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Theatre Reviews Roundup: The Producers

Turning a ‘flop’ into a hit

menier chocolate factory
Andy Nyman & Marc Antolin in The Producers at the Menier Theatre. Photo: Manuel Harlan

It’s been a while since Mel Brooks‘ one-time megahit musical has been seen in London. There was much surprise that such a spectacular show should be produced at the small Menier Theatre. Nevertheless, the critics were universally impressed by the witty, faithful direction of Patrick Marber, the stage-filling choreography by Lorin Latarro, and the all-round excellence of the cast. Some managed to praise the two stars Andy Nyman and Marc Antolin while also saying they weren’t as good as the originals but most thought they brought a great chemistry to the roles of two producers trying to put on a loss-making show in order to keep their investors’ money. The most famous song Springtime For Hitler seems to have lost little of its hilariously funny bad taste. No reviewer gave it less than 4 stars, the main reservation seeming to be that it’s a little dated.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

Aliya Al-Hassan in BroadwayWorld (5) gave top marks: ’It’s far from subtle, but is funny, irreverant and witty.’ She praised the stars: ‘Nyman revels in his lank-haired, slightly chaotic persona. He has a palpable chemistry with Marc Antolin‘s adorably coy and neurotic Bloom.’ And the creative team: ‘Patrick Marber shows astute direction in his first musical. Lorin Latarro’s vibrant choreography defies the constrictions of the space, never seeming to be over-crowded or too busy.’

Helen Hawkins on The Arts Desk (5) called it ‘an uproarious adult panto.’ She said,  ‘Andy Nyman is the dynamo of the show, a convincing wheeler-dealer…His Leo Bloom, Marc Antolin, is spot on too, nervous and silly, but equally amiable’

The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar (4) said, ‘Still so original, and delightfully – daringly – funny, it is revived by director Patrick Marber with such vigour, sparkle and controlled wildness that it renders itself the London show of the festival season – funnier, camper and more outre than pantomime.’ She found it ‘irresistible, absurd and joyful, both celebrating and sending up the power of theatre. A blast of a show.’

WhatsOnStage’s Sarah Crompton (4) declared, ‘It’s not at all subtle, but speeds along with such pleasure at its own absurdity that it’s hugely entertaining.’ She said, ‘Nyman and Antolin anchor the show while everyone else goes so far over the top that the roof is in danger of coming off. Both Harry Morrison as the Nazi-loving author of the show and Trevor Ashley as the fabulously gay director Roger de Bris are unleashed into wild excess’.

Matthew Hemley for The Stage (4) pointed out, ‘this is a musical that still guarantees laugh after laugh after laugh, with a genuinely brilliant score from Brooks.’ He continued, ‘Marber keeps the show whizzing along, and Lorin Latarro’s slick choreography makes brilliant use of a tight space’. He described the stars:  ‘Nyman and Antolin work delightfully together, Nyman a ball of frustrated energy, Antolin on top form as his nervy, blanket-hugging sidekick. They sing and dance wonderfully, and they’re very funny, too – both the physical and verbal comedy is a genuine treat.’ He went  on, ‘The highlight, however, comes in the form of Trevor Ashley’s Roger De Bris, the director tasked with helming Springtime for Hitler, who eventually finds himself playing the Nazi leader…(his) expressions, voice and comic timing are spot on. His Judy Garland-infused Hitler is a wonder.’

The Financial Times‘ Sarah Hemming (4★) said, ‘director Patrick Marber, choreographer Lorin Latarro and the versatile cast go at it with unadulterated glee, plundering every cliché in the book and mischievously pickpocketing the musicals tradition.’ She continued, ‘At its heart are Nyman and Antolin, both terrific and a wonderful double act’ and concluded, ‘Despite all the absurdity…it’s rather sweet: a ridiculous love-letter to friendship and to the sheer craziness and passion of show business.’

Over at LondonTheatre (4) Olivia Rook showered praise all round and picked out various members of the cast: ‘Trevor Ashley is perfectly cast as the scene-stealing director Roger De Bris…Harry Morrison also gives a stand-out performance as the crazed Hitler fanatic Franz, spitting out his words with relish in a throaty German accent, and Joanna Woodward’s endearing, Marilyn Monroe-esque Ulla is a delight.’

Time Out’s Andrzej Lukowski (4) decided, ‘The Producers is a bit dated, a bit slow in getting going… But its pillorying of fascist iconography remains hysterically funny and steely sharp – perhaps sharper than it was before.’

Although Dominic Cavendish at The Telegraph (4) spent a chunk of his review comparing Nyman and Antolin unfavourably with the stars of the original movie, nevertheless he found it ‘perfectly suited for the festive need for cheer’.

Louis Chilton in The Independent (4) commented, ‘as a satire both of fascist nationalism and showbiz, The Producers remains ever-relevant. Directed by Patrick Marber … this production does a lot with a small, intimate stage; Lorin Latarro’s choreography is showy and dynamic – but lets the comedy rightfully hoard the focus…The jokes are rapid, the satire outrageous. How could it possibly fail?’

Critics’ Average Rating 4.2★

The Producers is at the Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre until 1 March 2025. Click here to buy tickets direct.

