with a thoroughly researched script. He gives us a peek into who these men are morally and how this influences their artistic processes. We feel both boldness and sensitivity from the characters which feels natural and genuine. Set and Costume Design by Rachel Griffin is refined and understated; rounding the show in perfect cohesion. This is a definite feast for the intellect, with in-depth references to eighteenth century art and theatre. Alongside insights of how Shakespeare was perceived and performed during this era. Round About Hogarth brings humour, expertise and artistry to modern day audiences. You will leave with a warm sense that you’ve been brought closer to Hogarth and Garrick, with your knowledge bettered and your heart entertained. Round About Hogarth 12 - 21 Feb 2026 Tabard Theatre, Chiswick BOX OFFICE The Cast : David Garrick Miles Richardson / William Hogarth Terence Frisch The Creatives: Writer & Director | Gareth Armstrong Set & Costume Design | Rachael Griffin Sound Design & Music | Simon Slater Associate Director | John Griffiths Stage Manager | Sandra Szaron Produced by | Simon and Sarah Reilly for Take Note Theatre for the Tabar Photography: Matt Hunter
"An intoxicating fusion." ★★★★ Miles Davies, the iconoclastic jazz trumpeter and composer, is the inspiration for MILES, which after strong reviews at Edinburgh in 2025, is now at Southwark Playhouse Borough. Combining the impressive acting talents of RADA graduate, Benjamin Akintuyosi as Miles Davies, matched by the musical skill of Jay Phelps, an international jazz trumpet player and DJ, this immersive, layered production takes the audience into the heart of the music created by Davies, his philosophy and character. Directed, written and produced by Oliver Kaderbjai, Artistic Director of Delirium, the approach is episodic and impressionistic, not what you would recognise as a traditional linear biopic,and is all the better for it. Structurally, the play is more a series of beats or fragments, and weaves together cleverly, something like winding, smoky jazz. Rather than dull out the audience with endless autobiographical detail, we witness a series of moments and emotions, while somehow absorbing the very essence of Miles Davies. Jay Phelps as Jay Phelps, plays a contemporary musician, stuck, frustrated and lost. He’ll get dumped by his record label if he doesn’t deliver, so locks himself in a studio at Columbia with the session tapes from Kind of Blue , Miles Davis’s seminal 1959 album recorded over two days. As he tries to crack the musical code of this genius, he conjures his hero and mentor into the room. Their conversation across generations, one artist to another, provides the narrative frame. Peppered with the endless prompts of an eager student, Miles Davies relives the highs, lows, loves, addiction, racism, the beautiful act of creation and the ugly face of desperation. This encounter gets to the heart of making music and what that creative act entails including the sacrifices. Miles, broken-hearted after his love affair with Juliet Greco in Paris, uses his experience to make art, “it was my pain on a 78.” His influences meld the European classical cannon with the rhythms of modern dance including tap, and draw on African and Cuban rhythms, "black and white". We learn that every spare, intentional note has meaning and that Miles is just as interested in the spaces between the notes. Benjamin Akintuyosi in the central role is magnetically charismatic. Resembling a young James Baldwin, Miles is constantly wreathed in clouds of cigarette smoke. He prowls around the stage and flits effortlessly between the gravelly, growly Miles (post larynx removal) and Miles the younger, consumed by fury, fervour and fierce talent. He dances and plays, declares and instructs, rues and rallies. It’s a quite breathtaking and brilliant debut performance. Phelps' talents - while not in the same acting league - are the sound engine to this production and his character provides the creative impulse for the story that unfolds. His trumpet, that can be heard in many live interludes, is a character in its own right, with its own musical arc, from a shrieky, cluttered, confused thing, “too many notes!” critiques Miles, to one that is spirited and self-assured, Phelps eventually learns to “create not recreate.” This rewarding creative collaboration is, in terms of length, stretched just a little too far and long and loses pace towards the end, but overall offers an intoxicating fusion: audio, visual, performative and experiential, that gives insight into the complexities, dichotomies and brilliance of Miles Davies. BOX OFFICE
