Review: TONES: A HIP-HOP OPERA at BOV Weston Studio 9 May, 2025 Without catching a breath, Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera brings a heartfelt exploration of the black experience centre stage. ★★★☆☆
Review: FRANKENSTEIN (On A Budget) at The Wardrobe Theatre 7 May, 2025 Shelley’s tragedy reanimated with wit, charm, and cardboard. ★★★★☆
Review: JUST BETWEEN OURSELVES at Bath Theatre Royal 6 May, 2025 Unfortunately there is too limp a trajectory towards its genuinely sad conclusion.
★★☆☆☆
Review: MACBETH at Oxford Playhouse Theatre 1 May, 2025 An admirable display of stamina and versatility. ★★★☆☆
Review: TITUS ANDRONICUS at The Swan Theatre, Stratford 30 April, 2025 This production is not just powerful and terrifying, it offers us a Titus Andronicus which touches on the roots of the violence it presents.
★★★★☆
Review: CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG at Bristol Hippodrome 30 April, 2025 The car is undoubtedly the star, floating and flying in spectacular fashion. ★★★☆☆
Review: PLAYHOUSE CREATURES at Bath Theatre Royal 29 April, 2025 This was a rich cake that just failed to rise in the baking. ★★☆☆☆
Review: DO I LOVE YOU? at Tobacco Factory Theatres 29 April, 2025 Sliding, gliding, and searching for something to believe in. ★★★☆☆
Review: THE MAN WHO THOUGHT HE KNEW TOO MUCH at Tobacco Factory Theatres 25 April, 2025 Physical theatre at its best. ★★★★☆
Review: THE HOUSE PARTY at Bristol Old Vic 24 April, 2025 The dynamic retelling of this trailblazing classic makes it a show not to be missed.
★★★★☆
Review: MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at RSC Theatre, Stratford 23 April, 2025 The production is full of invention, but that comes ultimately at the price of any finesse
★★★☆☆
Review: LITTLE WOMEN at Festival Theatre, Malvern 16 April, 2025 Strong leads elevate a classic American tale. ★★★★☆
Review: PRIDE AND PREJUDICE* (*sort of) at Bath Theatre Royal 15 April, 2025 The triumphant return of a very funny and boisterously choreographed musical homage. ★★★★☆
Review: TINA – THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL at Bristol Hippodrome 10 April, 2025 Elle Ma-Kinga N’Zuzi, playing the role of Tina Turner, has enough energy to light up the entire South West. ★★★★★
Review: PIAF at The Watermill Theatre 10 April, 2025 This is a must-see show, for Audrey Brisson is quite brilliant
★★★★☆
Review: SWITZERLAND at The Alma Theatre 9 April, 2025 A good production to give audiences a look at a play that had some measure of success in the West End and is a welcome fit for the Alma. ★★★☆☆
Review: PICASSO: Le Monstre Sacré at Ustinov Studio, Bath 3 April, 2025 Picasso: Le Monstre Sacré is a well performed one-man show – but therein lies a problem. ★★★☆☆
Review: IN THE MOUTH OF THE WOLF at The Barn Theatre, Cirencester 2 April, 2025 A simple, poignant tale, beautifully told.
★★★★☆
Review: TOSCA at Oxford Playhouse 29 March, 2025 Simply revel in the beauty of the vocal lines and sumptuous interweaving of voices
★★★★☆
Review: ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS – THE MUSICAL at Bath Theatre Royal 28 March, 2025 The show is well put together and entertains, but the sum is no greater than the parts, despite some outstanding performances. ★★★☆☆
Review: Birmingham Royal Ballet: CINDERELLA at Bristol Hippodrome 28 March, 2025 Although choreographed by Sir David Bintley more than 15 years ago, this version shouts freshness and joy at every turn. ★★★★☆
Review: Eun-Me Ahn Dance Company – DRAGONS at Birmingham Hippodrome 26 March, 2025 To see the show is truly to step into another realm in an exuberant gallimaufry of sound and colour.
★★★★★
Review: PLAYFIGHT at The Weston Studio, Bristol Old Vic 21 March, 2025 A candid and provocative exploration of both the strength and vulnerability within teenage sexuality, Playfight packs a punch. ★★★★☆
Review: FUNERAL TEETH at The Wardrobe Theatre 19 March, 2025 A confessional kaleidoscope of grief, queerness, and growing pains. ★★★★☆
Review: THE WATSONS at The Station, Silver Street BS1 2AG 17 March, 2025 An excellent, pacey and very witty performance.
