‘a sharp reminder that survival in the modern world often looks absurd’ ★★★★ I confess, I first mistook The Anatomy of Survival for a dance piece — understandable, given it was commissioned and co-produced by The Place. In fact, it resists such labels. What unfolds is not a play, nor quite a dance performance, but something closer to a show in the best interdisciplinary sense. The premise is deceptively simple: a woman walks into a café and asks for a coffee. The barista doesn’t understand. The situation unravels. From this trivial exchange, co-directors Frauke Requardt and Vivienne Franzmann build a satirical and surreal journey that examines how fragile our shared reality really is. The humour, the stylised design, and the slightly manic rhythm all carry the flavour of Wes Anderson’s The Grand Budapest Hotel . Props appear with precision, reality slips into absurdity, and at times the performers morph into creatures with bear paws or heads. A drummer punctuates the chaos, while two dancers and an actor shuttle us between the everyday and the unhinged. The company promise to “experiment with the audience’s nervous system” — flashing lights, sudden noises, jolts that trigger our primal reflexes. And yet I kept wondering: why Anatomy of Survival ? Is it about the nervous system protecting us? Manipulating us? That question lingered unresolved. Still, I found myself entertained and drawn along by the woman’s journey. The piece is word-driven, with the text describing and the movement amplifying. Personally, I would have welcomed a tighter interweaving between words and movement. Yet perhaps the refusal to settle into a clear definition is the point. It is entertaining, thought-provoking, and mischievously humorous. Anatomy of Survival is a sharp reminder that survival in the modern world often looks absurd — and that sometimes the best way to capture it is not with a play, or a dance, but a show. Encounter Productions Cast and creatives Co-Directors: Frauke Requardt & Vivienne Franzmann Choreography: Frauke Requardt and performers Writer: Vivienne Franzmann Performers: Bea Bidault, Kath Duggan and Solène Weinachter Live Musician: Stefano Ancora Designer: Hannah Clark Lighting Designer: Lucy Hansom Sound Design & Production: Chameleon drums&perc Studio Video Design, camera and edit: Susanne Dietz Production Manager: Rachel Bowen Costume Supervisor: Annette Raudmets Composer of “What She Wants”: Dave Price  Research Consultant: Frank Bock

‘original, necessary theatre’ ★★★ ½ It is so refreshing to have an original story on rarely shared themes. It is shown from the point of view of a carer of a non-verbal person. In this case, a mother who has sole care of her daughter (the father having recently passed away). A pity that this ‘parent carer’ relationship wasn’t flagged up in the synopsis for the show, as this is very different to a ‘carer’, someone employed to do the job. SCAFFOLDING tells Sheridan’s story, who is involved with the church, raising funds for the restoration, she’s having a bad day, as there’s a suspicion that social services might take her daughter away from her. She’s having a chat with God high up on the scaffolding around the church steeple, trying to make sense of it all. She’s also worrying about making the right ingredients for a bomb. It is an explosive show using these excellent symbols to show how the character is feeling and the high stakes involved. The performer is Kerry Norton; she is charming and her singing voice is gorgeous but I really wanted more depth of feeling to match the script. If the scaffolding is there to do this job, then more sense of risk would help to enable the audience to feel more for the character. Having said that, it surely is a show which would have much more impact on those who are living with learning disabled people and also the disabled themselves. How powerful, to see themselves and the people in their lives on stage, reflecting some of their own experiences. So, in a way, this show, isn’t for me, but I learned more about relationships and their importance. I learnt more about non-verbal people and how they can be allowed more agency in their own lives. It is a simple technique but one which takes a recalibration in ongoing relationships. We can all benefit from being more aware of such ideas. The themes and story have real weight, and this surely is necessary theatre, but on the night (I was there) the show didn’t reach the dramatic heights of which it is capable. Nevertheless, this is a show which should have a long life, it has much to offer. SCAFFOLDING by Lucy Bell at Drayton Arms Theatre 23 – 27 September 2025 Box Office https://www.thedraytonarmstheatre.co.uk/scaffolding Presented by Documental Productions CAST & CREATIVE TEAM Writer - Lucy Bell Director - Natalie Simone Performed by - Kerry Norton Senior Producer - Naomi Turner Engagement Producer - Susannah Bramwell Sound Design - Joseff Harris Sound Associate - Jack Orozco Morrison Set & Costume - Ella Barraclough Lighting Design - Rachael Duthie Movement Director - Karla Shacklock Technical Stage Manager - Josh Lucas Photo Credit - Craig Fuller

‘A charming and loving tribute to an entertainment legend’ ★★★ ½ Eh Up Me Old Flowers is a feel-good two-hander exploring the life and legacy of Charlie Williams, Britain’s first well-known Black stand-up comedian. In a biographical ode to an inspiring entertainer, Chris England as writer and director utilises famous phrases, physical theatre, and strong storytelling devises to paint an enlightening picture of a complicated man. Throughout the play, England celebrates Williams for his pioneering career yet is not afraid to criticise the outdated jokes and, oxymoronically, racial stereotypes he perpetrated within his material. Set in 1998, the play revolves around an aged Williams (portrayed brilliantly by Tony Marshall) being interviewed for an MBE. Immediately, he is confronted with past controversies, consequently sharing his life story in an attempt to clear his name. There is a level of defensiveness within Williams’ storytelling that makes the audience question his reliability as a narrator – yet his immediate charm and wit win us over from the moment he steps onto the stage. Nick Denning-Read plays the interviewer, as well as multi-rolling other characters throughout, often hilariously breaking the fourth wall and offering a down-to-earth contrast to Marshall’s representation of the central character. Overall, they work well together as a pair, with strong comedic timing and tact for more serious conversations, played earnestly and with obvious love for the source material. The use of costume as a motif for change was well executed, and the constant homely set adds a minimalism that compliments the structure of the writing. Perhaps the projections weren’t always necessary, particularly displaying images of the mining towns that British audiences are likely to already be familiar with, nonetheless it was a welcome addition during tributes throughout. Despite the joke-a-minute format and Marshall’s warm demeanour, the play at points felt stagnant, with pockets of clunky dialogue and time-jump transitions slowing the flow of the story. Nevertheless, it was a thoroughly enjoyable 75 minutes that did not shy away from asking difficult questions: towards both the entertainer and the entertained. Eh Up, Me Old Flowers is a charming and loving tribute to an entertainment legend, which relevantly questions historic political correctness in a present of heightened societal divisiveness. Written and directed by Chris England Performed by Tony Marshall and Nick Denning-Read

