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Mayflower Theatre, Southampton – until 15 November 2025

Reviewed by Gemma Gibson

5*****

If you enjoy thrillers filled with secrets, suspense and the supernatural, 2:22 A Ghost Story needs to be on your must-see list.

Written by comedian and broadcaster Danny Robins, the award winning production has returned to Southampton for one week only, and, being one of the most talked about plays in recent years, I could not wait to see what it was all about.

Jenny (currently played by Stacey Dooley) believes her new home is haunted, but is met with scepticism and disbelief from logical astronomer husband Sam (Kevin Clifton). When old friend Lauren (Shvorne Marks) and partner Ben (Grant Kilburn) come for dinner, views about the supernatural clash, but all agree to stay up to 2:22 to uncover what’s been terrifying Jenny every night.

Starting its Westend run in 2021 this modern play is known for its spooky themes, jump scares and iconic set. Arguably it is most known for its revolving cast of brilliant and talented household names, and the latest line up is no exception. 

When it comes to portraying Jenny, Dooley is effortless, reprising the role from her 2024 debut, transforming into her anxious but strong character with emotions that feel natural and genuine. Confusion, anger, fear and motherly instincts are executed with perfect timing and levels, helping push the spooky narrative forwards. This is complimented by Clifton’s enjoyably dislikable interpretation of Sam, who expertly brings rational thinking and sarcasm to the plot. 

Edging closer and closer to the time 2:22, the play would not be complete without Kilburn and Marks bringing important tales and themes about life after death to the table. Amidst the shock and intensity, they also bring hilarity and warmth. This is of course a ghost story, but Robins’ sinister storytelling with a sprinkle of humour keeps audiences fully gripped, leaving no emotional stone unturned.

Alongside a fantastic, spine chilling script and cast, it is the set, lighting and music that truly amplify the spook factor. Flashes of red lights, creepy music, razor jolts of sound, all while watching the clock tick closer and closer to 2:22, the atmosphere is nothing short of eerie but electric throughout. 

As the curtains draw following a climatic and clever ending, feelings of excitement and adrenaline are left in the air. Leaving Mayflower Theatre there was one question on everyone’s lips – what do you believe in?

Hall for Cornwall, Truro, Cornwall from Tue 18 – Wed 19 Nov 2025

Preview by Kerry Gilbert

Get ready for the ultimate festive experience with ‘That’ll Be Christmas’!

Get into the festive spirit with That’ll Be the Day’s Christmas Show! As part of their UK Tour, ‘That’ll Be Christmas’ is on the road and will be at the wonderful Hall for Cornwall from Tues 18 – 19 Nov 2025. This year is extra special, as the cast of ‘That’ll Be the Day’ celebrate their 40-year anniversary.

Showing at the Hall for Cornwall for only 2 nights, be sure not to miss out on the all-time favourite Christmas classics past and present and experience some festive fun. The show is packed full of world class performances, a highly talented ensemble cast, hilarious comedy sketches, and heart-warming festive cheer which will whisk you away on a musical journey like no other.

This show is the perfect family night out and a chance to experience the magic of the season where you’re guaranteed to have fun! Make sure you book your tickets; it’s the perfect way to celebrate the most wonderful time of the year!

Finborough Theatre – until 22 November 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

5*****

Friday 21st October 1966 is a date that is seared into the collective memory of the mining communities of Wales. Hundreds of men and boys had died in terrible pit disasters since the coalfields had been mined, but the collapse of one of the colliery spoil tips above Aberfan, sweeping down the hillside and engulfing Pantglas Junior School and a row of houses killing 116 children and 28 adults was a devastating event that changed the village forever.

In the land of song and poetry, there have been many artistic works about the disaster, most notably Owen Shears’ The Green Hollow and Karl Jenkins’ Cantata Memoria (with the damning words of a grieving father “Buried Alive by the National Coal Board”) commemorating the 50th anniversary, and Neil Anthony Docking’s The Revlon Girl focussing on the grieving mothers of the village. Liam Holmes’ stunning debut Mr Jones concentrates on two young people and the effect of the disaster on their lives.

Juliette Demoulin’s atmospheric set evokes rock strata and ledges lit beautifully by Alastair Tombs to mark the periods before (vivid green) and after (bleak blue) the disaster while James “Bucky” Barnes’ sound design expertly conveys Stephen’s initial innocence and passion and the horrific rumble of the slip. Michael Neri directs with empathy and a light touch, weaving the humour of Holmes’ play gently through the devastating trauma.