If you’ve seen The Producers at the Menier Theatre, please add your review and rating below

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Theatre Reviews Roundup – Ballet Shoes

The Best Christmas Show?

olivier
Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre. Photo: Manuel Harlan

Noel Streatfeild’s popular children’s novel about aspiring ballerinas has been faithfully adapted by Kendall Feave, albeit with a few nods to modern times, and directed by Katy Rudd, with choreography by Ellen Kane. Likely to be the best reviewed Christmas show in London, it received a corps of 5 and 4 stars from the critics with only a pas de deux of 3 star reviews.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

At the i (5★), Fiona Mountford announced, ‘here is a real Christmas cracker from the National Theatre’, saying it ‘has been exuberantly adapted by Kendall Feaver in a manner so skilful it will please the novel’s generations of fans while simultaneously enchanting a whole new audience.’

The Standard‘s Nick Curtis (5★) declared, ‘This delicious show about three female foundlings forging their own identities, and a makeshift family, in a house full of oddballs in interwar London absolutely bowled me over.’ He explained: ‘Katy Rudd’s production may not have the dazzle and snark of last year’s NT Christmas hit, The Witches, but in its celebration of plucky women and old-school values – personal and theatrical – it never puts a foot wrong. The acting ensemble is excellent, the choreography (by Ellen Kane) and stagecraft sublime, and Frankie Bradshaw’s sets wonderfully simple.’

For The Telegraph‘s Dominic Cavendish (5★), the girls’ voyage of discovery is … thrilling and catches a collective joy achieved through pluck and grit. He found Rudd’s fleet, beautiful production…has a lightness of touch on all fronts.’

Sarah Crompton at WhatsOnStage (5★) stated, ‘adaptor Kendall Feaver and director Katy Rudd have done a magnificent job….Above all the staging, fluidly choreographed by Ellen Kane (with Jonathan Goddard), creates its own magic, making a story that is full of love for the self-realising powers of theatre and dance into a transformative experience in itself.’ She summed up, ‘It’s a Christmas show with heart, soul and a flurry of movement to sweep you away.’

Alice Saville in The Independent (5★) ‘Ballet Shoes is as delicately balanced as a dancer en pointe as it leaps between its period setting and the present, finding ways to diversify and complexify this story in ways that never feel lazy or jarring. It’s a Christmas treat for every possible kind of family.’

The Times’ Clive Davis (4★) called it ‘a beguiling play with music that exemplifies the very best of the National’s production values.’ He went on to talk of a ‘magnificent’ set and ‘exuberant’ performances.

The Guardian‘s Arifa Akbar (4★) decided, ‘Under the direction of Katy Rudd, this is an exquisite Christmas cracker of a show, albeit an elegant one that never quite let its hair down, but still it is filled with spectacular theatricality and fabulous performances all round.’ Getting into detail, she said, ‘Samuel Wyer’s costumes dazzle and Frankie Bradshaw’s set is no less than luminous … while Ash J Woodward’s video projections and Paule Constable’s lighting create the almost magical effect of movement: dinosaurs lurch and sea waves swish across the stage.’ She concluded, ‘The old-style, big-band music, composed by Asaf Zohar, captures a bygone time and Ellen Kane’s precious choreography captures the gorgeousness of a silver-screen musical.’

Chris Omaweng for LondonTheatre1 (4★) said, ‘this may not be a perfect show, but it excels in being uplifting and inspiring without being overly saccharine.’

Julia Rank at LondonTheatre (4★) – not to be confused with the rival ticket selling website above- enthused ‘Frankie Bradshaw’s gorgeous set, a cabinet of curiosities, recalls the first room in the V&A’s Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser exhibition, beautifully lit by Paule Constable. In an avant-garde production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream with robot-esque costumes, the tenderhearted Petrova gets her chance to defy gravity and discovers her voice in the process.’ She said ‘Ellen Kane’s choreography is a delight and always organic.’ She concluded, ‘It might not hit the heights of last year’s National Theatre Christmas show The Witches, but still a very winning fairy on top of the Christmas tree for this season.’

In The Stage (3★), Holly O’Mahony had more reservations than the other critics but still concluded: ‘If it could do with a little more challenge and excitement, it’s still a loveable, big-hearted production that captures imaginations and tickles the humour of audiences of all ages.’

Andrzej Lukowski in Time Out (3★) said, ‘It’s slick, classy and meticulously directed by Katy Rudd. But ultimately it lacks dramatic punch.’

Critics’ Average Rating 4.3★

Value Rating 54 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)

Ballet Shoes is at the National Theatre until 22 February 2025. Click here to buy tickets direct.

If you’ve seen Ballet Shoes at the National Theatre, please add your review and rating below

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Theatre Reviews Roundup – The Devil Wears Prada

Vanessa Williams stars in Elton John musical

Dominion Theatre
Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry in The Devil Wears Prada. Photo: Matt Crockett

This musical is based on the popular film starring Meryl Streep, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. It has been adapted by Kate Wetherhead with music by Elton John. After a lukewarm response to its premiere in Chicago, musicals heavyweight Jerry Mitchell has been brought in to direct and choreograph.

The producers may be disappointed at receiving so many two star reviews but the critics’ overall view that it is a victory for style over substance may not concern those audiences who love a bit of style. The stars Vanessa Williams, Georgie Buckland, Amy di Bartolomeo and Matt Henry were, on the whole, well received, as was the choreography.

