Waitress review: a powerful and entertaining message about friendship and self-empowerment
Sara Bareilles' bittersweet Broadway smash proves a tasty addition to the West End banquet
We can all attest to the rejuvenating qualities of a nice piece of pie, can’t we? When life is getting you down, the sugar rush provided by a generous slice can just melt those troubles away — OK, just me then. For Jenna, waitress at a small-town diner and the heroine of this deliciously bittersweet musical, it’s the baking rather than the consuming that provides the therapy to blot out life with an abusive husband and a critical lack of self-esteem. She even goes to the lengths of naming recipes to sum up moments in her life. When a drunken fumble with her boorish partner Earl (Peter Hannah) results in an unwanted pregnancy to add further complications to her life, Jenna retreats to the kitchen to concoct a Betrayed by My Eggs Pie. Book writer Jessie Nelson has done a fine job of adapting the late Adrienne Shelly’s 2007 cult film and Sara Bareilles has provided a tastily infectious score for a Tony-nominated show that is three years into a Broadway run and has now opened in London. As Jenna, America Idol runner-up and star of TV series Smash, Katharine McPhee reprises the role she played in New York and brings a touching vulnerability to the part, along with a singing voice that threatens to take the roof off — particularly on her big second act number She Used to Be Mine. There are also some nice comic moments with David Hunter as her gynaecologist Dr Pomatter with whom she begins an ill-judged affair. For a simple small-town gal she weaves a complicated web for herself this one. There is the odd moment when Nelson’s book leaves her a little stranded but wonderful support comes from fellow waitresses Becky, played by the irresistible force of nature that is Marisha Wallace, and Laura Baldwin as the kooky Dawn, who is herself on the brink of a sexual awakening. And there’s a delightful performance from Shaun Prendergast as curmudgeonly diner regular Joe, whose rendition of Take It from an Old Man is one of the show’s most affecting and poignant moments. Diane Paulus directs it all with a deft touch and perfect pace; pitching the comedy just right but slowing things down for the more heart-wrenching moments, and she's achieved the unlikely triumph of producing a feel-good show out of a domestic abuse theme We’re told that the first all-female team behind a West End show is a coincidence rather than a deliberate decision and while it’s a welcome step in the right direction, Waitress puts forward a powerful message about friendship, loyalty and self-empowerment whatever the gender. Waitress is at the Adelphi Theatre and is currently booking until 19 October 2019 Photography by Johan Persson
Only Fools and Horses: the Musical review: Funny script but weak songs ★★★
"While the script rattles along and scores highly on terms of laugh-out-loud moments, the show overall is let down by a score of fairly weak songs", says Tony Peters
It would be easy to think anyone taking this classic sitcom written by the great John Sullivan and adapting it for a stage musical had more front than Southend. But before you dismiss the idea out of hand, it’s worth knowing that Sullivan was already formulating ideas for a show before his untimely death in 2011. Now his son Jim, along with Paul Whitehouse who is also cast as Grandad, has taken up the baton and written a show that will satisfy die-hard fans, certainly in terms of the gag quota. It’s hard to go wrong with the dialogue written by Sullivan senior and the rich cast of characters he created. And it’s all here; the catchphrases, the snappy one-liners and the pretentious mangled French of ducking and diving Del Boy (an excellent Tom Bennett). Whitehouse and the younger Sullivan haven’t gone for a new plot but centre their story on the impending marriage of Del’s younger brother Rodney (a pitch perfect Ryan Hutton) to Cassandra (a sadly underused Pippa Duffy) and Del’s meeting with Raquel (Dianne Pilkington). But therein lies the problem; taking an episode of a TV series and stretching it to two hours plus for the stage means there are some scenes that feel like unconnected skits and padding; a spurious trip to Phantom of the Opera for Rodney and Cassandra so they can reference one of the TV show’s iconic visual gags involving a chandelier — even if you’ve failed to see the much-repeated clip of the TV show you still have to know that Phantom contains a scene with a chandelier. And a scene where Trigger uses a crystal ball to forsee the gentrification of Peckham from the show’s 1980s setting feels painfully shoehorned in. While the script fair rattles along and scores highly on terms of laugh-out-loud moments, the show overall is let down by a score of fairly weak songs. Only the catchy title number, Del’s Bit of a Sort song in a dating agency and Dianne Pilkington bringing her musical theatre class to proceedings with the achingly poignant The Girl stick in the memory. And the new numbers are supplemented by the surprising addition of chart hits Lovely Day by Bill Withers and Simply Red’s Holding Back the Years. It’s a tough call for any actor to take on a part so familiar to millions and while Bennett, Whitehouse and Hutton do an admirable job, playing them as unforced by still very recognisable, others, such as Jeff Nicholson as Boycie and Peter Baker as Trigger, go for full-on but not always successful impersonations of their television counterparts. It’s good to have a show up West that taps into the best traditions of British humour, without a Trump reference in sight and only a brief passing nod to Brexit, and gives us some good old belly laughs. But like a bit of clobber out of the back of Del’s van, the detail doesn’t stand up to too much scrutiny. Only Fools and Horses: the Musical is at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket and is currently booking until 31 August Tony Peters
All About Eve review: Gillian Anderson is laser-tongued ★★★★
Gillian Anderson and Lily James shine in director Ivo van Hove's production of the 1950s film
Following his adaptation of Network — the Oscar-winning satire on television news — for the National Theatre, director Ivo van Hove takes on another Hollywood classic. The six-times Oscar winner starred Bette Davis as sharp-tongued actress Margo Channing who’s under threat from a young pretender and the onset of middle age in what was an acerbic portrayal of theatrical types. While the director has put his own unique stamp on this stage version and played with structure for a theatre setting, he has wisely not fiddled too much with Joseph L Mankiewicz’s superb screenplay and the razor-sharp one-liners cut as deep as they ever did, including the famous, “fasten your safety belts, it’s going to be a bumpy night”. Stepping into the Davis role is Gillian Anderson, still investing Margo with a tongue like a laser but also giving the character a vulnerability that wasn’t as evident on screen. The usually brittle and cynical Margo finds herself touched by the story of Eve Harrington (Lily James), a Channing superfan who is at the stage door every night and at every performance, not only to worship at the feet of her idol, but as an escape from an apparent tragic life. But Eve has a bigger, cunning plan and pretty soon she has ingratiated herself into Margo’s inner circle and is working as unpaid assistant to the star, making herself indispensable by remembering every detail like booking a birthday phone call on Margo’s behalf to her partner Bill (Julian Ovenden) who is away directing in Hollywood. Everyone falls under the shrewish Eve’s spell so that when Margo finally begins to see Eve for what she is, even those closest to her dismiss it as paranoia and insecurity about her advancing years. Clearing the path for Eve to outbitch the bitch. Van Hove gets around the fact that this is a screenplay by making his production very cinematic. The use of giant video screens dominates proceedings, a device that sometimes works brilliantly, as in some pre-shot time lapse sequences, but often becomes intrusive and gimmicky; a fairly conventional restaurant scene for some inexplicable reason has the distraction of cameraman and rig constantly circling the actors. The use of video works best when depicting “meanwhile”, giving us the chance to witness contrasting events in parallel time. As guests verbally spar and bicker at Bill’s birthday party we see that a distressed Margo is throwing up in the bathroom. Anderson is quite brilliant, cutting people off at the knees with a barbed comment one minute, but then a figure of crushing vulnerability the next. Lily James is excellent as sweet Eve, but perhaps not so convincing when the viper finally shows her fangs. Excellent support comes from Monica Dolan as Karen, who narrates proceedings and is only in this circle by virtue of being married to playwright Lloyd Richards (Rhashan Stone). But blessed with some of the best lines and delivering them with delicious aplomb is Stanley Townsend as droll critic Addsion DeWitt. You could almost hear the buttocks clenching on press night as he offered; “I’m as essential to the theatre as ants are to a picnic”. But ultimately this is Anderson’s show and directorial indulgences aside, she ensures this is far from a bumpy night. Tony Peters All About Eve is at the Noel Coward Theatre and is currently booking until 4 May. It will also be broadcast live to 700 UK cinemas on Thursday 11 April http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout34-all-about-eve
Kiss Me, Kate review: It's darn hot! ★★★★
Opera North's revival of Cole Porter's timeless classic is musical theatre as it should be done
Opera North’s touring production of Cole Porter’s musical within a musical arrives in London for what is something of a homecoming; the Coliseum was where it received its UK premiere in 1951 and also staged a revival in 1970. If you were there then, you got pretty much what you get with this exuberant and lavish production. Director Jo Davies has wisely decided not to mess much with Bella and Samuel Spewack’s book, and not at all with Porter’s outstanding score — a clever blend of light operetta in the “play” sequences and his infectious, jazz-infused songs for the backstage scenes, all played to the hilt here by a terrific cast backed by the superb Opera North Orchestra. Book tickets for Kiss Me, Kate Theatrical company manager Fred Graham (Quirijn de Lang) has woven himself a tangled romantic web while staging a musical based on Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. As well as casting himself as Petruchio opposite his ex-wife Lilli (Stephanie Corley) as Kate, he’s in pursuit of actress Lois Lane (Zoe Rainey), the love of fellow company member Bill Calhoun (Alan Burkitt). Throw in a couple of debt-collecting gangsters after Calhoun signs a gambling IOU in Graham’s name and you have all the ingredients for a knockabout farce. The backstage antics spill over into the on-stage performance, offering plenty of scope for meta laughs from missed cues and mangled lines. View oEmbed on the source website It’s a score that really lifts the spirits and the ensemble numbers are the highlight. The classic "Another Op’nin, Another Show" and steamy second act opener "Too Darn Hot" led by Stephane Anelli show the way musical theatre should be done: terrific ensemble vocals coupled with seamless and pulsating choreography, courtesy of Will Tuckett. There are a couple of smaller scenes where things go a bit flat and the huge Coliseum stage threatens to swallow the action, but not with Zoe Rainey’s solo on the delicious "Always True to My Fashion" and Burkitt’s big tap number "Bianca". This is one of Porter’s very best scores: witty, bawdy and yet at the same time sophisticated. The best is saved for almost last, however, with Joseph Shovelton and John Savourin as the two gangsters savouring every moment of "Brush Up Your Shakespeare", surely one the cleverest pieces of lyric writing you’ll find. Opera North’s Kiss Me, Kate breaks no barriers at all and it’s all the better for it. A real treat. Kiss Me, Kate is at the London Coliseum until 30 June Book tickets for Kiss Me, Kate from ticketmaster.co.uk Photography by Tristram Kenton
