Mayflower, Southampton – until June 23rd 2024

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

3***

Set within the board game, well known and loved by all, we meet the iconic characters-all of whom have a secret.

Included with the cast, bringing a very loose story together is Rick Black who, married to Mrs Peacock, is murdered. And this is only the beginning. He has hired Miss Scarlett (Ellie Leach) as an interior designer for the house – but before any work begins he is murdered. His money focused manager Colonel Mustard (Jason Dunn) is present as he tries to uncover the murderer alongside Reverend Hal Green (NOT Al Green) and Professor Plum. Added into the mix is Wadsworth – an actor who is commissioned to play a Butler for an advert being shot in Graveney Manor but, as he is dressed the part, he is roped in alongside Mrs White, the cook. Regretfully after much insistence that he is not a butler but an actor, he slips into the role of the Butler, reluctantly grabbing drinks. We see multiple murders and as the bodies begin to pile up, the question is posed – whodunnit?

Unfortunately, I found that the jokes did not land for me and were repeated too many times – so if you didn’t laugh the first time, there is a good chance you won’t at the other 37 odd times (yes, Wadsworth kept count!). I found the acting to be quite pointed but I wasn’t sure if this was a stylistic choice, directorial or otherwise. The scenes were absolutely stolen by Dawn Buckland as the ever listening Mrs White – I happy to see her on stage providing some much needed relief.

The set was superb and is deserving of the praise it got. With the cast being the heavy lifters, it was perfectly choreographed and the transitions were beautifully smooth. Overall, this was a show that did provide some interesting twists, however I’m not sure if I will be rushing back now I know whodunnit.

Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 22 June 2024

Reviewed by Louise Ford

4****

Children are special but farts are funnier!

David Walliams’ children’s story Awful Auntie has been adapted for the stage by Neal Foster  and is performed by The Birmingham Stage Company.  Both have a long association with performances for children and in particular the Horrible History series.

Neal Foster not only adapted the story but also directed it and has a starring role as Aunt Alberta.

The story starts with an overview of the stately homes of England and their titled families, whose names and titles don’t relate to the houses. A minor pile is Saxby Hall where Lord and Lady Saxby live with their daughter Stella.

It’s 1933 and Stella (Annie Cordoni) our plucky heroine finds herself in a bit of a jam. But never fear her dear auntie is on hand to make sure that she is well taken care of and doesn’t need to go to the orphanage! Beware of caring relatives, especially those that have been written out of the will. Aunt Alberta will stop at nothing to get her inheritance. She has plans for the Hall once Stella is out of the way. Fortunately our courageous heroine is aided and abetted by Soot,the strike a light, Cockney ghost, played in full Oliver! mode by Matthew Allen.

Criss crossing the stage and always one step behind is the befuddled and bemused butler Gibbon, played by Zain Abrahams.

The star of the show for me was the set. A Gothic pile (Saxby Hall) which shifts and turns revealing rooms, floors, secret passageways and cubby holes. A triumph. It was designed by Jacqueline Trousdale who also designed the costumes. The set is well supported by the score, composed by Jack Poore, which in turn moves the action along and builds up the suspense.

The use of puppets not only for the villainous Wagner (handled by Emily Essery) but also for the mini versions of the main characters was a nice touch, particularly the perilous rooftop scene.

The story has its poignant moments and messages about childhood and magic as well as fart jokes and ants in your pants action. So something for everyone!

Jonathan Bailey To Star In Richard II At The Bridge Theatre Directed By Nicholas Hytner

Now on sale to Bridge Priority Members | Public on sale 26 June 10am

The Bridge Theatre | SE1 2SG

London Theatre Company are delighted to announce that a brand-new production of Richard II will open

10 February 2025 and run until 10 May 2025 at the Bridge Theatre. Directed by Nicholas Hytner, Jonathan Bailey will star in the title role.

