'Emil and the Detectives' National Theatre, Olivier ***

The National Theatre's annual family production has a long and prestigious history and this years show of Carl Miller's rendition of Eric Kastner's 'Emil and the Detectives' is one that will keep the children entertained but for the older audience member it fails to stimulate you somewhat. The narrative was far too simplistic and it felt that the production was the only appeal to the younger audience member rather than the entire audience. However when you consider that Kastner's classic children's book was like the Harry Potter of its day I believe it does belong on the Olivier stage . We are taken on a journey of young Emil Who attempts to rediscover and find the 140 marks that he was robbed of on a train journey to Berlin to visit his grandmother. The play accomplishes an array of outcomes, it focuses on the idea of children who form a kind of detective agency decide to break away from that young people shouldn't be listened to and to help Emil with his mission to find the bowler hatted thief. I thought that they show lends itself to let the vast city that is Berlin, which acts as its own. character through the fast pace of every day commuters using cars, trams and buses. The acting by the company will wonderfully acted and this gives me a slight sense of ease about the whole production. I found Ethan Hammers' portrayal of the central protagonist Emil was brilliant especially in the section where he is in the city's very claustrophobic and frightfully smelly sewers. Stuart McQuarrie is captivatingly menacing as the thief Mr Snow and Naomi Frederick is exceptional as Emil's over protective mother Ida Tiscbein. Even the child performers were incredibly entertaining and engaging. The direction by Bejan Sheibani was off an acceptable standard of finish but the flow of the show seemed somewhat primitive. I thought that Bunny Christie's spectacular design captures the expressionistic atmosphere of the story and the director's vision through wonderful video projections by 59 Productions as they suggest the setting and environment really meticulously. Bunny Christie has definitely done well here. I think that this is the production for children to enjoy and one that would make the parents and/or grandparents have a relaxing time without having to think about the children throughout the proceedings.

'Jumpers for Goalposts' Bush Theatre *****

What can I express to you about the Bush Theatre's current production 'Jumpers for Goalposts'? It's a play that definitely resonates a hint of emotion in everyone, even the masculine of men. Written so effortlessly by Tom Wells it depicts the story of a pub five-a-side football team, who a part from one are all gay and shows the struggles of being accepted in and an array of different circumstances. I found the narrative to be incredibly infectious as it makes you realise the pressures of being gay in a sport that's not stereotypically associated with people of this sexuality. I would like to convey my immense gratitude in Wells' approach to this issue that has been in society, worldwide for decades. As well as, I particularly admired the setting as it enables audiences to recognise the way they should speak in daily situations by thinking whether homophobic language is acceptable. The acting by the small company were beautifully and emotively performed and it's the standard you'd expect from even the best West End productions. Vivienne Gibbs' portrayal of the coach Viv is intellectually superb as she encapsulate see lesbian woman trying to break the boundaries by acting as a football coach that motivates and pushes the players in them most professional way possible. Jamie Samuel's Danny is sublime as he captures and out and proud homosexual who has been living with an immense secret and is desperate to find the love and happiness he most desires. This becomes possible when 19-year-old Librarian Luke (Phillip Duguid-McQuillian) joins the team and romance is afoot for Danny. The others, Geoff (Andy Rush) and Joe (Matt Sutton) where extraordinary as well that means comprehensive characterisation was key to the shows success. James Greive's direction is beautiful from beginning to end as he has created a production that moves an audience from laughter to tears in a matter of seconds. I like the decision to have a hint of actor musicianship through the character of Joe. The design by Lucy Osborne was wonderful as she has interpreted a football club's changing room with impressive detail and even though the design is somewhat simple it doesn't make a humongous to the professionalism of the production. I feel that all aspects of 'Jumpers for Goalposts' were phenomenal and should be recognised as a nominee for many theatre awards next year. I think the Bush Theatre has fundamentally established why it is one of London's greatest Off West End theatres.

'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' Theatre Royal, Dury Lane ***

The musical adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic children's story 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' is a production that's full of moments of golden magic but with moments of pure annoyance. I thought that the narrative written by David Greig was brilliantly clear and concise and definitely captures the atmosphere that Dahl had envisioned for his children's book of how we we see a boy, Charlie Bucket who comes from a less than wealthy family becoming the bearer of a golden ticket and from this is his dreams finally come true. Greig's decision to adapt it from the novel compared to the movie version was clever as many musicals have been adapted from films. I found Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman's music and lyrics to be of an acceptable standard of creativity and wonder as the score does hint essences of humour and emotion. However some numbers are far too cliche someone liking in particular 'Veruca's Nutcracker Sweet' and 'The Amazing Tale of Mr Willy Wonka'. It would have been more appealing if some thought had been undertakes here. The company for 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' where beautifully executed in all aspects of acting, singing and dancing.  Douglas Hodges portrayal of the fastly eccentric chocolate factory owner and inventor Willy Wonka was extraordinary as he embodies the character with such tenacity and ease that we the audience become fascinated in everything the role delivers. A lovely casting decision. The child performers were incredible and I must congratulate Jenson Steele for his comedic excellence as Augustus Gloop. I was amazed by his confidence in his small section of the show. The direction by award-winning director Sam Mendes clearly establishes his versatility in both theatre and film work but I did feel that the vast Theate Royal, Dury Lane stage could have been used to it's for potential and this saddens me as the production has taken years to finally get to this stage. Mark Thompson's set and costume design was highly satisfactory as the detail felt underdeveloped. I fought that the chocolate room was extremely lacklustre as it seems that budgetary constraints had a visible in imapct to the limitations of what could be achieved for example the chocolate river. Even though the musical is rather young it does make you question the use of the budget here. It is a production that you should see especially if you have children. 

'The Book of Mormon' Prince of Wales Theatre ****

The musical was the hottest ticket in London 'The Book of Mormon' is a show that's full of humour and splendour. Written by Trey Parker, Robert Lopez and Matt Stone controversially tells the story of Mormons Elder Price and Elder Cunningham Who are sent to a very deprived area of Uganda do you gain new members to a church community that's dwindling. The district is being ruled by ruthless man where the locals seem to not to want to learn about the Mormon's ways to improve themselves. I thought that the narrative was vastly clear and coherent but I would urge a hint of caution as the dialogue is quite insulting to religious groups and the comedy elements do mock them. However it does clearly identify poignant themes make a question the person you are and how you can change for the better. The entire company has been exceptional here as the level of precision in their acting, dance and vocals is second to none. Gavin Creel's portrayal of the slightly arrogant Elder Price was brilliantly performed as the captures a Mormon's aspirations to be highly successful but for his own personal gain. I particularly valued the comical integrity he had in musical numbers such as 'Man Up'. As well as, Jared Gertner's elder Cunningham is outstanding as he encapsulate's a young man who seems to have a problem in making things up and through this he actually accomplishes their outcome with the Ugandans becoming members of the church. Trey Parker's and Casey Nicholaw's direction is wonderful as they capture the essences of the comedy value is in the most humorous way imaginable and I thought that the variety of styles worked very well. This was particularly impressive as this is the standard you'd expect from a musical that has had such a vast marketing budget that has never been seen before. I found Scott Pask's scenic design to be wonderfully designed as he crafts the Ugandan community to a high standard of panache and the costumes designed by Ann Roth were brilliant as the research taken seemed rather comprehensive and the detailling of the costumes were superb. 'The Book of Mormon' is a musical that definitely delivers in all aspects and is one that you should endeavour to see.

'The Woman in Black' Fortune Theatre ****

' The Woman in Black' has been horrifying audiences for over 25 years and as this is my first time seeing it I found the whole experience to be as spine tingling as I'd expected it to be. The production is that the adaptation on the horror novel by Susan Hill and it depicts the fictional events of Arthur Kipps who as a young junior solicitor was summoned to be in attendance at the funeral of Mrs Alice Drablow who lived at the proud and elegant Eel Marsh House and the older Mr Kipps has decided to stagy rendition of these events on the Fortune Theatre stage. The narrative written by the late Stephen Mallatratt is incredibly thrilling as it conveys quite a bleak story of a subject that it engages you from the very beginning to the very end. I found it to be of the highest level of creativity and suggests scary consequences that makes audiences scream at the top of their voices. I thought it very intriguing that the company consisted of only two people and their acting is wonderfully performed.  Crawford Logan's portrayal of the real Arthur Kipps was beautifully embodied as the role contains a dark past who desires to exorcise ghost of the past through the re-enactment of the solicitors experiences at Eel Marsh House years years and years ago. Tim Delap as The Actor is outstanding as the carefully characterises the younger Arthur Kipps with brilliant seen all angles and funny encapsulates the fear that the audience has faced in witnessing such a chilling story. Robin Herefords direction is phenomenal as the direct a production that frightens and shocks avast amount of audiences and has done so successfully for over 25 years. I particularly like the atmosphere's direction gave to the play through the horrific encounters with the ghostly Mrs Drablow. I thought that Michael Holt's design for 'The Woman in Black' to be quite simplistic but with exceptionally ghastly feelings that run through the entire body especially the scenes that involved the eerie Eel Marsh House. I think that there has been an immense level of collaboration and with successful outcomes. What a fundamentally beautiful production.

