Reviews

‘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

‘Powerful, poignant and alarmingly relevant’ ★★★★ ½ This energetic new musical – now in its third run and heading for Off Broadway next – centres round events in Cable Street in London’s East End in October 1936. The depression was biting, Jobs were scarce. The community was a mix of Jews, Irish and other ancestries. And there was pressure to volunteer to fight in the Spanish Civil War. Enter Oswald Mosely and his black-shirted thugs more formally known as the British Union of Fascists (BUF) to stir up discontent and hatred. Of course immigration is blamed and used as a justification for violence, especially, against the Jews. It all sounds startlingly and hideously familiar to me. Only the details have changed in 90 years. Alex Kanefsky’s book provides an effective framing device in the form of a modern day tourist tour led my Steven (Jex Unwin). He has a diary written by a man called Sammy (Isaac Gryn) who lived in Cable Street. He shares this with the group, especially with Oonagh (Debbie Chazen) who has come from America in search of her roots. The diary acts a flashback trigger. It’s neat plotting and there are some satisfying “Ooh!” moments at the end when it all links up. A strong cast ensures that this story packs a powerful punch. Gryn’s Sammy is a very conflicted character. He is struggling with his orthodox Jewish family because he thinks they – especially his father (Unwin, again – talented actor) – have their heads buried in the sand. The contrast between the traditional Friday night at home with the aggression outside is well nuanced. And Ethan Pascal Peters, another accomplished multi-roler, evokes huge sympathy as the geeky, gentle younger brother always quoting scripture and planning to be a rabbi. But it’s not be … no spoilers because this is actually a fast-paced edge-of-your-seat drama. Chazen excels in a whole range of roles from a feisty Metropolitan Police officer to an Irish mother, a Jewish mother and lots more. She is richly versatile and the speed at which these actors switch characters though slick exits and entries is very impressive. In two and three quarter the pace rarely flags although the second half could lose a quarter of an hour and cut to the chase more incisively. Lizzy-Rose Esin-Kelly is another stage commander. Her character works in a baker’s and she’s a charismatic actor to watch. She sings beautifully too. And the ensemble, which includes everyone at times, works its socks off to good effect. Tim Gilvin’s songs are a delightful blend of anguish, celebration, statement and humour and they drive the narrative rather than being, in any sense, bolted on. The rhythmic, menacing BUF anthem, for example is suitably sinister and when Unwin sings the simple, lyrical words “This too shall pass away” the sadness is palpable. And I loved the cynical “Read all about it” numbers in which four performers don billboards and represent the views of different newspapers in witty dance and patter. One of the most impressive things in this show is Elizabeth Boyce on violin. She’s actually part of a five piece band along with impressive actor-muso Max Alexander-Taylor (guitar). Boyce is on stage much of the time, as an unobtrusive part of the action – playing continuo, adding dimension to songs from Irish-flavoured numbers in the pub to solo internal reflection. She makes the playing look enviably effortless and it sounds glorious. There is a QR code in the programme to enable anyone who’s interested to hear the songs again. I think this has the potential to catch on in the way that Six or Les Miserables have, I hope so because it’s fine music and, my goodness, people need to think about these issues now before it’s too late. Cable Street Tim Gilvin (music and lyrics) and Alex Kanefsky (book) Directed by Adam Lenson Marylebone Theatre 16 January – 28 February BOX OFFICE https://www.marylebonetheatre.com/productions/cable-street

“Never has a show’s form so much befitted its subject” ★★ The Fitzgerald’s were drinkers, hedonists and “for a long time mainly famous for being excellent partiers” claims Scottie, their adult daughter attempting to control the chaos of her parents' lives through this narrative. Set up as an archive, the stage supplies several documents to evidence the most famous and toxic relationship of the Roaring 20’s. It’s a tough gig, with her mother Zelda being locked up for insanity and her father never to be seen without a drink in his hand. Still, the plot struggles to keep the celebrity of this pair under wraps. We are spun with typical, energetic, jazz age flair from first love to the Fitzgerald’s eventual separation. The lack of an interval, doesn’t allow you to catch your breath. The lyrics were also a little on the cheesy side to capture Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald’s unconventional marriage. With such a wide, colourful and celebrated array of novels, short stories and letters to pick from, Hannah Corneau’s songs just couldn’t pack the expected punch needed for such a work. If anything, the dialogue often revealed more of the couple's intensity and rebellious passion than the music. Not to say that there aren't any heart wrenching musical moments, Zelda’s song ‘Alabama Girl’ hits the right chord to express a woman stripped of her identity. Little to no picture is provided for what lies behind this toxic union. The audience are informed of some F. Scott’s theft of Zelda’s own writing but still, this does not amount to the utter emotional fall out between the pair. David Hunter playing The Great Gatsby’s writer mixes equal parts charm, swagger and sourness with notable conviction, but no one left their seats having learnt anything new. Stepping in for Corneau for a second night, Amy Parker stole the star light and prepared the perfect combination of femme fatale, hopeless romantic and troubled mother. With Tony Award nominated Michael Greif as director, honoured for his work with Dear Evan Hansen and Rent, this UK premiere needs a bit of adjusting. The cast are giving it their all and the musicians at the side are hitting all the beats but, as with so much other work, the script might need a once over. Beautiful Little Fool at The Southwark Playhouse Borough 15 Jan – 28 February 2026 BOX OFFICE

