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BEST LQBTQ+ THEATRE THIS SUMMER 

This Bitter Earth

The Soho Theatre, London

18 June – 26 July 

This Bitter Earth by Harrison David Rivers is an intimate, romantic and gripping play about a young black writer and his white activist lover that asks, “What is the real cost of standing on the sidelines?”  Now a major new London production, opening at the Soho Theatre from Wednesday 18 June and playing until Saturday 26 July, with a press night on Tuesday 24 June, will mark the UK directorial debut of Grammy Award, Emmy and three-time Tony Award winner, Billy Porter.  

This Bitter Earth will star Omari Douglas (C4’s It’s a Sin – BAFTA nomination, Constellations)alongside Russell Tovey in the West End – Olivier Award Best Actor nomination and Cliff in original West End cast of Cabaret at the KitKat Club) as ‘Jesse’ and Alexander Lincoln (cult gay rugby movie In From the Side – Best Actor winner & Best Breakthrough Performance nomination) as ‘Neil’. 

Tickets from £13.

The Diana Mixtape

Outernet, London and The Lowry, Salford
28 July – 10 August (London), 19 – 24 August (Salford)

Concert. Biopic. Musical. THE DIANA MIXTAPE is a brand-new production from Director/Producer Christopher D. Clegg, that will have its world premiere in London at Here @Outernet this summer, from 28 July – 10 August 2025, with a press performance on 31 July 8pm. Featuring music originally performed by Britney Spears, Lady Gaga, Dua Lipa, Jade, Katy Perry, Ariana Grande, Kylie Minogue and many more, this hilarious yet heartwarming musical gig is a guaranteed rollicking good time.

Tickets from £34.50

The Empire Strips Back

Riverside Studios, Hammersmith
2 May – 17 August

Due to overwhelming demand, the internationally-acclaimed The Empire Strips Back: A Burlesque Parody (2 May – 17 August) has extended its London debut at Riverside Studios! This raunchy, hilarious, and entirely unauthorised theatrical spectacle has played to over 300,000 audience members worldwide, with sold-out shows in New York, Chicago, Paris, and Mexico City. Featuring a cast of scantily-clad, sultry, and seductive intergalactic icons, this raucous show offers an unforgettably outrageous night out and promises to be like nothing you’ve seen before. 

Age 18 +.  Tickets from £29

Southwark Playhouse – until 14 June 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Nancy Netherwood’s eerily enigmatic play is a masterclass in building melancholic tension with atmospheric music and a spareness of words.

Russell (Stuart Thompson) has left his music studies in London and returned to his childhood home, and his mother Maud (Wendy Nottingham) on a snowy night. Russell ominously states that “it” has happened again and the pair prepare for the arrival of Father Miller (Ben Allen). The room is initially shielded behind a gauze curtain, which is torn down by the mysterious figure of the Voice (Renée Lamb) pacing around the stage, singing and observing. The back wall of the Little is mirrored, reflecting the stage and actors as they stand outside the room, turning their backs on Russell, except for Lamb as she watches Russell constantly.

Maud and Russell’s conversations hint at the reasons for his disquiet: themes of homophobia, classism, religion and faith are raised but never explored explicitly, lulling the audience into thinking that this is psychological rather than supernatural. The arrival of Father Miller – a self-declared expert using pseudoscientific names for exorcism – shifts the pace of the dialogue and the play. Maud begins speaking in her best “telephone voice” (all our parents had them in the 1980s!) and Miller’s verbosity lightens the tension a little before he realises what he is up against.

Júlia Levai’s slick direction keeps the audience on edge, with any nostalgic feelings from the 80s music Russell plays soon swatted away by unsettling events. Lucia Sánchez Roldan lights Tomas Palmer’s atmospheric set brilliantly. Just as music plays a huge role in Russell’s life, Patch Middleton and Elinor Peregrin’s sound design creates onstage magic. Renée Lamb has the most incredible voice, and her vocals in the carols and folk songs here are gorgeously mellow, contrasting wonderfully with her wide-eyed prowling around the stage. The change as she portrays Russell’s uni friend Steph – full of unfiltered energy and joy – in flashbacks is superb. Stuart Thompson is astonishing as Russell –wickedly sharp, but heartbreakingly sad and lonely – a sublime nuanced performance. Wendy Nottingham is impressive as Maud, initially appearing cold and distant, but as the night progresses you realise that this is her defence for her and her son. Ben Allen portrays the unravelling of Father Miller’s reassuring professionalism with aplomb.