'Spamalot' Playhouse Theatre ****

What do I have to say about the West End's version of 'Spamalot'? For me the musical oozes charisma and comic value of the highest quality. 'Spamalot' originally from the hilarious film Monty Python and the Holy Grail is a spoof and is loosely based on the legends of King Arthur Sir Lancelot and the Knights of the Round Table. The musical makes fun of this well-known fantasy by presenting it with their mystical charm that Monty Python has mastered by leaving people in hysterics for decades. I found the narrative to be incredibly clear as it suggests the ideas of British fantasy history in an amusing way and making it appealed to quite a diverse range of audience. In addition I thought that the comedy moments within the dialogue to be highly appropriate and due to it being Monty Python it definitely worked superbly.  The acting by the majority of the company was of a brilliant standard of delivery and panache and this is what you would expect from a West End production, especially with the success of the Broadway version. The casting of see CBBC's well-known presenters Richard McCourt and Dominic Wood as the leading role is King Arthur and Patsy where an interesting but wonderful decision nevertheless. I became surprised by the exceptional tenacity they had in performing roles with such care and attention. This pleased me most strongly. On the other hand, Carley Stenson's portrayal of The Lady of The Lake was vastly disappointing as the level of precision in her vocals when are exceeded with such success and became quite screechy which led to it feeling often strained. With this to consider I became unimpressed by this and made me question why they decided to cast her for such a audacious role. Christopher Luscombe's direction was fantastic as he creates the wonderfully comical franchise of Monty Python into a musical format and directing it with such outstanding precision. Paradoxically  I thought that Jenny Arnold's choreography was of a substandard proportion as the execution of the performers show that the dance elements were not creatively phenomenal and eye-catching. Certainly not spellbinding here sadly. Hugh Durrant's set and costume design is amazing as it captured the spirit of what you'd expect from Monty Python through simplistic detailing. The costumes were thought off with a sensitive and thorough touch which was lovely to see. I think that 'Spamalot' is a novice comic genius of a musical theatre piece which definitely makes you "Look on the Bright Side of Life". You should definitely see this production.

'Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage' Piccadilly Theatre ***

I am often concerned with the theatre industries decision to adapt well-known films and adapting them for the theatrical stage. The world-renowned 1987 blockbuster 'Dirty Dancing' has now been revived again for the for the West End stage and for me it's rather disappointing in quite a significant number of aspects. The narrative is exactly the same as the original film version where we are transported to the summer of 1963 and introduced to a Young teenage peaceloving girl Frances 'Baby' Houseman who along with her family spends their holiday at Kellermans. Throughout her vacations she becomes besotted by Johnny Castle, a very muscular and talented dancer at the holiday and baby does a favour by dancing on behalf off a fellow dancer who has recently been raped and illegally has an abortion. However this is a problem as Baby has no previous dance experience whatsoever and it's up to Johnny to teach you how to become a world-class dancer answer love begins to exude through them at romanticism of the passionate routines. I feel it quite unattractive as a theatrical writer Eleanor Bergstein has solely based on your entire film narrative and I feel it's a shame as the production does have potential to be a phenomenal musical production. The performances by the shows to lead actors Paul-Michael Jones as Johnny Castle and Rebecca Hodge as Baby of a satisfactory nature as it showed that the relationship was and disingenuous.  However their dance however presence was effortless so a huge congratulations to Kate Champion for her beautiful choreography. Sarah Tipple's directing style for  'Dirty Dancing: The Classic Story on Stage' was of a lacklustre quality as it seemed that the show had not been rehearsed as much as a West End production should be and this meant that a vast amount of queues were missed and mistakes appeared which aggravated me immensely. It feels that the Piccadilly Theatre is a cursed theatre venue as its previous tenant was in fact the financial flop of a musical theatre piece 'Viva Forever!'. Moreover Stephen Brimson Lewis' set design was of the horrendous fashion as the musical only allowed as design to be of a simplistic nature and this is not what you would expect from a musical of this kind. The only musical that had achieved this form of design is the wonderful 'A Chorus Line'. Even though I did somewhat have 'The Time of My Life', I didn't have 'Hungry Eyes' for it though. This is certainly a 'Dirty Dancing fan then this is the show for you.

'From Morning to Midnight' National Theatre, Lyttleton ****

Once again the National Theatre presents another outstanding piece of pure class. Dennis Kelly's new version of Georg Kaiser's Expressionist play 'From Morning to Midnight explains the interesting story of a bank clerk who with with extreme issues steals a wealthy sum of money from his place of work. The narrative is very clear and concise due to the flow of the characters own personal journey and I thought it particularly interesting to see the bike race scene and how the idea of a large share of cash entices the competitors to push themselves to the ultimate limit to obtain the prize. It makes me think about the pressures of living especially in early 20th century Germany and this relates to how the entire world today has been because of the credit crunch and the idea of being highly wealthy is the only way to be successful. The acting is exceptional here and Adam Godley's portrayal of The Clerk is is wonderful as he captures a man who is pressurised with trying to clothe and feed not only himself but the rest of this family leads him to stoop so low and thieve from his own workplace. I found his movements and vocal delivery to be of the highest quality and as well as I found the acting from the other performers to be of the most professional standard. I must congratulate Charlotte Bevan for her amazing casting decisions for this production that has fluidity and ease running through the entire performance. The direction by Melly Still is of a brilliant standard of finish because she encapsulates the German expressionist movement to contemporary audience and with collaborating with Dennis Kelly to present to play that conveys both Kaiser's original themes and concepts with fresh ideas to successful outcome. Once again the brilliance of Soutra Gilmour's design is extraordinary as she has designed an intriguing German environment on the Lyttelton stage with wonderful and creative detailing especially within all of this scene changes and how the fluidity of how intellectual her concepts were worked beautifully. I do think that she is the set and costume designer of the year and thoroughly deserves an array of awards in 2014. Overall I was I was particularly impressed with this play and I feel it is a production for you all to see. You will not regret it!

'Much Ado About Nothing' The Old Vic *

The closed Old Vic production of William Shakespeare's classic play 'Much Ado About Nothing' has to be most disappointing version of the text I have ever seen. The show is about two people Beatrice and Benedick who at first seem to actually detest one another but through the persuasion of the other characters there seems to be a love story exuding through the narrative. I became confused by the casting of vastly older actors Vanessa Redgrave and Charles Earl Jones as the roles are generally performed by younger actors and for me this concept did not work as they did not seem to grasp the youthful characteristics and try and present them into the older versions of the characters. To go into comprehensive detail Vanessa Redgrave as Beatrice was surprisingly unattractive in all her performance aspects such as movement and voice due to the fact that she seems to instead of Beatrice being a friend to the other girls it almost fells more like a grandmother figure. This left me quite appalled as Redgrave is regarded as such a phenomenal theatre actor that this made me question as to why she wanted to appear in this play and quite obviously an integral part of the company. In addition, Charles Earl Jones' portrayal of the male lead Benedick was rather lacklustre for ones liking as the character does not seem to present the naivety of the young man's quest for love but since Earl Jones is significantly older for these aspects to become apparent that they became disregarded and this annoyed me most strongly. Make me wonder why they cast these two actors in these roles? Maybe to sell a seat or two but the auditorium was quite empty that night of performance. The direction by Mark Rylance I found to be critically truthful, not a wonderful piece to witness as the concept of staging it in a 1940's military atmosphere seems very uncreative due to the recent National Theatre production of 'Othello' where the idea of presenting it in a heavily focused war zone environment seems that repetition is becoming the latter and I think this should not be the case at all. I disliked the simplicity behind the characters movements and the absence of many of Shakespeare's techniques was very noticeable. I thought that this did not feel like a Shakespeare play whatsoever and found it particularly woeful from beginning to end.  Needless to say that I found it as enjoyable as seeing the horrendous musical theatre production of 'The Light Princess'.        

