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Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – How to Win 5 Grand on the Internet, The City for Incurable Women, ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States, Courier, Will Owen: Looking Fab at Fifty, and Three Can Keep a Secret

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How to Win 5 Grand on the Internet, Zoo Playground.4-starsIf you’re expecting a TED talk on how to win money online, think again. Laurence Baker managed to make a living from playing internet poker after his father died, but is that really the legacy he wants to leave behind? This fascinating piece of experimental theatre is both funny and challenging. Laurence is a splendid clown and improviser, who conveys the process of trying to express thoughts and ideas where words just don’t cut it. Some sentiments are difficult to communicate, and the play concentrates on that search to find a way through. It’s worth noting that it relies on considerable participation from the audience, although it’s easy to duck out of that if you want. Some sequences work brilliantly, others don’t entirely land, but the bravery of this performance and the experimental directions that the show takes make this constantly stimulating and intriguing fun. 4 stars.

The City for Incurable Women, Pleasance Courtyard.4-starsA fascinating history of how society in general and the medical profession in particular have treated women over the ages. Concentrating on the work of 19th century Parisian Dr Jean-Martin Charcot, a pioneering scientist and misguided busybody, actor Charlotte McBurney both conveys and lives through the cruelly harmful practices to which women have been subjected over the years – and with the continuation of medical misogyny, that’s not ending soon. An intelligent and unpredictable narrative, beautifully written by Helena McBurney, it’s not only an inspiring piece of drama, it’s fascinatingly informative too. Very slickly put together, and a technically flawless performance. 4 stars.

ROTUS: Receptionist of the United States, Gilded Balloon Patter House.3-starsChastity Quirke rules the roost outside the Oval Office in her unofficial role as receptionist of the United States. No one notices a receptionist, not even the “pretty blonde” ones, so she hears secrets that no ordinary spy could discover. Would she use these secrets to her own advantage? You betcha! But what’s that old saying about when you play with fire you get burned? Will Chastity be outsmarted and be used as a sacrificial lamb, or will she get the last laugh? A smart and engaging performance by Leigh Douglas as not only the ROTUS, but also all the other characters in this entertaining tale of political intrigue. 3 stars.

Courier, Zoo Playground.<4-starsBenny works his socks off, on his bike all day, delivering his food orders all around town. During the Covid pandemic, he sees himself as an essential worker, couriering his Deliveroo bag to whoever needs it. Benny is on a mission to deliver to 25 Swanpool Road, but it seems as though wherever he delivers, he meets Lucy, who has given him her number… What starts off as a simple celebration of the life of a Deliveroo operative takes a turn for the surreal, and Things Are Not Necessarily What They Seem. An excellent solo performance by Piers MacKenzie, cunningly but honestly written. Funny, alarming, and constantly surprising. 4 stars.

Will Owen: Looking Fab at Fifty, Assembly Roxy.4-starsAn hour of very engaging comedy with the extremely likeable Will Owen, exploring what it’s like to be a young gay man today, and how he fits in (or doesn’t) with the scene. Can Grindr help him find the man of his dreams, and even if it does, will he want to see him for a second date? Effortlessly funny, he strikes up a terrific and instant rapport with the audience, and packs tons of excellent material into his tightly written and structured set. Great fun, and I reckon Mr Owen will be One To Watch. 4 stars.

Three Can Keep a Secret, The Space on The Mile.4-starsMason invites his poker buddies Moose and Sonny over for a boys’ night of cards whilst his wife Denise goes off to Vegas with her friend Julia. The evening starts promisingly enough but things get a little tense after the first round of cards; and when Mason goes to fix some fresh drinks for the guys he gets a rather unpleasant surprise…. Three Can Keep a Secret is a comedy thriller by Gregory Crafts where the audience gets to choose which way the story develops at several important plot points, so every performance is always different, depending on the decisions made by that audience. Brought to the Edinburgh Fringe by Theatre Unleased of Los Angeles, a terrific cast keep the pace and atmosphere going with high energy and a lovely mix of fun and suspense – and also some impressive stage combat! A thrillingly entertaining end to your Fringe day! 4 stars.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – Thin Walls: (Men)tal Health, Bloody Influencers, Lianna Holston and Michael McPheat: Starter Pack, Hold the Line, Footballers’ Wives: The Musical, and The Naked Neds

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Thin Walls: (Men)tal Health, Greenside @ George Street.3-starsThree brothers react to the death of their father in their own different ways. The oldest, Rick, retreats into his bullying shell and doesn’t allow the others to grieve. Ben, in the middle, needs therapy but refuses it, causing his own relationship to break up. The youngest, Danny, always the most emotional, comforts himself with heavy drinking and outbursts of anger, endangering his college degree. Friends try their best to support them – but there has to come a point when you must take charge of your own destiny and work your own way out of your desperation. Wabash College’s theatre department’s Thin Walls (Men)tal Health tackles the brothers’ predicament with some sensitive and witty writing and ending with a positive message. They wisely cut the story short so that at just 40 minutes, it gains in punch and pithiness. This is an ambitious production for a small stage, with a surprisingly large cast. A very moving little play. 3 stars.

