Radio Times
type: channel
link: https://www.radiotimes.com
date: 2025-12-16T10:46:15.000Z
update period: hourly
update frequency: 1
update base: 2000-01-01T12:00+00:00
items: Paranormal Activity review: Theatre horror that startles rather than haunts
items: Into the Woods review: Bridge Theatre revival is a sheer force of nature
items: We've reviewed over 30 London theatre shows, musicals and plays this year – here's how they rank
items: The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy review: Grab your towel – things get delightfully cosmic
items: Paddington The Musical review: London needs this musical now more than ever
items: Midsomer Murders on stage review: A killer debut for the classic crime drama
items: Is The Traitors Live Experience worth it? How to get tickets to this faithful recreation of the BBC series
items: Punch review: James Graham's play is a marvel on London's West End
items: Clarkston review: Joe Locke's journey to the West End has been long-deserved
items: 50 First Dates: The Musical review – Could this be the most charming musical yet?
items: The Producers review: Mel Brooks's musical is the most fun I've had at the West End
items: Born With Teeth review: Ncuti Gatwa takes a lightning bolt to Tudor history
items: Every Brilliant Thing review: Lenny Henry brings laughs and lows
items: Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical review – Rydell High is open for business
items: Good Night, Oscar review: Will & Grace's Sean Hayes is master and maestro in this heartbreaking comedy
items: Noughts & Crosses review: Heartstopper's Corinna Brown stars in Malorie Blackman stage adaptation
items: Till The Stars Come Down review: This state-of-the-nation play will leave you breathless with laughter and tears
items: Evita review: Jamie Lloyd and Rachel Zegler are making musical theatre history
items: Chessington World of Adventures review: Rides, parking, queue times and more
items: Mrs Warren’s Profession review: Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter battle it out as mother and daughter
items: Great Gatsby musical review: Old sport gets new life at the London Coliseum
items: The Royal Opera House's Carmen review: Akhmetshin and Véliz ignite Michieletto's production
items: Dear England review: A world-class goal for the National Theatre
items: Clueless musical review: A love letter to the '90s and preppy fashion
items: Farewell Mister Haffmann review: Nigel Harman cuts a chilling figure in this darkly funny production
items: The Seagull review: Cate Blanchett and star cast impress in Chekhov reimagining
items: Backstroke Review: Tamsin Greig and Celia Imrie shine in touching drama
items: Much Ado About Nothing review: Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell bring the party to the West End
items: Unicorn review: Stephen Mangan and Nicola Walker's throuple play is amusing but fails to provoke
items: Second Best review: Asa Butterfield makes a life-affirming theatre debut

Paranormal Activity review: Theatre horror that startles rather than haunts
type: item
date: 2025-12-16T10:46:15.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Spooky things are afoot at the West End.
encoded: Directed by Felix Barrett and written by Levi Holloway, Paranormal Activity makes the jump from screen to stage with a new adaptation that leans into atmosphere and theatrical surprise rather than outright terror. Horror, at its best, is rarely just about scaring audiences. It often explores deeper emotional and psychological ideas, and Holloway is clearly interested in that territory. In an interview with Radio Times, he spoke about how "people are haunted. When two people bring their ghosts into a marriage, sometimes something goes wrong". That idea sits at the centre of this story, which follows American couple Lou and James after their move from Chicago to the UK. Played by Melissa James and Patrick Heusinger, the pair give committed performances, grounding the production in a recognisable, and often uncomfortable, domestic realism. From the outset, cracks in the relationship are apparent. Moments of tension and miscommunication underpin the supernatural elements that begin to creep in. Where the production truly leans into its strengths is in its theatricality. This is a production that understands what live theatre can offer horror: not just performance, but space and sound too. Flickering lights, darkness and sudden bursts of noise all contribute to the uneasy atmosphere, but the design is doing much of the heavy lifting. Designed by Fly Davis, the two-storey house that forms the set becomes almost an actor in itself. The action unfolds across multiple rooms and levels, allowing the staging to play with audience expectations and perspectives. There are moments that shock in the instant and others that linger longer, leaving you replaying them once you’ve left the theatre. As a piece of stage horror, Paranormal Activity favours tension and surprise over lasting dread. It may not leave you afraid to turn off the lights at home, but in the moment, it delivers some genuinely effective shocks. On its own terms, that’s largely where it succeeds. When and where can …

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Into the Woods review: Bridge Theatre revival is a sheer force of nature
type: item
date: 2025-12-12T09:54:43.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Into the Woods we go.
encoded: Much like a forest relies on its ecosystem of trees, Stephen Sondheim's classic musical Into the Woods relies entirely on the collective talent of its ensemble. Thankfully, the Bridge Theatre's brand-new adaptation has been blessed with a cast whose performances intertwine and overlap to become a sheer force of nature on stage. Having not been performed at the West End in over a decade, there was some pressure on director Jordan Fein in bringing this '80s favourite back to life. The story is a mash-up of well-known fables Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, Little Red Riding Hood and Rapunzel. In the first act, these stories fold around the quest of a cursed baker in search of the ingredients to bring him a child from the evil witch. In the second, a reckoning comes in the form of a giant, and all our fairy-tale heroes are forced to answer the question of what can happen after happily every after comes? Now, as any theatre fan will know, this show is the absolute pinnacle of Sondheim's trademark harmonies and layered lyrics – which can so easily slip from magical to grating when done wrong. The story likewise is in danger of becoming dense and meaningless when you let so many characters and plots flop on top of each other. But fret not, because this production throws off all weight and worry by delivering outward. What I mean by this, is every song, every line delivery, every lighting queue is thrown back at the audience, almost as if punching through the pages of the storybook towards us. Of course the show comes equipped with a narrator whose job it is to break the fourth wall, but even without him the cast seem to spend every second flinging their emotions across the auditorium, reminding us that this complex human story is within all of us – and we must face it. The charged atmosphere this creates would not have been accomplished without the beautiful set design by Tom Scutt. As intended, the woods on stage feel like a living breathing thing, with beautifully te…

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We've reviewed over 30 London theatre shows, musicals and plays this year – here's how they rank
type: item
date: 2025-12-12T07:00:23.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
description: What a year it's been for the stage!
encoded: It may seem like something that gets said every December, but 2025 really has been an astounding year for the West End. Iconic shows hit massive milestones, beloved stories got larger-than-life adaptations, and some of Hollywood's biggest stars descended on the streets of London – and in some cases brought them to a halt. This was the year in which both Paddington and Katniss Everdeen made their theatre debuts, while Les Misérables celebrated its 40th anniversary. It was the year Inside No. 9 terrified a whole new audience, and the year Doctor Who himself (Ncuti Gatwa) had an affair with Shakespeare. Quaint British classics like Midsomer Murders also came to the stage, sat alongside big-name American stories like Clueless and The Great Gatsby. Plus, plenty of new stories emerged like Joe Locke's Clarkston and Rosamund Pike's Inter Alia. Lastly, this year has also seen the West End make a very important return to accessibility with individuals like Jamie Lloyd championing low prices and ease of access – made all the easier by the immeasurable talents of Rachel Zegler. So, what to do with all that? Well, we've ranked them, every show the Radio Times' Going Out team has reviewed this year and everything we loved (or lamented) about each. Let's take a look. Best London theatre shows of 2025 ranked 32. The Tempest Run dates: 19th December 2024 – 1st February 2025 Despite the collection of trophies already gathering dust in his cabinet, Jamie Lloyd's West End work has shot to new heights this year. The director's talent for uniting Hollywood's hottest actors with some of theatre's fustiest works to produce pure Olivier-coloured gold, is second to none, but that doesn't mean he always gets it right. His first production the year saw sci-fi superstar Sigourney Weaver take on the role of Prospero in Shakespeare's The Tempest. While the epic dystopian staging was certainly effective, and side characters like Mason Alexander Park shone, overall Weaver's performance fell a litt…