'The overarching theme of this evening’s Resolution was, I would say, femme ’ ★★★★ Artists Room- Room Dance Company Remains Still – Lilah Bobak Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizards: Act1 – Kirstin Halliday The evening opened with a striking image of red threads, suggesting the veins of a womb. Accompanied by projected footage of cell division, Room by Room Dance Company explored female energy from within the body. Refreshingly, although the work touches on birth, it is not framed through motherhood, but through the internal rhythms of the body itself. Rather than explaining or narrating, the piece gently flows with this pulse, offering a reflective glimpse into processes that usually remain unseen. This was followed by remains still by Lilah Bobak. Most striking were the elongated, interconnected costumes, which seemed to define and extend the performers’ movement. Despite the visual suggestion of entanglement, the effect felt less restrictive and more like a gesture of connection and longing, producing a smooth, continuous physical dialogue between the dancers. The evening closed with the witty non-movement piece Desert Grassland Whiptail Lizards, Act 1 by Kirstin Halliday. After two more elaborate dance works, it was refreshing to encounter performers who largely remained still, embodying desert lizards. A documentary-style narration accompanied them, and as the audience waited for movement to begin, subtle shifts emerged: fingers slowly unfurling, a twitch here, a breath there. This near-stillness created a strangely dizzy sensation, like air vibrating in desert heat. Referencing the whiptail lizard species in which males have gone extinct and only females remain, the work comically subverted the male gaze on the female body. Overall, it played more like a loosely connected triple bill. RESOLUTION 2026 Festival of new choreography The Place, London BOX OFFICE https://theplace.org.uk/resolution-2026/
‘Ferrets, lies and the glory days of The Sun’ ★★★ ½ 1987. The Sun Newspaper runs a salacious story about Elton John sleeping with a rent boy. John provides clear evidence that he was halfway around the world and nowhere near where the incident was said to have occurred. But Sun Editor Kelvin Mackenzie doesn’t care about truth. He is only interested in selling stories, whether they are true or not and regardless of who is damaged in the process. Thus begins a battle between The Sun running story after fabricated story about Elton John and the Mirror newspaper countering with evidence and John’s side of the story. Monstering Rocket Man is not really about Elton John. It is about the corruption and ultimate redemption of a young cub reporter nicknamed Lynx, who is desperate to prove himself in the sleazy, expletive fuelled world of 1980s tabloids. Henry Naylor both wrote and performed Monstering Rocket Man. The writing is exceptional, with multiple characters knitted together to make up a rich tapestry within which Lynx’ story unfolds. It was very well researched, and images of the newspaper headlines from the stories he described flashed up on a screen throughout the show. In performance, I don’t know if it was tiredness, and Naylor certainly sounded vocally strained, but he stumbled over his lines too often. His high energy was great, but in his attempts to be fast paced, Naylor ended up rushing and scrambling through many of his lines. The show would have benefited from varying the tempo occasionally. All in all, this was a fascinating show, shining a light on an era of tabloid journalism, the consequences of which reverberate to this day in the phone hacking trials and the way fake news have become a staple of social media. Well worth seeing, though the show would be stronger if Naylor just slowed down a little. Monstering Rocket Man by Henry Naylor, Arcola Theatre, 3-21 February 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.arcolatheatre.com/event/monstering-the-rocketman/#event-booking Performer and writer: Henry Naylor Director: Darren Lee Cole AV Designer: Iain Pearson Photography: Steve Ellathorne Reviewer: Srabani Sen Srabani is a theatre actress and playwright. As an actress she has performed at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (The Globe), the Arcola, Southwark Playhouse, The Pleasance and numerous fringe theatres, in a range of roles from Shakespeare to plays by new and emerging writers. She has written several short and full length plays. Her play Tawaif was longlisted for the ETPEP Finborough award, and her play Vijaya was shortlisted for the Sultan Padamsee Playwrights Award in Mumbai.