Bloody Influencers, Greenside @ George Street.4-starsMeet Daisy – that’s @daisy_beautyme – a devoted Insta influencer with thousands of followers feeding her need to be loved and recognised. Just count all those clicks! Together with gamer Neil they make the perfect Influencer pair. But when Neil gets cancelled, and it’s revealed that none of this adoration is real, all the online affection just fades away. But what’s an influencer to do? They can’t just give up! Daisy Woolworth gives a brilliant performance as the bloody influencer, delightfully vacuous in her superficiality, who finally gets to realise who she really is and what matters in life. Don’t mention her super successful sister! Great fun, and with an important message for these social media times. 4 stars.

Lianna Holston and Michael McPheat: Starter Pack, Gilded Balloon Patter House.3-starsA very jolly presentation from Lianna Holston and Michael McPheat. After Lianna ascertained what I had for breakfast – not much – she was concerned that I would pass out through hunger at some time during the show. That was kind of her. Then it was over to Michael for the first half of the show, and the experience of growing up in Milton Keynes – I feel his pain – being the Gay Best Friend, and experiencing the horrors of a Baby Shower. I loved his material about his favourite aromatherapy! He then introduced Lianna’s act, which was beautifully constructed with perfectly chosen words delivered to maximum effect. She has terrific material about being a woman in a hedge fund company – not allowed anywhere near the finance – and had a nice aside about male comedians. She ends her act with some delightfully silly observations about frogs and other animals, which is much funnier than it sounds. Full of energy and very entertaining – great fun for a spot of afternoon comedy. 3 stars.

Hold the Line, Pleasance Courtyard.<3-starsHave you ever thought of what it would be like to be the person receiving the calls on 111 – the NHS non-emergency line? Gary Macgregor’s Hold The Line shows how stressful it can be, with unreasonable targets to be met at the expense of each operator’s personal time. Gary is one such operator, and on this one particular day, he faces having one client whose father dies – was Gary in any way culpable? – and another whom he tries to save from jumping in front of train. Quite the day! Well-constructed, the phones alone make you stressed! I personally didn’t care for the musical phone sequence – just not to my taste – but in all other respects well-acted by Gary and Gabi Chanova, and an eye-opening account of an aspect of the NHS that gets less recognition than it deserves. 3 stars.

Footballers’ Wives: The Musical, Assembly Rooms.3-stars<Confession time: I’ve never seen Footballers’ Wives on TV. The only character I’d heard of in the show is Chardonnay, and India Chadwick’s portrayal of her is exactly how I would imagine her. The musical, by Kath Gotts and Maureen Chadwick, is based on the plotlines of the first series, and involves infidelity, violence, more infidelity, sexual assault, and infidelity. There’s also a football team lurking in the background that doesn’t play much part in the story. The costumes are good, the voices are great and the songs are not bad, if a bit samey and predictable. This is a Marmite show; there were plenty of audience members whooping ecstatically throughout, and there were quite a lot of people who drifted out of the auditorium as it progressed, never to return. Some characters and actors were curiously underused, whilst there’s no doubt that Tanya Turner, played by Ceili O’Connor, is the star of the show and she gives an enjoyably gutsy performance. I suspect that if you enjoyed the TV series, you will love this show. If you didn’t see it, it might not mean much to you. 3 stars.

The Naked Neds, The Space at Surgeon’s Hall.4-starsFour Glaswegian pals sit around their pub table sinking pints and playing cards, and talk inevitably comes around to their missing fifth, Cammy, whose recent suicide came as a complete shock to all four of them. They want to set up a fundraiser in memory of their friend, and they can’t settle on a suitable choice until one of them suggests doing their version of The Full Monty. However, one of the four also has to confess that he has recently found a lump on his testicles but hasn’t bothered going to the doctor. Consequently they all find out about the correct way to check oneself for testicular cancer, and, despite natural reticence from one of the guys, The Full Monty goes ahead. This is a very funny, surprisingly moving play, that takes the serious subjects of suicide, mental health and testicular cancer and looks them straight in the eye, whilst never becoming either preachy or mawkish. Written, directed by and featuring Ingram Noble, the excellent ensemble of five actors put in great performances and it’s a thoroughly entertaining play. 4 stars.

 

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – Dead Air, Call Me Crazy, Kanpur: 1857, The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager, and Chloe Petts: Big Naturals

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Dead Air, Pleasance Courtyard.Grief affects us in many ways. Imagine you didn’t come to see your dying father in the hospital – how can you ever overcome the regret? No problem, use the new AI Air Service tool to keep in touch with loved ones beyond the grave with their varied helpful subscription services! Alfrun Rose’s one-woman show retraces the steps of her problematic relationships with her mother, her mother’s new partner and her own on-off boyfriend. But when the only person who can really give the support she needs is dead – she just has to rely on this new big business model to maintain that relationship. It’s a beautifully, touchingly written play, full of light and shade, giving all the characters in Alfie’s story their own voice and perspective. It’s also full of irresistibly funny moments of dark comedy, mixed with powerful emotions. A superb tour-de-force that keeps you riveted throughout. Hugely entertaining. 5 stars.

