Lyric, Hammersmith – until 11th February 2023

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

4****

This is a rough, tough, in-yer-face production of Othello, first devised by Frantic Assembly in 2008. Othello is a gang leader rather than a general, and the setting is the grotty Cypress pub (rather than Cyprus), complete with pool table, fruit machine and oppressive red wallpaper. The blokes wear trackies and trainers and hoodies; the women are sassy and knowing; and violence, sex and racism always seem near the surface. The cast are good at moving in the springy, restless way of people who used to fighting, and the play starts with a choreographed fight, the first of several eruptions of violence in this fast, loud production. And it all works –Shakespeare’s text becomes completely believable and alive.

The plot? Quite simple really – Iago has a grudge against Othello, and manipulates him into a state of mad jealousy against his lover/wife Desdemona. Othello kills Desdemona and himself, then Iago gets killed, and in the meantime Iago’s machinations have caused more death and injury – heigh ho, just another night in a deprived urban area. Michael Akinsulire is Othello, the fighter who is physically super-strong but also plausibly naive and gullible; Chanel Waddock plays Desdemona, with a fresh directness and spirit that work well for a character who can be a bit drippy and passive. Joe Layton is Iago and is superb – a deviously brilliant schemer who pulls all the strings.

Most of the action takes place on and around the pool table, or in a dark, misty outside created by the cast pushing aside the walls and furniture. At one point the walls lurch and fold to highlight the drunken confusion; at another we see Desdemona talking with her friend Emilia (Kirsty Stuart) in the grimy pub toilet.

With loud, pumping music, it all makes for a believably claustrophobic world in which passions rage and become destructive. The director is Scott Graham, the designer Laura Hopkins..

Acclaimed production of Rose, starring
Maureen Lipman, transfers to London’s West End
Tuesday 23rd May 2023 – Sunday 18th June 2023
The Ambassadors Theatre, West Street, London WC2H 9ND

After sell-out runs at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester, and The Park Theatre, London, in 2022, Maureen Lipman returns to the West End with a performance of unassailable greatness (What’s On Stage). This award winning, critically acclaimed production of Martin Sherman’s Rose transfers to The Ambassador’s Theatre for only 28 performances, from Tuesday 23rd May 2023.

Olivier Award-winning Maureen Lipman has performed with The National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company, and has starred in innumerable West End productions including Outside Edge, Messiah, See How They Run, Wonderful Town, Re:Joyce, Glorious, Oklahoma, A Little Night Music and Daytona. For the last five years she has been delighting television audiences as Evelyn Plummer on ITV’s Coronation Street. Other classic television appearances include The Evacuees, The Knowledge, Agony, Smiley’s People, Doctor Who and Ladies of Letters.

Rose is written by award winning writer Martin Sherman whose plays include Bent, Messiah, A Mad House in Goa, When She Danced, Some Sunny Day and Gently Down The Stream. His body of work also includes films Alive and Kicking and Mrs Henderson Presents and the Broadway Musical The Boy From Oz.

Rose is directed by Scott Le Crass, designed by David Shields with musical composition and Sound design by Julian Star with lighting design by Jane Lalljee.

Maureen Lipman reprises her award-winning performance as Rose, a woman whose tumultuous journey through anarchic times takes her from the devastation of Nazi- occupied Europe to the allure of the American dream. Through the life of one woman, Rose tells the story of a century where everything changed except the violence of the strong against the weak.

The original production of Rose was produced at The National Theatre and on Broadway in 1999. It is perhaps even more relevant today, with the plight of refugees and allegations of antisemitism continuing to dominate the news. This powerful production is a moving reminder of the harrowing events that shaped the last century.

Maureen Lipman comments, I am delighted to be putting Rose back on her bench for a limited run at the Ambassadors in May. I thought I could never have the power to revisit Martin Sherman’s mystical, magical deeply philosophical and wildly funny creation, but Rose is in my blood and she has to be revived.