Exactly what is haunting Russell is left unsaid – we see how the Voice defends itself and Russell in gory detail and the reactions of those around him leave more questions than answers. But the mystery works and Netherwood’s skilfully woven haunting is chillingly entertaining.

THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY

TO TOUR THE UK FOR

THE FIRST TIME

OPENING AT

EVERYMAN THEATRE, CHELTENHAM ON

THURSDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2025

Award-winning producers Jack Maple and Thomas Hopkins are delighted to announce the first ever UK tour of the stage adaptation of Patricia Highsmith’s iconic, gripping novel and source material for the 2000 Oscar nominated film starring Matt Damon, Jude Law and Gwyneth Paltrow and the 2024 Netflix adaptation starring Andrew Scott, THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY, opening at the Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham, on 4 September. 2025 marks the 70^th anniversary of the novel’s publication. There will be an official opening night on 10 Septmeber.

THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY is a The Faction production (Macbeth, Stephen Joseph Theatre; My Last Duchess, film commissioned by The Lowry) adapted and directed by Mark Leipacher (Mary Stuart, New Diorama, UK tour and international; A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Wilton’s Music Hall/Theatre Royal Bath Ustinov/UK tour).

“I never wanted to murder anyone.  It was necessary.”

Step into a world of deception, desire, and deadly ambition.

Tom Ripley is a nobody—until he’s offered an unexpected opportunity: travel to Italy and bring home the wealthy and carefree Dickie Greenleaf. But as Tom is drawn into Dickie’s glittering world of privilege, his obsession takes a dark turn. What begins as an innocent invitation spirals into a web of lies, identity theft, and murder.

Set against the sun-drenched backdrop of 1950s Italy, this gripping stage adaptation of The Talented Mr. Ripley brings Patricia Highsmith’s iconic novel to life in a thrilling new production. With razor-sharp dialogue, psychological intensity, and a chillingly charismatic antihero, this is Ripley as you’ve never seen him before.

How far would you go to be someone else?

THE TALENTED MR RIPLEY is a The Faction production produced by Jack Maple (producer credits: Spring Awakening: The 15^th Anniversary Reunion, Victoria Palace Theatre; The View Upstairs, Soho Theatre and Working, Southwark Playhouse) and Thomas Hopkins (This Bitter Earth, Soho Theatre; A Song From Far Away, HOME Manchester & Hampstead Theatre; ROSE, The Ambassadors Theatre). There will be set and costume design by Holly Piggott (Fleabag, Wyndham’s Theatre) with associate set and costume design by Ellen Farrell, lighting design by Zeynep Kepekli (The Little Mermaid, Bristol Old Vic), sound design by Max Pappenheim (The Night of the Iguana, Noel Coward Theatre) and casting by Marc Frankum CDG (The Woman in Black, Fortune Theatre).

Casting to be announced.

Website: TheTalentedMrRipleyPlay.com

Instagram & Facebook: @RipleyOnStage

2025 TOUR LISTINGS

4 – 13 September                               Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham                   01242 572 573

                                                            www.everymantheatre.org.uk

15 – 20 September                             Festival Theatre, Edinburgh                          0131 529 6000

                                                            www.capitaltheatres.com/festival-theatre     

22 – 27 September                             Birmingham Rep                                          

                                                            www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

6 – 11 October                                    New Victoria Theatre, Woking

                                                            www.atgtickets.com/new-victoria-theatre       On sale soon

13 – 18 October                                  Oxford Playhouse                                          01865 305305

