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Theatre Royal Nottingham – until Saturday 22nd February 2025

Reviewed by Jill Heslop

5*****

Nottingham’s Theatre Royal this evening welcomed one of the most successful dance theatre productions of all time: Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures rendition of Swan Lake. And what a privilege it was to be there.

This innovative production of Tchaikovsky’s classic is being revived in a UK tour celebrating 30 years since its premier at Sadlers Wells, London in 1995. Choreographed and directed by Sir Matthew Bourne with the cast of New Adventures dance company, this is a triumphant and profoundly moving interpretation, full of strength and beauty. Harrison Dowzell mesmerises with his performance as the Swan/the Stranger, full of power and grace. As the leader of the male swans, he is both tender and aggressive. Bourne’s flock of male swans is such a moving sight combining classical and contemporary ballet with imitative swan-like gestures, which create a wild and menacing feeling. And, of course this was the reason that his production become so well-known: replacing the female corps-de-ballet with an all-male ensemble – a daring and radical step thirty years ago.

The Prince is played sensitively by James Lovell with his mixture of vulnerability, boyishness and confusion. Leading us to the female roles of the Queen (Nicole Kabera) showing a haughty power and coldness in her stately position; and the Girlfriend (Bryony Wood), who has excellent comic timing with a cheeky naughtiness. There is a lot of humour in this production, with lively modern dance scenes set in downtown bars, as well as formal dances in the royal household. The costumes of beautiful ballgowns and evening wear are bright and dazzling with not a tutu in sight.

There is a darkness to the dream scenes with the swans hissing as the Prince tries to gain access to this other world. The scenes with the swans are swirlingly moving and emotional with an energetic power which is hypnotic.

A rousing standing ovation at the end of the evening said it all, with tears and appreciative applause resounding around the theatre.

Hampstead Theatre, London – until 15th March 2025

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

3***

You can hardly move for stories about AI and how it is on the verge of destroying everything and/or making everything better, and it is also at the centre of this new play from playwright and screenwriter Beau Willimon. East is South explores how AI, ethics, and faith can co exist and at what cost. Set in a mysterious and secret tech company called Logos where the coders work in pairs and never see anyone else, two employees, Lena (Kaya Scodelario) and Sasha (Luke Treadaway), are developing a powerful new AI model that is on the verge of thinking for itself and understanding the very human quality of contradiction hence the title East is South. Lena is from a tech free Mennonite community and her fellow coder and love interest Sasha is a Russian ex-pianist who may or may not be a double agent. Within the grey walls of the soulless Logos offices, they are questioned by good cop/bad cop government officials (Alec Newman and Nathalie Armin) and a professor/colleague/government agent (Cliff Curtis) to find out if they have committed a serious security breach.

Kaya Scodelario as Lena is a stand out in an impressive stage debut, and Luke Treadaway is believable as the passionate and troubled Sasha. The two tiered set designed by Alex Easles is sparse with stark, pale grey institutional walls on the lower floor for the interrogation, and a rich dark green on the floor above for the surveillance. The same colour palette is used in a similar way in Severance which I immediately thought of and a show that Willimon I later found out is a writer and producer on. As the story shifts between increasingly brutal interrogation and flashbacks, the lighting by Azusa Ono indicates a change in scene and mood making it easy to differentiate time and place. When the AI explodes into spectacular technicolour, Zakk Hein’s video design is a welcome change in pace and tone and for a moment, I forgot that it was symbolising the beginning of an extinction event and enjoyed the lights and colours.

Under Ellen McDougall’s direction, there is an ebb and flow of tension and pace in what is very dense subject matter. In the 100 minutes that we are sitting in the theatre, there are big questions posed around philosophy, human and technological ethics, religion, identity, love, suicide, and abuse, but few answers are proffered. Much of the tech terminology and heavy philosophical statements went straight over my head, however if you are very into coding, AI, and bleak outlooks, then this is the play for you.

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – until 22nd February 2025

Reviewed by Jacqui Radford

5*****

The Rocky Horror Show is a long running and iconic rock ‘n’ roll musical that brings party to the theatre. From the outset, it was evident that the show has a fan base that spans all ages, and that audience participation and fancy dress is part of the appeal. Directed by Christopher Luscombe and on tour, it was a treat to see it at Cheltenham.