‘deliciously bawdy humour and a powerful message of female power’ ★★★★ A darkened and bare stage, a large cardboard cannon and various protest signs propped against one wall make for a striking first impression in a small pub theatre. The signs are written in different languages, two in English particularly stick out: ‘Protect the right to Protest’ and ‘I can’t believe I still have to protest this shit’. They are both recognisable and timely, depressingly so. Lysistrata at The Old Red Lion Theatre Pub is a play about a war, the Pelopennesian. This was a war that occurred between 431-404 BCE and a play that was written in 411 BCE. Despite the thousands of years that stand between then and now, it remains startlingly relevant. In this play, set in Athens, the women—sickened as they are by the men’s incompetence in the face of relentless bloodshed—decide to take matters into their own hands and to end it once and for all. Their method? A sex strike. Their men, as they predict, become so painfully horny that they decide finally on a peace treaty. Then and only then do their wives, girlfriends and lovers return home to them. What ensues is deliciously bawdy humour and a powerful message of female power. The cannon designed by Rebecca Ward reaches an impressively lifelike size yet is made entirely of cardboard. This deliberate choice seems to point to the fragility of war. A reminder that once all the bloodshed, the anguish, the terror, the pain, the sheer brutality of it all is pushed out of the way and you are forced to reckon with the thing itself, there is very little for it to stand on. Like cardboard, its foundations are thin. In this particular adaptation we have 6 actors: four female presenting and two male presenting. Though all multi-role at some point in the action, the principal characters are the four women led by Lysistrata. This merry band of four, once again highlighting the relevance of this play, are dressed in costumes representative of different periods. Lysistrata (Rachel Bardwell) in her white dress, straw boater hat and badge with white, purple and green ribbons is unmistakeable as a suffragette: a woman paving the way for future change. These colours of green, white and purple also feature, like an enduring motif, on the other female costumes which become gradually more and more modern. Another, worn by Peace Oseyenum is particularly loud and clear in its reference: blue denim boot cut jeans, a tight purple t-shirt, hoops and a fro. We have the 1960’s and all the protests and rebellion that went with it. There is much to like in this reimagining of Aristophanes’ ancient comedy. As mentioned, simple aesthetic nods to the plays’ enduring relevance go a long way and when coupled with more outright references to the here and now we have Greek theatre at its best: universally appealing, democratic and a commentary on recognisable themes. A particularly delightful example of this is when one of the actors trills offstage ‘Domino-hoo-hoo’, which is greeted by gasps of delight by the women on stage who cry at once: ‘a man’(!). Benedict Esdale’s direction is simple and effective, letting the enduring appeal of this ancient comedy do the work. Through simple staging, stylized physicality by the ensemble of six and excellent comic timing the play is translated aptly to 2025. Surrounded as we are by too many senseless wars this comedy is both a welcome relief as well as a ‘sit up straight’ jolt of adrenaline. Images: Miranda Mazzarella  Flywheel Repertory Season at Old Red Lion Theatre BOX OFFICE https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/flywheel-repertory-season.html PROGRAMME The Rover by Aphra Behn September 2-6 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare September 9-13 Lysistrata by Aristophanes September 16-20 The Lodger after Marie Belloc Lowndes September 23-27 Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw September 30 - October 4 Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe October 7-11

‘a conversation piece’ ★★★★ Based on true events experienced by exiled Russian director Alexander Molochnikov, the story begins in Moscow Art Theater. A young experimental theatre director, Kon, is staging Chekhov’s The Seagull as a cabaret. when Russia invades Ukraine, the cast and creatives are shocked and disturbed by the events. Trying to speak out about their feelings, the production incurs state censorship, which cramps the director’s creativity. Now the young director packs his bags for more artistic freedom in New York. He leaves behind his mother who is a famous actress, and passes the baton of free speech to ‘Anton’ who quickly finds himself in prison. “We love it when people do what we say, we love it in Russia.” The second Act is set in New York and without going into the details of the story, it soon becomes apparent that Kon’s romantic ideal of the States is dashed as he discovers a different, but nevertheless crushing, culture of control. The big shot producer that he approaches has never heard of him but shows a spark of interest, if only Kon would direct a multi-media show about three pigs. It is this kind of irony where the show scores a massive hit. Kon solidly sticks to his precious vision of The Seagull and refuses to compromise. Kon continues to search for a theatre that will take his play and is rejected until he has to make do with an actor whom he meets by chance, Nico, a bunch of amateur artists and a warehouse to stage his production. The very naivety of Kon, is amusing in itself. It is laughable and laudable that this show should wend its way to London, Speaking from the point of view of this publication (London Pub Theatres Magazine), generally it isn’t possible to start at the top and most graduates find themselves working for free and building their own careers from scratch with immense determination and ambition. That lucky break, doesn’t always come. Artists have to make their own ‘luck’ (and the harder they work, the luckier they get). David Boyd as Kon, plays the dreamer to perfection, hiding from a critic in the first Act (but never letting go of his dream of re-envisioning The Seagull). “Making the play is the easy part” and here, as a reviewer, it is my break to make some scathing comments about the show. The cabaret is madcap, flying materials, a random bath, grungy costumes, and ballet with a smatter of camp dancing, but somehow it does work. The supporting cast are rather fine dancers, and the visuals do add some depth to the politics, reminders of the treatment of the LGBT community for starters. The cabaret is colourful, and the wacky visuals are grounded by a cracking script from Eli Rarey, giving excoriating insights into the different cultures of the two countries. It lays bare the ghastly truth of what it takes to get to the top in the industry. Kon, just doesn’t have an understanding of the system, how it works and how to use it Ingeborga Dapkunaite as the Mother is spectacularly good in the role, as someone who does understand the system enough to keep working at the top of her acting profession. Fascinating that her position allows her to canvass for ‘Anton’ even though there is only so far that she can go. Dapkunaite is totally credible in the role. Stella Baker as Nico also shines and has a character development which allows facets of the same woman to be exposed. In fact, all the cast play their roles with aplomb. Recent data shows, that people in their 20s and 30s are flocking to theatres as an antidote to looking at their small screens. Theatre is having a resurgence of popularity and for all those looking to have an actual discussion, post show, Seagull: True Story is certainly a conversation piece. Images: Mark Senior SEAGULL: TRUE STORY Marylebone Theatre 5 Sept – 12 Oct 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/#Whats-On Presented by Sofia Kapkov for MART and Oliver King for WILD YAK Creatives & production team Creator & Director Alexander Molochnikov Writer Eli Rarey Set Designer Alexander Shishkin Costume Designer Kristina Kharlashkina Lighting Designers Brian H. Scott, Sam Saliba Composer Fedor Zhuravlev Lyrics by Noize MC Choreographer Ohad Mazor ‍UK Lighting Designer Alex Musgrave ‍UK Sound Designer Julian Starr Cast Nico Stella Baker Kon Daniel Boyd MC Andrey Burkovskiy ‍Olga Ingeborga Dapkunaite ‍ Dmitri Ohad Mazor Sasha Myles J. McCabe Ivan/Jack Quentin Lee Moore ‍ Pickle Keshet Pratt Musician Shukhrat Turdikhodjev ‍ Anton/Sorry Elan Zafir