                                                            www.oxfordplayhouse.com                            On sale soon

27 October – 1 November                  Theatre Royal Brighton                                

                                                            www.atgtickets.com/brighton                          On sale soon

3 – 8 November                                  Bristol Old Vic                                               

                                                            bristololdvic.org.uk                                          On sale soon

10 – 15 November                              Richmond Theatre

                                                            www.atgtickets.com/richmond                        On sale soon

2026 touring dates to be announced

The National Youth Music Theatre leads innovative new Birmingham partnership project alongside ambitious outdoor theatre finale of its 2025 Season

The National Youth Music Theatre (NYMT) proudly announces FairGround, a bold and inclusive arts festival for children and young people from all backgrounds across the whole of Birmingham.Hosted at City Academy, FairGround will offer free creative workshops in partnership with other leading arts organisations and schools in the city. The festival is committed to providing tailored opportunities for participants that reflect the diverse needs and experiences of its participants. Among those opportunities will be specialist drama and music workshops for newly arrived children who attend CORE Hello – a groundbreaking education programme which supports children from around the world to integrate positively into Birmingham schools and the community

FairGround features a series of four creative workshops, offering young people a fully funded chance to gain hands-on experience in a professional theatre environment. NYMT has brought together key partners who share a common commitment to broadening opportunities for young people to access all aspects of the arts on their terms. Birmingham Hippodrome will be delivering workshops inspired by their SEN Youth Theatre programme and BOA Trust will be leading workshops in technical theatre, with the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire guiding the music workshops, building on their existing outreach work at SoundLab.This collaborative endeavour will be set against the backdrop of an equally ambitious outdoor production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel, produced by NYMT and performed by some of the country’s brightest music theatre talent at Birmingham City Academy

NYMT is focused on delivering authentic and accessible opportunities that give young people high quality, tailored opportunities in music theatre. By working collaboratively with young people and regional partners, the festival celebrates inclusivity in high-quality arts training, performance and participation. Rooted in youth-led creative engagement, FairGround places young voices at the heart of NYMT’s commitment to creating new pathways for emerging talent to connect, grow, and thrive.

Underpinning FairGround is a strong commitment to meaningful partnership and long-term impact. Through creative collaborations with organisations such as CORE Education Trust, Birmingham Hippodrome, the Royal Birmingham Conservatoire, and BOA Trust, NYMT is helping to lead national conversations on how creative partnerships can be maximised to benefit young people. With essential funding from The Garek Trust and local support from its Birmingham partners, the project is made possible through shared investment in its vision. This series of work champions forward-thinking, action-led leadership in the arts—leadership that values shared purpose, community-rooted delivery, and a desire to challenge and disrupt outdated models. FairGround begins as a local initiative with national ambition, setting a standard for how the arts can work for everyone—not just the few.

Adrian Packer CBE, CEO of NYMT, comments, Launching our first FairGround in Birmingham, one of the youngest and most diverse cities in Europe, NYMT and its partners are excited at the potential of offering a creative, dynamic and safe space for young people from all backgrounds. This new innovative and ambitious space will exemplify the value of the arts as a facilitator of social good and cultural inclusion.

Rebecca Bakewell, Headteacher of City Academy, FairGround is exactly the kind of project we love to champion at City Academy. It brings together everything CORE stands for – creativity, opportunity and inclusion. We’re especially proud that our COREHello students will have the chance to take part in something so exciting and unique. Everyone deserves access to the arts,and FairGround reflects our commitment to making creativity central to how we learn, connect and grow as a community

Chris Cuming, NYMT Artistic Director, comments, Collaboration is a fundamental part of how our sector works, and FairGround will demonstrate four local organisations collaborating with NYMT to inspire the young people of Birmingham to explore careers in the Arts. Our festival will highlight the creative possibilities of pursuing every avenue of theatre production, from their first insight at these new co-delivered workshops through to a commitment to further training. I’m so proud to be partnering with these organisations to give these active workshops to the Birmingham community.

Garek Trust comments, At The Garek Trust we look to support organisations who reflect our values and ethos; consequently we are delighted to support NYMT and more specifically the FairGround festival. We strive to increase exposure to the performing arts to as many young people as possible and FairGround is the perfect platform for this.