'Barking in Essex' Wyndhams Theatre ***

I do not think I have ever seen such a production in my entire existence that has so much obscene language that 'Barking in Essex ' has, but it is one that definitely makes you laugh in hysterics and regurgitate at the same time. The comedy is centred around the Packer family who obviously reside in the now infamous Essex where they begin to panic as the youngest of the rather dysfunctional family is about to be released from prison and expects to come home to a share of quite a reasonable amount of money from a criminal act. However it seems that his mother Emmie Packer has spent all of this money that her son has commandeered from illegal means. I found the narrative by the late Clive Rowe to have been of a good and hilariously linear fashion as it portrays a highly shameful family who desires one thing and I mean one thing only and that is to own lots of money even if it is from awful conquests. I did however repulse at the shocking and vastly derogatory dialogue but I did feel that this suited the characters pretty successfully. The characterisation and delivery from the cast were of a satisfactory standard of quality that seems to desensitise me. Lee Evans' portrayal of the dimwitted older sibling Darnley Packer was vastly substandard as his comedy is rather cliché and stereotypical of the kind of roles Evans generally conveys. Again I was highly dismayed by the acting sensation Shelia Hancock as the grotesque and chav like mother Emmie Packer as she embodies a pretty uncharismatic woman who does not seem to care and value the idea of a family atmosphere and is fixated by the power of money and commercialism. I would have liked to have seen more precision and flare in her performance as it seems that she hasn't understood the characters' persona and motives. I thought that Harry Burton's direction for the piece of theatre was of a good level of creative decision making and he creates a quite contemporary view of today's society with the influence of the reality television programme 'The Only Way is Essex' in vein.  It also seemed quite messy within the scenic transitions which is very disappointing really and Simon Higlett's design was shambolic. For me it did not feel altogether right and appropriate for a West End production. It was a satisfactory performance and production that leaves me vastly underwhelmed.                

'The Commitments' Palace Theatre ***

What can I say about the musical production of Roddy Doyle's 'The Commitments'? The performance is rather satisfactory is terms of the plotline and the direction is somewhat average but pleasing nevertheless. The storyline focuses around a small Irish community in Dublin 1986 and how a young aspiring music producer who is desperate to make a success for himself decides to form a soul group with members of his community as the musicians themselves. The narrative is far too simplistic for my liking as it seems that the community is a mixture of working class and pretentious beings and the dialogue leaves a lot to be desired. There's a lot a negativity that ran through my body throughout the performance. However the performances by the company were well presented through to the delivery of the acting, singing and dancing (or lack of). The producer of the band Jimmy, played by the outstanding Denis Grindel suggests a young mans wish and passion to form a group that could send a wave of splendour to Irish communities who are going through difficult times. In addition, the character explores the power of music producing and it seems there are influences of Stock, Aitken and Waterman exuding through the research of the music industry during the 1980's to devise spectacular soulful music. I found Killian Donnely's performance of The Commitments' lead singer Deco to be of a good standard as he conveys quite an uneducated man who seems to find music to be the only worthwhile skill he has in his life but his constant arrogant personality seems to make the other band members full of immense hatred towards him. The direction by Jamie Lloyd was of an acceptable and sound quality as he has worked with Doyle's dialogue and narrative in such a creative way and that his understanding of Irish communities of the 1980's seemed to be highly comprehensive. On the other hand I do feel that the staging could have had more precision and ease as it seemed for too improvised for ones critical opinion. The set and costume design by Soutra Gilmour was pretty impressive as she has captured the bleak atmosphere that surrounds 1986 Dublin and the tough situations that Ireland were going through at this time with the IRA. On the whole a brilliant design that was thoroughly thought of with care and attention. Gilmour never fails to amaze me and I feel that she deserves to win an Olivie Award next Spring. I think that 'The Commitments' is a musical that can appeal to a wide range of audience from a variety of different ages.

'The Scottsboro Boys' Young Vic ****

The Young Vic this autumn has a success it it's midst. 'The Scottsboro Boys' written by David Thompson depicts a group of nine young black men from Scottsboro, Alabama in the 1930s who are arrested due to a supposed rape but we understand was completely false and wrongly accused. It's quite a poignant show that conveys a historical theme which is racism and it makes you think about how you have to respect other people no matter what race you are and your background. The narrative is clear as it is a timeline from 1931-1937 and explores the young men's journey within their imprisonment and the story is superb. I found the music and lyrics by John Kandor and Fred Ebb were emotionally captivating as it suggests the themes in a most creative way indeed. It also encapsulates the liveliness energy the company does in performing those musical numbers. I think that the performance by the entire cast were beautifully presented as they engage an array of audiences through spectacular acting, dancing and vocals. The leader of the Scottsboro Boys Haywood Patterson who endeavours to clear his name has been performed spectacularly by Kyle Scatliffe as he understands the raw historical and political contexts that are exuded through the script and the delivery of his performance were heart wrenching and was highly believable. In addition, Julian Glover's portrayal of The Interlocutor is especially pleasing as he plays quite an unpleasant individual who tries to imprision these innocent young men for his own personal gain. Susan Stroman's direction and choreography is phenomenal as she seems to capture the Southern USA views on black people to a more sensitive approach but some aspects do incense you because of the racist dialogue. A well directed and choreographed production. The set design by Beowulf Boritt and costumes designed by Toni-Leslie James were wonderfully designed as it depicts the higherachy of faces within the USA from the 1930's in an extraordinary way. I think that 'The Scottsboro Boys' is the musical theatre production of this autumn and one you should attempt to see.  

'Jersey Boys' Prince Edward Theatre *****

The West End run of 'Jersey Boys' has been entertaining audiences for the past five years now and for my first experience here I found that I enjoyed myself immensely. The musical is based on the legendary music sensations Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons and how they continually strived and persevered to become a worldwide success. I think Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice's narrative is sublime and to as it fully expresses the story of the 1960's band that took the world by storm both emotionally and comedic. It also makes you think about success within the music industry and how much money plays a vast issue into musicians and music producer's egotistical minds. The music by Bob Gaudio and Lyrics by Bob Crewe were outstanding as they combined both existing material and new material to convey the jukebox musical that entertains and engages audiences throughout the entire production. In addition it seems that both commercialism and creativity were thought of equally which is how theatre in London's West End should be (actually all of theatre should be). The performances by all of the company were exceptional. Frankie Valli (Ryan Molloy), Bob Gaudio (Edd Post), Tommy DeVito (Jon Boydon) and Nick Massi (David McGranaghan) as the original Four Seasons were phenomenally conveyed as they presented exquisite musicality and their dancing abilities were second to none and could not fault them on their energy. Well done to these four brilliantly talented performers. Des McAnuff's directing is exceptional as he has captured the full environment that Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons were in and I found that every ounce of rehearsal time had been taken seriously to produce such a flawless and effortless production. I thought that Klara Zieglerova's set design and Jess Goldstein's costume design for this production is beautiful and professionally delivered as again it captures the mood is which the performance focuses on. I valued the vibrancy of the colours chosen for both the costume materials and the textures of the set and it seems to me that careful consideration was thought of to be able to construct this wonderfully executed show. It definitely appeals to everyone from all walks of life. I enjoyed myself and "Oh what a night!" 

'Strangers on a Train' Gielgud Theatre ***

The production of 'Strangers on a Train' has definitely proved that the work by the legendary film director Alfred Hitchcock definitely deserves its place of the theatrical stage. The play written by Craig Warner has encapsulated the atmosphere created in the 1951 blockbuster of a film. The play is centred around architect Guy Haines who seems quite frustrated with his marriage that he even contemplates ending his wife's life and when he stumbles upon Charles Bruno a domineering stranger of whom he meets on a train seems that his plan may actually succeed . The plot has been cleverly constructed as to not damage the narrative that audiences know and understand from the movie. I feel that the subtle changes have been thought of with such ease and affection so that it can appeal to people who have not seen the motion picture. The performances by the whole company were incredibly impressive for such a new play. I found Laurence Fox's interpretation of Guy Haines was an outstanding piece of acting as he conveys an architect that becomes aggravated by Charles Bruno's constant occurrence in his life to a high standard of finish. It seems that he has understood the level of detail needed to engage an audience of over 1000 people. In addition Jack Huston's performance of the possessive Charles Bruno is amazing as he embodies a character that seems highly troubled and mentally unstable and it seems that he uses Guy as a comfort blanket. The director Robert Allan Ackerman has captured the essence of Hitchcock's film direction but with his own creative decisions to appeal to the theatregoers of Britain and to tourists. I almost became quite intrigued as to why he has chosen to direct an adaptation of the world renowned film that can engage with contemporary audiences. I was quite pleased with the direction of the play. The set design by Tim Goodchild was an interesting piece of craftsmanship as it conveyed the late 1940s and early 1950s time periods and this has been successfully thought of and constructed. As well as, I liked the black and white scenic arts and concepts to depict the atmosphere of a film experience. Even though the performance I saw was in previews and needs refinement I feel that it will be a successful production. I was engaged and entertained and that is what I like in a piece of theatre.        

