Author: FairyPoweredProductions

AWKWARD PRODUCTIONS

PRESENTS

NEW US ENGAGEMENTS OF THEIR VIRAL THEATRICAL SENSATIONS

“GWYNETH GOES SKING”

AND THE NEW YORK AND LA PREMIERES OF

“DIANA: THE UNTOLD AND UNTRUE STORY”

FOLLOWING SOLD-OUT HOUSES AND RAVE REVIEWS AROUND THE GLOBE

BOTH SHOWS WRITTEN BY AND STARRING

LINUS KARP AND JOSEPH MARTIN

JANUARY 2026

Awkward Productions – harbingers of queer chaos and brilliantly original theatre – are excited to announce that their two viral theatrical sensations Gwyneth Goes Skiing and Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story will be performed in select US cities in January 2026. Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story will make its highly anticipated New York debut at Off-Broadway’s SoHo Playhouse from January 6-10. The shows will then ski into Aspen for Gay Ski Week from January 14-17 at The Wheeler Opera House. The Elysian Theater in Los Angeles will present Gwyneth Goes Skiing from January21-24 and Diana fromJanuary25-28, which marks Diana’s Los Angeles debut.

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – which has made international headlines in The New Yorker, Rolling Stone, The New York Times, BBC, TMZ, and beyond – stars Linus Karp as the Goop-founding, Door-Sliding, Shakespeare-In-Loving, consciously uncoupling Hollywood superstar Gwyneth Paltrow and Joseph Martin as her nemesis Dr Terry Sanderson. This ever-evolving show about the Gwyneth Paltrow ski trial is a story of justice, betrayal and optometry, recounting the biggest case to rock the legal world since law was invented. The show makes the audience the jury, asking them to decide who’s guilty and who’s gooped. Featuring original music by Leland (Troye Sivan, Cher), vocals by Cat Cohen (Edinburgh Comedy Award Winner) and Emmy, Golden Globe, and Tony Award winner Darren Criss (“Glee,” “The Assassination of Gianni Versace”) – and a special video appearance from drag legend Trixie Mattel –  this queer extravaganza is “unlike anything else you’ll see.” (Attitude – ★★★★★)

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, the multiple award-winning, Edinburgh Fringe 2023 sell-out show, became an immediate cult hit with UK audiences for its unique audience participation and staggeringly camp portrayal of the royals. The show has won an OffFest Award for Best Play and the prestigious LAURA Award and has enjoyed three UK Tours, multi-week runs in London and, as of this year, a world tour through Bangkok, Australia, Canada, and Europe. Through a comedic and unhinged lens, the show highlights Princess Diana’s ground-breaking stances on social and queer issues and allows her to finally speak her (un)truth and break free from the monarchy. Completing the cast digitally are Geri Allen (Operation Mincemeat), Rob Madge (Cabaret, My Son’s a Queer), Zina Badran (“Doctor Who”) and Broadway’s Princess Diana herself, Jeanna de Waal. Told by Princess Diana from heaven, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is “so much more than just a show. It’s an experience. It’s a lifestyle. It is the moment” (The Reviews Hub – ★★★★★).

Awkward Productions was created by queer Swede Linus Karp and his gay lover Joseph Martin to bring ridiculous genre-mixing comedy, niche pop culture references, audience participation and queer joy to the stage. Their holy tetrad of shows consists of Gwyneth Goes Skiing, Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, The Fit Prince (who gets switched on the square in the frosty castle the night before (insert public holiday here)) and how to live a jellicle life: life lessons from the 2019 hit movie musical ‘cats’. These shows have all been performed at Edinburgh Fringe for sold-out crowds, received international media coverage,  and won awards. An Awkward Prods show isn’t performed for you, it’s performed with you – making each one unique.