The show is a story of two college kids (Brad and Janet played by Connor Carson and Lauren Chia) who find themselves at a creepy mansion when their car has a blow-out. What meets them inside is not easy to describe but suffice it to say, the squeaky-clean kids are exposed to outrageous experiences and flamboyant characters while they are there.

Nathan Caton as The Narrator skilfully negotiates through the show, mixing scripted lines with comedic response to the inevitable audience participation from stalwart fans. The show is packed with innuendo, sci-fi inspiration and cabaret style performance. As the show plays through, anybody confused by the outfits that are sported by fellow audience members will have their curiosity satisfied.

Adam Strong leads the show as Dr Frank ‘n’ Furter, bursting onto the stage in sequins and drag costume; unapologetically setting the tone for the performance throughout. His entrance triggers an ‘anything goes’ party atmosphere, inviting everyone to ‘do the time warp’, bringing audience and stage together.

Since this is a musical, it would be remiss to overlook the band and its contribution to the overall experience. As soon as the curtain raises, the music is loud and delivers a carnival party vibe; something that everybody can get involved with.

If The Rocky Horror Show has been on your list for a while, head to your nearest theatre as soon as you can. You will be treated to extreme innuendo, high energy and a party to remember!

Curve Theatre Leicester – until 22nd February 2025

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

5*****

What if we rewrote the ending? “Maybe she doesn’t kill herself just because he killed himself?” It’s the question asked of Shakespeare from his wife Anne Hathaway, who enquires why all her husband’s female characters are such tragic figures. Together they rework the ending of Romeo & Juliet to have a more female empowered ending. Juliet doesn’t die, she goes travelling with her friends in search of adventure. However, unable to let go of his need for drama and darkness, devious Shakespeare takes matters into his own quill and throws some obstacles in the way, leading Anne to take a serious look at their relationship. The course of true love never did run smooth.

&Juliet is fun, funny and fabulous. The musical is essentially a showcase of Swedish songwriting superstar Max Martin’s music. The pop powerhouse is responsible for penning smash hits sung by the Backstreet Boys, Ariana Grande, Katy Perry and Britney Spears amongst others and the show is chock full of these. Throw in a rollicking romp of a story, elements of pantomime energy, with plenty of 4th wall breaking, oodles of dynamic dance numbers and we have an awesome show. The songs have been put into a different context, they now tell a different story.

What elevates &Juliet is its truly witty book by Schitt’s Creek writer David West Read. With puns, word play and cracking humour that really hit the mark, the bard would be proud. Jennifer Weber’s choreography is a slick, stylish sensation. Paloma Young’s costumes, which modernise the renaissance bring some much-needed Medieval rizz.

Lara Denning is a joy to watch as Anne Hathaway. Playful yet powerful, she has such a fabulous rapport with Jay McGuiness, (from ‘The Wanted’) who plays William Shakespeare with such cheeky appeal. Gerardine Sacdalan gives a stunning performance as Juliet, her rendition of ‘Hit me baby one more time’ is incredible. She is relentlessly good and delivers hit after hit, performance after performance with aplomb.

The relationship between Nurse Angelique, played by Sandra Marvin and Lance, played by Lee Latchford-Evans (from ‘Steps) offers some delightful comic relief and marvellous musical moments. The journey for Juliet’s gender fluid best friend May, played by Jordan Broatch and Francois de Bois, played by Kyle Cox is wonderfully explored and beautifully unfurled. It provide some lovely tenderness.

&Juliet is about writing your own story, flipping the script and not following the norms. It’s a tale of empowerment, challenging authority, and listening to your heart. Nostalgic, life affirming, &Juliet is high octave, high energy and highly entertaining.

Theatre Royal Windsor – until 22nd February 2025

Reviewed by Liberty Noke

5*****

This is Pride and Prejudice like you have never seen it before. A story that has been done and overdone, I wasn’t sure we needed another adaptation but this was incredible. You enter the theatre and the 5 characters are playing maids. Wearing yellow rubber gloves they clean the stage and the walls. The lights begin to go down and the audience go quiet but one of the maids, played by Emma Rose Creaner, shouts in a thick Irish accent “Its not started yet, yous can talk amongst yourselves!” This instantly set a comedic tone and I knew we were in for a treat.