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The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy review: Grab your towel – things get delightfully cosmic
type: item
date: 2025-12-09T09:39:41.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: The Hitchiker's Guide to the Galaxy Live is at Riverside Studios until February.
encoded: Down in Riverside Studios, you’re invited to step into The Horse and Groom for Arthur Dent’s surprise farewell party, and you won’t just be a passive, silent figure either. No. You’re very much an active participant in this production of The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy. Directed by Georgia Clark, Simon Evans and Lorin Latarro, The Hitchhiker's Guide is an enjoyable 90 minutes of space faring adventure. From the onset, you feel part of the action. Cast members do the rounds, chatting to you and welcoming you to the party, and when the man of the hour arrives, we’re still encouraged to join in – sharing ideas and singing along. It’s these cast interactions throughout that make the entire production shine. The immersion is elevated further by the design and sets. Fans of the source material will likely appreciate the references most, but even newcomers will feel transported from location to location. The use of video and special effects adds a layer of spectacle that genuinely enhances the journey. However, moving between sets (and sometimes being left to fend for yourself) is where the experience can feel slightly muddled. Things occasionally become a bit crowded, and it’s easy not to know where you’re meant to stand or what you’re supposed to be watching. More than once, it felt like you were in someone’s way or facing the wrong direction, though that may simply be part and parcel of immersive theatre. You’ll have a much richer experience if you’re brave enough to talk to the cast members. Those interactions are what turn this from a fun show into an actual adventure. The highlights for me were my conversations with Alex Anthony Fevrier and Andrew Evans, both of whom made you feel part of the story. Across the board, the cast deliver strong, committed performances. They are sometimes let down by the writing and direction, which doesn’t always give audiences enough time to understand who certain characters are or why we should feel for them, but the energy and de…

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Paddington The Musical review: London needs this musical now more than ever
type: item
date: 2025-12-01T05:00:25.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Comment
description: Michael Bond's beloved bear is being very well looked after at Savoy Theatre.
encoded: On his journey to becoming a national symbol it has become abundantly clear, a hundred times over, that everything Paddington Bear touches turns sticky, orange, marmalade-scented gold. From record-breaking films, to being a part of the late Queen's Platinum Jubilee, to appearing on every postcard in London, it's almost unfair on other famous characters that Michael Bond's Peruvian Bear should add 'West End star' to his CV – while poor Winnie the Pooh became a horror movie. When seeing Paddington the Musical this weekend I was almost expecting to see a chink in the blue duffle coat armour at last – thinking the pressure of bringing this British icon to life would be too much. How glad I am to be wrong, because this show is simply wonderful. From the minute Paddington enters the stage, the ensemble belting out his name in a pleasingly Hamilton-esque introduction, I sat with an ever-present pool of tears lining my eyes because he is so. Damn. Cute. For those wondering, the role is a combination of on-stage performer Arti Shah and the off-stage voice of James Hameed, who also pilots the puppetry of Paddington's face. Their partnership, with Shah's excitable movements and Hameed's light, innocent voice, give off a palpable magic for kids and adults alike. Not since Les Misérables have I heard so many gasps and sniffles coming from a theatre crowd. The story follows the same plot as the 2014 movie; A young bear migrates from the Peruvian jungle in search of a home in London, only to be found and taken in by the kind Brown family. While Paddington causes havoc at their home in Windsor Gardens, a troubled taxidermist is desperate to get her hands on him and finish her collection. With music and lyrics by Tom Fletcher, the songs definitely carry McFly's brand of universal appeal, blending orchestral layers with fluffy pop and few healthy belters for good measure. The ubiquity of the score means it could happily slot into many a musical, however, the songs are then elevated t…

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Midsomer Murders on stage review: A killer debut for the classic crime drama
type: item
date: 2025-10-30T23:00:05.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: DCI Barnaby is back on the case in this thrilling stage production.
encoded: 28 years after it first launched on our TV screens, Midsomer Murders makes a thrilling stage debut. Retaining all the heart of the beloved TV show, writer and director Guy Unsworth welcomes you to the county of Midsomer with a brand-new look at the episode and book that started it all: The Killings at Badger’s Drift. The play takes place when well-loved spinster Emily Simpson is found dead and her friend Lucy Bellringer refuses to accept it was an accident. DCI Tom Barnaby and Sergeant Gavin Troy are called in to investigate, uncovering a world of hidden passions, long-buried secrets and deadly rivalries. Leading the cast is Daniel Casey, the original DS Gavin Troy, who has been promoted to DCI Tom Barnaby. In an interview with Radiotimes.com, Casey admitted feeling a little “daunted” and “a little bit trepidatious” about the role, but he takes on the mantel left by John Nettles with ease. Casey brings a quiet authority and warmth in the part that helps to ground the play. He’s the calming presence in the manicured wilderness of Midsomer, giving the audience a steady guide throughout. Surrounding him is an assortment of eclectic characters, all expertly played by a handful of supporting cast; most of whom are playing two or three roles. It was quite a surprise to realise how few actors there were when the show ended. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/10/Daniel-Casey-Barnaby-James-Bradwell-Troy-Rupert-Sadler-Dennis-Rainbird-in-The-Killings-at-Badgers-Drift-Manuel-Harlan-062a01f.jpg" width="5000" height="3333" alt="Daniel Casey (Barnaby), James Bradwell (Troy) & Rupert Sadler (Dennis Rainbird) in The Killings at Badger's Drift, ©Manuel Harlan" title="Daniel Casey (Barnaby), James Bradwell (Troy) & Rupert Sadler (Dennis Rainbird) in The Killings at Badger's Drift, ©Manuel Harlan" /> Barnaby’s protégé, DS Troy, is now played by James Bradwell; delivering the same bad-driving and conclusion jumping fans of the show would be expecti…

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Is The Traitors Live Experience worth it? How to get tickets to this faithful recreation of the BBC series
type: item
date: 2025-10-09T09:00:12.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: You are not ready for the round table.
encoded: Despite being the best reality TV show for decades, can anyone really explain what makes The Traitors so good? From the Agatha Christie-style sneaking around, to the unhinged reactions that would sit comfortably in any Carry On film, to the ruthless moments of genuine psychological warfare, the show just has it. Well, whatever it is, they've bottled it, and transported it to London for the Traitors Live Experience, a 100% faithful recreation of the BBC series now open in Covent Garden. Whether you're a die-hard Diane fan or more of a casual viewer for when the January blues hit, the experience is a perfect match, down to the dramatic pop covers and dead-pan attitude of its tweed-clad host. Two members of the RadioTimes.com team were invited to try the experience and I, dear reader, was selected as a Traitor – so you can trust me when I say the tension on the show is real. The experience takes place in groups of 10 to 14 and allows players to compete in a range of mini-games in order to earn "money" and gain a higher spot on the overall league table. The challenges range from memory tasks to treasure hunts and present the players with a special chance to earn shields that grant immunity from murder. Although simple and mainly isolated to the one room, these tasks were fun and accessible for everyone and still managed to pose a challenge, especially when it came to working with people you'd only just met. As in the show however, all this paled in comparison to the dreaded round table, where as a team you must accuse and ultimately banish a fellow player. As a Traitor, I can say it was genuinely uncomfortable trying to come up with reasons to banish people I knew, for a fact, were Faithful, all the while attempting to stay under the radar as the group diminished. Although there is definitely nowhere near as much drama and animosity as on TV, the stress of discussion and voting is palpable, very much helped by the suspenseful tones of our host. After banishment, it is o…