Killer Joe review: Orlando Bloom stars as a corrupt cop ★★★
No one can be trusted in Tracy Letts' pitch-black tale of murder and revenge
In the programme notes for this play, an article offers the opinion that America’s trailer park population has suffered from bad press over the years and the term “white trash” might be a tad unfair. There's nothing in Tracy Letts’ dark and decidedly downbeat tale of betrayal, sex, murder and conspiracy to make anyone inclined to that view to rethink their prejudice. Here is a cast of characters totally lacking in any sort of moral compass, who will resort to any extreme to get want they want, or prevent others getting it. That said, two hours in their company makes for a compelling piece of drama, although you might watch their antics through your fingers. Book tickets for Killer Joe Drug dealer and user Chris Smith (Adam Gillen) lives in a Texas trailer park with his sister Dottie (Sophie Cookson), their father Ansel (Steffan Rhodri) and stepmother Sharla (Neve McIntosh). When Chris’ estranged mother steals his stash of cocaine, her son hits on the idea of having her killed and claiming the spoils of a $50,000-dollar insurance policy. It goes a long way to demonstrating the family’s moral position that casual conversation about the plan revolves more around the logistics of getting it done than whether having your mother and ex-wife murdered is quite the thing. Even the simple-minded Dottie, who offers the only glimmer of sweetness in this whole sordid affair, thinks it’s basically a good idea. Enter Killer Joe Cooper (Orlando Bloom), a detective with the Dallas Police Department who has a lucrative sideline as a contract killer. As the family is unable to pay Joe’s fee upfront, he negotiates a deal whereby he takes sexual favours from Dottie as a “retainer”. View oEmbed on the source website God it’s bleak, with Joe happy to move into the family home and content to have his wicked way with Dottie as the family grow more desperate for the deed to be done. There are moments that raise an occasional laugh, but it’s humour of the blackest hue as this worst-laid plan careers towards the inevitable car crash and culminates in an orgy of violence that borders on the farcical. Headliner Bloom conveys Joe’s air of menace through a less-is-more stillness, but never totally convinces as a man who kills for cash and uses everyone in his path for his own depraved ends. The play really belongs to Gillen and Cookson. Gillen is electrifying as Chris, a coiled spring of frenzied frustration who is about to unravel at any moment, while Cookson gives us a character for whom we can feel a modicum of sympathy in this cesspool of humanity. In fact, it’s Chris’ defence of his sister that offers the one tender moment in the play. It's hard to find a character with any redeeming characteristics. And yet, like the worst kind of fly-on-the-wall reality show, somehow we can’t take our eyes off them. Killer Joe is at the Trafalgar Studios until 18 August Book tickets for Killer Joe from the Radio Times Box Office 11 plays to see this summer - starring Aidan Turner, The Crown's Vanessa Kirby and more Colin Morgan and Game of Thrones' Ciarán Hinds star in a timely revival
Red review: A modern classic about the nature of art ★★★★
Alfred Molina is a towering presence as painter Mark Rothko in this revival of John Logan's Tony-winning play
When John Logan’s play about artist Mark Rothko ran at the Donmar Warehouse in 2009, it received favourable, but not ecstatic, reviews. The London run was followed by a successful transfer to Broadway, with the play scoring six Tony wins including best play, best director for Michael Grandage, plus a nomination for Alfred Molina in the lead role. Molina reprises his role for this West End revival of the two-hander, with Grandage again directing. The only change from the original company is Alfred Enoch (Dean Thomas in the Harry Potter films) replacing Eddie Redmayne (another Tony Winner) as Rothko’s assistant Ken. Buy Red tickets The awe-struck Ken arrives at the New York studio of the abstract expressionist in the late 1950s. The artist has been commissioned to paint a series of murals for the prestigious Four Seasons restaurant for a fee of several thousand dollars. Any doubts Ken has about his role in the project are soon cleared up when the bombastic and overbearing Rothko points out that he is an employee, not an artist. His job is to mix paints, stretch canvasses, get coffee and maybe prepare a background on which his boss can paint. But Ken’s job also requires him to be a punchbag as Rothko spews forth his views on the nature of art. And Rothko isn’t a man short of an opinion or two; be it attacking former friend and contemporary Jackson Pollock for spending his earnings on a flashy car, or his contempt for the cubists who came before him and pop artists such as Roy Lichtenstein and Robert Rauschenberg who are beginning their ascendency. Andy Warhol doesn’t even warrant a tirade – just an ice-cold stare when his name is mentioned. For Rothko art is a visceral and tactile as well as cerebral experience – as demonstrated when the two men feverishly apply paint to a giant canvas to the accompaniment of a classical aria in a kind of primeval ballet. Then there are moments when Rothko stands close to the canvas, gently touching its surface as one would the cheek of a baby. The torrent of unwavering opinion is an assault on the ears that could add up to the worst kind of dinner party bore, but Molina’s performance is utterly compelling, keeping things just the right side of pretentious, while Logan interjects snippets of humour at just the right moments. When asked why he never paints outdoors, Rothko replies, “Nature doesn’t do it for me. The light’s all wrong.” The play dramatically turns on a moment when Ken suddenly reveals details of an event from his past that momentarily stops even Rothko in his tracks. Exposing something of his inner self imbues him with a new-found confidence, and he begins to question some of his employer’s opinions and forces Rothko to take a deeper look at himself. With a running time of around 100 minutes, Logan’s play is a perfectly formed work with dialogue that crackles along, and it’s blessed with two terrific performances that cement its position as a modern classic. Red is at Wyndham’s Theatre until 28 July Book tickets for Red from ticketmaster.co.uk Bat Out of Hell review: A thrilling assault on the senses Chicago review: Cuba Gooding Jr turns on the charm Quiz: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? play is a winner Strictly Ballroom review
Strictly Ballroom review: Dances up a storm but lacks heart ★★★
This musical based on the 1992 film entertains, but there are a few stumbles along the way
Adapted from Baz Luhrmann’s hugely popular film set in the cutthroat world of Australian amateur ballroom dancing, Strictly Ballroom: the Musical premiered in Sydney in 2014. It's gone through a couple of incarnations since then – most recently a revised version which opened at West Yorkshire Playhouse in 2016, directed and choreographed by Drew McOnie. Now his production arrives in the West End, following further rejigging. The story follows the trials and tribulations of Scott Hastings (Jonny Labey) whose refusal to stick to regulation “federation steps” in competition sees him clash with contest organisers and his fanatically ambitious mother (Anna Francolini), and split from his partner. It looks like he's ruined his chances of winning the prestigious Pan-Pacific Championships. Step in frumpy and flat-footed Fran (Zizi Strallen), who shares Scott’s taste for trying something different and sees this as an opportunity to get up close and personal with her dance studio crush. Book tickets for Strictly Ballroom It’s a delicious and affectionate satire on the glitz, glamour and fake tan, but even in a world where larger-than-life is par for the course, it's painted in very broad strokes and gets off to a frantic and frenzied start, with the cod Australian accents delivered at such a shrill level that diction takes a back seat. The actors settle down a bit as the show progresses and become more believable — in particular Gerard Horan as the tyrannical contest organiser Barry Fife. Will Young has been introduced as Wally Strand — a cross between a one-man Greek chorus and narrator — who guides us through the scene changes and mostly handles singing duties on the show’s score of pop classics with aplomb. But even he lacks charisma as the show ebbs between peaks and troughs, and can’t seem to find a balance between high camp and the more tender moments. It benefits from two terrific and wholly believable leads who can both dance up a storm. Jonny Labey is broody and petulant one minute, then reveals a nice feel for comedy when given a lesson in how to dance a pasa doble by Fran’s Spanish father Rico (Fernando Mira) in one of the shows’s standout scenes. And in Zizi Strallen as Fran, the production is blessed with an actor and dancer of outstanding talent. Drew McOnie choreographs a fine ensemble through some great routines for an audience who — thanks to a certain Saturday night TV show whose name was inspired by the film — would know a sloppy top line when they saw one. But I felt that the size of the stage restricted them at times. McOnie’s direction owed a lot to the National Theatre’s recent production of Follies, with ensemble members standing around watching the action unfold. Strictly Ballroom is a lot of fun with some superb performances, but the uneven tone means that by the time you get to the second act — when secrets are revealed and recriminations aired — you haven't wholly invested in these characters. Strictly Ballroom: the Musical is at London's Piccadilly Theatre until 20 October Book tickets for Strictly Ballroom Bat Out of Hell review: A thrilling assault on the senses Chicago review: Cuba Gooding Jr turns on the charm Quiz: Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? play is a winner