‘A lost jewel; catch it while you can.’ ★★★★ There’s history being made at Brockley Jack Studio in South East London. Oscar Wilde’s first play: Vera; Or, The Nihilists, originally performed in New York in 1883 is now on. It took him three years to write and on opening night, was heckled and jeered at, a blistering and resounding failed production that closed early. So traumatised was Wilde by this experience, that when tried for sodomy at the Old Bailey, he swore under oath that Lady Windermere’s Fan was his first play. It seems that Vera was Wilde’s dirtiest of secrets. This Wildean rarity, unloved and unclaimed, now has new life breathed into it by Cecelia Thoden van Velzen, a theatre maker and director from the Netherlands who felt this play had been neither understood nor appreciated at the time. Then, the director insisted it be a light-hearted exploration of Tsarist Russia and a group of assassins (The Nihilists) lead by their strong female leader, Vera. Despite the fact, that Wilde had written SERIOUS all over the text, it was decided, much to Wilde’s chagrin, that comedy would trump tragedy. Realised by a committed ensemble of talented performers, this is eighty-five minutes of revolutionary fervour, a paranoid leader and forbidden love. Set at a time when the Russian people were starving, supressed, and subjugated and any transgressors carted off to salt mines, the landscape and scope of the play is wildly ambitious, perhaps the mark of many first plays. Wilde had read of The Nihilists in newspapers and was fascinated by this band of Slavic brigands who believed “assassination is a method of social reform.” In 1881, two years before the play was first performed, The Nihilists succeeded in killing Tzar Alexander II with a nitro-glycerine bomb. Minimal, understated, and atmospheric, the play’s production makes good use of dry ice and lanterns. A spare musical composition also by director, Thoden Van Thelzen, effectively casts audiences back over two hundred years to a time of cloistered garrets, pointed spires and conspiratorial, shadowy gatherings. Protagonist, Vera is driven to join The Nihilists by the imprisonment of her brother and becomes a strong, fervent leader of this group that plot to murder the Tsar. One of the group, a man with “soft white hands” may be a traitor. Played by George Airey (Dexter Fletcher look alike) he is drawn to the strong, sure footed, quietly spoken Vera Sabouroff, beautifully channelled by Natasha Culzac, a woman unafraid to wield dagger or gun to defeat her enemies. When the soft handed man is revealed as the Royal Prince and heir to the throne, Vera is conflicted between her love for her country and her feelings for this blue-blooded man, who offers her “the world as a footstool.” The ensemble performances are strong. A special mention to Jonathan Hansler who plays paranoid and jumpy Tsar Ivan, untrusting of everyone after so many attempts on his life and who may be in the middle of a nervous breakdown. Some of the play does feel a little lumpy, unwieldy, and slow in places. The use of voice over feels unnecessary, especially in the prologue when everyone is compelled to remain seated for a short lesson on Oscar Wilde. This contextual information could easily be printed somewhere. But there is also much to admire. It’s intoxicating to hear the words of Oscar Wilde, resounding so clearly and movingly, in an intimate space like Brockley Jack. The packed venue showed that Wildeans will travel from far and wide for such a rare sighting. Despite the political landscape and theme of the play, we hear Wilde’s voice in his bon mots and camp put downs: “Indifference is the revenge life takes on mediocrity” and “what a mistake it is to be sincere” and they are a delight. Several of Third Thing Productions , the company who got this off the ground, met at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland. They’ve done a great job in polishing this lost jewel and putting out into the world as Wilde intended. Last night, there were no jeers, only cheers. Vera; Or, The Nihilists at Jack Studio Theatre 16 – 27 September 2025 The First London Revival of Oscar Wilde’s first play, Adapted by Cecelia Thoden van Velzen Jack Studio Theatre 16 – 27 September 2025 BOX OFFICE: https://brockleyjack.co.uk/jackstudio-entry/vera-or-the-nihilists/ Photo credit: Henry Roberts. Cast: Natasha Culzac as Vera Sabouroff George Airey as Alexis Ivanacievitch Kat Kim as Prime Minister Maraloffski Jonathan Hansler as Peter Sabouroff & Czar Ivan Jo Idris-Roberts as President of the Nihilists & Baron Raff Finn Samuels as Michael & Count Rouvaloff Catherine Allison as Kotemkin Directed and reconceptualised by Cecilia Thoden van Velzen Set Designer and Lighting Designer: Ruth Varela Costume Designer: Anastasiia Glazova Costume Assistants: Sofia Kuzmina and Vladimir Buriakov Sound Design: Cecilia Thoden van Velzen Assistant Director and Fight Director: Matthew Schwarz Lighting Technician: Ed Tuke Producer: Stephen Leach Associate Producers: Natasha Culzac and Cecilia Thoden van Velzen Presented by Third Thing Productions

