Tweetingit: 5***** A peerless performance from a superlative cast delving into the mind and machinations of a most charismatic King. Accessing Digital Theatre for the first time, I felt like a kid cut loose in a sweet shop. The theatrical equivalent to Netflix is easy to navigate and provides a mouth-watering selection of shows recordedContinue reading “Review: Henry V – Live from Stratford-upon-Avon Via @digitaltheatre @HassellAlex @TheRSC”
Category Archives: Reviewer – Brian
Review: 4**** The Dad’s Army Radio Show @DadsArmyRadio
Tweetingit: 4* Classic comedy given fresh impetus with two brilliant actors voicing an entire cast of characters. A real treat! Shadowed by the gothic splendour of St. Pancras station sits the British Library. And buried deep inside its Knowledge Centre is a well-appointed theatre which played host to a wonderful production of the Dad’s ArmyContinue reading “Review: 4**** The Dad’s Army Radio Show @DadsArmyRadio”
Review: 3*** Lipstick – Southwark Playhouse @swkplay
Tweetingit: 3* Two girls play schoolboys with a different perception of what it’s like to feel different. An intelligent, well observed play raised by some outstanding acting. In a world where sexual identity is nothing more than a routine conversation piece, Lipstick is hardly breaking new territory. It does however provide a showcase for twoContinue reading “Review: 3*** Lipstick – Southwark Playhouse @swkplay”
Review 3*** Falling in Love Again – King’s Head Theatre
Tweetingit: 3* An enjoyable if lightweight tale of the King of England and Queen of Hollywood. Some things never change! With exquisite timing the premiere of Falling in Love Again lands at the King’s Head Theatre. Slap bang in the middle of this week’s crisis in the Royal Family one wonders if mystical powers areContinue reading “Review 3*** Falling in Love Again – King’s Head Theatre”
Review 4**** A Taste of Honey – Trafalgar Studios @NationalTheatre @TrafStudios
A gritty northern drama from the very top draw. A taste of honey just got that much sweeter. Once upon a time, theatre director Joan Littlewood took a pinch of inspiration and mixed it with a cupful of talent to create the Theatre Workshop. Based at Theatre Royal Stratford East the workshop gave many youngContinue reading “Review 4**** A Taste of Honey – Trafalgar Studios @NationalTheatre @TrafStudios”
Review: 3*** An Act of God – The Vaults @thevaultsuk @ActOfGodLondon @leakstarches
Tweetingit: 3* Think the Ten Commandments could use a re-boot? Comedian Zoe Lyons imagines God in stand-up mode; predictable but occasionally very funny. An Act of God presents something of a moral conundrum, re-treading themes that have kept satirists busy for generations. It belongs to the same family of writing that produced the Life ofContinue reading “Review: 3*** An Act of God – The Vaults @thevaultsuk @ActOfGodLondon @leakstarches”
Review: 3*** Reputation The Musical – The Other Palace @TheOtherPalace @ReputationLdn
A fresh out of the box musical drawing inspiration from the golden age of Hollywood. Pleasant songs compensate for a lightweight script. The cosy studio of the Other Palace is now home to the newest off West End musical. Reputation throws the audience back to 1935 with the Hollywood studio system in full effect. OurContinue reading “Review: 3*** Reputation The Musical – The Other Palace @TheOtherPalace @ReputationLdn”
Review: 5***** Death of a Salesman – Piccadilly Theatre @SalesmanWestEnd @WendellPierce @TeamPiccadilly
A heavyweight cast join forces with a heavyweight writer to create a tour de force in theatre; an intoxicating mix of style and attitude. Not to be missed. The cult of celebrity does sometimes work in mysterious ways; my earliest recollection of Arthur Miller was not as a great 20th Century playwright. But more asContinue reading “Review: 5***** Death of a Salesman – Piccadilly Theatre @SalesmanWestEnd @WendellPierce @TeamPiccadilly”
Review: 4**** God’s Dice – Soho Theatre @sohotheatre @Baddiel @exitthelemming
For someone who made his name in stand-up and sketch based comedy, David Baddiel’s first outing as a playwright comes as something of a surprise. God’s Dice sets an examination question that is both daunting and challenging. What would happen if the existence of God could be scientifically proven? It seems a million miles awayContinue reading “Review: 4**** God’s Dice – Soho Theatre @sohotheatre @Baddiel @exitthelemming”
Review: 4**** Katheryn Howard – Hope Theatre @TheHopeTheatre
The Tudors represent a tumultuous period in British history and arguably provided the inspiration for Game of Thrones. Henry VIII ruled for 38 years and collected six wives along the way. But who of the six spring most readily to mind; Catherine of Aragon, long suffering first wife, whose divorce sparked the reformation; or theContinue reading “Review: 4**** Katheryn Howard – Hope Theatre @TheHopeTheatre”
Playhouse Pickings 