Bat Out of Hell review: A thrilling assault on the senses ★★★★
Meat Loaf's iconic album has been turned into a dystopian musical - and it's never sounded better
The popularity of juke box musicals clearly isn’t going to wane any time soon. In the same week that critics were pretty much universal in their praise of a show telling the life story of Tina Turner, this bonkers and strangely irresistible show featuring the music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf returns to London after a short run at the London Coliseum, home of the revered English National Opera — not such an odd fit when you consider the theatrical nature of Steinman’s brand of rock. Book tickets for Bat Out of Hell "Bat" (as it’s affectionately known by a growing fan base) eschews biography and instead hangs Meat Loaf’s back catalogue on an original story. Well, I say original, but the plot is as thin as a Rizla. If you’re looking for nuance, you’re in the wrong place. I can’t decide if some of the dialogue is written with tongue firmly in cheek or is just toe-curlingly embarrassing. In a dystopian future, Manhattan — now renamed Obsidian — has become a desolate wasteland lorded over by ruthless dictator and businessman Falco (Rob Fowler) from his Trump-like tower, with his will enforced by a violent riot squad. Down among the detritus of the city live “The Lost”, a group of kids whose DNA is permanently frozen at 18-years-old following the “chemical wars”, and who are a thorn in the side of Falco Industries’ plans to develop the city. Among The Lost is the tormented Strat (Andrew Polec), who is in love with Falco’s daughter Raven (Christina Bennington), who herself is just about to turn 18 but destined, unlike Strat, to carry on ageing. It's a tale of unrequited love between kids from different sides of the track, with a parent determined to keep them apart. That’s pretty much it story-wise. This show is totally about the music and the spectacular way in which the songs are staged. Jim Steinman’s work lends itself perfectly to a theatrical setting and apparently Bat Out of Hell was always intended to be a stage musical, until objections by the J M Barrie estate about the Peter Pan element of the story forced him to shelve that idea and make do with a multi-million-selling album instead. All the songs from that album are here, plus a few additions, presented in all their compelling, overblown glory. Big songs demand big voices and this show boasts some stunning vocal performances. Polec and Bennington convey the right amount of teenage and love-torn angst, with nice moments of tenderness, while there are impressive turns from Fowler and Sharon Sexton as his wife Sloan in a subplot about their own frictional relationship. But from a faultless ensemble, Danielle Steers as Zahara and Giovanni Spano as Ledoux steal the show from under the noses of the leads, with vocals of controlled power and intense emotion. Director Jay Scheib throws every theatrical trick into the mix, with staging that is a constant and thrilling assault on the senses. He’s aided by Jon Bausor’s excellent set, Finn Ross’ clever video design and Emma Portner’s choreography. Bat Out of Hell: the Musical makes no bones about what it wants to be: a spectacular two hours of escapism. By staying just the right side of pretentious, and with a nod and wink to the audience and excellent performances, it pulls it off triumphantly. In 2002, We Will Rock You — a musical based on the work of Queen — opened at the same theatre and defied a right royal duffing up by the critics to reign for 14 years. Although only currently booking until October, I wouldn’t be surprised if Bat repeated the feat. Book tickets for Bat Out of Hell from ticketmaster.co.uk Chicago review: Cuba Gooding Jr makes his West End debut - and turns on the charm Dad's Army Radio Hour review: Two men, two mikes, 25 voices and loads of laughs Quiz review: Who Wants to be a Millionaire? play is a winner
Chicago review: Cuba Gooding Jr makes his West End debut - and turns on the charm ★★★
The Broadway classic returns to London with a sure-footed cast, but lacks razzle-dazzle
It's 43 years since Chicago first wowed Broadway, but Kander and Ebb's musical satire feels as relevant as ever in our publicity and celebrity-obsessed times. With the exception of Cuba Gooding Jr, the producers have swerved the celebrity and stunt-casting (Marti Pellow, Jerry Springer et al) that has often blighted previous tours and revivals. Instead we have a principal cast made up of actors who have trod these boards before: Josefina Gabrielle as Velma Kelly, Sarah Soetaert as Roxie Hart and Ruthie Henshall as Mama Morton. Things start promisingly. Classic opener All That Jazz is right on the money, delivered by Josefina Gabrielle and a cracking ensemble with all the smouldering sexual tension that we expect, as is the bitingly witty Cell Block Tango. Book tickets for Chicago We're in 1920s Chicago, where murderers Kelly and Hart use their notoriety to earn cash and bid for fame, aided and coerced by corrupt jail warder Morton and dodgy lawyer Billy Flynn (Cuba Gooding Jr). But by the time we get to the show’s other 11 o’clock number Razzle Dazzle, you begin to feel less than dazzled following some scenes that lack any emotional connection. Gabrielle and Soetaert play off each other nicely, although they handle the kooky bits better than the menacing bits. And while Henshall is as reliable as ever, she doesn’t come across as ruthless enough for the role. Cuba Gooding Jr makes up for some fairly ordinary singing (I might have detected a bad throat on the night I went) with bags of charm. And there’s a nice turn from Paul Rider (another Chicago veteran) as Roxie’s naïve and put-upon husband Amos. The wise decision has been taken to keep the choreography and staging in the style of Bob Fosse’s original 1975 production, and it’s when the dancers – backed by a blistering jazz orchestra led by Ian Townsend – are on stage that this production really oozes sex and class. Chicago is at the Phoenix Theatre until 23 June Book tickets for Chicago from Radio Times Box Office Dad's Army Radio House review: Two men, two miles, 25 voices and loads of laughs Quiz review: Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? play is a winner
All or Nothing: The Mod Musical review: Great band - shame about the script ★★
A new musical about 60s rockers Small Faces lacks drama, finds Tony Peters
There are three formulas that have evolved for staging a juke box musical: tell the story of the band (Jersey Boys, Sunny Afternoon); piggyback the songs on to an original story (Mama Mia!, Girl From the North Country); or just have a bunch of people play the music as in the dreadful Let It Be, which was no more than an average Beatles tribute band at West End prices. Writer/director Carol Harrison has opted for the story-of-the-band approach to chart the rise and fall of sixties group the Small Faces. Fronted by vocalist and guitarist Steve Marriott, the Small Faces were massive in their heyday, scoring chart success with their brand of R&B influenced pop before moving, as the decade progressed, into an appealing form of psychedelic whimsy — but without ever losing their edge. It’s a story close to Harrison’s heart. She grew up in the East End, as did the boys, and knew Steve Marriott as a child (she also stars as the singer’s mother Kay). The production has a further personal touch in that Marriott’s daughter Mollie is part of the production team as vocal coach and consultant. The problem is that despite their musical appeal, the actual story of the Small Faces isn’t enough to fill a two-hour-plus musical. Some scallywags form a band, become successful, get some girls and get ripped off, before falling out and splitting up. It’s not much of a dramatic arc, nor an original one – it applies to hundreds of pop acts over the years. Everything here is played very one note. Harrison captures the boys’ cheeky chappie cockney persona but stays in that groove pretty much throughout. When their first manager – the notorious Don Arden (Russell Floyd), who wasn’t adverse to dishing out physical intimidation – threatens to throw rival impresario Robert Stigwood out of an office window, it’s played as a piece of slapstick comedy rather than the violent and scary encounter that it obviously was. Frankly, the whole thing is clumsily directed and poorly played with a script by way of the group’s Wikipedia page; ticking off events in chronological order with every small detail, however irrelevant, squeezed in. Chris Simmons stalks the stage as an older, dead Marriott narrating the story, but this contrivance doesn’t always work and Simmons is often left parked stage left or right just watching the action. By the time a bit of emotion is introduced as the band disintegrates, it’s all too late. It’s not all bad, though. When the boys take up their instruments they make a tight and lively little group, with Samuel Pope perfectly capturing the mannerisms of Marriott and making a pretty decent fist of portraying one of the best rock vocalists Britain has produced. Daniel Beales is the stand out from a hard-working ensemble, with nice comic turns as Tony Blackburn, Sonny of Sonny and Cher and David Jacobs. A period pop culture piece like this is always going to appeal to a fairly narrow demographic, but All or Nothing doesn’t work on any level. For those who know, many references will feel shoehorned in, and those who don’t will often be left wondering what the hell is going on. All or Nothing: The Mod Musical is at the Arts Theatre, London until 11 March and will then move to the Ambassadors Theatre from 28 March until 2 June Buy tickets for All or Nothing and other West End Shows from the Radio Times Box Office
Hamilton review: The Broadway phenomenon finally lands in the West End - and it deserves all the hype ★★★★★
The award-winning musical combines rap, hip-hop, soul and show tunes with superb choreography and performances
