Riverside Studios, London – until Saturday 18th January 2025

Reviewed by Alec Legge

5*****

The stage is set as an attic bedroom belonging to Kevin, a 40 year old gay man who has returned to his mum’s home after living in London where he was an aspiring comic who never made it. Kevin is played wonderfully by Steven Webb who fits the pert like a glove.. The time period is 2020 during lockdown and Kevin is living on his own in the bedroom which is just as he left it many years before, with posters of Dolly on the walls and and scattered with items from his youth.

Kevin appears via a ladder through a window as he is unable to mix with his mum and dad downstairs. This is followed by Kevin hilariously introducing himself to the audience and moving about the stage in a high camp manner. Then Kevin receives a phone call from his lover breaking off their relationship which sends him into a ‘slough of despond’.

This is the point where ‘Dolly Parton’, played by Tricia Paoluccio, materialises onto the scene coming out of a life size poster with a bang and a cloud of smoke! What an entrance! Then she sets about trying to raise Kevin’s spirits and getting him to believe in himself again. This includes repartee between the characters, Dolly’s songs ably backed up by the musicians and back up singers, Miss Paolucci’s performing as Dolly Parton is superb, she is Dolly, she has the voice to a ‘T’ and all of Dolly’s mannerisms. It really is uncanny. If you closed your eyes you could well believe it was Dolly herself on stage!

The performance of Steven Webb and Tricia Paolucci were well beyond first class and I can only repeat what I was told by an audience member’ that she thought it was the best musical show she had ever seen’/

Not to give away the plot ending it is a happy ending for Kevin with a joyous twist at the end.

There was an excellent, barnstorming, finale and as a bonus extra the whole cast gave a rousing medley of Christmas songs. A wonderful ending to a show that was really appreciated by the audience and will stay in our memories for a very long time.

I can really recommend this show to all and sundry, not just fans of Dolly Parton, and I can assure everyone of a 5 star, show full of comedy, pathos, Dolly’s wonderful songs and a heartwarming ending with a stupendous finale to finish it off. What more could anyone want of a theatre visit.

We are absolutely delighted to announce the joint winners of the Aurora Award 202 are  Ian Watson for Frank 4 Sophie 4 Eva and Awkward Productions for Untrue Diana and Gwyneth Goes Skiing

Our reviewers nominated them because “Watson’s genius script shines with wit and emotional depth. The dialogue is sharp, with moments that will have you laughing one moment and reflecting the next. The themes of love, loss, and the search for connection are explored with both sensitivity and humour, making it a relatable journey for anyone who has experienced the highs and lows of relationships” and “my vote is Ian Watson, Ian Watson and Ian Watson please”

And for Awkward Productions

“Returning to London after runs in Edinburgh, Utah and a UK tour, Awkward Productions’ version of Gwyneth Paltrow’s moment in court is bigger, better and more bonkers than ever”

“Karp and Martin have created one of the best shows out there. Mad as a box of frogs and a wonderful evening of communal joy and side-splitting silliness, Diana is simply brilliant entertainment … whatever entertainment means

A huge congratulations to both Ian Watson and Awkward Productions

Eventim Apollo, Hammersmith, London – until 5 January 2025

Reviewed by Phil Brown

5*****

As the audience assembled for the gala night of Only Fools and Horses The Musical on the evening of 18 December, the Hammersmith Apollo had a palpable air of expectation, perhaps more akin to that of a major rock concert or possibly a premier league football match.  And judging by the raucous reception at the close, this show met that expectation handsomely and with a few extra knobs on.  It is unquestionably premier league entertainment.

Turning a much loved TV comedy into a musical might seem like a slam dunk, but it turns out not that many TV shows, especially comedy ones have undergone such a transition.  Conceiver and prodigiously talented writer of the original series, John Sullivan, presumably saw it as an exciting new challenge and started the project only a short time before he died suddenly in 2011.  Determined to honour his father’s remarkable legacy,  son Jim Sullivan took the reins and together with shapeshifter extraordinaire, Paul Whitehouse (both – book, lyrics and original score) and Caroline Jay Ranger (director) have put on a show that not only celebrates the original, but creates many moments of magic of its own.  It is a more than worthy addition to the Only Fools and Horses canon.

The two leads Sam Lupton (playing Del Boy) and Tom Major (Rodney Trotter) are simply sensational.  The full throttle dialogue is not only word perfect but exquisitely timed.   David Jason and Nicholas Lyndhurst may have created the characters, but these two revive them to absolute perfection.  From such TV programmes as the Fast Show, we know that  Paul Whitehouse (Grandad and Uncle Albert) has a rare ability to impersonate many different “characters” and his Grandad definitely hits the spot.  Mention must be made of a side-splitting scene towards the end with Grandad trying, through rhyming slang, to explain to Del Boy why he is in hospital.  And his Uncle Albert is even better.