“a celebration of the peculiarities, contradictions and sheer vitality of the English language” ★★★★ Melanie Branton’s THE FULL ENGLISH is a witty and engaging one-woman show that takes audiences on a lively journey through the history of the English language. Part history lesson, part poetry performance, and part playful experiment. Armed with an assortment of props, quick wit, and a warm, approachable presence, Branton guides us through the sprawling history of the English language. From etymology to double negatives, from the Norman Conquest to Caxton’s printing press, from the linguistic legacies of colonialism to the chaotic slang of the internet age, she maps out a story as messy, diverse, and colourful as English itself. A former English lecturer turned performance poet, Branton is active on the UK poetry scene, has published work in journals and anthologies, and on her own blog where she shares “fun facts” about language and posts in forms as various as triolets and children’s verse. Her blend of scholarship, playfulness, and engagement with both children’s and adult audiences gives her a uniquely versatile voice. THE FULL ENGLISH blends poems, props, games, and audience participation, but what anchors the evening is Branton herself: an articulate, charismatic and deeply knowledgeable guide. Branton cultivates an atmosphere where even the shyest audience member feels safe to join in. She balances erudition with accessibility, delivering nuggets of linguistic trivia in a way that is inclusive and illuminating. Part of her endearment is the pure delight and enthusiasm she has for her subject - whether Branton’s explaining the quirks of the great vowel change or the haphazard beginnings of grammar, her enthusiasm is infectious. Branton’s genuine love of language is most evident when she sets aside the gimmicks and simply explains the winding histories of words. Her explanations are clear, witty, and grounded in a deep knowledge of her subject. In these moments, the performance achieves its greatest clarity and charm: a celebration of the peculiarities, contradictions and sheer vitality of the English language. Her poems provide a lyrical thread and her explanations resonate, offering fresh insights into something we all use every day yet rarely stop to examine. The intimate space of Barons Court Theatre proves an ideal venue - its close quarters turn the performance into a conversation, making the audience co-conspirators in Branton’s linguistic treasure hunt rather than passive spectators. I left THE FULL ENGLISH entertained and enriched, armed with a host of new facts and a renewed appreciation for the glorious, chaotic mongrel tongue we call English. This is a show for anyone who has ever wondered why words mean what they mean - or who simply delight in them. Photo: Lidia Crisafulli Box Office: https://www.baronscourttheatre.com/fullenglish

 ‘the characters’ reference points and idiosyncrasies feel specific and fully realised’ ★★ ½ Most families are resplendent with resentments. The Morley family is no exception. There is the wife, Louisa, who refuses to engage emotionally with her cancer diagnosis; the husband, Jack, who can never fully atone for the sins of his past; and the daughter, variously Mariana, Mara, and Marnie, who is relieved that it is the mother she hates who got ill, and not the father she adores. Cue the petty jibes, tense meals, and blowout arguments. Miranda Lapworth, the writer and director, has a knack for engaging dialogue. The characters’ reference points and idiosyncrasies feel specific and fully realised: they make fridge cake, fantasise about Mars mousse, play Film Relay, and debate the convertibility of “car mints” into “house mints” (no consensus is reached on this thorny matter). The actors relish the script. Jenny Lloyd Lyons is a particular standout, shifting Louisa from a clipped, aloof, Anna Maxwell Martin-esque figure into a woman exposed and vulnerable, drained of energy beneath the weight of her grief. At times, though, the fun dialogue masks deeper flaws. The play never fully comes into focus. Too often it feels like a series of surprises are thrown at the characters just to see what will stick – and the answer is not very much. These characters are stubborn, and little dislodges them from the spiky, if ultimately comfortable, dynamics we see at the start of the play. That inertia may be true to life, but dramatically it proves repetitive. The same arguments replay with little evolution. Over a runtime of more than two hours this becomes wearing, particularly in the second half. I also struggled to fully understand the relationship between Louisa and her daughter, Mariana – brilliantly played by Steph Sarratt. Theirs is a terse dynamic: Mariana is convinced of her mother’s selfishness, and Louisa is fed up with her daughter’s incessant campaign of vilification. Yet without more detail on what forged this deep-seated resentment, Mariana’s actions drift towards the unforgivable. At every turn she picks a fight – both after her mother’s diagnosis and after Jack’s sudden death. Her ceaseless vitriol starts to feel uncalled for, and it becomes hard to stay with the character. We are assured Mariana has fair cause to be angry, but without specificity her rage lacks grounding. Sarratt does her utmost to humanise the character, but she becomes increasingly unsympathetic in the second half. Lapworth’s play has wit and energy. The performers rise to the challenge of its dialogue and have fun with the detailed set. But with unfocused plotting and relationships left underexplored, it never quite lands the dramatic punch these characters could achieve. Storms, Maybe Snow by Miranda Lapworth / Seven Dials Playhouse / 16 – 20 September 2025 https://www.sevendialsplayhouse.co.uk/shows/storms-maybe-snow

'places these women front and centre of their and our community'★★★ ½ It’s 1985 and the world is grappling with the AIDS epidemic with information and mis-information, initially at least, at a premium. People are scared and confused and need help. Above a bookshop in London’s Kings Cross the newly re-named Lesbian and Gay Switchboard becomes a lifeline for those who need advice, somewhere safe to stay and, once the government promotes them following the infamous AIDS public information film, a re-assuring voice. Referring back to the actual switchboard archives located in the Bishopsgate Institute, Doubletake Theatre blend real-life people and calls against the fear that was perpetuated at the time alongside the public ‘realisation’ that, hey, some people are gay. This melding of the historical, the personal and the general makes for a not always successful pacing of story but does leave the viewer with a clear sense of time and, simply, what it was like to be around and live through this period. The operation of the switchboard office - brilliantly realised by the production and design team in the tiny Hope Theatre - is seen through the lens of 4 different women whose shared sexuality and purpose conflicts with their personalities and what is going on in their lives. The ensemble at play is a real strength of the piece, combined with some nice moments in the script, smart motifs and a story in which we all become invested. Lou (standout Fatima Abdullahi) is confident and focussed, only stressing out when the phones play up and her ex Joan (excellent Megan Keaveny) talks to callers about her vagina (yes, really!). Newbie Jackie (Áine McNamara) is all bluster at first but grows into the job and strikes up a relationship with Nana (Hannah Balogun) who has been mysteriously absent for 6 months……. All 4 actors also play callers to the switchboard and, in a barnstorming opening played against a Blondie / 80’s soundtrack, the scene is set with pathos and belly laughs. As we begin to understand more about their lives and relationships, we also get a greater sense of what is happening in the world around them and our admiration for their work and ability to understand and feel comes starkly into view. There are some very funny moments and each actor gets their ‘moment in the sun’. Everything comes to a head in a scene where, to be honest, too much is realised and this leaves the ending to be something of a damp squib. That said, the final scene of phones ringing and calls from ‘lost boys (& girls)’ being answered re-emphasises the vital work of the switchboard - and that this kind of service is as vital today. Much to laud and enjoy here but, for me, this is a 2 act play waiting to spring free. This would give more time to explore the 4 characters - their interactions, their home lives, their views on the world - and give greater context to lesbian history. The Switchboard Project places these women front and centre of their and our community - bravo for that. BOX OFFICE The Switchboard Project | The Hope Theatre CAST Jackie Áine McNamara Joan Megan Keaveny Hannah Balogun Nana Lou Fatima Abdullahi CREATIVES Director Molly Byrne Sound Designer Arianna Muñoz Lighting Designer Sameer Aggarwal Associate Director Cassia Thakkar Costume & Production Designer Ella Muir Dramaturg Beth Wilson Producer Ella Pound Set Designer Daniel Southwell PR Matthew Parker

