WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Young Vic
WHEN: 5/12 (matinee), runs to 19/12
‘If you treat people like animals, they’ll behave like them.’ It’s an observation by protagonist Paul (rising star Brian Vernel, menacing and brilliant here) referring to football clubs’ treatment of their fans as he waits ticketless outside the only game he’ll miss this season, the 1976 FA Cup final, but it references much else here. Read More
WORTH A LOOK?: ** (on 28/11, **** potential later)
WHERE: Royal Court
WHEN: 28/11, runs to 9/1/16
Is it ever acceptable for a leading actor to carry their script with them while on stage and refer to it occasionally when they have clearly forgotten their lines?
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Menier Chocolate Factory
WHEN: 20/11, press night 2/12, runs to 5/3/16. Transfers to Savoy Theatre and runs 9/4/16 – 2/7/16.
In July we declared that Imelda Staunton was giving the best performance in the West End in Gypsy.
WORTH A LOOK: ****
WHERE: Trafalgar Studios
WHEN: 19/11 runs to 13/2
This 50th anniversary production of Harold Pinter’s unsettling play has attracted a stellar cast including Gemma Chan (who starred in Channel Four’s Humans), John Simm, Gary Kemp and Keith Allen.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: National Theatre
WHEN: 11/11 (matinee), runs to 5/3/16
The unforgettable stage transformation from 21st century office to Forest of Arden is our abiding memory from this playful production by Polly Findlay.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***
WHERE: Old Vic
WHEN: 12/11, runs to 21/11
We’ve seen Bertie Carvel within a few short months as a doomed king in ancient Greece (Bakkhai), a cheating modern day husband (TV’s Doctor Foster) and now a brutish American 20th century ship labourer.
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHERE: Dominion Theatre
WHEN: 10/11, runs to 2/1/16
It is unfortunate for the West End’s highest charging musical that publicity has centred on its £240 top-priced tickets.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHERE: Adelphi Theatre
WHEN: 4/11 (matinee), running to 28/5/16
We saw the first Kinky Boots London preview in August, it opened in September to near universal 4* reviews and we decided to return on a matinee in November to give it our full critical appreciation.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Theatre Royal Haymarket
WHEN: 31/10 (matinee), runs to 23/1/16
Samuel Foote was an 18th century theatre manager/actor who may have won royal status for the venue in which this play is being staged yet also lost a leg in an accident but continued to tread the boards.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****1/2
WHERE: The Barbican
WHEN: 31/10
It’s the end of the last night of 100 or so performances and Benedict Cumberbatch is onstage and on the verge of tears – thanking the audiences across the 12-week run at The Barbican for donating more than £100,000 to Save The Children for Syrian refugees.