Martin Sherman comments, Maureen Lipman’s performance as Rose is the greatest gift a
playwright could ever dream of. Performance is perhaps the wrong word; she totally inhabits the role, the woman, the space, the language, the times, the events. I’m so happy that her astonishing alchemy has the opportunity to be witnessed again, for four weeks (only!) at the Ambassadors Theatre.

Find out more about Rose at www.roseonstage.co.uk. You will be able to book tickets for Rose from 12pm, Friday 27th January.

• CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR WORLD PREMIERE OF NEW MUSICAL BERLUSCONI WRITTEN BY RICKY SIMMONDS AND SIMON VAUGHAN AND PRODUCED BY FRANCESCA MOODY PRODUCTIONS AND THOMAS S. BARNES AT SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE ELEPHANT FROM 25 MARCH – 29 APRIL
• SEBASTIEN TORKIA WILL PLAY SILVIO BERLUSCONI, SALLY ANNE TRIPLETT WILL PLAY ILDA, EMMA HATTON WILL PLAY VERONICA AND JENNY FITZPATRICK WILL PLAY FAMA.
• DIRECTED BY JAMES GRIEVE, CHOREOGRAPHED BY REBECCA HOWELL AND DESIGNED BY LUCY OSBORNE
• TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW AT WWW.SOUTHWARKPLAYHOUSE.CO.UK

“I am the Jesus Christ of politics”

Francesca Moody Productions (Fleabag, Baby Reindeer) and Thomas S. Barnes are delighted to announce the casting for the world premiere of BERLUSCONI – a naughty, noisy exposé of the original perma-tanned media mogul turned populist politician, told through the eyes of three formidable women ready to share their side of the story and break the veneer of that million Lira smile.

The full cast includes: McCallam Connell (The Colour Purple, UK Tour) as the Judge, John Conroy (Half a Sixpence, Noel Coward) as Luigi, Susan Fay (The Girls, UK Tour) as Mama Rosa, Jenny Fitzpatrick (A Christmas Carol, The Old Vic) as Fama, Natalie Kassanga (Dreamgirls, UK Tour) as Bella, Emma Hatton (Wicked, West End) as Veronica, Sebastien Torkia (RSC’s Matilda The Musical, West End) as Silvio Berlusconi, Sally Ann Triplett (Cabaret, Lido 2 Paris) as Ilda, Gavin Wilkinson (Guys and Dolls, Théâtre Marigny) as Vladimir Putin and Matthew Woodyatt (Piaf, Nottingham Playhouse) as Antonio. Full biographies can be found in Notes to Editors.

Rehearsals begin on 13 February with first preview on 25 March and press night on 29 March.

BERLUSCONI is an urgent and prescient story about a brand of political leadership that has become all too familiar. With soaring melodies and driving beats, this hilarious and outrageous new musical assembles an award-winning team to tell the astonishing, outlandish, almost true story of one of the world’s most charismatic, charming and morally dubious political leaders.  

As Silvio tries to enshrine his legacy by grandiosely writing the opera of his life, his detractors are closing in…

Written by Ricky Simmonds and Simon Vaughan, this modern-day cautionary tale is produced by Francesca Moody Productions (Fleabag) and Thomas S. Barnes and directed by James Grieve (Fisherman’s Friends). The musical will be choreographed by Rebecca Howell (The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole Aged 13 ¾ ) with Set and Costume by Lucy Osborne (The Famous Five), Paul Schofield (Hair – In Concert) as Musical Supervisor, Arranger and Co-Orchestrator Jordan Li Smith (City of Angels) as Musical Director, Oliver Fenwick (Blues for Alabama Sky) as Lighting Designer Dan Samson (Heathers) as Sound Designer, Video Design by Stanley Orwin Fraser for Duncan McClean Projection (The Jungle), Music Production and Co-orchestration by Lewis Andrews and Original Vocal Score and Original Vocal Arrangements by David White (Cabaret) and Math Roberts (Merrily We Roll Along) as Associate Musical Director and Casting by Will Burton CDG. Associate produced by Alex Cooke and Alan Hayling, based on an original idea by Alan Hayling.