'Liola' National Theatre, Lyttleton ****

The National Theatre has been providing an eclectic array of productions for the past fifty years and the revival of Luigi Pirandello's 1916 play 'Liola' is a brilliant production overall. The play set in 19th century on the small Itallian island of Siciliy suggests the themes of community and economic issues in their place in society. I think that Tanya Ronder's adapation of this quite social and political text has been highly successful and appealing to contemporary audiences as it does convey some of the issues that particular arease in the world are facing currently. The narrative's clarity is exceptional as it features a slightly misoganistic man called Liola and that over the course of the production we start to admire him as he is a brilliant father to three sons and will do anything to support his family. Of course in a legal fashion.The acting by the entire company were wonderfully presented here. I found Rory Keenan's acting as the lead male Liola to be one of such tenacity and precision that I began to understand the characters' motives to live and support his mother, Ninfa (Charlotte Bradley) and his three children Tinino, Calicchio and Pallino. Moreover, the performance by Jessicaa Regan as the slightly nieve Tuzza Azzara was extreely appealing as you can see that she has worked to a high standard of finish to embody a youngwoman who becomes pregnant at the hands of Liola. The direction by the National Theatre's former Artistic Director from 1988-1997 Richard Eyre is nothing more than outstanding as he directs a socially indepth production that encapsulates the idea of a tightly knit community and how what ever happens within the community will inveitably become common knowledge. A superb directng masterpiece and wondeful to see Eyre back at his former home. Anthony Ward's design is sublime as he has been able to craft a small Itallian community on a very subsidised scale that exudes perfection , especially in the choices of the textures that were used to make the design such a revelation of creativity. Travelex's annual £12 ticket deal has established the productions presence within the Lyttleton auditorium and it seems that it has been full every performance. I very much enjoyed my experience here. Happy 50th birthday to the phenomenal National Theatre.      

'The Light Princess' National Theatre, Lyttleton *

In my opinion I think that the musical theatre production of 'The Light Princess' has to be the most lacklustre show I have seen this year, even worse that 'Viva Forever!'. The musical written and composed by Tori Amos and Samuel Adamson features a mediocre musical score and storyline that leaves a lot to be desired. The show is focused on the princess of the Royal City of Lagobel Althea who has a form of a disability or charm that refraines her from staying on her own two feet. The narrative is extremely pantomime like and not of the standard of a spectacular musical such as 'Matilda: The Musical' and 'Once'. Such a disasterous storyline that makes me range with anger! The performances by the company were pretty ugly here in all aspects such as acting, singing and dancing. The shows main character Althea played so appallingly by Rosalie Craig seems to be quite cheesy for ones particualr liking and the delivery  is not up to the standard of a well polished musical performer that makes me smile with gratitude. In addition to this Nick Hendrix's portrayal of Althea's love interest Digby seems far too forced in terms of the emotion and movements and his acting needs to be much more believable  to achieve his main aim of performing brilliant. But this is not the case in this ridiculous farce of a musical. Overall the acting in atrocious throughout the entire performance. Not a happy critic indeed. I am very disppointed and dismayed by the musicals director Marianne Elliot as it seems to me that she has created a production that does not believe that quality is the priority and her use of the Lyttlton stage is nothing more than diabolical. Again I am astonished that this production is not on par to her previous National Theatre sucesses 'War Horse', 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' and 'Port'. This has to be her most woeful production ever. Rae Smith's design has to be critcially described as a disgrace to the National's fifty year history of beautiful and extraordinary scenic designs.  It feels way too childlike and definately looks lie a child has designed this set as no refinement and precision has been thought of here. I think that 'The Light Princess' needs to close now and spare others in seeing this heinous show. I hated it from beginning to end. 

'Raving' Hampstead Theatre **

Well so what can I say about Simon Paisley Day's newest play 'Raving'? It's a production that needs much more refinement especially in terms of the narrative because it seems quite statuesque. The play is set in a converted Welsh farm barn that features three comparatively different married couples who are having a supposedly relaxing weekend retreat. I thought that the story could have been thoroughly refined to establish clarity and professionalism. A slightly disappointing piece of comedy by Paisley Day. The performances by the company were satisfactorily conveyed here and the delivery of the comedy was far too forced for ones liking. I found Tamzin Outhwaite's portrayal of the overly protective mother Briony was quite depressing as it seems that all of her lines were based on the same subject of returning home to her precious son. Her childlike husband Keith (Barnaby Kay) who is fixated by Briony's breast milk makes me think about the stupidity of this piece of theatre. The casting of 'That Mitchell and Webb Look' co-star Robert Webb as London PR guru Ross seems to be the only pleasing performance here as he conveys a man who is desperate for inch of excitement in his life. This was portrayed to a good standard of finish. The direction by the Hampstead Theatre's Artistic Director Edward Hall was quite lacklustre here as it seems that he hasn't fully understood the context of Paisley Day's woeful script and the quality of his directing was poor from start to finish. On the other hand, I did find some parts of the play to be somewhat amusing but on the whole not too much. Even though the review seems quite negative I must congratulate Jonathan Fensom's beautiful design as it seems to capture the essence of a Welsh farmyard barn conversion retreat pretty successfully and the attention to detail was brilliant. It defiantly redeems itself from the rest of this tomfoolery. Overall I thought that 'Raving' was an nauseating and appallingly constructed show to have seen.

'The Pride' Trafalgar Studios 1 *****

I have to admit that 'The Pride' is an outstanding production that conveys the rise and fall of homosexuality. The play written by Alexi Kaye Campbell is set in both the 1950s and the present day and suggests the progression of change towards the homosexual act. The story is highly emotive that leaves a tear running down my cheek and you're taken on a journey that conveys acceptance of the gay community. The performances are exceptional throughout the whole production. The shows central protagonist Oliver (Al Weaver) and Phillip (Harry Hadden-Paton) compassionately portray a potential gay couple who in both time periods suggest that they are destined to be together. But in the 1950s scenes when Phillip is married to Sylvia (Hayley Atwell) it seems that that relationship is never meant to happen. I thought that the performances were compelling throughout and emotionally convincing. In addition to this I found 'Gavin and Stacey' star Mathew Horne as the other characters to be as entertaining and professionally performed and it's really pleasing to see him as someone else. The director Jamie Lloyd seems to have an immense passion for this production and his direction is phenomenal Ashe directs a quite sensitive and poignant issue to an excellent standard of finish. It seems that he has read through Campbell's script intently with a keen interest into the issue of acceptance of the gay community and that it can engage with a range of audiences for  over eighteens. I thought that Soutra Gilmour's design was quite inventive and incredibly mysterious as it encapsulates the transitions of the 1950s to the present day. As well as I liked the choices of textures chosen for the set and the mirror like illusions as a form of projection. This enables me to be quite encouraged and comfortable in knowing that every decision made had a clear dramaturgical meaning. I feel that 'The Pride' establishes the Gay Theatre genre has a place and I had a wonderful experience which makes me stand up and say "I'm proud to be gay".

'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' Duchess Theatre ****

Bertolt Brecht's work has not been seen in the West End for some time now so the decision to stage his 1941 play 'The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui' is a bold one. The play is about a man, Arturo Ui's rise to power. The story line is a satirical allegory to the rise of Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party. I found the narrative to be clear and concise throughout the entire performance. The performances by the company were very convincing and brilliantly delivered during the proceedings. I thought that Henry Goodman's portrayal of the lead character Arturo Ui was exceptionally conveyed as he shows a mans desire to become the leader of a cauliflower rack as the only way to make his life seem worth it. Michael Feast's performance as Ui's rival Ernesto Roma was superb as he understands the deceptive nature of the business that both the men are in and the power and persuasion that Ui has over the people. Jonathan Church's direction is marvelous as he brings the political context entwined with the humorous dialogue onto the Duchess Theatre's stage to a array of different age groups.  No wonder this production was a hit at the Chichester Festival Theatre this year. The productions designer Simon Higlett has crafted a gangsters scenario to a brilliant standard of finish and it seems that a lot of time had been taken to ensure a polished design. In addition the attention to detail was amazing here. However in terms of the production as a whole I feel that three hours of Epic Theatre is far too long so some scenes could have been edited to ensure that the audience can engage with the context fully and intently. On the other hand I think that the the performance does make you think about who in the government you can fully beleive in and the manipulation they have to ensure votes. I have to comment of the fight work by Terry King as he seems to have worked with the company to establish belivable confrontations which enhances the professional quality. On the whole a very good production.             

