Gorgeously, heartbreakingly beautiful, Cassie and the Lights is a minor-key triumph at Southwark Playhouse “We like stories And this is our one” One December afternoon, a family trip to the bowling alley takes a turn when the mother goes to get some slushies for her daughters and never returns. 16 year old Cassie is experienced in her mum’s unreliability and reassures 10-year-old Tin and 7-year-old Kit that she’s bound to turn up soon but when she doesn’t, Cassie falls into loco parentis. Encouraging her siblings not to say anything, she’s determined to shoulder the burden of her remade family ..read more

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins doesn’t quite live up to expectations with The Comeuppance at the Almeida Theatre “I think people will think it is funny Maybe it is a little conceptual” With the likes of An Octoroon, Gloria and Appropriate under his belt, the air of expectation around a new Branden Jacobs-Jenkins can’t help but be set at a certain level, thems the rules as unfair as they may be. So when I say I wasn’t particularly overwhelmed by The Comeuppance, which has just opened at the Almeida Theatre, it’s with the acknowledgement that it is his own very high standard that hasn’t been m ..read more

Noël Coward Award for Best New Entertainment or Comedy Play Accidental Death Of An Anarchist by Dario Fo & Franca Rame, adapted by Tom Basden at the Lyric Hammersmith & Theatre Royal Haymarket Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim at the Gielgud Theatre WINNER – Stranger Things: The First Shadow by Kate Trefry at the Phoenix TheatreVardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial, adapted by Liv Hennessy at the Ambassadors Theatre Best Family Show Bluey’s Big Play by Joe Brumm at Southbank Centre’s Royal Festival Hall WINNER – Dinosaur World Live by Derek Bon ..read more

Plaza Suite proves a painfully inexplicable choice of play to bring Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick to the West End together “Just talk nicely and she’ll come out” Being firmly #TeamCattrall and having been burned by a Neil Simon in this very theatre more than a decade ago, I’d no intention to check into Plaza Suite at the Savoy Theatre. The presence of real-life couple Sarah Jessica Parker (making a West End debut) and Matthew Broderick allowed producers to jack up prices to an eye-watering maximum too but the last minute offer of a freebie and a nice lunch beforehand meant I got t ..read more

Orange Tree Theatre has announced Finn Cole, known for his roles in Peaky Blinders and Animal Kingdom,will make his professional stage debut playing Ray in the European première of Lucas Hnath’s Red Speedo directed by Matthew Dunster. Red Speedo opens on 18 July, with previews from 13 July, and runs until 10 August. Lucas Hnath’s RED SPEEDO Directed by Matthew Dunster A co-production with David Adkin 13 July – 10 August 2024 Designer: Anna Fleischle; Associate Designer and Costume Designer: Cat Fuller; Lightin ..read more

The Menier Chocolate Factory today announces full casting for the revival of Jerry Herman’s Jerry’s Girls. Hannah Chissick directs Cassidy Janson, Lyn Paul and Julie Yammanee. The show will feature choreography by Matt Cole, set and costume design by Paul Farnsworth, lighting design by Philip Gladwell, musical supervision and arrangements by Sarah Travis, and an all-female band. This new production opens on 22 May, with previews from 18 May, and plays a strictly limited season until 29 June. JERRY’S GIRLS Music and Lyri ..read more

V&L Productions cut Macbeth down to a fast-paced 75 minutes at the Jack Studio Theatre “Voices I desire aloud with mine” On the one hand, there’s something to be said for being over and done with a rapid-fire Macbeth in 75 minutes straight through. On the other, it isn’t abundantly clear what we gain from the exercise. Reimagined by Vince Mathews and Liz Love for V&L Productions, this bit of reduced Shakespeare packs in some memorable moments but never quite establishes a raison d’être for this particular treatment. Darwin Littlejohns Hennessy’s lighting design probably makes the ..read more

Ireland is a country that is packed full of culture and has a long-standing connection with the arts. This is easy to see when you think of the many fabulous actors who have emerged from the Emerald Isle, or how popular theatre, TV, and film are with people across Ireland. Playing online casino games has also become popular with people around the country in terms of staying entertained, and it represents a viable alternative to catching the latest plays, shows, or movies. As the name suggests, this involves logging onto online casino platforms to play classics like slots, roulette, blackjack ..read more

Full casting is announced for the RSC’s forthcoming production of Shakespeare’s suburban comedy, The Merry Wives of Windsor.  Directed by Blanche McIntyre, the show runs in repertoire in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon between 5 June – 7 September.  Making their RSC debuts as the eponymous ‘Merry Wives’ are the previously announced double Olivier Award-winner Samantha Spiro (Sex Education/ Ridley Road) as Mistress Meg Page, who is joined by Siubhan Harrison (The Ocean at the End of the Lane) as Mistress Alice Ford.  John Hodgkin ..read more

Producers ROYO and Curve are delighted to announce a brand-new Made at Curve production of the Olivier, Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical Kinky Boots The Musical, which will tour the UK and Ireland from 17 January 2025. Kinky Boots The Musical features a score by Cyndi Lauper and a book by Harvey Fierstein. It will be directed by Curve’s Artistic Director Nikolai Foster (THE WIZARD OF OZ, A CHORUS LINE, BILLY ELLIOT) and will star TV dance sensation and international champion Johannes Radebe as Lola and rising star Dan Partridge as Charlie Price. Kinky Bo ..read more