 “Why the play has been neglected for so long is a mystery … it is especially timely.” ★★★★ ½ The Finborough has a rich history of unearthing lesser known and forgotten plays. It has repeated the feat once again with The Truth About Blayds, not seen in London since 1921. A. A. Milne’s play appears relatively light-hearted in the first act, as venerated poet Oliver Blayds, one of the last of the living eminent Victorians, celebrates his ninetieth birthday. But events take on a darker tone in the second act, as Blayds’ legacy is called into question. In the aftermath of World War One, there was a reappraisal of the older generations and of the supposed golden Victorian age, and we see this generational tension here. The play begins with sympathetic critic A. L. Royce (a brilliantly compassionate Rupert Wickham) coming to pay homage to the aging Blayds. But it takes some time before he receives an audience with the man himself. We meet cynical grandchildren, a distracted mother, and a mediocre and sycophantic son-in-law before Blayds (William Gaunt) finally arrives. Gaunt is convincing as the aging patriarch, tyrannical but haunted by the past, now cared for by his daughter Isobel. Despite his failing health, his grip on multiple generations of the family is absolute. David Gilmore’s direction masterfully navigates the changes in tone and twists and turns of the later acts, whilst Alex Marker’s set and Carla Joy Evans’ costumes provide excellent period detail. Why the play has been neglected for so long is a mystery, especially due to its popularity at the time. But this classy production is the type of revival that the Finborough specialises in. And it is also especially timely. With Britain questioning its identity and its past, this century old play eviscerating the Victorian era and its so-called great men, unmasking how their success was plundered from others, could not be more relevant today. Playing at the Finborough Theare until 4 October 2025: https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/the-truth-about-blayds/ Produced by Andrew Maunder in association with Neil McPherson for the Finborough Theatre Cast Karen Archer Oliver Beamish Catherine Cusack William Gaunt Lucy Jamieson George Rowlands Rupert Wickham Production Press Images Photos by Carla Joy Evans

‘excellent fun, very moving, funny, charming’ ★★★★ Nicole is a very sweet, very young girl growing up in Wigan, whose mother dies way too early, leaving Nicole with a mound of responsibilities, a funeral to manage, and a love of Northern Soul. Her mother was a regular attender at the Wigan Casino, dancing through all-niters to the silky tones of Freda Payne and James Carr. She passed that passion on to her daughter. Natasha Cottriall wrote the piece and also plays Nicole. She plays a variety of other characters as well, with more abrasiveness than her portrayal of Nicole, but with similar warmth and affection. She is an impressive performer and a delicate, effective writer. She is directed by Hannah Tyrell-Pinder in an intriguing set made of amps and speakers, all concealing treasures to help tell the story. This is excellent fun, very moving, funny, charming, and well acted and staged. A small treat that runs until September 20 th . Box office https://parktheatre.co.uk/events/god-save-my-northern-soul/ Written and performed by Natasha Cottriall, Directed by Hannah Tyrrell-Pinder Photo credit: Mark Senior

 ‘beautifully written, exquisitely acted, repugnant show’ ★★★★ Vermin is a complicated little play. Not in staging, that’s really simple – two actors, two kitchen chairs, no set, minimal lighting effects. The complications come with the audience reactions. In the fullest sense of the word, this play is repulsive. The male character, Billy, expresses his O. C. D. by acts of appalling cruelty to animals, lovingly delineated by Benny Ainsworth. The writing does a fantastic job of making the acts vivid, Benny Ainsworth brings out the joy, the achievement felt by his character in a deeply impressive fashion, and it is horrible. Superb stage-craft, vivid nausea. It’s a ride. Mr. Ainsworth is paired with Sally Paffett playing Billy’s wife Rachel. Their romance was triggered by seeing a suicide in action at a railway station, but impending motherhood softens Rachel. Her journey is derailed by a difficult birth experience, wincingly well related by Ms. Paffett, and thereafter the couple’s response to other creatures takes different directions, leading to disagreements. This is a beautifully written, exquisitely acted, repugnant show. Go to enjoy a fine piece of theatre, stay away if you are not up for nastiness. Triptych Theatre in association with Park Theatre presents: Vermin by Benny Ainsworth | Directed by Michael Parker Park Theatre On till 20 th September. Box Office https://parktheatre.co.uk/events/vermin/ Actors: Benny Ainsworth and Sally Paffett

“queer rom com mystery will keep you guessing.” ★★★ ½ Set to a cool soundtrack, we’re in a laundrette with two glowing machines centre stage. All manner of smalls are festooned around, spectral and fluttering, all light coloured, white and beige. Kitt, pretty, confident, and American, knows everything about the laundrette, like how to deal with sticky washing machine doors and takes it upon herself to help Kitt, a spiky haired brash Irish artist with odd socks, and a wired energy. Before you know it, these two are connecting over an errant thong: flirting, divulging, revealing, and what starts as a straightforward lesbians-in-a-laundrette-romcom slides into something stranger, more mysterious and compelling. Do these two know each other? Were they involved once? How come Noel already knows things about Kitt including her name? And why does Kitt seem to suffer from kind of sequential amnesia? “What will you do with your fifty minutes?” asks Kitt, engagingly performed by Zofia Zerphy who also wrote the piece. Fifty minutes is the length of the wash cycle – and 55 minutes is the length of Spin Cycle. While the conversation starts cute and kooky, discussing art practice, they are soon sharing stories of their pasts and former relationships, getting closer, touching. While Kitt is from a privileged background, living on an inheritance (which does beg the question why doesn’t she own a washing machine?) Noel, performed by Rhiannon Bell is working class and was disowned by her family when she came out. She’s full of righteous anger and an aching heart. These two couldn’t be more different yet they seem to be magnetically drawn to one another. There are no clear-cut answers in Spin Cycle, but lots of ambiguity to keep an audience thinking and questioning. Is it a dramatic analogy about how different people deal with memory and traumatic past events? For some, colours fade, for others, they slip into the whites and turn everything pink. Is this laundrette in another dimension? Or is it some kind of existential purgatory where grief and loss, can be washed away - or relived in an endless cycle of pain? With fresh, contemporary direction by Bethan Rose, Spin Cycle, part of SE Fest is bought to you by Berserk Theatre (An Average Family; How to Urn a Living) a company that spotlight queer international voices. It turns out, you can cover quite a lot of ground in fifty minutes. Spin Cycle, Part of SE Fest 2025 at Bridge House Theatre and Jack Studio Theatre Producing Company: Berserk Theatre, run by Zofia Zerphy Writer: Zofia Zerphy Director: Bethan Rose KITT: Zofia Zerphy NOEL: Rhiannon Bell Technician: Corvus René Photography: either Niamh Cunningham or Bethan Rose