There are West End openings and then there are West End openings. When tickets for Lin-Manuel Miranda’s musical about Founding Father Alexander Hamilton went on sale last January, they sold out almost instantly. Earlier this month, resale sites were advertising them for up to £6,000 (if you haven't bagged one yet, you'd be better off entering the daily lottery for £10 tickets). Since its off-Broadway debut in 2015, the show has become something of a theatrical phenomenon. As well as garnering glowing reviews from the likes of Michelle Obama, it scooped a record 11 Tonys and a Grammy, while Miranda was awarded the 2016 Pulitzer prize for drama. 18 months on, it's still New York’s hottest musical, pushing ticket prices up to eye-watering levels. I recently heard of a couple who found it cheaper to fly to London to see the show, rather than pay full-price for seats on Broadway. Read the true story behind hip-hop musical Broadway That level of adulation and buzz means the show's reputation storms before it, and it would take a brave critic to put their head above the barricade and find fault. I’m not that man. Not that I’m jumping on any bandwagons here, but the show is undeniably packed with epic performances and features a score that is a compelling fusion of rap, hip-hop, soul and traditional show tunes — even if none of those genres are your thing, trust me, it works superbly well. There are lots of shows with good songs. Hamilton is much more than that: it’s a game-changer. It's a vital, revolutionary work that raises the musical theatre bar in the way Show Boat and West Side Story did in their day. Not least because it boasts a multi-racial cast, which feels especially significant in its London home — Victoria Palace Theatre, where The Black and White Minstrel Show once reigned supreme for 10 years. Based on Ron Chernow’s biography of Hamilton (Jamael Westman), the show charts his extraordinary life, which begins on a Caribbean island: he's born out of wedlock, abandoned by his father and loses his mother aged just 12. His arduous formative years, however, instill a strength and tenacious approach to life. By the late 1700s he has made his way to New York, where the crackle of revolution is the air, and joined forces with Aaron Burr (Giles Terera) and other idealistic opponents of British rule. When the revolution comes, George Washington (Obioma Ugoala) recognises Hamilton’s abilities and offers him the job of his right-hand man. But Hamilton’s life will see both heartbreak as well as triumph; he finds love but becomes embroiled in scandal, political manoeuvring and betrayal. It’s a complex, multi-layered story and it's worth researching the history before you go. You'll find themes that resonate in the current political climate. Read the true story behind hip-hop musical Broadway Along with the rich and detailed narrative comes a complex score, but Miranda and director Thomas Kail have assembled a cast that is more than up to the task and soar to breathtaking heights. Westman brings a nuanced gravitas to the title role, while also revealing a sly humour when the part demands it. The same goes for Terera as Burr, who has a fractious relationship with Hamilton. There are superb performances from Rachelle Ann Go as Hamilton’s wife Eliza; Jason Pennycooke in the dual roles of Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson; plus a delightfully funny cameo by Michael Jibson as King George. In a show full of outstanding voices, it’s Rachel John who steals the singing honours as Angelica, Hamilton’s sister-in-law and confidante. No one puts a foot wrong, right down to every member of a wonderful ensemble. Lin-Manuel Miranda, choreographer Andy Blankenbuehler and director Thomas Kail have forged theatrical alchemy with Hamilton and served up a show that lives up to every expectation. Faultless. Believe the hype. Full ticketing information can be found at hamiltonthemusical.co.uk, including details of the £10 daily lottery Book West End theatre tickets from the Radio Times Box Office
Big Fish: the Musical review "charming but uneven" ★★★
This musical partly based on Tim Burton's 2003 film suffers from a lack of direction
First we had Tim Burton’s 2003 film of Daniel Wallace’s novel adapted by John August, which in turn led to a 2013 Broadway musical with a book by August based on the novel and his own screenplay, with a score by Andrew Lippa. Now the show has its professional premiere in London in yet another incarnation, a pared-down version of the Broadway production. Kelsey Grammer, making his UK stage debut, stars as Edward Bloom, a charismatic and avuncular former travelling salesman who over the years has regaled his son Will (Matthew Seadon-Young) with tall stories and anecdotes that at their most fantastical have involved giants, witches and mermaids. But with Will now an adult and about to become a father himself, and with Edward’s life possibly ebbing away, Will realises he doesn’t really know the man behind the stories and wants to separate fact from fiction and discover who the person he calls Dad really is. It’s an emotional father and son story that at times leaves not dry eye in the house, and Grammer is a perfect fit for the larger than life Edward; quick of wit and possessing a singing voice as rich as molasses. Although despite the fact that his is the name above the title, there are long periods of the first act when he isn’t on stage, and the show suffers in his absence. The problem comes mainly with the structure of the piece. By trying to blend into the relationship story reenactments of Edward’s stories it becomes a bit of a hotch potch — charming in parts but with neither August’s book or Nigel Harman’s direction really getting to grips with the shifts in tone. View oEmbed on the source website There’s a nice turn by Jamie Muscato as the young Edward but he never really displays the charisma of Grammer and it’s hard to believe that one will grow into the other. Strong comedy support from Dean Nolan as the gentle giant Karl and Forbes Mason in a variety of roles including a circus ringmaster — a sequence during which he breaks the fourth wall and involves members of the audience. Funny, but another demonstration of the show not really knowing what it wants to be. Andrew Lippa’s score has a few genuine high points especially Red White and True, an infectious Andrews Sisters homage, the beautiful ballad Time Stops and the first act closer Daffodils. But the real showstopper is the heart-wrenching I Don’t Need A Roof, exquisitely performed by Clare Burt as Edward’s wife Sandra. Big Fish: the Musical is at The Other Palace until 31 December You can buy tickets for Big Fish: the Musical and other West End shows at Radio Times Box Office Photography by Tristram Kenton
Venus in Fur review: a timely opening for this game of sexual power-play ★★★
Natalie Dormer gives an intoxicating performance as a woman with a gift for manipulation
If nothing else, the arrival on the West End stage of David Ives’ play about manipulation and sexual powerplay is certainly timely. And the production, slickly directed by Patrick Marber, offers what some might see as a neat bit of table turning. Natalie Dormer (Game of Thrones) gives a quite mesmerising performance as Vanda, an overpoweringly confident actress with a Brooklyn drawl who turns up late to auditions for a part in a play written and directed by Thomas (David Oakes, Victoria). His play is an adaptation of the novel Venus In Furs by Leopold von Sacher-Masoch, the man who gave his name to masochism — see where we’re going with this? Thomas, weary from a day seeing actresses unsuitable for the part, is initially reluctant to try out another girl who doesn’t seem to fit his requirements. But this force of nature won’t be denied and after wearing Thomas down captivates him with her ability to flip from brash New Yorker to the sophisticated lady the role requires. And he’s further intrigued, and a little unsettled, to discover she knows far more about the part, and indeed Thomas’ private life, than she at first lets on. As the two rehearse and she coerces him into evermore revealing improvisations, the game of manipulation rises in intensity as power shifts and Thomas becomes more submissive. Dormer dominates proceedings. It’s an intoxicating performance that bewitches, bothers and bewilders the audience just as Vanda does to Thomas. Oakes though does an admirable job in the less meaty part, offering a nicely judged performance as the man caught in Vanda’s web as his position of control ebbs away. There is a tangible chemistry between the pair. Intriguing as it is though, it all gets a bit too wordy and a touch pretentious, with the play within a play format ultimately feeling a bit too clever for its own good. Subtlety also goes out the window as each new revelation is punctuated by thunder from the storm raging outside. And given that Dormer spends most of her time on stage in just a black pvc basque, stockings and suspenders in a play written by a man and directed by a man, whether this is really payback time and who is actually calling the shots remains open to question. Venus in Fur is at the Theatre Royal, Haymarket until 9 December You can buy tickets for Venus in Fur and other West End shows from Radio Times Box Office Photography by Tristram Kenton
A Woman of No Importance review: handsomely mounted ★★★
A top-notch cast make Oscar Wilde's witty lines sing in the first production of a year-long season of his work
The first production from director Dominic Dromgoole’s Classic Spring company, and the first in a tantalising year-long Oscar Wilde season at the Vaudeville Theatre, gets off to a fairly impressive, but not quite knock your socks off, start with this handsomely mounted production. Dromgoole has assembled a super cast for a play that starts in familiar Wilde territory of the well to do at a country house party batting the author’s witty social observations back and forth, but then flips into melodrama as the story unfolds. To be honest, plot-wise, not much happens for the first half an hour or so and it feels a bit like Oscar’s greatest hits as the barbed comments zing. But with a cast that includes Anne Reid as hostess Lady Hunstanton, Dominic Rowan as the absolute cad Lord Illingworth and Eleanor Bron as Lady Pontefract — fussing over husband Sir John (Sam Cox) — timing the lines to perfection, it’s still very entertaining. And the presence of feisty young American Hester Worsley (Crystal Clarke) not being backward in offering her own observations on English society gives proceedings an extra frisson. The story finally takes off when Lord Illingworth offers young Gerald Arbuthnot (Harry Lister Smith) the position as his secretary, which the young man gleefully accepts. As way of celebration Lady Hunstanton invites the boy’s mother Mrs Arbuthnot (Eve Best) to the house to dine. But with her arrival, secrets are revealed that threaten to damage Gerald’s opportunity and drive a wedge between mother and son. Eve Best as Mrs Arbuthnot (all photography Marc Brenner) Eve Best is wonderful and heartbreaking as the woman trying to protect her beloved child from a past that she has managed to keep hidden for twenty years but also giving him the chance to fly. It’s a performance that could so easily tip over into scenery-chewing melodrama, but in the hands of one of our finest stage actors is nuanced and perfectly judged. The production feels a bit clumsy at times and with a cast of sixteen, although not all on stage at the same time, there are some blocking issues on the small Vaudeville stage with characters coming on and lying awkwardly on the floor. There are nice turns from Emma Fielding as the flirtatious Mrs Allanby, Paul Rider as lecherous MP Mr Kelvil and a hilarious cameo from William Gaunt as a bumbling cleric. It’s not a perfect start to a year of Wilde, but the quality of a top-notch cast ensures this is nothing less than entertaining. A Woman of No Importance is at the Vaudeville Theatre until 30 December You can buy tickets for A Woman of No Importance from Radio Times Box Office
Hair review: brought thrillingly to life ★★★★
Tony Peters finds that 50 years on the messages in this musical have as much relevance as ever.
