A review of Jack Absolute Flies Again, a reworking of Sheridan’s The Rivals, by Richard Bean and Oliver Chris. A rollicking romp set in a commandeered WWII airfield. The Rivals Reborn Long-time readers will know that I actually quite like walking in as an unprepared audience member. No prior assumptions, just taking things as they […]
A review of the Old Operating Theatre Museum & Herb Garret, tucked between London Bridge Station and Borough Market. A cosy, grandmother’s attic sort of a museum with a long and interesting history. What’s This Museum About, Then? It’s been years since I was last at the Old Operating Theatre & Herb Garret. I came […]
A review of Cyrano de Bergerac at the Harold Pinter Theatre. This new version by Martin Crimp treads an interesting line between the classical and contemporary. Cyrano de Bergerac, by Edmond Rostand Cyrano de Bergerac is a relatively well known story. A witty poet, in love with his cousin Roxane, employs his way with words […]
A review of Cratchit at the Park Theatre and A Christmas Carol at Alexandra Palace Theatre. Two more great versions to choose from, continuing my annual tradition of overdosing on Charles Dickens’ seasonal ghost story. Christmas 2021: Concern And Comfort In The Familiar In December 2020 I wrote a double review of versions of A […]
Once again we take a look at two plays currently on at the National Theatre. This time we have The Normal Heart, a passionate and heartbreaking play written during the AIDS epidemic, and East is East, the first production in the National’s Lyttleton theatre since early 2020. All Three Theatres In Action Once More! I […]
A part-live, part-recorded, gameplay, Zoom call version of Romeo & Juliet has me feeling a little conflicted. Theatre Truly Embraces The Online Channel It feels somehow apt to be reviewing a forward-looking online version of Romeo & Juliet on the day that theatres and other cultural venues reopen in England. The last 18 months have […]
A review of Lolita Chakrabarti’s new play Hymn, streamed live from the Almeida. Devastating and brilliant, it had me totally captivated. Hymn at the Almeida – A Play About Love Hymn is not a traditional love story. It follows Gilbert (Adrian Lester) and Benny (Danny Sapani) over the course of about a year, as a […]
A review of Nine Lessons and Carols, a new work currently on at the Almeida Theatre. In which I find that for once the focus on human connection results in a genuine connection with the audience. Finding Ways to Stay Connected In Our Isolation The preoccupation of 2020, aside from coronavirus, US elections. Brexit and […]
Review of Death of England: Delroy at the National Theatre. In which I didn’t expect to be there on opening night, which was also closing night. Opening Night/Closing Night By sheer luck, I had tickets to see Death of England: Delroy on Wednesday 4 November. This was one day before the UK entered its second […]
It’s time for the Salterton Arts Review’s annual tradition of welcoming in the new year by reflecting on this year’s cultural highlights. It’s the 2023 countdown! The 2023 Countdown: A Year In Review Looking back at my post from this time last year, I had urged myself in 2023 not to overdo things by trying […]