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Punch review: James Graham's play is a marvel on London's West End
type: item
date: 2025-09-29T15:55:28.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: This remarkable true story is a testament to the power of restorative justice, and it features one of our favourite young actors at the moment, Alec Boaden.
encoded: 4 stars Growing up in Nottingham, the story of Jacob Dunne – the man who fatally punched another man unprovoked – is one I already knew. Friends at a nearby school learnt about it in assembly, but the rest of us knew about it like some kind of urban legend, except it was true. Punch, which premiered at the Nottingham Playhouse before transferring to the Young Vic, then to the Apollo Theatre in the West End, recounts the events which led to Dunne fatally punching paramedic James Hodgkinson and the redemption which followed. The play is based on Dunne's book, Right from Wrong, and it's been brought to life for the stay by Nottingham's own James Graham (Dear England, Boys from the Blackstuff, Best of Enemies), who proves time and time again why he deserves his flowers as one of Britain's great modern playwrights. A lot happens in Graham's Punch, but the play is immaculately paced, and no moment feels rushed. David Shields takes on the role of protagonist Dunne, and the audience meets him as he cuts about from Yates's to Thirland to Bluebell to Slab Square, talks of rivalries with neighbouring districts St Ann's and Radford, and visits mates in Meadows and Holgate. We quickly learn that Dunne is a character who lives for the weekend, partying and petty fights, like many young lads, but it takes just one blow for Dunne's life as he knows it to come crashing down. Winner of the Best Performance in a Play award at the 2025 UK Theatre Awards, Shields is remarkable as Dunne; the actor explores Dunne's self-protection which manifests itself as anger and cockiness – a much-needed coping mechanism if you're growing up in the Meadows. When Dunne meets Hodgkinson's parents, Shields expertly navigates his character's feelings of guilt and grief, all while coming to terms with the accidental nature of the punch. The relationship that forms between Dunne and Hodgkinson's parents is the most pivotal part of the play, and you can hardly believe it's based on a real-life relationship. …

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Clarkston review: Joe Locke's journey to the West End has been long-deserved
type: item
date: 2025-09-26T08:38:01.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
description: Joe Locke and Ruaridh Mollica are enchanting in this soulful exploration of young adulthood.
encoded: Joe Locke’s West End debut is a soulful look into the lives of two starry-eyed young men which wends its way between utterly charming and horribly sobering like the real-life river it’s set on. Taking place in the small-town streets of the American West – which all good TV tells us is a claustrophobic place – this play ups the ante by restricting its scenes to just a Costco warehouse and its parking lot (ahem, car park). Just a stones throw away is the Snake River, which famed US travellers Lewis and Clark perilously journeyed in the early 19th century, Clarkston focuses on ebbs and flows of a young relationship between Jake (Locke) and Chris (Ruaridh Mollica). While Jake is grappling with the existential fallout of a life-altering diagnosis, Chris struggles with the pressures of being closeted and living low-contact from his meth-addicted mother (Sophie Melville). Together, the pair wade through deep emotional waters, rapidly covering themes of addiction, disability, class, and of course, how on earth you find any sort of meaning in your 20s. Samuel D Hunter’s script does the fine job of packing in wave after wave of poignancy while also managing to feel like a slow burn. It’s also worth noting how many genuine laughs you’ll have in between the heavier moments. All three leads are simply excellent. After Heartstopper and Agatha All Along we know Joe Locke can embody the complex teen searching for solace, but this character comes with an extra layer of discomfort as we see ease and entitlement meet the harsh realities of terminal illness. Meanwhile, Sophie Melville does a magnificent job of juggling with your feelings, appearing callously manipulative and yet completely sympathetic at the same time – in short, a balanced, very human portrayal of what addiction can do. For me however, Mollica's Chris was the absolute standout. Both hardened by his past and yet still extremely vulnerable to it, his traumas and quiet determination viscerally poured off the stage leavin…

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50 First Dates: The Musical review – Could this be the most charming musical yet?
type: item
date: 2025-09-25T23:01:11.000Z
creator: Katelyn Mensah
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: Lucy and Henry's love story is now centre stage, literally!
encoded: Adam Sandler and Drew Barrymore's 50 First Dates, to some, is one the greatest romantic comedies in recent years – and I'm inclined to agree. So it was a no-brainer to hurry to The Other Palace to watch it come to life in a musical, with Georgina Castle (Mean Girls) and Josh St Clair (Ghost) at the helm as Lucy Whitmore and Henry Roth. Fans of the original movie will be pleasantly surprised that the essence of the story between Lucy, an artist with short-term memory loss and Henry, the commitment phobe who falls in love with her, remains the same, albeit with some slight tweaks to Henry's job. I'll admit, I was hesitant at first when Henry wasn't introduced as a marine veterinarian and, rather, a travel vlogger who found himself in Key Largo in Florida before he jets off on a European adventure of a lifetime, which soon comes to a halt when he meets Lucy. But it works. The songs, penned by David Rossmer and Steve Rosen, are just as wholesome and charming as the love story presented to us, with even the most sceptical of audience members (like myself) are soon won over. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/09/The-Cast-of-50-First-Dates-The-Musical-Production-Images-Photo-credit-by-Pamela-Raith-091-d2bc243.jpg" width="3500" height="2384" alt="The Cast of 50 First Dates The Musical all stood and sat around the stage in summer clothing." title="The Cast of 50 First Dates The Musical (Production Images) - Photo credit by Pamela Raith - 091" /> The chemistry between Castle and St Clair is palpable, with the pair's characters falling in love after just one day checking off Lucy's list and having seemingly the perfect day. Their reputations precede them, having starred in the likes of Mamma Mia! and and Kinky Boots, respectively. With their romance told through songs such as They're Not You and Good Morning, Lucy, you find yourself rooting for a pair you've only been introduced to just 30 minutes prior. Like every musicals on and off the…

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The Producers review: Mel Brooks's musical is the most fun I've had at the West End
type: item
date: 2025-09-16T10:44:36.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Comment
subject: Review
description: Mel Brooks's musical The Producers has travelled from Broadway to the West End to make your cheeks and stomachs ache with laughter.
encoded: I'll be the first to admit, I didn't know too much about The Producers before going into the theatre show. Like The Wizard of Oz and The Lion King, it was a movie that just passed me by. I was aware it involved a play about Nazis (The Producers that is, not The Lion King) and it was, of course, directed by American filmmaker Mel Brooks. But that was about it. So, how did I find myself awarding five stars to a gay romp dedicated to Hitler? Brooks directed The Producers in 1967 using a script he wrote himself. This movie was a cult hit for 24 years until Brooks reshaped it as a musical theatre number. Now, the filmmaker and actor is no stranger to leaving a legacy, namely, single-handedly inventing the movie spoof genre with 1974's Blazing Saddles and pioneering TV sketch writing with Your Show of Shows starring Sid Caesar, and that's exactly what has happened with The Producers. The musical was reimagined for the New York stage in 2001, and it took home 12 awards at that year's Tony Awards. Now, 58 years on, The Producers is performing at Garrick Theatre in London's West End, having been at the Menier Chocolate Factory in 2024. Director Patrick Marber's The Producers is a camp, outrageous and, above all, fun; as with a lot of political satires, the play's stereotypes and cultural indicators are wildly exaggerated. The Producers follows a "delicious" scheme set up by two – you guessed it — theatre producers, the devious Max Bialystock (played by Andy Nyman) and the wide-eyed ex-accountant Leopold Bloom (played by Marc Antolin), who would love nothing more than to be a real-life Broadway producer. The scheme is devised after Bloom lets it slip that it's more profitable to create a Broadway flop than a Broadway success, and the two producers set out to create the biggest flop of them all... And what could be a bigger failure than the musical Springtime for Hitler, written by Nazi sympathiser Franz Liebkind (played by Harry Morrison)? Springtime for Hitler: A Gay Romp Wi…