The inaugural FairGround festival forms part of NYMT’s 2025 Summer season, which also features three new productions at Birmingham Hippodrome. From the vibrant energy of Fame: The Musical, the highly anticipated UK premiere of Tuck Everlasting, to the fantastical world of Lightning Boy (a brand-new musical), this season shines a spotlight on the incredible talent of the NYMT company. The season will culminate with Carousel, a site-specific performance uniquely staged on a working carousel, underscoring the organisation’s visionary approach and its commitment to reimagining music theatre for new generations. Alongside the Birmingham Summer Season and FairGround, NYMT will also be running PLATFORM and CRESCENDO

As part of the NYMT summer season, talented young people from across the UK — ranging in age from 10 to 23 — will come together to showcase their skills in a series of groundbreaking performances, with a clear focus on elevating the standard and visibility of music theatre across the industry. NYMT is also proud to announce a record-breaking 1,200 auditionees recently took part in its audition workshops, reflecting the growing passion and ambition among young people keen to be part of the vibrant world of music theatre. With its thriving creative scene and strong network of cultural partners, Birmingham provides the perfect base for this ambitious and inspiring work.

The NYMT has almost five decades of providing top-quality professional development for young theatre makers, continuing continues to offer masterclasses, skills workshops, and residential courses to support the next generation of performers, creatives, and technicians. The organisation is committed to making these opportunities accessible to all, with bursaries totalling nearly£50,000 this year alone to support under-resourced families

Gala Theatre, Durham – until 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Sheila Storrar

5*****

Former BBC Look North presenter for over twenty years, Jeff Brown, is used to presenting the stories of the local area. His second play, The Bench, is a love story about a footballer, Adi (Jason Njoroge), and single mother, Vicky (Hannah Marie Davis), who’s different worlds collide when they meet by chance on a park bench. On the face of it, their backgrounds, life challenges and aspirations are very different, but as their stories unfold, it is clear they have much more in common.

Vicky, is struggling to raise her baby son on benefits, alongside caring for her sick mother. She takes him to the park because it’s free. There, she meets Adi, a Premiership footballer, who is paid more money than he can spend. After a poor run of form, he is quite literally on the bench. Born in Africa and raised in France, he is isolated and subjected to racism, both on and off the field. These are not obvious themes that lend themselves to a humorous approach.

Much of the comedy comes from the interactions between Adi and his scheming agent, Mike Malone and conversations between Vicky and her best friend, Becs. Both David Nellist as the former and Abigail Lawson as the latter, are believable and excellent in their roles and provide some laugh out loud moments. The cast is completed by Dan Howe, who appears as various characters who interact with the main players.

In the second act, a conversation on the bench reveals more about Adi and Vicky’s individual back stories. The emotionally charged scene is played out by both actors in an understated and sensitive way. A hush descended in the theatre as the audience engaged with and was moved by their experiences. The mood lightens towards the end of the act as we find out if this unlikely couple can overcome the obstacles in their way.

Special mention must go to the set design by Lee Ward, which incorporates Adi’s apartment, Vicky’s home and a football stadium, as well as the park bench of the title, centre stage.

The Bench packs in a multitude of themes, including racism, football, caring, terminal illness, war, power and powerlessness. Jeff Brown, writing from personal and professional experience, juggles them all with humour and compassion. The result is an entertaining and thought-provoking story about finding connection and hope in an unlikely place. A thoroughly entertaining evening which closed to a standing ovation from the audience.

Birmingham Hippodrome – until 23rd May 2025

Reviewed by Emma Millward

4****

Amina Khayyam Dance Company’s new dance-theatre production ‘Bibi Rukiya’s Reckless Daughter’ premiered in Birmingham this week. The piece explores the conditioned patriarchy enforced by women within family structures. The show tells the story of Bibi Rukiya, a widow who wishes to keep her three daughters restricted by cultural expectations and societal pressure in order to ensure they all get married and uphold the family’s reputation. The piece is loosely based on Federico Garcia Lorca’s ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’. The dance company collaborated with women’s community groups across the nation to develop the production. Throughout numerous workshops, they explored the roles and responsibilities of mothers and daughters. The story is told through Kathak, a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance known as the dance of storytellers. 