TICKET INFO

JANUARY 6-10 (NYC)

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story (New York Debut)

SoHo Playhouse, Six shows from Tuesday, January 6 to Saturday, January 10

Tickets: https://www.sohoplayhouse.com/see-a-show/diana

JANUARY 14-17 (Aspen, CO)

Gwyneth Goes Skiing

Wheeler Opera House, Two shows; Wednesday, January 14 and Friday, January 16

Tickets: https://wheeleroperahouse.com/event/gwyneth-goes-skiing-2/

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story

Wheeler Opera House, Two shows; Thursday, January 15 and Saturday, January 17

Tickets: https://wheeleroperahouse.com/event/diana-the-untold-and-untrue-story-2/

JANUARY 21-24 (Los Angeles)

Gwyneth Goes Skiing

The Elysian Theater, Five shows from Wednesday, January 21 to Saturday, January 24

Tickets: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/gwyneth2026

JANUARY 25-28 (Los Angeles)

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story (Los Angeles Debut)

The Elysian Theater, Four shows from Sunday, January 25 to Wednesday, January 28

Tickets: https://www.elysiantheater.com/shows/diana2026

Gwyneth Goes Skiing is for ages 16+, it contains strong language, adult humour

and exploding vagina candles.

Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story is for ages 16+, it includes flashing lights,

audience participation, strong language, and Camilla Parker Bowles.

Praise for Awkward Productions’ work:

“Awkward Prods mines all the laughs” – Graham Norton

“Outrageous triumph” – Edgar Wright

“Masterminds” – The New York Times

“Fringe triumph” – Vogue

“An unhinged, gay fantasia” – Playbill

“★★★★★ A perfectly executed piece of theatre” – Broadway World

“★★★★★ Perfectly imagined and brought to life on stage with vision and heaps of silliness” – The National

“★★★★ Gloriously ridiculous” – The Stage

Yvonne Arnaud – until 22^nd November 2025

Reviewed by Heather Chalkley

4****

Writer Nick Lane has cleverly woven several threads of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s catalogue of short stories, giving us an original and contemporary Sherlock Holmes tale. Lane captures the essence of Holmes and his ensemble, giving the audience familiarity and originality in one hit!

Ben Owora is the upright Doctor John Watson, keeping the audience informed and attempting to keep Holmes on an even keel. Owora (Watson) portrays a warm, calm, collected character, reliable and consistent. In contrast, Mark Knightley is the formidable force that is Sherlock Holmes, giving him stature, intensity and the emotional roller coaster that fans know so well. 

Pippa Caddick (Mrs Husdon, Violet Westbury, Irene Adler, Hilda Trelawney-Hope) is impressive in her ability to switch between strong female characters, providing a distinction between each not just with the dialogue, also her manner and tone. Caddick’s fight scene as Irene Adler, is particularly awesome, with big skirts, umbrella and sword all perfectly balanced! 

Gavin Molloy is impressive in his quick transitions between 5 different characters, including Inspector Lestrade and Professor Moriarty. Any student of the stage can learn a lot watching his performance, as he embodies each character fully. 

Rob Myles has choreographed some great fight scenes, true to the time and honest in presentation. The creative team have provided a set that transitions easily between scenes, with the fluid motion of the cast moving props into place. It is a pleasure to watch their work.

The play as a whole is quite long and dialogue heavy, however you are kept on your toes, with action scenes and following the many clues. I believe Sir Arthur Conan Doyle will have been impressed by the authenticity and originality of this piece. 

Hall for Cornwall, Truro – until the 19th November 2025

Reviewed by Kerry Gilbert

5*****

‘A Joyful Musical Spectacular, full of Festive Cheer!’

This was the first time I’ve had the pleasure of seeing the ‘That’ll Be The Day’ shows, and oh boy was I impressed with ‘That’ll Be Christmas!’ It’s no wonder this show is celebrating its 40th anniversary which is testament to its quality and popularity. For many it’s a trip down memory lane but there is enough here to engage both young and old.

It was a 3-hour show, packed full of entertaining comedy sketches and featured a wide range of popular music from the 1950s through to the 1980s. The talented cast showcased their incredible vocals with tributes to artists like ABBA, Cliff Richard, Showaddywaddy, The Beach Boys and Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, plus there were plenty of festive tunes thrown in. The comedy routines were plentiful and hilarious, with spot-on impressions of BBC TV’s Steptoe and Son, through to silent comedy greats such as Laurel and Hardy, to music legends Julio Iglesias and Willy Nelson. Trevor Payne and Gary Anderson combine visual and sound accuracy and superb comic timing.