‘The show leans into the more grotesque elements of Poe’s stories and darkest elements of Poe’s own life.’ ★★★ ½ London contains many horror stories, from the Tower, to Sweenie Todd to Jack the Ripper. Perhaps these are the very things that have initiated a real fascination with the horror genre. There are even festivals dedicated to the macabre which are particularly popular in North London. The Hope Theatre in Islington, delves into the dark and mysterious from time to time, and here we are again, with this company from North America, bringing an original show on the life and works of Edgar Allan Poe. The show is narrated by ‘Poe’ (Morgan Smith) and stars ‘Poe’ (Sammy Overton) in an amalgamation of some of his best loved gothic stories. The show is billed as a musical, so we cannot really expect to receive Poe as Poe intended. Instead, the show concentrates on Poe’s death and the death of his wife, along with a retelling of one of his most loved stories, The House of Usher with added material from other stories. It is high on gothic imagery with some of the most popular themes and motifs featured using a mixture of music, movement, projections, and shadow play. The show leans into the more grotesque elements of Poe’s stories and darkest elements of Poe’s own life. The various theatrical devices used were by turns visually attractive, or grotesque or childlike. At times it was rather frenetic, with an overuse of a mobile door frame and the characters rushing from one place to another. That said, the music is the show’s greatest achievement with excellent singers, memorable tunes and melodies. I particularly admired Sammy Overton’s renditions, full and rich in tone. Praise too for the costume designs (Kylee Galarneau), the Raven is particularly well-constructed. Ultimately, there is a strong feminist ‘message’ in the show which turns the tables on Poe. The writers seem to be pointing the finger and calling him out for being a bad husband. However, audiences might decide that it is unfair to judge him by the standards of today as he lived in abject poverty, in different times with different mores. The show doesn’t aim to do Poe’s works real justice, which, for me is a little disappointing. Instead, it has an agenda of its own which is certainly refreshing, if not entirely to my taste. BOX OFFICE CAST Kilian Crowley Maya June Dwyer Moxie Dwyer Sammy Overton Morgan Smith CREATIVE TEAM Matt Chiorini and Greg Giovanini (writers, directors, music) Maya June Dwyer (choreography) Lindsey Voorhees and John Czajkowski (production design) Kylee Galarneau (costume design)
"a sharp, affectionate, and deliciously twisted comedy-horror that knows exactly when to wink at its audience… and when to bite" ★★★★ DIGGING UP APPEARANCES is a gleefully macabre act of theatrical resurrection that drags one of British sitcom’s most recognisable figures out of the grave and lets her loose on-stage. The result is a sharp, affectionate, and deliciously twisted comedy-horror that knows exactly when to wink at its audience… and when to bite. Hyacinth Bucket (pronounced Bou-quet) has accidentally been raised from the dead by her son Sheridan, who is going through emotional turmoil in the wake of a failed marriage. Unfortunately, death has done little to temper Hyacinth's obsession with status, etiquette, and candlelight suppers - even if she’s now developed an inconvenient penchant for human flesh… albeit served on Royal Doulton. Told from the perspective of Sheridan recounting events to his therapist, the play unfolds as a surreal confessional, steadily revealing the circumstances of Hyacinth’s unexpected reanimation and its increasingly grotesque consequences. This framing device works beautifully, allowing the narrative to slip between farce, horror, and genuine emotional notes, all while maintaining a brisk, confident pace. Jack Robertson - also the writer - plays the dead hostess with the mostest, and his performance is the production’s undeniable triumph. He captures Hyacinth’s vocal rhythms and physicality with uncanny precision, yet crucially avoids mere impersonation. This Hyacinth feels fully alive, with a fresh, wicked edge that makes her as unpredictable as she is recognisable. For fans of Keeping Up Appearances, the in-jokes land with joyful satisfaction; for newcomers, the character still delights, horrifies, and commands the stage with ease. The writing is taut, confident, and richly layered, blending wordplay, physical comedy, parody, and pitch-black humour with impressive dexterity. Jokes come thick and fast as the script builds towards an ending that is both fiendishly surprising and gruesomely rewarding. This is a two-hander, and the chemistry between the performers is strong, anchoring the absurdity in something recognisably human. The performances are sublimely timed, with razor-sharp comic instincts throughout. Design elements are used with restraint and intelligence: lighting and sound create atmosphere, snap into tension when required, and then pivot effortlessly back into comedy. It’s a masterful tonal balancing act. The packed Old Red Lion audience responded with warmth and riotous laughter, a testament to how successfully the production bridges nostalgia and originality. DIGGING UP APPEARANCES is an entertaining rollick - unapologetically silly, smartly written, and gleefully dark. The comedy goddess Patricia Routledge may rest in peace - but thanks to this show, the character she immortalised, Hyacinth Bucket, very much lives on. Medium Rare Productions presents DIGGING UP APPEARANCES The Old Red Lion Theatre 6–7 February Box Office