Call Me Crazy, Greenside @ Riddles Court.4-starsOlivia attends yet another clinic, trying to put a number to her level of pain – but will the doctors even believe her if she does? This hard-hitting intense monologue charts Olivia’s young life from her early days where she tried so hard to become invisible, and succeeded to today where she needs to be seen again and discover an identity for herself and the cause for all her pain. A fascinating insight into a woman’s struggle with the medical profession and the formative memories that led her to where she is now. Sharply written and powerfully acted by Olivia Ormond. 4 stars.

Kanpur: 1857, Pleasance Courtyard.3-starsAn Indian rebel is forced to tell their story before an audience before being strapped to a cannon as a punishment for their part in the Kanpur rebellion. But if they reveal the group’s secrets and the whereabouts of the rebel leader, they might go free. At first you think this will be a simply structured play, with the rebel telling their story – but when a British officer interrupts them and tries to direct their performance, things take a turn for the surreal. The unusual structure cleverly emphasises the imbalance of power, and it’s a powerful play, although it sometimes feels a little heavy and not always easy to follow. Perhaps lacking a sense of menace, it’s nevertheless well acted and includes an exquisite tabla performance by Sodhi. 3 stars.

The Unstoppable Rise of Ben Manager, Pleasance Courtyard.A supremely bizarre production – ostensibly, it’s a satire on generic management and asks the question, what do big successful managers do all day; and on the other hand it’s a fantasy idea allowed to run riot. A wannabe employee fakes an interview and blags an executive job – and then finds he has nothing to do all day, but at least he does it with pizzazz, so gets noticed and then gets continuously promoted beyond all his ability – not that he needs any ability to do nothing. It’s an interesting idea but it runs out of steam very quickly and becomes very repetitive and rather childish. Energetically performed, but that’s not enough to save it. Not for me. 2 stars.

Chloe Petts: Big Naturals, Pleasance Courtyard.4-starsThere’s always an air of expectation at a Chloe Petts gig – she’s rapidly becoming a bit of a national treasure. Her latest show, Big Naturals, is named in honour of what she most likes in life – cue some delightful reminiscences about Page 3 Girls and the journalistic high notes set by the likes of the Sun and the Mirror. At the heart of the show is her affiliation with the lad culture of her formative years and the debt she owes Kasabian. Lots of deliciously clever callbacks and an abundance of laughs and comic observations. Chloe Petts can always be relied on to deliver fantastic material, and Big Naturals does exactly that. 4 stars.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – Steve Whiteley: A Mind Full, MARIUPOL, Do You Accept These Charges?, Kate Owens: Cooking with Kathryn, Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon, and Virtuoso

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Steve Whiteley: A Mind Full, Just the Tonic at the Mash House.3-starsSteve Whiteley’s new show starts with a meditative pause; it’s a chance to hear the internal dialogue of all the voices in his head, setting the scene for an hour’s journey through all the mistakes of his life and their potential solutions. A true survivor, Steve cuts a very engaging figure on stage, with first-rate comic timing, some fun callbacks, and excellent self-deprecating asides. There are some extremely funny sequences – I particularly liked his material about Buddhism, and the gluten free rap is hysterical. This was the first show in the run and he made it clear it was a work-in-progress, and there is some sharpening up to be done. But he has a winning way about him and the show will only get better as the Fringe progresses. 3 stars.

MARIUPOL, Pleasance Courtyard.4-starsIt’s so easy to overlook the impact of war on ordinary families. Katia Haddad’s MARIUPOLis based on her memories of the city and tells the story of how Russian Galina and Ukrainian Igor (a.k.a. Steve) meet at a wedding reception, and then enjoy a few days of idyllic romance before real life separates them. They meet again ten years later, both now married, having moved on in their lives. When Russia invades Ukraine, both Galina and Steve have sons in the army who have to do their duty and go to war; will this bring their parents back together again one more time? This riveting, heartbreaking drama is full of surprises and features two powerful performances – Oliver Gomm as Steve and, particularly, Nathalie Barclay as Galina – and truly highlights the human cost of war. Slickly directed by Guy Retallack, this is a hard-hitting, emotion-packed play. 4 stars.

Do You Accept These Charges?, Pleasance Courtyard.Laurie Magers’ amazing firsthand account of her infatuated love affair with multi-crime felon Evan ought to be unbelievable because it is so extraordinary yet it is true. She has that rare gift of being someone with whom you feel an instant connection; within thirty seconds you’re hanging on her every word. And though her account is a sorrowful one, full of pain and heartbreak, it’s also ecstatically funny, from a disastrous Christmas Day queue to get into the detention centre to the sexual turn-on that is the ankle-tag. Laurie is an electric storyteller, pacing the delivery of her material perfectly; she says we are all her friends, and we believe her. The funniest account of being a prisoner’s girlfriend you’ll ever hear! 5 stars.

Kate Owens: Cooking with Kathryn, Underbelly Cowgate.<4-starsWe mourn the loss of our beloved Kathryn, who presented the Cookery programme on the Evangelical Community Channel every day for the past thirty or so years, and welcome the new host, her daughter, err.. also named Kathryn. Kate Owens presents us with this madcap hour of Christian cooking, terrifically slapstick and at times hysterically funny, with an obscene giblety chicken, a disastrous egg bake and the most disgusting sacramental dessert that you have to watch her eat through the gaps in your fingers. But there’s more than just physical comedy cookery cock-ups, the show also has a message about the damage that can be done to children raised in devout Christian communities. Kate Owens is a brilliantly engaging clown and there is some truly hilarious audience participation so beware if you’re a man and you sit in the front row. The comedy does run out of steam a little towards the end, but there are some genuinely side-splitting sequences as Kathryn comes to terms with all her personal limitations. 4 stars.

