by guest critic Joanna Trainor
Allô you gorgeous creatures, this entire review is going to be written in a very sexy French accent so that’s how you should read it.*
adaptation
Broken Wings, Theatre Royal Haymarket
by guest critic Amy Toledano
It is rare that a new musical has the kind of oomph that Broken Wings has in a run lasting just four days. This show has shown that a brilliant cast, outstanding musicians and phenomenal score can create true magic.
Othello, Shakespeare’s Globe
By Laura Kressly
Who knew one of Shakespeare’s greatest tragedies could be funny? Director and composer Claire van Kampen has tapped into a rare rhythm that sees Iago as a weaselly, clownish man lacking power and finesse, yet still manages to twist Othello into knots. Played by Mark Rylance, one of the finest actors of his generation, his performance is the strongest feature of this production.
Bury the Hatchet, Hope Theatre
by Amy Toledano
Despite the incredibly hot conditions at The Hope Theatre during the heatwave, the cast of Bury The Hatchet manage to create a highly energised and engaging piece recounting and investigating the story of supposed axe murderer Lizzie Borden.
Exit the King, National Theatre
By Laura Kressly
There’s little that’s exciting about watching a petulant, man-child of a king taking 90-odd minutes to die whilst his two wives, a housekeeper, a guard and a ‘doctor’ debate his legacy and the reported collapse of his kingdom. But the design, that climactically progresses along with the king’s death, in this new version by Patrick Marber is a fine reward for enduring the tedium of snarky melodrama that makes up most of the performance.
The Little Mermaid, Underbelly Southbank
by guest critic Rebecca JS Nice
Just before the skies break and the rains come, lethargic families are lulled and tempered by six mermaids swimming through the heavy air. I applaud the cast who carry a full length narrative piece with live song, and music to the pinnacle of the tent in the heatwave.
The Laundry, Drayton Arms Theatre
by guest critic Amy Toledano
The Laundry is a lovely collaboration of writing by 15 Degrees Theatre that explores womanhood across many generations and across many cultures. Travelling across Europe from Russia, the play begins with two sisters and ends in three stories that will have you wanting to ring your mum the minute it ends.
Metamorphoses 2, Waterloo East Theatre
by Laura Kressly
There are many reasons why the classics are still read and performed, with their enduring relevance one of them. Ovid’s Metamorphoses, a narrative poem containing more than 250 different myths, is a wealth of flexible source material that can easily be updated and applied to modern socio-political landscapes. Here, five different myths are updated by five different playwrights to comment on a range of current topics, from #MeToo to the refugee crisis. Ranging in style and quality, the new writing night is largely well-curated and impactful.
Knights of the Rose, Arts Theatre
by guest critic Amy Toledano
Jennifer Marsden’s Knights of the Rose is new musical with a score that belts out so many familiar power ballads that it’s often hard to keep track of the actual storyline. With a cast that handle these numbers effortlessly and a book that often felt like it been written for the sole purpose of allowing the actors to show off their vocal skills, Knights of the Rose entertains but not for the reasons intended.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wilton’s Music Hall
By an anonymous guest critic
Wilton’s Music hall is dressed beautifully by Eleanor Field with a minimalist, grey tone design and little set. This is the Faction’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring an ensemble of seven actors playing all the parts.
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