The critics couldn’t agree about Elton John‘s music with comments ranging from ‘lackkustre’ to ‘irresistable’. Similarly, the clothes, which are an essential ingredient, were described by BroadwayWorld as ‘What the show gets right’ and by WhatsOnStage as ‘deeply disappointing’. Theatre critics turned into would-be fashion writers as they disagreed on whether the frocks were authentic haute couture or knockoffs.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

For Martin Robinson at The Standard (5★) it was ‘absolutely fabulous’.  He said, ‘Elton John’s irresistible songs are the highlight of this big, bold, metaphorically shoulder-padded musical…The tunes, from disco to power pop to Broadway homage, are draped in witty lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick, and belted out by a glamazon cast in a ritzy, glitzy production by director and choreographer Jerry Mitchell that conquers the cavernous Dominion.’ He noted, ‘Williams sings with withering power’

Chris Omaweng for LondonTheatre1 (4★) said, ‘Jerry Mitchell’s signature “full out” choreography is delightful, and the music has the kind of campy and upbest drive one would expect from Sir Elton John.’  Saying he’d see it again, he ended, ‘there are some decent punchlines to chortle at and a stellar cast with plenty of talent to enjoy.’

The Times’ Clive Davis (3★) called it ‘efficient, well-groomed, and, at times, a tiny bit dull’.

Fiona Mountford at i-news (3★) thought there were pros and cons. On the plus side, ‘The costumes are, of course, fabulous, and Williams, a made-to-measure fit for the Priestly part as the undisputed mistress of the wither put-down, could not look more stylish.’ However, ‘If only this fabulousness could extend to director Jerry Mitchell’s choreography, which is bewilderingly and irredeemably naff, like a local Zumba class attempting a line dance.’

Olivia Rook for LondonTheatre (3★) said Vanessa Williams ‘has an incredible stage presence’. She also thought ‘Georgie Buckland impresses as ambitious Andy’ and ‘Amy Di Bartolomeo gives a stand-out performance as first assistant Emily’. However she was unimpressed by the costumes: ‘They’re too garish and, in some cases, shapeless — and certainly don’t scream haute couture.’

Aliya Al-Hassan of BroadwayWorld (2★) disagreed about the frocks: ‘What the show gets right are the clothes. Costume Designer Gregg Barnes has blown a considerable budget on pieces from Tom Ford, Dior and Prada, to name just a few.’ She did concur that Amy di Bartolomeo gave a ‘standout performance’, saying ‘she’s funny, engaging and a thrill to watch’.  Otherwise, ‘Musically is where the show really stumbles. A day after viewing, I was struggling to recall a single melody.’ She was disappointed that ‘The Devil Wears Prada may look great, but misses the chance to say anything new or even interesting.’

Tim Bano in The Stage (2★) was left cold: ‘It looks impressive, in a spangly, shallow way, and convinces itself it has something to say in order to disguise its preening vacuity. As a musical it’s pretty and uninteresting, shot through with the kind of obviousness and mediocrity that Miranda Priestly would abhor.’ He lamented, ‘The wit and bite of the film are gone.’

The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar (2★) reached for the booze, calling it ‘A prosecco o’clock musical, briskly directed and choreographed by Jerry Mitchell’. She thought ‘none of the characters on stage feel real or alive’. She said, ‘You find yourself asking: “Why?” How does this show add to the film, riff off it or bring the satire – and celebration – of the fashion industry up to date?’ On the plus side, she said the ‘lyrics are serviceable and John’s music exuberant. Vanessa Williams is a powerhouse singer’.

For Miriam Sallon at WhatsOnStage (2★), ‘The singing is spectacular, and the chorus line has not a single high kick out of place.’ But, ‘the tunes are mostly lacklustre and the script in between is just a regurgitation of the film’s best-known lines.’ ‘Ultimately,’ she said, ‘The Devil Wears Prada is promising couture but offering something off-the-rack.’ She declared, ‘the costumes are deeply disappointing…Tens of shoddy fake Chanel jackets do not a fashion show make.’

The Telegraph’s Dominic Cavendish (2★) described it as ‘shiny yet bafflingly skimpy’. He found, ‘You sit through song after song, waiting for your heart to beat faster, but little lands or lifts’.

Alice Saville in The Independent went straight for the jugular: ‘The Devil Wears Prada is truly diabolical.’ She explained, ‘Jerry Mitchell’s production feels less like an ironic comment on the Noughties, than it does a time capsule from back then – albeit one where groundwater has seeped in and made everything a bit limp and soggy.’ And just for good measure, she said the music was ‘surprisingly unmemorable’.

Critics’ Average Rating 2.8★

Value Rating 31 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)

The Devil Wears Prada is at the Dominion Theatre, currently booking until October 2025. Click here to buy tickets direct.

Read Paul Seven Lewis’ review here

If you’ve seen The Devil Wears Prada at the Dominion, please add your review and rating below 

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Theatre review – The Devil Wears Prada with Vanessa Williams – Dominion

Vanessa Williams & Jerry Mitchell hit musical heights


★★★★

Vanessa Williams and Matt Henry in The Devil Wears Prada. Photo: Matt Crockett

There’s no denying this musical offers style over substance. However, if you don’t go expecting substance, you will be rewarded with plenty of style. It helps of course that The Devil Wears Prada has a book by Kate Wetherhead, music by Elton John, lyrics by Shaina Taub and Mark Sonnenblick and a star like Vanessa Williams, but what really cements these contributions into a great musical is the the director/choreographer Jerry Mitchell. This guy knows how to put on a show. His production packs the stage with dazzling dance routines, soaring voices, brilliant sets and just sheer energy.