VOICE OVER ARTISTS ANNOUNCED TODAY

IDIOTS ASSEMBLE:

SPITTING IMAGE SAVES THE WORLD

LIVE ON STAGE

World Premiere on 1 February 2023

Birmingham Rep

www.SpittingImageLive.com

Twelve voice-over artists, a mix of actors, impressionists and comedians have just started work on recording voices for over one hundred Spitting Image characters for the World Premiere of the stage show,  Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World which previews at Birmingham Rep from 1 February.

They are:  Al Murray (The Royal Variety Performance, Al Murray’s Happy Hour, Why Does Everyone Hate the English? We Have Ways of Making You Talk), Debra Stephenson (The Impressions Show, Dead Ringers, Rich Hall’s Election Breakdown, Newzoids, Coronation Street and Bad Girls), Jess Robinson (Spitting Image, The Last Leg, Stars in Their Ears, and The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and Britain’s Got Talent, Jojo Lin (Spitting Image Puppeteer), Jason Forbes (The Tracy Ullman Show, The Mash Report and Horrible Histories: The Movie and Borg Mcenroe), Josh Berry (Josh Berry’s Fake News,  NewsJack, Dead Ringers, The Tracey Ullman Show and The Michael McIntyre Show), Kathryn Drysdale (Bridgerton, Meghan Markle in The Windsors, Christmas on Mistletoe Farm, The Bubble, The Queen and I and Plebs), Lorna Laidlaw (Mrs Tembe in Doctors, Aggie in Coronation Street, Getting It Straight and A Midsummer Night’s Dream for Birmingham Rep), Luke Kempner (Spitting Image, Steph’s Packed Lunch, The Last Leg, Stand-up Sketch Show and The Imitation Game) Matt Forde (Spitting Image, Unspun with Matt Forde, The Royal Variety Performance, Have I Got News for You, The Political Party podcast and British Scandal) Ronan Summers (Jurassic World: Fallen Kingdom and Krays: Code of Silence, Doctor Who and Episodes) and Shri Patel (Rishi Sunak in This England, Emmerdale and Pennyworth)

With a creative team that includes original Spitting Image co-creator, Roger Law, alongside a comedy tour de force writing team of Al Murray, Matt Forde and Sean Foley,  Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World promises to be the unmissable, laugh-out-loud show to kick-start 2023. 

The full creative team is:   Director Sean Foley, writers Al Murray, Matt Forde and Sean Foley, Caricaturist Supremo Roger Law, Set Designer, Alice Power, Video Designer Nina Dunn, Sound Designer Paul Groothuis, Lighting Designer Tim Mitchell, Puppet Master Scott Brooker, Costume Designer Lotte Collet, Choreographer Lizzi Gee, Composer Felix Hagan, Associate Composer and Musical Director Alexander Bermange Production Manager John Rowland, Associate Director Nyasha Gudo, Associate Sound Designer Simon King, Assistant Set Designer Catherine Morgan, Puppet Casting Director Mikey Brett, Creators of Spitting Image Peter Fluck and Roger Law, Producer for Birmingham Rep Chloe Naldrett, General Manager Emma Brunjes and Executive Producers Richard Allen-Turner and Jon Thoday for Avalon.

The puppeteers are:  Will Palmer, Tom Quinn, Katie Bradley, Rayo Patel, Paula Brett, Jojo Lin, Kaidan Dawkins, Chand Martinez, Pena Liyambo, Faye Weerasinghe, Bertie Harris and Helen Parke. 

World famous celebrities will be thrown together as Tom Cruise is tasked by King Charles with saving Great Britain. Greta Thunberg duets with Stormzy as Putin and Xi watch on from their premium seats in the stalls. Have they just come out for a night on the town? Or will they wipe out all of civilisation?  A show simultaneously inspired and appalled by real events.