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon, Monkey Barrel.4-starsChristopher Macarthur-Boyd cuts perhaps an unlikely appearance for a comedian; smart suit, slick hair, Proclaimers-style glasses and slightly diminutive of stature, all rounded off with a Glaswegian accent that veers between super refined and rough as guts. His new hour of comedy, Howling at the Moon, contains neither howling nor any celestial beings, but is packed with great original material and some delightfully funny routines. He puts an original slant on the fact that both his girlfriends have been Australian; he has superb comparisons between Glasgow and Edinburgh, and he has an unusual criterion for deciding upon his sexuality. A master mimic, he has terrific authority on stage, and he keeps the energy up for the whole show. Huge fun, highly recommended. 4 stars.

Virtuoso, Assembly George Square.Meet Tobias Finlay-Fraser as he delivers yet another audition on his journey to stardom. A master of all styles and humble to his core, he never misses an opportunity to push the boundaries of artistry to a totally unacceptable limit. A brilliant comic invention by Casey Filips, to tell you more about what to expect during this hour of truly inventive comedy would be to ruin it for you. Expect the unexpected, help him on his quest to Oscardom, and save the Manatees. You’ll laugh so much it hurts. 5 stars.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – Lovett, Falling: A Disabled Love Story, The Forum, Falling in Love with Mr Dellamort, and Vagabond Skies.

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Lovett, Pleasance Courtyard.
4-starsA meaty (no pun intended) account of one of Fleet Street’s toughest cookies, we see Eleanor Lovett eerily sharpening her favourite knife at her butchers’ block, whilst she guides us through her passion for the art of butchery, a true survivor in every sense. Confined to one small part of London north of the river, we meet her mother Helene, her “friend” Irene, her first husband Armin, the notorious Madame Mrs Rodd and Mon Pere, the cleric who took advantage of her and would live to regret it. We also meet perhaps her most famous associate, Sweeney Todd, half her age, but an instant, powerful attraction to Eleanor. A tale of vengeance and belonging, all Eleanor wants is for the world to say her name and give her recognition. Lucy Roslyn’s riveting and intensely dramatic monologue fleshes out (again no pun intended) this fascinating fictional character, giving her a complex and emotional backstory. 4 stars.

 

Falling:  A Disabled Love Story, Pleasance Courtyard.

4-starsAaron Pang’s witty and thought-provoking insight into the problems of seeking a sexual relationship (or indeed any kind of relationship) when you are disabled. A cross between stand-up and a routine about the difficulties of standing up, Aaron is a very engaging performer and a super convincing storyteller; he has a graph to prove it. But the questions he asks make us doubt our own attitudes to disabilities and the disabled, resulting in an eye-opening hour for everyone. Devastatingly honest, or is it all just a pack of lies? You’ll have to decide for yourself. You also get to choose the ending! If he’s a liar, he’s a very sincere one! 4 stars.

 

The Forum, C Arts C Venues C Aquila.

3-starsA tense, atmospheric thriller about Hitchens, who has been recruited to infiltrate an organisation in the United States – a terrifying challenge that costs him his family, and maybe his life – the verdict is in your hands. The play itself presents us with fragmented scenes that come together to form a complete story. Desmond Devenish conducts the show at a blistering pace – possibly slightly too quickly for the audience to keep up – and gives a powerful performance that makes us question who’s right and who’s wrong – after all, that old saying one man’s terrorist is another man’s freedom fighter is as true today as ever. Where it occasionally lacks clarity it benefits from a true sense of realism and danger, and Mr Devenish’s character is a very believable mix of warrior, spy, and vulnerable family man. 3 stars.

 

Falling in Love with Mr Dellamort, C Arts C Venues C Aquila

4-stars
Take a touch of Agatha Christie, a hint of Rocky Horror, the spookiest instrument you’ve ever heard (the theremin) and oomph it up with some catchy new songs that drive the story forward, sung by powerful voices, and you’ve got the recipe for Falling in Love with Mr Dellamort. However, beware – don’t fall in love with him; it won’t end well. But do his three invited guests escape his charm – and what about the unexpected guest? There’s always one, and they’re always suspicious. Tremendous fun performances from the entire cast and a truly inventive story makes the hour fly by. Cornelius Loy’s musicianship brings a supernatural feel to the entire show, and there’s hugely entertaining performances from Natalie Arle-Toyne’s pushy Mina, Chris O’Mara’s confident Barry, Jennie Jacobs’ substance-dependent Rhonda and Grace Farrell’s ever-surprising Sue – and a charismatic performance from Robert Tripolino as the devilish Mr Dellamort. Don’t forget to follow his rules, or there’ll be trouble. 4 stars.

 

Vagabond Skies, Gilded Balloon at the Museum.