Very much in line with the film, it tells the story of a serious young journalist called Andrea who gets a job working for a prestigious but to her frivolous fashion magazine as second assistant to the tyrannical editor. It’s a kind of Faustian pact in which she has to trade her principles for journalistic success. The question is, will she or won’t she?
Let’s start with how it looks (very appropriate for a show about the fashion industry). The stage is brilliantly lit by Bruno Poet and populated by fabulous dresses designed by Greg Barnes. I believe at least some of them ar genuine haute couteur frocks. Even the proscenium arch has a strip of neon light running round it like the beading on a Chanel handbag. Tim Hatley’s sets suggest the opulence of the world they describe, except of course the set for Andy’s poky apartment. You have never seen such vivid reds as at the Red Ball, centred on an extravagant staircase. And Paris is evoked not only by a giant depiction of the Eiffel Tower but also beautiful red white and blue colours.
The Dominion has a large stage but this show has no problem filling it. Over two dozen performers go through their routines with military precision. Okay, there is the odd occasion when they seem to be just running around but mostly the moves are eye-catching and clever. Models sway down the aisles onto the stage. The second act opens in a hospital where a row of handsome male nurses form a chorus line.
The principal characters are sharply drawn and perfectly cast. Vanessa Williams as Miranda Priestly, editor of the Vogue like Runway magazine, is stupendous, every bit as haughty, cutting and frightening as you would hope. In a ‘less is more’ performance, she emanates power. It’s only a shame that Elton John hasn’t come up with a song that truly conveys her devilish character.
Georgie Buckland as Andy makes her West End debut but you would imagine she was a musical veteran such is the confidence and versatility with which she acts the part of a mouse that becomes a tiger. Very nearly stealing the show is Amy di Bartolomeo who is very funny as Emily, Miranda’s desperate, appearance-obsessed personal assistant. All three women have extraordinarily good singing voices, the kind that can hit spine tinglingly high notes.
Nigel- the Stanley Tucci part in the movie (I say that because I’m not exactly sure what this character’s job is, but he’s important and he befriends Andy)-is played by Matt Henry with humour and sensitivity.
Georgie Buckland in The Devil Wears Prada

I was concerned by the end of the first act that too many of Elton John’s songs were fast moving and rhythm heavy in the style of Crocodile Rock. Then again, the relentless rock matched Andy’s experience of being swept along by the pace and pressure of her new job.

The second act is a different proposition. The book and the songs reveal  more about the characters’ personalities and stories, so there’s room for slower and more poignant songs, which carry the familiar Elton John stamp. The lyrics are quite witty and take the story forward. Nigel in particular has a plaintive song Seen in which he describes being an ostracised gay youngster saved by joining the fashion world.
So the music works, even if there are no showstoppers and you don’t leave singing any of the songs. At this point, I should say that the live band under Katharine Woolley drives the show like a rocket.
Lightweight, yes, but thanks to a fabulous production and splendid performers, this is a musical to savour. That’s all!
The Devil Wears Prada can be seen at The Dominion Theatre. Click here to buy tickets direct.
Paul was given a review ticket by the producer.
Othe critics were not so enthusiastic. Read a roundup of their reviews here.
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The Curious Case of Benjamin Button – The Musical – review

Is Benjamin Button the British  Musical of the Decade?

★★★★
Two actors Clare Foster and John Dalgliesh sit together smiling in a scne from The Curious Case of Benjamin Button The Musical
Clare Foster and John Dalgliesh in The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Photo: Marc Brenner

You may know the film which starred Brad Pitt. Forget about it. You may know the F Scott Fitzgerald short story on which it was based. Forget about that. Jethro Compton has relocated The Curious Case of Benjamin Button to Cornwall in the 20th century and has probably created one of the best British musicals of the past decade.

What’s the story? Don’t be put off if I tell you it’s about someone who is born old and over the next 70 years becomes younger and younger.
Think of it as a grown-up fairy tale or simply an excuse for an evening of rousing folk music about love and belonging.
The multi-talented Jethro Compton wrote the book, the lyrics to the songs, designed the set and directed the show. Talking of the set, it comprises rough hewn timbers salvaged from Cornish beaches that, put together as a floor with ramps and stairs and ropes, segues from streets to a pub to a ship. The story is told by the so-called Strangers, played by the talented ensemble of musician singer actors. Each plays specific parts as required but together they are phenomenal.
John Dalgliesh is the de-ageing hero.  He doesn’t reverse age by use of makeup, he simply carries himself differently. And in theatre that’s all we need, isn’t it? Because he’s different, Benjamin is rejected by his parents , which leads to him being uncertain about his place in society. Time is very much the theme of this musical but so is place, in the sense of where you belong. And, while Cornwall is in the DNA of this show, love is at its centre. Even so, his love story is tentative with many moments in which he retreats, thanks to his lack of confidence.
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Photo: Marc Brenner

Elowen is the caring woman who becomes the love of his life. Played by Clare Foster, she exudes warmth. His two children are played by the excellent Anna Fordham and Oonagh Cox.  He has travels and adventures, which take place against the background of major events in the 20th century, particularly the Second World War and the race to the moon.

