Richard III is Sedos’ latest foray into the world of Shakespeare and this production takes the history books and turns it into a modern day political drama. The warring families become Prime Ministers and their cabinet members as well as those pulling the strings behind the scenes. The show charts Richards rise to power, pulling out parallels between him and the likes of Boris Johnson and charts King Edwards demise as it draws parrallels with them and Teresa May. Wars become elections and nobility become MP’s in this well considered production. Director Dan Edge leans into these themes well a ..read more

There has been a plethora of Musical Theatre concerts in the West End recently, with varying reviews but overall it is something I am in favour of (if done well) as it means you get to rediscover shows that may not be performed very often or experience a new piece of writing so I try to get to as many as possible. With that background in mind I can say that the 50th Anniversary Concert of Pippin may have been the best musical theatre concert I have seen in recent years. Pippin itself is a show that opened on Broadway in 1972 and it tells of Pippin, the oldest son of King Charlemagne who decide ..read more

Two Strangers Carry A Cake Across New York is another new British musical making big waves at the moment. After smaller runs at festivals for new musical theatre the show received a great reception at Kiln Theatre and made its transfer to the West End. The show tells of Dougal, an enthusiastic British twentysomething who has come to New York for the wedding of his father, who he has never met before. Sent to pick him up is the sister of the Bride, dry witted New Yorker, Robin. Despite Robin’s protests Dougal soon join her on her errands, which includes picking up her sister’s wedding cake and ..read more

MJ The Musical feels like it has been a long time coming to the West End, the show was due to open on Broadway in 2020 but due to Covid it opened in 2021 and it was announced that it was coming to the to West End was made back in October 2022. Some 18 months after the announcement I have finally been able to see what everyone has been talking about. The show is a jukebox musical which is set on the eve of Michael Jackson’s 1992 Dangerous World Tour. The audience, along with journalists Rachel and Alejandro are let into the rehearsal room for the tour as Michael recounts his childhood including ..read more

The Little Mermaid is a musical that has been on my radar to see for a long time and when I found out that Centre Stage were putting it on both my younger self and my current self were thrilled. The musical stays faithful to the film and follows Ariel, a mermaid who gives up her voice to the sea witch Ursula so that she can live amongst the humans and get a chance for Prince Eric to fall in love with her. The first thing that should be mentioned is the sheer scale of this production, so huge that it is hard to know where to start. The Little Mermaid has requirements that in isolation can seem ..read more

This is 4th time I have reviewed Blood Brothers on here and it is overall possibly the show that I have seen the most, so suffice to say I know it like the back of my hand. It’s also a show that I assume that most people have seen, it ran in the West End from 1988-2012 and has toured pretty much constantly from 1995. Whilst Blood Brothers is set in Liverpool during the 1960’s through to the 1980’s but the sentiments and themes still have resonance today. It tells the story of the Johnstone twins, separated at birth by a desperate and secret pact between two women. One twin is given away to Mrs ..read more

His electrifying dance show will take you in a real journey from the vineyard in Italy to TV shows in the UK, from tear jerking moments, to laugh out loud comedy, Believe has it all. You don’t have to be a Strictly Come Dancing fan to appreciate the insane talents of Jus Graziano but also his cast, of which his leading dance lady is also his leading lady in real life, his beautiful wife Giada. The start of the show opens with four props on stage, all symbolic to Graziano’s life, a chair, dance shoes, suitcase and a glitter ball. Through voiceover and clever use of video, the narrative of the ..read more

As you walk along Tooley Street past the restaurants and bars that occupy the arches underneath London Bridge you see a name on the wall in front of you marking one of the last arches on the right. That name is “Elvis” and inside the arch is a collection of personal items and memorabilia owned by the man who is arguably the origin of most popular rock and pop music – Elvis Presley. All of your favourite acts will have been influenced by someone that was influenced by Elvis. He was the first to bring Rock and Roll to the mainstream audience and it is telling that even now, almost 50 years after ..read more

Wild About You is the latest in a flurry of musical concerts to hit the West End. The show opens with Olivia in hospital, with a case of amnesia which included being unable to remember why or how she got there (and frustratingly we never really discover the answer). Throughout Act 1 you see her piece back together her life and in particular the people in her life with her. Act 2 however sees a sharp turn in the narrative as she is forced to watch her son grow up without her. Whilst the premeisis of the show is interesting the book by Eric Holmes leaves many threads unanswered. Act 1 ambles alo ..read more

West End Sessions is a concert series that is taking place at Brooks Mews Bar, a cute wine bar tucked down a pretty Mayfair street. West End sessions has seen the likes of Kerry Ellis and Alice Fearn grace its stage but when I was there I was treated to Christina Bianco alongside the host and organiser Daniel Koek. The venue is very intimate….with around 50 people squeezed in there it broke the ice very quickly and I was soon chatting to the other couple we were sharing our table with. This intimacy really does give it a unique vibe and I felt like I was being treated to something very special ..read more