‘Whimsical rather than overblown but this works surprisingly well to bring the story to an emotive end.’ ★★★★ Billed as Gaetano Donizetti’s classic gothic opera, audiences might have expected melodrama, gore, dark sets and romantic clothing. So, it is rather surprising to see that the costumes are present day, and the set is simple in the extreme. The show is whimsical rather than overblown, but this works surprisingly well to bring the story to an emotive end. Who in the audience would not feel sorry for the guilt racked Edgardo? The story is less simple, based on Walter Scott’s 1819 historical novel The Bride of Lammermoor and first performed in 1835. It involves a matter which much intrigued families in the day, finding a suitable partner to marry. Here in Lucia di Lammermoor, Lucia has fallen in love with Edgardo. Unfortunately, her brother Enrico is anxious to save the family from their financial problems by marrying her off to the wealthy Arturo. The problem is exacerbated because of a family feud between Edgardo and Enrico. In short, it all ends in tragedy. The programme helpfully tells the tale scene by scene and the words are on screens around the auditorium, so audiences need not miss any nuance of the show. The plainness of the design leaves the story to be centre stage, with a rather rustic quality. Laurence Panter on the piano particularly has some fun, with trills and emphasis here and there, it seems to add the occasional exclamation mark. Beren Fidan, as Lucia, has the most tremendous task which she accomplishes well. Her role, with such high notes often sustained, must require immense skill and then she also has the talk of ‘going mad’. This is cleverly achieved with the help of a rope of light which is coiled and embedded in a raised platform. This flexible rope becomes a part of her inner turmoil. The highlight of the opera (for me at least) is the wedding scene with the brother Enrico seeming to be marrying Arturo himself and even signing the vows in place of his sister. A masterly stroke, comic and sinister at the same time. Eamonn Walsh as Arturo plays his role well, with camp vanity and arrogance. The costuming for this section adds much to the sense of conniving manipulations with flounces and frills contrasting with the simple white dress for the bride. Albeit a really terrible dance section, it is a fascinating interpretation. So, to the final scene, to tenor Jack Dolan as Edgardo, who has such a beautiful quality and tone to his voice. His anguished solo is utterly convincing, with the sense of guilt, remorse, loss, all deeply conveyed. Another success for Grimeborn Festival of chamber Opera. Alas, this is the last show, but we must hope that Barefoot Opera will be back next year with another offering. Photography: Matthew Johnson Barefoot Opera presents Grimeborn Opera: Lucia di Lammermoor Composed by Gaetano Donizetti Directed by Rosie Kat ARCOLA THEATRE 9 September – 13 September 2025 BOX OFFICE https://www.arcolatheatre.com/whats-on/lucia-di-lammermoor The Company Beren Fidan Lucia Philip Smith Enrico Jack Dolan Edgardo (9, 10 & 12 September) Davide Basso Edgardo (13 September) Alistair Sutherland Raimondo Eamonn Walsh Arturo Laurence Panter Normanno Gaetano Donizetti Composer Rosie Kat Director Laurence Panter Musical Director Jenny Miller Dramaturg Fenna de Jonge Designer Lucy Mulgan Double Bass Lydia Kenny Saxophone Laurence Panter Piano Alistair Sutherland Accordion

‘It’s a fascinating play with real characters whom you believe in and care about – even Hitler.’ ★★★★ “A group can only be excited by an excessive stimulus. Anyone who wishes to produce an effect on it needs no logical adjustment in his argument; he must paint in the most forcible colours, he must exaggerate, and he must repeat the same thing again and again.” Sigmund Freud, 1918. There’s some evidence that, as a child in Austria, Adolph Hitler used to wet his bed. There’s very strong evidence that his father, Alois Hitler, was a strict disciplinarian with a filthy temper, who beat his son mercilessly. And there’s anecdotal evidence that Hitler’s mother Clara considered taking him to see the eminent Jewish Viennese psychiatrist Dr Sigmund Freud. What if she had done it? Would history have been different? That’s the question that occurred to the famous television comedy writing team of Marks and Gran, and from this comes one of the best counterfactual plays I know, Dr Freud Will See You Now, Mrs Hitler. They begin by painting a picture of the Hitler and Freud households at the turn of the century, and then bring them together to create a fascinating and completely convincing relationship. Right from the start there are a few knowing asides to an audience to which all this is history. “Does he complain of tiredness and lack of living space?” Freud asks Mrs Hitler. I will not tell the rest of the story, because wondering what happens next is one of the joys of this play, but the discovery that Freud used to spend his summers in Berchtesgaden, later the site of Hitler’s country home, was gold dust to Marks and Gran. There are moments to treasure. In Vienna after the first world war, Freud takes Hitler to coffee, leaving the cash for the bill on his saucer as he leaves, and the impoverished Hitler steals the waiter’s tip. And there are uncomfortable insights, such as the quote at the top of this review, which comes from Freud’s Group Psychology and the Analysis of the Ego – a book which, in the Marks and Gran version of history, Freud shows to Hitler. It’s a fascinating play with real characters whom you believe in and care about – even Hitler. It’s well executed by the resident director at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Isaac Bernier-Doyle, who has assembled an excellent six-strong cast, without a weak link anywhere. But of course the show stands or falls with the actors playing Freud and Hitler, and the chemistry between them. Jonahan Tafler is a marvellous Freud, all Viennese kindness and generosity spilling over sometimes – as his wife points out – into complacency. Sam Mac is a splendid Hitler, brittle, nervy, over-sensitive and utterly self-centred. A fine play with a strong cast, it’s well worth the trip to Highgate Village. Dr Freud Will See You Now, Mrs Hitler by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, Upstairs at the Gatehouse 12 – 28 Sept 2025 BOX OFFICE https://upstairsatthegatehouse.ticketsolve.com/ticketbooth/shows/1173663994/events/428721796 Produced by Chromolume Photo credit: Cromolume