‘Muddled and difficult to unpick, but some of the vignettes really shine for their originality and offbeat humour.’ ★★ ½ From the very beginning of W*NKERS: The Darkness it’s clear that no audience member will be permitted to sit back and enjoy the ride. We are invited on a frenetic journey through space and time, with two guiding figures – who are by no means a safe pair of hands – careening through chaos, adopting different personas and peppering the piece with raucous musical numbers and bawdy humour. Its absurdity is certainly entertaining, but often its lack of coherence and erratic structure can be frustrating, as the constant gear shifts inhibit the themes and motifs from realising their full potential. Made up of short vignettes, set at varying points in history, and offering a multitude of different characters, the piece forgoes a linear chronology for something more abstract. There appears not to be a clear, unifying thread linking all of these, which is not necessarily a bad thing. However, the description of the play as a ‘queer, feminist comedy’ does set the expectation that there will be some kind of logical throughline – however loose this may be – that encompasses these elements. Indeed, themes of womanhood and sexuality are fairly legible in the play, with dialogue and musical numbers that touch on these motifs. There are also moments that feel as though they are pointing towards satire; names of real public figures are referenced, situating the piece, at least somewhat, in reality. However, it’s not clear what the purpose these touchpoints serve, as they surface only fleetingly before moving swiftly to a new sketch, leaving the ideas feeling unresolved. The immersive nature of W*NKERS: The darkness means that a considerable amount of audience participation is involved. The performers move through the crowd at several points, waving several objects in audience members’ faces, screaming and making intense eye contact; hallmarks of immersive theatre that are familiar enough to feel slightly overplayed at this point. With such rich themes of womanhood and the natural world, it feels as though there are a few missed opportunities to heighten feelings of intrusion and discomfort in a way that feels specific to these concepts. The better pieces of audience interaction were those that targeted individuals, utilising their personal responses to create bespoke and genuinely unexpected moments, and the success of these was reflected by the riotous laughter in the room. Some of the vignettes really shine for their originality and offbeat humour. In particular, the sketch of two gym socks taking on the roles of machismo-ridden teenage boys as they exchange questionable musings on sex is very funny, and feels genuine to the archetypes it presents. The double act of Jordana Belaiche and Bel Parker are clearly versatile and skilled performers, who are able to slip between wildly different accents and mannerisms with aplomb, and deliver accomplished and compelling musical numbers. Ultimately, W*NKERS: The Darkness feels a little muddled and difficult to unpick, but does have plenty of funny and bizarre moments. Its strength is its comedy, which reinserts everyday tropes and conventions into absurdist settings to hilarious effect. However, some aspects of the performance could benefit from further development to really deliver on the concepts and ideas that are built throughout. W*NKERS: The Darkness by Jordana Belaiche and Bel Parker Lighting and tech: Angelina Khan Bread & Roses Theatre 5th-7th February 2026 Box office
‘a platform where contrasting aesthetics can sit side by side’ ★★★★ Artists: Jie Gao : Echo of Me Manacan : Rooted Shea Sullivan : Emanations of Disfigurement Resolution, The Place’s annual platform for emerging choreographers, continues to present a wide spectrum of aesthetic voices. The 5 February triple bill moved from theatrical repetition to rhythmic physicality and finally into a darker, horror-inflected terrain. Jie Gao’s Echo of Me opened with an image of disarming simplicity: a dancer and a red balloon. What first appeared playful gradually took on a more unsettling tone, as repetition accumulated and the stage filled with patterned movement. A striking moment came when the ensemble lined up diagonally behind the dancer with the balloon, the bold colour contrast shifting the atmosphere from comic to faintly totalitarian. When