Cambridge Arts Theatre – until Saturday 7th November 2026
Reviewed by Steph Lott
5*****
Three middle-aged men arguing about the future of the Labour Party does not sound like a gripping night out. Robert Khan and Tom Salinsky’s The Gang of Three proves otherwise. It is sharp, witty and, most surprisingly, deeply human: a play about friendship and ambition that happens to be set in Westminster.
The story follows Roy Jenkins, Denis Healey and Tony Crosland, three gifted figures from the Labour Party. Each believed he should lead the party, and none of them ever did. On paper it is a niche slice of political history. On stage it becomes a study of three friends who need each other and can’t stop competing.
Crudely put, Crosland was the thinker, Jenkins the liberal reformer and Healey the political bruiser. History knows how it ended. Crosland died suddenly in 1977, aged 58, while serving as Foreign Secretary. Jenkins left Labour to co-found the SDP in 1981, while Healey stayed to fight from within. Knowing all this gives the play’s lighter moments an undertow of sadness.
Khan and Salinsky wisely keep policy detail in the background. You don’t need to know your revisionism from your IMF loan to follow it. What drives the play is personality: the jokes, the jabs, the old loyalties and the moments when ambition wins out over friendship.
The dialogue is quick and often very funny, but the laughs come with a sting and a taint. There is a shimmer of sadness throughout it all as we know how it all ended isn’t how they hoped.
The writers have said they set out to write about the 1970s and 1980s and found they had written about the present. With Labour once again fighting itself in public, that echo is hard to miss.
A three-hander lives or dies on its cast, and this one is strong across the board. Alan Cox gives Tony Crosland a charismatic charm, all restlessness and swagger. Hywel Morgan’s Roy Jenkins is a beautifully nuanced portrayal: he captures Jenkins’s grandeur, famous manner of speech and ambition, and shows how the man changes over the years. Colin Tierney sparkles as Denis Healey, and his bluntness and combative energy bounce off the other two. Together they make the friendship believable, which is what gives the rivalry its bite.
Kirsty Patrick Ward directs with a light touch, letting the writing and the actors carry the evening. Libby Watson designs the set and costumes, with lighting by Jamie Platt and sound by Dominic Brennan, using spotlight and freeze to excellent effect. The set is simple and sufficient to provide the backdrop to the Westminster setting but doesn’t get in the way of the star of the show which is the fantastic dialogue and the superb delivery by the cast.
The Gang of Three takes a footnote of political history and turns it into a smart, funny and touching drama about what ambition does to friendship. You don’t need to be a politics obsessive to enjoy it, though if you are, it’s a treat.
Cameron Mackintosh announces today that Andrew Lloyd Webber’s phenomenally successful PHANTOM OF THE OPERA will welcome three new principal cast members.
From Monday 23 November 2026, Kimberly Blake will join the production as Carlotta, Kate Graham as Madame Giry and Luke Kempner as Monsieur André. Ashley Gilmour returns as Raoul alongside the current company who have recently celebrated the legendary show’s landmark 40th Anniversary.
This extraordinary anniversary milestone was marked with a special gala performance on Friday 9 October 2026 at its original London home, His Majesty’s Theatre, during which Michael Crawford and Sarah Brightman and a host of other celebrated alumni artists from the last four decades joined the current company on stage for a special curtain call.
Kimberly Blake, Kate Graham and Luke Kempner join the current, sensational cast including Jordan Donica as the Phantom and Beatrice Penny-Touré as Christine Daaé, Matt Bateman as Piangi, Ian Pirie as Monsieur Firmin and Millie Lyon as Meg. Ashley Gilmour returns as Raoul, Vicomte de Chagny. At certain performances the role of Christine will be played by Colleen Rose Curran.
The cast is completed by Harry Apps, George Arvidson, Michael Baxter, Embla Bishop, David Burilin, Polly Clarke, Leonard Cook, Hywel Dowsell, Connor Ewing, Lila Falce-Bass, Florence Fowler, James Gant, Emily George, Melanie Gowie, Molly Hall, Will Hawksworth, Matt Hayden, Nino Hepher, Mandy Kwan, Verity Marlow, Tim Morgan, Inguna Morozova, Skye November, Taylor Pardell, Johnny Randall, Rachel Spurrell, Jasmine Wallis, Victoria Ward, and Alicia Wong.
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tells the haunting story of Christine Daaé, a young soprano whose extraordinary voice enchants a mysterious masked figure known as the Phantom. A brilliant yet tormented musical genius, the Phantom dwells in the depths of the Paris Opera House, casting fear over all who inhabit it.
Drawn to Christine’s sensational talent, the Phantom becomes her mentor, believing she alone can truly bring his music to life, and as he guides her from the shadows, he falls deeply and dangerously in love. When Christine is reunited with her childhood sweetheart, Raoul, now the young patron of the Opera House, she must wrestle with the unpredictable nature of a powerful love triangle. The Phantom’s obsession with his new star sets off a dramatic turn of events where devotion, jealousy and passions collide.
Cameron Mackintosh’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is widely considered one of the world’s most beautiful and spectacular musicals. Since 1986, PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has become a global phenomenon with productions playing to 160 million people in 229 cities, 54 territories and in 23 languages. Lloyd Webber’s celebrated romantic and soaring score includes The Music of the Night, All I Ask of You, Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again, Masquerade and the iconic title song.