Somewhere during the first few minutes of Tony Norman’s outstanding new musical, Vagabond Skies, you realise that you’re watching something very special. The story of the unbreakable friendship between Vincent Van Gogh and his brother Theo is packed with emotion and heartache, with Vincent’s slow descent into mental despair and his brother’s inability to bring him back from the abyss. Colourful characters like Gauguin, the Parisian art critics and the women in Vincent’s life all play a part in telling the story, and it’s performed in front of Dave Fricker’s visually eloquent series of back projections of Vincent’s work.

Norman’s lyrics are simple but powerful and instantly resonate with the audience; and his musical compositions are stunningly beautiful, brought to life by Mark Edwards’ glorious arrangements. Songs like Brother of Mine and the title song Vagabond Skies will stay with you long after the curtain comes down. Fantastic performances from the entire gifted ensemble, but a special mention of Alex Bloomer, who is tremendous as Vincent, conveying all his artistic hopes and talents with the destruction of his mental decline. This show needs a cast recording and fast! 5 stars.

Review – Top Hat, Festival Theatre, Chichester, 18th July 2025

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The big summer musical at the Chichester Festival Theatre is always a matter of great expectations. You can rely on an impressive production with no expense spared, and pretty much a full house for every performance. This year’s production, Irving Berlin’s Top Hat, has much to live up to – will it follow in the footsteps of last year’s outstanding Oliver! or other big hitters like Half a Sixpence, Crazy for You, South Pacific, Fiddler on the Roof, Oklahoma! – it’s a list of enviable quality.

I don’t have to tell you, gentle reader, that Top Hat is that hugely successful movie musical from 1935 starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers – ninety years old now and still holding a prominent place in the history of cinema and entertainment. Matthew White and Howard Jacques’ stage musical first appeared in 2011 and is a largely faithful adaptation of the original film. It’s not at all surprising that it’s considered worthy of a revival – after all, how can you miss with songs like Puttin’ on the Ritz, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat White Tie and Tails and Let’s Face the Music and Dance.

To say it’s a simple plot is something of an insult to the notion of simplicity. American dancer Jerry Travers comes to London to appear in a show and meets – and annoys – Dale Tremont. He falls head over heels in love; she doesn’t. A case of mistaken identity ensues, with Dale believing Jerry to be married to her friend Madge, whereas Madge is married to Horace, the producer of the show. Dale marries an Italian fashion designer in anger; but Jerry is ever persistent, and when Dale’s marriage proves to be invalid as it was conducted by Horace’s butler – I know, bear with me – it all ends happily ever after. Even the spurned Italian fashion designer is happy, as he is placated by being employed to create Dale’s wedding dress. I don’t think he was really in love in the first place, do you?

I should point out that the show we saw was a Friday night preview, the fifth (I believe) public performance of the run, and of course I take that into account when summarising my thoughts. However, no amount of rehearsals, performances, tweaks and so on can change the fact that the script is incredibly corny, with some of the lamest jokes you’ll hear for many a year. Overall, the show is extraordinarily dated, and in a tedious rather than charming way. Various elements of the plot include stalking, misogyny, making fun of foreigners, domestic violence, love bombing and a spot of sexual harassment. Gosh they had fun in the 30s.

As for the production itself, it scores high on the basics but low on the embellishments. Credit where it’s due: Peter McKintosh’s set is superb, beautifully recreating a deco style, with a glass arch that reminded me of the Musée d’Orsay and a revolving stage underneath that transforms into hotel rooms, reception desks, and other vital scenes in the plot. He and Yvonne Milnes also designed the costumes which are outstanding; elegant, and totally in keeping with the era. Stephen Ridley’s out of sight orchestra fills the Festival Theatre with glorious arrangements of Berlin’s timeless tunes.

Kathleen Marshall, who also directs the show, choreographs all these big numbers, and there is – understandably – an emphasis on tap, which hits you full force with amplified tap shoes, creating a hugely impressive audible avalanche of tapping. However, the choreography for the non-tap routines feels less inspired and rather generic; and indeed, one wonders why they hit those Spanish lines for a routine that is set in Italy. Curious.

It’s a very skilful and experienced cast, but somehow the whole thing doesn’t gel. Philip Attmore playing Jerry is a fantastic tap dancer and showman, and Lucy St Louis as Dale looks the part completely and has a great voice, but there is hardly any chemistry between them. Clive Carter as Horace and James Clyde as his butler Bates do everything that the script requires of them – which is primarily to make them look stupid, with Mr Carter ending up with a black eye and a lipsticked mouth, and Mr Clyde looking like a very world-weary gondolier.

Alex Gibson-Giorgio injects the necessary high camp into his performance as fashionista Bedini, and the audience adored his solo number Latins Know How, but I’m afraid I found it excruciatingly cringeworthy and had to watch through the gaps in my fingers. The always reliable Sally Ann Triplett as Madge is missing in the first Act and her appearance at the beginning of Act Two breathes fresh life into the show, but even she gets bogged down with some dubiously outdated comedy.

By the time we were well into the second Act I was both very bored, and not remotely interested in any of the characters’ plights or how they would end up. Having great expectations of a show often leads to disappointment and that’s certainly the case for this production. Despite its glitz and glamour, great music and accomplished performers, this did nothing for me at all. I’ve added a star to my rating in the hope that it will improve in time for Press Night.