the balloon was finally popped, the dancers dispersed, and the piece ended with a man bringing his swinging arm to a halt—a small but potent gesture of agency. The structure was clear and engaging, though the comic sections might have been more sharply shaped to support the final image. MANACAN’s Rooted followed with assured physical precision and rhythmic control. The duet built through tightly co-ordinated exchanges, the dancers shifting positions and watching one another with an almost ritual attention. Their grounded movement, supported by effective lighting, created a series of vivid stage images, but most memorable was the quiet moment of mutual gaze after a blackout, the stillness anchoring the piece’s more explosive physical passages. Shea Sullivan’s Emanations of Disfigurement closed the programme in harsher territory. Screeching soundscapes and stark lighting created a deliberately uncomfortable environment. The red and green lighting, echoed in the costumes, suggested a broken traffic signal and a world out of balance. The movement was powerful and spatially ambitious, though a clearer stylistic and structural progression might have sharpened the work’s emotional impact. As a whole, the evening reflected Resolution’s core strength: a platform where contrasting aesthetics can sit side by side, revealing the breadth of emerging choreographic voices. RESOLUTION 2026 Festival of new choreography The Place, London BOX OFFICE https://theplace.org.uk/resolution-2026/
‘Barnacles on a Whale!’ ★★★★ Entering the black box performance space of The Drayton Arms Theatre, curated by Audrey Thayer, I took my seat next to a speaker playing compressionistic sound design whilst the lead performer and writer, Matthew Edgar (Wet Feet), completes menial bedroom tasks in all corners of the floor. Making use of the end-on square space, centre stage a button lights up red every few moments, needing to be pushed at the order of an overhead automated message. This dystopian setting is akin to many of its revisionist contemporaries, namely Black Mirror and Inside No 9, however the narrative never feels kitsch, and the ending earned. Based around the abstract of Malcolm Gladwell’s book ’10,000 Hours,’ our protagonist, Daniel Moore, has almost completed twenty-thousand hours of failure free living. The key question asked in this piece is what happens when we turn our existence into a gamification, whom are we doing it for, and how does it make us relate each other? Making everything a non-cooperative competition where an abstract score is kept by empty interfaces leading to server farms isolates us from our fellow people, which is probably why this is a one person production. The direction of Harry Daisley (All is Pink in West Berkshire County) keeps the action sprightly and moving, with a minimal set that is transformed through its technical elements. The lead performance is strong, with a protagonist who starts the piece in a negatively heightened state of mind, and only further deteriorates from there. Although the main narrative within the fictional present is a lot more interesting than the flashbacks, the central metaphor of a grey whale collecting barnacles, therefore becoming less streamlined, is a great vessel to carry the themes of this piece. Daniel Moore may have no one slowing him down, but the process of achieving his goals isn’t nearly as enjoyable. Dates - February 3rd - 7th Performer - Matthew Edgar Directed by Harry Daisley Box Office - https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/failure-free-living-2
Though these societal problems require conversation the whole setting of this work felt misplaced and unsettling. ★ The play is a one man show that offers a perspective on fatherhood, gender and extreme misogyny. This production starts as a story of what seems to be an ordinary man simply trying to do his best then descends into something quite different indeed. During the first section of the play, it briefly looks at partnership and a couple as they’re about to embark on their journey into parenting. The initial 20 minutes was the seemingly best part: it met real life moments with some humour and relatability. Additionally to this, there was a small recognition of how female patients can be treated in hospitals and the medical profession. After this, the show spirals into an unnerving frenzy that discusses various genres of porn, sex parties and gender based violence in explicit detail. The majority of the production seemed to be stuffed with overly long, graphic and disturbing stories that lacked direction and had no correlation to parenting. While the intention may have been to create a kind of shock factor towards a statement about male identity, it came across as uncomfortable, insensitive and offensive. This unfiltered material seemed to alienate the audience rather than garner much of a rapport with theatregoers. Though these societal problems require conversation the whole setting of this work felt misplaced and unsettling. This could do with several cuts, a rewrite and lots of redirection. With such changes we might be able to somewhat empathise with the character and story. Daughter ends solutionless, and leaves the audience wondering of its meaning and intention. DAUGHTER by Adam Lazarus Presented by Little Lion Theatre Company at Lion and Unicorn Theatre 3 - 7 February 2026 Photography: Pacifica Zhang