The Award-winning stage and screen actor shot to global fame as Lord Anthony in the popular period drama Bridgerton. He has recently starred in the critically acclaimed Showtime series Fellow Travelers. Bailey will play the lead love interest of Fiyero in the highly anticipated Wicked film which will have its theatrical release later this year and is currently in production on Jurassic World, leading the film alongside Scarlett Johansson. His prolific and acclaimed stage career includes playing Edgar to Ian McKellen’s King Lear and winning an Olivier Award for his portrayal of Jamie in Company.  

Richard II is charismatic, eloquent, and loved by his friends. And a disastrous King – dishonest, capricious, and politically incompetent. Echoing down the centuries is the perennial problem: how to deal with a ruler who has a rock solid right to rule but is set on wrecking the country he leads. Shakespeare’s subtle, ambiguous, and beautiful play finds feudal England on the cusp of modernity, as a divinely sanctioned monarch is confronted, in the figure of Henry Bolingbroke, by the hard-headed pragmatism of real authority.

Richard II will be designed by Bob Crowley (for The Bridge: Straight Line Crazy; The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage; in the West End: Olivier Award-winning An American in Paris)with Lighting Design by Bruno Poet (for The Bridge: Julius Caesar; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; in theWest End: Tina – The Tina Turner Musical). Lily Dyble is Associate Director and the Casting Director is Robert Sterne (for The Bridge: Straight Line Crazy; The Southbury Child; for screen: Game of Thrones; The Crown).

For the Bridge Theatre, Nicholas Hytner has directed Young Marx; Julius Caesar; Allelujah!; Alys, Always; A Midsummer Night’s Dream; Two Ladies; Beat the Devil; The Shrine; Bed Among the Lentils; A Christmas Carol; Bach & Sons; The Book of Dust – La Belle Sauvage; Straight Line Crazy; The Southbury Child; John Gabriel Borkman; and Guys & Dolls. Previously he was Director of the National Theatre from 2003 to 2015.

Performances are from 10 February until 10 May 2025.

Tickets on general sale from 26 June 2024

Guys & Dolls is playing at the Bridge Theatre until 04 January 2025.

LISTINGS INFORMATION FOR THE BRIDGE THEATRE

Address: Bridge Theatre, 3 Potters Fields Park, London, SE1 2SG

Box Office: 0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Access: 0333 320 0051 or [email protected]

Website: www.bridgetheatre.co.uk

Twitter: @_bridgetheatre

Instagram: @_bridgetheatre

Facebook: facebook.com/bridgetheatrelondon

FULL PROGRAMME OF EVENTS ANNOUNCED FOR 

DONMAR OPENHOUSE FOR SKELETON CREW

The Donmar Warehouse today announces the full programmes for DONMAR OpenHouse, which is a long weekend (11 – 13 July) of free performances and events for groups with which the Donmar has extended and deepened its ties during Michael Longhurst’s tenure as Artistic Director. These include schools and community groups in Camden and Westminster, early career and emerging theatre artists, and young people. The event is delivered in partnership with Open Door.

Across the 3 days there will be three free performances of Skeleton Crew – the first for eight local schools with pre-show workshops; the second for an audience made up of patrons aged 16-25 attending for free as part of the Donmar’s YOUNG+FREE scheme; and a local community performance with audiences made up of groups from Camden and Westminster. 

In addition, there will be a day of masterclasses offering emerging artists the opportunity to develop their skills through workshops with established theatre makers at the top of their game. Workshops in Directing – led by Matthew Xia, Acting – led by David Mumeni, Set & Costume Design – led by Peter Mackintosh and Rosanna Vize, Sound Design – led by Ben and Max Ringham, and Lighting Design – led by Elliot Griggs, which will provide a unique insight into the process of developing a professional theatre show. Sessions are free for participants aged 18+ who already have some experience of making their own work. 

All participants at the masterclasses will also receive a free ticket to the Donmar’s production of Skeleton Crew, followed by a post-show panel discussion with members of the creative team, then the opportunity to attend a networking event in the bar post show accompanied by a live DJ set. 