Culture-wise, it was quite a year 1967: the first Monterey pop festival effectively kicked off the Summer of Love; the first issue of Rolling Stone magazine was published, giving the counter culture a real voice; the Beatles changed the face of popular music forever with the release of Sgt Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band. And in an off Broadway theatre the first night of the musical Hair shook up the theatrical elite with its swearing, nudity, an anti-establishment stance against things like the Vietnam War, and promoting hippie ideals of free love and drug taking. Its hard to believe it was all half a century ago, but there’s no doubt that the cultural shifts of the time have resonated down the years. And the barriers that Hair helped break down have led to more liberated theatre content. So, well worth celebrating the shows’s 50th birthday, then, and this production does it with some considerable style. The book has always been a bit of a hotch potch; a series of vignettes that promote those hippie ideals. One can’t argue with the sentiments, of course, and the pleas for tolerance over sexuality and diversity (long before diversity was even a thing) certainly have a relevance in today’s world. So relevant in fact that we could have done without the inevitable Trump reference shoehorned in to try and make the show’s message more contemporaneous. That said, Robert Metson in the show’s central story of Claude, who suffers a crisis of conscience over whether to join the army and fight in Vietnam or burn his draft card and stick with the values of his friends, gives a nuanced and beautifully pitched performance. Where the show really hits though is through the Galt MacDermot, James Rado and Gerome Ragni songs. For those who only know this score through recordings, it has a whole new dimension when heard live. And it’s brought thrillingly to life here by the lush harmonies of an ensemble of quite outstanding voices and deeply effecting solos — one of my personal favourites, Frank Mills, performed by Kirsten Wright as Chrissy, is a real hairs-on-the-back-of-your-neck moment. And the cast is backed by a knockout band under the musical direction of Gareth Bretherton. With productions of this quality it’s usual to talk of West End tranfers. But while this cast would easily grace any larger venue, I do feel something would be lost in a proscenium arch theatre. Director Jonathan O’Boyle and choreographer William Whelton’s superb staging fits The Vaults like a glove, and the blank canvas of the venue has allowed producer Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainments to create a completely immersive experience. Here’s to the next 50. Tony Peters Hair is at The Vaults near Waterloo Station until 3 December Photograph by Claire Bilyard
Evita review: Emma Hatton is superb as the ruthlessly ambitious Eva Peron ★★★★
Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's musical about the woman who captivated Argentina returns to the West End - and it's on fine form
It’s not the most appealing subject for a musical: a story about a Machiavellian couple who it’s nearly impossible to have any empathy with or feel any sympathy for. But Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s follow-up to Jesus Christ Superstar won both the Olivier and Tony for best musical and made Elaine Paige a star. It has become one of their most enduring works, certainly in terms of revivals and tours. This production is stopping off at the Phoenix Theatre for a limited 12-week run before continuing its tour of the UK. For the ad men who have to sell it, the season fits conveniently with the 65th anniversary of Eva Peron’s death, but in reality the run has more to do with the unexpected early closure of Gary Barlow’s musical The Girls. Barlow’s loss is certainly our gain because this is no stopgap filler to get bums on seats in the tourist season, but a slick and classy production with a stunning central performance by Emma Hatton. Book tickets for Evita from Radio Times Box Office Eva Duarte is born illegitimately into poverty and lives in a small town a 100 miles from Buenos Aires. Determined to make it as an actress, young Eva will use anyone and stop at nothing to reach her goal. Existing on the fringe of Buenos Aires society, she finds a kindred spirit in Juan Peron, an ambitious colonel who is equally uncompromising in his pursuit of political power. By the time Juan becomes president, Eva — who is now his wife — has manipulated the couple’s image to the extent that she is regarded as almost a religious figure. Hatton captures perfectly the allure that make men fall under Eva’s spell, but all the while there's a steely coldness behind the eyes as each new notch on the bedpost means another rung up the social ladder. And she sings up a storm, both leading the accomplished ensemble on the lively Buenos Aires and draining every inch of emotion, but not over-egging, the show’s seminal number Don’t Cry for Me Argentina — although the ending is thrown away when the sound of a cheering crowd drowns out the appreciation of the real audience. Gian Marco Schiaretti as Che (All photography by Pamela Raith) There is also a thoroughly winning turn from the charismatic and infuriatingly handsome Gian Marco Schiaretti as Che, who stalks the stage like a one-man Greek chorus questioning the motives of the Perons and showing how they really achieved their power. The role of Che has often let down touring productions, but Schiaretti gives the role a gravitas and brings a whole new dimension to the show with his superb delivery of Rice's witty lyrics. Kevin Stephen-Jones brings feeling to the rather static role of Peron and there’s a delightful cameo by Sarah O’Connor as the mistress shown the door by Eva when she moves in with Peron. She sings the show’s other standout number Another Suitcase in Another Hall. Evita is at the Phoenix Theatre until 14 October then continues its UK tour Book tickets for Evita from Radio Times Box Office
Cat on a Hot Tin Roof review: Jack O'Connell and Sienna Miller smoulder in Tennessee Williams' classic ★★★★
This intense production transports the audience to a Mississippi mansion and packs a serious emotional punch
When director Benedict Andrews last took on Tennessee Williams back in 2014, his production of A Streetcar Named Desire starred Gillian Anderson and demand for tickets almost sent the Young Vic's website into meltdown. Anderson deservedly won an Evening Standard award and the play transferred to New York. No wonder this show has gone straight to the West End. As with Streetcar, Andrews has updated the setting, with mobile phones and iPads in evidence while the action is played out on a minimal set surrounded by a cyclorama of what looks like burnished copper, with only basic props to suggest the interior of a Mississippi mansion. It’s certainly visually striking but it's like the play is being performed inside a giant tin can. In fact, it's so vast you struggle to hear some of the actors when they move upstage. Fortunately, none of this detracts from the emotional intensity of Williams' play about the dysfunctional family of terminally ill millionaire plantation owner Big Daddy (Colm Meaney). When they assemble to celebrate the old man’s birthday, all they're really interested in is securing their share of the spoils when Big Daddy dies, but their machinations are complicated by the fact that the true nature of his illness is known to only a few. Against this background, favourite son and former sports golden boy, Brick (Jack O’Connell), is determined to drink himself into a stupor as he struggles with his sexuality in the wake of his best friend Skipper’s death. For some reason, O’Connell spends the play either naked or scantily clad, possibly to show how he yearns to cleanse himself of guilt, or possibly because nudity in the West End is still guaranteed to cause a stir and pull in a few more punters. Jack O'Connell and Sienna Miller as Brick and Maggie (photographs by Johan Persson) The first act is largely a monologue from his wife Maggie (Sienna Miller), who desperately wants children and employs all her feminine wiles to sting Brick into fulfilling his marital obligations, from trying to be alluring by prowling the floor half-naked like the cat of the title, to taunting him for his lack of sexual prowess. All the while, Brick remains largely silent: he's a coiled spring of frustration and self-loathing who can only find solace in the bottom of a bottle. When he is finally driven too far by the wife he now detests, his outburst of violence is all the more potent. Meanwhile, Miller is every inch the femme fatale. Her accent is a little shaky at first, but she oozes sexuality and the cunning that a poor girl from the wrong side of the tracks has needed to marry into a wealthy family. Meaney is as reliable as ever and there are nice turns from Lisa Palfrey as Big Mamma, who can see no wrong in her golden boy Brick, and Hayley Squires who is outstanding as the other daughter-in-law Mae, who is determined to use any means to secure what she believes she and her husband are owed. This production isn't perfect and is too stylised for my taste, but it still packs a powerful emotional punch. Cat On a Hot Tin Roof is at the Apollo Theatre until 7 October Book tickets for Cat on a Hot Tin Roof from Radio Times Box Office
Disco Pigs review: Harry Potter actress Evanna Lynch stars in a gripping coming-of-age drama ★★★★
Lynch is brilliant as an Irish teenager who's inseparable from her best mate and refuses to play by the rules
In 1997, Disco Pigs catapulted writer Enda Walsh to the big time. 20 years on, his play about two disaffected teenagers has lost none of its kinetic energy, nor the power to simultaneously shock and move. Director John Haidar’s compelling revival stars Evanna Lynch – who Harry Potter fans will recognise as Luna Lovegood – and Colin Campbell as Runt and Pig. They were born on the same day in the same Irish hospital and have been inseparable ever since. So close is their bond, they exist almost as one person, finishing each other's sentences and communicating in their own unique language, to the exclusion of all outsiders. By the time they are 17, Runt and Pig have drifted into petty crime and casual violence for kicks, with Runt acting as the bait and Pig stepping in as the jealous boyfriend to mete out increasingly brutal acts of retribution. Colin Campbell and Evanna Lynch (photos by Alex Brenner) But as youth gives way to adulthood, fractures begin to appear, with Pig unable to cope emotionally with the physical feelings he’s developing for Runt while she struggles to rebuff his fumbling advances. The production is blessed with two cracking performances. Evanna Lynch is a firecracker of intense energy, but slips easily into nuanced wistfulness as she begins to express aspirations beyond their closed relationship. Campbell is a coiled spring as Pig; the threat of underlying violence keeps you on the edge of your seat throughout. Book tickets for Disco Pigs from the Radio Times Box Office Haider keeps the action at a breakneck pace with a visceral energy that never lets up. It’s all done on an empty stage with minimal props but given an immersive feel thanks to the brilliant work of movement director Naomi Said. The pair's unique slang and thick brogues make the dialogue impenetrable at first, but it takes on a hypnotic and poetic quality. Only when they take a trip to the coast does the pace slacken as Runt begins to open up about her dreams. But even this melancholy scene has an underlying tension as you wonder if they're heading for some sort of Thelma and Louise-esque ending. Disco Pigs is at the Trafalgar Studios in London until 19 August Book tickets for Disco Pigs from the Radio Times Box Office
The Mentor review: Homeland's F Murray Abraham stars in a waspish comedy ★★★
A play satirising writerly ego has stellar credentials but lacks bite, finds Tony Peters