‘the performance brilliantly mirrors how lives and relationships operate’ ★★★★ ½ Collaborator is a distilled, quietly powerful work from Ockham’s Razor, returning to the essentials that have defined the company for two decades: trust, risk, and the fragile mechanics of human collaboration. Performed by Artistic Directors Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney, this intimate duet unfolds around a suspended frame on an unadorned stage. What emerges is not spectacle for its own sake, but a finely tuned exploration of how two people make something together—how they negotiate weight, intention, failure, and care. Stripped back to its essentials, the work avoids spectacular jumps or whirling feats. Instead, we see his feet on her face, their bodies stacked and folded on top of one another. The action feels joyful yet deeply poetic, evoking their long-term collaboration and relationship through the image of two people trying to fit into a square. To be together, the piece suggests, we must bend, fold, and push our physical and emotional boundaries to their extremes. The work then moves into waves: moments that reveal how the pair function both constructively and anti-constructively. Through very simple actions—running together, towards each other, or alone—the performance brilliantly mirrors how lives and relationships operate. With a joyful and lightly irreverent tone, the piece speaks to something universally recognisable: the ongoing labour of being together. Twenty years is a long time. Dark periods pass; light passes too. What becomes most striking are the moments of watching. Several times, the performers stop doing and simply observe what is happening on stage—calmly, communally. This shared gaze generates the work’s deepest emotional force. That togetherness is what truly moves people. The show ends where it began, with the square aerial frame. This time, however, the bodies do not fold over one another. They extend—together, as one. The action is simple, restrained, and quietly decisive. I would call this show as a circus of relation. This poetic performance resists the myth of the superhuman performer. Instead, it insists that the true spectacle lies in how humans exist with one another. This is precisely what Collaborator achieves—with clarity, generosity, and deep humanity. The Place schedule of shows https://theplace.org.uk/whats-on/ MimeLondon schedule of shows https://mimelondon.com/calendar-2026/ Ockham's Razor, part of MimeLondon 2026 at The Place Cast and creatives Created, Directed and Performed by Alex Harvey and Charlotte Mooney (Ockham’s Razor) Producer: Alison King (Turtle Key Arts) Choreography: Nathan Johnston Design and Equipment Concept: Ockham’s Razor Costume Design: Tina Bicât
“Sparky, engaging, confident performance.” ★★★ A production supported by the Cultural Section of the Cyprus High Commission, Darkie Armo Girl is ‘a true story’ and tells the story of Karine, a woman born to Armenian parents who flee Cyprus to the UK during the 1974 Turkish invasion. In the programme, an entire page is devoted to the Armenian Genocide, as well as a list of famous Armenians from Cher to Kim Kardashian, all informative and absorbing. So, it’s surprising that this one woman show, first performed at the Finborough Theatre in 2022, written and performed by Karine Bedrossian - as herself - brushes over this highlighted, significant context. You don’t get what you think you will. In many ways, a very different play emerges. While, there are gender, sexual and body politics aplenty, these are more universal than culturally specific. Bedrossian gives a sparky, engaging and confident performance in this autobiographical one woman show. Darkie Armo Girl tells the story of a West London girl who keenly feels her status as an outsider. These perceived threats in her current life, with suggestions of intergenerational trauma, are turned in on themselves, as Karine finds herself from the age of eight in a spiral of self-loathing that eventually leads to eating disorders. She seeks endorsement, escape, identity, autonomy and self-expression with dreams of being a famous singer. Will it happen? As we travel with Karine through the twists and turns of her journey, many challenges present, physical, mental, emotional, financial. She navigates a man’s world: bullied, abused, coerced, groomed, exploited. From family members to producers, punters and partners, it’s men who hold the cards, brandish the penis or threaten with a bread knife. In this autobiographical sharing, it’s men who have the power; the various women peppered throughout are