Freelance journalist, campaigner and theatre critic.
★★★★ Good grief, Black Mirror‘s Rafe Spall is astonishing in the loud and chaotic Death of England, Roy Williams and Clint Dyer’s vivid tale of Cockney geezer Michael Fletcher processing … Continue Reading ‘Death of England’ review – Rafe Spall triumphs in riotous reflection on identity
★★★★ VOiD opens, quite subversively, with a protagonist who doesn’t know where to begin. Ali (Eastenders‘ Sophia Capasso) sits on a chair in the darkness, her face lit up by … Continue Reading ‘VOiD’ review – A crackling, confrontational challenge of justice
★★★★ Middle Child and Arcola Theatre’s radiant gig theatre production charts a young black man’s lived experience – one which is passionately told. Writer and performer Daniel Ward’s semi-autobiographical story … Continue Reading ‘The Canary and the Crow’ review – Personal story shines in glowing gig theatre
★★★★ Teenage Dick is educational Shakespeare, and that’s not just because this particular retelling of Richard III from Mike Lew is set in an American high school. Framing his rise … Continue Reading ‘Teenage Dick’ review – High school Richard III teaches everyone a lesson
★★★★ There’s a reason why ushers at the Harold Pinter Theatre may seem stricter than usual around phone use. Rosmersholm director Ian Rickson’s take on Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya – adapted … Continue Reading ‘Uncle Vanya’ review – Toby Jones is hilarious in a sluggish search for meaning
Tanya Reynolds (Sex Education) and Rebekah Murrell (Glass. Kill. Bluebeard. Imp.) are radiant in this open and emotional look at relationships – ★★★★ There’s a lot to love in Miriam … Continue Reading ‘Scenes with girls’ review – A sharp scrutiny of love’s parameters
Maxine Peake commands a strong cast in a shouty courtroom drama which is indecisive about what it wants to be – ★★★ Both the 12 women at the heart of … Continue Reading ‘The Welkin’ review – ‘12 Angry Men’ goes domestic
Jamie Lloyd’s slick direction of the love triangle tale, freshly adapted by Martin Crimp, marks an electric start to the company’s Playhouse Theatre season – ★★★★ His Dark Materials star … Continue Reading ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ review – James McAvoy turns lyrical lover in exhilarating drama
Sarah Bedi’s deaf thriller about authoritarian systems is an imaginative tackling of disability politics, but by no means straightforward – ★★★ “No one will understand everything – that’s how it … Continue Reading ‘The Process’ review – Government bureaucracy explored in dark digital drama
The award-winning race drama from Jackie Sibbles Drury subverts with a sharp intensity – ★★★★ Fairview is a unique theatrical experience – the word ‘experience’ perhaps being overused in theatre … Continue Reading ‘Fairview’ review – A blistering takedown of perceptions
Writer Jack Thorne proves he is the master of magic in this spectacular spin on Dickens’ classic – ★★★★ Thorne’s (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, His Dark Materials) adaptation … Continue Reading ‘A Christmas Carol’ review – Paterson Joseph glistens in an emotional character study | Gifted
Mischief Theatre may well be back to their old tricks again, but that’s not to say that they don’t have a few more up their sleeve in their latest outing … Continue Reading ‘Magic Goes Wrong’ review – Mischief Theatre and Penn and Teller’s spellbinding slapstick
Sandi and Jenifer Toksvig shake things up a bit at the Globe with a cheery and engaging Christmas show – ★★★★ Christmas at the (Snow) Globe is a terrific team … Continue Reading ‘Christmas at the (Snow) Globe’ review – Sandi Toksvig conjures a magical celebration of community
Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti’s play on prejudices and expectations sparks several shocking conflicts, but one central idea struggles to ignite – ★★★ A Kind of People follows the fallout from a … Continue Reading ‘A Kind of People’ review – Sharp cultural drama disorientates
Whether they be real or otherworldly, this adaptation captures the spark of stories and adventures – ★★★★★ This mesmerising myth stands proudly alongside The Curious Incident of the Dog in … Continue Reading ‘The Ocean at the End of the Lane’ review – Neil Gaiman’s fairytale is thrilling theatrical fantasy
Actions speak louder than words in Bijan Sheibani’s (The Barbershop Chronicles) sombre sibling reunion – ★★★ Long lost brother Tom strolls back into Samad’s life, but the impact comes a … Continue Reading ‘The Arrival’ review – Fraternal drama is a solid debut