There is a real magical moment during Cliff Richards’ Mistletoe and Wine when the entire Hall joins in to create a wonderful atmosphere. Another standout moment for me was the rendition of Fairytale of New York with the vocalists playing the accordion and an Irish flute; it was truly impressive.

The show had plenty of sparkle with sequins galore, rapid costume changes and it was packed full of nostalgia. The set was electric, with the band on stage playing a plethora of instruments, most of them also tackle lead vocals too!

It was great to hear that the show is a generous supporter and is raising money for the Children’s charity, Make a Wish Foundation and has raised a substantial amount of money.

The show is energetic, quick paced and engaging throughout and is guaranteed to be a night to remember and the feel-good show we all need!

LYCEUM, SHEFFIELD – UNTIL 22nd NOVEMBER 2025

Reviewed by Alison Beaumont

4****

Here & Now is a musical using the songs of the pop band Steps to tell the story of four friends who work at a seaside superstore called Better Best Bargains. When one of the friends, Caz, is coming up to her 50th birthday and a potential adoption, she challenges her friends Vel to end her loveless relationship, Neeta, to declare her feelings for a colleague and Robbie to pursue the dating scene. Their plans are jeopardized by Caz’s own relationship crisis and a risk to the store itself, turning their pursuit of a “happy ending” into a potential “tragedy”.

Being a big Steps fan back in the 90’s I was really looking forward to seeing this musical.

From the outset you are met with scenes of a pink and blue fusion.

Although some of the vocals weren’t the greatest compared to other musicals I have seen this really did not matter as the show has the feel good and happy factor. I especially liked it when Ben (Ben Darcy) sang “Story of a heart”. Caz played by Lara Denning gave an overall grounded performance and seemed to get stronger vocally as the performance went along. Neeta (Rosie Singha) was also another actor who stood out for me, good vocals and portrayed the character well.

The ensemble throughout the performance were amazing, especially Casey Jay who had so much energy, you couldn’t help but watch his moves. This really was well choreographed by Matt Cole.

Every single person performing looked like they were really having a good time.

The musical easily transitions into the songs (some more well known than others) and it was hard at times not to join in. All is not lost though as at the end you get your chance to get up and join in the singing and dancing in the mega mix.

Overall, this musical is funny, camp and full of 90’s joy, what more can you ask for.

Aylesbury Waterside – until Saturday 22nd November 2025

Reviewed by Rachel Clark

4****

A great Nostalgia show

I am not a Friends fan, having grown up with the popular sitcom on the TV for 10 seasons and never watching one episode I wondered how I would relate to the show and if I would enjoy it, I went with a friend who was a huge fan and I believe had seen all episodes and was regular laughing. I was sceptical but I enjoyed it and from the laughter and audience participation so did the rest of the audience. On talking to some audience members at the interval not all had seen the show in the past, but it didn’t matter.

This show is all the most memorable bits sifted out and combined into one episode as such and put to music. It was fast and busy, the cast all singing at the same time all with different tones. The concept is playfully innovative, with the theatregoers as the studio audience and Friends being filmed on stage in front of us. With the energy of the musical explosively ignited by audience participation right from the start. from the stalls, picking out a few individuals much the the laughter of the rest of the audience and glad you weren’t picked on! Edward Leigh played the role of the warm-up guy (Kip) and he sets the bar for what continues to be a fun-fuelled, side-splitting, tongue in cheek jokes and comments about the six Friends people all knew and apparently loved in the 1990’s.

With the hype on it being a big performance, the sets were quite minimal, but the worked really well and the show makes no secret of moving things around, with actors doubling as crew and tape markings fluorescing under the occasional UV lighting. This made it feel like you were part of a live studio audience, which I thought was good.