Sean Foley said:   ‘Trying to develop a satirical comedy based on the shifting politics of today has been the original fool’s errand: we’ve already thrown away 3 entire scripts – and several famous puppets aren’t even going to make their stage debuts anymore… But the sheer joy of casting Tom Cruise alongside King Charles, Greta Thunberg, RuPaul, Prince Harry and Meghan Markle has made up for it. To be premiering this theatrical extravaganza in Birmingham, the home of the original ground-breaking television series, is a wonderful thrill.’

‘It’s a who’s who of the good, the bad and the ugly’ commented Al Murray. ‘I know Marvel like to say it,  but our show is the greatest cross over event of all time.  Where else could you get Michael Gove, Tom Cruise, Sir Ian McKellen, Idris Elba, Daniel Craig, Fiona Bruce and Paddington Bear on a single stage?’

Matt Forde added: ‘We are living through an insane, abnormal, infuriating period, so the timing of this show couldn’t be better. It’s vital that we see our leaders lampooned with cutting satire and yes, whacked over the head with a big stick.’ 

The BAFTA and Emmy award-winning satirical Spitting Image television series originally ran for 18 series between 1984 and 1996, and was watched by over 15 million viewers. It recently made a popular return to TV on BritBox, where across official social media channels, Spitting Image content has been hugely popular with over 200 million views globally, three number 1 trending videos on YouTube and achieved critical praise across the political divide.  Three one-off specials for ITV have also seen huge success on terrestrial television: with a 4.4 million audience achieving ITV’s highest Saturday night ratings at that time in four years.

Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image Saves the World, Live on Stage is presented by Avalon and Birmingham Rep.

Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield – until 28 January 2023 

Review by Stee Leahy

5*****

The Rocky Horror Show at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre was nothing less than flamboyantly extraordinary! 5 stars for sure, and here’s why;

Let’s start at the very beginning. The hype began whilst queuing to get into the theatre… as expected when seeing Rocky Horror, a large number of audience members were in full Rocky Horror dress up, the vibe was electric and everyone was absolutely in the theatre mood! What a great start. It’s a vibe that comes only with this show, and I love it. 

The show opened with an exquisite vocal performance of ‘Science Fiction – Double Feature’ by the super talented Suzie McAdam, who also played Magenta to a great reaction. This performer was perfection in both roles, chefs kiss! 

We were then introduced to Hayley Flaherty and Richard Meek’s Brad and Janet. What a pair! With perfectly sharp vocals and wonderful stage presence, these two were instant hits. They complimented each other in every way possible. Following their journey throughout the show was great fun. From start to finish I was fully engaged. Both held their own in the dance numbers too, Hayley Flaherty’s execution of the choreography was particularly fabulous. 

Here’s a special shout out to Kristian Lavercombe’s Riff Raff, now I must mention that with over 2000 performances of Rocky Horror under his belt, Kristian has performed in this show more than anyone else in its whole 48 year history! This man is theatrical gold! I’m not sure how I can sing enough praises his way. Absolute perfection, his characterisation, physicality, stage presence, vocals, makeup, everything! 11 out of 10 for Kristian. He delivered a delicious rendition of arguably the shows most popular song, ‘Time Warp’ and as soon as the intro music was heard every audience member was on their feet performing with the ensemble of professionals on the stage. It was camp! It was fantastic!

Columbia was brought to life by the sensation that is Darcy Finder, not only did she serve up some side splitting laughs, she also hit us hard with some deeply strong and somewhat perfectly executed emotional acting. What a diverse talent. I could watch Darcy perform for hours! 

Both the roles of Eddie and Dr. Scott we’re played by the hilarious Joe Allen. All of the Eddie fans in the audience went wild when he was revealed in the fridge! And rightly so, he was brilliant. 

Rocky was played by Ben Westhead respectively. He had a soft charm about him and his scenes with Frank N Furter were great! His lovely vocals matched his performance well. He was fun!