Writer Daniel Kehlmann is a big name in his native Germany, with 10 highly regarded novels to his name. This is his second play and arrives in the West End via the same route as French playwright Florian Zeller, who achieved critical acclaim for The Mother, The Father and The Truth. It’s directed by Laurence Boswell, artistic director of the Ustinov Studio in Bath — where the the Zeller plays first appeared — and like those, is translated by Christopher Hampton. But while Zeller’s three dramas were masterpieces of construction, with writing and characters that moved the audience and plot twists that constantly wrong-footed them, Kehlmann’s play struggles to hold the attention even with a modest 80-minute running time. At a country retreat, ageing writer Benjamin Rubin (F Murray Abraham) has been engaged at a substantial fee to critique a new play by up-and-coming writer Martin Wegner (Daniel Weyman). Rubin wrote a play in his 20s that elevated him to literary heights, but has never achieved the same glory since. However, that doesn’t stop him from trading on his reputation with diva-ish demands. Daniel Weyman, Jonathan Cullen, Naomi Frederick and F Murray Abraham (photographs by Simon Annand) The two men come from different schools of thought regarding the process of writing; Rubin is the traditionalist, while Wegner is more experimental. Their clash of styles is enough to cause friction, but when Rubin declares Wegner’s play dreadful and worthless, the knives are really out. The younger man proves as self-centred as his instructor and takes the criticism very badly indeed, by turns dismissing his mentor as being stuck in the past and mortified. Both lead characters are thoroughly unlikeable. There's nothing wrong with that, but what could have been a biting satire on ego and the pretentiousness of artists never really hits home and just becomes, well, pretentious. It's ambiguous whether Rubin truly dislikes the play, whether his comments are driven by jealousy, or whether his antagonism is all part of a bigger plan. But when Wegner’s wife Gina (an underwritten part but well played by Naomi Frederick) declares, “I’m not sure I really care any more”, you know how she feels. F Murray Abraham, who's best known to British audiences as Dar Adal in Homeland, brings a touch of class to the role of Rubin and makes the most of some delicious putdowns: “What font is this in?”, “There are hardly any typos in the second part”. And Daniel Weyman makes the most of the man who is initially nervous in such exalted company, but who grows in confidence and eventually unravels before our eyes. In the end, though, our greatest sympathy is for Erwin Rudicek (Jonathan Cullen), a would-be painter who has ended up as an arts administrator and has to act as referee between these two monstrous egos. The Mentor is at the Vaudeville Theatre until 2 September Book theatre tickets from Radio Times Box Office Read more theatre reviews at radiotimes.com/theatre
Rotterdam theatre review: A poignant comedy about gender and sexuality ★★★★
Jon Brittain's Olivier-winning and groundbreaking play brings an important subject to a mainstream audience
After its premiere at Theatre 503, a sellout run in New York and an Olivier award, Jon Brittain’s groundbreaking play gets a well-deserved West End run. On the brink of a new year, ex-pat Englishwoman Alice, working in Holland and living with her partner Fiona, goes through agonies as she composes an email to her parents in which she confesses her sexuality to them. As her finger refuses to press send and she runs the spellcheck one more time, Fiona reveals she wants to become a man and henceforth be known as Adrian. What does this mean for an already confused Alice – on the brink of coming out, only to discover her partner is a man trapped in a female body? Does this mean she’s been straight all along? Throw into the mix the fact that Alice has become the romantic attraction of wild party girl Lelani, and the man she dumped when she discovered she was a lesbian who is still on the scene. Oh, what a tangled web they weave. Ellie Morris as Lelani and Alice McCarthy as Alice (all photographs by Hunter Canning) As secrets are revealed and confusion reigns, it feels like a Restoration comedy transplanted to the 21st century, with a touch of farce and a dash of old-fashioned love story. It all works superbly well thanks to Brittain’s sharply observed script, although it tips over into being a teeny bit po-faced in the second half. There's also deft direction from Donnacadh O’Briain and cracking performances all round so you care about the characters from beginning to end. As the doe-eyed and uptight Alice, Alice McCarthy gets some of the best one-liners, but still conveys her character's confusion. Anna Martine Freeman expresses Fiona/Adrian’s inner turmoil without resorting to melodrama. And there are winning turns from Ellie Morris as the free-spirited Lelani and Ed Eales-White as the ex-boyfriend whose mouth is often ahead of his brain. Despite the emotional trials and tribulations, its depiction of the human spirit and our capacity for understanding is never less than optimistic; love will always find a way. With its captivating mix of laugh-out-loud and achingly poignant moments, Rotterdam gives transgender people a voice in mainstream theatre and that can only lead to greater understanding. Rotterdam is at the Arts Theatre until 15 July Book tickets for Rotterdam from Radio Times Box Office 72hr flash sale: Save up to 72%! Top Price seats just £15
City of Glass review: A brilliant adaptation of Paul Auster's detective story ★★★★
The stage adaptation of Paul Auster's detective story is a visual and dramatic triumph
Paul Auster’s detective novel with a metaphysical twist, which is part of his New York Trilogy, has been turned into a visually stunning and compelling adaptation courtesy of writer Duncan MacMillan, director Leo Warner and the breathtaking stage designs of 59 Productions. Alone at night in his New York apartment, thriller writer Daniel Quinn (played by Mark Edel-Hunt and Chris New), who is grieving over the death of his wife and young son, takes a phone call from a man trying to contact the Paul Auster Detective Agency. At first he dismisses it as a wrong number but after the increasingly desperate caller rings back several times, Quinn’s curiosity gets the better of him and he assumes the role of detective and the identity of Auster. He is summoned to the home of Peter Stillman (Jack Tarlton), a man emotionally damaged by a childhood trauma at the hands of his father — also Peter Stillman, also played by Jack Tarlton. Stillman believes his father is still a threat to his life and engages Quinn/Auster to trace and follow Stillman senior. To say that our would-be gumshoe is then lured into a world where all is not as it seems hardly covers it. What starts as a fairly traditional noirish tale of a private detective working for a mysterious wealthy client, with the requisite femme fatale in tow, morphs into a surreal and unsettling story that ultimately might (or might not) be unfolding only in the mind of a man deranged by grief. Book tickets for City of Glass from Radio Times Box Office Warner marshals the whole thing superbly, combining stagecraft with tricks and illusions to demonstrate time shifts and scenarios that are almost cinematic — two people on stage at the same time playing the same person for example — to create a work that falls somewhere between a play and an otherworldly virtual reality game. The work of set designer Jenny Melville and video designer Lysander Ashton sets a new benchmark for theatre design. In the blink of an eye, Quinn’s rundown apartment is transformed into the Stillman mansion and then into a bustling Grand Central Station. And it’s all further enhanced by Gareth Fry’s edgy sound design. In the end you might be left with more questions than answers by a plot that twists and wrong-foots the audience at every turn (even to the extent of who played whom) in a cerebral, richly textured and multi-layered examination of identity and time that will not so much linger long in the memory as worm its way into your consciousness. City of Glass is at the Lyric, Hammersmith until 20 May Book tickets for City of Glass from Radio Times Box Office
Don Juan in Soho review: David Tennant is irresistible as Molière's infamous seducer ★★★★
Patrick Marber has updated Molière's 17th century comedy - and its fabulously filthy
There’s a moment at the start of Patrick Marber’s update where Don Juan’s right-hand man Stan (the superb Adrian Scarborough) confides to the audience that his master is “A slag. A dog. Satan in a Savile Row suit”. We soon find out that it’s a fair description. Juan, known here as DJ, is a thoroughly reprehensible character who breaks every rule in the book and seduces anything with a pulse. He drifts through life on a tide of booze and in a blizzard of cocaine. Even a glimpse of his own mortality and the possibility of being cut off from his inheritance by his father Louis (Gawn Grainger) causes only a momentarily wobble before he’s back to his manipulative ways and serial philandering. But when Stan again pleads with us “Please don’t be charmed, he’s not a lovable rogue”, it comes a little too late. Played by David Tennant, that’s exactly what he is. Well, maybe not lovable, but certainly difficult to dislike. Adrian Scarborough as Stan and David Tennant as Don Juan (photos by Helen Maybanks) We might feel a tinge of guilt for laughing at his antics, but laugh we do because it’s all done with a swagger and a wink that’s hard to resist. Though his goading of a homeless Muslim who he tries to persuade to insult Allah in exchange for an expensive watch draws a sharp intake of breath from the audience. This blasphemy scene was censored from Molière’s original and has been restored by Marber. Centuries later, it still has the power to make us uncomfortable. We first meet our “hero” when he is confronted by his brother-in-law after he abandons his new wife Elvira (Danielle Vitalis) within hours of the wedding to seek pleasure elsewhere. Because as DJ freely confesses, for him the hunt is the thing, with the sex coming a close but satisfying second. Elvira and threats from her family are soon forgotten when DJ finds himself in A&E where he hits on a distressed woman whose husband is in a coma, while at the same time receiving oral sex under a blanket from another woman. What a lad, eh? Marber’s update was first performed at the Donmar in 2006 and has been tweaked again for this revival. He shoehorns in the inevitable Trump reference and a lament for the old Soho that resonates as Crossrail seems to destroy all in its path. And there’s a very funny dig at our obsession with social media. Marber also directs and keeps things simple with minimal stage design and an effective and atmospheric use of a Greek chorus. But it’s the scenes between Tennant and Scarborough that work the best — their effortless timing is an absolute joy. DJ loses us a bit towards the end when he tries to justify his behaviour as being honest; we’re the hypocrites apparently. It’s a rant that goes on a little too long and begins to border on the pretentious, but by then this absolute dog has seduced each and everyone of us into forgiving him practically anything. Don Juan in Soho is at Wyndhams Theatre until 10 June Book tickets for Don Juan in Soho from Radio Times Box Office Theatre offer: Package includes a great seat for Don Juan In Soho, and a 2-course pre-theatre meal from 4.30pm at The Ivy Market Grill. Post-theatre packages also available.
Stepping Out review: Amanda Holden straps on her tap shoes for a charming comedy ★★★
Tracy Ann Oberman and Tamzin Outhwaite also star in Richard Harris' 80s play about an amateur dance class
You wait ages for a show about mature women and then two come along at once. Hot on the heels of Gary Barlow and Tim Firth’s The Girls comes a revival of Richard Harris’s 1984 comedy about seven women and one lone man who meet for a weekly tap class in a dingy church hall under the tutelage of instructor Mavis. Director Maria Friedman has kept this production in the 1980s rather than updating it, so we have references to Charles and Di, garish tights, leg warmers and big hair. The biggest hair belongs to Amanda Holden, who displays a nice comedic touch as Vera the busybody class newcomer who is obsessed with cleaning and organising and has absolutely no tact. True to stereotype, the women mostly talk about men and children, but Harris has a keen eye for observation and his characters are nicely drawn. At times they feel a little clichéd, but never tip over into caricature thanks to some winning performances. Amanda Holden as Vera in Stepping Out (photos by Ray Burmiston) Tracy-Ann Oberman plays vampish businesswoman Maxine; Natalie Casey is down-to-earth Sylvia, who is stuck in a relationship with a benefit cheat; Nicola Stephenson is the irrepressible Dorothy, who is constantly looking for approval; and Lesley Vickerage is Andy, whose unrequited love for the group's sole man gives the play its most poignant moment. Anna-Jane Casey takes the role of the tutor Mavis (standing in for an injured Tamzin Outhwaite until 1 April), while Judith Barker plays her acid-tongued pianist Mrs Fraser. All have their stories to tell but, perhaps because of the size of the cast, many are never brought to a satisfying conclusion. The women’s lives away from the class are tantalisingly hinted at, but never revealed in any great depth. What could be big plot points, about an unwanted pregnancy for example, are almost thrown away and never referred to again. That said, Stepping Out is often very funny, moving and played with such charm that’s it’s difficult not to like. And the Chorus Line-style finale cannot fail to leave you with a smile on your face. Book tickets for Stepping Out and other West End shows from Radio Times Box Office Theatre and 2-course dinner offer: The Ivy Market Grill is situated in the heart of London's West End. Diners will find a relaxed and informal dining experience, with inspiration taken from its more famous cousin The Ivy.