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA has won over 70 major awards all over the world. In 1988, the Broadway production was nominated for twelve Tony Awards and won seven including Best Musical. The original London production in its 1986 debut won the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical and two Olivier Awards including Best New Musical. The original cast recording was the first in British musical history to enter the charts at Number One.
In 2012 Cameron Mackintosh put together an equally spectacular new production of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, with a completely new creative team, while retaining Maria Bjornson’s iconic costume designs. This acclaimed production has played continuously over the last 14 years touring across the UK, the US, Australia and Austria. It will have its German premiere in Cologne tonight.
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – Produced by Cameron Mackintosh, Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, Lyrics by Charles Hart, and Additional Lyrics by Richard Stilgoe. Book by Richard Stilgoe and Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on the novel ‘Le Fantôme de l’Opera’ by Gaston Leroux, with Orchestrations by David Cullen and Andrew Lloyd Webber. Musical Supervision is by Simon Lee. The Production Design is by Maria Björnson and the Set Design is adapted by Matt Kinley with Associate Costume Design by Jill Parker, Lighting is by Andrew Bridge with Associate Lighting Design by Warren Letton, Sound is by Mick Potter. The Musical Staging and Choreography is by Dame Gillian Lynne, recreated and adapted by Chrissie Cartwright. Originally Directed by Harold Prince, this production is Directed by Seth Sklar-Heyn.
PHANTOM OF THE OPERA is a Cameron Mackintosh and LW Entertainment production.
New Adventures, in association with the National Theatre, is delighted to announce that Matthew Bourne’s PLAY WITHOUT WORDS will return for its 25th anniversary with a limited 4-week season at Sadler’s Wells from 27 July until 21 August 2027. It will also play two exclusive performances at Curve, Leicester on 23 and 24 July 2027. Casting is to be announced.
PLAY WITHOUT WORDS,inspired by the 1963 film classic The Servant and the new-wave British cinema of the 1960s, is set to a jazz-influenced original score by Terry Davies played live onstage. It was an instant hit with audiences and critics alike when it was first produced by the National Theatre in 2002 and was subsequently nominated for five Olivier Awards, winning two for Best Entertainment and Best Theatre Choreographer. It was included in The Guardian’s best dance of the 21st Century, and David Benedict recently included the production in his highlights of the past 60 years of the National Theatre, for The Stage.
Matthew Bourne said today:
“When Trevor Nunn asked me if I would like to make a devised piece of theatre for his farewell Transformations season at the NT in 2002, I jumped at the opportunity, telling him that I would like to try and make ‘a play without words’. This was more of a description than a title, but the title stuck and became one of the most adventurous and unique pieces I have ever made. Trevor asked all directors in the season to choose a key word as a starting point for their work, mine was ‘seduction’. Not only did we do away with words, but we added to the intrigue by casting each character two or three times over, identically dressed by Lez Brotherston, each giving a variation on the story. Inspiration came from the cultural revolution and changing times as seen through the lens of the new wave British cinema of the 1960s and most specifically one of my favourite movies of that time, Joseph Losey’s The Servant, with its brilliantly ambiguous screenplay by Harold Pinter, full of dual meanings which directly inspired the central staging idea with its multiple possibilities. I’m delighted that the show, or should I say ‘play’, is not only returning for its 25th Anniversary but also, rightly, as the centrepiece of my company’s 40th Anniversary in 2027.”
Kate Varah, Executive Director and Co-Chief Executive of the National Theatre, said today:
“Matthew Bourne’s Play Without Words premiered at the National Theatre in 2002 as part of Trevor Nunn’s Transformations season dedicated to showcasing newly devised work. A deeply original piece of dance theatre, Play Without Words showcases Matthew’s extraordinary gift for storytelling through movement. We are delighted that this remarkable production will be returning for its 25th anniversary and will be seen by a new generation of audiences at Curve in Leicester, and at Sadler’s Wells in London, as well as being enjoyed by those who remember its extraordinary original run.”
Set in London, 1965, in a suave Chelsea house, an urbane master and his beautiful fiancée welcome their new manservant, Prentice. But behind the privileged façade of domestic social order lies a struggle for power and sexual domination. What follows will change their lives forever.
Devised by Matthew Bourne with music by Terry Davies, the production has Olivier nominated designs by Lez Brotherston and Olivier nominated lighting design by Paule Constable.
Hull New Theatre – until Saturday 7th November 2026
Reviewed by Michelle Richardson
4****
The Silence of The Lambs is best known for the iconic, Oscar-winning 1991 film, starring Anthony Hopkins and Jodie Foster. Under the direction of Nikolai Foster, Gina Gionfriddo’s new stage adaptation draws more heavily on Thomas Harris’s 1988 psychological horror thriller.
Clarice Starling (Mollie Gallagher in her theatrical debut) is the leading recruit in her FBI training program. Jack Cawford (Oliver Farnworth), head of the FBI’s Behavioural Science unit, assigns her to seek information from incarcerated psychiatrist and cannibalistic serial killer Hannibal Lecter (John Partridge). Although Clarice conceals the purpose of her visit, the brilliant Lecter recognises her real aim, to identify the serial killer dubbed Buffalo Bill (Sam Jackson). Over several visits, Clarice and Lecter develop an unlikely, awkward bond, marked by fixation, as they work to stop Buffalo Bill, who has already abducted, murdered and flayed six women.