These masterclasses are made in partnership with Open Door who share the Donmar’s aim of broadening access into the theatre industry. The company particularly welcome applications for the Masterclass series from those who are currently underrepresented both at the Donmar and more widely in the industry, and specifically from D/deaf or disabled, or neurodivergent applicants and applicants who experience barriers and inequity due to ethnicity, gender identity and/or socioeconomic background. To apply, please sign up through our website here. 

The Donmar Warehouse presents

The European premiere of 

SKELETON CREW

by Dominique Morisseau

Cast: Tobi Bamtefa, Branden Cook, Pamela Nomvete, and Racheal Ofori

Director: Matthew Xia; Designer: ULTZ; Lighting Designer: Ciarán Cunningham

Composer and Sound Designer: Nicola T. Chang; Movement Director: Ingrid Mackinnon

Voice and Dialect Coach: Aundrea Fudge; Casting Director: Anna Cooper CDG

28 June – 24 August 2024

YOUNG+FREE performance as part of OpenHouse: 12 July 

“I’m not asking you to make up happy endings. All I’m asking is that you tell ‘em they can’t write us off. You got to fight for us.”

In 2008 Detroit, one of the city’s last surviving car factories is threatened with closure. A tight-knit group of workers face crushing economic reality. Torn between loyalty to each other and their own self-interest, can they hang on to their dreams, to their ambitions, to hope?

Detroit-born playwright Dominique Morisseau’s masterful feeling for voice and character brings depth and authenticity to a story about the human effects of a global financial crisis.

Floella Benjamin’s important and muchloved autobiographical story Coming to
England now adapted for the stage
UK Tour – starting September 2024

Marking the anniversary of National Windrush Day, Nicoll Entertainment and MAST Mayflower Studios today announce the UK tour of Coming to England, a brand new stage adaptation based on Floella Benjamin’s award-winning book. Adapted by David Wood (‘the national children’s dramatist’ – The Times) with music, story-telling and song, this inspirational story of hope. This inspirational story of hope, determination and triumph is much loved by children and families, telling Floella’s own story of moving to England as a child. The UK tour will open on 13th September at Swansea Grand Theatre.

Aged just 10, she and her siblings left Trinidad and sailed alone to join their parents. But Floella’s excitement for her new life in England is short-lived, with her family subjected to racism and intolerance in 1960s’ London. Guided by her mother, and working twice as hard as her classmates, Coming to England tells the story of how a young Floella overcame adversity and grew to become Baroness Benjamin of Beckenham.

Baroness Floella Benjamin comments, I am absolutely thrilled and excited that a vibrant musical, based on my book ‘Coming to England’ is set to go on tour around the country. This uplifting and inspirational Windrush story was written emotionally through the eyes of the child and as wehave all been children it will resonate with everyone. Coming to England is a positive story of love, adventure, belonging, facing challenges and overcoming adversity to become successful. I can’t wait to see it burst onto the stage.

This vibrant and energetic musical is the perfect entertainment for the whole family. Director Denzel Westley Sanderson (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, National Theatre, winner of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award) is joined by Designer Jasmine Swan, Musical director Abdul Shyllon and Choreographer & Movement Director Kloe Dean.

The adaption is from David Wood OBE who is one of the country’s leading writers and directors of plays and musicals for children. The many successes he has worked on include works from Roald Dahl, Judith Kerr and Philip Pullman. Completing the team as Lighting designer James Whiteside, Sound designer Beth Duke with Casting direction from Richard Johnston for Pippa Ailion and Natalie Gallacher Casting,

Over the last five decades, Floella Benjamin has had a diverse and varied career in several sectors of the entertainment industry as an actress, singer, presenter, writer, independent producer, businesswoman and media regulator. Floella has written over 30 children’s books. Coming to England was published in hardback in October 1995 and has since been published as an educational edition and is being used to teach modern history in schools and universities. Pan-Macmillan re-published the book as a 20th anniversary edition, which was selected as a Guardian ‘Book of the Year 2016’ and Times Book of the Month.