‘visually striking work’ ★★★ ½ Tell Me is a visually arresting and physically demanding piece that sits at the intersection of circus, dance and autobiographical performance. Created and performed by Sadiq Ali Company, the work explores life after an HIV diagnosis through Chinese pole, aerial work and movement-led storytelling. The production is immediately striking. A red square structure moves across the stage, constantly reconfiguring the space and offering shifting perspectives on the performer’s inner world. Lighting and haze are used boldly, at times overwhelming, but largely effective in evoking emotional intensity and disorientation. The physical skill on display is undeniable. The work draws on Chinese pole, an ancient acrobatic form with roots in Chinese circus traditions, distinct from contemporary pole dance. This lineage gives the movement a sense of ritual, endurance and physical labour. The movement vocabulary is expansive and confident, and the performer’s stamina and technical ability are impressive throughout. While the emotional intention is clear, the storytelling sometimes feels loosely connected to the physical material. Certain sections—particularly in the latter part of the show—could benefit from tightening, as the pacing begins to slow and the narrative thread becomes less focused. Although the Chinese pole work is technically impressive, its relationship to the subject matter is not always fully articulated, at times functioning more as spectacle than as a vehicle for emotional or dramaturgical depth. That said, Tell Me addresses an urgently important subject. In a cultural moment where conversations around HIV have become quieter or flattened by medical narratives, this work re-centres lived experience, vulnerability and resilience. The piece does not sensationalise its subject; instead, it invites the audience to sit with complexity, intimacy and endurance. Overall, Tell Me is a bold and visually striking work that showcases exceptional physical performance and an ambitious artistic vision. Photography by Alberto Santos Bellido Sadiq Ali Company and Ockham’s Razor, presented as part of MimeLondon (23 JAN – 1 FEB) at The Place Box Office https://theplace.org.uk/whats-on Mime London https://mimelondon.com/sadiq-ali-tell-me-2026/sadliq-ali-company-tell-me-420/

‘magnificent acting skills’ ★★★☆☆ The Pentameters Theatre is dead; long live the Circle and Star. That’s the message from the new team running the small 55-seat theatre space above the Horseshoe pub in Hampstead, for 57 years the undisputed domain of the eccentric but formidable Leonie Scott-Mathews. Director Steve Furst, a comedian as well as an actor, seems to be signalling the direction of travel with David Benson’s tried and tested one man show My Life with Kenneth Williams – a new version of Benson’s successful 1996 show, revived to mark what would have been Williams’s 100 th birthday. The opening is a delight. It’s simply Benson, in character as Williams, reciting the whole of Lewis Carroll’s The Walrus and the Carpenter. It’s a very funny poem anyway, and funnier still the way Wiliams would have read it, and it gives Benson the chance to show how precisely he can capture Williams’s voice, his mannerisms, his whole persona. After that Benson rather loses sight of Williams for a while. Though billed as a show about Kenneth Williams, the first act is more about David Benson himself. We discover Benson at a comprehensive school in Birmingham in the 1970s, coming to terms with being gay, trying not to sound too camp, learning to use his quick humour for protection. “The seventies was all about strikes and bombs.” Er, no, David, it wasn’t. The best part of this section – which, taken as a whole, is too long and not funny enough - is a wonderful scene where he wreaks belated revenge on a loathsome schoolmaster called Mr Brindley. The moment when Mr Brindley leads the school in a hymn is painfully funny, for the pedagogue sings without joy or variation, as only such a man can sing. Along the way we get some nice and all-too-brief pastiches of other seventies comedians and comic actors, including a fleeting glimpse of Frankie Howard, and we end Act One wondering what happened to Kenneth Williams. But Williams is back with a vengeance as soon as Act Two begins. In this act we are told about his demons, his faults, his weaknesses. A lot of this second act is not particularly funny, and is not supposed to be. The act begins with a monologue about philosophy which goes on too long for what it has to say, and ends with a startling sequence in a restaurant, which shows off Benson’s magnificent acting skills. Though he only speaks as Williams, the performance is so skilful that one can easily visualise the other diners round the table, the waiters, the idiots who come to ask for an autograph, the irritating Americans at the next table. I am not sure whether Benson loves Williams, or even whether he likes him. Certainly this restaurant sequence shows us a most unattractive figure, selfish, self-centred, entitled, bullying the waiters, abusing his dinner companions, sneering at autograph hunters. It all goes to make a pleasant evening in the theatre, interesting if you remember Williams (and perhaps even if you don’t), enjoyable and intermittently funny. Photography by Steve Ullathorne MY LIFE WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS, written and performed by David Benson, at the Circle and Star in Hampstead. Website www.mylifewithkennethwilliams.co.uk 2026 UK tour dates KENDAL Brewery Arts Friday 6th February at 8pm https://www.breweryarts.co.uk/event/my-life-with-kenneth-williams/ STIRLING Macrobert Arts Centre Saturday 7th February at 7.30pm On sale TBC BEDFORD Quarry Friday 13th February at 7:30pm https://quarrytheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873678233/events SHREWSBURY Theatre Severn Saturday 14th February at 7:30pm https://www.theatresevern.co.uk/shows/whatson/my-life-with-kenneth-williams/ COLCHESTER Mercury Tuesday 17th February at 7:30pm https://www.mercurytheatre.co.uk/event/my-life-with-kenneth-williams/ GUILDFORD Yvonne Arnaud Friday 27th February at 7:45pm Saturday 28th February at 2:45pm & 7:45pm https://www.yvonne-arnaud.co.uk/whats-on/my-life-kenneth-williams GORLESTON Pavilion Friday 6th March at 7.30pm On sale TBC PETERBOROUGH Cresset Friday 13th March at tbc On sale TBC EXETER Barnfield Friday 20th March at 7:45pm On sale TBC WEYMOUTH Pavilion Sunday 28th March at 2.30pm On sale TBC Running Time Approximately 2 hours (inc interval) Age Suitability 12+