This adaptation places greater emphasis on Clarice and Buffalo Bill than in the film. Gallagher does a sterling job in her stage debut, maintaining Clarice’s West Virginian accent and brings out the vulnerability of the determined Clarice, whilst navigating a harsh male dominated world. Jackson gives a strong physical performance as Buffalo Bill. He is the friendly boy next door, the one that your parents would adore, but in the flick of an eye his demeanour changes into the unhinged serial killer, intent on fashioning a coat and face from his victims. The contrast between the two made it particularly unsettling. Partridge’s height, physique and facial expressions give Lecter an imposing presence. His portrayal is convincing, but I wanted to see an extra level of menace and danger. He and Gallagher share great chemistry, and their relationship takes on a flirtatious edge despite Lecter’s abhorrent crimes.
The staging is superb, perhaps the best I have seen in a touring production. Michael Taylor’s set is striking. It is imposing and multi-purpose, combining grey stone walls, stairs, a bridge and doors to recreate a hospital for the criminally insane, FBI offices and Buffalo Bill’s apartment. Lecter’s cell, a large glass enclosure, slides smoothly between positions onstage. Howard Hudson’s lighting and Carolyn Downing’s often booming sound complete the stunning, atmospheric design.
This production is not for the faint-hearted. Lecter’s escape, during which he tears off and eats a guard’s face, is disturbing, as is the sight of a scalped corpse with sections of skin missing. Credit to the props teams for these shocking effects.
The show is unsettling, especially during the gory scenes, but it had me absorbed and transfixed throughout. This is a piece of dark theatre, full of tension, strong performances, with dramatic and atmospheric staging. One not to be missed, best served with a nice glass of chianti.
ANNOUCE STAR CASTING FOR THE 2027 UK AND IRELAND TOUR OF
THE MULTI AWARD-WINNING
LAUREN OAKLEY TO STAR AS ‘ROXIE HART’
ADAM GARCIA AS ‘BILLY FLYNN’
WITH
MICA PARIS AND SAM BAILEY
SHARING THE ROLE OF ‘MAMA MORTON’
ALONGSIDE
CHARLOTTE GOOCH AS ‘VELMA KELLY’
JONATHAN DRYDEN TAYLOR AS ‘AMOS HART’
AND R. LEONARD AS ‘MARY SUNSHINE’
David Ian for Crossroads Live in association with Barry and Fran Weissler are delighted to announce star casting for the 2027 UK and Ireland tour of the multi award-winning musical CHICAGO, opening at the New Wimbledon Theatre from 5 February 2027.
Strictly Come Dancing professional Lauren Oakley will star as Roxie Hart, making her musical theatre debut, alongside two-time Olivier Award nominee Adam Garcia as Billy Flynn. Award-winning soul singer Mica Paris and The X Factor winner Sam Bailey return to share the role of Mama Morton at selected venues. They are joined by Charlotte Gooch as Velma Kelly, Jonathan Dryden Taylor as Amos Hart and R. Leonard as Mary Sunshine. Casting details for each venue can be found in the listings below.
The company is completed by Bethany Adamson, Kofi Aidoo-Appiah, Gabby Antrobus, Jamie Armour, Talia Duff, Harvey Fawcett, Marie Finlayson, Sergio Giacomelli, Sam Holden, Aoife Kenny, Harrison Langham, Oliver Loades, Will Markendale, Gabrielle Parker, and Tanith Williams.
Lauren Oakley is best known as a professional dancer on BBC’s Strictly Come Dancing. Her further credits include the Strictly Come Dancing Live! UK arena tour, the UK tour of Strictly The Professionals, Burn the Floor at Sadler’s Wells and the international tour, the UK and Ireland tour of Him & Me/ Together with Anton Du Beke and Giovanni Pernice and This Is Me/ Made in Italy with Giovanni Pernice.
Adam Garcia recently starred as Frank Famer in the UK and International tour of the hit musical The Bodyguard. His other musical theatre credits include Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever and Bill Calhoun in Kiss Me, Kate, for which he received Olivier Award nominations for both roles. His other theatre credits include Fiyero in Wicked, The Artilleryman in The War of the Worlds, Damien Karras in The Exorcist, Julian Marsh in Curve and Sadler’s Wells production of 42nd Street and Caractacus Potts in the UK tour of Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. His film credits include Kenneth Branagh’s Death on the Nile and Murder on the Orient Express, Confessions of a Teenage Drama Queen, Coyote Ugly and Riding in Cars with Boys. Adam recently appeared as a finalist in the UK series of The Masked Dancer, finishing in second place.
Mica Paris, M.B.E is the queen of British Soul and one of Britain’s most versatile and beloved entertainers, with a diverse and award-winning career as a recording artist, actress, best-selling author and broadcaster. Her many stage credits include the role of Mama Morton in Chicago, as well as West End productions of Fame: The Musical, Mama I Want To Sing, The Vagina Monologues, Sweet Lorraine and the UK tour of Love Me Tender.