Stephen (Liam Holmes) and Angharad (Mabli Gwynne) have a close relationship – she lived with his family and practically raised his younger brother Daf after his mother died. But while she views Stephen as a kid brother, he has developed a huge crush on her. Their sibling-like teasing and arguing, and Stephen’s awkward attempts at suave flirting, are wonderfully written in the rhythm and cadence of Merthyr. This was a time when you could tell which valley and village someone came from by their different accents, and social mobility was non-existent. Moving down to Cardiff was an adventure, and Swansea was a step too far! Holmes’ grasp of the gossip and village nicknames the two share is fantastic – to be fair, nothing much has changed in the valleys in that respect – and the sense of a close-knit community is vividly drawn through their conversations. Stephen is happy playing rugby, his chance to really make a name for himself in the village, but Angharad wants more, even dreaming of Australia.

The psychological impact on the two is portrayed with great insight. Gwynne delivers a gloriously nuanced performance as Angharad shuts down and wants to leave Aberfan behind, while Stephen desperately wants to connect with his father after losing Daf. Holmes captures Stephen’s loss of innocence, fear, guilt and devastating grief with every gesture and expression in a heartbreaking performance as it becomes clear how his father’s grief is manifesting.

An unmissable, intimate examination of trauma and grief, Mr Jones is an emotional, heartbreaking play. As the 60th anniversary of the Aberfan disaster approaches, this play serves as a beautiful tribute to those lost, and those left behind.

THE OLD LAUNDRY THEATRE

Bowness-on-Windermere

to be RENAMED

And WORLD PREMIERE BRAND-NEW MUSICAL

FOURTEEN AGAIN

Music & Lyrics Victoria Wood and Book Tom MacRae

Victoria Wood’s long-standing friendships, love of the Lake District and close connection to The Old Laundry Theatre in Bowness-on-Windermere comes full circle, as the intimate theatre is to be renamed THE VICTORIA WOOD THEATRE in honour of the much loved and talented star, who will continue to shine brightly, when the theatre is officially renamedin January 2026.

Victoria Wood’s dear friends, the husband-and-wife team, Charlotte Scott and Roger Glossop MBE, who run The Old Laundry Theatre could not have wished for a more joyous name change for their theatre. Victoria had opened the venue, was a Trustee of the theatre, performed there many times, produced and directed her own show Talent (2008) there, and in 2013 her television film Housewife 49 was adapted for the stage especially for The Old Laundry Theatre.

In 2026, it will be ten years since Victoria died, and to keep her name alive at the newly named, THE VICTORIA WOOD THEATRE, what could be more perfect than to bring her genius music and lyrics back to life, with a brand-new musical at the theatre, FOURTEEN AGAIN, using songs from her Victoria Wood Song Book Lucky Bag! With a book by Tom MacRae writer and lyricist of the global hit Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, all is set for a magical new musical, FOURTEEN AGAIN. Booking opens Sunday 9 November 2025. Previews from Friday 1 May 2026; with a Gala Night on what would have been Victoria’s birthday, Tuesday 19 May 2026.

Victoria, Charlotte and Roger’s paths first crossed professionally in 1978, and they quickly became firm friends, living close to each other in Morecambe and Bowness-on-Windemere. They collaborated throughout their careers, starting with Roger designing Good Fun at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield. Roger and Charlotte bought a former Edwardian laundry in Bowness-on-Windemere, where the hoteliers of Bowness had once sent their sheets for washing,and there they opened The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction in 1991, and, of course, Victoria officially opened it on 28 July 1991 and the following year, the Old Laundry Theatre was opened by Alan Ayckbourn.

Charlotte says “With young families in tow (hers & ours) we followed Vic’s career as she toured up and down the country always returning to re-charge in the Lake District. By the time we opened the venue in 1991, followed by the theatre in 1992, Vic, together with Alan Rickman, Griff Rhys Jones, Andre Ptaszynski, Peter James, and Alan Ayckbourn all became Trustees and the journey began. Vic was always supportive – performing at The Old Laundry in her stand up, doing benefits in larger venues, and productions of her own shows Talent and Housewife 49 at the theatre. So now 10 years after her death it is a great delight to be putting on this show, and Vic’s name is on the theatre – we are set for the next 30+ years!”

