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CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

HADESTOWN
AS THE CRITICALLY ACCLAIMED PRODUCTION ENTERS ITS SECOND YEAR IN THE WEST END

DESMONDA CATHABEL AS EURYDICE
VICTORIA HAMILTON-BARRITT AS PERSEPHONE
CHRIS JARMAN AS HADES
CEDRIC NEAL AS HERMES
DYLAN WOOD AS ORPHEUS
MELANIE BRIGHT, ALLIE DANIEL AND LAURAN RAE AS THE FATES

uk.hadestown.com

3 February 2025, London: New casting is announced today for the critically acclaimed West End production of Hadestown for performances from 11 March 2025.

The year two West End cast includes Desmonda Cathabel, who most recently played Jasmine in the UK & Ireland tour of Disney’s Aladdin, as Eurydice; Olivier Award-nominee Victoria Hamilton-Barritt, whose many credits include The Stepmother in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella, as Persephone; Chris Jarman,who originated the role of Hagrid in Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in the West End, joins the company as Hades; Cedric Neal who was nominated for an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Nicely-Nicely Johnson in Guys & Dolls at the Bridge Theatre, as Hermes; and Dylan Wood,who made his West End debut in Hadestown last year, returns as Orpheus.

Melanie Bright and Lauran Rae join Allie Daniel as the Fates; Femi Akinfolarin, Michelle Andrews, Ollie Bingham, Laura Delany and Sebastian Lim-Seet will play the Workers, with Lucinda Buckley, Juan Jackson, Oisín Nolan-Power, Lindo Shinda and Jasmine Triadi as Swings.

All biographies for the cast, as well as information on Hadestown and how to buy tickets, can be found at uk.hadestown.com

Hadestownopened to huge critical acclaim at the Lyric Theatre, London in February last year, five years after a sold-out engagement at the National Theatre in 2018 and is now booking in the West End until 28 September 2025.

Blending American songwriting traditions, from indie folk, to pop, blues, and New Orleans-inspired jazz, Hadestown has music, lyrics, and book by acclaimed Tony® and Grammy®-winning singer-songwriter and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award-winner Anaïs Mitchell whooriginated Hadestownas anindie theatre project and acclaimed album, before transforming the show into a genre-defying new musical alongside artistic collaborator and Tony® Award-winning director Rachel Chavkin.

Hadestowntakes you on an unforgettable journey to the underworld and back, intertwining two mythic love stories – that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone.  A deeply resonant and defiantly hopeful theatrical experience, Hadestown invites you to imagine how the world could be.

The Hadestown creative team includes David Neumann (Choreography), Rachel Hauck (Scenic Design), Michael Krass (Costume Design), Bradley King (Lighting Design), Nevin Steinberg and Jessica Paz (Sound Design), Liam Robinson (Music Supervision and Vocal Arrangements), Michael Chorney and Todd Sickafoose (Arrangements and Orchestrations), Ken Cerniglia (Dramaturgy), Maria Crocker (UK Associate Director), and Tarek Merchant (Musical Director & Associate Music Supervisor). Casting by Jacob Sparrow.

Hadestownis produced in London by Mara Isaacs, Dale Franzen, Hunter Arnold, Tom Kirdahy and the National Theatre in association with JAS Theatricals.

Cast announced for the world premiere of the musical
SUPERSONIC MAN

Dylan Aiello (Kissing a Fool), James Lowrie (Bat Out Of Hell The Musical), Jude St James (The Sound of Music), Dominic Sullivan (Young Sherlock) and Mali Wen Davies (making her professional debut) will star in the world premiere of the musical Supersonic Man, written and directed by Chris Burgess, at Southwark Playhouse Borough, Wednesday 9 April to Saturday 3 May.

Supersonic Man is a joyous and moving new musical set among the LGBTQI+ community of Brighton.  

Adam is a fun-loving ‘influencer’ having the time of his life. But when he is struck down with a terminal condition, he faces losing everything, including the love of his life, Darryl. Adam and Darryl vow that this will not be the end. Instead they seek a completely new beginning and explore new ways to live. Adam will become a human cyborg!

Supersonic Man combines jazz hands with high drama to tell a tale inspired by the true-life story of Peter Scott-Morgan, as depicted in the acclaimed 2020 C4 documentary, Peter – The Human Cyborg.