Sam Bailey can currently be seen as Debbie in Mamma Mia! The Party at the O2 Arena. Her other theatre credits include the role of Mama Morton in Chicago, Betty Simpson in Fat Friends the Musical, Mrs Potts in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, Miss Hedge in Everybody’s Talking About Jamie and April Devonshire in NOW… That’s What I Call A Musical. Sam rose to national prominence winning The X Factor in 2013. Her debut single Skyscraper became the UK Christmas Number One, followed by her chart-topping album The Power of Love.
Charlotte Gooch’s theatre credits include the role of Nini in Moulin Rouge! The Musical at the Piccadilly Theatre, Kathy Selden in Singin’ In The Rain at Sadler’s Wells and on tour, Alex Owens in the international tour of Flashdance, Tina Sparkle in Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre, Dale Tremont in Top Hat at the Aldwych Theatre and on tour, Penny Johnson in Dirty Dancing at the Dominion Theatre, Piccadilly Theatre and on tour, Bombalurina in the European tour of CATS and Patty Simcox in Grease on tour.
Jonathan Dryden Taylor’s theatre credits include the UK and European tour of Kinky Boots, My Fair Lady at Curve Leicester, Fiddler on the Roof at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London Tide, The Normal Heart, As You Like It, Our Country’s Good, Light Shining In Buckinghamshire, King Lear, Othello and The Captain of Kopenick all at the National Theatre, The Wizard of Oz at Curve Leicester and the London Palladium and Billy Elliot at Curve Leicester.
R. Leonard makes their professional debut in Chicago.
Set amidst the razzle-dazzle decadence of the 1920s, CHICAGO is the story of Roxie Hart, a housewife and nightclub dancer who murders her on-the-side lover after he threatens to walk out on her. Desperate to avoid conviction, she dupes the public, the media and her rival cellmate, Velma Kelly, by hiring Chicago’s slickest criminal lawyer to transform her malicious crime into a barrage of sensational headlines, the likes of which might just as easily be ripped from today’s tabloids.
Created by the musical theatre talents of John Kander, Fred Ebb and legendary choreographer Bob Fosse, CHICAGO’s sexy, sassy score includes the show-stopping songs “Razzle Dazzle”, “Cell Block Tango”, and “All That Jazz”. Winner of six Tony Awards, two Olivier Awards and a Grammy, CHICAGO is the longest running American musical in Broadway and West End history, now celebrating 30 Razzle Dazzling years on Broadway.
Since it opened in New York in 1996, CHICAGO has played in 38 countries worldwide, and been performed in English, Dutch, German, Swedish, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Italian, French, Danish, Japanese and Korean. Worldwide it has been seen by an estimated 35 million people, grossed over $1.8 billion has played over 36,000 performances.
CHICAGO, which is based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins, has a book by Fred Ebb and Bob Fosse, music by John Kander and lyrics by Fred Ebb. The 1996 Broadway revival of CHICAGO was choreographed by Ann Reinking in the style of Bob Fosse, directed by Walter Bobbie, and produced by Barry and Fran Weissler.
MONDAY 29 – SATURDAY 3 APRIL 2027 NEWCASTLE THEATRE ROYAL https://www.theatreroyal.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Mica Paris.
TUESDAY 6 – SATURDAY 10 APRIL 2027 BOURNEMOUTH PAVILION THEATRE https://www.bournemouthpavilion.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Mica Paris.
TUESDAY 29 JUNE – SATURDAY 10 JULY 2027 BORD GAIS ENERGY THEATRE, DUBLIN https://www.bordgaisenergytheatre.ie/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey.
TUESDAY 13 – SATURDAY 17 JULY 2027 SOUTHEND CLIFFS PAVILION https://www.cliffspavilion.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey.
TUESDAY 27 JULY – SATURDAY 7 AUGUST 2027 BIRMINGHAM HIPPODROME https://www.birminghamhippodrome.com/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey (27 – 31 July) and Mica Paris (3 – 7 August). Casting for the role of Roxie Hart to be announced.