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Born With Teeth review: Ncuti Gatwa takes a lightning bolt to Tudor history
type: item
date: 2025-09-03T10:24:24.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Ncuti Gatwa is back on stage with the Shakespearean-esque drama Born With Teeth.
encoded: Shakespearean tradition gets an electrifying awakening in the West End's Born With Teeth, now showing for a limited run at Wyndham's Theatre. Starring Doctor Who's own Ncuti Gatwa and Edward Bluemel – best known for the Amazon Prime series My Lady Jane – this pseudo-Renaissance drama flips the lid on a much mythologised period of history to reveal something far darker lurking beneath. Liz Duffy's two-man show banishes the sanitised and idolised versions of Tudor history, opting instead for a world of sex, scandal and spying; a world where art and politics are just as dangerously wrapped around each other as they are today. Gatwa plays Christopher "Kit" Marlowe, the playwright behind texts you may remember from GSCE like Dr Faustus and Tamburlaine, while Bluemel plays Will Shakespeare. The pair are called up to work together on Henry VI and become distracted by their own intense battle of rivalry and flirtation. As you can expect, Gatwa is excellent as Marlowe. The former Time Lord prowls the stage like a caged tiger, teasing, toying and threatening Will with his real-life connections to Queen Elizabeth's spy network. His dangerous magnetism is like a tangible force on stage, and yet comes with a noticeable undercurrent of frustration, as we all know it is Shakespeare, and not Marlowe, who stood the test of time. Meanwhile, Bluemel is just as strong, appearing the timid tabby cat at times who simply wants to write and protect his little world. His light and shade comes out in more subtle hues than Marlowe's bold strokes, but both compliment each other perfectly. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/08/Edward-Bleumel-and-Ncuti-Gatwa-Born-With-Teeth-photo-by-Johan-Persson-04944c1.jpg" width="5420" height="3613" alt="Born With Teeth at Wyndham’s Theatre in 2025: writer – Liz Duffy Adams, director – Daniel Evans, set & costume design – Joanna Scotcher, lighting design – Neil Austin, casting director – Charlotte Sutton,, Credit Johan P…

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Every Brilliant Thing review: Lenny Henry brings laughs and lows
type: item
date: 2025-08-15T08:51:01.000Z
creator: Perry O'Bree
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Every Brilliant Thing is now showing at @sohoplace with a rotating cast of stars.
encoded: This article includes discussion of suicide and suicidal ideation that some readers may find upsetting. Lenny Henry’s turn in Every Brilliant Thing offers an intriguing juxtaposition: a professional comedian taking on a story deeply rooted in sadness, depression and suicide. It demonstrates how, although we might smile outwardly, we can feel very differently within. The play follows Henry’s character from the age of seven, as he begins a list of "every brilliant thing" to help himself and his mother, who struggles with severe depression. The list starts playfully – with “ice cream” at age seven – and eventually numbers a million as the years go by. What initially works in this production’s favour is the sense of accessibility Henry brings as a performer. His warmth and comic instincts highlight the play’s core message: that happiness is often only surface-deep, and those who appear the lightest may be concealing profound pain. It’s a necessary reminder, especially given the subject matter. However, Every Brilliant Thing stands or falls on the nature of its audience participation. At several points, randomly selected theatregoers read items from the list aloud, or are drawn into small cameo roles (teachers, loved ones, vets). This gives each performance a unique quality: some audiences gel, while others are left scrambling for cues. Not everyone is given a card, so the experience can feel arbitrary – exhilarating for some, for others, disruptive. While the play addresses the taboo of mental health and suicide, it does so in rather a superficial way. The core concept of listing life’s small joys raises the question: is this list a celebration or merely a coping mechanism? The answer, frustratingly, remains unclear. Moments that could carry emotional weight are sometimes rushed; for example, the list suddenly leaps into six digits, skipping years of character development. The passage from childhood to adulthood – from losing a pet to losing a parent – feels abrupt and …

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Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical review – Rydell High is open for business
type: item
date: 2025-08-08T13:38:21.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: We're hopelessly devoted to this new immersive experience.
encoded: School may be out for summer, but Rydell High has opened its doors for six weeks. Get on your dancing shoes, put on your leather jackets, spray obscene amounts of hair spray; you’re all set for Grease: The Immersive Movie Musical. To start, I'll be honest, I’m actually not the biggest fan of Grease. While a fun and momentous musical, the last I watched it was years ago, and the songs don’t make any of my current playlists. But that didn't stop me from having a brilliant time. Directed by Matthew Costain with set design by Tom Rogers, the entire production is movie magic come to life. As soon as you show your tickets, you’re welcomed to your first day of school, with cast members ready and waiting to mingle. It’s not hard to forget you’re in Battersea Park. Surrounded by cast (and other attendees) all dressed in costume, a '50s playlist in the background setting the scene – there is an undeniable buzz about the whole experience. Before the show officially starts, you can hang out in the fairground and can buy tokens to go on the rides. Perhaps tactically, I chose the Ferris wheel to get a nice bird's-eye view of the grounds. The production value of the event then becomes abundantly clear when you enter the school. With key sets from the entire musical ready, attendees are encouraged to explore while the musical plays out with the cast expertly performing them live. The Frosty Palace where you can grab a shake, the auto-shop with all the grease you’re expecting, and the school bleachers to hang out. At the heart of it all is the school gym, a central place where more than just the cast can interact throughout the show. The joy of this is that you, as the guest, can go where you want to, although some seating areas are reserved according to ticket tiers, and occasionally you’ll need to make room for cast members preparing for the next performance. But if you can’t jive when you arrive, trust me – you’ll be dancing just a few hours later. Grease: The Immersive Movie Mus…

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Good Night, Oscar review: Will & Grace's Sean Hayes is master and maestro in this heartbreaking comedy
type: item
date: 2025-08-07T08:59:52.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Sean Hayes stars in a strictly-limited run at The Barbican this summer.
encoded: Nothing can prepare you for a viewing of Good Night, Oscar. No knowledge of Will & Grace, late-night talk shows, jazz – or in my case, none of the above – will ready you for this hurtling journey through the life and mind of American musician Oscar Levant. Sean Hayes and Doug Wright's play ended its Broadway run with near saintly status, scooping up three Tony Awards in the process, but there was certainly a question mark over how its US-centric themes would translate for British audiences. The answer is simple: go see it. I find it hard to believe anyone could leave their seat having not identified with something from this startling whirlwind of a story. The show transports you back to 1958 on the night pianist and comedian Oscar Levant escapes a mental health facility to appear on the famous sofa of talk show host Jack Paar. While Paar wants Levant for his musical talents and ability for shocking one-liners, Levant will do nearly anything to avoid playing the piano – in particular, the pieces of his musical idol Gershwin. Across the show, we see Levant struggle under the weight of mental illness and addiction, all the while grappling with a near life-long feeling of being second best to the music that inspired him. But, trust me on this, it's also real funny. <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/08/Ben-Rappaport-Jack-Parr-Sean-Hayes-Oscar-Levant.-Credit-Johan-Persson-cedae6f.jpg" width="5795" height="3863" alt="Good Night, Oscar at the Barbican: Writer – Doug Wright, Director – Lisa Peterson, Set Designer – Rachel Hauck, Costume Designer – Emilio Sosa, Co‑Lighting Designers – Ben Stanton & Carolina Ortiz, Sound Designer – André Pluess, Original WHAM Designer – J. Jared Janas, US Music Supervisor & Arranger – Chris Fenwick, UK Associate Director – Denzel Westley‑Sanderson, US Associate Set Designer – Mike Kaukl, UK Associate Costume Designer / Supervisor – Sabrina Cuniberto, UK Associate Lighting Designer – Rob Casey, UK Associa…