'The Drowned Man' Temple Studios ****

Punchdrrunk's latest devised production is 'The Drowned Man' and it most definately got a lots of highs and some lows. The immersive journey is set in the abandoned Temple Pictures and tells the story of two couples Wendy and Marshall and William and Mary who are both going through the exact same situations and invetibaly ends in utter devestation. The shows design was phenomenal and incredibly immersive where we are given the freedom to touch the objects, which is what you would expect from an immersive theatre piece. So a huge congratuations to the designers Livi Vaughan and Beatrice Minns for using a eclectic array of materials and for using the buildings dimensions so efficiently. Unfortunatrly in terms of immersive acting I was quite disappointed by this as the audience and actor relationship was hardly apparent. and if you do go and see an immersive theatre piece you expect the entire immersive exprience which I didn't obtain sadly. However the acting performances outside of the immersive atmosphere was superb as they convey the unemployed workers of a defunct movie studio to a high professional standard. At certain points I found the prodcution to be quite scary , this was largely due to the sound design by Stephen Doyle. This encapsulates the chilling atmosphere and the lighting design by Mike Gunning was brilliant as again conveys the murderous situations that are exuded throughout the performance.. In my opinion I think that the direction from Punchdrunk's directors Felix Barrett and Maxine Doyle was exceptional as they have been able to to create a world in a large space that depicts a dark and mysterious journey of the abondoned film studios and it seems to convey a high successful level of collaboration that was exhibited throughout all areas of the theatre making process. I think that for Punchdrunk to return to their home country and stage a piece of theatre here was a very good choice and it seems to appeal to quite a broad range of audience so my final words are "well done Punchdrunk".      

'Scenes from a Marriage' St James Theatre ***

The year old St James Theatre has produced some extraordinary productions since its opening but its current play to brace the stage 'Scenes from a Marriage' seems rather disappointing for ones liking. The play is about a well established married couple who seem to be well respected in their fields of work. Marianne a family divorce lawyer and Johan a senior lecturer at a university at the beginning seem like the perfect married couple but as time flows by the marriage is left in absolute tatters. The story by Ingmar Bergman conveys a depressing and negative view of marriage that desensitizes me as the narrative seems to go from a happy harmonious atmosphere to one full of dread and despair. The acting is of an acceptable standard but I must commend Olivia Williams' portrayal of Marianne as she encapsulates a troubled woman who becomes exactly what she fears the most, becoming a divorcee in her mid forties. Her emotions exhibited here were second to none as she identifies with women who are going through this very tough time in a realistic manner and situation. In addition I found Mark Bazeley's performances of the senior lecturer Johan to be well presented as it seems that he has researched the character who is going through a mid life crisis to the best of his capacity and the movements to convey his drunkenness were well executed. I am quite dismayed by Trevor Nunn's direction as it seems that not a vast amount of creative decision making was thought of with this production as it seems very dull and tiring at places. A huge comparison to the productions that he has directed before such as 'Les Miserables' and 'Kiss Me, Kate' which were stunning and uplifting. I thought the set design was rather bland which leads me to question whether enough collaboration was taken to ensure a superb five star standard of performance. At various points throughout the proceedings in particular scene changes I could hear a vast concoction of noise exuding through the backstage areas and this aggravates me immensely as this should not happen under any circumstances. Also when ticket prices are expensive here you should not expect such shoddy showmanship and craftsmanship. In other words this production leaves a lot to be desired. I have seen substantially interesting production than this rubbish.  Hopefully the next play in the season 'In the Next Room or the Vibrator Play' is a much more stylised performance that delivers both panache and quality in all areas.                 

'Chimerica' Harold Pinter Theatre *****

The Almeida Theatre's West End transfer of 'Chimerica' and now officially closed was a really splendid production to have witnessed. The play is set in both America and China and deals with a young American photojournalist Joe on his quest to search for the man who made history by standing infront of an army tank in Tiananmen Square, 1989 and refusing to move. Joe asks himself three vital questions whilst on his journey. Who was he? What happened to him? And could he still be alive? The writyer of this magnificent piece of theatre writing Lucy Kirkwood has captured the themes of China's fight to end its communist movement so tenderly that it did not appear offensive to me whatsoever. The performances by the company were brilliantly represented and delved into its controversial context so delicately. Joe Schofield played by Stephen Campbell Moore conveys the photojournalist on his quest for the infamous man suggests that he is in fact searching for his own sense of fame and by finding him could solve the answer to all of his problems. The portrayal pf Zhang Linwho is portrayed by the splendid Benedict Wong was extraodinary as he enables us to understand the mans desire to denounce communism and for China to move forward as a land of fair democracy.  The meotional engagements form both the two lead performers ensures the comparisson  between the two countires and how they both connect through a kind of friendship. The direction by Lyndsay Turner was fabulous as she has eleoquently worked with a script with quite heavy themes and produces a production that makes us think about how we should collaborate to ensure equality for all. The set designer Es Devlin has beautifully crafted a set that depicts the heartfelt and most importantly the shocking nature of the piece and seting it fully on the stage revolve was an interesting choice but in my opinion it does all to the fluidity of the entre performance.  To those who could not book tickets for this outstanding piece of theatre making should be slightly upset as this was a show to be seen this summer/autumn.   

'Handbagged' Tricycle Theatre ****

The Tricycle Theatre in the hear of Kilburn, London has most definitely chosen a poignant play to brace the stage this Autumn. 'Handbagged' by Moira Buffini takes on a fictional story on the relationship between the Queen and Britain's only female Prime Minister to date Margaret Thatcher. The plays dialogue is particularly funny as it features both younger and older representations of the same character inhabiting in the same scenarios and circumstances. The political context highlights that politics can sound and seem quite comical even though generally it is far from it. Buffini's narrative is incredibly clear as it takes on the journey of the two well spoken women and their dealings with one another. The performances by Marion Bailey as the older and current Queen and Shelia Gonet as the late Iron Lady convey the women superbly through both the comedy and the emotion. I found it quite amusing when they both exclaim their points the other says that what the other has spoken is fundamentally fictitious too save their undying reputations within the United Kingdom and the rest of the world. The younger imitations of the of these powerful greats, Clair Holman as the Queen and Fernella Woolgar as Lady Thatcher were brilliant presented as it shows the attitudes the lady's had towards one other at the start of Margaret Thatcher's control of the British Government. Unfortunately at certain points Holman did seem to not deliver her lines so coherently and unfortunately stumbles, such a shame to see as the majority of her performance is flawless. The Tricycle's Artistic Director Indhu Rabasingham directs the piece and her artistic decision making is nothing but honest and true because she understands the concept of two national and international figures explaining their own perspectives on events throughout such time e.g. the collaboration between the two women and the late American President Ronald Reagan. Richard Kent's design is simplistic but effective as it conveys the sophistication that British is stereotyped as and the manner in which the Queen and Baroness Thatcher speak to each other in both the professional world and the personal world. A most pleasing scene indeed.  This production is a fitting and amusing tribute to the only female British Prime Minister and should be seen by all of you.                

'Hysteria' Hampstead Theatre ***

The current production at the Hampstead Theatre at this moment is 'Hysteria' and I must commend that this show is full of history, wonder and mystery. The play is about the ways in which the founder of psychoanalysis Sigmund Freud deals with his patients and friends at his world famous Hampstead home, which is now a museum dedicated to his memory. I found the script written by Terry Johnson to be of a good standard but sometimes the dialogue seemed quite too long winded for ones liking especially in the comedic moments. Apart from this I do feel that the writing does appeal to a wide range of audiences especially eighteen year olds plus. The performances were incredibly well delivered which seems to me that for an Off West End theatre that it can produce productions that highly regarded theatre performers want to brace the threshold and take on these challenges.  The plays central protagonist Sigmund Freud played by the ever faithful Antony Sher was conveyed brilliantly as he has captured the flavour of this influential practitioner in both the emotional moments through to the more obtuse ones e.g the dream sequence in the second act. Adrian Schiller as futurist artist Salvador Dali steals the limelight here as his comedy moments electrified the audience as there were laughs from all corners of the auditorium. His voice work was of a satisfactory nature as it feels far too forced somewhat. The shows director who in fact is the writer of the piece has created a good show that delves into both psychology and artistic themes and the juxtaposition between the two works really well for me. Johnson can both write and direct a production without trouble even for the same show. Lez Brotherston's design was spectacular as he has created Freuds home of 20 Marsefield Gardens onto a small stage without any problems an it's ironic that the theatre is only five minutes away from that location if the performance. On the whole a good production that you should see before it closes.