MONDAY 9 – SATURDAY 14 AUGUST 2027 NORWICH THEATRE ROYAL https://norwichtheatre.org/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Mica Paris. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 16 – SATURDAY 21 AUGUST 2027 THEATRE ROYAL BRIGHTON https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/theatre-royal-brighton/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Mica Paris. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 23 – SATURDAY 28 AUGUST 2027 GRAND OPERA HOUSE, BELFAST https://www.goh.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Mica Paris. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
TUESDAY 31 AUGUST – SATURDAY 4 SEPTEMBER 2027 BRISTOL HIPPODROME https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/bristol-hippodrome/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 6 – SATURDAY 11 SEPTEMBER 2027 MILTON KEYNES THEATRE https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/milton-keynes-theatre/. The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 13 – SATURDAY 18 SEPTEMBER 2027 HALL FOR CORNWALL, TRURO https://www.hallforcornwall.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 20 – SATURDAY 25 SEPTEMBER 2027 NEW THEATRE OXFORD https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-theatre-oxford/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 27 SEPTEMBER – SATURDAY 2 OCTOBER 2027 HULL NEW THEATRE https://www.hulltheatres.co.uk/hull-new-theatre The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 4 – SATURDAY 9 OCTOBER 2027 VENUE CYMRU, LLANDUDNO https://venuecymru.co.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 11 – SATURDAY 16 OCTOBER 2027 SUNDERLAND EMPIRE https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/sunderland-empire/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 18 – SATURDAY 23 OCTOBER 2027 MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY https://marlowetheatre.com/ ON SALE SOONThe role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 25 – SATURDAY 30 OCTOBER 2027 ORCHARD THEATRE, DARTFORD https://trafalgartickets.com/orchard-theatre-dartford The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced. MONDAY 1 – SATURDAY 6 NOVEMBER 2027 WOKING THEATRE https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/new-victoria-theatre-woking/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 8 – SATURDAY 13 NOVEMBER 2027 EVERYMAN THEATRE CHELTENHAM https://www.everymantheatre.org.uk/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
MONDAY 15 – SATURDAY 20 NOVEMBER 2027 REGENT THEATRE, STOKE ON TRENT https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/regent-theatre-stoke-on-trent/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
TUESDAY 23 – SATURDAY 27 NOVEMBER 2027 EDINBURGH PLAYHOUSE https://www.atgtickets.com/venues/edinburgh-playhouse/ The role of Mama Morton will be played by Sam Bailey. Casting for the roles of Roxie Hart and Billy Flynn to be announced.
The metaphorical turns literal in John Cariani’s masterwork, which sees 9 ordinary pairs of people experience miraculous events, all in the name of love, on one cold winter night in northern Maine.
One of the most popular plays in the US, Almost, Maine has been professionally produced over a hundred times since its premiere in 2004 but is rarely seen on UK stages.
Directed by Lydia Sax this production sees 8 actors play 20 characters across the play’s 9 vignettes.
With nearly a quarter of adults reporting feeling lonely in 2026, Cariani’s heartwarming stories of connection between strangers have never felt timelier, needed and touching.
First of all, what does the title mean? Almost, Maine is the name of a small town on the outskirts of Maine. Its inhabitants are so disorganised and absent minded that they have never gotten round to properly naming the place hence it has become known as Almost Maine.
This lack of purpose about their lives shows throughout the play. They all want to be loved, in love and in a relationship but aren’t sure how to go about it – or have gone about it in the wrong way – how about a wife who has murdered her husband to get out of a dull, unrewarding marriage?
The 9 short plays show couple in various stages of being in love or relationships from a young couple who have started dating but are too inexperienced to know how to move the thing forward – to take that first step and kiss and decide to try to see if there is any future for them together as a couple, to a woman with a broken heart and a man who resolves to try to fix it for her, to a man about to propose to a girl he has adored from afar for a long time without her realising it, to a man who’s emotional growth was stunted as a child by the death of his mother that he no longer is about to feel pain of any sort, to two proper geezer-guys trying to out-do each other with tales of how they were dumped by their previous girlfriends in the worst possible way only to bond in the most unexpected way when one of them falls down, to an ice skater who has lost her shoe and doesn’t know where or when it happened, to a woman returning to a man who previously proposed to her but she didn’t give him an answer but now, years later, is ready to commit and finally to a couple who have been good friends for a long time but can’t find the right way to tell the other one that they love them.
These are the themes around each short scene which seem simple enough but they take on a whole new level of meaning in the very cleverly crafted play which tells us so much more about love, affection and being able to commit to another humour being.
Alice Kim’s set design is a simple one which easily transforms to nine different setting in Maine with the minimal of change or delay. Simple costumes equally inform us of the different characters the same actors are playing to previously but do not distract from the drama being played out before us.
Director Sax paces the play very well – there is never a dull moment and cleverly uses everyday objects as metaphors for feelings which always bring a smile to the audience’s faces as they spot them.
All of the actors are excellent playing each new character to perfection – there is never any confusion about who they are supposed to be now even though, obviously, they still have the same faces. Plaudits to Sarah Thorn, Drew Cleveland, Joel Horwood (making his UK stage debut), Maurii Davenport, Andre Bullock, Erica Schoenbinger, Madeline Pell and Ben Elliott.
This is an outstanding play and an excellent production of it. It is emotional, sometimes sentimental (without being icky), funny, sad but most of all it is a delight to watch. I cannot recommend this play highly enough.
Shoddy Theatre and The Production Garden in association with Chelmsford Theatre and Midnight Lotus Productions
announce the 2027 UK Tour of
A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception
Written by Mitch Donaldson & Becky Bartram; Directed by Daniel Buckroyd
Fresh from sell-out shows in the West End and at Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and a successful 2025 tour, Shoddy Theatre and The Production Garden, in association with Chelmsford Theatre and Midnight Lotus Productions, present a 2027 UK tour of the hit show A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception (https://www.shoddydetective.com).
A laugh-out-loud slapstick whodunnit featuring four actors, a dozen characters and a whole load of chaos, the comedy production has been taking the country by storm.
When a priceless painting goes missing at a private auction, Detective Stuart Pidcock is called upon to uncover the mystery. However, when he cannot solve it himself, he is forced to enlist the help of an old nemesis. Together, the pair must interrogate the many characterful suspects that reside at the manor, in order to catch the conniving culprit and solve the crime of the century!