The musical FOURTEEN AGAIN begins when Peggy is reunited with Lou at the local Slimming Club, her best friend from school, who she hasn’t seen since they were teenagers. As kids, no two friends were ever funnier or more fun, but here, now, today they are shadows of their younger selves – and a story unfolds of looking back to the future, full of comedy, love and pain, with Victoria’s amazing songs moving the musical fast forward. Casting to be announced.

Producer Charlotte Scott has brought together a top creative team for FOURTEEN AGAIN, with all roads somehow leading back to Victoria and/or The Old Laundry Theatre; to bring Victoria’s glorious talent through Tom MacRaes’ storytelling, to a whole new generation of fans.

Double BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, producer, Olivier-nominated playwright, author and songwriter Tom MacRae says, “I was honoured to write Victoria’s final TV show, we got to swap stories about working at The Crucible – a theatre where she had cut her teeth and where my first ever stage show, Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, was about to open. Working with Vic again on a brand-new stage show feels like we’ve come full circle – and yes, creating Fourteen Again has felt very much like working with Vic, even though we sadly can’t collaborate in person anymore. Her joy and genius loom large over everything we’ve built. I wanted to create a show that is genuinely dramatic and surprising, with high stakes and real tension, as well as celebrating Vic’s innate sense of comedy and the warmth of her world, populated with loveable, relatable characters and celebrating friendship.  

“My starting point was The Ballad Of Barry And Freda – what if my central character shared Vic’s love of telling hilarious stories about ordinary people. Also, Vic wrote several songs about being a child again, which got me thinking about adding a time travel element with a Scrooge-like opportunity to live your life again, but this time do it better. The one song that was tricky to place was Litter Bin about a teenage mum abandoning a child in a bin in a multistorey carpark. It was just so sad. How could I introduce that idea into a comedy? And then I had a brainwave – and that brainwave unlocked an idea that the entire show is now built around. Left to my own devices, I don’t know if I ever would have integrated such a tragic element into such an upbeat story. So, thanks Vic, my amazing and inspirational collaborator – I owe you one.” 

Nigel Lilley, Victoria‘s Musical Director and close friend, will MD & Musical Supervise FOURTEEN AGAIN says “After having such a hit with Talent in 1978 it seems crazy that it took Vic over 25 years to venture back into the world of musicals with Acorn Antiques. By the time we worked on That Day We Sang in 2014 it felt like she was absolutely in her happy place, and I have no doubt that had she lived longer she would have had so many more glorious musicals to offer us. Vic’s ability to flip between side-splitting comedy and devastating pathos in an instant remains unmatched for me. Going back to her songs in preparation for Fourteen Again I was struck again by the exquisite and meticulous skill in her writing – and yet the music and lyrics still feel so effortless on the ear. Vic was always on the search for new and original projects. I think she’d be cheering us on loudly with Tom’s brilliant new script which honours her songs so beautifully.”

Award-winning Director Jonathan O’Boyle says “I am over the moon to be working on a new musical from Victoria Wood and Tom MacRae. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and it’s a privilege to be able to work with Victoria’s fantastic songs and Tom’s extraordinary book. I grew up in Derby, watching Victoria Wood’s Dinner Ladies on TV. Her humour and joy spoke to me and inspired me to work in theatre. Tom has managed to somehow seamlessly write a new work whilst honouring Victoria and it feels so very human and relatable”. 

THE VICTORIA WOOD THEATRE and FOURTEEN AGAIN – the start of a legacy so truly deserved for the legend that is Victoria Wood.

FOURTEEN AGAIN

at

THE VICTORIA WOOD THEATRE

Friday 1 May 2026 – Saturday 23 May 2026

22 performances only!

Performances: 7.30pm- Tuesday – Saturday

Matinees: 2.30pm – Wednesdays & Saturdays + Thursdays (from 14/05)

Box Office:                 015394 40872

Website:                     www.oldlaundrytheatre.co.uk

Address: Crag Brow, Bowness-on-Windermere LA23 3BX

Tickets:                                  £25 / £35 / £40
Group discounts available, Hardship & Student tickets £15

Preview tickets:             £20, £30, £35 (1-6 May)

FOURTEEN AGAIN CREATIVE TEAM

Victoria Wood                     Music and lyrics    

Tom MacRae                        Book

Double BAFTA-nominated screenwriter, producer, Olivier-nominated playwright, author and songwriter, book-writer and lyricist of the global hit musical Everybody’s Talking About Jamie in both its stage & screen incarnations, TV includes Doctor Who, The Librarians: The Next Chapter. @tommacwriter