The 5 maids tell the story of pride and prejudice, each playing multiple characters and dressing up as them. The costumes really added to the humour and the physical theatre in creating multiple different characters without confusing the audience was really impressive. Emma Rose Creaner’s performance of Mr Bingley was especially funny but Eleanor Cane stole the show with her characters Mary and Mr Collins.

I know that fans of Jane Austen could be concerned that her work would be lost in a comedy such as this but the story was true to the original novel and I would even recommend this to someone who has never read it as it is easy to follow and very accessible. There were even references to the film when one of the maids commented that Mr Darcy – played incredibly by Rihanna McGreevy- “looked very dry”, a reference to the famous scene in which Mr Darcy emerges from the lake.

There are moments in the play where the characters sing, they carry microphones and sing modern pop songs that may not go with the time period but they are well chosen for instance Elizabeth Bennet (Naomi Preston Low) sings “You’re so vain” to Mr Darcy. The outbursts of song could come across as “cringe” in a piece such as this but every one is a perfect fit. As is the humour, the audience were laughing out loud throughout. Isobel McArthur, the playwright, is a genius. She doesn’t rely on overused clichés or silly jokes, her incredible writing had the audience laughing and cheering from beginning to end.

I cannot recommend this play enough, incredible writing, faultless acting and clever wit – this is the perfect night out at the theatre.

Lyric Theatre, London – 17 February 2025

Reviewed by Emily Smith

4****

Taking over the Lyric Theatre (home to Hadestown) for one night only, West End Musical Love Songs offered an evening of beautiful music from some of the West End’s biggest stars. From the producers of West End Musical Brunch, West End Musical Halloween, West End Musical Christmas and Musical Con (to name a few), this particular show was a romantic dive into some of the most well-loved romantic songs from musicals and films.

The show was opened by a saxophonist who delivered a beautiful solo of Can You Feel The Love Tonight from The Lion King. The evening was hosted by Aimie Atkinson (SIX, Pretty Woman: The Musical) who, from the moment she entered the stage, had an infectious energy. Aimie treated us to her version of Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow from Beautiful the Carole King Musical before introducing the first special guest. Throughout the evening Aimie kept the audience engaged and encouraged interaction, dancing and signing along, though I’m pleased to say the audience mostly took advantage of this in the second half when the music took a more lively turn.

The special guests (which we’ll come on to!) were well chosen for their individual vocal talents that complemented one another allowing the audience to experience a variety of songs from well-known musicals and films. There was no live band, only the saxophonist, which for me is one thing that could have really elevated the evening. While the first half was full of classic love songs, often ballads, the second half was much more upbeat. Personally, I would have been happy listening to more classic songs throughout the whole show, but this tale of two halves brought a change in pace that made for a fun night out! The stage was simple – covered in red heart helium balloons – which, whilst not particularly ground-breaking, offered a nice backdrop for the performers.

Throughout the evening, four special guests performed a selection of songs, showcasing their adaptability and vocal talent. The absolute standout of the evening was Merryl Ansah (Lion King and Heathers) who perfectly performed a one-woman rendition of Helpless from Hamilton, followed by I Will Always Love You (The Bodyguard, Whitney Houston) with live saxophone accompaniment. In the second half, Merryl continued to demonstrate her phenomenal vocal talents with Love You I Do from Dreamgirls and Believe (Cher). Merryl’s performances were the highlight of my evening and they were delivered with such a confidence… she belonged on that stage!

Luke Bayer (Everybody’s Talking About Jamie) treated us to Both Sides Now from Love Actually (Joni Mitchell) and When She Loved Me from Toy Story 2 in the first half, both of which demonstrated his impressive vocal range. However, he really came to life in the second half when performing the more upbeat numbers Brown Eyed Girl from Sleeping With The Enemy (Van Morrison) and I Won’t Say (I’m In Love) from soon-to-open-in-London show Hercules.

Laura Pick (Wicked) showcased her powerhouse vocals while performing My Heart Will Go On from Titanic (Céline Dion), Almost Like Being In Love (Brigadoon), Somebody To Love (We Will Rock You, Queen) and River Deep, Mountain High (TINA – The Tina Turner Musical, Tina Turner). She also performed a duet with Aimie Atkinson of No More Tears (Enough Is Enough) to open the second half.