Shoddy Theatre’s founding cast members Mitch Donaldson and Becky Bartram return to the roles of Lord Raeburn and Lady Raeburn, with Ben Thornton as Detective Pidcock, Oliver Holland as Dusty Wills and Georgia Ashford-Miller and Thomas Cove as understudies.
A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception is written by Mitch Donaldson and Becky Bartram and directed by Daniel Buckroyd with set and costume design by Anna Kelsey, lighting design by Adam Foley, sound design by Sam Glossop, production management by Brian Watson, costume supervision by John Brooking and props supervision by Katie Balmforth. The Company Stage Manager is Scott McMullin and the Assistant Stage Manager is Aimee Whillis.
The 2027 tour dates for A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception are: Chelmsford Theatre (28-30 January), Lowry, Salford (1-3 February), Hull Truck Theatre (4-5 February), Fareham Live (8-10 February), BEAM Hertford (11-13 February), City Varieties Music Hall, Leeds (15-16 February), Royal & Derngate, Northampton (18-20 February), Darlington Hippodrome (22-24 February), Blackpool Grand (25-27 February), Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (1 March), Devonshire Park Theatre, Eastbourne (2-3 March), The Capitol Horsham (4-6 March), Tyne Theatre & Opera House (8-10 March), The Palace Theatre, Southend (15-17 March), Crewe Lyceum (21 March), Lichfield Garrick (22-24 March), Orchard Theatre, Dartford (31 March), Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford (1-3 April), Malvern Theatres (5-7 April), Floral Pavilion, New Brighton (9-11 April), Cast, Doncaster (13-14 April), Lighthouse, Poole (19-21 April), Exeter Northcott Theatre (22-23 April), Grove Theatre, Dunstable (26 April), Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage (27 April) and The Montgomery Theatre, Sheffield (28-30 April).
Shoddy Theatre is an award-winning Essex-based UK touring theatre company founded in 2018 by Mitch Donaldson following his graduation from East 15 Acting School. What began as a student-devised comedy project has grown into one of the UK’s most exciting independent theatre companies, creating bold, accessible and entertaining work for audiences nationwide. Known for its distinctive blend of physical comedy, inventive storytelling and multi-rolling ensemble performance, Shoddy Theatre has built a reputation for producing theatre that is both highly skilled and joyfully chaotic.
The company’s breakout production, A Shoddy Detective, evolved from its original graduate show and has since enjoyed sold-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and Camden Fringe, extensive UK tours, and a successful transfer to London’s West End. Praised by critics and audiences alike, the production established Shoddy Theatre as a leading voice in contemporary comedy theatre and demonstrated the company’s ability to develop work from the fringe circuit to some of the UK’s most prestigious stages.
The Production Garden is an award-winning theatre and event production company, co-founded by Joshua Beaumont and Matthew Emeny. Acclaimed productions include Michael Morpurgo’s Private Peaceful, adapted and directed by Simon Reade (UK Tour 2026; Double Fringe Award nominee); Isobel McArthur’s Olivier Award winning Pride and Prejudice* (*Sort Of) (CAA, Toronto, North American Premiere); Michelle Collins in Motorhome Marilyn by Ben Weatherill (World Premiere, Edinburgh); Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens as Eric & Ern (Garrick West End, Curve, Lowry and UK Tour); TPG’s in-house production of Pride and Prejudice at The Abbey (Bath and Tewkesbury Abbeys, 2026); Why I Stuck A Flare Up My Arse For England (2025 Offie Award Winner, Adelaide Fringe Award Winner, Holden Street Theatre Award Winner; Southwark Playhouse, UK Tour, Australia); A Shoddy Detective and the Art of Deception (ARTS West End and UK Tour).
2027 TOUR LISTINGS
Running Time: 2 hours (including interval)
Age Guidance: Under 14s to be accompanied by an adult
Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until Saturday 7 November 2026
Reviewed by Amy Coulson
5*****
I was thrilled to be invited to review High Society, a story I have loved for many years, just like star Freddie Fox, who is making his musical theatre debut, who said of the production, “I couldn’t be more excited …it’s a realisation of a boyhood dream for me, and I can’t wait to dive into this world, the music and the sheer joy of Cole Porter.”
The story is multi- layered and I’m grateful to have watched the film several times as a teen, to understand all the idiosyncrasies. If you are new to the story, we follow socialite Tracy ‘Sam’ Lord over a few hours, as she prepares to marry for a second time. Her family aren’t that keen on her fiancée and it’s hard when your former husband is as charismatic as he is…oh, and he returns just before the wedding. There’s a couple of undercover reporters visiting too, who secretly love one another, an uncle that’s drafted in as Tracy’s PaPa, a mischievous younger sister, and to top it off, a jazz band in the ball room! It’s pure chaos, in the best way!
This dazzling production of “Cole Porter’s musical masterpiece” (Heart FM) stars Helen George (Call the Midwife) as Tracy Lord, Freddie Fox (Slow Horses, House of Dragon) as charmer Mike Connor, Julian Ovenden (Bridgeton, Downton Abbey) as the sophisticated Dexter Haven. What a cast! They absolutely shone and whilst they made the roles their own, there were glimmers of the actors of the 1956 MGM Hollywood hit – Helen George as Tracy Lord had a lot of the quirks of Grace Kelly completely right and we laughed along with her. Fox and Ovenden in the library bounced off one another just like Sinatra and Cosby too.