Jonathan O’Boyle              Director

Award-winning theatre director Jonathan O’Boyle: The Last Five Years – West End, Hair 50^th Anniversary – London, Barnum – Watermill Theatre/UK Tour, The Hunchback of Notre Dame: In Concert – Prince Edward Theatre; Cruel Intentions – The Other Palace, Pippin: 50^th Anniversary Concert – Theatre Royal Drury Lane. @jonathanoboyle

Nigel Lilley                           MD & Musical Supervisor

Acorn Antiques – West End, TV for Victoria Wood – That Day We Sang, Here We Are, Victoria Christmas Special; Talent – Old Laundry Theatre, Follies – RNT, Hello Dolly – Lido de Paris, Next to Normal – West End, Trustee Victoria Wood Foundation. @nigelilley

Jason Taylor                        Lighting Design

Nomination Tony Award Journey’s End, West End RNT + 15 seasons at Regents Park Open Air Theatre, Waitress, Evita, Love Never Dies, Billy Elliot, Anything Goes – Copenhagen, over 20 productions for Alan Ayckbourn in Scarborough.

Roger Glossop                   Set Design

Started his career at the Crucible Theatre Sheffield, over 65 productions for Alan Ayckbourn, West End includes: The Nerd , Chicago, Song & Dance, Arturo Ui, Annie Get Your Gun, Funny Turns – Victoria Wood & Geoffrey Durham, By Jeeves – Ayckbourn / Lloyd Webber, + RSC, RNT including House & Garden, The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction, Where is Peter Rabbit?, awarded the MBE for Services to Theatre & Live Performance in 2025.

Caroline Hughes                Costume Design

By Jeeves, Where is Peter Rabbit?, Housewife 49 – Old Laundry Theatre, + RSC, Sheffield Crucible, Grange Park Opera, Hampstead Theatre.

Charlotte Scott                   Producer

Charlotte, with her husband, Roger Glossop, created The World of Beatrix Potter Attraction (1991), TheOld Laundry Theatre (1992), Trustee Victoria Wood Foundation. @OLTheatre

Casting announced for premiere of imitating the dog’s bold, contemporary retelling of The War of the Worlds

The award-winning imitating the dog have today announced full casting for the premiere of their bold and contemporary retelling of H.G Wells’s iconic science fiction tale The War of the Worlds which will be touring from 5 February till 2 May.

War of the Worlds’ cast will feature Bonnie Baddoo (All of Us, Royal National Theatre and Alex Rider, Eleventh Hour Films), Morgan Bailey (Night of the Living Dead™ – Remix, imitating the dog and SAS: Rogue Heroes, BBC), Gareth Cassidy (Marvellous, @sohoplace and The Card, Claybody Theatre and New Vic Theatre) and Amy Dunn (Edward II, Royal Shakespeare Company and Hushabye Mountain, Hope Mill Theatre).

Four performers enter the stage and construct an epic road movie before our eyes. 

It’s a story we know or think we know – an apocalyptic tale of alien invasion and the unfolding destruction of everything we hold dear. Extraterrestrial lifeforms land from the skies. Lines of Brits scrabble to flee across the channel while their cities and towns lie in smouldering ruins. It’s all of our worst nightmares. 

What would you do if order broke down? What would you do to survive? How far would you go to protect your own?

Using miniature environments, model worlds, camera tricks and projection, imitating the dog mix the live and the recorded, the animate and the inanimate to create a thrilling, audacious and timely retelling of H. G. Wells’s classic novel.

Following their acclaimed adaptations of literary classics Heart of Darkness (2018), Dracula (2021), Macbeth (2023) and Frankenstein (2024), imitating the dog are set to push their creative storytelling to new heights.

imitating the dog have been making ground-breaking work for theatres and other spaces for 27 years. Their work, which fuses live performance with digital technology, has been seen by hundreds of thousands of people in venues, outdoor festivals, and events across the world. Past productions have included Hotel Methuselah, A Farewell to Arms, Heart of Darkness, Night of The Living Dead™– Remix, the award-winning Dracula: The Untold Story, Frankenstein, and most recently, All Blood Runs Red. In 2022 the company staged Cinema Inferno, a ground-breaking new show for the Parisian haute couture house Maison Margiela, based on an original concept by creative director John Galliano, for Maison Margiela’s Artisanal 2022 collection, presented on the official Paris Haute Couture Calendar.

