London Theatre Reviews

The Snowman Review

As escapist fantasies go, Raymond Briggs' book is a perfect seasonal treat for children. It's now developed into something of a colourful Christmas institution as this musical adaptation returns for a 6th year at the Peacock Theatre. A boy embarks on a magical adventure with his snowman, the pair venturing to the North Pole for some festive frolics before returning home in time for Christmas morning.Containing all the right ingredients to delight the under sixes, the show's big pluses are Paul...

Review - 'Jeeves and Wooster Perfect Nonsense' at the Duke of York's

NOTE: Cast changed since this reviewPG Wodehouse's most famous non-theatrical creation Jeeves has, of course, been in the West End before -- as a one-man show in 1980 by Edward Duke called Jeeves Takes Charge, and as a notorious Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Ayckbourn flop musical five years before that (called simply Jeeves) that returned more successfully to the Duke of York's in 1996, by then re-titled By Jeeves. Now the Duke of York's is home again for a new stage play called Perfect...

The Mousetrap Review

Agatha Christie's 'The Mousetrap', opened in the West End on the 25th November 1952, which means it has been running for over 50 years making it the world's longest running play - an incredible achievement for any play and one that the producers are rightly proud of. In the course of the first 50 years, according to the programme notes, over 10 million people have seen the show and over 395 tons of ice cream have been sold!So what is the show's success? Part of it has to do with the fame of...

Matilda The Musical Review

Note: There has been cast changes since this review!We are rapidly drifting into that peculiarly English time of year when even the sanest of actors and production companies seem to take leave of their senses. Men dress up as women, women dress up as men and well-worn jokes that never ought to have seen the light of day in the first place are resurrected with abandon.Yes, panto season is with us once again. But 'Matilda The Musical', even though it is being aired during this silliest of seasons,...

The Woman in Black Review

NOTE: These are older reviews - the cast has changed many times!It has been nearly 6 years since I last saw "The Woman In Black", so I thought it was about time I went to see it again to ascertain whether it is still as fresh as when I last saw it. The answer is a resounding yes!This thriller, adapted by Stephen Mallatratt from the novel by Susan Hill, has been running at the Fortune Theatre since February 1989 and one can see why as it is a thrilling ghost story that has you jumping out of your...

That Face

Writer Polly Stenham was just 19 when she wrote this, her first play. Having had it's premiere at the Royal Court and garnered a number of awards, it's now moved up to the West End. It's success is well-deserved because there's a freshness in the writing and the humour as well as the plot.Polly Stenham brings us the world of a dysfunctional family where roles are never clear-cut or as one would expect them to be. Children act like parents, and parents ignore their responsibilities, acting more...

Love and Money

I wince every time our prudent Chancellor boasts about growth. Producing more goods and services does not necessarily equate to 'being better off', or more importantly, to being happier. Growth also has a significant impact on global warming and increases the pressure on natural resources, and it's often fuelled by borrowing. More people than ever are now up to their consumerist eyeballs in debt, with record numbers seeking protection from creditors by filing for bankruptcy. It's a situation...

The Beauty Queen of Leenane

"This is really, really depressing. But a wonderful play" said a woman sitting behind me to her friend before the start of this play. She had obviously seen it before - maybe the last time it was on at the Young Vic in the summer of 2010. I didn't catch it then, so I was intrigued to see if my neighbour's comments were accurate.The setting, brilliantly conceived by designer Ultz, is certainly about as depressing as you can get. There is just a living room with a door at one side and a kitchen...

Much Ado About Nothing Review Wyndhams Theatre 2011

Last week, I saw 'Much Ado About Nothing' at the Globe, and now here's another version playing at Wyndham's, right in the heart of the West End. Comparisons are often invidious, but here's a rare chance to compare two productions of the same play, both on at the same time.This version has the added glamour and audience pulling-power of TV stars in the lead roles. TV comedian and character actress Catherine Tate is Beatrice and a former Dr Who, David Tennant, is Benedick. With a time traveller in...

True West

This is a review of the 2014 production. For the 2018 production starring Kit Harington, click here. Originally premiered in 1980 in San Francisco and first produced in the UK at the National in 1981 with the late Bob Hoskins and Antony Sher, Sam Shepard's True West is now an established contemporary masterpiece, and much beloved of actors wanting to test their acting mettle. I saw the National's production, and have since seen the pairings of Mark Rylance and Michael Rudko (at the Donmar...