Jackie Clune took the role of the Narrator and made it her own. She was hilarious. With her quick witted remarks to anticipated heckles from the audience, she took it all in her stride and she really was the glue of the entire show. My cheeks hurt from laughing so much – Beautifully brilliant!  

And now, Stephen Webb as Frank N Furter was superb! He had the audience in the palm of his hands from the get-go, he knew it, and we did too. His vocals were unmatched and his sexual stage presence had us all hooked. He gave us plenty of marvellous comedic moments, and a few sharper moments of drama too. It was the perfect blend of sweet and sour. 

The set was very effective, it framed the action perfectly, with pieces that were easily brought on and off and with no major full set changes – the show to run incredibly smoothly. 

The lighting, sound, atmosphere were all perfectly on pointe! 

Hand on my heart, I can not recommend The Rocky Horror Show enough. One of the best pieces of theatre I’ve seen in years!   

Runaway Entertainment presents

2:22 – A GHOST STORY

The hit play by Danny Robins

Directed by Matthew Dunster
@222AGhostStory #222AGhostStory

Runaway Entertainment is delighted to announce that Jake Wood will reprise  his award-winning role of Ben in 2:22 A Ghost Story, after Hugo Chegwin has sadly had to withdraw from the production due to illness during the rehearsal period. Jake Wood will perform from 26 January until the end of the run, and previews up until that performance will be covered by understudy Ben Cutler.

The Producers have said: ‘Due to illness during the rehearsal period, Hugo Chegwin has sadly had to withdraw from the production. We are delighted to welcome Jake Wood back to the 2:22family.’

Jake Wood was one of the original cast members of 2:22 A Ghost Story when it opened in summer 2021 at the Noel Coward Theatre, along with Lily Allen, Julia Chan and Hadley Fraser. Jake won the What’s On Stage Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance.

Jake Wood said: “It was an honour to originate the role of Ben at the Noel Coward, winning the What’s On Stage best supporting performer in a male identifying role in a play Award for 2021, and I am so excited to be rejoining the cast until the end of April. Danny Robins’ script is funny, touching, and so entertaining and easily the best play I have ever read. If you’ve seen the show before, come back and see it again and I promise that you will enjoy it just as much as I know I will the second time around.”

Hugo Chegwin said:‘I’ve had the flu. Due to being poorly during the rehearsal period, I’ve had to pull out of the play. I’m absolutely gutted about this and I wish everyone involved in the play the best of luck. The cast are truly amazing’

This is the fourth West End transfer of Danny Robins’ edge-of-your-seat, supernatural thriller 2:22 – A Ghost Story. The Lyric is the show’s biggest house to date and follows two hugely successful seasons at the Criterion. Last year 2:22 A Ghost Story had Olivier Nominations including Best New Play, and won the Best New Play category in the Whatsonstage awards.

The production began its life in the summer of 2021 at the Noel Coward Theatre starring Lily Allen, Julia Chan, Hadley Fraser and Jake Wood. It then transferred to the Gielgud Theatre for 10 weeks from 4 December 2021. The production there, starring Stephanie Beatriz, James Buckley, Elliot Cowan and Giovanna Fletcher, completed its run on 12 February 2022. The first cast at the Criterion Theatre featured Tom Felton, Mandip Gill, Beatriz Romilly, Sam Swainsbury and the current Criterion Theatre cast Tamsin Carroll as Lauren; Felix Scott as Sam, Matt Willis as Ben and Laura Whitmore as Jenny, ended its run on 8 January. The US premiere of 2:22 A Ghost Story at the Ahmanson Theatre, Los Angeles opened on 29 October and ended its run on 4 December 2022.

2.22 – A Ghost Story is written by award-winning writer Danny Robins, creator of the hit BBC podcast The Battersea Poltergeist and it is directed by Matthew Dunster. Intriguing, funny and scary, it takes audiences into one adrenaline-fueled night where secrets will emerge and ghosts may appear….What do you believe? And do you dare to discover the truth?