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Noughts & Crosses review: Heartstopper's Corinna Brown stars in Malorie Blackman stage adaptation
type: item
date: 2025-07-11T11:59:06.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
description: Dominic Cooke has adapted Malorie Blackman's best-selling YA novel for the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre stage.
encoded: 3 stars Like a lot teenagers in the UK, I read Malorie Blackman's 2001 YA novel, Noughts & Crosses, in school. Blackman's book imagines an alternative world where Black people (Crosses) are privileged in terms of wealth and power, and discriminate against White people (Noughts). Noughts & Crosses highlights the prejudice Black people have been subjected to for generations, and Blackman has said Callum (our male lead and a Nought) had to cope with certain events which were lifted directly from her own childhood and teenage years, such as "enduring his history lesson, or being challenged for being in a first-class carriage on a train". In the Noughts & Crosses world, segregation, state-sanctioned intimidation, unfair trials — with the juries made up of all Crosses — and censorship on the news is the norm. 24 years on, Blackman's story of injustice feels poignant in the current climate. As Callum says in the play: "one person's terrorist is another person's freedom fighter", it begs the question of what lengths should a person go to to demand equality? With this said, bringing Noughts & Crosses to the stage is no small feat. Dominic Cooke's adaptation of the book was originally performed at the RSC in 2007, and now he's brought the production to Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in London. It was my first time at the open air theatre in Regent's Park, and the setting was magnificent. Albeit small, I loved that the audience experienced the sun setting and birds tweeting as the play runs. The backdrop of the park emphasises Colin Richmond’s brutalist set, which is made up of rusty towers, intimidating walkways and grey tiles, all of which aren't too dissimilar to a prison (or the bathroom in Saw I...). The staging has the affect of imposing danger. As we know, danger is exactly what's in store for our modern day Romeo and Juliet, Callum (played by Noah Valentine) and Sephy (played by Corinna Brown). Sephy is a Cross and her friendship with Callum (a Nought) is barely tolera…

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Till The Stars Come Down review: This state-of-the-nation play will leave you breathless with laughter and tears
type: item
date: 2025-07-11T11:58:17.000Z
creator: Joanna Magill
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: Dorothy Atkinson shines in this pitch-perfect family tale.
encoded: Thanks in part to recent works like Paris Lees's What It Feels Like For a Girl to James Graham's Punch, the city of Nottingham is right at the front of cultural conversation. Now Beth Steel's latest play is shining a light on Notts once again. The play follows a family from Mansfield as they celebrate Sylvia's wedding day. Sylvia is marrying Marek, a Polish small business owner – but not everyone is happy about the number of Polish people living in the area. Over the course of the day, between drinking and dancing, the relationships between different family members are put to the test. Till The Stars Come Down first premiered at the National Theatre in 2024, where it enjoyed rave reviews. Now the production has transferred to Theatre Royal Haymarket in London's West End, where it's running until the end of September this year. Steel has been praised for her achingly real and relatable characters, and nowhere is it more obvious than in Till The Stars Come Down. Perhaps with the exception of the overly waxing lyrical John, each character feels like the sort of person you might find yourself sat next to at a family reunion— or a family wedding. These lovable down-to-earth characters yell over each other, squabble and immediately make up, and are full of weird aphorisms. Watching the family dynamics unfold will make the audience members feel at home, and I dare you not to see your mothers, aunts, or sisters reflected in the dazzling female cast members. Speaking of the cast members, there are strong performances across the board in this production. The chemistry between Sinéad Matthews (Sylvia) and Julian Kostov (Marek) is palpable, as is the suppressed sadness and grief in Alan Williams (Tony). <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/07/till-the-stars-come-down-cast-05f0576.jpg" width="4323" height="2882" alt="LONDON, ENGLAND - JULY 09:(L-R) Adrian Bower, Lucy Black, Alan Williams, Ruby Thompson, Sinead Matthews, Philip Whitchurch, Dor…

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Evita review: Jamie Lloyd and Rachel Zegler are making musical theatre history
type: item
date: 2025-07-03T11:41:10.000Z
creator: Joanna Magill
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: This stellar production is the latest step in the unstoppable rise of both Jamie Lloyd and Rachel Zegler.
encoded: Over the past few years, theatre professionals have been taking bold steps to draw new audience members to the West End. From casting popular on-screen actors like Tom Holland and Sigourney Weaver in starring roles, to using cameras in new and innovative ways in productions like Kip William's The Picture of Dorian Gray, the West End has been evolving to reach a new audience. Now, Jamie Lloyd has taken this to the next level by giving the general public a taste of his production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita, the most talked-about show on the West End, for free. Despite having only opened in June, Jamie Lloyd's Evita has already created plenty of buzz in the theatre world and beyond. You've probably already seen the videos swarming social media of Rachel Zegler as Eva Perón performing Don't Cry For Me Argentina on the balcony outside the Palladium. More on that later. It's clear from the very first note of the opening number that Evita absolutely deserves all of the hype it's getting. Watching this production is watching musical theatre history being made in front of your eyes. The decision to stage Evita, a show usually featuring opulent set design, on an extremely pared back set is a risky one. However, watching this bold move at the Palladium, the genius of Lloyd's decision is striking. The less opulent the staging, the more the spotlight is shone on the core elements of the show – and the clever directorial decisions, rich source material, stage full of triple threats and emotive lighting deserve all the focus they can get. Rachel Zegler is spellbinding as Eva Perón, emanating power, cunning and raw sexuality on stage in a Lady Macbeth-esque performance. This is an actress who's clearly made for the stage. When watching Zegler's performance and her interaction with the crowds of adoring fans at stage door, it's tempting to christen her as the next Patti LuPone or Bernadette Peters. But this would do her a disservice; Rachel Zegler is utterly herself, a shining t…

