The Endurance of Monologues: ‘Heretic Voices’ at the Arcola Theatre

Seeing three monologues on the trot throws into sharp relief both the possibilities and the pitfalls of the genre. Heretic Voices at the Arcola Theatre combines three pieces selected from a national competition judged by Michael Billington, Lolita Chakrabarti, Mel Kenyon and Monica Dolan, and it … Continue reading →

Drop the mic Jamael Westman: ‘Hamilton’ at the Victoria Palace Theatre

Hamilton audiences are split into two camps. Either you know the whole soundtrack word by word, and wait with baited breaths for your favourite part whilst mouthing along to the most rousing melodies, or you’ve sworn religiously not to listen to a single bar until you can see the whole thing put … Continue reading →

(Tea) black or white?: “What Once Was Ours” at Pegasus Theatre

“You’re going to hear some things you agree with, and you’re going to hear some things you disagree with. Your job is to listen.” It might seem an obvious thing to say to a bunch of individuals about to transform into that harsh and untameable beast, a theatre audience, but on going into … Continue reading →

Harold Pinter’s ‘Betrayal’ at the Salisbury Playhouse: “that old itch”

Nobody likes pauses. Especially pauses in conversation where, staring into the dregs of a drink for inspiration, all remnants of stimulating or even mundane conversation seem to flee irretrievably into a mental void. An understated yet effective production of Harold Pinter’s Betrayal at the … Continue reading →

‘Brexit the Musical’: The Rise of Political Musical Theatre

In among the delights of Buzz: A New Musical, (Fat Rascal Theatre), Trump’d (Two Thirds Comedy) and 2016 the Musical (Evolution Theatre), Brexit: The Musical is a member of the not-uncommon satirical-political-musical species at the Edinburgh Fringe 2017. Perhaps gentle political protesters of … Continue reading →