The programme lists Paul Whitehouse and Vinnie Jones as co-stars but in truth, both have relatively small parts.  Vinnie Jones (Danny Driscoll) actually has a fairly lengthy showbiz resumé these days to go with his undoubted menacing physical attributes.  He did a fine job of terrorising Del Boy as loan shark and local muscle. 

The clever narrative of the show essentially works around the main characters’ relationships with the opposite sex – Rodney’s marriage to Cassandra (Nicola Munns), Del Boy’s hook up with Raquel (Georgina Hagen), and Boycie (Craig Berry) and Marlene’s (also Nicola Munns) ongoing struggle to become parents.  All well cast (David Grindrod) and on top form.  This storyline potentially touches on quite sensitive issues,, but is also a rich source of humour in the right hands.

The high tempo dialogue occasionally makes it tricky to pick up the brilliant one liners, malapropisms, linguistic faux pas and jokes in the script, and there are some very good ones.  All your favourite characters appear, particularly Trigger (nicely played by Lee VG), Denzil (Bradley John), Mickey Pierce (Peter Watts) and Mike the Barman at the Nag’s Head (Darryl Paul).  References to classic moments from the original TV episodes abound (eg Trigger’s broom), plus some great teasers which I won’t spoil. 

The overall staging hits all the right notes, switching between the market pitch, the flat in Nelson Mandela House, the Nag’s Head, Sid’s cafe, etc with intelligent and effective set design enabling slick changes (Alice Power), great costumery (Liz Ascroft), and effective use of video backgrounds (Leo Flint).

As for the musical element, there are 19 well chosen songs ranging from knees up style singalongs through purely humorous to power ballads.  There is a mix of old familiar tunes such as the Only Fools and Horses/Hooky Street theme song, some old Chas & Dave originals, Lovely Day by Bill Withers and Holding Back the Years by Mick Hucknall, along with a selection of new songs written by one or combinations of Jim Sullivan, Paul Whitehouse, Chase Hodges, and Stuart Morley who, in his principal role as musical supervisor, orchestrator and arranger has done a sterling job of making the show work as a musical  

The revelation here is that Paul Whitehouse writes a very good song – music as well as lyrics – and indeed, is solely responsible for 4 of the well crafted songs and contributes music or lyrics to 6 others.  

Of this show’s original songs, the stand outs are Where Have All the Cockneys Gone sung by Grandad and the ensemble, The Girl beautifully sung by Raquel, Bit of a Sort  performed by Del Boy & a Dating Agent, and Paul Whitehouse’s lovely What Have I Let Myself in For? wonderfully sung by Cassandra.  Also impressive is Gloria Acquaah-Harrison’s (wedding fitter to Cassandra) powerful performance of Holding Back the Years whilst Del Boy is on the receiving end of a Danny Driscoll punishment beating for defaulting on a loan.

We need some unalloyed joy in our lives, and Only Fools and Horses The Musical delivers mirth in abundance, mange tout.  A brilliant return for Del Boy and Rodney and associated plonkers, duckers and divers.  This has hit show written all over it and the timing makes it a handy alternative or even an addition to the traditional Christmas panto.

Hampstead Theatre, London – until 1st February 2025

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

4****

An older man stands at the end of a jetty, a hooded figure in a boat next to him. “Are we waiting for someone?” the man says. “A poet and a scholar was what I was told” replies the hooded figure. The man looks around and says “I think that must be me”. AE Houseman, poet, scholar, classicist, has arrived at the River Styx, waiting for Charon to ferry him away from the land of the living. A journey that will awaken memories of his younger years at Oxford, of friendships and unrequited love, of opportunities missed. The Invention of Love is Tom Stoppard’s lovingly and intensely researched meditation on love and knowledge.

Under Blanche McIntyre’s direction, the cast excels in balancing the intellectual with the emotional, ensuring that the play never feels overly academic. Simon Russell Beale as the older (recently deceased) Houseman is a masterclass in acting, while Matthew Tennyson as the naive and nervous younger Houseman is all sweetness and youth, wildly enthusiastic for his beloved texts, quietly in love with his best friend Moses Jackson (Ben Lloyd-Hughes), and navigating a life that is not created for minds or souls such as his. Dickie Beau is wonderful as the exiled Oscar Wilde, and Alan Williams is very funny as the dry witted Charon.

