By Paul T Davies Paul T Davies reviews Martha Loader’s play Bindweed at the Mercury Theatre Colchester. The company of Bindweed. Photo: Will Green Bindweed Mercury Theatre 18 June 2024 5 Stars A course that four men convicted of domestic abuse offences have to attend weekly, or risk jail or being denied access to their children. Facilitating the group is Jen, moving into social work from the Met, where a distressing domestic murder caused her to have a breakdown. Now she wants to break the circle, to stop the men reoffending. Martha Loader’s outstanding play brings the men and their lives to s ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Following acclaimed seasons at Wilton’s Music Hall and the Edinburgh Fringe, the UK and Ireland tour of Alexander S Bermange’s I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical is announced.   I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical UK Tour Following critically acclaimed seasons at Wilton’s Music Hall and several Edinburgh Festival Fringes, James Seabright is delighted to present the debut UK and Ireland tour of Alexander S. Bermange’s hugely popular revue, I Wish My Life Were Like a Musical. This wonderfully humorous depiction of the unseen world of musical theatre has so far been lauded ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Casting has been announced for the limited West End season of the Olivier and Tony Award-winning comedy The 39 Steps at the Trafalgar Theatre. Safeena Ladha, Eugene McCoy, Tom Byrne and Maddie Rice. Photo: Mark Senior It has been announced that the current touring cast of award-winning comedy The 39 Steps are to appear in a strictly limited West End season at the Trafalgar Theatre from 16 August to 29 September. BOOK TICKETS FOR THE 39 STEPS Tom Byrne will play Richard Hannay, Safeena Ladha the roles of Annabella Schmidt, Pamela and Margaret, Eugene McCoy will be Clown 1 and Ma ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Olivier Award-winning Giles Terera is to join Steve Coogan in the World Premiere stage production of Stanley Kubrick’s Dr Strangelove at the Noel Coward Theatre. Giles Terera. Photo: Chantel King Steve Coogan is to be joined by Olivier Award-winning Giles Terera in the World Premiere stage production of Stanley Kubrick’s classic Dr Strangelove when it opens at the Noel Coward Theatre, London in October 2024. Due to phenomenal demand, the London season has been extended by 5 weeks. Performances at the Noël Coward Theatre will now finish on Saturday 25 January 2025 before a limit ..read more

By Douglas Mayo   Ghost Stories – The long-running West End hit by Jeremy Dyson and Andy Nyman will tour for the first time. Ghost Stories UK Tour When Professor Goodman, arch-sceptic out to debunk the paranormal, embarks on an investigation of three apparent hauntings – as recounted by a night-watchman, a teenage boy, and a businessman awaiting his first child – Goodman finds himself at the outer limits of rationality, and fast running out of explanations. Enter a world full of thrilling twists and epic turns, where the ultimate love letter to horror is imagined live on stage. A fully ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Sam Mendes’ production of The Lehman Trilogy returns to London’s Gillian Lyne Theatre for a limited run this September. Howard W. Overshown, John Heffernan and Aaron Krohn. Photo: Kevin Berne Critically acclaimed The Lehman Trilogy returns to the West End in September following acclaimed international seasons. The five-time Tony Award winning production is written by Stefano Massini, adapted by Ben Power and directed by multi-award-winning director, Sam Mendes with set design by Es Devlin, will play at the Gillian Lynne Theatre from 24 September 20 ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Watch Kym Marsh perform Cruella de Vil’s big number Animal Lover from 101 Dalmations the Musical. Animal Lover, alongside all the songs in 101 Dalmatians The Musical, was written by Douglas Hodge with orchestration by Jack Hopkins, and Leigh Stanford Thompson is the musical director. Animal Lover is available on Spotify and other platforms. The song is Cruella de Vil’s big solo number in the touring stage production, and Kym took to the studio a couple of weeks ago to record it with musical supervisor Alfonso Casado Trigo. 101 Dalmatians The ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Wise Children and RSC’s critically acclaimed production of Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia is transferring to the Barbican Centre Wise Children today announces the London transfer of their co-production with the RSC, the critically acclaimed production The Buddha of Suburbia. Based on the novel by Hanif Kureishi, and adapted for the stage by Emma Rice, with Hanif Kureishi, the show opens at the Barbican on 29 October, running until 16 November 2024. JOIN OUR MAILING LIST TO STAY INFORMED Artistic Director of Wise Children Emma Rice said today, “I have truly loved making ..read more

By Douglas Mayo Olivier Award Winner John Dalgleish is to play the lead in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the musical at Ambassadors Theatre. John Dalgleish It has been announced that Olivier Award Winner John Dalgleish will star as the title character in new musical The Curious Case of Benjamin Button when it opens at the Ambassadors Theatre, London on 11 October 2024. BOOK TICKETS FOR THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON He will be joined by Matthew Burns, Jonathan Charles, Oonagh Cox, Anna Fordham, Philippa Hogg, Damien James, Ann Marcuson, Jack Quarton and Benedict Salter, all reprisin ..read more

By Douglas Mayo On Saturday 8 June 2024, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Phantom Of The Opera celebrated its 15,000th performance at His Majesty’s Theatre in London’s West End. Jon Robyns and Lily Kerhoas. Photo: Matt Crockett The Phantom Of The Opera celebrated its 15000th performance in the West End on Saturday 8 June at His Majesty’s Theatre. It is the third production in history to reach this milestone after The Mousetrap and Les Miserables. BOOK THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA TICKETS The hit musical which currently stars Jon Robyns as The Phantom alongside Lily Kerhoas as Christine Daaé, Joe Griffith ..read more