“There’s something in our house. I hear it every night, at the same time.”

Jenny believes her new home is haunted, but her husband Sam isn’t having any of it. They argue with their first dinner guests, old friend Lauren and her new partner Ben. Can the dead really walk again? Belief and scepticism clash, but something feels strange and frightening, and that something is getting closer, so they are going to stay up… until 2.22am… and then they will know.

2:22 – A Ghost Story features set design by Anna Fleischle, costume design by Cindy Lin, lighting design by Lucy Carter, sound by Ian Dickinson for Autograph Sound, casting by Matilda James, CDG, illusions by Chris Fisher, and associate direction by Matt Hassall.

2:22 – A Ghost Story is produced by Tristan Baker and Charlie Parsons for Runaway Entertainment, Isobel David and Kater Gordon. 

TICKETS ARE ON SALE NOW FROM WWW.222AGHOSTSTORY.COM

Leeds Grand Theatre – until 2 March 2023

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Puccini’s Tosca returns to Opera North’s repertoire in their 2023 Winter Season. This well-known opera is set to Giacomo Puccini’s music, Giuseppe Giacoso and Luigi Illica’s libretto and is based on Victorien Sardou’s play. This production, premiered in 2018, eagerly returns and is directed by Edward Dick. Tosca is tense, passionate, political, and powerful – themes which one can resonate with today’s current affairs. Tosca, like many stories, there is a villain, courtesy of Baron Scarpio who is Chief of Police, and a hero, Flora Tosca who is a singer.

Tosca explores the unrequited love between Floria Tosca (Giselle Allen) and Mario Cavaradossi (Mykhailo Malafii). The narrative is complicated with the arrival of Cesare Angelotti (Callum Thorpe), a political prisoner and escapee, and the unwelcome arrival of Scarpia (Robert Hayward) and his agents who are on the hunt of Angelotti.

The narrative unfolds with Scarpia’s abuse of power and with the support of his agents, Cavaradossi is unlawfully arrested, and the insurmountable interrogation begins. Scarpia’s misuse of power turns to passionate lust for Tosca, and he emotionally blackmails her for Cavaradossi’s release. This only leads to tragedy and the final opportunity for both Tosca and Cavaradossi to requisite their love.

Puccini’s powerful and melodramatic musical score is done under the musical direction of Garry Walker and the well-known arias are sung such as the energetic Te deum, the soulful Vissi d’arte and the poignant and tragic E lucevan le stelle. Excellent and evocative portrayals of Cavaradossi, Scarpia and Tosca by Malafii, Allen and Hayward (who the latter two played the characters in the production when it premiered in 2018). They are supported by a strong and talented cast and the chorus of Opera North and with Maxine Braham’s choreography.

What must be mentioned is Tom Scutt’s eye catching and captivating set which is staged versatility for its different spaces and positions throughout the opera. The golden dome and the colourful and attentive fresco of Mary Magdalene, who is immortalised, works ever so well with the characters and plots. The staging compliments with Lee Curran’s lighting which the light and obscurity transpires to the narrative’s general moods and Fotini Dimou’s haute couture’s costumes are exclusive for the characters. `

This popular opera was certainly written ahead of its time and whenever it’s played as a new production or a reprisal, it resonates to everyone and everywhere now as much as when it did. Tosca reminisces dramatically and powerfully now and in the future.

Forum Theatre, Malvern – 19th January 2023

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

Last year I was fortunate enough to review The Johnny Cash Roadshow and loved it. So it was with great anticipation that I jumped at the chance of catching the gang again this year. And man oh man, did they warm this old heart on one very cold night in frosty Malvern!

The lights dimmed, the massive video wall gave us a snippet of The Man in Black talking about his music and the band soon tore into a trio of hits from the great man’s early days of Sun Records, including “Hey Porter”. This year’s show is a tour through the years and each era and significant milestone was covered.