I can’t say that I followed the plot at every point, however I understood the poetry, humour and sadness of a life of missed chances and quiet regret, and Simon Russell Beale is so engaging that he could be reading an old copy of the phone book and I would be captivated. Morgan Large’s set is wonderful and there are some delightful moments where the young scholars whizz around the stage in illuminated boats.

As with all Stoppard plays, you’ll certainly leave the theatre slightly cleverer than when you arrived and if you can keep up with the dialogue you will learn something about 1870s aesthetes, or the works of Horace, or how ancient texts can change as they pass through systems of writing and translation. And if you can’t, you can admire the talent of the cast as they nimbly navigate the subject matter, and go home promising to read the classics

Donmar Warehouse – until 8 February 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

Dave Malloy’s spectacular musical has finally come to London, and in director Tim Sheader’s hands, this is a truly stellar production.

Malloy’s bold choice to write a sung-through musical based on a 70-page section of War and Peace could have ended disastrously, but the show is full of emotion, humour and a gorgeously evocative score. Like all Malloy’s musicals, the interplay between voices and instruments is stunning in the more emotional moments, while when the characters are having a good time – it is WILD.

The witty prologue introduces the characters with pithy explanations that become a repeated refrain, and Andrey isn’t here. Andrey is off fighting in the Napoleonic wars, but his betrothed, Natasha has come to Moscow with her cousin Sonya to stay with her godmother. While Natasha waits and meets Andrey’s disapproving family, his old friend Pierre has promised to keep a watchful eye on Natasha in the unfamiliar Moscow society. But it is Piere’s family that brings Natasha’s downfall as she is seduced by the charms of his brother-in-law, Anatole.

The plot follows the contrasting emotional arcs of the title characters, Natasha’s fall from optimistic innocence to despair as a “fallen woman” in the eyes of the hypocritical aristocrats, and Pierre’s unhappy and unfulfilled life blossoming into an outlook of hope and purpose.

The action takes place in a grittily debauched version of Moscow, with Leslie Travers’ set, lit brilliantly by Howard Hudson, switching from a decadently warm opera house to a sleazy hedonistic club with superb impact and energy. Musical director Sam Young and the musicians are on both sides of the stage, often interacting with the cast with Ellen Kane’s fantastic choreography. Evie Gurney’s costumes are a glorious mix of modern, traditional, burlesque – they are more Jilly Cooper than Tolstoy, but it’s magnificent.

The cast are simply sublime. Declan Bennett is stunning as Pierre, effortlessly portraying his despair and distaste for what he sees around him. Chumisa Dornford-May is wonderfully sweet as Natasha, adding more and more edge as she discovers herself and her desires, while Maimuna Memon shines as the wide eyed “good” Sonya, her gorgeously rich voice soaring with emotion. Cedric Neal is a hoot as Balaga and Annette McLaughlin, resembling a pre-coronation Camilla, is wonderfully stern as the old-school godmother. Cat Simmons prowls around the stage and is brilliantly debauched as Pierre’s wife – almost stealing the show with her performance of Charming – while Jamie Muscato is absolutely brilliant as the cocky hedonistic Anatole, strutting and preening with a devilish charm.

Visually and musically stunning, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 is unmissable.

Royal Court Theatre – until 21st December 2024

Reviewed by Jackie Thornton

4****

There is nothing more to conquer than your mind. That about sums up actress and singer Sutura Gayle AKA Lorna Gee’s breathtaking spiritual journey through her fragmented memories and checkered history as she searches for her true identity. Persuaded into a ten-day silent retreat in India by her brother, for the first time in her life Sumatra was confronted by her noisy mind and the resurfacing of both painful and joyous experiences, long forgotten. It became the inspiration for this 70-minute genre-defying show that rejects the comfortable notion of a biopic and sees Sutura employ her vast vocal skills and range to not only bring her own story into being but also that of her family.

A gifted mimic, it’s a delight to witness Sutura flipping from her Jamaican mother’s patois to clipped voices of white RP authority to gritty reggae and rapping. The rich and varied soundtrack adds further texture to Sutura’s vocals: lulling, accosting, galvanising.

Developed with associate producer Martina Laird and director Jo McInnes, The Legends of Them rejects dramaturgical conventions and in some ways is closer to watching an experimental film than a play. The audience is asked to cut quickly between wide shots and close ups, taking in projected footage of newsreel and home videos and absorb black and red engulfing the stage, as the story seeks to echo the fleeting, dizzy and fragmented nature of our thought patterns. Indeed, its creators emphasise how this is not an intellectual but rather a vibrational piece of theatre, where we might come to find deeper meaning in the sum of its parts and in allowing the rich soundtrack, energy and tapestry of images to simply wash over us. That’s not to say that it does not evoke strong, difficult and possibly triggering emotions while spotlighting racism, sexism, homophobia, classism, the legacy of slavery and the Windrush generation.