Even though I hadn’t seen the TV show I knew of the characters, and Rachel Green played by Eva Hope looked form the distance like Jennifer Aniston the attention to detail in characterisation, physicality and mannerism that created almost like-for-like and her voice had clarity along with Phoebe played by Amelia Atherton who was a loveable character. Monica was played by Alicia Belgrade and was really good but for me the clarity in the voice wasn’t quite there, I often didn’t fully hear what was said or sung all of the time, but she was still great and you could sense was having fun playing the character.

Gunther (played also by Edward Leigh (5 roles in total he played) always on the side lines with discerning humour and wit and his yellow (blonde) wig to me was a Trump wig, that kept making me giggle every time he was on stage.

FRIENDS – The Musical Parody my friend advised had beautifully captured every iconic moment from the beloved sitcom observationally accurate and funny songs.

The set staged all of the classic backdrops including the girls and guys’ apartments and Central Perk which was cleverly actioned with comic timing and prop use supporting the key storylines.

FRIENDS! The Musical Parody captures the feelings the original TV show set in the 1990’s whilst seamlessly including new up to date humour, musicality and the occasional boundary-pushing commentary to create a great musical.

A must see for any Friends fan looking to reminisce, have a good laugh and to see their favourite characters and TV moments again in a singing and dancing show but I still would also recommend the show if you haven’t seen Friends before to see 10 seasons in a few hours!, I am glad I didn’t miss out just because I failed to watch the TV sitcom.

The Little Theatre, Leicester until 22 November 2025

Reviewed by LW

4****

Hairspray is a vibrant, feel-good musical set in 1960s Baltimore. It follows teenager Tracy Turnblad (Ellie Barratt) as she pursues her dream of dancing on The Corny Collins Show, hosted by Corny Collins (Conor Izzard). Along the way, Tracy challenges social norms, fights for racial integration, and wins the heart of teen idol Link Larkin (Jude Major).

The show opens with Tracy’s upbeat anthem “Good Morning Baltimore”, which Ellie Barratt delivers with enthusiasm. At times, however, some of the bigger numbers felt slightly beyond her comfort zone, and as a relative newcomer to the amateur circuit, this was noticeable. That said, her energy and commitment were evident throughout.

A standout performance came from Natasha Ann Carr as Penny Pingleton, who stole every scene with impeccable comic timing, strong vocals, and a fully realized character. Supporting roles included Link Larkin and Seaweed (Lewis Shaw). Jude Major showcased a great voice, though his character’s transformation could have been more clearly portrayed. Lewis Shaw impressed with his vocal range and dynamic dance ability.

Rosie Chalmers as Amber Von Tussle demonstrated clear experience, though the role demanded a different dynamic. Additionally, frequent shouting of lines meant some dialogue was lost to the audience.

Other notable performances included Conor Izzard as the delightfully cheesy Corny Collins, Jade Afflick-Goodall as the powerhouse Motormouth Maybelle, and Matt Brown’s charming portrayal of Edna Turnblad. A special mention goes to Sophia Pirie as Little Inez, whose excellent vocals and characterisation suggest a bright future ahead.

The ensemble and “Nicest Kids in Town” brought energy and enthusiasm, despite occasional lapses in dance precision.

One of the evening’s highlights was the duet between Edna and Wilbur (Alex Thompson), which brought genuine laughter to the audience. Their playful chemistry and well-timed comedic delivery made the number a joy to watch. The staging and character interaction added charm, turning what could have been a simple song into a memorable, light-hearted moment that perfectly captured the warmth and humour of their relationship.

Direction by Joshua Taylor-Williams met the demands of the show, supported by Jade Afflick-Goodall’s choreography. The orchestra, under Reece Crane, delivered a strong performance, though some entries were slightly delayed.

Overall, this was a lively and enjoyable amateur production that clearly delighted its sell-out audience.

Seven Dials Playhouse – until 15 November 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Kathleen is nervously waiting for a visitor, anxiously checking herself in the mirror, gently touching a small paper package. The visitor is the son she last saw 30 years ago, and Mark Wilson’s tender and moving portrayal of an adoption explores the feelings of all involved.