Clive John is a wonderful Cash, not an impression – more an inhabitation. He sounds, looks and dresses like him and has his mannerisms. And he has a warm, funny, personable stage presence that I could very happily spend hours in the company of. But, of course, his principle job is to pay homage to the man and his music and he does this with commendable artistry and obvious affection.

Meghan Thomas is the band’s June Cash, performing on Autoharp (when do you ever get the chance normally to hear one of those?), dancing and providing backing vocals. Just like the original Mrs Cash, she is an integral and most welcome part of this show.

There are so many classic country songs in the set that it would take forever to list them, but the climax of the first half is indicative of the evening’s entertainment. “City of New Orleans” (complete with horns) a song that Cash wasn’t known for – the show mixing it up, keeping it fresh for those who’ve seen the show before. “Long Black Veil” is an emotional ballad, both haunting and tender. And then there’s “I Still Miss Someone” (one of the best songs ever written, a veritable anthem to the jilted and lonely).

After the break more of the same – rightly so, why change something working so well? “Folsom Prison Blues”, into a Gospel section, into a fantastic Clive John original “September” which showcased his songwriting talent (I loved his original from last year’s set too) and then into some songs from Cash’s last years “Rusty Cage” and his last hit “Hurt”. Powerful stuff! And that’s not even mentioning the price of admission worthy “Ghost Riders In The Sky”…

Mark Knopfler’s “Next Time I’m In Town” echoed how we were all undoubtedly feeling – awaiting the Roadshow’s return before they had even finished tonight’s show, which they did in epic style with (naturally) “Ring Of Fire”.

Some nights everything comes together to produce the perfect evening – a songbook that spans decades, a band that is well drilled, performers who command the stage and an eager audience there to appreciate the spectacle on offer. Tonight was one such night. Thank you all concerned and here’s to next year. Ladies and gentlemen, “he’s Johnny Cash” (and so are his band).

Criterion Theatre – until 16 April 2023

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Steven Moffat’s hilarious new comedy of manners has killer jokes and a cast to die for. Based on an incident that actually happened to his friend, Moffat has taken a ridiculous situation and amped the cringe factor up to 11.

Uptight middle class couple Peter (Reece Shearsmith) and Debbie (Amanda Abbington) meet the gregarious American Elsa (Frances Barber) on a cruise, and begrudgingly end up giving her their contact details, expecting her to do what all decent holiday acquaintances do – promise to keep in touch but never, ever make contact again. They haven’t reckoned with the force of nature that is Elsa, and she arranges to come and stay with them. Belatedly worrying about who exactly they are welcoming into their home, Debbie googles Elsa and discovers that she has probably murdered 6 people, but there is lack of evidence to prosecute. However, as it is too late to “unfriend” Elsa on Facebook, Elsa arrives and the couple are too polite to confront her, and their feeble attempts to broach the subject end effectively when they don’t want to upset her. Elsa’s presence in the house elicits a remarkable transformation in their two teenage children. The couple’s relationship with their children is slightly bizarre – this is a man who has forbidden his son from farting downstairs, instead banishing him to a less public area. Elsa is soon playing computer games with Alex (Gabriel Howell), and encouraging him to leave the house and exercise, while Rosie (Maddie Holliday) stops prowling around eavesdropping and begins to chat happily with her parents. “She’s Murder Poppins!”

The laughs come fast and regularly, with Barber chewing the scenery as the brash and uninhibited American and Shearsmith brilliantly squirming as he must deal with increasingly embarrassing and uncomfortable situations. The second act scene where he is trying to ascertain whether a policeman has been poisoned by Elsa is a masterclass in physical comedy as Shearsmith squirms and stutters through the excruciating situation. Abbington has a less showy role, but is wonderful as the equally uptight Debbie. “It’s been 6 days and no murders” says Peter at one stage. The couple’s almost pathological avoidance of embarrassment and conflict (except with their children) allows Elsa to settle in and get to know the neighbour (Michael Simkins nailing the passive aggressive bore) before she finally moves on after Debbie finally speaks her mind, but not without leaving an unusual parting gift. The comedy of manners is a delight and asks light-hearted questions about the emotional intelligence of traditional middle-class manners.