Creative team: Writer and Director Chris BurgessMusical Director Aaron ClinghamMusical Arrangements Steven EdisChoreographer Philip JoelDesigner David ShieldsLighting Richard Lambert
Production Assistant Angie LawrenceGraphic Design Steve CaplinProduction Photography Peter Davies
Produced by LAMBCO Productions
LISTINGS INFO

SUPERSONIC MAN
a new musical

Written and Directed
by Chris Burgess

Southwark Playhouse Borough
77-85 Newington Causeway,
London, SE1 6BD

Closest Tube Station: Elephant & Castle
(Northern Line & Bakerloo Line)
Take the London Southbank University exit

Wednesday 9 April to Saturday 3 May

Performances
Monday to Saturday at 19:30
Matinees Tuesday & Saturday at 15:00
No shows on Sunday

Tickets:
 £10 Pioneers’ Preview/ £16 previews /
£24 standard / £19 concessions

Concessions apply to full time students, patrons over 65, and patrons claiming Universal Credit.
Concessions are available Monday to Thursday and on Tuesday and Saturday matinees.
Disabled patrons may bring a companion / carer free of charge.  

How To Get To Borough Venue: The nearest stations are Elephant & Castle and Borough

Box office:
southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/productions/supersonic-man/

EMMY AND TONY AWARD-WINNER

SEAN HAYES

BRINGS HIS TONY-AWARD WINNING PERFORMANCE TO LONDON

GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR

THE SMASH HIT PLAY TRANSFERS FROM BROADWAY

TO LONDON’S BARBICAN THEATRE

ONE TIME ONLY SEVEN WEEK SEASON FROM 31 JULY

GENERAL ON SALE FROM THURSDAY 6 FEBRUARY* AT 10.00AM

FROM GOODNIGHTOSCAR.COM

Emmy and Tony Award-winner Sean Hayes (Will & Grace) will reprise his much-lauded Tony Award-winning performance in Good Night, Oscar at the Barbican Theatre this summer. Direct from a critically acclaimed Broadway run, this strictly limited seven-week season runs from 31 July until 21 September. Tickets will go on general sale at 10.00am on Thursday 6 February from GoodNightOscar.com.

Sean Hayes will make his West End debut in this new play by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright, playing Oscar Levant: Hollywood actor, concert pianist, and the most subversive wit ever to appear on television during its Golden Age.

It’s 1958, and Jack Paar hosts the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favourite guest? Wild card Oscar Levant. Famous for his witty one-liners, Oscar has a favourite: “There’s a fine line between genius and insanity; I have erased this line.” Tonight, Oscar will prove just that, when heappears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience – and the rest of America – won’t soon forget.

Sean Hayes said: “It’s thrilling to be making my West End debut at the Barbican this summer with Good Night, Oscar. I’m eager to introduce one of the all-time greats, Oscar Levant, to the UK. The response we received on Broadway was incredible and I’m hoping British audiences will appreciate the history of this fascinating man – a multi-faceted pioneer, from concert pianist to infamous raconteur. It’s an honour to bring this production to London.”

Writer Doug Wright said: “Good Night, Oscar was one of my very happiest Broadway experiences, and a richly satisfying collaboration with the celebrated Sean Hayes and our director Lisa Peterson. I can’t wait to introduce the irascible, indefatigable whirlwind that was Oscar Levant to London audiences. He’d be thrilled to play the Barbican, even posthumously.”

Producer Howard Panter said: “We are delighted to be bringing Good Night, Oscar to the Barbican this summer. Following the huge success of our previous summer productions, including Anything Goes, A Strange Loop and Kiss Me, Kate, the Barbican summer has become a highly anticipated fixture in London’s theatrical calendar. With the addition of Good Night, Oscar alongside our recently announced Fiddler on the Roof, this season once again promises world-class storytelling and unforgettable performances.”

Toni Racklin, Barbican Head of Theatre & Dance, says: “We are delighted that major Broadway hit, Good Night, Oscar, will be part of the Barbican’s summer season this year, led by its Tony Award-winning star, Sean Hayes. Along with the transfer of Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s glorious production of Fiddler on the Roof, we are thrilled to offer this terrific double bill of theatrical magic to our audiences, brought to our stage by our partners Trafalgar Theatre Productions.”