The Legends of Them challenges with its form, delights with its musical prowess and answers the question of whether it’s possible to put spiritual stories on stage with a resounding yes.

Mayflower Theatre – until 5th January 2025

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

4****

Panto arrives in Southampton for another whirlwind extravaganza of music, dancing and fun!

Ashley Banjo and Diversity are heading up this year’s Panto, with Banjo playing ‘Jack’ and his troupe being Jack’s siblings. It was a pleasure to see Ashley in a main role and he gave an endearing performance-I would love to see him act in other productions! When Dame Trott, Jacks mother played by Matt Rixon orders him to sell their beloved cow Pat, chaos ensues! Anne Smith as ‘Mrs Blunderbore’, buys Pat for a bag of magic beans, which grow into the biggest beanstalk-truly magic!!! Anne Smith revelled in her evil character and gave a perfect portrayal of the Giants Wife! Lauren Hampton as Princess Jill was fabulous and I thoroughly enjoyed seeing her excel in her spectacular dancing throughout the show. 

The stand out of this Panto, was Kev Orkian as Silly Simon. He absolutely stole the show with his quick wit, perfect timing and outstanding ad libs. His connection with the audience was infectious and it was a joy to hear the whole auditorium fill with shouts and applause whenever he came on stage. He had me crying with laughter during his dance sequence-it was hysterical! 

When we are introduced to the Giant in the clouds, I was enthralled. My jaw was wide open as we saw him come to life and I could not have beamed more when I heard the abundance of ‘wows’ coming from the audience-it was truly truly superb!!!

This show, oozing with magic, special effects, song, dance, sequins and superb performances all round is the perfect show for all ages! 

The Crazy Coqs, Piccadilly Circus, London W1 – 13 December 2024

Reviewed by Phil Brown

5*****

Barb Jungr and Dillie Keane (from Fascinating Aida) have been putting on this Christmas cracker of a show since 2021 and it fully deserves an ongoing place in the pantheon of seasonal culture.  

Described as “two of international cabaret’s grandest dames”, both performers have long and illustrious careers in sophisticated musical entertainment and proceeded to demonstrate why, with a delightful evening of festive fun and imaginative artistry.  They were brilliantly accompanied throughout by the superb Sarah Travis, a Tony winner, on grand piano and occasional vocal.

Like many inspired ideas, the concept of the show seems so obvious, you wonder why no-one hasn’t done it before – it’s deceptively simple yet very clever; create an entertainment around Christmas songs that are not in the mainstream.  

It seems that every artist feels the call of the Christmas single or a Christmas album at some point in their careers.  Even Bob Dylan!  (Not generally known for his Christmas songs as Barb pointed out).  So there is a cavernous and likely growing reservoir of material to sift.  Dillie and Barb have delved deep into the archive, applied their critical instincts and come up with (or should I say “curated”), a blend of 16 fine songs and one recitation that manages to cover the full spectrum of novelty to classic, humorous to serious, light hearted to sad.

Dillie & Barb introduced the show and themselves very aptly with a two song medley from the 1950s – the jazzy (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag either side of Christmas Waltz made famous by Sinatra.  

So far, so reasonably conventional, but then things started to move off piste with the nostalgic, foot-tapping 60s beat of Hey Santa Teach Me to Dance (originally by Debbie & the Darnells), followed by the tricky tonsil twister of Must Be Santa from Dylan’s Christmas album (he didn’t write it) with Barb playing a mean harmonica.  

Dillie then took centre stage with Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake – a comic Irish song written for the American stage in 1892 and rendered to perfection through Dillie’s authentic Irish accent.  Barb continued with one of her first recordings as a member of the Three Courgettes with the rather excellent Christmas is Coming, which appeared on the Z Records 1982 Christmas compilation album.  Possibly foolishly, Barb  mentioned the double entendre which previous audiences had detected in the lyrics.  Sadly we let her down again.  

I will be forever grateful to Dillie for introducing us to Grant Baynham’s Wine Song – no specific reference to Christmas but as Dillie said, most of us will have a lot of it over the holiday.  A genuine masterclass in writing lyrics.  

One of life’s little mysteries is why egg nog is (a) associated with Christmas and (b) who drinks it anyway, so the fast vocal swing of the whodunnit song Who Spiked the Egg Nog was particularly amusing, as was George Washington’s private (but splashed all over the web) recipe for it.