As the audience entered the auditorium of the Patrick Studio, a gentle Tabla beat filled the air. We were greeted by two of Bibi Rukiya’s daughters, quietly seated at the back of the dance floor, watching the audience take their seats. The performance consists of four dancers led by Amina Khayyam herself as Bibi Rukiya, and the three daughters. They all dance in unison at first, but it soon becomes obvious that one of the daughters is disillusioned by their mother’s control of them. The daughter begins to rebel, including a touchingly funny dance sequence featuring Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’. Throughout the show. Bibi Rukiya reappears to reign her daughters in and ensure they are conforming to the standards she expects from them. Without speaking, the dancers manage to still convey intense emotions through their movements and occasionally even silently screaming in frustration.

Khayyam’s choreography throughout the piece shifts from soft, gentle dancing to more staccato, almost aggressive movements, particularly from the rebellious daughter. Every movement has been thought out and is so precise. The beautiful music was composed by John-Marc Gowans, and performed live by Debasish Mukherjee (tabla), Iain McHugh (Cello) and the haunting vocals of Sohini Alam. The costumes designed by Keith Khan and Abeda Begum were exquisite, and their vibrant colours stood out against the mostly plain background of the dancefloor.

A dance piece of this style can be interpreted differently by each viewer. I must admit that certain parts of the performance left me a bit confused about what was happening, but this is only the second Kathak dance piece I have seen. After seeing this piece, I intend to see more shows in the future to gain a deeper understanding of this style of performing. I found this production to be thought-provoking, emotive and powerful.

Peacock Theatre, London – until 7 June 2025

Reviewed by Emily Smith

4****

Bat Out of Hell has arrived back in London at the Peacock Theatre for three weeks only as part of a UK-wide tour. Featuring the music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf, the show has been a fan-favourite since it first opened in 2017. Featuring songs such as Dead Ringer for Love, I’d Do Anything For Love and the titular Bat Out of Hell, it is a must-see for any Meat Loaf fan.

This new touring production features Glenn Adamson who returns to play Strat, leader of ‘The Lost’. Glenn is great casting for Strat – he plays the role with a craziness and defiance that suits the show perfectly – and of course his vocals are incredible. Katie Tonkinson stars as Raven, and delivers delicate yet powerful vocals throughout the show, particularly in numbers such as Heaven Can Wait and It’s All Coming Back To Me Now. The duets between these two characters are also fantastic with their voices complementing one another.

Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton reprise their roles as Falco and Sloane – roles they have been playing since the show opened in 2017. Having seen the show multiple times, I have loved seeing how Fowler and Sexton have developed the characters. Continuing to be playful and silly (how can you not when you’re in your underwear on stage?!) and consistently delivering powerhouse vocals, they also now feel even more like Raven’s cringey parents! Their beautiful duets, especially What Part of My Body Hurts The Most, and powerhouse vocals (in particular Sharon Sexton – I am in awe) luckily remain a consistent for Bat Out of Hell – forming a big part of the reason people keep coming back to the show in my opinion.

Georgia Bradshaw (Zahara) delivered a captivating and emotionally charged version of Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, alongside Ryan Carter (Jagwire) who has a beautiful tone to his voice, making this a perfect vocal pairing. Their energy in Dead Ringer for Love was also infectious! Luke Street (Ledoux) and Carly Burns (Valkyrie) are also notable in their roles, consistently delivering great vocals, in particular in Objects in the Rearview Mirror. The ensemble deliver brilliant performances with energetic choreography throughout, which also enhances the performance.

The above being said, the set is underwhelming compared to the previous, more permanent, productions. Of course this is to be expected for a touring production but in the Peacock Theatre it is noticeable; between the scaffolding structures that the band sit on at the back of the stage to the flight cases being used as furniture, it feels as though something is missing. There are two large screens used at the rear of the stage to add context to scenes, showing cave walls or the outside of buildings, but this does little overall to add to the effect. The screens are also used for the live filming that happens throughout – an element that has been consistent in all previous productions and good to see retained. The restrictions in terms of the set also make stage entrances and exits a bit clunky.

The decision to use handheld mics throughout the show is also an odd one in my opinion. I had to check the programme and production images to make sure this was a conscious choice, rather than a temporary fix for a technical issue! The handheld mics were distracting, and while it may be intended to improve the sound and be a nod to the ‘rock and roll’ nature of the show, it also restricts what the cast can do on stage and detracts from the performance.