Bringing a deeper, baritone voice to the evening was Luke McCall (Phantom of the Opera and Les Misérables) who delivered stunning performances of classics such as ‘Til I Hear You Sing (Love Never Dies) and Some Enchanted Evening (South Pacific) before he brought us some more upbeat numbers in the second half such as Can’t Take My Eyes Off You (Jersey Boys) and I’m A Believer (Shrek) which had the audience on their feet and singing along.

To end the evening we were treated to a beautiful duet of (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life (Dirty Dancing) by Luke McCall and Aimie Atkinson, featuring live saxophone (though sadly not the full solo!), which was a great choice of closing number.

So much of the enjoyment of a show like this is in the selection of songs. It feels as though the producers tried to find something for everyone, but I can’t help feeling that there was a missed opportunity in including more love songs from newer musicals. Additionally, I would have loved to have heard more duets between the performers, given the talent on stage. That being said it was a fantastic night out celebrating love with performances from some of the West End’s best talent, ranging from beautiful ballads to get-up-and-dance classics, topped off with live saxophone.

CURVE ANNOUNCES NEW PRODUCTION OF

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

22 November 2025 – 11 January 2026

DIRECTED BY NIKOLAI FOSTER

Leicester will be alive with the sound of music this Christmas as Curve theatre announces a brand-new Made at Curve production of classic musical, THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Running from Saturday 22 November 2025 to Sunday 11 January 2026, this Made at Curve production will be directed by Nikolai Foster, whose recent credits include Lerner and Loewe’s MY FAIR LADY, as well as tours of A CHORUS LINE and KINKY BOOTS. Further casting and creative team members will be announced in due course.

With music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II, THE SOUND OF MUSIC first opened on Broadway in 1959. This year marks the 60th anniversary of the multi-award-winning 1965 film starring Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer, which remains one of the most commercially successful film musicals of all time.

Speaking about the announcement, Curve’s Chief Executive Chris Stafford and Artistic Director Nikolai Foster said:

“The life and experiences of Maria and the von Trapp family feel as fresh today as they must have done when Rodgers and Hammerstein’s perfect musical first leapt onto the stage 60 years ago. THE SOUND OF MUSIC really is one of the greats and we are beyond excited to produce the show at Curve for Christmas 2025.

“Through music, celebrating creativity and her courageous spirit, Maria inspires the von Trapp family, transforming their home into a place filled with love, adventure and a feeling anything is possible.

“There aren’t many hills around Leicester’s Cultural Quarter, but the streets of our city really will be alive with the sound of music this Christmas, as families and friends come together to share this magical brand new Made at Curve production of this incredible musical.”

The Made at Curve production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC will be complemented by wraparound learning and engagement activity delivered by Curve’s Creative Programmes team, including a free digital Education Pack and bespoke workshops for school groups, as well as a Theatre Day on Thursday 4 December, where audience members of all ages will be able to learn more about the creation of the production and behind the scenes insights from the show’s team.

A variety of accessible performances are also available across the run, including British Sign Language interpreted (Friday 5 December, 7:15pm), Captioned (Saturday 13 December, 7:15pm and 18 December, 2pm), Dementia Friendly (Tuesday 16 December, 2pm), Audio Described and Touch Tours (Saturday 20 December, 2pm and Tuesday 6 January, 7:15pm) and Relaxed (Thursday 8 January, 2pm).

Maria, a free-spirited novice nun, is sent to look after the rowdy von Trapp children. Defying Captain von Trapp’s strict orders, Maria captures the children’s hearts using creativity and music to educate, inspire and bring order into their lives. Soon the entire family is under the spell of Maria’s unquenchable zest for life and even the Captain’s steely heart begins to soften, as they fall in love. But when Captain von Trapp is commanded to report for duty in the German navy, their Austrian idyl is shattered, as they must flee the Nazis and embark on the most important and dangerous journey of their lives.

This heart-warming tale of family, romance and rebellion features a timeless score including “Do-Re-Mi,” “My Favorite Things,” “Climb Ev’ry Mountain” and of course, its soaring title number, “The Sound of Music.”

The Made at Curve production of THE SOUND OF MUSIC will run Saturday 22 November 2025 to Sunday 11 January 2026. Tickets will be on sale to Made at Curve Circle, Patrons and Friends from Tuesday 18 February, to Supporters from Wednesday 19 February, to Members, Groups and Access Register Customers from Thursday 20 February and on general sale from Tuesday 25 February, all at 12pm midday. To find out more about Curve Memberships and to book tickets, visit www.curveonline.co.uk, call 0116 242 3595 or visit Curve’s Box Office in-person.