FRIARGATE                                                                                   

THEATRE

A Brand-New Autumn Season of shows and Events coming in Autumn 2024

·       York’s newest monthly comedy club

·        Comedy improv night

• Exciting new children’s shows
• Theatre from Shakespeare to Climate Change
• Storytelling from gremlins to ghosts
• A Christmas Cracker all the family can enjoy

Friargate Theatre York is delighted to announce their Autumn Season.  There will be shows to excite all the family, with craft activities in the café with the children’s shows, such as, Welcome to the World, an interactive show for 0-5 year olds that is filled to the brim with original songs and puppets made entirely from natural and found objects. Finding Chester follows the story of a missing cat when a rollercoaster journey ensues on a search to find him. For older children there’s The Chronicles of Atom and Luna, an epic fairytale for those 6 years and over. Right Here Right Now brings us York’s own comedy improv night with its own brand of sensational silliness based on audience suggestions. There’s a night of hilarious comedy with the biggest and best performers across the circuit, that’s Get Up Stand Up, a monthly comedy night starting this September. 

In addition to these captivating children’s shows and comedic delights, Friargate Theatre York is also proud to present a range of thought-provoking and dynamic plays. Dive into the world of Shakespeare with a fresh take on his timeless classics or explore contemporary issues with powerful performances centred around climate change. The theatre’s storytelling sessions promise to enchant audiences with tales spanning from mischievous gremlins to eerie ghosts, ensuring there’s something to spark the imagination of every attendee.

Live music includes an homage to Frank Sinatra, with Joseph O’Brien, fresh from a tour of The Rat Pack – Live in Concert, here with all the Sinatra classic hits. Plus, Liverpool’s premiere beat merchants The Shakers playing the hits and the lost classics from the golden age of Merseybeat.

As the festive season approaches, don’t miss out on A Christmas Cracker, a heartwarming show designed to bring joy to the entire family. This seasonal favourite is packed with holiday cheer, laughter, and a sprinkle of magic, making it the perfect outing to create cherished memories.

For those who appreciate the artistry of the stage, Friargate Theatre’s Autumn Season is an unmissable opportunity to experience a vibrant array of performances. Whether that’s a fun-filled family day out, a night of side-splitting comedy, or an evening of profound theatre, there’s something for everyone.

To book your tickets head to friargatetheatre.co.uk

Family shows are in association with Little Vikings York  little-vikings.co.uk/

GO, GO, GO JOSEPH!

THE BELOVED MUSICAL CONFIRMS A

SECOND MAJOR UK TOUR

THE ACCLAIMED LONDON PALLADIUM PRODUCTION OPENS WITH A FESTIVE SEASON AT

EDINBURGH’S PLAYHOUSE THEATRE

TUESDAY 3 DECEMBER 2024

http://uktour.josephthemusical.com/

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are delighted to announce the return of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat having played to packed venues across the country in 2022. The sensational London Palladium production of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s legendary musical opens its 2024 – 2025 tour with a colour-filled festive season at the Edinburgh Playhouse – starring the legendary Donny Osmond* as Pharaoh – on Tuesday 3 December.

*Donny Osmond performs in Edinburgh only. Full casting for all other venues is to be announced.

Tickets are on sale now HERE

Following its opening run at the Edinburgh, Playhouse Theatre, the tour then goes on to visit: Oxford, New Theatre; Sunderland, Empire Theatre; Canterbury, Marlowe Theatre; Nottingham, Theatre Royal; Belfast, Grand Opera House; Manchester, Opera House; Bristol, Hippodrome Theatre; Leeds, Grand Theatre; Blackpool, Winter Gardens; Norwich, Theatre Royal; Southampton, Mayflower Theatre; Birmingham, Hippodrome Theatre; Woking, New Victoria; Newcastle, Theatre Royal; Southend, Cliffs Pavilion; Plymouth, Theatre Royal; Liverpool, Empire Theatre; Cardiff,  Wales Millennium Centre and Milton Keynes, Milton Keynes Theatre.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat was Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first major collaboration. Released as a concept album in 1969,the stage version of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat has become one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. The multi-award-winning show has been performed hundreds of thousands of times including multiple runs in the West End and on Broadway, international tours in over 80 countries worldwide and has become one of the world’s most beloved family musicals. Featuring much-loved pop and musical theatre classics, including Any Dream Will Do, Close Every Door, There’s One More Angel In Heaven and Go, Go, Go, Joseph, the new London Palladium production received a rapturous reception during its 2019 and 2021 summer seasons, ahead of its first major UK tour in 2022.