Full of humour, with an unmissable, virtuosic performance from Sean Hayes, Good Night, Oscar is directed by Lisa Peterson and masterfully explores fame, artistry, and the fragility of genius. Further casting will be announced soon.

Hayes is currently filming The Running Man for Paramount and will begin production on Is This Thing On, directed by Bradley Cooper, later this year.

BARBICAN LISTINGS INFORMATION

Barbican Theatre, Silk Street, London EC2Y 8DS

First Performance: 31 July 2025

Final performance: 21 September 2025

Performance times: Wednesday – Saturday at 7pm, Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm,

Sunday at 3pm. Additional performance Tuesday 5 August at 7pm

Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes (no interval)

Age guidance: 12+

*Tickets on sale as follows:

Monday 3 February at 10am: Barbican Premier, Principal and Director’s Circle Patrons

Tuesday 4 February at 10am: Barbican Patrons

Wednesday 5 February: Barbican Members

Thursday 6 February at 10am: General Public on-sale

Access Performances:

BSL Interpreted: Saturday 23 August, 2.30pm

Audio Described: Friday 5 September, 7pm

Captioned: Wednesday 27 August, 7pm

Tickets from £25 (plus booking fee) Barbican Box Office: Barbican.org.uk or 020 7870 2500

(Telephone lines open Monday to Friday, 12.00 – 5.30pm)

Social Media:

Website: GoodNightOscar.com

X: Goodnightoscar

Facebook: Goodnightoscar

Instagram: Goodnightoscar

Presented in association with the Barbican

‘QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT’

A GALA CONCERT CELEBRATING

50 YEARS OF BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY

TO PLAY

THE LONDON PALLADIUM

ON TUESDAY 8 APRIL 2025

Simon Gordon and Daniel Wood of Kinda Dusty Ltd. are delighted to present QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT, a gala concert celebrating 50 years of Bohemian Rhapsody in a concert packed with over 25 of Queen’s biggest hits. The concert will take place at the London Palladium on Tuesday 8 April with tickets on sale Friday 7 February, 10am.

QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT has played over 300 sold-out shows across the world including Carnegie Hall, New York, arenas and theatres in Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Australia, New Zealand and the UK and was the first ever live rock concert to play St Paul’s Cathedral. The concert boasts an incredible night of over 25 Queen Anthems, performed by candlelight and features a cast of West End singers who have previously all performed in QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT, coming together for this special gala concert, accompanied by an epic live rock band.

The cast includes Georgia Carling (Matilda The Musical, Babies: A New Musical), Daniel Conway (Kinky Boots), Kinda Dusty co-director Simon Gordon (Bat Out of Hell, Heathers the Musical), Joel Harper Jackson (Cock, Jesus Christ Superstar), Nathan Lodge (Queen by Candlelight World tour), Patrick O’Sullivan (Bat Out of Hell, Dr Doolittle the Musical), Benjamin Purkiss (Bat Out of Hell, Zorro The Musical), Sandra Regan (Queen by Candlelight World tour), Rory Taylor (Thriller Live, RENT), Sam Toland Leigh (The Book Of Mormon, We Will Rock You) and Becca Wickes (SIX the Musical, Heathers the Musical).

Special guest stars to be announced.

QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT includes some of the most iconic songs of all time, including Bohemian Rhapsody, It’s a Kind of Magic, We Are The Champions, Who Wants to Live Forever and many more.

QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT is produced and directed by Simon Gordon and Daniel Wood of Kinda Dusty Ltd. with general management by Patrick O’Sullivan, orchestrations and musical supervision and direction by Sam Broadbere.

Website: concertsbycandlelight.com

Instagram: @concertsbycandlelight

LISTINGS INFORMATION

QUEEN BY CANDLELIGHT

Tuesday 8 April 2025, 7.30pm

The London Palladium

8 Argyll Street

London

W1F 7TF

lwtheatres.co.uk/the-london-palladium

Box Office: 020 3925 2998

Pre-sale: Wednesday 5 February,10am

General on sale: Friday 7 February, 10am

Tickets: from £24

Leeds Grand Theatre – until 21 February and on tour until March 2025

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

4****

Opera North’s new season is underway with its first performance of Wagner’s The Flying Dutchman at the Leeds Grand Theatre. This is Opera North’s new production, and it originally premiered in 1843 in Dresden, Germany, and first ever performed by Opera North in 1979. The Flying Dutchman is based on an old Dutch legend of a ghost ship with its ghostly crew. The crew are indefinitely condemned to sail the seas, however every seven years they are allowed to land on shore, and in order for The Dutchman (Robert Hayward) to find a faithful wife.