THE SOUND OF MUSIC

Music by RICHARD RODGERS

Lyrics by OSCAR HAMMERSTEIN II

Book by HOWARD LINDSAY and RUSSEL CROUSE

Suggested by “The Trapp Family Singers” by Maria Augusta Trapp

THE SOUND OF MUSIC is presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals Ltd. www.concordtheatretricals.co.uk

H A R R Y   P O T T E R   A N D   T H E   C U R S E D   C H I L D

360,000 NEW TICKETS RELEASED AS 2 MILLIONTH PATRON IS WELCOMED

OVER 50 NEW SEATS INSTALLED AT NIMAX’S PALACE THEATRE

HOUSE PRIDE PERFORMANCES ANNOUNCED

LONDON PRODUCTION PARTNERS WITH WORLD BOOK DAY

WWW.HARRYPOTTERTHEPLAY.COM

The producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child – Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions -are delighted to announce that 360,000 new tickets have been released today taking booking for the original two-part multi award-winning London production to 15 February 2026 as the 2 millionth patron is welcomed to the Palace Theatre. The newly released tickets include over 35,000 seats priced at £15 per part.

Over 50 additional seats have been installed at the Nimax Theatres owned Palace Theatre. The new seats will enable more patrons to attend performances of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

Sonia Friedman and Colin Callender, producers of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, said“It has been an enormous honour to have welcomed over 2 million theatregoers to the Palace Theatre over the last nine years. We’re thrilled that the addition of these new seats will allow even more people to experience the magic of Harry Potter at our London home in the years to come.”

Nica Burns, Nimax Theatres Chief Executive and co-owner, said “We’re delighted to have taken this opportunity to further enhance the customer experience of such a brilliant production with the additional comfort of these new seats at the Palace Theatre.”

Throughout March Harry Potter and the Cursed Child will be celebrating House Pride with dedicated ‘house’ performances at the Palace Theatre. The House Pride performances are as follows: Wednesday 5 March – Gryffindor, Wednesday 12 March – Slytherin, Wednesday 19 March – Ravenclaw and Wednesday 26 March – Hufflepuff. Patrons are encouraged to dress up in their house colours with giveaways and other surprises in store at each of these performances!

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child are delighted to be partnering with the charity World Book Day® this year. As part of the partnership members of the West End cast will visit a London school later this month to give a talk to inspire children to read for fun and hand out copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. There is also an opportunity for a school to win a class trip to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child at the Palace Theatre in May.

The current Harry Potter and the Cursed Child cast comprises David Ricardo-Pearce as Harry Potter, Claire Lams playing Ginny Potter and Ellis Rae as their son Albus Potter. Thomas Aldridge plays Ron Weasley with Naana Agyei-Ampadu playing Hermione Granger along with Eve de Leon Allen as their daughter Rose Granger-Weasley. Steve John Shepherd plays Draco Malfoy, with Harry Acklowe as his son Scorpius Malfoy. 

They are joined by Ishmail Aaron, David Annen, Nicole-Lily Baisden, Sabina Cameron,  Rob Curtis, Zijuan Elsol, Gabriel Fleary, Rory Fraser, Tim Hibberd, Sally Jayne Hind, Max Hunter, Dewayne Jameson Adams, Emma Louise Jones, Julia Kass, Debra Lawrance, Tasha Lim, Matty Loane, Sophie Matthew, Jaden Oshenye, Helen Power, Jocelyn Prah, Conor Quinn, Ian Redford, Catherine Russell, Martin de los Santos, Adam Slynn, Benjamin Stratton, Alex Tomkins, Jake Tuesley, Sam Varley and Katie Wimpenny. Oliver Dawson, Layla Duke, Aubrey Hayes, Rhiannon Parry, Aljosa Radosavljevic, Sienna Sibley and Ethan Webster alternate two children’s roles.

19 years after Harry, Ron, and Hermione saved the wizarding world, they’re back on a most extraordinary new adventure – this time, joined by a brave new generation that has only just arrived at the legendary Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Prepare for spectacular spells, a mind-blowing race through time, and an epic battle to stop mysterious forces, all while the future hangs in the balance.