Along the way, he meets interesting and funny people such as Little Jack, played by Jack Quaron, another person treated with contempt because he is different. In this case, it’s because he appears to be of low intelligence, yet heturns out to possess natural wisdom. But Benjamin’s winding path always leads back to Elowen, where he belongs despite their widening age gap.
It is fascinating to see someone living his life backwards but, while we live our lives from childhood to old age, we are an accumulation of memories that, at any given moment, can take us to any part of our life, so we don’t exactly go forward. And Benjamin’s own experience is very similar to any person who is different, an outcast who needs to find somewhere he belongs, and who eventually fades. Time, which the chorus measures precisely to the second, turns out to be very flexible.
Unlike me, you may find the story too fantastical, too full of coincidences or just a bit thin, but you will love the music, written and arranged by Darren Clark. It has the overall effect of a folk concert in a Cornish pub, underpinning a joyous and moving evening.
The Curious Case of Benjamin is running at the Ambassadors Theatre until 22 February 2025. Tickets from https://benjaminbuttonmusical.com
Paul paid for his ticket.
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Theatre Reviews Roundup – Ncuti Gatwa in The Importance of being Earnest

lyttelton theatre At the national Theatre

Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke impress

Sharon D Clarke & Ncuti Gatwa in The Importance of Being Earnest

Director Max Webster has taken Oscar Wilde’s familiar text by the scruff of the neck (or maybe some other part of the anatomy) and overlaid it with a panto style gay party. Many critics loved it, some had reservations, but all agreed on the quality of the acting by Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner and Sharon D Clarke, and the bright set and costumes by Rae Smith.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

Most enthusiastic was Marianka Swain for LondonTheatre (5★): ‘Max Webster’s revival isn’t just vibrant, joyous and triumphantly queer, it’s also a thoughtful reclamation of a play that has become far too cosy, matching Wilde’s subversive spirit in every bold creative choice.’ About the stars, she said, ‘Gatwa wonderfully reinvigorates familiar lines with his breezy spontaneity and flirtatious charisma, while Hugh Skinner, who sports a bouffant hairdo and elaborate moustache, turns the staid character of Jack/Ernest into a hilarious indignant fop’ and ‘Clarke gives her Lady Bracknell an understated but utterly devastating disdain.’ She ended, ‘This is where you’ll find pure magic theatre this Christmas.’

The Times‘ Clive Davis (4★) advised, ‘Think of it as adult panto. Max Webster’s bold and brash reboot of Oscar Wilde’s comedy rattles along with the help of oodles of camp and performances which, apart from Sharon D Clarke’s Jamaican-accented Lady Bracknell, are all nudge-nudge, wink-wink.’ He cautioned, ‘the hilarity becomes a tad gruelling…you wonder if the director is throwing everything at the audience and hoping for the best. When it works, though, it’s a joy.’

The Guardian‘s Arifa Akbar (4★) was a fan: ‘there is an elegance to the nudge-wink references and it is a production with just the right amount of delightful mischief….The pace never becoming hectic, the physical comedy steers clear of farce and lines are crisply delivered without hamming up.’ She enjoyed the performances of the leads: ‘The current Doctor Who Gatwa brings arch shades of his character in Sex Education to the part while Skinner excels in balancing emotional vulnerability with archness and physical humour…Perhaps best of all, Sharon D Clarke’s Lady Bracknell is an exquisitely dressed battle-axe’.

Alice Saville in The Independent (4★) was delighted with the production: ‘director Max Webster’s bold, brash and beautifully cast production blows away every trace of wink-wink nudge-nudge subtlety from this classic’. Howver she noted, ‘when you turn the subtext into text, you’re left with nothing below the surface, and sometimes proceedings here slip into the territory of an especially brainless panto.’ She concluded, ‘What lingers here are the images, more than the words – perhaps because Wilde’s famous aphorisms sound especially glib when delivered with vigour, rather than their more usual laconic detachment.’ She liked the stars: ‘Ncuti Gatwa plays a gorgeously flamboyant Algernon who peacocks in silk corsets and ruffled negligees between scenes. And Sharon D Clarke shines as his formidable aunt Lady Bracknell’.

Time Out‘s Andrzej Lukowksi (4★) decided, ‘if the leads are written as subtextually queer, then Webster’s approach is essentially to crank up the subtext to 11 and not worry about every aspect of internal logic so long as we’re having a good time.’ About the actors, he said, ‘Gatwa is supremely enjoyable as agent of chaos Algy, but it’s full of standout turns: I loved the great Sharon D Clarke as a twinkly, pragmatic Caribbean-accented Lady Bracknell and (Eliza) Scanlen as a somewhat feral Cecily.’

The Standard’s Nick Curtis (4) talked about ‘Max Webster’s fizzing, knockabout production’ that ‘tips the text’s implicit gayness into a heavier display of sexual fluidity.’ He explained ‘I loved it because it honours Wilde’s wit but also his radicalism and his embrace of artifice.’ He said Ncuti Gatwa is ‘charming and charismatic as the preening sybarite, tossing off witticisms as if they’re going out of fashion.’

Fiona Mountford in the i (4★) reassured, ‘None of this re-interpretation is laid on too thickly.’ She said, ‘The sparkling artificiality of Wilde’s confection is playfully emphasised’ and concluded with the conclusion of the evening, ‘The curtain call is a riot of flamboyant costumes, more glittery and colourful than any pantomime. This is a big success, oh yes it is.’

Dominic Cavendish in the Telegraph (3★) thought ‘There’s some straining after laughter, albeit it is often obtained.’ He declared, ‘the main plaudits should go to Sharon D Clarke’s sedate, imperious, fabulously attired Lady Bracknell’.