The society ashore are occupied with bureaucracy and, to an extent, ignorance, and it is oblivious to The Dutchman’s fate except for one woman, Senta. Senta (Layla Claire) is knowledgeable about his plight and is empathetic. Both Senta and The Dutchman meet, and their bond strengthens which is consequentially fateful as the plot unravels in the opera.

The plot is parallel to today’s resonances especially the relationships between authority, bureaucracy and displacement and refuge. This is reinforced with voices of individuals, in collaboration with this production, being heard at the beginning of each act who have experienced these situations in their lives.

Joanna Parker’s staging is used effectively as an office and also there are touches of a ship. The canvas hung above the stage projects Parker’s eye-catching video imagery of The Flying Dutchman, one’s circumstance and plight which is constantly being reminded in the opera. Kevin Treacy’s lighting highlights the complex and sombre moods and its ambience throughout.

Directed by Annabel Arden, the cast and creative crew give an excellent retelling and re-imagining of this opera. Excellent performances from Clive Bayley whose portrayal as an authoritative and bureaucratic leading Daland, Edgaras Montvidas as Erik, Hayward as The Flying Dutchman and Claire as Senta (Due to her illness, the role of Senta in this performance, is sung by Mari Wyn Williams from the side of the stage). All of them are supported by the Chorus of Opera North.

The opera, sung in German with English surtitles, gives a lot to think about especially some of today’s themes specifically those of the vulnerable and displaced who are seeking refuge and safety in many communities from natural and man-made challenges and dangers.

Playhouse, Sheffield – until February 1st 2025

Review by Sharon Farley

4****

Interweaving contemporary dance, personal story-telling, cultural tradition and sport is not a combination many theatre productions achieve, or even attempt, but in Endurance Jennifer Jackson (WrestleLadsWrestle) moves efficiently between each element, with the greatest action given, surprisingly, to sport.

She first appears in a Bolivian Diablada mask, a huge, horned, non-human representation of the entities believed to exist as a link between the worlds of the living and the dead; the accompanying traditional dance seems mostly a feat of balance to hold its colourful mass upright. At the end, Jennifer strips away the bulk of the costume – a representation of her cultural heritage via her Bolivian mother – and is left standing small by comparison in a simple shorts and vest ensemble. The mask remains aside, watching over the rest of the performance. Jennifer laboriously dons running shoes and a heart rate monitor with the intensity of a meditative practice. There is silence and the plain backdrop of a black stage; she begins running between one point and another. The quiet and endless repetition may make you wonder if the feat of ‘endurance’ is to be that of the audience, patiently waiting for something to happen.

Soon, all is revealed via a digital backdrop displaying the words spoken by a robotic voice, explaining everything we need to know about Jennifer, her repetitive motion, the heart monitor ticking away on screen, her determination, and the belief that her maternal Bolivian genes will make her a natural mountain runner. So, is this the feat of endurance we are here to witness? The machine generated voice humorously entertains us with our own thoughts and opinions on what we are watching, with some considerable accuracy. This performance is more interesting than it at first appears.

The screen voice takes us through Jennifer’s thoughts, influences, dialogues with family and friends, difficulties of acceptance within British society – the other half of her heritage – and her obsession with a historical, female, Bolivian revolutionary, Bartolina Sisa, who fought against Spanish colonisers alongside her husband, Túpac Katari. The audience become spectators not only of Jennifer’s athletic endurance, but also that of the Latin American people, robbed and subjugated yet still surviving.

As we listen, we watch Jennifer’s heart rate rise. The internal dialogue on the screen turns negative, she’s hitting the runner’s wall. We see her pushing through the hardship, again a reflection of the endurance of the colonised indigenous people providing her with the genetic material to battle on, even when she just wants to hide under the duvet and cry. The heart rate keeps rising, are we about to witness a heart attack too? Dammit! She even knew we’d think that!