The Wild Party review: Deliciously decadent musical set in the Jazz Age ★★★★
This little-known musical is a perfect fit for Andrew Lloyd Webber's new London venue
The Other Palace was formerly the St James Theatre until purchased and handsomely rebranded by Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Paul Taylor-Mills (whose recent producing credits include the Olivier-winning In the Heights) installed as artistic director. The plan is to use the space for new musicals, works in progress and seldom seen shows. The venue’s inaugural production falls into the latter category with this deliciously decadent and suitably wild production of Michael John LaChiusa and George C Wolfe’s jazz-age musical, based on a controversial narrative poem, which had a short run of just 68 performances on Broadway in 2000. It transports the audience to 1920s New York where fading vaudeville singer Queenie (Frances Ruffelle) and her husband and fellow performer Burrs (John Owen-Jones) throw a party for friends and acquaintances to give some oomph to their relationship. And if they can catch the eye of two Broadway hotshots along the way, all the better. As the gin and cocaine flow, resentments, petty jealousies and infidelities are revealed as proceedings become ever more wild and wayward. The parade of guests – including a stripper, an ex-boxing champ, a gigolo, two song and dance brothers and a naïve out-of-town gal dreaming of stardom – all have their story to tell and by the second act it does begin to feel a little like each person coming on to do their turn. But director/choreographer Drew McConie has worked wonders with what is often a paper-thin narrative to make this an exuberant and breathless ride. He’s well served by a smoking hot band under the musical direction of Theo Jamieson and a faultless company serving up some cracking performances. Frances Ruffelle is a compelling mix of world-weary and vulnerable as Queenie, John Owen-Jones commands the stage as her melancholy clown partner, and Victoria Hamilton-Barrit is irresistibly sassy and sexy as Queenie’s friend and rival Kate — their smokey vocals on the duet Best Friend is a real highlight. It’s not without its problems — the band overwhelmed some of the vocals on the night I went with lyrics getting a little lost — but this show feels a perfect fit for the venue, and it’s a fine christening for Lloyd Webber’s new venture. The Wild Party is at The Other Palace until 1 April Book tickets for The Wild Party and other West End shows from Radio Times Box Office
Fantastic Mr Fox theatre review: Great songs by Arthur Darvill but lacks cunning ★★★
A new Roald Dahl musical has heart but is short on teeth, finds Tony Peters
Theatre has been well served by Roald Dahl in recent years — perhaps that should also be visa versa. The multi-award winning Matilda continues to draw crowds in the West End, and the mega-budget Charlie and the Chocolate Factory is soon to launch on Broadway having just finished a successful run at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. Now young British playwright Sam Holcroft has adapted and fleshed out Fantastic Mr Fox, while Doctor Who alumnus Arthur Darvill has supplied the songs. Mr Fox (Greg Barnett) is the coolest, most daring dude in the countryside and takes on the job of gathering food for his family and other animals: Badger, Mouse, Mole and Rabbit. But after one too many raids on their land and livestock, farmers Boggis, Bean and Bunce decide to hunt him down once and for all. It becomes a test of cunning that puts Fox on the back foot as he tries to avoid the farmers’ guns and keep his clan fed. Gruffudd Glyn, Richard Atwill and Raphael Bushay as Bunce, Bean and Boggis. Pictured above: Jade Croot as Kit, Greg Barnett as Mr Fox, and Lillie Flynn as Mrs Fox (photos by Manuel Harlan) The opening scene promises much, containing the delicious dark humour that makes Dahl so popular with all ages. Unfortunately this isn’t maintained and there is little sense of real jeopardy in the animals' plight, while the “stronger together” message (ring any bells?) is shoehorned in with little subtlety. There are some nice characterisations. The hardworking cast members clearly relish the chance to play Dahl’s grotesque characters and give the show heart. Richard Atwill, Raphael Bushay and Gruffudd Glyn as the three farmers are suitably evil, while Sandy Foster milks the comedy for all it’s worth as Rabbit, and plays things at the top of the shrill scale. Sadly the lack of any perceived threat means the audience is never really drawn into the action. A scene involving an escape from a chicken coup saps the energy rather than excites and achieves the odd combination of being both frantic and flat at the same time. While there are things here to enjoy, it’s a production that is too uneven to reach the heights of Matilda and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Arthur Darvill’s songs, a mix of doo-wop pop and musical theatre, lift the spirits — particularly a rousing finale from our heroes — but by then it’s felt like a bit of a long haul. Fantastic Mr Fox is at the Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith until 19 February and then tours the country Book tickets for Fantastic Mr Fox and other shows from the Radio Times Box Office You might also like... Andrew Scott, David Tennant, Damian Lewis and 12 others stars taking to the stage in 2017 Dirty Great Love Story review: A thoroughly modern, achingly funny rom-com ★★★★
Andrew Scott, David Tennant, Damian Lewis and 12 other TV stars taking to the stage
Tamsin Greig, Griff Rhys Jones and Lee Mack will also be treading the boards in the next couple of months
There’s nothing like a night of live theatre – just ask the TV stars who can’t keep away. David Tennant, Damian Lewis and Andrew Scott are just a few of the familiar faces taking to the stage in 2017. ANDREW SCOTT in Hamlet Last year Benedict Cumberbatch’s Hamlet became the fastest-selling show in London theatre history; now his Sherlock nemesis is taking on Shakespeare’s tragic hero. Juliet Stevenson will play Gertrude and Downton Abbey’s Jessica Brown Findlay is Ophelia. Almeida, London, 17 February—8 April, almeida.co.uk DAVID TENNANT in Don Juan in Soho The ex-Doctor is swapping detective work in Broadchurch for debauchery in London. Patrick Marber’s savagely funny and filthy update of Molière’s tragicomedy transports the 17th-century lothario to contemporary Soho, where he cuts a swathe through its trendy hotels and seedy alleys. Wyndham’s Theatre, London, 17 March—10 June DAMIAN LEWIS in The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? Lewis stars alongside Sophie Okonedo in Edward Albee’s pitch-black comedy about an architect who falls in love with a goat, much to the chagrin of his wife. It’s the second Albee revival since the influential US playwright died last September: Imelda Staunton takes the lead in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? at the Harold Pinter Theatre in February. Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, 24 March—24 June GRIFF RHYS JONES and LEE MACK in The Miser In Molière’s farce, Rhys Jones plays an old skinflint determined to hang on to his money and hopes his children will find rich partners. He’s joined by Mathew Horne and comedian Lee Mack, who’s making his West End debut. Theatre Royal, Bath, 8–18 February; Richmond Theatre, 21–25 February; Garrick Theatre, London, 1 March—3 June Book tickets for Don Juan in Soho and The Miser from the Radio Times Box Office TAMSIN GREIG in Twelfth Night Greig is taking time out from LA sitcom Episodes to appear in Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities. But this is Twelfth Night with a gender-bending twist: she will play one of the male roles, Olivia’s puritanical housekeeper Malvolio (now Malvolia). National Theatre, London, 15 February—17 April. nationaltheatre.org.uk RUFUS SEWELL in Art Peep Show’s Tim Key and Friday Night Dinner’s Paul Ritter star alongside Victoria’s sexy Lord Melbourne in this smart French comedy. It’s about three longstanding friends whose relationship is threatened by their differing opinions about a controversial painting. Read our review of Art The Old Vic, London, until 18 February. oldvictheatre.com TOM HOLLANDER in Travesties A hilarious revival of Tom Stoppard’s mind-boggling 1974 play, which is set in Zurich during the First World War. Hollander plays English diplomat Henry Carr, who begins to muddle up famous acquaintances – Lenin, James Joyce and the founder of Dada – with characters from Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest. Apollo Theatre, London, 3 February—29 April Book tickets for The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? and Travesties from the Radio Times Box Office MARK ADDY and CAROLINE QUENTIN in The Hypocrite Hull is 2017’s City of Culture and this new comedy from the Royal Shakespeare Company is part of a year-long programme of festivities. Mark Addy plays hapless Sir John Hotham, who has been given the job of securing the arsenal at Hull for King Charles I, but is hampered by his anxious wife (Quentin), his lovesick daughter and a ghost. Hull Truck Theatre, 24 February—25 March; Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 31 March—29 April. rsc.org.uk To book tickets, call RT Box Office on 0800 096 5878 quoting Radio Times or visit radiotimes.com/boxoffice, or check the websites for the shows listed. For theatre reviews from RT, go to radiotimes.com/westend
Dreamgirls review: Glee star Amber Riley is supreme ★★★★
This dazzling, big-hearted musical tells the story of an African-American girl band in the 1960s
It has taken 35 years from its Broadway opening (where it scooped six Tony Awards) for Tom Eyen and Henry Krieger’s powerhouse of a musical to finally get to the West End, a decade after the Oscar-winning movie adaptation with a Grammy-winning soundtrack. Thanks to the deft touch of director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw (Aladdin, The Book of Mormon), it feels as fresh and vibrant as if it were written yesterday, with a sparkle and pizzazz overload that just screams West End show. The thinly disguised story of the Supremes, it follows the fortunes of wide-eyed African-American female singing group the Dreams, who move from singing back-up for James Brown clone Jimmy Early (Adam J Bernard) to superstardom in their own right, thanks mainly to the turbo-charged vocals of Effie White (Glee star Amber Riley making her West End debut). Adam J Bernard, Ibinabo Jack, Amber Riley and Liisi LaFontaine in Dreamgirls But this is a time when black music isn't accepted into the mainstream and success in the soul and R&B charts doesn’t cross over to the national hit parade. For the Dreams ruthless manager Curtis Taylor Jr (Joe Aaron Reid), it’s success at any cost. Realising he must harness the power of television to take the girls to the next level, he sidelines Effie in favour of the more camera-friendly Deena (Liisi LaFontaine) — a decision made with an eye to body shape rather than vocal prowess. Dissension in the ranks follows, unsurprisingly. Book tickets for Dreamgirls from the Radio Times Box Office Add to that romantic complications, and the glitz and glamour of the girls’ rise to the top hides a whole load of heartache. It skips pretty rapidly through the girls’ career and you’ll know how things are going to pan out pretty early on, but that won’t stop you getting caught up in the whole affair. And I defy you to not have a lump in your throat come the end. With a few notable exceptions, the songs are functional rather than showstoppers, but vocals all round are pretty faultless. It says much for the other members of the Dreams — LaFontaine, Lily Frazer and Jocasta Almgill (standing in for Ibinabo Jack on the night I went) — that they make their mark alongside the astonishing singing of White. This really is her show and she possesses a set of pipes that threaten to lift the roof off the theatre on several occasions. Dreamgirls makes no excuse for being big, bright and revelling in its own sparkle and glamour, with slick routines and a momentum that’s like riding a rollercoaster. But within that there are moments of genuine poignancy and a willingness to affectionately send up the genre it’s celebrating. And it’s that nod-and-a-wink attitude that makes it such a thoroughly entertaining show. Dreamgirls is at the Savoy Theatre until October 2017 Book tickets for Dreamgirls from the Radio Times Box Office