Review: JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOUR DREAMCOAT at Bristol Hippodrome 14 March, 2025 Brash, colourful and extremely loud, this was a Joseph that was not shy about grabbing attention. ★★★☆☆
Review: ROMEO AND JULIET at Bristol Old Vic 14 March, 2025 An immersive, vibrant and modern vision of Shakespeare’s classic. ★★★★☆
Review: MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS at Bath Theatre Royal 12 March, 2025 Christie aficionados will have no complaints about a quality production. ★★★☆☆
Review: CRUEL INTENTIONS at Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham 12 March, 2025 Seduction, sexual manipulation and some very dangerous liaisons
★★★☆☆
Review: CHOPPED LIVER AND UNIONS at Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham 7 March, 2025 CELEBRATING INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY
“The world is changed by the women you push too far”. ★★★★☆
Review: EDWARD II at The Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon 6 March, 2025 Daniel Evans gives an impressive performance as Edward, petulant, tyrannical and uncertain
★★★★☆
Review: TESS at The Oxford Playhouse 5 March, 2025 Theatre magic has arrived on this Oxford stage
★★★★★
Review: THE SPANKING GODDESS & OTHER DISCARDED TALES at The Wardrobe Theatre 5 March, 2025 A superbly crafted and often deliciously naughty example of storytelling at its very best. ★★★★☆
Review: THE SHARK IS BROKEN at Bath Theatre Royal 4 March, 2025 “It’s about a shark” …. ★★★★☆
Review: THEBANS at The Station, Silver Street 3 March, 2025 An engaging introduction to tales that have remained relevant for over 2400 years.
Review: GOOD FOR A GIRL at Malvern Festival Theatre 27 February, 2025 A play of two halves
★★★☆☆
Review: BOYS FROM THE BLACKSTUFF at Bath Theatre Royal 26 February, 2025 Boys From the Black Stuff will retain its relevance as long as there is inequality in the world. ★★★★☆
Review: THE WINTER’S TALE at Tobacco Factory Theatres 26 February, 2025 Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory is back and looking as healthy as ever. ★★★★☆
Review: FLUFF at Alma Tavern Theatre 26 February, 2025 A play which tackles an important issue in an original and courageous fashion. ★★★☆☆
Review: HAMLET at RSC Stratford-upon-Avon 19 February, 2025 Here is a production as much to be watched as to be listened to … ★★★★☆
Review: A GOOD HOUSE at Bristol Old Vic 18 February, 2025 Treads the delicate path between comedy and leaden proselytizing to deliver a thought provoking comedy. ★★★★☆
Review: THE PICTURE OF DORIAN GRAY at The Irving Studio Theatre, Cheltenham 14 February, 2025 A haunting, arresting and contemporary take on Wilde’s timeless morality tale
★★★★★
Review: DOUBT: A Parable at The Ustinov Studio, Bath 14 February, 2025 An utterly compelling piece of theatre blessed with fine performances from its quartet of actors. ★★★★★
Review: A ROLE TO DIE FOR at Barn Theatre, Cirencester 13 February, 2025 A diverting jeu d’esprit as well as a slightly eccentric addition to the realms of Bondiana
★★★☆☆
Review: THE AUTOBIOGRAPHY OF A CAD at The Watermill Theatre, Newbury 13 February, 2025 What fun to roll up all our prejudices about toffs into one relentlessly obnoxious bounder
★★★☆☆
Review: BULL at Tobacco Factory Theatres 12 February, 2025 Bartlett’s clever writing seems to have one direction of travel, but always tangentially paints the spiritual loss on the part of the bullies. ★★★★☆
Review: DEAR EVAN HANSEN at Bristol Hippodrome 12 February, 2025 A Broadway phenomenon delivered with precision, passion, and plenty of polish. ★★★★☆
Review: ANIMAL FARM at Malvern Festival Theatre 12 February, 2025 Some shows are more equal than others
★★★☆☆
Review: THE MERCHANT OF VENICE 1936 at Bath Theatre Royal 11 February, 2025 As Shylock, Tracy-Ann Oberman delivers a performance of power and subtlety. ★★★★☆
Review: TWELFTH NIGHT at Tobacco Factory Theatres 7 February, 2025 It’s a valiant attempt at Shakespeare’s “rudest and silliest of plays” and a true ode to the message of inclusivity that forms part of Bristol’s DNA. ★★★☆☆