'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' Apollo Theatre *****

It is safe to say that 'The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time' is by far  the best play in the West End at this current time. The production is based on the story of a fifteen year old boy Christopher who has Aspergers Syndrome who tries to solve the case of the viscous murder of his neighbour's dog. The acting is exceptional throughout.  I found the lead played by Mike Nobel was superb throughout the performance and it felt that vast amounts of research had been taken to ensure that he conveyed the right words and actions as to not offend the audience.  Aspergers can be a sensitive issue. The boys parents Judy (Amanda Drew) and Ed (Trevor Fox) allow the audience to understand the immense pressure it is to have a son with this condition and the toll of this sometimes breaks the family apart. This is another outstanding production directed by the marvellous Marianne Elliot as she has been able to direct a production that leaves me with a humongous smile on my face. I found her vision to be one of such wonder that makes me believe that she thoroughly deserved her Olivier 2013 Award for Best Direction. Hopefully her work for 'Port' has such recognition and wins an Olivier in Spring 2014. The design of the set by Bunny Christie and outstanding video design by Central School of Speech and Drama graduate Finn Ross was an extraordinary piece of craftsmanship and it seems that a lot of work has been taken to ensure a phenomenal production  that has wowed audiences time and time again. I was sincerely fulfilled whilst watching this beautiful production. The Movement Directors, Artistic Directors of Frantic Assembly, Steven Hoggett and Scott Graham have incorporated a visionary wave of choreography that enables you to travel on a journey with Christopher and the other characters.This is conveyed through their own experiences and it's great to see such brilliant movements presented by the company. This is the production to be seen so I urge you not miss out on this outstanding play.    

'A Midsummer Night's Dream' Noel Coward Theatre ****

The current production of the opening season of the Michael Grandage Company 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' was a production full of delight. I thought that Michael Grandage has constructed a very successful contextualised  performance of William Shakespeare's comedy. I particularly  found the abandoned and destroyed country house to convey the forest to be a fascinating and highly intriguing concept which seemed that the attention to detail to be of near perfection. The performances by its two lead actors, David Walliams who in my opinion plays the actor turned donkey Bottom to be well presented but I found some of his 'Little Britain' traits to be exuding through the role. Sheridan Smith's portrayal of Titania/Hippolyta was superb as she has understood the balance of playing a straight faced woman in a business suit to a fairy who seems to be under the influence of drugs. What a brilliant interpretation of the role. In addition I found the ensemble work to be of a good standard but I thought the voice projection wasn't so well presented as I had a vast amount of trouble hearing what they were saying.  The director Michael Grandage has understood  the level of detail needed to craft a well established play to appeal to a contemporary audience and it seemed whilst observing the audiences reaction  to it was perceived well. It also seems to me that the time taken to put this production from rehearsal to construction  seemed to be utilized effectively. Another successful play for the Michael Grandage Company.   The shows designer who has designed all of the productions for Michael Grandage, Christopher Oram has designed a parallel world where all the characters are on a sort of 'acid trip' and that the juxtaposition betwwen the hippie world the normal world works particularly well for ones liking. It feels to me that the director and the designer have worked seamlessly together to pull of a good production that audiences seems to admire and love.  It's safe to say that the Michael Grandage Company is starting a trend to the future of up and coming theatre companies . Well done to the Michael Grandage Company for another spectacular performance.             

'The Ladykillers' Vaudeville Theatre ****

The current run of 'The Ladykillers' is a well crafted piece of theatre indeed. Based on the 1955 film of the same name which starred the likes of Alec Guinness and Peter Sellers is set in King's Cross where five criminals decide to come together and pose as musicians decide to conjure a heist. To cover their tracks 'Professor' Marcus decides to rent rooms that are available of an old lady called Mrs Wilberforce and falsy claim that he and the other criminals are performing for a concert and need a place to stay and rehearse. However this is a complete lie as this is going to be the location as to where they plan the robbery. The narrative flows particularly well through both the humour and the emotion of this piece of theatre and I found the performances by the entire company were brilliantly conveyed and the delivery of the comedy were of good quality as well as wonderful to watch. The lead female role Mrs Wilberforce played by Angela Thorne performed the role so eloquently and her expressions and movements were exceptional and lovely to witness. Sometimes I felt the performances by the criminals Harry (Ralf Little), One Round (Chris McCalphy), Major Courtney (Simon Day), Louis (Con O'Niell) and of course their leader Professor Marcus (John Gordon Sinclair) were often too comedic for my liking and I found some of the fight sequences to be too repetitive but the majority of their acting were of a good standard. Sean Foley's direction were superbly thought of as he has been able to create an adaptation of an iconic British comic film to the West End stage. His attention the the comic values were second to none even though some of the actions were slightly repetitive for ones liking e.g. the slapping and the rocking of the set to convey the nearby train line. I thought that the set and costume designer Michael Taylor has done a credible job for this such production as he has be able to design a Victorian house onto the vast Vaudeville stage. I think the costumes were beautifully made and conveyed the 1950's quite well. The lighting was especially outstanding and I think James Farncombe deserves 'a pat on the back' for this. I found my experience at 'The Ladykillers' to be one of such pleasure.

'Strange Interlude' National Theatre, Lyttleton ****

The National Theatre's production of Eugene O' Neill's 1928 play 'Strange Interlude' was both brilliantly performed by all actors and crafted so eloquently by both the creative and  production teams. The narrative is based and focused on Nina Leeds who is played by the ever wonderful Anne-Marie Duff is a really intriguing but slightly troubled woman who at the beginning of the show we see she has been suffering from an illness of some kind for quite a long time but throughout the production we learn that three men are fighting for her love and affection. The three male roles Charles Marsden (Charles Edwards), a long term friend of Nina's who has always loved her, Edmund Darrell (Darren Pettie) a bolshy Biologist who Nina has a affair with when she's married and Sam Evans (Jason Watkins) a highly misunderstood but highly naive man who marries Nina. The roles are performed with care and attention and it was interesting to see how different these men are from one another and I particularly admired the scenes when all three of the them are together and understanding the adoration they have over this one woman.  The productions director Simon Godwin directs this classic story beautifully as he has enabled the original context to be show to a contemporary audience who may have never have heard or read this play before. He has worked with the Lyttleton stage graciously and has encapsulated a vast amounts of locations to fit around a revolve without it feeling overly used. The designer fro 'Strange Interlude' Soutra Gilmour has to be credited with the utmost respect. She has created a work of genius by managing to design a set that depicts the times of 1920's America in outstanding detail.  In addition the costume designs are wonderfully thought of and conveys the characteristics of the characters and the dramaturgy of the whole production.  It seems to me that both the director and the designer have collaborated with one another with such depth and understanding that I find their work flawless and effortless. What a wonderful work of brilliance and a production that has to be commended to all who have seen this. This production has now closed but to all those who have witnessed this wonderful piece of theatre I hope you all had a wonderful time as much as I had. 

'Soul Sister' Churchill Theatre **

What can I say about the current touring production of 'Soul Sister', the musical presentation of the life and times of Tina and Ike Turner? I must convey that this has to be one of the most horrendous productions I have seen this year. The plot is terribly woeful as you are taken on a journey abut singing sensation Tina Turner's life and the dialogue doesn't flow very well due to the awful scenarios created by Pete Brooks and John Miller. The acting is incredibly false and the singing is sung appallingly and the choreography is danced horrifically and this is continued throughout the entire performance. Jenny Fitzpatrick's portrayal of Tina Turner was highly disappointing as she seems to not be fully comfortable with performing the role. In addition to her performance her movements in the choreography sections were poorly presented and leads me to question whether the rehearsal period was taken seriously enough. Chris Tummings' performance of the troublesome and nasty Ike Turner has a lot to be desired as again it seems to be incredibly melodramatic at emotive and fight sequences.  As well as the performances by the whole company were lacklustre from beginning to end. I was very displeased by this. The shows designer Laura Hopkins has no understanding of musical theatre design whatsoever as the entire design is video projection and even this was not used to the best of its ability which is a serious shame. Even some scenes were fully video projected which is very lackadaisical. The shows direction is mediocre throughout as it seems poorly constructed as it seems no time in characterisation development was thought about and even rehearsal time wasn't used wisely at all. I feel that there have been a vast amounts of wasted creative decisions that could have made the production more of an enjoyable experience. But it seems to me that advertisement favours creativity whereas it should be the complete opposite. It feels like another 'Viva Forever!' and this leads to apprehension about musicals featuring current and available material. I tried to enjoy this show but unfortunately not. This is a show you should avoid at all costs.