I very much enjoyed Carly Mercedes Dyer as Liz Imbrie, Nigel Lindsay (Mobland) as Uncle Willie, and Malcolm Sinclair (Pie in the Sky) as Seth Lord, all of whom were supremely fun to watch and have wonderful voices to match.
The music is just sublime. I enjoyed every single track, from crooning “Little One” and “You’re Sensational”, to the hilarious “Who Want’s To Be A Millionaire”. Malcolm Sinclair leads on the epic “Now You Has Jazz” which is a change up from the film but wow, I see why, Sinclair absolutely delivers! Accompanied by a jazz band on stage, presumably drafted up from the orchestra pit, this delivers pure party vibes. I wanted to get up and join the dancers; it was a moment of pure escapism.
The sets (led by Tom Rogers) gave pure glamour and the lighting designer, Howard Hudson, created the most wonderful settings. The swimming pool gets a special mention – it was “True Love” through and through, for me. Magical.
After a bumper summer season at London’s Barbican Theatre, with renowned director Rachel Kavanaugh, choreographer Anthony Van Laast (Mamma Mia), musical supervisor Stephen Ridley (Anything Goes) leading a fabulous full orchestra, and a stellar 28 strong cast, this swellegant, elegant party does not disappoint and is most certainly welcome in Nottingham.
The producers of the multi award-winning, critically acclaimed West End production of CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB are delighted to announce the return of actor, presenter and Brit Award winner Matt Willis to the role of Emcee, for a limited 6 week run.
From 14 December 2026, Matt Willis will play Emcee alongside Sarah Hyland (Modern Family; The Great Gatsby on Broadway) as Sally Bowles.
Matt Willis said, “To get to step into what felt like a once in a lifetime role for a second time is beyond exciting. I love this show so much and feel honoured to be asked back.”
Skylar Astin, who is currently playing The Emcee will play his final performance on Saturday 12 December 2026. Sarah Hyland and Matt Willis’ final performance will be Saturday 23 January 2027.
The current company includes Skylar Astin as Emcee, Sarah Hyland as Sally Bowles, Baker Mukasa as Clifford Bradshaw, Ruthie Henshall as Fraulein Schneider, Robert Hands as Herr Schultz, Ronan Burns as Ernst Ludwig,Lindsay Atherton as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie, Joe Atkinson, Xavion Campbell-Brown, Olivia-Rose Deer, Anya Ferdinand, Danny Fogarty, Lily Frances, Adrian Grove, Peter Houston, Samuel How, Bailey Johnson, Ellie Mitchell, Kirsty Anne Shaw, Eva-Rose Tanaka, Natasha Wilde and Nicky Wong Rush.
The Prologue Company are Isobel Bates, Rachel Benson, Ami Benton, Jonathan Charles, Shanelle Clemenson, Andrew Linnie, Zara Liu, Dak Mashava, Brian James O’Sullivan, Jack William Parry and Shiho Yokoyama.
CABARET is currently booking until Saturday 18 September 2027. The production has surpassed its 2000th performance, making it the longest running production of Cabaret in West End history. This year will mark both the 60th anniversary of the show, which originally opened on Broadway on 20 November 1966, and the 5th anniversary of this award-winning production, which opened in the West End on 15 November 2021.
Matt Willis is an actor, television presenter and performer with a career spanning television, theatre and music. He rose to fame as a founding member of the multi-platinum, chart-topping pop-rock band Busted, before establishing a career onstage playing the role of Fiyero in Wicked at the Apollo Victoria, Orin Scrivello in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Nick Hurley in Flashdance at the Shaftesbury Theatre, Chuck Cranston in Footloose and Dr. Pomatter in Waitress, both on tour. His screen credits include Birds of a Feather and EastEnders, as well as winning I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here! and more recently co-hosting Netflix’s Love is Blind UK, alongside his wife, Emma Willis. His self-authored, NTA-nominated documentary Matt Willis: Fighting Addiction earned wide acclaim, and he also hosts the hit podcast On the Mend, speaking with guests about resilience, healing and personal growth.
Sarah Hyland is best known for her Screen Actors Guild award-winning role as Haley Dunphy in Modern Family. Her Broadway credits include Connie Francis in Just in Time, Daisy Buchanan in The Great Gatsby, Jacqueline Bouvier in Grey Gardens and Audrey in the off-Broadway revival of Little Shop of Horrors. She also starred in Hair at The Hollywood Bowl as Chrissy. Her further screen credits include the role of Heidi Miller in Pitch Perfect: Bumper in Berlin as well as hosting Love Island USA. Hyland’s advocacy for living a healthy lifestyle, combined with her entrepreneurial savvy has led her to sign on as co-founder for the functional candy brand Sourse.
This unique production of CABARET opened in December 2021 to critical and audience acclaim, widely praised as the ultimate theatrical experience. In April 2022 it won a record-breaking seven Olivier Awards. The production has also won three prestigious Critics Circle Awards as well as the Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Design for designer Tom Scutt.