This isn’t a ground-breaking comedy, and has the comfortable feel of the farces of the 70s and 80s, but with a contemporary sharpness and wit. Moffat knows how to tell a story, and director Mark Gatiss knows how to sell a story. The Unfriend is fast, funny and full of cracking one liners.

Southwark Playhouse – until 4 February 2023

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

Let’s face it – a 100 minute Hamlet is going to upset Shakespeare purists, but Lazarus never shy away from exploring and interpreting classic plays in their own contemporary, sometimes challenging, style.

Lazarus’s Hamlet began as an actor in training production, and it hasn’t lost that raw edge as designer Sorcha Corcoran’s Elsinore is a performance space that could be a drama studio, therapy room or gym. Director Ricky Dukes has dispensed with the adults in his adaptation, leaving only the younger characters in the spotlight. This obviously leaves huge chunks of plot – and plotting – out of the play, but Dukes has form using a disembodied voice of authority to stop characters in their tracks and inserts vital information and orders from Claudius or Gertrude using Micha Colombo’s vocal skills. Familiarity with Hamlet will either annoy or help audience members follow the plot, but this pacy production tells the story with an undeniable freshness and energy that it serves as an intriguing introduction to Shakespeare that could act as a gateway into classic plays for new audiences.

Summoned by a bell, the cast assemble in a circle around a microphone and are asked who will begin, before introducing themselves and the characters they play. When it is Michael Hawkey’s turn to introduce himself as Hamlet the cast scatter and they begin the play. The cast’s reactions to the bell, and their stance as they freeze, looking up to the ceiling as they listen to and converse with Micha Colombo’s mysterious voice, creates a disconcerting power dynamic and sense of subjugation, raising lots of intriguing questions and possibilities to mull over after the performance. Stuart Glover’s lighting and Jovana Backovic’s sound design are bold and brash, perfect for this production. The characters use torches and fight to be heard over a giant fan at times, but it all fits together to keep the audience slightly on edge and never comfortable with what they are watching. We certainly had lots of conflicting ideas but came back to one (although we may have been influenced by our love of schlocky TV shows!). The cast are all dressed in what could be a team or institutional uniform, and instantly comply with the voice and the bell – so could this be part of a young offenders or psychiatric programme? The way the play ends makes it seem as if this therapy/punishment has been repeated many times and the characters are revisiting/trying to change their reactions to the voice’s manipulations in a twisted Squid Games style experiment. Whatever the intention – any play that can make people argue that much is worth the ticket price.

Although the sensitivity and tenderness of some scenes are lost in the dizzying pace of the production, the tone throughout is consistent, with every character appearing and acting like a teenager trying to navigate a brutal, unforgiving and confusing world. Polonius’s accidental murder just about makes sense, but the idea that Hamlet could be capable of random violence at that point rings true regardless. Michael Hawkey’s Hamlet is stroppy and showy at first, but the insecurity and instability emerges gradually to replace the early showy mask of ladishness Hamlet employs. An impressive professional debut. Lexine Lee as Ophelia portrays a quiet and dignified descent into despair, hauntingly capturing the almost serene determination once she has decided to kill herself (in a beautifully stark scene filmed parading through the corridors of the Playhouse.) The wonderful Kalifa Taylor gives the most traditional rendition of Shakespeare as the first player performing for Hamlet, nicely contrasting the more natural choices of the cast with our ideas of what Shakespeare should sound like. The Mousetrap is played for laughs in broad physical comedy and a stream of tortured rhymes by Kiera Murray and Juan Hernandez – a welcome chance to catch a breath and have fun amongst all the angst. The young cast all impress, and their ensemble work as the voice of Hamlet’s father is wonderfully atmospheric.

Lazarus’s Hamlet is mean, moody and very modern – an exhilarating and intriguing adaptation with an exciting young cast.