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

Review – The Winter’s Tale, RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 22nd July 2025

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A moon – or is it a planet? – stares down at us; huge, nebulous, ominous, as we enter the auditorium for Yaël Farber’s production of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. It reminds us that we are tiny people minimised by this great celestial influence; and wherever we go or whatever we do, we can’t escape it. It’s as old as Time – one of the play’s main themes – and it sets the tone for a certain otherworldliness for this production, which seems to put most of its theatrically inventive eggs in one basket – Act Four – leaving the rest of the play to fend for itself.

Time/AutolycusI always worry when an RSC production announces that Time will be one of its central themes – yes, I’m looking at you Macbeth – because it can overwhelm all the other aspects of the play. However, here, the emphasis on Time is neatly and appropriately placed, wrapping the Chorus and the character of Autolycus into one character. The Winter’s Tale features one of Shakespeare’s most curious structures for a play. Three Acts of tragedy, then a sixteen-year pause followed by two Acts of comedy; four Acts in the Sicilian court, one Act playing pastoral in Bohemia. This production makes a point of highlighting these contrasts, which not only makes for a visual spectacle, but deliberately unsettles the audience trying to bring both parts of the play into balance.

StatuesqueIt’s among Shakespeare’s least cosy comedies, with destructive jealousy, a wife turned into a statue, an amiable son killed, and the frequent appearance of Time, reminding us to enjoy yourself, it’s later than you think. Indeed, the production does take a few liberties which might annoy the purist. Not only that aforementioned popular song from the 1940s, but they’ve inserted a little Brecht, and there’s an exchange between Autolycus and the Clown that includes the insults bellend and wanker. It’s mildly amusing; fortunately, the play is big and strong enough to survive the occasional meddling.

CamilloBut the production is at its most effective when it leaves the work to Shakespeare. The chilling story of Leontes’ idiotic suspicions that his wife Hermione has been unfaithful with his brother Polixenes and that his brother is the father of Hermione’s unborn child is told with quiet, dignified clarity. After the interval we leave Sicilia for the ritualistic fire and dance fiesta that is Perdita hosting the sheep-shearing solstice festival; the programme notes tell us that the production explores Perdita’s connection to the myth of Persephone/Proserpina. Hold that thought. When we return to Sicilia for the final resolution, all is sedate again.

FiestaIt’s very clever dramaturgy, and there’s no doubting the visual and indeed musical impact of the solstice scene; but it’s such a contrast to what went before that, more than standing out like a sore thumb, it actually feels unintegrated with the rest of the play. After the lean, business-like atmosphere of the first act, this just feels like so much padding. Whilst watching it I could only question how this portrayal of the union of Perdita and Florizel, and the subsequent disapproval by Polixenes, in any way helps our understanding of the plot. I don’t think it does. Fortunately, the final “statue” scene is presented and acted immaculately, and that’s what you remember when you go home.

AntigonusThere is little in the way of set – and that works to the production’s advantage. All the changes of mood and setting are suggested by Tim Lutkin’s lighting design and Reuben Cohen and Oli Quintrell’s video projections. The incidental music composed by Max Perryment is hugely evocative and contributes enormously to the atmosphere and storytelling; there’s suspense in every chord.

Polixenes and LeontesA strong cast brings class and gravitas to the main roles. Bertie Carvel is excellent as Leontes – seemingly affable, flipping into viciously jealous in an instant. With his reputation at stake, this Leontes shuts himself off from all reason, delivering indiscriminate cruelty in all directions. Like a divine version of BBC Verify, when the words of the Oracle deliver their verdict on the innocence of Hermione and Polixenes, and the tyranny of Leontes, his fragile world simply falls apart. In these times of fake news and AI deception, it would be very useful to have a reliable Oracle like that come in every so often to make us see the truth.

HermioneMadeline Appiah is superb as Hermione; gracious, kindly, the perfect hostess, who gathers magnificent internal resolve in the face of her husband’s stupidity and vindictiveness. And she makes a fantastic statue; every eye in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre concentrates on her to see if she makes a tiny move and there isn’t an iota of a blink. There’s a very touching scene at the end when Hermione and Perdita are reunited, Ms Appiah’s joy at seeing her long lost daughter almost brought a tear to the eye – as did the excellent Amelda Brown as her “foster” shepherdess parent, knowing she must give back the daughter who was always only ever “on loan”.

PaulinaAïcha Kossoko brings power and a no-nonsense grimness to the role of Paulina, stepping in to protect her friend Hermione’s reputation and whatever future might be ahead. Great performances too from John Light as the wronged Polixenes and Raphael Sowole’s delicately spoken and faithful Camillo. Trevor Fox brings out all the mischief and cheerful lawlessness of his chain-smoking Autolycus, and there’s nice support from Leah Haile’s Perdita and Matthew Flynn’s Antigonus.

Perdita and FlorizelIt’s a moody, atmospheric production that tells its story clearly, apart from a total flight of fantasy in Act Four which just left me wondering why. But if you ever wanted a clear account of the characters of Leontes and Hermione so that you fully understand their story, this is the production for you.

P. S. Not so much exit pursued by a bear, more exit, listlessly observed by an indolent bear. But it’s very hard to act out that stage direction credibly.