Sarah Crompton in Whats On Stage (3★) had reservations: ‘It’s panto season at the National Theatre. Max Webster’s production of Oscar Wilde’s most famous play is colourful, cross-dressing, brash and often very funny. The trouble is that the importance of its author sometimes vanishes in the mayhem…. The text seems less important than accommodating the next bum joke, or a slip on some fake grass…Wilde should seem effortless but here there’s a terrible sense of trying hard’. Sharon D Clarke, she said, ‘is utterly wonderful, turning the character into a disdainfully magnificent matriarch, contempt for the world and its imperfections dripping from every line.’

Sam Marlowe in The Stage (3) put aside her reservations: ‘there’s so much fizz and sparkle in the staging, and such charm, cheek and flair from the cast, that we’re consistently tickled and ultimately won over.’

Critics’ Average Rating 3.8★

Value Rating 48 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)

The  Importance of Being Earnest is at the National Theatre until 25 January 2025. Tickets from nationaltheatre.org.uk

Read Paul Seven Lewis’ less than enthusiastic review here

If you’ve seen The  Importance of Being Earnest at the National Theatre, please add your review and rating below 

 

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Ncuti Gatwa in The Importance of Being Earnest- National Theatre

Sharon D Clarke &  Doctor Who raise Wilde party

★★★

The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo: Marc Brenner

Did you know Oscar Wilde was gay?  I’ll be surprised if you didn’t, but after seeing Max Webster’s production at the Lyttelton, you’ll be in no doubt. His subtle references to the Victorian gay community are circled with a pencil, underlined with a marker pen, and coloured in with  a fluorescent highlighter in this panto style production.

The generous view would be that Mr Webster has turned the familiar classic into a Pride Party. To me it was like saying the Mona Lisa is smiling, so let’s make that clear by painting a big toothy grin over her mouth. Fortunately, Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa and Sharon D Clarke save the day.

We start with a scene in which Ncuti Gatwa appears in a slinky dress in the middle of what appears to be a gay party. Then the curtain goes up on Oscar Wilde’s actual play, but with added text, added gestures and added modern touches.
Whenever Max Webster’s production sticks to the text, it works really well.  The central character Algernon is a kind of proxy for Wilde himself: decadent, amoral and bubbling over with cynical epigrams. Even people who have never seen the play before will probably know some of them, such as ‘In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity is the vital thing.’
Ncuti Gatwa is a very good Algie: cool, laid back, with a mischievous smile, which he often employs in the direction of the audience. He delivers those epigrammatic lines as they are meant to be- clear and confident, defying argument. That he wears colourful tight-fitting clothes and poses like a cat is all we need to suggest a fluid sexuality. But we get a lot more.
His friend Earnest is played by Hugh Skinner projecting the same kind of puppyish naivety he brought to the character Will in W1A. Both the young men have secrets that will inevitably be exposed.
Earnest, whose real name is Jack, is in love with Algy’s cousin Gwendoline. The main obstacle to their marriage is her mother Lady Bracknell who cross examines him for suitability and discovers that he was abandoned as a baby in a railway station in a handbag, leading to the most famous two word line in theatre history.
Sharon D Clarke in The Importance of Being Earnest. Photo: Marc Brenner

With all due respect to other members of the cast, Sharon D Clarke is the saviour of the evening. Her Lady Bracknell is every bit as imperious and formidable as she should be, which of course is what makes her pronouncements about the rules of society so funny. You know the sort of thing: ‘Fortunately in England, at any rate, education produces no effect whatsoever.’ Making the character Caribbean in origin is inspired. Her slight lilt gives extra weight to every word. She is as good as any Lady Bracknell I’ve seen, including the legendary Judi Dench.

Before long, Algy too is in love with a woman, namely Jack’s ward Cecily. The girls have in common that they can only love a man named Earnest. I won’t say any more about how the plot rolls out and resolves, in case you’re unfamiliar with it.
Part of the joy of Wilde’s dialogue is that you are left in no doubt that the young women are physically attracted to the men, and more predatory, without actually saying it. Yet, Ronkẹ Adékọluẹ́jọ́ and Eliza Scanlen as Gwendoline and Cecily respectively are required by the production to make clear their sexual arousal with shuddering bodies and flicking tongues. Gwendoline rolls her eyes and gives the audience lascivious looks, while Cecily talks like Miranda Richardson playing the randy Queen in Blackadder.
Far from trusting the audience to pick up the subtext, bits of business are added throughout. And I’m hard pressed to find one addition that doesn’t actually take away from the play’s effectiveness. Here are some examples. To a list of overdue bills from The Savoy is added Dalston Superstore (a contemporary gay bar). When Algie and Jack come through a door, they are singing James Blunt’s You’re Beautiful. Faced with having to ask Lady Bracknell for help, Jack mutters ‘crap’. The celibate Canon Chasuble and Miss Prism, played with gentle affection by Richard Cant and Amanda Lawrence, won’t admit they are attracted to one another. Their skirting around the subject is what makes their relationship amusing, not Canon Chasuble hiding an erection under his hat, which belongs in a 1970s farce. When volumes of books which each cover a letter of the alphabet are picked out, the first three are G A and Y. Subtle it ain’t.
I’m fully at ease with modernising classics. It can breathe new life in them, it can add to our understanding of them. And I also think it’s great that we should honour Oscar Wilde as a gay man who courageously exposed Victorian hypocrisy and was persecuted for it. I like challenging work but, frankly, this production does Wilde and the audience – even non theatregoing Whovians- a disservice by seeming to treat the play as if it’s too subtle for its audience to appreciate.
This production is running over Christmas which may explain the decision to turn it into an adult pantomime. In fact, it’s great fun if you ignore the assault on the play. There’s even a panto style walk down in which all the cast wear glittering sexy costumes and enter to beat music, encouraging clapping along rather than applause.
By the way, all the dazzling costumes and the sets, designed by Rae Smith, are fabulous. They are recognisably Victorian  within a false proscenium arch, so the design pays homage to the style of a late Victorian stage play while using bright light and colour to open it up, in a way that the direction aspires to but doesn’t.
Oscar Wilde triumphs despite the production, thanks to Ncuti Gatwa, Hugh Skinner and Sharon D Clarke doing justice to his witty, perceptive script.
Paul paid for his ticket. He saw the last preview before the official opening night. This review was slightly revised on 2 December 2024 for the purpose of clarification. 
The  Importance of Being Earnest is at the National Theatre until 25 January 2025. Tickets from nationaltheatre.org.uk
Read the roundup of other critics’ reviews here.
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Theatre Reviews Roundup – John Simm in A Christmas Carol