A break in the repetitive running leads us to the next act, as a dapper, skull headed figure appears bathed in a spotlight at one side of the stage. The robotic voice is silenced, and we are left to interpret for ourselves what the dance between Jennifer and the male figure means. Is it a depiction of Jennifer’s relationship with her Bolivian heritage? Are we viewing the difficulties of women struggling to establish their own space? Is it the repeated generational blending of indigenous people with European invaders? Or a struggle for meaning between life and death?

When the male dancer exits, Jennifer picks up from the same point she left off when he arrived; continuing her own personal endurance test, now accompanied by stories of her childhood. In contrast to the detailed breakdown of the on screen dialogue in the first act, this section is a little vague and leaves some uncomfortable questions hanging in the air.

The individual elements of this complex piece do not always fit seamlessly hand in hand, much as the experience of the children of inter-cultural relationships is rarely a smooth ride. One might wonder what part ancestral cellular memory plays in our own tangled personal development, given we are all the result of a widely mixed gene pool, often generated by historical invasions.

Evidently, a lot of thought has gone into this production, and though we may not be privy to all the inner workings of Jennifer’s process, take the time to invest in the piece with her and you may even feel the reflection of her heart beat within your own chest.

Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions present

Witness for the Prosecution by Agatha Christie

• TODAY MARKS 100 YEARS SINCE THE ORIGINAL STORY OF ‘WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION’ WAS PUBLISHED AS THE ACCLAIMED STAGE PRODUCTION CONTINUES TO THRILL AUDIENCES AT LONDON COUNTY HALL NOW IN ITS 8TH YEAR.

• AGATHA CHRISTIE’S SHORT STORY ‘TRAITOR HANDS’ FIRST APPEARED IN A WEEKLY DETECTIVE MAGAZINE IN 1925 AND WAS LATER RETITLED ‘THE WITNESS FOR THE PROSECUTION’ AND PUBLISHED AS PART OF A SHORT STORY COLLECTION WITH ICONIC FILM, STAGE, TELEVISION AND RADIO ADAPTATIONS TO FOLLOW.

• TO MARK 100 YEARS OF THIS CAPTIVATING STORY A NEW MAP IS RELEASED TODAY HIGHLIGHTING KEY LONDON LOCATIONS FEATURED IN THE STAGE PRODUCTION AND NEW PHOTOGRAPHY OF THE CAST

Today (31 January 2025) marks 100 years since Agatha Christie’s story Witness for the Prosecution – originally titled Traitor Hands – was first published. A century later and the acclaimed stage production, produced by Eleanor Lloyd Productions and Rebecca Stafford Productions, continues to sell out every performance at the historic London County Hall where it is now in its 8th year and more popular than ever.

To celebrate this milestone, a new Witness for the Prosecution animated map has been released highlighting key London locations that appear in the iconic story, as well as new photography of the cast at the Old Bailey, New Scotland Yard and London County Hall.

Beginning life as a short story just five years into Christie’s illustrious career, Traitor Hands was initially published on 31 January 1925, as part of Flynn’s a weekly American detective magazine. Like many of Christie’s earlier works, the story first appeared in a magazine before being reissued in book form. Christie retitled the story as The Witness for the Prosecution eight years later. This shocking short story of lust and betrayal has since been reimagined for iconic radio, film, stage and television adaptations entertaining generation after generation in its various different forms.

The first stage production was adapted by Christie herself at the request of theatre producer Peter Saunders and opened on the 28 October 1953 at The Winter Garden Theatre in London. During its run, Christie also had two other plays running in London, making her the only female playwright to have three plays running simultaneously in the West End. In 1957 the play was adapted for film directed by Billy Wilder and starring Tyrone Power, Marlene Dietrich and Charles Laughton. During film previews test audiences were compelled to sign pledges saying, “I solemnly swear I will not reveal the ending of Witness for the Prosecution.” The original short story has also been adapted for TV five times (most recently by Sarah Phelps in 2016).

The current stage production of Witness for the Prosecution at London County Hall is now in its eight year is currently booking until 28 September 2025. The cast includes Ben Galvin as the accused Leonard Vole opposite Isabel Della-Porta as Romaine Vole, Dugald Bruce-Lockhart as Sir Wilfrid Robarts QC, Kriss Dosanjh as Mr Mayhew, Michael Cochrane as Mr Justice Wainwright and Robert Hands as Mr Myers QC. The company is completed by Karlu Akumas, William Baylis, Nicky Goldie, Harry Gostelow, Oxa Hazel, Thomas Judd, James Lavender, Avril Maponga, Alfie Noble, Shivam Pallana, Georgia Rona and Steve Watts.