'Thark' Park Theatre ****

The newest playhouse in London, the Park Theatre has had a brilliant and highly successful opening season. The current production in this exciting new venture for Finsbury Park is 'Thark' an 1920's farce by Ben Travers and it's a lovely play to have watched. The play is set in two quite different locations, the first being a stylish Mayfair flat and the second being Thark, a supposed haunted mansion that even the faint hearted wouldn't even dare to step over the threshold. The narrative is wonderfully clear and I think this is due to Travers' delightful words and Clive Francis' script adaptation. The dialogue is highly amusing and this is because of the lovely performances by the company. I must convey to you that out of the performances I have seen in summer 2013 I have never seen such a cast who have played their roles with such diligence. I particularly liked the scene where Sir Hector Benbow (Clive Francis) and Ronny Gamble (James Dutton) are sleeping in the haunted bedroom at Thark and the acting is highly convincing which leads the story on so pleasantly 'so to speak'. I think that the direction by Eleanor Rhode was magnificent as she has directed a production that captures the essence of the roaring twenties that can appeal to the contemporary audience with such panache. She and her cast seem to have rehearsed this production with such thought and attention that I could not fault the performance and direction whatsoever.  The shows designer Cherry Truluck has crafted a production with such a limited amount of stage space with such success. However I would have preferred to have seen two individual sets for Sir Hector Benbow's flat and Thark but with the such limited budgets in the arts these days, unfortunately, I can understand the difficulties of having two sets but on the whole a good job.  I value the quality of this production and as the run is coming to end very soon I would book now to avoid disappointment.

'Rock of Ages' Garrick Theatre ****

The musical presentation of 'Rock of Ages' most definitely lifts the spirits of rock music fans everywhere. Currently wowing audiences at the Garrick Theatre since January 2013 I must admit it is a masterpiece of a production. The show written by Chris D'Arienzo depicts the effect that rock music had on people across the world and how commercialised pop music has ruined original music creation. The plot is wonderfully performed by all the company especially Simon Lipkin as Lonny. His portrayal is nothing more than brilliant as he conveys a bar worker fully besotted by women's charms but as the production moves swiftly on we learn that he has been hiding in the closet and comes out as a gay man. In another instance the performances by Ross Hunter as Drew and Natalie Andreou as Sherrie were lovingly conveyed as you could feel the emotions of their romance story that's exuded through the incredibly clear and concise narrative. The shows director Kristin Hanggi has created an outstanding production that exudes the 1980's rock anthems in a completely new interpretation that engages with all audiences of different ages.  The set designed by Beowulf Boritt and costumes designed by Gregory Gale are lovely to see and they have listened to the directors vision for the show and a lot of research has been taken to achieve this level of perfection. I liked the mixture of the old and the new when it came to the costumes and set. The band were superb and the use of the world renowned rock anthems to convey emotion and humour were brilliantly thought about. Great choices of music were chosen here. No wonder audiences come and see this show time and time again as it has entertained me. 'Don't Stop Believin'' in your dreams. When you are out and about in London make sure you schedule 'Rock of Ages' in there somewhere.  

'Once' Phoenix Theatre *****

The musical adaptation of the 2006 film has only been on the West End stage just this year but I must admit it is a triumphant production indeed. The musical is about and Irish man desperate to succeed in the music business, who at the moment works for his father fixing vacuum cleaners stumbles upon a Czech girl and this certain girls changes his life forever in a matter of days. Written superbly by Irish playwright Enda Walsh, he creates a heartfelt journey which would even make the grown man cry and most certainly engages with a wide range of audiences due to the themes exuding through Walsh's amazing dialogue. The performances by David Hunter as Guy and Phoebe Fildes as Girl were exceptional as they delivered a moving but amusing relationship which all couple should identify and engage with. In addition the rest of the company also acting as musicians captured the essence of community. This nearly moved me to tears as it was incredibly heart wrenching. The music and lyrics by Glen Hansard and Markéta Irglová were beautifully crafted as the production itself is a whirlwind of emotional content and enables the singing to really come alive. I thought that the execution of the orchestrations and music supervision by Martin Lowe were extraordinary and working with the company instead of an orchestra was very intriguing to witness and the company played the instruments with such panache. A great directorial decision by the director John Tiffany. As well as, Tiffany has directed a musical production with a definitive vision of rare heartfelt emotion with a high community spirit. The scenic and costume design by Bob Crowley is outstanding as he has crafted a traditional Irish pub on the stage which can be quickly transformed in a matter of seconds with the brilliance of Natasha Katz's lighting. The production is definitely brilliant an if you want another musical like 'Les Misérables' to have a good cry to then 'Once' is the show for you and an experience I enjoyed immensely.

'Relatively Speaking' Wyndhams Theatre ****

Alan Ayckbourn's 1967 play 'Relatively Speaking' has to be the comedy production to see this summer. Ayckbourn's narrative of a confusing and highly amusing Buckinghamshire home where a young couple meet with a old married couple soon become the most confusing scenario you would imagine where Ginny (Kara Tointon) travels to The Willows to end an affair she has been having with married man Philip (Jonathan Coy). The production staring the legendary 'The Good Life' actress Felicity Kendall as the stereotypical housewife Shelia and I must say she was brilliant in this part as she conveys this character with tenacity and comedic value that you become enthralled by what she is going to say next. The relationship between her and her husband Philip were highly believable and conveyed with such humour that the audience couldn't stop lauging at their personal scenes. I thought that the two younger characters Ginny (Tointon) and Greg (Max Bennett) were just as comedic as the older characters and performed and delivered beautifully. Lindsay Posner's direction of Ayckborn's play was technically and brilliantly sound and thought of with tenderness and ease. In addition I thought that the design by Peter McKintosh was extraordinary due to the intense scale of The Willows house where the married couple Shelia and Philip live. I particularly liked the transition between the London flat to the The Willows in rural Bucks quickly and proficiently. The lighting by Howard Harrison and sound by Matt McKenzie complimented to Posner's direction and McKintosh's design amazingly well and on par to the attention to detail to the performance portrayed by the company. This production has to be seen this summer and I must congratulate Cardiff Theatrical Services for their amazing set and one to be admired as the design must have posed a challenge to the scenic constructors. I Had a wonderful experience here and when speaking to fellow audience members that they enjoyed it as much as I did.  

'The Cripple of Inishmaan' Noel Coward Theatre ****

The Michael Grandage Company's opening season has produced two fantastic productions and the third one is just as brilliant. 'The Cripple of Inishmaan' by Martin McDonagh is about a crippled teenage boy Billy, living on the small Irish island of Inishmaan dreams for a better life for himself and when there's a film being made on another island Billy decides to leave Inishmaan to try a make a career in the movies. Billy is conveyed by the world renowned 'Harry Potter' actor Daniel Radcliffe and his performance is nothing but brilliant  as the attention to detail of the disfigured movements were superb and the Irish dialect was spoken with such clarity that I couldn't recognise the actors voice. I think that he has understood and researched his character with a high level of knowledge and portraying Billy with humour and emotion. The performances by Billy's two adopted aunties Kate Osbourne (Ingrid Craigie) and Eileen Osbourne (Gillian Hanna) were incredibly comical and the comedy from their lines seemed not too false and this added to the professionalism of this revival. As well as, I liked the protective qualities that conveyed at both the serious and comedic scenes. The fraught relationship of Johnnypateenmike (Pat Shortt) and Mammy (June Watson) were hilariously conveyed so that we could understand the stupidity of Shortt's character and the drunken persona of Watson's character. I thought that their jibes towards one another reflects on how families today still have arguments that turn out funny in the end. The company's director, Michael Grandage is a master in the art of directing as he directs this production brilliantly because I could see that he has scheduled enough rehearsal time for each of the five productions with the same level of quality. Grandage has created an emotional and amusing production that would appeal to audiences of fifteen plus and works with McDonagh's narrative with such tenacity.  In addition to this,  Grandage and the set and costume designer Christopher Oram seemed to have worked with one another amazingly well and Oram's vision of creating a small Irish island and a small community on what I assume to be on a low budget and on the West End stage was nothing more than extraordinary.  I think the saying three is a magic number can be identified with this production and I do hope that the forth production in the season ' A Midsummer Night's Dream' wll be on par to this one.

'A Season in the Congo' Young Vic ****

The Young Vic's production of Aimé Césaire's play 'A Season in the Congo' is a show to be seen this summer. The acting by Chiwetel Ejiofor as the Congolese Prime Minister Patrice Lumumber was superb as he portrayed a character dealing with a dictatorship from the Belgian government with such sincerity that I found this to be highly emotive and poignant at points throughout the play. I thought that the work and performance by Kabongo Tshiense as Likembe Player was extraordinary as he spoke in the native Congolese language throughout the entire production which makes me understand how much time he has taken to fully embody this character to the highest quality possible. Absolutely wonderful to witness and his character exuded comedy throughout his performance.  I thought that the performances by all the company were superb and highly believable especially English actors portraying Congolese people.  In addition I found the use of puppetry to convey the government figures in a grotesque way was highly amusing as I was able to understand the playwrights political context that he was trying to convey even further. I liked this feature very much and the wonderful work by the company's Puppet Director Sarah Wright and beautifully crafted by Lyndie Wright, Julia Jeulin and Rebekah Wild. The directing by Joe Wright was out of this world as he ensured that he captured the essence of the Congolese way of life throughout the difficult decade and I think that his research trip to the Democratic Republic of the Congo was inspired. I liked how he worked with the unconventional Young Vic proscenium arch format and the design by Lizzie Clachan was very intriguing as I was sitting on an actual outdoor seat rather than a general theatre seat.  I liked the simplicity of the set but also the high edge detailing of the insight I received of how Congo was like during their struggle of freedom. Black Theatre has definitely found its place this summer in on and off West End theatre work.   