Is it Merry Christmas or Humbug for this year’s star?

The Old Vic

The Old Vic’s uplifting production of A Christmas Carol, written by Jack Thorne and directed by Matthew Warchus, is an annual event beloved by audiences. Each year a different star name plays Scrooge  This year it’s John Simm’s turn. The majority of critics praised his performance although there were some dissenters. It’s hard not to be carried along by this joyous production, but one managed to resist its charms. At the time of writing, The Guardian, The Independent and Time Out have yet to weigh in. It’s possible they think a change of star is not enough reason to review what is essentially a repeat.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

For Ben Dowell in The Times (5 ), ‘John Simm…shows brilliant range, encompassing moments of humour.’ He declared, ‘The designer Rob Howell’s stage remains a glory, bisecting and eventually uniting his audience when the ensemble teem in the stalls; when his door frames rise up to admit the fantastically earthy female ghosts we are reminded that they are the portals with which Scrooge has shut out not just the carollers but the world and the possibility of love and companionship.’

Aliya Al-Hassan for Broadway World (5★) declared: ‘This exceptional version of A Christmas Carol remains a magical festive experience.’ She praised the latest Scrooge: ‘Simm… brings a sardonic and acerbic level of humour not seen in the role before and this gives more levity to the show overall.’

The Standard‘s Nick Curtis (4★) felt John Simm ‘brings a gruff, grizzled vigour to the miser and he doesn’t mind being dislikeable’. He pointed out that ‘Underlying all the razzmatazz is Thorne’s intensely humane communion with Dickens’s moral agenda.’

Olivia Rook for LondonTheatre (4 ) praised the writer for the show’s perennial success: ‘Thorne…creates a…sense of magic and spectacle’ and this year’s star: ‘Simm’s classic Scrooge is proud, impatient, and pompous, prone to bellowing at those around him.’

Not all the critics were taken with John Simm’s version of Scrooge. Fiona Mountford in the i (3★) said, ‘the trajectory that Simm traces is far more perfunctory’ (than 2023’s Christopher Ecclestone). She did however bring attention to the contribution made by the music: ‘The great delight of this production (apart from free mince pies pre-show) is the music; composer and arranger Christopher Nightingale truly offers the gift that keeps on giving even after eight years.’

While affirming that the show ‘has the allure of an essential ritual’, Dominic Cavendish in the Telegraph (3★) complained that he ‘inclines too much too soon towards straightforwardness of temperament’. He explained that he ‘more conjures a peevish loner in a midlife crisis than an icy curmudgeon in mortal fear.’

One of the strange things about being a reviewer is that you sometimes are obliged to go to a show you never would have chosen to see. Take Aleks Sierz, reviewing for The Arts Desk (3★). He admits, ‘a crowd-pleasing evening really does depend on you wanting to be part of the crowd — and at this time of year I really don’t.’ No surprise then that he went full Humbug and declared, ‘Populism rules’. For him,  ‘Everything is spelled out for the audience, every bit of charity talk is repeated so that even the slowest mind can grasp it — there is no subtext, no subtlety, no poetry.’

Critics’ Average Rating 3.9★

Value Rating 43 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)

A Christmas Carol is at the Old Vic Theatre, London, until 4 January 2025.  Buy tickets directly

If you’ve seen A Christmas Carol at the Old Vic Theatre, please add your review and rating below 

 

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Theatre Reviews Roundup- The Glorious French Revolution

Critics divided over The Glorious French Revolution

New Diorama Theatre

The Glorious French Revolution. Photo: Alex Brenner

The Glorious French Revolution (or why sometimes it takes a guillotine to get anything done), to give it its full title, is the latest production from experimental theatre company YESYESNONO. Directed and written by company founder Sam Ward, it uses five actors to tell the story of what happened in Paris in 1789 and just after. The critics were thin on the ground but neatly divided between three that thought it was entertaining and exciting, and three that thought heads should roll.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

Dave Fargnoli in The Stage (4★) called it ‘part-potted history, part-grotesque pantomime, and – in its most effective moments – a stingingly relevant social critique.’ This ‘is an enthralling rollercoaster of a work,’ enthused Franco Milazzo of BroadwayWorld (4★). Monica Fox for The Reviews Hub (4 ) said it was ‘a bold, imaginative, and entertaining piece of theatre.’