Created by imitating the dog’s co-artistic directors Andrew Quick, Simon Wainwright and Pete Brooks, imitating the dog’s retelling of War of the Worlds will premiere at Cast, Doncaster from 5-7 February before touring to BEAM, Hertford (11-14 February); The Dukes, Lancaster (18-21 February); Lowry, Salford (25-28 February); Liverpool Playhouse (4-7 March); New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich (11-14 March); Belgrade Theatre, Coventry (18-21 March); Theatr Clwyd, Mold (15-18 April); Blackpool Grand Theatre (22-25 April) and The Arts Theatre Cambridge (29 April-2 May). The production will also tour to Switzerland in April.

War of the Worlds is supported by Lancaster Arts and Cast, Doncaster

For more information on War of the Worlds visit imitatingthedog.co.uk

DISNEY’S SMASH-HIT PRODUCTION OF

HERCULES

EXTENDS UNTIL 18 JULY 2026

ALSO INTRODUCING LESLIE BEEHANN WHO JOINS THE MUSES

Disney Theatrical Group today announces that their production of Hercules will extend its run at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until 18 July 2026 due to public demand. General on sale is from 10am on 17 November with tickets available via LW Theatres and Disney Tickets from 10 November. The cast album is currently available for digital download, with the CD going on sale on 21 November, and the vinyl on 5 December.

Also announced today, Leslie Beehann will join fellow Muses Candace Furbert (Thalia), Sharlene Hector (Clio), Brianna Ogunbawo (Melpomene), Robyn Rose-Li (Terpsichore) to play Calliope from 8 December.

With music by Alan Menken and lyrics by David Zippel, and a brand-new book by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah, Casey Nicholaw’s production of Hercules, co-choreographed with Tanisha Scott, is inspired by the 1997 animated film of the same name from Walt Disney Studios. The feature film, directed by The Little Mermaid filmmakers John Musker and Ron Clements, and written by Clements, Musker, Donald McEnery, Bob Shaw and Irene Mecchi, won Best Animation Feature at the Los Angeles Film Critics Association Awards and was nominated for the Academy Award® for Best Original Song for Go the Distance.

The cast is Luke Brady (Hercules), as the Muses, Candace Furbert (Thalia), Sharlene Hector (Clio), Brianna Ogunbawo (Melpomene), Malinda Parris, and from 8 December Leslie Beehann (Calliope), Robyn Rose-Li (Terpsichore), and Kimmy Edwards and Kamilla Fernandes (Standby Muses); Mae Ann Jorolan (Meg), Trevor Dion Nicholas (Phil), Stephen Carlile (Hades), and Craig Gallivan and Lee Zarrett (in the roles of Bob and Charles), with Rhianne Alleyne, Lana Antoniou, Daisy Barnett, Felipe Bejarano, Sarah Benbelaid, Joel Benjamin, Jack Butcher, Nicole Carlisle, Francessca Daniella-Baker, Marie Finlayson, Ryesha Higgs, Cruz-Troy Hunter, Travis Kerry, Stefan Lagoulis, Lamoi Leon, Serina Mathew, Jason Leigh Winter, Jordan Livesey, Harriet Millier, Ellie Mitchell, Saffi Needham, Ben Nicholas, Ingrid Olivia, Matt Overfield, Patrick John Robinson, Ope Sowande and Rhys West.

DISNEY’S

HERCULES

Music by Alan Menken

Lyrics by David Zippel

Book by Robert Horn and Kwame Kwei-Armah

Director and Choreographer: Casey Nicholaw; Co-Choreographer: Tanisha Scott;

Scenic and Additional Video Design: Dane Laffrey; Costume Design: Gregg Barnes, Sky Switser;

Lighting Design: Jeff Croiter; Sound Design: Adam Fisher; Video Design: George Reeve;

Special Effects Design: Jeremy Chernick; Dance Music Arrangements: David Chase;

Hair and Wig Design: Mia M. Neal; Make-Up Design: Kirk Cambridge- Del Pesche;

Music supervisor and Arranger: Michael Kosarin; Orchestrations: Danny Troob and Joseph Joubert;

Dance Arrangements: David Chase; Casting: Natalie Gallacher CDG for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting

The musical, inspired by the animated film, based on the ancient myth.

It’s what classical civilisation would have wanted.