Since 2017 Agatha Christie’s Witness for the Prosecution has captured the imagination of audiences gripped by the case of Leonard Vole, accused of murder in cold blood. The show is more popular than ever with almost every show selling out. Director Lucy Bailey (And Then There Were None, UK Tour) thrillingly places the audience in the thick of the action as Christie’s enthralling tale of justice, passion and betrayal unfolds around them.

The twists and turns of the case are played out in a spectacular courtroom setting inside the atmospheric London County Hall as prosecution battles defence and witnesses take the stand to give their shocking testimonies. The production received Best Revival nominations at the 2018 Olivier and WhatsOnStage Awards.

The production is designed by William Dudley, with lighting by Chris Davey, sound design by Mic Pool and casting by Ellie Collyer-Bristow CDG.

Curve Theatre, Leicester – until 8th February 2025 (accessible performances 6th, 7th and 8th February)

Reviewed by Leanne W

5*****

C S Lewis wrote the story of The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe 75 years ago. A much loved story which was televised on a Sunday afternoon during my childhood (the longest of waits between each episode, there was no binge watching in the 80s!) A story for all to love then, and a story which will continue to bring joy to future generations, the excited children leaving the theatre assured me of that.

The story concerns four evacuees who find themselves in Aberdeen and in the home of an eccentric professor (Kraig Thornber) – who happens to have a very special wardrobe in his spare room. This performance is expertly crafted from Sally Cookson’s original production and realised under Michael Fentiman’s Direction.

From the moment we enter the theatre the were treated to a lone pianist playing some old war time classics and framed by a huge lit circle. This framed the action throughout giving a sense that we were looking in to another world. On the stage were several smaller circles which double as a further window in to the story – the moon being a particularly enchanting use. The moveable aspects of the set were expertly steered in and out of position by the cast, and all seemed to seamlessly appear and leave as the story moved on. A highlight for me was the turning of a crank handle to produce the all-important lamppost from inside the piano.

The costumes were simple and yet extraordinarily effective, we knew who all the animals were without the need for a mask or a full outfit made from fur. The use of snow shoes to provide tails for Mr and Mrs Beaver (Jaya De Villiers and Ed Thorpe) was marvellous. What also caught my eye was how even when we were seeing the action in Narnia the reminder of the war was ever present, incorporating the use of muted tones, military style headwear and the odd aviator hat, complete with goggles, continuing the theme.

This was a play with music and the haunting melodies really added to the stark feelings of everlasting winter in Narnia. We were excited by the arrival of Santa and the Bringer of Gifts song. Whilst the music was not overly memorable if should be stated that it does what it is supposed to do; and that is to add to the story and not to replace any dialogue as we may expect from a musical. I really enjoyed seeing the band on stage and all in role as their various characters playing away merrily.

There are moments of puppetry, mainly Schrödinger the cat and Aslan (who was also played by Stanton Wright, a considered and powerful portrayal) – from the small to the large added to the magic.

Whilst I cannot say there were any standout performances, the play is very well cast and each and every portrayal wonderful. Joanna Adaran, Jesse Dunbar, Kudzai Mangombe and Bunmi Osadolor gave convincing performances as the children. Katy Stephens a delightfully mean White Witch with her pretty scary sidekick Maugrim (Shane Anthony-Whiteley) and an entire cast who multi-role the whole show leave too many to mention.

In summary this is a fantastic production, a fabulous set, beautiful music, clever costume, puppetry, magic and a wonderful story. Everything we love about live theatre.

Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham – until 1st February 2025

Reviewed by Josie Aburrow Smith and Emmie (9 years old)

5*****

The Pirates of Penzance is a comic opera by Gilbert and Sullivan. it premiered in New York on the 31st December 1879. It’s as hilarious today as it was 145 years. 

The story centres around the pirate apprentice, Frederic and the year is 1870. As his apprentice is coming to an end (when he turns 21) he tells the pirates that they are hopeless as they are too kind. He meets and falls in love with Mabel, the daughter of an incompetent Major-General who famously sings ‘I am the Very Model of a Modern Major General’ (which I also keep humming)

But it turns out that Frederic was born on a leap year and is still apprenticed to the pirate band until he reaches his 21st birthday in 1940. His alliances shift back and forth between the pirates and respectable society, and he engages the help of the police. 

