“Jane Eyre” is well-acted by a cast of only three. The title role is played by Rebecca Tebbett, whose performance is suitably grounded and down-to-earth, whilst still being immensely likable. Wreh-Asha Walton and Alex Wilson play all of the remaining characters, which is quite a feat. They switch between the roles deftly, and perform all of them with great conviction.
Read MoreCurrently playing at London’s Pleasance Theatre, Freeman is a passionate, emotive and high-energy production which uses an impressive range of theatrical modes to tell interweaving stories about the lives of people of colour through the years.
Read MoreTrial by Laughter, playing at Newbury's Watermill Theatre, is a witty and enjoyable play – albeit less remarkable than some of the Watermill's previous productions. This play is entirely what you would expect from a comedy by creators Ian Hislop and Nick Newman (respectively editor and cartoonist for Private Eye). Trial by Laughter doesn't just indulge in satire, it relies on it.
Read MoreCurrently playing at London’s Bunker Theatre, Eris follows the story of Seán (Cormac Elliot), as he tries to find the most disruptive boyfriend possible to bring to a family wedding. As he struggles to move on from his last relationship, relying on the help of his friend Callista (Ashling O’Shea), Seán confronts family, prejudice … and Tinder.
Read MoreCurrently playing at London’s Finborough Theatre, Square Rounds is a clever, quirky play which is for the most part very enjoyable. The first act is a lot stronger than the second, changing with more ease between the comedic and the sinister elements of the show. The second act, conversely, seems bogged down with the historic details of this story’s more tragic elements, and some of the show’s character is lost towards the end.
Read MoreSweet Charity, currently playing at Newbury's Watermill Theatre, is a fun, immersive and completely unique production. Performed by a very strong cast of thirteen actor-musicians, this show will draw you in, make you laugh, and surprise you more than once.
Sweet Charity is not at all what you would expect from a 1966 musical. The Watermill Theatre's production of this classic feels fresh and new, and draws out relevant, topical themes (particularly gender equality), whilst maintaining a fantastically fun, jazzy and mischievous vibe.
Read MoreJerusalem, currently playing at Newbury's Watermill Theatre, is a fantastic and unique production. This is no surprise, when you consider that it was written by Jez Butterworth (whose incredible play The Ferryman has just closed in the West End). Jerusalem is darkly comic, well layered, and razor-sharp.
Jerusalem spends almost two and a half hours making you laugh, and then sobers you up in the space of a minute. Tension within this production is created deftly, and the comedic elements of the play toy with this, at times balancing it out, and at times accentuating it. The resulting atmosphere is very effective.
Read MoreThe Iris Theatre's production of The Tempest, playing at St Paul’s Church in Covent Garden (London's West End), is an enjoyable adaptation of Shakespeare's play, but one which, at times, feels a bit too cautious.
Read MoreYou don't have to be a 'Shakespeare person' to love the Watermill Theatre's current production of A Midsummer Night's Dream. In this original, energetic, and hilarious production, the Watermill Theatre has taken a play which has been performed countless times, and made it into something which feels new.
Read MoreTon Wentworth's new version of the story of Burke and Hare is sharp and witty, and acted out by a cast of only three, all of whom cause a great level of comic chaos by darting between multiple roles … and many accents. Like many productions at The Watermill, Burke and Hare has the edge of something that's just a bit different.
Read MoreThe Gulf, by Audrey Cefaly, is a well-written and deftly acted piece about the strained relationship between two women. The play is suitably intimate, and the characters very believable, but overall the piece lacks energy and feels underwhelming.
Read MoreThe Rivals, currently playing at Newbury's Watermill Theatre, is an easy-to-watch, light and enjoyable comedy. Set in Bath in 1775, The Rivals follows the story of Lydia Languish, who falls in love with one young man (Beverly), and rejects another (Captain Absolute) … without realising that they are, in fact, the same person. Cue a whole heap of mistaken identity.
Read MoreThe Dog Beneath The Skin, originally written by W. H. Auden and Christopher Isherwood and now playing at London's Jermyn Street Theatre, is scattered with enjoyable moments but, overall, misses the mark. The play does sometimes fall into good a rhythm, but it's never long before something jars.
Read More2018 marks the centenary of the year in which certain British women were given the right to vote. In celebration of this, Suffragette City, an interactive experience, has been created by the National Trust (inspired by documents from The National Archives), and can currently be found in the heart of London.
Read MoreElectra, currently playing at London's Bunker Theatre, is John Ward's punk-rock, modernised retelling of a Greek myth in which a family tears itself apart in a savage fight for power, and revenge. Electra is a small production, simple in many ways, but tense, convincing and atmospheric.
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