The narrative of Bat Out of Hell has never been strong; I think most people who love the show have always known this, yet they return because of their love for the music. Unfortunately, this touring production has removed even more narrative, making it incredibly hard to follow the (already loose) plot unless you already know the background. This also means less time for emotional connections between characters to develop, which makes the songs feel more misplaced and less connected than in previous productions.

If I could give the show 5* just for the cast, band and music, I would, but as an all-round production, this touring version is lacking development in a few key areas. To pull off a show like Bat Out of Hell, you have to have an incredibly talented cast with impressive vocals, and that’s exactly what this production has, and that is reason enough to go and see the show – as long as you take the plot with a pinch of salt!

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until Saturday 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Chris Jarvis

3***

Anyone under the age of 30 and those with children or grandchildren under that age, is likely to recognise this title as the first of over thirty children’s books written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Loved by children for their quirky subjects and wonderful illustrations, these stories are often written in lyrical rhyming verse with lots of repetition. Children join in with quotes they instantly remember – often the whole story word for word – as parents settle them for the night!

I was delighted to be offered this review so I could invite my beautiful ‘nearly 5yr old’ granddaughter Livie along to give her professional opinion! This adaptation by Barb Jungr and director Samantha Lane, opens with a simple set showing a small house and the wise old man from the original story leaving the stage to interact with the audience. He was clearly chatting with children, but the rest of the audience couldn’t hear this interaction, so it didn’t feel like the performance had started until he returned to the stage to sing a song about his company called “Easy Peasy Solutions”.

In this story of an old woman who is struggling with the size of her home and feeling that there is “no room to swing a cat”, we meet a grey cat who is ‘worked’ by a farmhand who quickly becomes the third person in this story of the old woman who seeks the advice of the ‘wise old man’, depicted here by the salesman owner of “Easy Peasy Solutions”, when she becomes overwhelmed by the ‘smallness’ of her home.

Using the rhyming verse from the original story she asks –

“Wise old man, won’t you help me please?

My house is a squash and a squeeze”

I would have liked to see the cast involve the children in the audience here as most would have known the verse as well as the cast!

The wise old man doesn’t really have a solution but comes up with the next thing he sees – her hen peeping out of the hen house – and suggests the somewhat crazy idea of moving it into her home!

A wonderful set designed by Kate Bunce is just like Axel Scheffler’s illustrations and looks like a child’s ‘Wendy house’. The roof and walls open to reveal the inside, as the hen causes havoc flying around and damaging everything in its path.

When this clearly isn’t helping the wise old man responds to her repeated pleas for more space as he works his way through all her animals, suggesting that her goat, then her pig and finally her cow move into her home. Each animal has their own song, written by Barb Jungr, and the house opens to show them moving in, then closes leaving the audience imagining the chaos these animals are causing!

Between each new animal entering her home the verse was adapted as in the story –

“It was titchy for three and it’’s teeny for four.

Even the pig in the larder agrees

my house is a squash and a squeeze!

Wise old man, won’t you help me please”

Livie was with the old woman word for word, and I was again sorry that the audience wasn’t invited to take part – even I knew the words!

The animal puppets designed by Maia Kirkman-Richards were amazing! I particularly liked the pig, but Livie just loved them all and couldn’t choose a favourite! Having recently watched the amazing production of War Horse at TRCH with surrealistic horses, I went for the pig! Maybe realism doesn’t matter when you’re ‘nearly 5’!

The 3 actors, Ruth Calkin, Mark Esaias and Chris Dobson were also puppeteers taking turns to bring the cat, hen, goat, pig and cow to life using many subtle but lifelike movements, as well as the extravagant and crazy. They were all very comical and ‘over the top’ the way young children love. My vision of the wise old man with a walking stick and long grey beard as illustrated in the book was tested, but maybe that doesn’t matter to the 3-8yr olds this performance was aimed at, as Livie made no mention of it.