Kathleen recalls the shock and anger of her mother – mortified at the perceived shame of her fifteen-year-old daughter having a baby. The path that she is convinced to follow – for the best – is all arranged as neighbours are told she is going on holiday and she is sent away to have her baby. Her father, Will’s reaction is less vitriolic, but his quiet disappointment in his little girl stings even more. His gentle, conciliatory tone appears well practiced as his role in the home seems to be to placate his more incendiary wife and keep things running smoothly with no fuss. James Dangerfield is heartbreaking in a brilliantly written late scene where Will realises that he missed a chance to see his grandson, capturing his regret and loss before he pushes it aside to be able to cope with keeping the peace at home.

Mark Wilson’s empathetic writing allows devastating moments to settle and creates a non-judgemental picture of people just doing their best to deal with the situation. The father of Kathleen’s child – just some army lad – describes their brief flirtation while he is on leave, making it clear that he has no idea about the consequences of his actions. The couple who adopts Kathleen’s child, and their reasons for adopting, are drawn beautifully, not shying away from the grief of miscarriage. The long-term effect on Vanessa’s mental health of these losses is laid bare as her now adult son sits tenderly next to her as she repeatedly relives the moment she first held him, crying and panicking about feeling true connection and belonging.

Rosie Snell directs with a gentle touch as Sarita Plowman and James Dangerfield switch between characters with deft and obvious changes in body language and voice, effortlessly conveying their emotional trauma amid scattered glimmers of love and hope. Plowman is captivating as young Kathleen – the joy and innocence as she dances with carefree abandon, enchanting her army lad, slowly disappearing as she arrives at the morning she last sees her son. Greg Spong’s simple but emotive set design has stacks of vintage suitcases as symbols of the characters’ search for belonging and Andrew Stuart-Buttle’s music is atmospheric, creating magical moments.

The interwoven stories hit hard in their unsensational, recognisable truth. The performances are glorious in the intimate space, telling this beautiful, reflective play that deserves a wider audience.

Waterloo East Theatre – until 30 November 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Mark is 15 years old and confused. Confused about his sexuality, social interactions and the cruelty of school life, and with nobody he feels he can talk to, he decides to chat with Graham Norton. Watching Graham’s show on TV and hearing his parents talk about what an open and comforting interviewer he is, Mark hopes he can air all of his troubles and thoughts without being judged. Unfortunately, his practise run sees him completely distracted by the hotness of his fellow imaginary guests on Graham’s sofa!

What begins as light-hearted anecdotes about sexual awakening at school, sexual arousal on the tube, the cat incident, and musings about whether he can be absolutely sure that he’s gay if he hasn’t “experienced a vagina” soon darkens into deeper self-analysis. Initially I questioned Simon Perrott’s writing style as the vocabulary and phrasing used is not that of a typical teenager, but as Mark talks about the bullying encountered at school, his isolated state becomes more obvious. He lights up when he plays his beloved albums, and it is made clear that the books he devours and thinks deeply about are how he measures his life, using more sophisticated and romanticised phrases modelled on his favourite romances.

Gerald Armin’s astute direction allows Jamie Kaye to deliver a stunning performance – sweetly naïve and searching for meaning at first, before the tone completely shifts and he breaks your heart as he talks about the online community he found as he had nobody to talk to. The talk with Graham has made Mark realise he is ready to take a big step. The latter part of the play is bleak and horrifying as the dark corners of the web that can be found by desperate and isolated children are explored. Perrott writes Mark’s thoughts matter-of-factly, with his decision seeming almost reasonable – in full compliance with his group’s rules.

In Conversation With Graham Norton is hard-hitting and heartfelt, a witty and emotive exploration of the confusion and pressures of youth.

Theatre 503 – until 29 November 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Tanya-Loretta Dee’s debut full-length play is an absolute stunner.