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Chessington World of Adventures review: Rides, parking, queue times and more
type: item
date: 2025-07-01T13:19:32.000Z
creator: Joanna Magill
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
description: We headed down to Zone 6 to check out the animals, roller coasters, accommodation and more at Chessington World of Adventures.
encoded: Did you know that you can visit giraffes, gorillas, sea lions and more in vast swathes of nature, all within London itself? That's the promise of Chessington World of Adventures, Zone 6's animal-themed theme park. Located conveniently close to Central London, Chessington is currently divided into different themed areas, including Land of the Tiger, Wild Woods, World of Jumanji, Chessington Zoo and more. We visited Chessington World of Adventures last month, and now we're here to give you the low-down on what it's really like inside. From answering questions about queue times to accessibility information, this comprehensive review will help you plan your trip this summer and beyond. Buy Chessington World of Adventures tickets from £29 We included Chessington in our list of top UK theme parks; why not see what else made the cut? Chessington World of Adventures details Date visited: 9th-10th May 2025 Location: Chessington, Kingston-Upon-Thames Price: from £29 per person Opening times: 10am-5pm Getting to Chessington World of Adventures Where is Chessington World of Adventures? The theme park is located in Chessington, Kingston-Upon Thames, just a short train ride from Central London. Chessington itself is in Zone 6. What is parking like at Chessington World of Adventures? There are several options when it comes to parking at Chessington World of Adventures. Standard Parking costs £12 and is located 5-10 minutes walk away from the park. If you want to be closer to the entrance, then you can opt for Express Parking, which costs £20 and is situated at the Lodge Gate entrance beside the Chessington Safari Hotel. You can also combine your parking with your entrance ticket with the Early Access and Express Parking bundle tickets, which starts at £49 for a group of two. What is public transport like to Chessington World of Adventures? The park is very easily accessibly from Central London, as direct trains from main stations like Victoria, Vauxhall and Clapham Junction depart…

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Mrs Warren’s Profession review: Imelda Staunton and Bessie Carter battle it out as mother and daughter
type: item
date: 2025-05-23T12:40:41.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Imelda Staunton and real-life daughter Bessie Carter are both forces to be reckoned with.
encoded: Imelda Staunton and real-life daughter Bessie Carter go toe-to-toe in this polished, throaty version of George Bernard Shaw's Mrs Warren's Profession – a Victorian era play once deemed so scandalous it was banned for nine years by the Lord Chamberlain before earning its first performance in 1902. Its crime? Why, a nuanced and sympathetic depiction of women, of course. The episode follows the patchy relationship of Vivie and Mrs Warren during the latter's visit to England following years of parental separation. Vivie is a straight-talking and ambitious mathematics graduate who detests the unthinkable idea of romance – and for once, there's no man managing to convince her otherwise – while Mrs Kitty Warren is a shock of caterwauling tone and ruthless pragmatism who, we learn, originally earned her wealth through sex work before obtaining a chain of brothels across the continent. This fact, you'll probably have guessed, is explosively revealed to an unaware Vivie, who runs through a complex string of emotions ranging from moral indignation to compassion and care in a way that could be perfectly pasted into any era. These moments are the unabashed highlight of the show. Two scenes in which Staunton and Carter sit across from each other in a battle of wills, both playing with our sympathies as they navigate a litany of societal and generational debates. Both and neither gain the high ground as Kitty appears callously capitalistic at times, yet vulnerable at others, while Vivie flickers between prudish, judgemental and warm. The delivery of their duologues is pitch-perfect, lines pinging off one another, and yet, both play with pauses and stillness in a way that feels utterly authentic. All the more helped by the very modern way in which the topics of sex work and womanhood are brought to the level of society and not placed on the moral fortitude of a single woman – radical indeed... In fact, with such palpable and known chemistry in the room, the scenes felt strangely re…

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Great Gatsby musical review: Old sport gets new life at the London Coliseum
type: item
date: 2025-04-25T11:44:35.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Comment
subject: Review
description: This new adaptation puts the "roaring" back into the 2020s.
encoded: F Scott Fitzgerald's novel The Great Gatsby is a monolith of American literature, and for good reason. With themes of the American Dream, class, decadence, femininity – can you tell I've been on Cliff Notes? – its magic has had a stranglehold on Western readers for exactly 100 years. All this to say, that replicating it for any medium is no easy feat. So, does the new version that's rocked up at the West End get the green light? Yes... and no. Marc Bruni's musical adaptation is a shimmering, spangled, and frankly masterful display of opulence, one that perfectly emulates the lavish lives of the nouveau riches who inhabit Gatsby's world. Its colours, costume and, well, vibes were immaculate – as fizzy and effervescent as a glass of champagne – owing mainly to an exceptional ensemble who twirled, pulsed and Charlestoned across the stage like the careless group of partygoers they were undoubtedly supposed to be. A huge moment of applause for both choreographer Dominique Kelley and costume designer Linda Cho who made up a huge part of the show's glitzy appeal – it wasn't hard to see why her efforts on Broadway earned her a Tony. But, out of the principal cast, the biggest highlight for me came from High School Musical actor Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway. Despite Nick's role as a narrator being somewhat reduced in stage form, Bleu felt absolutely central and carried the entirety of his journey with gravitas and grace. We got to see his move from naivety to being sucked in by the glittering party lifestyle and subsequently being shoved back out again by the show's tragic events. Ultimately, he held the show's moral message on his shoulders and nailed it. Across from him as a formidable stage partner was ex-Love Island star Amber Davies. Her portrayal as a bold, untethered and uncensored Jordan Baker was superb, complete with plenty of attitude and some of the best songs to sing. Completing the main four was Frances Mayli McCann, who was on-point with Daisy Buchanan's compl…

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The Royal Opera House's Carmen review: Akhmetshin and Véliz ignite Michieletto's production
type: item
date: 2025-04-11T12:49:30.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Comment
subject: Review
description: Damiano Michieletto's Carmen sizzles on The Royal Opera House main stage.
encoded: From 1875 to 2025, Georges Bizet's Carmen still proves ever-popular; Damiano Michieletto's production of Carmen has returned to The Royal Opera House, and, staying true to the original, you can expect passion, lust and violence. I was invited to see Carmen on its opening night at Covent Garden's The Royal Opera House. Bizet's Carmen is the second most performed opera (after La Bohème) in the theatre's repertory, having been shown on stage over 600 times. As always with RadioTimes.com's reviews, we share our thoughts on a piece of theatre in an accessible way, whether it's your first time at the opera, you visit once every season, or frequenting the opera to you is like popping into your corner shop. One of the most well-known operas in the world, Carmen is set in a remote Spanish town where its eponymous character declares that any mean she loves should be afraid. However, even our heroine is unprepared for what will happen when she seduces police officer Don José, and his jealously threatens to erupt... Mezzo-soprano Aigul Akhmetshin returns to the role of Carmen in this The Royal Opera House production, and she carries off Carmen's songs, such as Carmen's Habanera, with fire. As does Yaritza Véliz as Don José's neglected lover Micaëla. Véliz is an alumna of The Royal Opera's Jette Parker Artists Programme (which has made us even more excited to visit the Jette Parker Artists Summer Performance), who now has an incredible career of her own. Véliz brings an urgency to Micaëla's pleadings with Don José to return to his dying mother, who she claims has forgiven him of his sins. Micaëla's urgency is at contract with the ghostly figure of Don José's mother who haunts the stage as if she can't believe what trouble her son has gotten into. Tenor Freddie De Tommaso fills the shoes of Don José. Tommaso is excellent as the role of Carmen's jealous lover, and his vocals earned him perhaps the most bravos of the entire show. However, we did wonder why Carmen fell for Don José,…