Now booking to 15 February 2026, tickets for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child remain priced from £15 per part. The regular performance schedule is Monday, Tuesday and Thursday – no performance; Wednesday, Friday and Saturday 2pm Part One & 7pm Part Two; Sunday – 1pm Part One & 6pm Part Two.

Each Friday 40 tickets priced at £40 (£20 per part) are released for every performance the following week, and located in great seats throughout the theatre. Patrons can enter the ‘Friday Forty’ lottery by downloading the TodayTix app.

The access performances currently on sale are as follows – British Sign Language Performances on Saturday 22 March and Saturday 13 September, Audio Described Performances on Saturday 15 May and Saturday 15 November and Captioned Performances on Saturday 7 June and Saturday 8 November.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is the first Harry Potter story to be presented on stage and the eighth story in the Harry Potter series. Now in its ninth year at the Palace Theatre, the production has been seen by 2 million people in the West End and over 11 million worldwide and holds a record 60 major honours, with nine Laurence Olivier Awards including Best New Play and six Tony Awards including Best New Play. There are five productions running worldwide in London, New York, Hamburg, Tokyo, and a North American tour which is currently running at Hollywood Pantages, Los Angeles, before visiting Washington DC’s Broadway At The National from 8 July 2025, followed by The Fox Theatre, Atlanta, from February 2026.

Based on an original new story by J.K. Rowling, Jack Thorne and John Tiffany, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is a new play by Jack Thorne, directed by John Tiffany with movement by Steven Hoggett, set by Christine Jones, costumes by Katrina Lindsay, music & arrangements by Imogen Heap, lighting by Neil Austin, sound by Gareth Fry, illusions & magic by Jamie Harrison,music supervision & arrangements by Martin Lowe, and casting by Julia Horan CDG and Lotte Hines CDG. Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is produced by Sonia Friedman Productions, Colin Callender and Harry Potter Theatrical Productions.

Box Office – 0330 333 4813

WWW.HARRYPOTTERTHEPLAY.COM

Instagram / CursedChildLDN

TikTok / CursedChildOfficial

Facebook / CursedChildLDN

WizardingWorld.com

Access performances:

British Sign Language Performances – Saturday 22 March and Saturday 13 September 2025

Audio Described Performances – Saturday 15 May and Saturday 15 November 2025

Captioned Performances –  Saturday 7 June and Saturday 8 November 2025

Christmas performance schedule 2025:

Wednesday 17 December, Friday 19 December, Saturday 20 December, Monday 22 December – Part 1: 2pm, Part 2: 7pm

Tuesday 23 December – Part 1: 1pm, Part 2: 6pm

Saturday 27 December – Part 1: 2pm, Part 2: 7pm

Sunday 28 December – Part 1: 1pm, Part 2: 6pm

Tuesday 30 December – Part 1: 2pm, Part 2: 7pm

Wednesday 31 December – Part 1: 1pm, Part 2: 6pm

Friday 2 January, Saturday 3 January 2026 – Part 1: 2pm, Part 2: 7pm

Sunday 4 January 2026 – Part 1: 1pm, Part 2: 6pm

ACTING FOR OTHERS ANNOUNCES THE RETURN OF
5TH ANNUAL WEST END FLEA MARKET
Also announced today, information on this year’s Golden Bucket Awards, The Big West End Walk, and more

Theatrical charity, Acting for Others, today announces the West End Flea Marketwill take place on Saturday 17 May at St Paul’s Church and Churchyard, Covent Garden running from 10am-2pm. With over £80,000 raised last year for Acting for Others, the West End Flea Market returns for its 5th year. Early bird tickets will be on sale in April with general on-sale announced at a later date.

Top West End shows unite for the event, setting up a variety of uniquely designed stalls offering theatrical memorabilia, signed items, and the chance for selfies and autographs. Each is tailored by the company to celebrate their productions, with themed merchandise and special limited-edition collectables with the Best Dressed Stall judged by a starry panel and the winner will be announced at the event. This year’s Judges, West End Stars and shows will be announced at a later date.

Acting for Others today also announces the return of the Golden Bucket Awards on Thursday 10 April at the Prince of Wales Theatre. The awards celebrate the supporters and fundraisers who have been crucial in raising funds for the charity since its inception in 2020.