Producer Michael Harrison says of today’s announcement: “After two sensational runs at The London Palladium and a celebrated tour, which saw audiences up on their feet across the country when we played in 2022, I am delighted to bring Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat back to towns and cities UK-wide. Few shows bring the generations together the way Joseph does, and we can’t wait to welcome audiences new and old to make memories that will last a lifetime.”

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is directed by Laurence Connor. Laurence’s credits include the acclaimed London production of School of Rock and the Tony-Award nominated production on Broadway, the recent London productions of Miss Saigon, Chess and Cinderella, the international arena tour of Jesus Christ Superstar and he is also the Co-Director of the new version of Les Misérables which has enjoyed worldwide success including Broadway, UK and US tours.

JoAnn M Hunter (who has 20 Broadway shows to her credit, including School of Rock and On A Clear Day You Can See Forever) is the show’s choreographer, set and costume design are by the award-winning Morgan Large with Ben Cracknell as Lighting Designer and Gareth Owen as Sound Designer.

Told entirely through song with the help of the Narrator, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat follows the story of Jacob’s favourite son Joseph and his eleven brothers. After being sold into hardship by the brothers, he ingratiates himself with Egyptian noble Potiphar but ends up in jail after refusing the advances of Potiphar’s wife. While imprisoned, Joseph discovers his ability to interpret dreams, and he soon finds himself in front of the mighty but troubled showman, the Pharaoh. As Joseph strives to resolve Egypt’s famine, he becomes Pharaoh’s right-hand man and eventually reunites with his family.

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is produced by Michael Harrison.

For further information, specific venue casting information and to book tickets visit http://uktour.josephthemusical.com/

Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 22nd June 2024

Reviewed by Steph Lott

5*****

“Accolade,” is a gripping suspense-drama written by Emlyn Williams and directed by Sean Mathias. The play, originally presented in 1950, explores the dual life of Will Trenting, a successful novelist who finds his private escapades threatening to unravel his public persona. Despite its age, “Accolade” remains remarkably relevant in today’s world, where the private lives of public figures are often scrutinized by the media, with sometimes devastating consequences.

The story revolves around Trenting’s shocking discovery that his penchant for promiscuous sex parties has inadvertently exposed him to threats of extortion. Williams masterfully crafts a tense and revealing portrait of a man confronting the consequences of his actions.

Ayden Callaghan delivers a commanding performance as Will Trenting, perfectly capturing the character’s inner turmoil and the stark contrast between his public and private personas. Callaghan’s portrayal is tense and edgy when Trenting is with his family, yet relaxed and carefree among his louche lower-class companions, highlighting the character’s divided nature. Honeysuckle Weeks, as Trenting’s wife Rona, offers a nuanced portrayal of a woman grappling with her husband’s secret life. Narinder Samra, as the aggrieved father Daker, delivers a standout performance. He masterfully navigates between ingratiation and menace, creating a sly, captivating, confusing blackmailer who keeps the audience guessing.

Director Sean Mathias skilfully orchestrates the play’s dark tensions, maintaining a tight grip on the pacing and staging. The intimate stage setting lends itself well to the play’s intense and personal subject matter, allowing the audience to fully immerse themselves in Trenting’s unravelling world.

The excellent technical aspects of the production, including set design, lighting, costumes, and sound, work in harmony to create a convincing and atmospheric 1950s setting. The attention to detail in the set and costumes helps to ground the characters in their time and place, while the lighting and sound design effectively heighten the play’s suspenseful moments. Nick Riching’s lighting and Julie Godfrey’s design of the set and costumes, juxtaposing light and dark elements, serve to underscore the duality of Trenting’s character and the moral ambiguity at the heart of the play.

