Bailey (film Wicked and COCK, Ambassadors) stars in this Shakespeare directed by Nicholas Hytner (Giant, Royal Court and transferring to the Harold Pinter Theatre) at the Bridge Theatre. Runs 10 February through 10 May 2025 Tickets Our review
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHEN?: Sunday 29 December 2024, runs through 25 January 2025 and then tours the UK (details below) RUNTIME: 120 minutes with a 20-minute interval
This production began as a conversation in 2018 when Oberman told director Brigid Larmour she wanted to play Shylock as an East End matriarch in the 1930s, inspired by her great grandmother.
It’s been quite the year, it’s almost Christmas and what would the festive season be without some recognition of the best of 2024? Over the next month we’ll shortlist five nominees in each of 17 categories for our 10th annual Oscars, or monstas if you will, of 2024.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: ***1/2
WHEN?: Monday 9 December 2024, opens 17 December and runs through 1 February 2025 RUNTIME: 135 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
We’ve certainly had the recent windy weather to fully appreciate the timing of this much looked-forward-to production starring Storm Sigourney.
By Neil Durham
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN?: Saturday 6 April 2024, opens 11 April and runs through 22 June 2024 RUNTIME: 220 minutes (including a 20-minute interval)
McKellen (Mother Goose, Duke Of York’s Theatre) dons a fatsuit and gives the performance of a lifetime as Falstaff in writer/director Robert Icke’s (Oresteia and Hamlet, Almeida) combination of Shakespeare’s Henry IV parts 1 and 2.
We loved her in X Factor, Finland picked the best of three fine songs for her May Eurovision entry and she brings her Eurovision Wonderland show to Under The Bridge 25/4. We think her co-penned Monsters is our favourite song of the year so far. Tickets
Kathy Burke (whose The Retreat at the Park Theatre earlier this year was lots of fun) directs Jennifer Saunders in this Oscar Wilde play for Dominic Dromgoole’s Classic Spring theatre company as a follow-up to his delightful A Woman Of No Importance. Runs 12/1 to 7/4 at the Vaudeville Theatre. Tickets
WORTH A LOOK?: ****
WHERE: Park Theatre
WHEN: 3/7 (matinee), runs to 3/7
It’s Pride weekend in London and Sir Ian McKellen is reaching the end of a week-long series of shows during which he has raised an astonishing £250,000 for north London’s four-year-old Park Theatre, which receives no government funding.
WORTH A LOOK?: *****
WHEN: 22/4/17
WHERE: East London/Westminster Abbey
We started Shakespeare’s birthday weekend with Live In This And Dwell In Lovers’ Eyes, a two-hour walk from Shoreditch to the Globe Theatre.
Our most anticipated theatrical event of the year. Marianne Elliott (War Horse, Curious Incident of the Dog In The Night-Time) directs a stellar cast including Nathan Lane (The Producers, The Birdcage), Andrew Garfield, Denise Gough, James McArdle and Russell Tovey in this two-part Tony Kushner classic at the National Theatre from 11/4. Runs to 19/8. Tickets