Dillie’s Irish take on the 12 Days of Christmas was amusing and very well performed, but, to be honest, you get the picture after the fourth day.   Other novelty songs included Christmas Don’t Be Late which became absolutely charming in the hands of Dillie and Barb, as well as Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer (!)

In addition to her fine vocal performance on John Legend’s yearning By Christmas Eve,  I thought Barb excelled on two other outstanding songs – Ray Davies’ brutally prescient Father Christmas and Joni Mitchell’s lovely River.   For Dillie’s only straight song of the evening, she donned her ukulele to sing a pleasing version of Blue Christmas with Barb accompanying on harmonica. 

Whilst seeming to be spontaneous, between song links were really well crafted –  humorous and wonderfully informative.  And throughout, the interaction between Dillie and Barb made it seem as if you were in the rehearsal room with them.

The only way to close such a show is with a classic, and a lovely, heartfelt duet on Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas sent us on our way joyful, having experienced an intimate and richly entertaining evening.  Personally, I’m thrilled to have heard so many wonderful “new” Christmas songs.

Overall, this was an original, perfectly judged and brilliantly performed show.

The full programme was:

Song	Singer	Original Performer
The Man With the Bag/Christmas wall	Duet	Kay Starr/Frank Sinatra
Santa Teach Me to Dance	Duet	Debbie & the Darnells
Must be Santa	Duet	Bob Dylan
Miss Fogarty’s Christmas Cake	Dillie	Irish Rovers
Christmas is Coming	Barb	The Three Courgettes
The Wine Song	Dillie	Grant Baynham
By Christmas Eve	Barb	John Legend
Who Spiked the Egg Nog	Duet	Straight No Chaser
Father Christmas	Barb	Ray Davies
Dear Nuala – 12 days of Christmas	Dillie	Frank Kelly
Christmas Don’t Be Late	Duet	Alvin & the Chipmunks
Blue Christmas	Dillie	Elvis Presley
River	Barb	Joni Mitchell
Grandma Got Run Over by a Reindeer	Duet	Elmo & Patsy
Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas	Duet	Frank Sinatra

The Maltings, Farnham – until 24 December 2024

Reviewed by Rebecca Scott

5*****

Farnham Maltings are delivering us Christmas cracker! This show will enchant audiences of all ages. From start to finish it was funny, festive and captivating!

This production, directed by Max Hutchinson, adapts the cherished story written by Diana Hendry and John Lawrence. The play starts with Maggie Mistletoe (Tricia Adele-Turner) fretting about where her expected relatives will stay for Christmas. However, Christmas Eve has rolled around and guest after unexpected guest arrives…so where will all 37 people sleep? The house becomes so full that Father Christmas has trouble keeping track of everyone!

All 37 characters are played by the 4 actors you see on stage. You would think something like this would appear chaotic, but it was an absolutely delight to watch and so seamless too. The audience gets to meet the likes of Uncle Bartholomew who has arrived from Australia, the local Vicar and Maggie’s five aunts from Abingdon.

Finlay McGuigan was particularly impressive with his accents and facial expressions. He was so playful on stage and his mannerisms were so quirky. Olivia Williamson was loveable as her characters, and she has a wonderful singing voice! Pete Ashmore was humorous, and my daughter loved him as Father Christmas at the end. Tricia was particularly impressive. She had so many lines to deliver, and how she remembered all 37 characters on repeat in her song was magnificent!

There was no standout performance because this quartet bounced off each so well, that they all stood out equal. They are all so charismatic and joy to watch perform together. They moved so effortlessly across the stage, remembering all the props needed and effortlessly transforming into each character. It reminded me that you don’t need to do something dramatic when playing several roles. A simple hat change, body language tweak or accent replacement was all was needed. They made it appear so effortless!

A production like this cannot be done without the support of an excellent crew. A special mention to the stage management team, who made sure everything was in the right place at the right time. I also loved the staging and the design of set in the Mistletoe family’s attic. The lighting was impressive, created by Chris McDonnell, and this really added to the festive ambience that was being portrayed.

At the heart of this production is the message being given out. Christmas in Exeter Street shares the importance of generosity and being together, not about what you get under the tree.

There is nothing I would have changed about this production. I thoroughly enjoyed the 90 minutes (inc interval) it was on for. I only wish it went on longer! The audience will enjoy real magic, catchy songs and comedy all wrapped up in a story that leaves you with a warm glow inside. It made me feel excited to enjoy the chaotic Christmas I have coming up, and how grateful I am for it.