Production photos by Marc Brenner

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

Review Marie and Rosetta, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 18th July 2025

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Who said theatre isn’t educational? I don’t know how I got to [insert old age here] years old and had never heard of Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight. Rosetta was born in 1915 into a family of cotton pickers driven by music and started singing at the age of six in her mother’s evangelical touring troupe. Marie was born in 1920 (although she later decided 1925 sounded better) into a Pentecostal family in New Jersey and sang with evangelist Frances Robinson and gospel singer Mahalia Jackson. Rosetta recorded Decca’s first ever gospel songs and became an overnight sensation, but both were extraordinarily gifted performers. And in 1946 the two met and started performing together.

Playwright George Brant decided that Rosetta led such a full and incident-packed life that it would be impossible to tell her story in one play. He has chosen to concentrate on that one period in her life, when she and Marie started working together; thus Marie and Rosetta is a reimagined staging of what it must have been like to observe their initial rehearsals before their opening shows.

It’s clear that Rosetta is the star, with a successful recording contract and live appearances with the likes of Cab Calloway at venues like the Cotton Club and Carnegie Hall. Not for nothing was she called the Godmother of Rock ‘n’ Roll! She’s rich with life experience too, with failed marriages and living the harsh realities of the racial segregation laws. By contrast, Marie has come to prominence through the Church, has married a preacher and is clearly more motivated by her religious beliefs than Rosetta.

It’s this considerable difference between the individuals’ backgrounds that creates an artistic tension that the two characters explore, most clearly seen in Marie’s insistence on Sing whereas Rosetta naturally opts for Swing. Rosetta knows that, despite her admiration and appreciation of Marie’s talent, they wouldn’t be able to work together if Marie was to look down on Rosetta because of some religious superiority. So does Sing beat Swing or does Swing become too much of a temptation for Sing? If you don’t already know, you’ll have to watch the play to find out!

What appears to be a straightforwardly constructed play reveals something of a twist towards the end, which is handled very deftly and satisfyingly. Unfortunately Mr Brant slightly rushes the ending, trying to fit in as much extra information about the two singers as possible, which, though interesting and relevant, feels like too much to take on board so late in the play.

Simply, but not unattractively, staged, our two singers find themselves in a funeral home for their first rehearsal, but with shimmering showbiz curtains around them, two of which conceal live musicians: guitarist and musical director Shirley Tetteh stage left and pianist Mia Odeleye stage right. It’s distinctly a play with music rather than a musical, but there’s no doubt that the performances of the music are the highlight of this show. A few of the songs were familiar to me, but the vast majority were not, and it was a blissful discovery of a genre of music of which I know little – so that’s a second educational aspect to the show!

And what vocal performances! Beverley Knight, originally a hugely successful recording artist and now a doyenne of the musical stage, plays Rosetta with heart, pizzazz, cheek, and plenty of vulnerability; she truly brings the character to life. And as soon as she starts singing her amazing clear tones resound around the Minerva with both guts and warmth. As an aside, the Minerva is a smaller venue and therefore singers like Ms Knight need little amplification and the musical sound is all the better for it.

And she is matched by Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie; portraying her initially as a starstruck young woman who can’t believe her luck to be performing with someone of the stature of Rosetta and then visibly growing in confidence and determined to make her own artistic decisions. Ms Ndlovu is a terrific find with a superb voice, a lovely feel for comedy and a truly likeable stage presence.

Marie and Rosetta has already visited the Rose Theatre Kingston and the Wolverhampton Grand and continues its run at the Minerva in Chichester until 26th July.

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

 

Review – Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 16th July 2025

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Based on the novels of Patrick Hamilton, Matthew Bourne’s Midnight Bell started life as the country was coming out of the Covid pandemic and now has the chance to be seen more widely on a UK tour. Set in the 1930s, the Midnight Bell in question is a London pub, frequented by a range of ordinary people whose lives have their own individual adventures, relationships, power struggles and catastrophes; and Bourne’s choreography draws our attention to each of them separately as they weave their way through various London locations, overlapping with each other or going their separate ways.

It is deliberately not an adaptation of any one of Hamilton’s works but is instead inspired by them all to create an atmosphere and suggestions of stories partly observed, partly obscured. And if there is a problem with the show, that’s just it; there isn’t one story that’s fully told or fully explained. In most cases you’re left to infer what happens, and for me that felt frustrating. Bourne is a brilliant storyteller through dance; and whereas the narrative in the first Act is easy to follow – even though we’re introduced to so many characters at breakneck speed – the storytelling is hard to follow in the second Act.

The usual New Adventures creative team are out in force. Lez Brotherton’s set immaculately recreates that 1930s London gloom and faded glamour, and his costume choices reflect the characters perfectly; Paule Constable’s lighting is evocative and intriguing, and Terry Davies’ original music gives you that 30s feel without ever being a pastiche and still feeling modern and creative, driving the dance forwards. However, I felt the decision for the dancers to lipsynch the words of the recorded songs added nothing to our understanding of the characters, and, if anything, detracted from their dancing. Nevertheless, Bourne’s choreography for the show is full of his usual trademarks and is always assertive and dynamic, creating some excellent duets for his characters, whether they be intimate, comic, shy or brash.