Afternoon Tea Room, Browns Covent Garden – 22 May 2025

Reviewed by Joanna Huggett

5*****

Last night, my partner and I had the absolute pleasure of attending the official London Album Release Party for Jo, the new musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel Little Women. The event took place at the elegant Brown’s in Covent Garden, a venue that proved as charming and welcoming as the story itself. From the moment we arrived, we were met with exceptional hospitality—the staff were incredibly accommodating, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the evening felt like a true celebration of artistry and storytelling.

The event was hosted to mark the London release of the studio album for Jo, a musical that reimagines Alcott’s timeless coming-of-age tale through a fresh and deeply emotive score composed by Dan Redfeld. We were fortunate to hear from several key creatives involved in the project: Brian Purcell, the show’s producer; Dan Redfeld, the composer; and Nigel Wright, co-music producer of the album. Each spoke with great passion about the journey of bringing this musical to life—from the initial inspiration through to recording and production. Their insights added a meaningful layer to the experience and highlighted the deep care and dedication behind every note.

The evening included a sneak preview of two recorded tracks, played on screen, followed by two captivating live performances. It was during these moments that the magic of Jo truly came alive. The music, composed by Dan Redfeld, struck us immediately with its beauty—it’s stirring, melodic, and wonderfully expressive, capturing the spirit of the characters and the emotional arcs of the story with remarkable grace.

Among the standout moments of the night were the live performances. Kelly Mathieson, who plays Meg, delivered a heartwarming performance that resonated deeply with the audience. She conveyed Meg’s complexities with warmth and authenticity, creating an instant connection. Equally impressive was Rob Houchen, who plays Laurie. His performance was both powerful and nuanced, showcasing not only his vocal talent but also his ability to inhabit the character with emotional depth.

Several other cast members were in attendance, lending the evening a celebratory, family-like energy. There was a strong sense of camaraderie and excitement in the room—everyone present seemed to feel that they were witnessing something truly special.

We left the event feeling uplifted and incredibly excited about the future of Jo. With such stunning music and heartfelt performances, we are confident that the show will be a success when it reaches the West End—and we absolutely hope it does. My teenage daughters, both fans of Little Women, would be enchanted by this musical. It’s a beautiful adaptation that breathes new life into the classic story while preserving the essence that has made it beloved for generations.

We eagerly await news of its theatrical release, and we’ll be first in line when it opens!

Upstairs at the Gatehouse – until 25 May 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

2**

Percy Bysshe Shelley was a fascinating but flawed man, and drama could be written about any point in his life. Writer Richard Bradbury focuses on the repercussions of Shelley and his first wife Harriet’s distribution of pamphlets in Dublin that caused them to be put under surveillance by the home secretary, Lord Sidmouth. Unfortunately, the play as it stands is more flawed than fascinating.

The characters argue and pontificate on history and social justice and relate events to the audience. Most emotional moments are revealed limply through Harriet (Ella Dorman-Gajic) writing letters to her sister and even though the Shelleys are supposedly in danger, there is no jeopardy. Sidmouth (Charlie Coldfield) appears on a screen above the stage, in glorious colour compared to the drabness of the Devon village. This is probably meant to convey his power and reach as he monitors undesirables and rebels, but his dialogue veers between expositional and petulant with no air of menace at all.

Directed by Jack Herlihy, Aidan Casey and Ella Dorman-Gajic do well with their underwritten characters as the Shelleys, but struggle to make the audience care. The fact that the play charges straight into the story without any context meant that a lot of people were still wondering who Harriet was during the interval. Maureen Casey plays Elizabeth Hitchener as the strong woman she was, but even though she actually lived with the Shelleys, the character seems shoehorned in merely as a foil to Shelley and a spark to fire Harriet’s tiny rebellions. Charlie Maguire is the Shelley’s Irish friend/servant – the best written character played with earthy charm, and also plays Sidmouth’s agent in Devon, sent to intimidate the Shelleys. But what could have been terrifying encounters are stilted and a damp squib as the characterisation isn’t quite right.

The intent of this play is admirable, and Bradbury’s vision has exciting potential, but there is a gold mine of political fire, intrigue and paranoia to be mined from this period of Shelley’s life and Regarding Shelley just scratches the surface.