entertaining asides.The closing scene that involves an innovative collapsing set (Designer, Mim Houghton; Associate Designer; Juliette Dimoulin) leave us with the sense that Karine has reached a place where she can finally control her world instead of being controlled by it. Darkie Armo Girl is a long ninety minutes, perhaps because it’s overloaded with excessive detail and situation. Less could be more with some linking up of the Armenian context with the personal story and spacing out and editing of key emotional beats. Specific childhood memories on return trips to the “hillbilly” Cyprus, offer some of the richest material. The most powerful and disturbing image is of a mentally handicapped girl there, tied to a chair in the heat, kept in an outhouse like an animal. This poor young woman, inert, vulnerable and trapped is an image that recurs throughout Karine’s journey, who exists in her mind long after the girl has inexplicably vanished and speaks to her own desire to be accepted, seen, heard, loved. It’s a message that will resonate with many - of all geographical delineations. Darkie Armo Girl by Karine Bedrossian Finborough Theatre until 7 February BOX OFFICE
‘a compelling insight into a sometimes neglected historical figure’ ★★★ I must confess that I didn’t know a great deal about Mary Todd Lincoln. Perhaps this is not uncommon. But maybe this will change soon in London with two plays on about her simultaneously, Oh, Mary at Trafalgar Theatre and this play, Mrs. President at Charring Cross Theatre. John Ransom Phillips’ Mrs. President, reworked from an earlier version at the same theatre last year, imagines Lincoln’s multiple sittings with Mathew Brady (Hal Fowler), a portrait photographer well known for his photographs of Abraham Lincoln, Walt Whitman, and other notable nineteenth century Americans, as well as pioneering war photography during the American Civil War. Keala Settle is excellent in the title role as Mary Todd Lincoln. Directed by Bronagh Lagan, ostensibly the play is about Mary’s wish to have a portrait taken by the star photographer, one that might help her popularity, which has been dented as a Southern woman in The White House during the civil war. But these encounters are used as a gateway in the play to explore the various challenges Mary faced in the period and the effect on her mental health. The first part of the play is perhaps the most successful. We learn about both characters. As well as Mary’s challenges, Brady’s unique technique and the intriguing impact of his declining eyesight on his work is explored, subtly underpinned by lighting (Derek Anderson) and sound effects (Eamonn O’Dwyer). It feels like a classic two hander, where the characters draw out each other’s story across the piece. However, Mrs. President rejects this more conventional and predictable approach, with mixed results. The play becomes a psychodrama about Mary and her mental health, and travels into her mind. The brutal conventions of the time means she is dismissed because she is a woman, resulting in her obvious trauma being neglected. And all this whilst the play also takes in the turbulent politics of the period. Yet the sheer number of stories and information can sometimes feel overwhelming. Mrs. President provides a compelling insight into a sometimes neglected historical figure. The cast and production are excellent, but the play, even at 90 minutes, can feel too long and at times loses sight of its core story. MRS. PRESIDENT written by John Ransom Phillips. Directed by Bronagh Lagan. Produced by Art Pound Foundation Playing at the Charring Cross Theatre 23 Jan - 8 March 2026 BOX OFFICE https://www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/
‘Interesting idea in need of a lot of work’ ★ ½ Four young people are stranded in a dystopian world. We gather that the development of a miracle drug which can cure all forms of cancer and other fatal illnesses has somehow brought the world as we know it to an end. There is danger, pulsating fear and challenging dynamics between the survivors. It’s not a bad idea for a play. There’s pleasing performance from Izaak Hamilton-New as the middle-class Henry usually able to keep calm and nice work from Jaspar Albright as Michael, the effective leader of the group who tries hard to allay fear and diffuse situations. Beyond that, sadly, the best thing which can be said about it is “work in progress”. The worst is that it reminded me of a hastily devised piece by a Year 10 group for a school assembly, complete with a lot of defiant shouting, swearing and violence of which, in my years as a teacher, I saw dozens. The show is over-reliant on voices off. It’s not the most dramatic device to open a show with although it does make the miracle cure issue clear by presenting it as a radio news bulletin. Later other voices and loud music simply muddy the storytelling. The cueing is weak too. At one point at the performance I saw the music started at the wrong time, And (I think) there’s meant to be a gun shot which didn’t happen thus making nonsense of the reactions on stage. Then there’s the length issue. Absence of Youth is billed at 45 minutes. Actually it ran on press night for 38 minutes. In common with most critics I quite like short shows but 38 minutes is barely worth the effort of travelling to the venue. ABSENCE OF YOUTH Written and directed by Theo Duddridge Final Run (theatre company) Golden Goose Theatre 27 – 31 January 2026 https://www.goldengoosetheatre.co.uk/whatson/absence-of-youth