Ancient Greece. A time of gods, mortals… and Hercules, who isn’t quite either. But if he’s not a god, how can he possibly save the world from Hades? It’s one thing flexing those pecs, but going from zero to hero requires a different kind of strength. 

Get ready for a wise-cracking, column-shaking, underworld-rocking ride of adventure, self-discovery, and love. In tunics. 

Facebook /HerculesOnStage

Instagram @herculesonstage

www.herculesthemusical.co.uk  

LISTINGS

HERCULES

Theatre Royal Drury Lane, Catherine Street, Covent Garden, London WC2B 5JF

www.herculesthemusical.co.uk  

From £29.50

 Group rates and education rates are available – please see the website

PERFORMANCES:

Monday to Saturday 7:30pm

Thursday and Saturday matinees 2:30pm 

ACCESS PERFORMANCES: 020 3925 2998 or access@lwtheatres.co.uk

Relaxed performance                   1.30pm on 15 November

Audio Described performance    2.30pm on 29 November

Audio Described                            7.30pm on 15 May

Captioned Performance               7.30pm on 20 April

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S ICONIC THRILLER

THE MOUSETRAP

WELCOMES NEW DIRECTOR

OLA INCE

AND A NEW CAST

WHO BEGIN PERFORMANCES TONIGHT

MONDAY 10 NOVEMBER, 2025

Producer, Brian Fenty, is delighted to welcome the critically acclaimed and award-winning theatre, film, and opera director, Ola Ince, as the new director of Agatha Christie’s iconic thrillerand the world’s longest running play, The Mousetrap. The production also welcomes a new cast who begin performances tonight, Monday 10 November, 2025.

On taking on this prestigious new role, Ola said “I’m absolutely thrilled to be joining The Mousetrap family! It’s been such a joy stepping into the legendary world of Agatha Christie. Over the past few months, I’ve been so grateful for the knowledge, stories, and passion that have been generously shared with me. Together, the brilliant cast and I have laughed, debated, and marvelled in awe at the magic of The Mousetrap. We can’t wait to share that magic with audiences!”

Brian Fenty said of Ola “I’m genuinely thrilled to welcome Ola Ince to The Mousetrap. Ola is a force of nature — a director who understands what it means to be both a steward of history and a challenger of complacency. Her creative instinct is first-class, and her care and love for Agatha Christie’s world is as heartening as it is inspiring.

Our play has an extraordinary legacy – 30,000 performances and counting – and under Ola’s care, it will continue to feel alive, relevant, and full of possibility. I’m equally delighted to welcome our new cast, who begin performances tonight. Together with Ola and our Artistic Director, Denise Silvey, they’ll ensure that Christie’s timeless mystery continues to surprise and captivate audiences for generations to come.“

The new cast includes Georgina Fairbanks as Mollie Ralston, Cai Brigden as Giles Ralston, Joshua Riley as Christopher Wren, Nicky Goldie as Mrs Boyle, Christopher Wright as Major Metcalf, Kate Handford as Miss Casewell, Stephen Ventura as Mr Paravicini, and Thomas Dennis as Detective Sgt. Trotter. Completing the cast are Clive Marlowe, Richard Parnwell, Saranna Parlone and Cathryn Sherman.

Earlier this year the play celebrated its 30,000^th performance in the West End and was presented with a Guinness World Records certificate for the record title longest theatrical run. The genre-defining murder mystery opened in 1952 and continues to enthral audiences at London’s St Martin’s Theatre, more than 70 years on. It is currently booking through to October 2026.

As news spreads of a murder in London, a group of seven strangers find themselves snowed in at Monkswell Manor, a remote countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst. One by one, the suspicious characters reveal their sordid pasts. Which one is the murderer? Who will be their next victim?

The Mousetrap is produced by Brian Fenty, directed by Ola Ince and the Artistic Director is Denise Silvey.

Listings Information

The Mousetrap

St Martin’s Theatre,

West St,

London WC2H 9NZ

Website:  www.themousetrap.com

Twitter:  @mousetraplondon

Facebook:  @mousetraplondon

Instagram:  @mousetraplondon

Ticket Prices from: £25

Current Booking Period: October 2026

Running Time:  2hrs 20mins

Performances:

Monday to Saturday at 7.30pm

Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday at 3.00pm.

