June 2015 | Page 2 of 9 | British Theatre

REVIEW: The Seagull, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre ✭✭✭✭

Stephen Collins26th June 2015 Reviews, West End

The Seagull at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

Betts’ adaptation (re-imagining is perhaps more accurate) certainly tries to evoke the same effect Chekhov must have had on his original audiences. There is a robust modernity about the language which makes the situations and characters instantly understandable, relatable and recognisable. This comes at a real cost to the lyricism that Chekhov penned, but, in the end, the clarity of the understanding is worth it. For some, no doubt, the text will be too coarse, too vulgar – but it distils the essence of Chekhov’s intent in a coherent and tangible way.

REVIEW: Bend It Like Beckham, Phoenix Theatre ✭✭✭✭

Stephen Collins26th June 201526th June 2015 Reviews, West End

Bend It Like Beckham at London's Phoenix Theatre

Act Two is practically perfect. It starts with a fabulous number for the girls, Glorious, and it never looks back. It’s full of great music from Goodall and the range of styles he covers is significant. He uses Punjabi tunes effectively, there is a terrific solo for Jules’s mother, There She Goes, a melodious duet which is gentle and joyful, Bend It, then a stirring quintet and an overwhelmingly joyous piece which celebrates the wedding of Pinky and Teetu in contrapuntal tandem with the celebration of the football grand final win. By the time the second Act is over, the longeurs of the first have been brushed aside, and the infectious sense of harmony and happiness is irrepressible.

Sinatra – Cast and Creative Team Announced

Douglas Mayo25th February 201625th June 2015 News, West End

Sinatra The Man And His Music at the London Palladium

Karl Sydow, the award-winning producer behind Our Country’s Good, Dirty Dancing and Backbeat has today announced his cast and creative team for the multimedia presentation Sinatra – The Man And His Music which is to be staged at the London Palladium starting on 10 July 2015. Featuring an on-stage orchestra of 24 and 20 dancers, this extraordinary presentation has led Nancy Sinatra to state that “The Palladium show will be as close as we can get to a live Frank Sinatra concert.” Sinatra The Man & His Music at the London Palladium is a completely unique celebration of the Frank Sinatra’s legacy. The high-tech show features 3D, rotoscoped imagery, rare and never before seen footage from the family’s archives and original masters of Frank Sinatra’s voice, to bring the great man back to the stage of the London Palladium – the first venue Sinatra played anywhere outside of the US. … Read more

REVIEW: Alpha Beta, Finborough Theatre ✭✭

Danny Coleman-Cooke9th September 201525th June 2015 Off West End, Reviews

It’s exactly as bleak as it sounds; the entire play is one long, petty, extended, circular argument, stretched over nine miserable years. There’s very little respite (apart from a blissful five minutes in Act Three) – the two deliberately wind each other up and go after each other for the whole production.

The Mentalists – Rehearsal Images Released

Douglas Mayo25th February 201624th June 2015 Gallery, News, West End

Steffan Rhodri and Stephen Merchant in The Mentalists. Photo: Helen Maybanks

BritishTheatre.com is pleased to bring you these great images from rehearsals of The Mentalists starring Stephen Merchant and Steffan Rhodri. Written by Richard Bean of One Man, Two Guvnors fame, The Mentalists is the story of Ted (Stephen Merchant) who has a master plan to revolutionise the world – and with help from his best friend Morrie (Steffan Rhodri) and his video camera, it may just go global! But Morrie begins to suspect that Ted’s in trouble as unpaid bills and cryptic phone calls start to mount; and as the world closes in, there is only one way out, in this hilarious, sharply written and touching comedy. The Mentalists is directed by Abbey Wright with scenic design by Richard Kent. BOOK TICKETS TO THE MENTALISTS AT LONDON’S WYNDHAMS THEATRE

The Who’s Tommy – Cast Announced

Douglas Mayo25th February 201624th June 2015 News

The Who's Tommy to run at the Greenwich Theatre in July 2015

The Who’s Tommy will return to London for a limited run at the Greenwich Theatre twenty years after it’s last production in London. The production of the classic rock musical will mark the 40th Anniversary of the film and will celebrate The Who’s 50th Anniversary. Casting will include Ashley Birchall (Starlight Express, Germany) as Tommy, John Barr (ENO’s Sweeney Todd, Les Miserables) as Uncle Ernie, Carly Burns as The Acid Queen, James Sinclair (Duncton Wood) as Captain Walker, Giovanni Spanó (Dance ’til Dawn, Mamma Mia!) as Cousin Kevin, Carrie Sutton (The Wizard Of Oz, Sister Act) as Sally Simpson and Miranda Wilford (Thriller Live) as Mrs Walker. The cast also includes Danny Becker (Follies at Royal Albert Hall) Scott Sutcliffe (Mamma Mia!) Alice Mogg (We Will Rock You, Grease). The Who’s Tommy is staged and directed by award-winning director Michael Strassen with choreography by Mark Smith, musical direction by Kevin … Read more

The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time New Cast

Douglas Mayo26th June 202124th June 2015 News, The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time, West End

Jacqueline Clarke and Sion Daniel Young as Christopher in The Curious Incident Of The Dog In the Night-Time. photo: Brinkhoff-Mogenburg

The award-winning production of The Curious Incident Of the Dog In The Night-Time at London’s Gielgud Theatre has welcomed a new cast this week. The new West End is led by Sion Daniel Young as Christopher Boone. He is joined by Rebecca Lacey as Siobhan, Nicolas Tennant as Ed, Mary Stockley as Judy, Jacqueline Clarke as Mrs Alexander, Indra Ové as Mrs Shears, Stephen Beckett as Roger Shears, Matthew Trevannion as Mr Thompson, Pearl Mackie as No. 40/Punk Girl, Sean McKenzie as Reverend Peters and Kaffe Keating plays alternate Christopher. They are joined by Mark Rawlings, Penelope McGhie, Naomi Said and Simon Victor. The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time continues it’s successful run world-wide winning five Tony Awards including the Tony Award for Best Play. The show is now booking until 13 February 2016 in London. BOOK TICKETS FOR THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE … Read more

REVIEW: The Jew Of Malta, Swan Theatre ✭✭✭✭

Stephen Collins24th June 2015 Regional, Reviews

This is a play where the inhabitants of a Nunnery are slain by poisoned porridge; where the daughter of a Jew becomes a Christian Nun, twice; where, having purchased a Thracian slave, owner and slave engage in a bout of one-upmanship about the vile deeds they claim to enjoy; where Friars are referred to as “religious caterpillars”; where the Jew inquires if theft is the basis of Christianity; where a Friar casually asks if the Jew has been “crucifying children”; and where no one, really, has any redeeming features. It all but screams farce, even if some of the subject matter is repugnant and, sadly, deadly accurate.