Transforming one of London’s most famous theatres with an in-the-round auditorium and reimagined spaces, before the show guests are invited to enjoy and explore the Kit Kat Club with pre-show entertainment, drinks and dining all on offer. When booking, guests receive a ‘club entry time’ to allow enough time to take in the world of the Kit Kat Club before the show starts. But of course, the show really starts when you first join us in the club…
One of the most successful musicals of all time CABARET features the songs Wilkommen, Don’t Tell Mama, Mein Herr, Maybe This Time, Money and the title number. It has music by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, book by Joe Masteroff. Based on the play by John Van Druten and stories by Christopher Isherwood.
CABARET is directed by Rebecca Frecknall, set and costume design is by Tom Scutt with choreography by Julia Cheng. Musical supervision is by Jennifer Whyte and musical direction is by Ben van Tienen with lighting design by Isabella Byrd, sound design by Nick Lidster, Wigs and Hair design by Sam Cox and Make-Up design by Guy Common. The casting director is Stuart Burt and the original associate director and prologue director is Jordan Fein. The prologue composer is Angus MacRae and the musical director is Ben Van Tienen.
CABARET at the KIT KAT CLUB is produced by ATG Productions and Underbelly.
Churchill Theatre, Bromley – until 7th November 2026
Reviewed by Phil Brown
4****
The stage play The Other Side of Murder—written by Torben Betts and directed by Philip Franks is the final instalment of their comedic “murder trilogy” (Murder in the Dark and Murder at Midnight) but is a self contained work. All produced by Original Theatre and Theatre Clwyd. I haven’t seen either of the other plays but from the titles alone, it all seems cosily redolent of a sequence of Richard Coles novels and destined to be just as popular.
The prolific Torben Betts has been described as having “a profound and highly original theatrical voice” and should be a “bigger name” and this play certainly underlines those endorsements. He is quite possibly a rival to Ayckbourn as a master of observation, dark comedy and the human condition.
The Other Side of Murder is cleverly conceived, wittily written, and a rather brilliantly directed (Philip Franks) and performed domestic drama creating many comic moments with progressively darker and ever more farcical situations as the story develops. It’s not an intelligence test or a demanding watch and all the more entertaining for that. It aims squarely for the right side of the brain and scores a resounding hit.
The programme contains an interview with lead actor Rufus Hound (playing Peter) in which he talks about the importance of creating tension in comedy and drama, and it’s certainly the case that this performance has plenty of it. There are times in both acts when tension comes close to unbearable. Just as you were wondering how things would resolve, there are a couple of clever, unexpected twists at the denouement which may well have wronged women everywhere punching the air.
To back up a little – the main part is Peter (consummately played by Rufus Hound). He is a somewhat chaotic TV personality/hypnotist/spirit medium channelling the supernatural (“the other side” in the title) under the nom d’artiste of Darius Divine. His wife Susannah (played by the impeccable Carla Mendoça) is also his commercially calculating agent.
The scene is a reunion dinner at home with estranged daughter from his first marriage arriving from Australia, Jen (well played by Beth Lilly). She needs to be won over by Peter. There is also Susannah’s eccentric mother (magnificently portrayed by Susie Blake – an ever present player in the “murder trilogy”) and a luminescent presence in the action. She disapproves of Peter, employs the occasional vulgar phrase and turns out to be a genuine medium compared to Peter/Darius’ fake one. Into the pre-dinner preparation explodes the feisty Laura (played by a suitably ferocious Aisha Jawando) who is Peter’s (unlikely) lover on the side and as it turns out, pregnant with his baby. She happens to be married to rough diamond Jason (played with real menace by Andy McLeod) and oscillates between demanding hush money and Peter to leave his wife.
The set (Colin Falconer) – a fairly conventional open plan kitchen/diner – remains unchanged throughout the play but becomes increasingly exciting with excellent lighting (Jason Taylor) and sound (Max Pappenheim) effects and some very cool illusions indeed (John Bulleid). I thought Peter could have been dressed a little more trendily to warrant Laura’s apparent attraction.
Most of the classic elements of a fast paced farce are woven skilfully into what becomes quite a complex plot. In an apparently civilised but potentially tense domestic event, what could go wrong does go wrong. Unexpected arrivals, early arrivals, mistaken identity (Susannah assumes Laura is a hired French chef), near misses, clumsy accidents including death, and escalating lies and cover-ups all feature as the evening proceeds. Amongst all of this Susannah’s mother – Gilbert & Sullivan obsessive Miriam – appears at inopportune moments, singing and quoting extracts from various G&S works and insisting the house is hers (originally it was).
The Other Side of Murder has been touring since early September and it shows through in a wonderfully smooth performance with superbly timed dialogue. The cast interaction is simply dazzling. Rufus Hound, Carla Mendonça and Susie Blake all stand out in their separate roles. In particular Rufus Hound is really quite masterful in conveying the wincing desperation that results when it gets ever harder to cover his tracks, and Susie Blake has some of the best lines in the play including revealing the disappointing details of Peter & Laura’s liaisons. On reflection, what starts out as a straightforward farce becomes something of a multi-layered morality tale.
The Other Side of Murder not only showcases top class writing, performing and all round stagecraft, it is fabulous entertainment.