‘The decision to locate much of the story in a city boxing ring is impactful.’ ★★★ Flywheel Theatre, Old Red Lion Theatre’s current resident company, are turning the wheel on repertory theatre. Their current endeavour is to produce six classic plays in six weeks with six actors. Each week a new classic is presented and, concurrent to that, they begin rehearsals for the next—it’s no easy feat. On the 10 th of September I watched their take on, possibly the most classic of the classics, Romeo and Juliet. Whilst London traffic teemed outside with tube strikes throwing the city into frenzy, the audience assembled to watch another city in frenzy: Fair Verona. Staying true however to their promise of ‘bringing fresh ideas to ancient stories’ the Verona that we see on stage is not 16 th century city walls and Palazzo’s but a city boxing ring in an unclear time period—modern but not named. Our famed feuding families, the Capulets and the Montagues are delineated, with a nod to pop culture, in pink and blue and the casting of our star-crossed lovers and their company, is gender neutral. Juliet, played by Charlie Woodward, is in pink and Romeo, played by Shanice Petilaire, is in blue. The other members of these households are also identified by either pink or blue costuming apart from Friar Lawrence (Sinead Davies) whose neutral costume colour nods to the character’s sympathies to both families and attempts to turn the tragic tale around. Directed by Benedict Esdale, also the Artistic Director of Flywheel, this modern take on our well-worn story of star-crossed teenage lovers has much to like: the maverick and frenetic Mercutio is played with deft humour and brilliantly bold lewdness by Gabe Lumsden whose death becomes a blow to the whole audience. Nonetheless his presence, along with that of his nemesis Tybalt (Rachel Bardwell), continues on stage even after their respective deaths as they sit like ghostly spectre’s looking onto the action. The decision to locate much of the story in a city boxing ring is impactful, a subtle and ever-present reminder of the hostility involved in the family feud. These two lovers from two different households on two very different sides of the fence are risking much more than just their hearts. Unfortunately, the brutality of this setting is not quite matched with the staged boxing matches which appear more theatrical and stylised than believable in their tussle and punches. Somewhat in keeping with this less-than-adverse atmosphere is the apparent joy of the colourful costumes: our central characters wear bright boxing silks—beautifully made long shorts and robes and their fellow troubadors are also bedecked in the same bright colours though in clothing choices not afforded quite the same thought and attention as our Romeo and Juliet. Overall the production, though to be credited for its fresh take on this very well worn tale, somehow falls short on delivering the tragic end note of its finish. The sucker-punch in this pugilistic play unfortunately doesn’t land the blow but the dynamic staging and bold choices make it a worthy match for any opponent. FLYWHEEL THEATRE REPERTORY SEASON at Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington 2 September - 11 October The Rover by Aphra Behn September 2-6 Romeo and Juliet by William Shakespeare September 9-13 Lysistrata by Aristophanes September 16-20 The Lodger after Marie Belloc Lowndes September 23-27 Pygmalion by George Bernard Shaw September 30 - October 4 Doctor Faustus by Christopher Marlowe October 7-11 BOX OFFICE https://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/flywheel-repertory-season.html Romeo - Shanice Petilaire Friar - Sinead Davies Mercutio - Gabe Lumsden Juliet - Charlie Woodward Tybalt - Rachel Bardwell Nurse - Joe Stanley Prince - Suraj Shah Director - Benedict Esdale Assistant Director - Katy Livsey Set & Costume Design by Rebecca Ward Lighting Design by Brett Kasza Photography - Miranda Mazzarella

‘Pure chaos, in the best way’ ★★★ Pushing forward the frontiers of British improv, Merely Players add a novel new element to the typical night out at the theatre as they embark on a week-long serial-adventure centered around their progress in the strange and wonderful world of Dungeons and Dragons (D&D). In case you weren’t aware, D&D is a tabletop role-playing game that places players into strange and exciting fantasy worlds reminiscent of Tolkein’s Lord Of The Rings. Plenty of rules dictate some of what they can and can’t do in these worlds but an improvisational heart lies at its centre; how they go about each interaction is left up to them while the structure of the session is managed by another player called the Dungeon Master (DM) who typically has a firm plan in mind for how the session will go, which rarely survives contact with the enemy. It’s a healthy and exciting premise for a show then, and as with a typical session of D&D so much rests on the chemistry of the players themselves. To this extent Merely Players have it in the bag; everyone in the team, from the humble monk to the seductive bard, play into type with relish and easily get you on board with their madcap antics. Ambitiously featuring a new quest every night, most of the fun comes from things going wrong. For the quest I was in attendance for the action centered on a spooky haunted house where, try as they might, the Dungeon Master was unable to keep the players along a predictable path and they often defied and subverted the challenges laid out before them, including some ghostly Jenga. This bizarre and lighthearted antagonism was pure chaos in the best way, and gave the show as a whole some wonderful energy. Things do need some work however; the runtime in its current form feels clunky with the pacing quite all over the place and the ending feeling quite rushed. This is to be expected of both a new show and of anything improvised, but the troupe would do well to really decide on the kind of rhythm they intend their sessions to find and work on nailing that as reliably as they can. Overall it’s a concept and a group dynamic that, while in need of a bit more bashing out and refinement, so clearly has the perfect ingredients for a great show. Once at the top of their game you won’t want to miss them. Time to Go runs at Canal Cafe Theatre from the 8th – 13th September 2025 Box Office https://canalcafetheatre.com/our-shows/time-to-go/ Written & Directed by Max Aspen Performed by Ellen Constable, Emily Sawtell, Jacob Cesar, Austin Hayes & Oliver Towse Box Office Reviewed by Harry Conway