MARK CORTALE, JONATHAN MURRAY, HARVEY REESE AND
WILLETTE & MANNY KLAUSNER PRESENT

DAVID HUNTER TO STAR IN THE WORLD PREMIERE OF
BEAUTIFUL LITTLE FOOL
ALONGSIDE LAUREN WARD AND HANNAH CORNEAU

SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE BOROUGH
THURSDAY 15 JANUARY – SATURDAY 28 February
BeautifulLittleFoolMusical.com
SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE.CO.UK

[London, Monday 10 November 2025] Producers are delighted to announce that David Hunter – whose extensive musical theatre roles include Waitress, Once, Kinky Boots and The Time Traveller’s Wife – will star as ‘F. Scott’ in the world premiere production of Beautiful Little Fool, alongside the previously announced Lauren Ward (Matilda, Dear Evan Hansen, Stranger Things: The First Shadow) as ‘Scottie’, Hannah Corneau (Wicked, Renascence, Frozen) as ‘Zelda’,

With music and lyrics by Hannah Corneau and a book by Mona Mansour, directed by Michael Greif, Beautiful Little Fool tells the story of Zelda and F. Scott Fitzgerald through the eyes of their daughter Scottie, as she rediscovers the lives and writings of her brilliant and tempestuous parents.

The world premiere production at Southwark Playhouse Borough from Thursday 15 January until Saturday 28 February 2026.

The company is completed by David Austin-Barnes (Book of Mormon, US tour) as ensemble / cover ‘F.Scott’, Amy Parker (13 Going on 30, Manchester Opera House, Ride, Charing Cross Theatre) as Ensemble / cover ‘Scottie’ and ‘Zelda’, and Jasmine Hackett (Muriel’s Wedding, Leicester Curve, Toys the Musical, Watford) as swing.

David replaces the previously announced Declan Bennett who, due to another professional commitment, has had to withdraw from Beautiful Little Fool.

The release of the full Beautiful Little Fool concept album – featuring Jessie Mueller, Ryan Vasquez and Hannah Corneau – continues to build excitement ahead of the London premiere. Following the first single So Alive, sung by Jessie Mueller, audiences can also enjoy One Night in July, available to stream alongside the complete album on all major platforms, including Spotify and Amazon.

Recorded in New York with orchestrations and musical direction by Adam Rothenberg, the album offers an early introduction to Hannah Corneau’s lush and emotionally charged score.

The London production of Beautiful Little Fool will have orchestrations by Adam Rothenberg, musical direction by Jerome van den Berghe, set design by Shankho Chaudhuri, costume design by Laura Hopkins, lighting design by Ben Stanton, and sound design by Domnic Bilkey.

Beautiful Little Fool was originally commissioned by New Works Provincetown, and is produced by Mark Cortale, Jonathan Murray, Harvey Reese, and Willette & Manny Klausner.

Director Michael Greif said, “We’re thrilled to welcome David Hunter to the company of Beautiful Little Fool. David brings such heart, warmth and musical intelligence to everything he does, and he’s a wonderful fit for the role of F. Scott. As the concept album continues to find new listeners around the world, we can’t wait to bring this extraordinary story to life on stage in January.”

BeautifulLittleFoolMusical.com
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Dan Colman Creative presents

BRAINIAC LIVE!
OLIVIER-AWARD WINNING SHOW TO TOUR THE UK IN 2026
TICKETS AND MORE INFORMATION HERE

Fresh from winning the 2025 Olivier Award for Best Family Show, the science sensation Brainiac Live! will tour the UK in 2026, following its festive run at Birmingham Town Hall on 28 & 29 December 2025.

More mischievous than ever before, the UK’s original and favourite family science show explodes on stage and takes audiences on a breathless ride through the wild world of the weird and wonderful. Watch from the safety of your seat as the Brainiacs delve fearlessly into the mysteries of science and do all of those things on stage that you’re far too scared (and definitely not allowed) to do at home.

Following the Birmingham run the tour will visit Wolverhampton Grand (31 March), The Hafren, Newtown (1 April), Hull New Theatre (2 April), Royal Concert Hall Nottingham (7 April), Watford Palace Theatre (11 April), Marlowe Theatre Canterbury (13 April), Mayflower Studios Southampton (26 May), Bristol Old Vic (28-29 May), Theatre Royal Brighton (4 July – on sale soon), Grand Opera House York (13 September – on sale soon) Queens Theatre, Barnstaple (18 October), Chelmsford Theatre (28 October – on sale Jan 26), Lighthouse, Poole (29 October – on sale Jan 26), Anvil Arts Basingstoke (30 October – on sale 14 November), St Georges Hall, Bradford (31 October – on sale soon), New Theatre Peterborough (1 November), with further dates to be announced.