‘a story for all, which will transcend time’ ★★★★★ Opening with the song, The Pickwick Portfolio, is a brilliant way to ‘set the stage’ for understanding the many individuals in Louisa May Alcott’s classic, LITTLE WOMEN, with its allusion to another illustrious writer, Charles Dickens. The musical centres on Jo March, who dreams of being a published author. Yet it possesses the full kaleidoscope of characters, although only in relation to this fiercely independent second sister of four, living in Massachusetts during the American Civil War. With a 27-piece orchestra, 6-person chorus, and an energetic conductor, this epic musical has songs that sweep through the audience and quells any concerns about whether we will be in good hands for this beloved classic. The musicians are completely on point, working as hard as the cast (the 6-person chorus had moments of respite as they sat on their seats at moments). Each song has the ability to propel the story forward without gimmicky, catchy lines; rather, the music is elevated, moving, and at times epic. Jo (Christine Allude) is magnificent, with a voice that has incredible power and subtlety, mingled with an ability to perform with sincerity and fun, as the role requires. What energy she has! West End royalty Kerry Ellis, well loved as Elphaba in Wicked, is Marmee (the March sisters’ mother) and is a wonderful anchor to the show. Her key song (called Little Women) about the individuality and strength of her girls is one that reprises and reminds us of the love and freedom of her parenting and example. There are so many moments which are moving between the many characters in this production, and they all bring their best foot forward marvellously. Besides the beauty of the music and the fantastic characters, there are some lighter moments of excellent humour. When the phrase, “Americans love their melodrama” is stated, the audience titters, and when Jo’s German love-interest, Professor Bhaer (Chris Mann) responds to the question of “Are you a romantic?”, he responds, “Yes, I’m German”, the audience roars. There are some lines comparing the English and Americans which land well also. Of course, bad-tempered Aunt March (Tracie Bennett) steals the show with her fantastically timed “grumpy old woman” antics. The long-shared story of the March family continues to move and enthral, covering topics such as class and love, war, art, sorrow and loss, and the struggles among siblings in a large family. Jo’s love of writing makes one consider what challenges Alcott herself must have faced as a female writer in her age. Interestingly, the cast pronounced Concord (their hometown in Massachusetts) as ‘conquered’, and I couldn’t help wondering if Jo felt conquered and had to be resigned to staying home instead of exploring the world as she had so often dreamed of? Perhaps she learned from her tragic sister Beth’s love of home that 'there is no place like home' (oh, but that’s another musical, isn’t it?). The staging is flexible and beautiful as it would have to be with instruments taking over two-thirds of the stage. However, the costumery didn’t seem consistent with the time period, particularly by the dancing ensemble, but still provided a visual feast (even if at times it resulted in confused curiosity). It is a grand production, at almost 3 hours long, and perhaps could have benefited from one less song in the second act (the person next to me pulled out her phone towards the end and I had to admonish her). This musical may be about ‘little women’, but it is large on musicality and story. Well written (Harding, Kaladziel) the spoken lines are fluid and interact with the lyrics flowingly. This is a grown-up musical (with a starry – no - cosmic - cast) based on a book written for young people … which means it is a story for all, and will transcend time. JO – THE LITTLE WOMEN MUSICAL in Concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane Sunday January 25, 2026, at 7pm Original novel written by Louisa May Alcott Music by Dan Redfeld Book and Lyrics by Christina Harding and John Gabriel Kaladziel Performed by Christine Allude, Tracie Bennett, Kerry Ellis, Eleanor Grant, Barry James, Chris Mann, Kelly Mathieson, Miyuki Mirage, Julian Ovenden, Sophie Pollono, Tobias Turley, Liam Tamne, Yazdan Qafouri Ensemble/chorus performers: Vocals Unlimited with Tom Pearce (Choirmaster) Orchestral management is by Isobel Griffiths Ltd. General Managers are New Road Theatricals. Directed and choreographed by JoAnn M. Hunter
