By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK? *****
WHERE? BFI Southbank, film released in the UK Friday 10 October 2025
‘Shame is such a wonderful thing to play as an actor,’ says Tovey as he reflects on how his part in Angels In America next door at the National Theatre saw him cast here.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK? ****
WHEN? Saturday 4 October 2025, tour runs through 26 March 2026
Setlist: London, Can You Wait?; Be My Light, Be My Guide; We Could Be Kings; Your Love, It Lies; Where Are They Now?; Truth, Rest Your Head; Long Sleeves For The Summer; Stop; Sleep Well Tonight; Rising For Sunset; Save Me, I’m Yours; O Lover; Speak To Me Someone; A Car That Sped; Walking In The Shallows; The British Disease; Haunted By You; Olympian; For The Dead; You’ll Never Walk Again; Sick, Sober and Sorry; Fighting Fit; I Can’t Help Myself; Somewhere In The World; Who Said This Was The End?
Does absence make the heart grow fonder?
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN? Tuesday 29 September, opens 8 October and runs through 1 November 2025 RUNTIME: 90 minutes (no interval)
Oscar winner Susan Sarandon makes her London stage debut in a play which looks at a woman’s life across 7 decades and 11 scenes.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN? Saturday 28 September 2025, runs through 10 January 2026 RUNTIME: 165 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Stephen Fry returns to the West End stage as Lady Bracknell for the 1st time since being nominated for a Tony for his Malvolio in 2012’s Twelfth Night and appearing as The Narrator in the Rocky Horror Show in 2015.
By Aline Mahrud
WORTH A LOOK?: **
WHEN? Friday 26 September, runs through 11 October 2025 RUNTIME: 170 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Last year this venue had a big hit with Eline Arbo’s play The Years which transferred to the West End and looked at the life of 1 woman at different stages across 65 years featuring multiple actresses, winning 2 Oliviers in the process.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHEN? Tuesday 23 September, opens 24 September and runs through 1 November 2025 RUNTIME: 105 minutes (no interval)
Author Nima Taleghani (Romeo And Juliet, Duke Of York’s Theatre) is perhaps best known as gay teacher Mr Farouk in Netflix’s Heartstopper and with this his play becomes the 1st debut work on the Olivier Theatre stage.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHEN? Monday 22 September, opens 24 September and runs through 8 November 2025 RUNTIME: 140 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
Stephens plays the titular Sloane, a would-be lodger, interviewed by Outhwaite’s (Stepping Out, Vaudeville Theatre) lonely landlady Kath who reveals she had an illegitimate son she gave up for adoption who would be Sloane’s age now.
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
Tracklist: Achilles; The Last Time I Saw The Old Man; The Man Who Turned Into A Chair; I Want You; Rainy Sunday Afternoon; All The Pretty Lights; Down The Rabbit Hole; Mar-a-Lago By The Sea; The Heart Is A Lonely Hunter; Can’t Let Go; Invisible Thread
The loss of a parent is a universal experience but not 1 which pop music usually troubles itself with.
Jack Holden (Cruise) adapts the Alan Hollinghurst novel we’ve loved directed by Michael Grandage (Orlando, Garrick Theatre) in this story of Thatcher’s Britain at its most decadent and divisive in London 1983. Runs at the Almeida 21 October through 29 November 2025. Tickets Our review
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
Tracklist: Relentless Love; Vertigo; Taste; Stay On Me; Dolce Vita; Time; Glamorous; Freedom Of The Night; Layers; Diamond In The Dark; Heart Sing; Don’t Know What You’ve Got ‘Til It’s Gone
Welcome to Ellis Bextor’s 8th studio album and 1st since Murder On The Dancefloor became an international hit for the 2nd time after its memorable inclusion in Emerald Fennell’s film Saltburn.