“Accolade” is a remarkable piece of theatre that has stood the test of time. Its bold exploration of morality, private desire, and public image remains as relevant today as it was in 1950. The production’s greatest strength lies in its ability to keep the audience engrossed in Trenting’s struggle, as he faces the consequences of his actions and the potential unravelling of his carefully constructed life. While the subject matter may be uncomfortable, the play’s unflinching examination of human nature and the complexities of desire make for a thought-provoking and emotionally impactful experience.

In conclusion, “Accolade” is a triumph, thanks to its stellar cast, expert direction, and the enduring power of Emlyn Williams’s script. It is a must-see for anyone who appreciates bold, provocative, and emotionally charged theatre.

CAST OF DRUNKARDS AND ROGUES ANNOUNCED FOR REVIVAL OF INAUGRAL PRODUCTION OF

SH!T-FACED SHAKESPEARE®

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

RUNNING AT LEICESTER SQUARE THEATRE FROM 10 JULY – 7 SEPTEMBER 2024

FOLLOWED BY A UK TOUR

Marking their eighth year of residency at London’s Leicester Square Theatre, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® has announced the full cast of drunkards and rogues who’ll be performing in the revival of their inaugural production at the venue, A Midsummer Night’s Dream, opening on 10 July until 7 September, before heading off on a UK tour.

14 years ago, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® set out on the world’s longest bar crawl and have been staggering from theatre to theatre ever since. From Edinburgh to Australia, Boston to Southend, this bunch of irreverent drama queens have been shaking up The Bard, performing to sell-out crowds and most importantly, making people roar with laughter ever since.

This year, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® are pouring their legendary cock-eyed chaos into the Bard-shaped vessel that is A Midsummer Night’s Dream. Think drunken donkeys, fandangled fairies and mullered mechanicals… it’s hard to imagine anything more magical, right?

Each night, a rotating cast member will get seriously Shakespeareanly sloshed and attempt to perform A Midsummer Night’s Dream as you have never seen before. Making for a different show every night, nobody (not even the cast) knows in which direction the show will stumble. Come and get fuddled in the forest with us!

The full cast will be Julia Bird (SIX: Shots of Vodka Later, Bingin’ in the Rain, A Little Night Cap) as ‘Puck / Hermia’, Natalie Boakye (2:22 – Time for a Drink?, King Beer) as ‘Oberon / Helena’, Eugene Evans (Death of an Ale Man, The Tiger Who Came for Long Island Iced Tea) in the roles of ‘Lysander / Demetrius’, Charlie Keable (The Phanton of the Opera Bar, Back to the Future: The Boozical) as ‘Puck / Lysander’, Princess Donnough (Annie Get Your Gin, Romeo & Mint Julep, WICKED BLUE) as ‘Helena / Hermia’, John Mitton (The Wizard of Ouzo, Disney’s Frozen Margarita, West Cider Story) as ‘Lysander and Demetrius’, James Murfitt (Kinky Booze, Starlight Expresso Martini, A Pissedmas Carol) as ‘Oberon / Demetrius’, Stacey Norris (This is Going to Hurt: Hangover Edition, Eastenders: Get In My Pub, A Chorus Wine) as ‘Helena / Oberon’, Beth-Louise Priestley (The Importance of Drinking Earnestly, The Worst Hangover: Nominated (Method) Actress, Sh!t-faced Shakespeare: The Full Series) and Stephanie Simpson (The Hungover Games, A View from a Bar) as ‘Puck / Hermia’. King Beer) as ‘Oberon / Helena’,

