Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown is something of a slow starter. This is a contrast with the usual West End musical fare, but as is the scale. It initially feels a little weird to see a musical staged almost like a drama and I was slightly underwhelmed at first by the plain … >
There’s much to enjoy in this bright and breezy production of Alan Bennett’s most famous play, directed by Kate Sexton. We’re in Cutler’s Grammar School, where a group of history pupils are preparing for the Oxford and Cambridge entrance examinations, never quite sure if it’s knowledge or ideas that will get them through. Wolfblood‘s Kedar … >
Ghost Stories, Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson’s horror-themed stage show, does its absolute best to put the fear in to you long before you take your seats. The website warns that those of a nervous disposition or with a weak heart ought to steer clear; the theatre itself is decked out in ominous fashion, with … >
As many horror fans head to the cinema to see The Woman in Black: Angel of Death, Theatre Royal in Brighton goes back to the story’s origin with a one-week run for the acclaimed stage version of Susan Hill’s gothic novel. Adapted for the stage by Stephen Mallatratt, the play recently celebrated its 25th year … >
You’ll have heard of Avenue Q before, of course, the delinquent boozy stepchild of Sesame Street. In a supremely confident production, Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company have absolutely nailed the energetic perkiness and gawsh-darned American-ness that’s required to make Avenue Q work. One of the major draws of this show is that it’s much more … >
With the festive season almost upon us, CultBox despatched a couple of its Munchkins to sample the magic of musical theatre. Wicked is billed as ‘The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz’ and frames the original tale, best known for the 1939 film starring Judy Garland, by delving back into the past and showing … >
Having run for some time now, London is now treated to two legends of the West End amongst the cast of the musical based on the Michael Caine/Steve Martin 1988 film, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels. Following the plot of the film quite closely, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels: The Musical sees suave conman Lawrence Jameson, played here by … >
Brilliant music, fittingly grotesque characters and a twisted vein of pitch-black humour make Urinetown: The Musical a runaway success. The action takes place in a make believe America of the future where water is in extremely short supply. In response to the drought, the people in power (money-grabbing corporation Urine Good Company) have demanded that … >
Adapted from Roald Dahl’s classic children’s book by Utopia writer Dennis Kelly, the Royal Shakespeare Company’s musical interpretation of Matilda is a wholly astounding show. Featuring original songs by Australian comedian Tim Minchin, Matilda wins over the audience from the get-go with ‘Miracle’; a fantastic indication of the irreverent but completely on-point humour to follow. The … >
While the audience might guess the setting of Enda Walsh’s Ballyturk to be a fictional village in Ireland sometime in the late ‘60s / early ‘70s, the programme specifies that it takes place in “No time. No place.” Very well. Its characters are numbered rather than named. 1 (Cillian Murphy) and 2 (Mikel Murfi) spend … >