After raising over £4,000 for Acting for Others last year, The Big West End Walk will return for 2025 taking place on Sunday 7 September. West End stars and famous faces will take to the streets to join the Acting for Others team in walking to 58 West End theatres covering 16 miles across London.

Further fundraising events for Acting for Others include Players: All the World’s a Stage and Bravo for Dan. Players: All the World’s a Stage – a free art exhibition created by Christine Youldon aiming to celebrate the art of theatre through portraits of talent both on stage and behind the scenes – will take place at North Gallery, Mall Galleries from 18-22 March. All profits from the sale of the paintings and catalogue will be donated to Acting for Others. Bravo for Dan, an event set up by acting student Tash Collins in remembrance of her dad Dan who was a long-time supporter of the arts, will be raising funds for Acting for Others. The evening will feature a Night of Performances, ranging from spoken word, songs, monologues to dance from Tash’s cohort at Boden’s Performing Arts College, with the event taking place on Tuesday 11 March at Boden’s Performing Arts College.

Concurrently, streaming for Backstage Curry, Acting for Others’ podcast series hosted by West End star Mark Curry, is available across all podcast platforms.

To donate to the charity’s website or donations link please donate via this link https://actingforothers.co.uk/donate/.

Twitter: @ActingForOthers

Instagram: @actingforothers

West End Flea Market is organised in aid of Acting for Others, a fundraising organisation for a network of 14 UK theatrical and welfare charities supporting all theatre workers.

For those unable to attend the event, Acting for Otherscan still be supported by donating at www.actingforothers.co.uk/donate

West End Flea Market

Saturday 17 May 2025, 10am – 2pm

St Paul’s Church, Bedford Street, London, WC2E 9ED

Entry £5

Aylesbury Waterside – until the Saturday 22nd February 2025

Reviewed by Rachel Clark

5*****

Hairspray the UK tour – this is based on the New Line Cinema Written and directed by John Waters – an American film director, artist and writer. Music by Marc Shaiman and he also did the Lyrics alongside Scott Wittman. The show has a live band which played faultlessly – you can’t beat live music.

Hairspray in based in Baltimore in the 1960’s. Tracy Turnblad (played by Katie Brace. Brace played the part in the UK tour 2021-22. She was brilliant – word perfect and a fun character) is a teenager who loves dancing and watching The Corny Collins Show. Tracy would love nothing more than to be on the show.

Tracy lives with her Mum Edna (played brilliantly by Neil Hurst who uses his voice to enhance the part from a high itched female to a deep toned male voice along with his 54 double E bust! Hurst has lots of credits for theatre, concert theatre, television and many more ), her mum takes in washing and her Dad Wilbur who owns a joke shop and has plenty of wit and one liners in the show. Wilbur is played by Dermot Canavan, who has numerous credits for TV, theatre and films. Tracy has a best friend Penny Pingleton, who looks a typical schoolgirl with plaits. Freya McMahon plays Penny in her debut show; she was superb, and at the end of the show blossoms into a beautiful young lady.

After watching The Corny Collins Show, Tracy sees they are looking for a new dancer so she shows up for an audition, but is mocked for being plump. Another girl turns up who is black and is also passed over. The show is known for its slim, white dancers.

But, Tracy get the part for being different thanks to the Compere (Delcan Egan) with his shiny white teeth , smile and bright jackets. The show has plenty of colour on the clothes and numerous wigs!.

Tracy becomes an overnight success, a trendsetter with her hairstyle, dance and fun and in her spare time she enjoys also dancing at Motormouth Maybelle’s where she dances with the black society. Tracy doesn’t see why they can’t dance on the show, it’s for all and plots a plan, as they can only currently dance on ‘Negro Day’

I will say the voice of Motormouth Maybelle (Michelle Ndegwa) was amazing, she gave you goosebumps, I am not surprised she is a Soul and Gospel singer and has recorded for Gregory Porter, Rita Ora and more.

In the end Tracy gets her man and what she wants, the final act was all the actors on the stage, and it was so colourful with talented singers and dancers. The stage was full and all gave a sensational performance for us all to enjoy. Despite being a Monday the theatre was heaving and such a buzz, all different age groups just wanting the fun of the show with great songs, even if you haven’t seen the film or show before there will be at least one song you will know.

The show does have a story line that includes integration, and that we should accept all and respect.

I am not surprised they got a standing ovation. Another great show at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre not to be missed.