As always in a New Adventures production, the cast dance superbly throughout and give great performances. The dancers mix and match roles on different days, so I can only tell you about the performance on 16th July. The Act Two park bench scene with Dominic North as Bob and Hannah Kremer as Jenny is a true highlight, clearly bringing out each character’s personalities as well as giving us a truly entertaining dance. Cordelia Braithwaite’s Miss Roach is also superb, a terrific combination of the frustrated, the determined and the downtrodden, matched with Edwin Ray’s mischievously deceptive cad Gorse.

Also outstanding are Andy Monaghan and Glenn Graham as Frank and Albert, tentatively then wholeheartedly finding love, only for one of them to reveal a secret later. There’s a nicely observed on-off relationship between barmaid Ella and tedious customer Mr Eccles, danced by Bryony Pennington and Danny Reubens, and a disastrous relationship between the fickle actress Netta and the disturbed George, danced by Daisy May Kemp and Alan Vincent.

Despite all these excellent ingredients, the overall result still feels light on emotion and not especially memorable. Comparisons are odious, but when you know the kind of passion and agony that Bourne’s best dance can stir in your heart, that passion feels notably lacking here. It all feels just a little safe, a bit mild, a tad bland. If this was a half-hour dance in a mixed programme of three, and all the narrative was told much more quickly, I can see how this could feel very satisfying. But as a series of threads without a strong definitive central narrative, there’s just not enough here to sustain an entire evening.

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

 

Review – 4.48 Psychosis, Royal Shakespeare Company at The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, 15th July 2025

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Sarah Kane’s final play is a challenge to any director or cast. How do you treat this poetic but agonising piece of writing, which leaves few clues as to how it should be staged, with the dignity and respect that it deserves, without simply creating a gloomfest? It cries out for its voice to be heard and demands that you at least try to understand the mental torture of its writer. But, when all’s said and done, it’s not a lecture or TED talk, it’s a play and decisions have to be made as to how to present it.

CastIn what must be an almost unique venture, the entire original creative team have reunited 25 years later in this co-production with the Royal Court Theatre, at whose Jerwood Theatre Upstairs the play was first produced. Not only the same cast and the same director, James Macdonald; it’s the same team of designer, lighting and sound. So, even without seeing the original, I feared this might be an exercise in preserving something in aspic rather than an attempt to find new things in the text that were not obvious 25 years ago.

MirrorIt is, however, a brand new production, and James Macdonald and designer Jeremy Herbert have come up with a masterstroke; a huge mirror, the same dimensions as the stage, slanting at a daunting angle, reflecting the on-stage activity as a backdrop, and even capturing the first few rows of the audience to add to its theatricality. Nigel Edwards’ inspired lighting design highlights the two chairs and table in the mirror to create some truly impressive effects, and Ben Walden’s projection adds to the magic by turning the table surface into a window on the world, or blasting the entire stage with white noise, offering an insight into the clarity of vision and thought (or lack thereof) experienced by our protagonist.

Daniel EvansEach of the three actors takes on many guises over the 70 minutes; not only someone suffering from severe depression, but doctors, friends, colleagues and all the other voices who do their best to offer support or lend reason to the central character. And it’s in those side characterisations that Kane gives the cast an occasional opportunity to lighten the weight of the text. There’s a truly laugh out loud moment when Daniel Evans, portraying a doctor who’s clearly had a long hard day, bursts out with I fucking hate this job and I need my friends to be sane – only to realise that it was a Did I say that out loud moment and then have to apologise profusely.

Madeleine PotterMacdonald places his actors in all sorts of unusual positions for several of their speeches – resting flat on the ground in a crucifixion or savasana pose, or on top of the table with their head tilted over the edge, talking directly to the mirror, or furiously writhing on the table, all of which create fascinating images in the mirror, helping us to see them, literally, from a different perspective. It sounds gimmicky, but it works. The actors write backwards on the table top – medical prescriptions, or simply their thoughts – so that we can see the writing in the mirror; a clever touch.

Jo McInnesThe ensemble of Daniel Evans, Jo McInnes and Madeleine Potter dovetail their speeches and actions immaculately, with superb vocal clarity throughout. One of the most powerful moments comes when Jo McInnes struggles violently on top of the table, so that in the mirror she appears trapped within a tiny box, a true metaphor for the state of her mind. The whole play is performed with devastating sincerity but emotionally controlled, peppered with daringly long pauses where the characters find neither the words, the impetus, nor the need, to speak.

White NoiseSarah Kane submitted her text to the Royal Court in 1999 and within a few days had taken her own life. It’s impossible to separate the personal tragedy from the theatrical product, but it’s clear that this is a lucid, deliberate, structured piece of work. The title, it is said, comes from the fact that she would wake at 4.48 due to her mental anguish. As her text states: At 4.48 when sanity visits for one hour and twelve minutes I am in my right mind. When it has passed I shall be gone again. One hour and twelve minutes is almost exactly how long it takes to perform the play; is this as an affirmation that the piece is written in those brief times of sanity surrounded by mental torture?

RSVP ASAPA very intense piece of writing given a great performance with an inspired setting. This isn’t the kind of play one enjoys; rather it’s an opportunity to bear witness to a state of mind that one hopes one never encounters personally but which is very real and prevalent all around us. And it is the sad swansong of a huge talent taken too young.

Production photos by Marc Brenner

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!