This production has a clever set of a raised deck. Which means the ensemble can be sitting and standing and still be visible. It is Directed by Donna Stirrup and Conducted by Martin Handley. The orchestra were a joy to listen to. 

The whole ensemble worked together and were clearly enjoying themselves as much as the audience. The cast included: Benjamin Bevan, Barry Clark, Guy Elliott, Jonathan Eyers, Sioned Gwen Davies and Ellie Laugharne.

The Pirates of Penzance is suitable for all ages. I was accompanied by my 9 year old. It was her first experience of opera and she was able to follow the story and laugh at the funny bits. She loved the ladies singing and pretending to paddle. The Everyman Theatre is a wonderful place to take children too. The staff are all very enthusiastic and helpful. They gave her a bit to add to her seat to raise her up. 

This is a great night out, we all came out smiling and humming. Today I have Sung ‘I am a Pirate King’ a number of times. 

Southwark Playhouse Elephant, London – until 29 March 2025

Reviewed by Emily Smith

3***

Scissorhandz, based on the 1990s film Edward Scissorhands, promises to be ‘a musical reinvented’. Unfortunately, it falls flat of being a cohesive piece of theatre, ultimately being a concoction of well-known songs sprinkled between disconnected parts of the original plot, often lacking emotional depth.

That being said, if I could give more stars for talent alone, this brilliant cast would be deserving of at least one or two more. Emma Williams stood out as Peg, alongside Lauren Jones (Kim) and Dionne Gipson (The Inventor), who together and individually delivered some powerful and beautiful vocals to classic pop rock songs. Lauren Jones’s rendition of Fighter was a real standout of the evening!

Another brilliant trio were Tricia Adele-Turner (Joyce Vanderpump), Annabelle Terry (Esmerelda) and Ryan O’Connor (Helen/Bill/Delia Deetz). Both Tricia and Annabelle had both flawless vocals and comedic delivery, while Ryan, who makes his London debut in Scissorhandz, was an absolute standout of the evening. His comedic performance, including some ad-libbed moments, offered some much-needed relief from the confused narrative and really made the show for me. The live band were also great – they were clearly loving their jobs – and the music was definitely loud enough!

The staging is relatively simple given the size of the venue, which is intimate, but the show makes the most of the available space including aisles, the balcony, and even audience member’s laps! There is no raised stage – it is all floor level – so if you’re in any of the first rows you’ll need to mind your feet! The audience interaction was a fun addition to the show, which helped with keeping the audience’s attention given that the running time is 1 hour 45 minutes with no interval. To recreate the famous scenes where Scissorhandz is trimming bushes or sculpting ice, this show uses paper confetti and hand-held fans – not very high tech, but it did give the desired effect.

Costume-wise, a bug bear for me was that Scissorhandz’s infamous hands were clearly slide-on scissors i.e. you can see their real fingers behind. This wouldn’t perhaps be an issue on a larger raised stage, but given the proximity of the cast and audience in this venue, and the number of times Scissorhandz shows their hands to the audience, it was a detail that I felt could have been improved.

The main let down of this show is unfortunately in the writing. Bradley Bredeweg (writer/director/producer) wanted to ‘reinvent’ Scissorhandz (no ‘Edward’ here), taking the audience on an exploration of gender identity and belonging. However, it seems he has taken snippets of the film, added songs that are disconnected to the narrative, and merged the two together with a sprinkle of drag-favourites. Without the full plot, the story loses its way. Without songs that are related to the plot, the music doesn’t connect. Add this together, with a random Kiki in the middle, it seems this show is trying to achieve too much without having a stable foundation first.

One of the most significant issues for me was Scissorhandz as a character. In the film, Edward is a quiet man of few words, taking time to think before replying, yet in this show they burst into upbeat songs and that feels very out of character. Jordan Kai Burnett (Scissorhandz) does their best with what they are given, and did channel some of Johnny Depp’s original iconic movements, but the character doesn’t develop enough for the audience to have a strong connection to bring the message of belonging to fruition.

While this show promises a lot, it fails to deliver a reinvention of a well-loved classic. That being said, the cast are incredibly talented and perform the show with a lot of love and passion which makes up for some of its failings.