'The Amen Corner' National Theatre, Olivier ****

'The Amen Corner' is a masterpiece of creativity and definitely suggests and shows how Black Theatre has progressed over the past five to ten years. The performances by the company were impressive to say the very least. Marianne Jean-Baptiste's interpretation of Margaret Alexander was outstanding as she has worked so technically on the characters personal journey from running away from her ex husband and turning to the church as a sanctuary to change her own life and others in the slums of Harlem, New York. In addition to this, the other two leading female characters Odessa played by Sharon D Clarke and Ida Jackson performed by Naana Agyei-Ampadu were superb as you could see the passion the characters have for their community and religion. I think that Rufus Norris' direction from James Baldwin's 1954 play was brilliant as I could see the religious and racial issues exuding through the very good dialogue that Baldwin wrote nearly sixty years ago. I was pleased with Norris' work on this production. I particularly liked how Set Designer Ian MacNeil has worked with the Olivier Amphitheatre format through the use of levels where the church is positioned directly in level with the circle and the basement apartment in line with the stalls. This was a superb creative decision and choice to make as the Olivier poses a difficult challenge. The musicians Tim Sutton, Bryon Wallen and Joseph Roberts were brilliant throughout the production as they entwined the gospel attributes of  to the jazz Harlem social background.  I found aspects of the play to be highly emotive and highly amusing especially the performances by the three female leads.  I liked my experience at 'The Amen Corner' and I would recommend it to you.

'Sweet Bird of Youth' The Old Vic ***

The Old Vic production of Tennessee Williams' 1959 play 'Sweet Bird of Youth' was a satisfactory production to have witnessed. The performances by world renowned actress Kim Cattrall as the Princess Kosmonopolis and up and coming actor Seth Numrich as Chance Wayne were conveyed with sincerity through their understanding of the characters they were conveying where Kosmonopoilis hired Chance Wayne to be her personal servant come escort who takes pleasure in seducing him. Not far from the role that made Cattrall famous as Samantha Jones in 'Sex and the City'. I found the humour through the dark comedy but I thought that the narrative could have been more thorough as it felt often confusing due to conflicting themes such as romance and segregation. However I thought that Olivier Award winner Marianne Elliot's direction for the play was superb but not on par to her previous productions 'Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime' and 'Port'.  I think that she could could understand Williams' vision of the production with such ease and fluidity.  I became intrigued  to know that James Graham was asked to be the Dramaturg to improve certain aspects of the script e.g. the strange dialogue and working closely with Elliot's direction. He has done a very good job with this production. Rae Smith's design of 'Sweet Bird of Youth' was inspired as I became enthralled by the unusual concept as to why he and Elliot wanted to extend the Old Vic's proscenium arch for this specific production and this worked particularly well for this revival of 'Sweet Bird of Youth'. I really liked the use of fight work throughout the proceedings to depict such matters of segregation and sexually transmitted diseases. The work by Fight Director Katie Waters and Bruno Poet's lighting co-existed with one another with clarity due to the dreary themes that Williams originally wrote in 1959.  I think that the Producers and the Programming team for this production have chosen an intriguing but quite eccentric play to stage for the summer season but an experience that I enjoyed immensely.

'The Bodyguard: The Musical' Adelphi Theatre ****

There have been many stage musical adaptations of popular films recently and I can say that the stage adaptation of 1992 film 'The Bodyguard' was a brilliant piece of theatre indeed. The lead role Rachel Maron, played by the excellent Heather Hedley was highly emotive indeed and I found that she captured how Whitney Houston played Rachel but of course she added her own unique style and poise to the role. The relationship between Rachel Maron and her bodyguard Frank Farmer, played so tenderly by Lloyd Owen were terrific and you could believe the romance by them throughout all sensual scenes. In addition to Lloyd Owen's superb portrayal I thought that the collaboration between him and Joshua-James Thoma (Fletcher) was so beautifully acted that I became quite touched by this and this made me relate to the relationship I have with my own father. Thea Sharrock's directing was exceptionally pleasing as I was able to understand her on vision for the theatrical stage. The choreography from Portuguese choreographer Arthur Pita was created with such precision but also organic shows the level of good this musical actually is. The work by Chris Egan, the Orchestrator and Musical Arranger and Mike Dixon, Musical Supervisor and Vocals Arranger were of a high standard of finish as the detail of the music and vocals were presented highly by the orchestra and the company. The set and costume design by Tim Hatley were exceptionally thought about and designed with how 'The Bodyguard' could be worked on the West End stage. The costumes were dramatugically accurate to the 1990's time period. I enjoyed the production of 'The Bodyguard: The Musical' immensely.    

'Private Lives' Gielgud Theatre ****

The Chichester Festival Theatre never ceases to amaze me with such productions as 'Kiss Me, Kate', 'Sweeney Todd: The Musical' and 'Singin' in the Rain' proving such successes in the West End and the transfer of Noel Coward's 1930 comedy 'Private Lives' is as good as them. The comedic performances by Toby Stephens, who plays Elyot Chase and Anna Chancellor, who plays Amanda Prynne were superb through the use of Noel Coward's legendary words and I particularly loved the idea of when the two ex counterparts argue they quickly resolve the issue by the drinking of alcohol and romancing. The two roles were played with such tenacity that I believed every ounce that they spoke. The two supporting roles of Victor Prynne (Anthony Calf) and Sibyl Chase (Anna-Louise Plowman) were just as convincing and on par with Stephens and Chancellor. The Casting Director, Gabrielle Dawes has done a grand job with these wondrous decisions. i found Jonathan Kent's ingenious direction for the whole production  to have been with such understanding of Coward's text  especially the use of violence, which back in the 1930's when the theatre's official censor, the Lord Chamberlain was still around at the time that 'Private Lives' was first staged. Even thought this was an occurrence the reader George Street found it difficult to censor large proportions of the original play script due to its comic values. The set and costume design by Anthony Ward was absolutely terrific as it conveyed the time that the play is set with such a luxurious vision of glamour and wealth. The lighting design by Mark Henderson and sound design by Paul Groothuis depicted the fraught atmosphere that surrounded the performances by the company. I had a really interesting time seeing a highly amusing play that if you want to see a hilariously funny show this summer then this is the production for you.        

'Merrily We Roll Along' Harold Pinter Theatre *****

What can I say about the Menier Chocolate Factory West End transfer of Stephen Sondheim's and George Furth's musical 'Merrily We Roll Along'? All I can say is that I found the whole experience to be one of such wonder and enjoyment. When 'Merrily We Roll Along' was first staged in 1981 it became one of Broadway's most notorious flops by only lasting for sixteen performances but now in 2013 at the Harold Pinter Theatre it has become a triumphant reinvention. Maria Friedman's direction was outstanding  as I was able to understand her vision for the show to symbolise how friendships are incredibly and her own personal experience, when she performed as Mary in the 1992 production shines through the characters. The three lead roles of Frankie, Mary and Charley, portrayed by Mark Umbers, Jenna Russell and Damian Humbley were conveyed so delicately that I became enthralled by the friends arguments over Frankie's success in the 1970's film industry.  The backwards timeline showed how film producers have no originality whatsoever and this is how the theatre industry today is reflected through musical adaptations of popular films. The choreography, beautifully crafted by Tim Jackson  fitted in exceptionally well within Friedman's vision. I especially enjoyed the scene in The Downtown Club where you could see the originality of Charley, Frankie and Beth's (Clare Foster)  artistic collaboration through incredible dance sequences. Every single production value were on par to the acting and directing. You should see this before the end of July as it closes at the end of July. I thoroughly enjoyed my experience at 'Merrily We Roll Along' and I recommend you go and see it. 

Hello Theatre Lovers everywhere

Hi All

This is my first blog post. I am Kieran Knowles and I am currently training on the BA (Hons) Theatre Practice: Performance Arts course at the world famous Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. The aim of the blog is to establish which shows you should and I mean really should go or those that you should avoid.

I hope you take on the advice as it will save you time and money.

Many thanks

Kieran
xx