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Dear England review: A world-class goal for the National Theatre
type: item
date: 2025-04-02T11:17:43.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: I'm more inclined to watch football now than I ever was before.
encoded: This is a play about football. But, as they say in the play, “football isn’t just about football”. That’s what makes Dear England at the National Theatre such a beautiful two hours. Most people are familiar with the story. A group of footballers making it to the semi-finals, finals, quarterfinals and back to the finals again. A team working to reach a goal that hadn’t been achieved in over 50 years; working to make up for that famed 1996 missed penalty – It’s an inspirational story of perseverance and teamwork. Headed up by Gwilym Lee playing Gareth Southgate and supported by an exceptionally talented cast, the show is, much like I imagine football works, a testament to how the combination of talent creates something great. If you like football and are familiar with the corresponding real people, some of the jokes and characterisations will hit harder; you can appreciate the acting a little bit more. I’ve never watched a full football game before, but not knowing didn’t take away any enjoyment (much like not knowing who Eddie the Eagle was didn’t lessen my enjoyment for that sports film). The effects during the match moments felt quite exhilarating, making me more inclined to watch a football game than ever before. It is in the moments when the play moves beyond the game that elevate it. From the beginning, there is a focus on mental health and the challenge involved in embracing that in an environment that is somewhat resistant. Pippa Grange, played by Liz White, deftly showcases this tension with her interactions amongst the coaches and players. This thread ties this story together, emphasising the importance of a team supporting one another. As we the second act unfolds, the play delves deeper into the societal impact of the game. Moments with Tane Siah’s Saka, Kadell Herida’s Sancho and Jude Carmichael’s Rashford shift the focus, showing how football interacts with society at large. Namely the racism at play, something which, unfortunately, still infiltrates the…

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Clueless musical review: A love letter to the '90s and preppy fashion
type: item
date: 2025-03-13T22:00:20.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: The Clueless musical is a non-stop party and a treat for anyone who misses the '90s.
encoded: In an era where it seems no chick-flick or rom-com are immune from the musical theatre treatment, one can only hope that each production learns from its predecessors in order to stand out from the sequinned and none too self-aware crowd. After all, there's only so many times you can suck in the same groups with whispers of "remember how many times you watched this movie at sleepovers?" Luckily, the new Clueless musical has learnt the lessons of the past, combining the likeable airhead lead of Legally Blonde, the high-school drama of Mean Girls, and costumes so stylish they could give The Devil Wears Prada a serious run for its money. The result of all this a sunny, light-hearted romp with so much '90s nostalgia I half expected Beanie Babies to drop from the ceiling instead of confetti. Like the 1995 movie, the stage show is based on Jane Austen's Emma, and follows Cher Horowitz: a rich, popular high school student determined to meddle in the love lives of others. One day, she finds her biggest project yet in the form of new student Tai. But, as Cher tries to set Tai up with the most popular guys in school, she learns that life isn't always as perfect as it seems. Because of its setting and decade, the show absolutely dines out on its 90s references – a little too much to be honest. The dialogue is packed with every "fly", "fresh" and "buggin" bit of lingo you can think of to the extent it sometimes prioritises the kickin' words and showing off a Blockbuster tape over genuine comic timing, although hopefully this is something that will be ironed out with time. But, the show doesn't stop there. The soundtrack, written by noughties pop singer KT Tunstall, is packed with '90s riffs that pay homage to some of the very best bands of the age. For anyone who misses Nirvana, REM or the Backstreet Boys, chances are you'll spend half the show searching through your mental catalogue of 90s hits, trying to remember what each song reminds you of. But sadly, while the intros are a…

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Farewell Mister Haffmann review: Nigel Harman cuts a chilling figure in this darkly funny production
type: item
date: 2025-03-11T16:55:44.000Z
creator: Joanna Magill
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Review
description: From art-loving Nazis in occupied Paris to sexually frustrated tap dancing, this production is packed full of surprises that will keep you on the edge of your seat.
encoded: The English translation of Jean-Philippe Daguerre's Molière Award-winning play was first brought to the UK in 2023 at Ustinov Studio in Bath. Now the long-awaited London premiere has arrived at the Park Theatre, and it's everything theatre fans could hope for. Farewell Mister Haffmann is a World War Two play with a twist. Joseph Haffmann is a Jewish jeweller, who is forced to go into hiding during the Nazi Occupation of Paris. He enlists the help of his employee Pierre, offering him control of the jewellery shop in exchange for hiding him. Pierre has a proposition of his own however. He and his wife have been trying for a baby, with no success due to Pierre's infertility; so, this is where Mr Haffmann fulfils his part of the bargain. Predictably, chaos ensues. Throw in an art-loving Nazi, his lewd wife and one of the most tense dinner party scenes to ever make it onto the stage, and you've got an excellent stage play that keeps you gripped throughout its 95-minute runtime. While an Indecent-Proposal-meets-World-War-Two plot may not sound quite like a barrel of laughs, the play surprises with its remarkable ability to balance dark humour with creeping tension. Rather than making light of the heavy themes of the play, the humour serves to highlight the absurdity of the situation. Alongside the interesting concept of the main plot, Farewell Mister Hoffman explores how ordinary people fall for propaganda, something which feels eerily relevant in 2025. As the shop begins to flourish under Pierre's leadership, his customer base begins to favour some unsavoury characters, and we watch with a horror-like fascination at how Pierre begins to bend over backwards to justify his new business relationships. Throughout the play, characters fall further into morally grey areas and power dynamics begin to shift, causing tension to bubble up and burst through, with unpredictable and captivating results. The acting in this play was top-notch, with standout performances from EastEnders…

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The Seagull review: Cate Blanchett and star cast impress in Chekhov reimagining
type: item
date: 2025-03-07T12:51:26.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: The audience are encouraged to look inwards in Thomas Ostermeier's adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull.
encoded: 4 stars "Who wants a bit of Chekhov?" That's how Zachary Hart (who plays Simon Medvedenko) opens Anton Chekhov’s The Seagull, adapted by German director Thomas Ostermeier, at the Barbican Theatre. The Seagull is a play written by Russian dramatist Chekhov in 1895 and first produced in 1896, and theatre goers worldwide have been delighted by the production ever since; its last London performance was at the National Theatre in 2022, and it starred Emilia Clarke as Nina. So by now, the theatre lovers of London are familiar with the story: melodramatic theatre actress Irina Arkádina (Cate Blanchett) and her lover, famous writer Alexander Trigorin (Tom Burke), arrive from the city to the countryside to be greeted by Irina's brother Peter Sorin (Jason Watkins), whose health is failing, and her troubled son, Konstantin Treplev (Kodi Smit-McPhee). The play begins with a play; director Konstantin and his muse Nina Zaréchnaya (Emma Corrin) perform to an audience made up of his family and their friends. What follows is an exploration of fame, love, happiness, and the meaning of art. From the first line, The Seagull invites the audience in and forces us to reflect. The production is strikingly aware of itself, but that only makes it more brilliant, particularly as a drawback to a show like this could be the celebrity status of its glittery ensemble. The audience is forced to reflect – not least when the lights turn on in the Barbican theatre and Burke's Trigorin asks us what we're doing here – on the play's themes in relation to the characters and ourselves, but also to the actors playing the characters. The fourth wall is broken numerous times throughout, and the actors allude to being actors on stage, perhaps most prominently when Blanchett removes her microphone and repeats her lines. Blanchett and Corrin's are theatre actors in the play and in real life, and at one moment in the show Blanchett sighs "It was press night" in relation to her character's show but also to the sh…