Based on the popular ITV Studios TV show, Brainiac Live! has played to packed houses across the UK, headlined major science festivals, and toured internationally from Dubai to Australia. Since its debut in 2008, it has entertained and educated hundreds of thousands of children and families. Highlights include three West End summer seasons, a two-week run at the Sydney Opera House, and appearances in Hong Kong, Brisbane, Edinburgh, Abu Dhabi, Bahrain, Expo 2020 Dubai, and Barcelona – plus a recent English/Arabic dual-language production in Saudi Arabia. Its Olivier Award win in 2025 celebrated the summer run at London’s Marylebone Theatre.

Developed by bringing together theatre producers, writers, directors, designers, science communicators, and a Professor of Public Engagement in Science, the show continues to evolve. Expect a non-stop, fast-paced ride through the world of science – with liquid nitrogen clouds, vortex smoke rings, exploding hydrogen balloons, spinning CO₂ chairs and much, much more.

Produced by Dan Colman, with Andy Joyce as Creative Director, Damian Stanton as Designer, and a revolving company of cast and presenters.

Dan Colman says “Winning the Olivier Award for Best Family Show this year was a huge moment for us – and now we’re thrilled to be taking Brainiac Live! around the country next year. There’s nothing quite like the look on kids’ faces when they see our daredevil experiments live on stage – but remember, DON’T TRY THIS AT HOME!”

Lou Black, SVP Brand Licensing, ITV Studios says “We’re delighted to continue our long-standing partnership with Dan Colman Creative, who have done an outstanding job bringing Brainiac Live! to audiences across the UK and internationally. The UK tour is another exciting milestone in expanding our live events offering, and we couldn’t be prouder of their Olivier Award win, which underlines the quality and creativity of their work.”

Brainiac Live is suitable for ages 5+ but great for all the family – it’s the perfect school holiday treat!

TikTok: @brainiac / Facebook: brainiaclive / Instagram: @brainiaclive / Youtube: @Brainiac-TV

The Little Theatre Leicester – Until 8th November 2025

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

2**

A plane crashes on a deserted island leaving four survivors, 3 are known to each other through work, Ian, Gus, and Marie and one is a lone teen, Erin. Attempting to instigate rescue via a radio, they hear a garbled message which they interpret as the end of the world. Trying to decide what to do next, Tom Baseden’s play, Holes, is described as an absurd, hilarious and fast-paced comedy, which is a cross between ‘Lost’ and ‘Lord of the Flies’. Unfortunately, it falls on all counts. Had it stuck to comedic absurdity it could have succeeded nicely with its one-liners and one-dimensional characters, but deciding to veer into the disturbed without proper development means we are left feeling stranded in holes.

Gus, played by Thomas Bates, a family man, devolves into a drunken waste once he realises rescue attempts are futile. Marie, played by Molly Georgina, is superficial and seemingly unbothered by the situation at hand. Her sole focus is garnering attention from Ian. She begins as a slab of meat on the beach and ends act 1 much in the same way. Erin, played by Phoenix Brooks-Vargas, is a teenager who has lost her parents in the crash. Sullen, sulky and insipid, she suffers a terrible fate which is horribly skimmed over. Ian, played by Dan Rowberry, is the self-proclaimed leader and saviour of the human race. A salesman turned wannabe hunter-gatherer, he is the most developed of all the characters, but not by much. Lacking in warmth, depth and a solid storyline, it’s difficult to engage with the characters. The cast, as a whole, do their best with what they are given, but at times it becomes very ‘shouty’, loses nuance and moments of light and dark which would have lifted performances beyond one note. Physically, it would have been great to have seen some digging, or applications of suntan lotion. The exercise routine was great as was the scene in the hole, but beyond that, it feels stilted.

Moving from comedy to a more disturbing tragedy without fully honouring either, leaves us feeling flummoxed. The marrying of comedy and darker themes are not handled well. This is not a sensitive nor clever rendition. By Act 2 it truly loses its footing. The shift in tone is clumsy, and the grim discussions about rape as a means of survival between the two male characters hang shockingly and awkwardly in the air.

Its not thought provoking as there is no effective development of the characters and their journey nor their spiralling mental demise. Although there are some costume changes you don’t get a sense that they have changed or been changed by the experience. The ending is rushed and incomplete. This is a play with plenty of plot holes.