Following the production’s run in London, the show will tour the UK visiting Princes Hall, Aldershot (26 September), Stratford Play House, Stratford-upon-Avon (27 September), Palace Theatre, Southend (1 October), Wyvern Theatre, Swindon (2 October), Blackburn Empire Theatre (3 October), Storyhouse, Chester (4 October), The Albany Theatre, Coventry (5 October), Tivoli Theatre, Wimborne (8 October), Shanklin Theatre, Isle of Wight (9 October), The Capitol, Horsham (10 October), Corn Exchange, Ipswich (11 October), The Exchange, Twickenham (12 October), Lichfield Garrick (15 October), Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield (16 October), Middlesborough Theatre (17 October), Scarborough Spa (18 October), The Exchange, Twickenham (19 October), Lyceum Theatre, Crewe (23 October), Lincoln Arts Centre (24 October), Tyne Theatre & Opera House, Newcastle (25 October), The Cresset, Peterborough (26 October), Westlands Entertainment Venue, Yeovil (30 October), The Haymarket, Basingstoke (31 October), Farnham Maltings (1 November), New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth (2 November), Norwich Theatre Playhouse (3 November), Komedia, Bath (5 November), Royal & Derngate, Northampton (6-7 November), Chelmsford Theatre (12 November), Exeter Corn Exchange (13 November), Taunton Brewhouse (14 November) and The Kenton Theatre, Henley (15 November).

Stacey Norris, producer and director said, “Since 2016, Leicester Square Theatre has been the proud host of Sh!t-faced Shakespeare® much to the disbelief of both ourselves and the discerning critics of London’s theatre circuit. Surprisingly, we’ve yet to receive an eviction notice and we’ve grown so accustomed to the venue that the bar stools bear the unmistakable imprint of our collective derrières. This year, we’re thrilled to revive our inaugural production at the theatre: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, featuring a brand-new cast of characters, fresh scenes, and rejuvenated livers. Join us as we embark on another inebriated adventure in the enchanted forest!”

The production was originally directed and adapted by Lewis Ironside, with the new production being directed by Stacey Norris, produced by Johanna Rigg, Stacey Norris and Beth-Louise Priestley for Leicester Square Theatre, dance choreography by Beth-Louise Priestley, fight choreography by Robbie Capaldi, lighting design by Tom Williams, set design by Nicola Jones, costume design by Lorna Jean Costumes, photography by Andrew AB Photography, marketing by Tom McGregor, PR by ANRPR, finance by Fiona Hennessey and based on an original concept by Rev. Lewis Ironside and Cpt. Chris Snelson.

Garrick Theatre, London – until 3rd August 2024

Reviewed by Celia Armand Smith

4****

It’s 1982 and a group of five out of work Liverpudlian labourers are on the dole and desperate for legitimate work. Finding work for cash here and there, and having lost all their money on a bad job in Middlesbrough, they must avoid being caught by the sniffers while trying to retain some sense of themselves. Based on Alan Bleasdale’s famous TV series, this stage adaptation by James Graham originated at Liverpool’s Royal Court under Kevin Fearon, before moving to the National, and then the Garrick.

Set during the height of the Thatcher years, Boys from the Blackstuff follows George (Philip Whitchurch), Dixie (Mark Womack), Loggo (Aron Julius), Chrissie (Nathan McMullen), and Yosser (Barry Sloane) as they sign on, work dodgy side hustles that result in various tragedies, and try and keep themselves and their families together. This play is certainly bleak, but it is also full of heart, warmth and community. These men love and support each other through grief, illness, and heartbreak; their lives forever woven together.

The whole cast under the direction of Kate Wasserberg is superb, but it is Barry Sloane as the desperate Yosser who stands out. Constantly seeing potential for employment in every job with his catchphrase “Gis a job, go on, gis it”. He is pushed to the very edge by his circumstances, sometimes we see him topple into violence. There is a scene involving Yosser and the police that is so beautifully choreographed by Rachel Bown-Williams that I fully forgot to breathe for a minute or so.

Despite the play being centred around the experiences of men, balance is afforded us by stellar performances from Lauren O’Neil and Helen Carter. They play wives at the ends of their tether and Department of Employment workers who, like all the other characters, are all heartbreak and gentle comedy.

Amy Jane Cook’s set is industrial and harsh, and with the aid of projections and soundscapes from Jamie Jenkin and Dyfan Jones, Liverpool becomes another character in the plot.

Boys from the Blackstuff is about people trying to survive within a system that is not fit for purpose. Honest and poetic, James Graham’s play about lives torn apart in a desperate time is a must see this summer.