‘If you like Gilbert and Sullivan, you’ll love this.’ ★★★★★ If this young man expresses himself in terms too deep for me Why, what a very singularly deep young man this deep young man must be! The late, great Tom Lehrer, as fanatical a Gilbert and Sullivan fan as ever lived, used to quote these lines to the students to whom he taught maths at the University of California, as a warning against using complicated language when simple language was available. They come from Patience, one of the best and most underestimated of G&S operas, which has the trademark G&S noise and bombast and wordplay, some of their funniest characters, a plot as absurd as any they ever invented, and one of the best patter songs they ever wrote. It’s being revived in the perfect venue, the lovely, old-fashioned, dilapidated Wiltons Music Hall, by the masters of G&S in small spaces, the Charles Court Opera Company. It’s directed by Charles Court’s talented artistic director John Savournin, who has done more than any other living person to bring G&S to a new generation. The result is the funniest, liveliest, cleverest, most joyful show I’ve seen for years. There isn’t a weak link in the cast. Matthew Kellett hams up the part of the pretentious poet and aesthete Reginald Bunthorne magnificently – he is never knowingly understated. I don’t believe anyone has ever done the great patter song better, describing his modus operandi: “You must lie upon the daisies and discourse in novel phrases of your complicated state of mind./ (The meaning doesn't matter if it's only idle chatter of a transcendental kind).” Matthew Siveter is wonderfully vain, handsome, narcissistic Archibald Grosvenor – “a trustee of my beauty” as he puts it – who naturally has to get the girl, Patience (Catriona Hewitson - tuneful and eager and heartwarming and absurd, describing herself as “plain, homely, unattractive.”) Bunthorne’s three female admirers, played by Meriel Cunningham, Jennie Jacobs and Catrine Kirkman, are melancholy, predatory, and hysterically funny – by the end of the show, one of them had only to walk on stage to have the audience laughing. Their three suitors - whom we first meet in soldiers’ uniforms – are easy prey, and in the end, when they appear in what they think is casual clothing, utterly absurd, and Matthew Palmer, David Menezes and Dominic Bowe almost manage the impossible feat of making them believable. With Savournin directing, there are bound to be some clever and amusing dance routines. Musical accompaniment by David Eaton is what it should be - minimal, a background to the words and the singing. But the set, for me, was the star of the show. In a small theatre, and with very limited funds, it posed a problem for designer Simon Bejer, which he solved magnificently. An ordinary bar sits at the back of the stage, authentic, as he says, “down to the smallest detail” – but the cleverness lies in the fact that it’s on a raised portion at the back of the stage. When the action moves to the area in front of it, we can see they have left the bar. The simplicity of the bar contrasts, as Bejer writes, with the vanity and absurdity of the clothes worn by Bunthorne and his three admirers. I am not sure I would have realised, if it wasn’t it the programme, that this was goth-inspired, but it’s magnificently over the top. If you like G&S, you’ll love this. If you don’t, give it a try anyway – it’s a production that could worm its way into your heart. Photography: Craig Fuller WILTON’S MUSIC HALL PERFORMANCES TUESDAY 9 SEPTEMBER to SATURDAY 13 SEPTEMBER 2025 Tue - Sat 7:00PM / Thurs & Sat matinee 2:00PM TICKETS £10 – £28 BOX OFFICE 020 7702 2789 and online at https://www.wiltons.org.uk Director: John Savournin Musical Director: David Eaton Choreographer – Damian Czarnecki Designer Simon Bejer Lighting Designer: Aaron J Dootson CAST Catriona Hewitson, Jennie Jacobs, Catrine Kirkman, David Menezes, Matthew Siveter, Matthew Palm, Matthew Kellett, Meriel Cunningham, Dominic Bowe

‘a great piece of writing dealing with a tricky subject in an honest way; perhaps accidentally more relevant today in the shadow of covid …’ ★★★★ The first London revival of RC Sherriff’s psychological mystery marking 50 years since his death. David Preston, played by Sam Ellis returns home from work one evening to the dismay of his wife. Mrs. Preston, Bridget Lambert, informs him that he has been missing for twenty four hours. She envelopes the audience in a blanket of nervousness, worry and uncertainty for the rest of the play, expertly setting the scene for what balances between the examination of tragic mental repercussions of war and a comedy. What happens are a humorous mixture of who-done-it and a mystery of the missing day, the misunderstandings that might arise from telling innocent fibs, and a more serious look into common attitudes of the time towards trauma. The main character was an Air Raid Patrol warden during World War Two and at one point had a narrow escape from a bomb blast. The confusion it caused in his life when it re-manifested itself as amnesia takes him by complete surprise. Andrew Williams as Dr Sparling gives his professional opinion and goes some way to explaining how it could affect him mentally. In a time when there was more stigma attached to involvement with psychiatrists or psychologists, and counseling was not as freely available the writer is taking on a subject which was not very often approached at that time. He does it in an interesting way using Major Wilson, played by Karl Moffatt to throw humour and suspicion at the situation by suggesting that there might be something fishy going on, though he is more concerned with the loss of money from his club. Though it can be seen as a comedy many people at the time of its writing could relate to it because those around them would have been injured in the war. This brings an eerie feeling to the proceedings, nervously broken by the addition of more humour by Greg Fitch as Inspector Hemingway. Indeed Williams, Moffatt and Fitch bring a degree of subtlety to the play that saves it from getting too heavy. All three of them give good performances and the idea of piling in the minor characters to constantly add to the confusion works very well in this play. The more sober issues of the missing money and how Preston will escape his predicament are ever present. Jeremy Todd as Mr. Petherbridge the solicitor deals with one by maintaining a sense of reality in a play which without this anchor to reality might have crumbled into a farce. But this doesn’t happen and showing a professional skepticism to the amnesia by going through his normal police procedure Hemingway also helps out. Maddie Croft as Peggy Dodson appears near the end giving an accomplished performance to explain the whole misunderstanding. The set was a reflection of the physical wreckage of the buildings damaged during the blitz that happened during World War Two and a metaphor for the psychological wreckage of the people who were involved in the war, traumatized or injured in any other way. There was good use made of set and props which depicted a typical middleclass semi-detached house of the period. People may have been more used to putting up a front in those days and the façade of the ‘stiff upper lip’ compelled many to carry on regardless and try their best to ignore what had happened to them. Sam Ellis showed a man and his reactions to an adverse situation caused by past trauma which he had buried in his subconscious by trying to suppress it at the time. When it eventually affected him his initial reaction was that it was something that was not troubling to him and so he continued to fight his way through. After the whole episode was resolved we see him completely crack up, sadly still unable to fully expose his vulnerability to even his wife. This was really a great piece of writing dealing with a tricky subject in an honest way; perhaps accidentally more relevant today in the shadow of covid and our increasing familiarity with the issues. A brilliant choice of production and a very well presented play. HOME AT SEVEN 2nd – 20th September Tabard Theatre, 2 Bath Rd, Chiswick, London W4 1LW Tues – Fri 7:30pm, Sat 6:00 pm £23.50 – £19.50 (concs) | tabard.org.uk | 020 8995 6035 BOX OFFICE Company information Director and producer Claire Evans Writer R. C. Sherriff Set designer David Fitzhugh Lighting designer and DSM Marta Fossati Costume designer Janet Huckle Production assistant Jack Cavendish Production artwork Carla Evans Finance and co-producer Alasdair Evans Marketing photography Jonathan Constant Promotional Videography Miranda Evans Production Photography Yuchu Zhao Cast Maddie Crofts, Sam Ellis, Greg Fitch, Bridget Lambert, Karl Moffatt, Jeremy Todd, Andrew Williams