Beginning with an eerie gothic fairytale account of a hunter and a deer, brilliantly staged on Mydd Pharo’s bleak set – tall grass, mounds of earth and chunks of mattress scattered in front of concrete coloured wallpapers creates a confusing imagery that becomes clearer as Bex continues her story and returns from her imagination to real life – making balloon animals in a party shop in Peckham.

A customer piques her interest and they arrange to go for drinks – not sure of it a date or not, Bex cancels plans with her flatmate. She falls for James straight away, but he is slower to respond, until he takes her to Nobu. Their relationship raises red flags for everyone but Bex. Sex in toilets, always meeting in hotels that get seedier and seedier, and only communicating by text. But Bex is obsessed with this completely ordinary man.

Her flatmate Greta (a friend since childhood) and her mother are concerned – and hints are dropped that this obsessive behaviour has happened before. Bex becomes more and more isolated from Greta and her mother and withdraws from her responsibilities as she overthinks her relationship and how James actually feels about her. When she finds out that James is married, Bex sees this as a bump in the road for their journey of true love, and her sexualised fairytales introduce James’s wife as the witch that hunts the princess and her wolf prince.

Dee weaves obsessive fantasy and everyday life brilliantly, switching from heightened passion or danger to a knowing wink in an instant. Bex is frustrating and selfish in her obsession, and her friends and family’s attempts to help are brushed off with contempt – making them the villains in Bex’s inner narrative as she blames her childhood trauma on her mother and expects Greta to be a cheerleader for her romance. When Bex has a sudden epiphany about the truth of her situation, there is hope, and her mother gives her the love and help she needs. But even as she is reading a book about limerence and the obsessive cycle she has repeated in her life, whether she is completely over James is still in doubt.

Dee’s impressive writing is matched by the fantastic design: Mydd Pharo’s set is lit beautifully by Cheng Keng, and Jamie Lu’s sound design completes the intense and atmospheric mood. Sophie Ellerby directs with great style, and meaning is drawn from every aspect of the set design as Dee performs Bex’s story with physicality and charm. An unsettling and spellbinding debut. Grab a ticket while you can.

ROSIE

A NEW MUSICAL

TO HAVE WEST END PREMIERE PERFORMANCE

AT THE ADELPHI THEATRE

17 MARCH 2026

STARRING LUCY THOMAS

Cavendish Productions, Paul Morrisey Ltd and Darren Bell Productions are delighted to announce that after more than a decade in development the highly anticipated new musical ROSIE will have its West End debut for a one-night-only, semi-staged, gala performance at the Adelphi Theatre on Tuesday 17 March 2026.

This special performance will star the sensational Lucy Thomas in the title role, with further casting and creatives to be announced.

ROSIE tells the remarkable true story of Miss Rosie Boote, who was raised in a convent in Ireland with a dream of becoming a star on the West End stage in Edwardian London. It’s a thrilling tale of passion, scandal and courageous determination.

Lucy Thomas created a huge impression with her incredible voice at the age of 14 on ITV1’s The Voice Kids. After her appearance on the show, Lucy was immediately offered a recording contract by Cavendish Records resulting in her eagerly anticipated debut album ‘Premiere’ which was released on 1 February 2019. Lucy’s worldwide following has continued to increase rapidly and she has now released five highly acclaimed studio albums. Lucy has over 1-million subscribers and 300-million views on her YouTube Channel and videos featuring her recordings have been viewed over 2-billion times on TikTok.

A studio cast album for ROSIE was released in 2024 and received great acclaim, amassing millions of online streams, with songs from the show, including the much loved Starlight, Suddenly and Broken Dreams, winning six International Songwriting Awards.

ROSIE has original concept, music & lyrics by composer Chris Broom.

ROSIE is produced by Cavendish Productions, Paul Morrisey Ltd and Darren Bell Productions.

Website: rosiethemusical.com

Facebook: @rosiethemusical

YouTube: @rosiethemusical

LISTINGS INFORMATION

Tuesday 17 March 2026, 7:30pm

Adelphi Theatre

409-412 Strand,

London

WC2R 0NS

Box Office: 020 7087 7754