Just the ticket! Our guide to the hottest shows on stage
Give friends and family a treat to treasure this Christmas – a trip to the theatre
The British stage is booming so whether you want a traditional panto, a family sing-along or some serious drama, here are the hottest tickets that will delight everyone this Christmas. Shows for all the family... Disney’s Aladdin Oh no it isn’t! Oh yes, it certainly is, but this spectacular production isn't just for Christmas. It's the stage version of Disney's much-loved animation. Has it still got the lamp? Yes, and the magic carpet, and the Cave of Wonders, and so much more. If you love Disney’s animated movie, it’s all here, including the motormouth Genie and great songs like A Whole New World. Where is it on? Prince Edward Theatre, London, until April Read our review Book tickets for Aladdin from the Radio Times box office The First Hippo on the Moon Science fiction? Yes, but with a difference. This space adventure was conjured up by comedian David Walliams and his book has been adapted by award-winning children’s theatre group Les Petits. Walliams’s off-the-wall humour and some magical puppetry make this a perfect family outing. Where is it on? Touring the UK from December to July To book tickets, visit lesspetitstheatre.com Peter Pan Surely this one is a panto? Not quite. It’s still an awfully big adventure, but the Bristol Old Vic production at the National Theatre, aimed at over-sevens, mixes action, comedy and music for a special twist on the classic tale. Where is it on? National Theatre, London, from 16 November Book tickets from the Radio Times box office Musical magic... The Girls What Girls? It’s those Calendar Girls, the Yorkshire WI members who became global celebrities after they bared all for charity. Am I going to need bigger buns? That’s the one. Gary Barlow has written the songs and original scriptwriter Tim Firth is directing, so expect laughter, tears and plenty of saucy jokes. Where is it on? Phoenix Theatre, London, from 28 January Book tickets from the Radio Times box office Dreamgirls What are they dreaming about? Fame mostly. The 2006 movie, starring Beyoncé, won Oscars, but Dreamgirls started life as a spectacular Broadway musical 35 years ago and is now finally hitting the stage in London. Is Beyoncé going to be in it? No, but Glee star Amber Riley makes her West End debut as a member of “The Dreams”, a female singing trio based on the Supremes who discover the road to the top can be a bumpy one. Where is it on? Savoy Theatre, London, from 19 November Book tickets from the Radio Times box office Funny Girl More girls? We’re not raining on anyone’s parade. Women are clearly ruling the roost at the moment. This classic tells the story of Fanny Brice, one of the great stars of vaudeville and is going on tour after winning rave reviews in London. Who’s telling the gags? Sheridan Smith plays Fanny and while she is a very funny girl, she’ll also tug at your heartstrings with a performance of power and emotion (check casting when booking). Where is it on? Touring the UK from 18 February Read our review To book tickets, visit funnygirlthemusical.co.uk Laughter and tears... Stepping Out A play about rambling? Not sure tap shoes are the best things for hill walking. This is Richard Harris’s 1984 comedy drama about the ups and downs of very different women who attend a weekly dance class. So a bit like Strictly? Well, there are “seveeern” of them including cherished TV favourites Amanda Holden, Angela Griffin, Tamzin Outhwaite and Tracy-Ann Oberman. When is it on? Touring the UK, then at the Vaudeville Theatre London from 1 March Book tickets for Stepping Out from the Radio Times box office Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? Her prose is kind of dense. Actually, this isn't really about Virginia Woolf or her books at all. The booze-soaked, sharp-tongued character at the centre of this Edward Albee drama is called Martha. She sounds fun. Oh, this is no game. It’s a brutal portrait of a marriage in meltdown, with Imelda Staunton starring and Game of Thrones Conleth Hill as the husband on the receiving end. Where is it on? Harold Pinter Theatre London from 22 February to 27 May Book tickets for Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf? from the Radio Times box office Dead Funny A comedy in a morgue? Not quite but there’s plenty to laugh about for Richard (Rufus Jones) who runs a society celebrating dead comedians. He’s a busy man – Terry Johnson’s play is set in 1992 when Frankie Howerd and Benny Hill joined the variety bill in the sky one day apart. Call that a social life? It’s not much of a life for his wife (Katherine Parkinson), who feels neglected while Richard plays with his mates – including Ralf Little and Steve Pemberton. Where it it on? Vaudeville Theatre, London, until 4 February Read our review Book tickets from the Radio Times box office Nice Fish Nemo! He’s a nice fish for sure, but Mark Rylance and his friend are hoping to catch something a bit different from beneath a frozen lake in Minnesota. So am I going to have a whale of a time? This is about so much more than the rod and line, and a Mark Rylance (BFG, Wolf Hall) stage appearance is always a bit special. Where is it on? Harold Pinter Theatre, London, until 11 February To book tickets, call Radio Times box office on 0800 096 5878 and quote "Radio Times" or visit radiotimes.com/boxoffice
Peter Pan Goes Wrong: a feast of sumptuous silliness ★★★★★
The cast don't put a foot wrong in this farce. Well, they do, but that's the point
The all-conquering Mischief Theatre Company returns for a second year with its festive treat that gives them a third show running concurrently in the West End, along with the Olivier-winning The Play That Goes Wrong and The Comedy about a Bank Robbery. And you’d have to be pretty churlish to deny them the success because this take on JM Barrie’s classic children’s tale is another masterclass of invention and physical comedy. There probably isn’t anyone who’s not familiar with the story of the boy who never grew up, but those who aren’t will be none the wiser after the hapless Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society’s interpretation. If you’ve seen “Play” you’ll know the form by now. Everything that can go wrong does. Cues are missed, scenery collapses and props take on lives of their own, putting the survival of the irrepressible but incompetent cast in danger. Add in some nice touches of backstage politics plus actor pretentions and it’s a recipe for a two-hour feast of sumptuous silliness. And there’s flying, of course. The cast playing the cast don’t put a foot wrong — well they do, that’s the point. Timing is key here and it’s carried off with aplomb. There are hilarious turns from Harry Kershaw as Mr Darling and Captain Hook, Bryony Corrigan as a feisty and possibly too knowing Wendy, and Sydney Smith as John, who’s such a bad actor his lines are fed to him via headset — well, no good was ever going to come of that. A huge bravo also to Mischief Theatre newcomer Adeline Waby whose multi-role turn as Mrs Darling, Tinker Bell, Tiger Lily and the servant Lisa is as exhausting to watch as it must be to play. Incidentally, if you’re one of those people who poses in the bar until two minutes before curtain up, you’ll be missing a treat as the chaos starts around 20 minutes early with the equally incompetent crew setting the stage. Peter Pan Goes Wrong is at the Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue until 29 January and will be shown on BBC1 at Christmas Book tickets for The Play That Goes Wrong and other West End shows at Radio Times box office
The Last Tango review: Flavia and Vincent's final show is a must-see for Strictly fans ★★★★
After 33 weeks on road, the ex-Strictly dancers' third collaboration has arrived in the West End and it's fabulous
With timing that will do the box office no harm at all, the latest show from Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace comes to London for a season perfectly in sync with a new series of Strictly Come Dancing. Add to that the fact that the dynamic duo have announced this will be their final ever theatre show before moving on to new ventures, and it's an unmissable production for devotees. And there’s very little here to disappoint. Following Olivier-nominated productions Midnight Tango and Dance ‘Til Dawn, Vincent and Flavia bring all the skill and artistry mastered during a 20-year partnership to a bittersweet story told through dance. Their routines run the gamut from high-energy fun to steamy, passionate and dramatic. Word of warning: don’t leave at the curtain call, the post-bow tango is every bit as breathtaking as we’ve come to expect. The Last Tango (photos: Manuel Harlan) The plot sees the ageing George (Teddy Kempner, who will be well known to audiences of previous V&F productions) rummaging through possessions in his attic that stir memories of falling in love back in the 1930s, marriage, children, and the horror of the Second World War. Book tickets for The Last Tango through the Radio Times box office It’s often a bit saccharine (although with a surprisingly poignant twist in the tail) and Kempner isn’t given a great deal to do, but it provides a perfect canvas for Vincent and Flavia to strut their considerable stuff along with a cracking ensemble, some of whom are veterans of previous V&F tours. The Strictly connection includes Karen Bruce, choreographer for both the TV show and Strictly tour, on directing and co-choreographer duties; and Vicky Gill, Strictly’s costume designer, in charge of wardrobe. Matt Smith leads a tight little band and, while the singer in dance shows is often there to do little more than facilitate costume changes, crooner supreme Oliver Darley (another member of the V&F rep company) lifts the show to new heights with captivating performances of songs from the likes of Etta James, Bobby Darin and Van Morrison. So, great band, great singing and exceptional dancing — pretty much every box ticked for Strictly fans in a show that is a thoroughly entertaining blend of musical theatre and ballroom at its best. The Last Tango is at the Phoenix Theatre until 3 December Book tickets for The Last Tango through the Radio Times box office