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Backstroke Review: Tamsin Greig and Celia Imrie shine in touching drama
type: item
date: 2025-02-21T15:00:16.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
description: Make no mistake, this is an emotional and intimate play, but well worth it.
encoded: You won’t be surprised to learn that Backstroke is an extremely sad play. What you may be surprised to learn is that it’s funny, too. Friday Night Dinner's Tamsin Greig plays Bo, whose mother Beth – played by Celia Imrie of Bridget Jones fame – is admitted to hospital following a stroke. Written and directed by Anna Mackmin, the following 130 minutes are an exploration of this complicated mother-daughter relationship. We view key moments throughout their lives but always land back to the hospital bed which Beth occupies. It’s when the play moves into the past that we can laugh. It’s also here that Imrie embodies the eccentric nature of Beth, often to the exasperation of her daughter but much to the delight of the audience. Nuzzled in between the sex references and the weight jibes, Imrie delivers a tenderness to a woman who, while full of life and defiance, is also grappling with her own illness. The staging helps to differentiate between the past and present. A kitchen occupies the foreground; where most of the scenes set in the past take place. Centre stage, and the background, is the hospital – the present day. It’s a constant that serves to remind the audience that the exuberant Beth of the past is no longer like that. The lynchpin of the entire show? Tamsin Greig. It is her portrayal of Bo and her struggles which we’re tied to. Despite playing the "daughter", she has nearly always played the role of the “mother” in this relationship. And much like this relationship, the play rests on Bo’s shoulders. Surrounding this mother and daughter are a cast of supporting characters played by Lucy Briers, Anita Reynolds and Georgina Rich, all of whom play their parts beautifully to further this very human experience that we’re part of. Make no mistake, this is an emotional and intimate play. There is a tenderness in the way Grieg and Imrie play against one another. There are moments where it is uncomfortable to watch. It’s a cathartic experience that stays with you long af…

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Much Ado About Nothing review: Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell bring the party to the West End
type: item
date: 2025-02-21T10:56:48.000Z
creator: Olivia Garrett
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: Now THAT is how you do it!
encoded: In recent months it seems many a West End director has had to learn the hard way that putting any Hollywood star with any Shakespeare script does not always equal success. However, with this particular equation – that of two Marvel superheroes, plus the Bard's best-loved rom-com, plus... a jukebox musical? – Jamie Lloyd has at last found the answer, because his latest adaptation of Much Ado About Nothing is a big hearted, bombastic and utterly bonkers joy from start to finish. Despite the austere setting of the Theatre Royal Drury lane, this show manages to walk the line between literary classic and millennial house party, thanks in part to a packed soundtrack of '90s club classics. Throughout the performance hot pink confetti rains from the ceiling – to the extent I worried for the clean up crew – and in the first act, a giant inflatable heart descends onto the stage, because to hell with subtlety. When you’re dealing one of the most iconic enemies to lovers stories of all time then why not relish in it? And relish they did. Tom Hiddleston literally dances across stage as the swashbuckling, sweet talker Benedick who starts off a sworn bachelor, but upon learning Beatrice 'loves him', turns delightfully awkward to the point I wanted to say, "Tom, your Hugh Grant is showing". <img src="https://images.immediate.co.uk/production/volatile/sites/3/2025/02/Much-Ado-About-Nothing.-Forbes-Masson-Mara-Huf-Hayley-Atwell-Mason-Alexander-Park-Phillip-Olagoke.-Credit-Marc-Brenner.-3757-db6f50a.jpg" width="4363" height="2909" alt="Much Ado About Nothing. Forbes Masson, Mara Huf, Hayley Atwell, Mason Alexander Park & Phillip Olagoke. Credit - Marc Brenner. 3757" title="Much Ado About Nothing. Forbes Masson, Mara Huf, Hayley Atwell, Mason Alexander Park & Phillip Olagoke. Credit - Marc Brenner. 3757" /> Atwell is similarly supreme as Beatrice, showing her wholeness as a barbed, intelligent, yet soft hearted woman who welcomes love with open arms when the time comes. In her performa…

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Unicorn review: Stephen Mangan and Nicola Walker's throuple play is amusing but fails to provoke
type: item
date: 2025-02-14T14:49:14.000Z
creator: Laura Wybrow
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: The comedy, which also stars The Crown's Erin Doherty, lacks intimacy and passion despite its focus on a polyamorous relationship.
encoded: Just as a unicorn is rare, so too is an original play receiving a West End debut, and for that, we award Unicorn its flowers. However, for all of its efforts, this amusing play fails to be described as 'provocative'. Unicorn is a brand new production with a brand new script, and it's written by Mike Bartlett and directed by James Macdonald, with Kate Horton producing the play. This isn't the first time Bartlett and Horton have joined forces, having worked together on Cock, a production which follows a man torn between a male and female lover, starring Ben Whishaw and Andrew Scott. Similarly to the exploration of relationship dynamics in Cock, Unicorn interrogates the marriage between middle-class and middle-aged couple Polly (played by Nicola Walker) and Nick (Stephen Mangan). The couple's sex life has lost its spark, and the person Polly believes can bring it back is 28-year-old cockney student Kate (The Crown's Erin Doherty). The first part of the play is primarily concerned with the ins-and-outs of a threesome: What does it mean for Polly and Nick's marriage? How will the threesome affect their marriage in the future? Will it? What will the kids think? The neighbours? Nick's friend Tom? Self-aware critiques of masculinity, monogamy, shame and capitalism are offered, until the couple eventually decide whether they'd like to give the threesome the green light. In the second part, we learn Polly and Nick have separated, and Mangan's character meets up with Kate and suggests the three of them rekindle and have sex. Surprisingly, the threesome leads to a polyamorous relationship, with Kate becoming Polly and Nick's girlfriend. However, unlike the lengthy discussions on whether or not to have a threesome, there is no conversation ahead of becoming a throuple; the audience can only assume that the decisiveness of the polyamorous relationship is down to Nick's newfound assertiveness after taking up kayaking and kicking a man unconscious... It's in this second part that t…

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Second Best review: Asa Butterfield makes a life-affirming theatre debut
type: item
date: 2025-02-04T12:20:29.000Z
creator: Michael Sidhu
subject: Going Out
subject: Reviews
subject: Tickets
subject: Review
description: You wouldn't believe it was Butterfield's stage debut!
encoded: Sex Education's Asa Butterfield makes for a stunning stage debut in the one-man play, Second Best. Now, you’d be forgiven for assuming Butterfield had been on stage before. After all, he’s been a star on British TV screens since he was a child, and after seeing this show, it’s frankly astonishing to think this is his debut – what a talent theatre has been missing! In Second Best, you’re following the journey of a man, Martin Hill, who is about to become a dad. It’s at this moment, he reflects on his life and how he very nearly became Harry Potter. First off, the 80-minute stage play is funny. Moments into the show, laughter ripples through the audience. But soon after, a hush falls as Martin’s psyche is laid bare and this continues throughout: Comedy, to tenderness, to despair – full circle. Butterfield expertly delivers in his performance of Martin. Aided by the intimacy of Riverside Studios as a theatre space, he holds the audience’s engagement throughout. He makes the task of performing solos look effortless, but that’s not to say he carries the play alone. Directed by Michael Longhurst, the former Donmar Warehouse artistic director, the stage and sound are both used incredibly well to shift between the tones of the play. A large, white space, with minimal props provides the backdrop – this helps keep your eyes focused on Butterfield. While it’s not aiming for realism, there is nothing on the stage that is not used to heighten the emotions at work. Add in the sound and lighting effects and the audience are suddenly allowed into the mind of Martin. Asa Butterfield has been in many things in his life so far, playing many characters. It’s evident he’s an excellent actor, but Second Best may be one of his greatest performances so far. This is an 80-minute story you don’t want to miss out on. Buy Second Best tickets at TodayTix Buy Second Best tickets at London Theatre Direct How to get Second Best tickets Second Best is running from 24th January to 22nd February 2025…

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