The Guardian’s Arifa Akbar (2★) commented, ‘it could be a five-star show, but in its current state it is an intelligent mess.’

The Times’ Clive Davis (1★) dismissed it as ‘An excruciatingly simple-minded romp through the events leading up to the Terror…I’m tempted to describe it as Horrible Histories for Brechtians, but at least those children’s books deliver decent jokes.’

Time Out‘s Andrzej Lukowski gave no rating but concluded, ‘ultimately there is no real insight here, and no attempt to explain why this show exists or what the Revolution meant to its makers. Stylish hipster theatre, about the coolest of the big Western revolutions, but it’s about as profound as a Che Guevara t-shirt.’

Critics’ Average Rating 2.8★

The Glorious French Revolution (or why sometimes it takes a guillotine to get anything done) can be seen at the New Diorama Theatre until 14 December 2024. Buy tickets direct here.

If you’ve seen The Glorious French Revolution (or why sometimes it takes a guillotine to get anything done) at the New Diorama Theatre, please add your review below 

 

 

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Theatre Reviews Roundup – The Curious Case of Benjamin Button

Benjamin Button is a West End winner

Ambassadors Theatre

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Photo: Marc Brenner

Many 4 and 5 star reviews for The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. Based on an F Scott Fitzgerald short story, which also spawned a film starring Brad Pitt, the musical is about a man who lives his life in reverse. Created by Jethro Compton and Darren Clark, it transfers the action from America to Cornwall. The show has spent five years working its way up from the fringe to the refined version we now find in the West  End starring John Dagleish and Claire Foster.

[Links to full reviews are included but a number are behind paywalls and therefore may not be accessible]

WhatsOnStage’s Alun Hood (5★) declared: ‘Already one of the best British musicals in decades, in this newest iteration, it looks like a world-beater.’ It is, he explained, ‘a complex but never confusing yarn about such universal themes as the passage of time, the nature of belonging, the meaning of home, and the redemptive power of love.’ of the two lovers st the centre of the story, he said, ‘Dagleish nails the eternal misfit’ and Clare Foster ‘is heartbreakingly good, conveying a life-affirming generosity of spirit as she moves from the restlessness of assertive youth to the infirmity of old age.’ He ended, ‘Timeless and heart-burstingly magical, there’s no other current West End musical I’d rather be at.’

Tim Robey, the Telegraph’s film critic (5★), said, ‘The show’s open-hearted lyricism achieves a truly warming glow, the likes of which we may not have seen since the Tony-winning Once, over a decade ago.’ Praise indeed. He concluded, ‘The musical’s creators, Jethro Compton and Darren Clark, haven’t just breathed new life into a literary gimmick but unlocked meanings I never guessed it could have.’

Aliya Al-Hassan of Broadway World (5★) described it as a ‘beautifully crafted show that vibrates with heart and soul’ and said, ‘The show is jam-packed with top quality, empathetic and carefully crafted songs, from the loud and vibrant to delicate and moving ballads.’

In the Standard (4★), Nick Curtis declared, ‘this is the version to treasure.’ ‘This musical really does touch the heart,’ felt Clive Davis in The Times (4★). ‘Clark’s melodies are sinuous and restless,’ he said.

Andrzej Lukowski in Time Out (4★) described it ‘an extraordinary thing, a soaring folk opera that overwhelms you with a cascade of song and feeling.’ He continued, ‘it has a joy, romance and big-hearted elan that stands in stark contrast to Fitzgerald’s cynicism and the dolefulness of Fincher’s sloggy film.’

Calling it ‘loveable’, Holly O’Mahony in The Stage (4★) said, ‘it’s atmospheric, with fishing nets and buoys hanging above a wooden, dock-like stage. Darren Clark’s folksy score is studded with Clark and Compton’s sea shanty-style songs, and there’s a determinedly upbeat essence to the music that prevents the bittersweet story from ever dwelling in its darkness.’

For The Guardian (4★), Emma John said, ‘Perhaps the winsomeness is occasionally overdone. But it’s impossible to be grudging about a production this warm, touching and vivacious.’ Fiona Mountford at i-news (4★) referred to ‘this charming show with its thrummingly tuneful score and fable-like quality’ and a ‘tender and achingly poignant, love story.’

In an insightful review at LondonTheatre (4★), Marianka Swain noted, ‘Luke Swaffield’s evocative soundscape features lapping waves and a whistling wind; there’s a sense of the vast eternity of nature, in sharp contrast to the brief span of a human life. We must make every moment count.’

The Observer’s Susannah Clapp (4) declared , ‘It’s a wave-like movement, a constant musical surge – more jig than gig – that sweeps the evening along. Warmly. Curiously.’

Just when it seemed the reviews were universally excellent, along came Dominic Maxwell in The Sunday Times (2) describing it as ‘insufferably cute’.

Critics’ average rating 4.3 ★

Value rating 53 (Value rating is the Average Critic Rating divided by the typical ticket price)

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button can be seen at the Ambassadors Theatre until 15 February 2025.  Buy tickets direct from theambassadorstheatre

If you’ve seen The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the Ambassadors, please add your review below 

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