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theatre: off west end and fringe reviews
london off-west end and fringe reviews
This Much is True This Much is True
4 stars
Theatre 503
Sarah Beck and Paul Unwin's exploration of the events surrounding the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Origin of the Species Origin of the Species
3 stars
Arcola Theatre
Tom Littler's revival of Bryony Lavery's quirky two-hander about the birth of human kind.
Mrs Klein Mrs Klein
4 stars
Almeida Theatre
Clare Higgins stars in Nicholas Wright’s 1988 play about the psychoanalyst Melanie Klein.
Little Fish Little Fish
2 stars
Finborough Theatre
European premiere of Michael John LaChiusa's musical about one woman's attempt to give up smoking.
If There Is If There is I Haven't Found It Yet
3-5 stars
Bush Theatre
Rafe Spall stars in Nick Payne's funny and moving new play.
The Spanish Tragedy The Spanish Tragedy
3 stars
Arcola Theatre
Dominic Rowan stars in a rare staging of Thomas Kyd's revenge play of the 1580s.
Raoul Raoul
4 stars
Barbican Theatre
James Thierree's imaginative solo show blends theatre with circus, dance and slapstick.
Alison's House Alison's House
4 stars
Orange Tree Theatre
Jo Combes directs Susan Glaspell's 1931 play inspired by the life of Emily Dickinson.
It Felt Empty It Felt Empty...
4 stars
Arcola Theatre
Lucy Kirkwood's powerful and inventively staged new play for Clean Break.
Double Dutch Double Dutch Expresso
2 stars
Tristan Bates Theatre
Double bill of new plays by South Asian playwrights, directed by Poonam Brah.
Talent Talent
2 stars
Menier Chocolate Factory
Victoria Wood directs a reworked revival of her own play from 1978.
Fastest Clock The Fastest Clock in the Universe
4 stars
Hampstead Theatre
Jaime Winstone stars in a revival of Philip Ridley's second play.
Orestes Orestes: Re-Examined
3 stars
Southwark Playhouse
Full Tilt Theatre stages a reworking of Aeschylus in which the audience plays the jury.
Judgement Day Judgment Day
4 stars
Almeida Theatre
Ödön von Horváth's gripping fable, in a new version by Christopher Hampton.
Punk Rock Punk Rock
3-5 stars
Lyric Hammersmith
Tom Sturridge stars in Simon Stephens' latest play, set in a Stockport grammar school.
Ring of Truth The Ring of Truth
2 stars
Orange Tree Theatre
A rare revival of Wynyard Browne's 1959 comedy about a lost engagement ring.
Vanya Vanya
4 stars
Gate Theatre
Natalie Abrahami directs Sam Holcroft's inventive reworking of Chekhov.
Mad Forest Pornography
4 stars
Tricycle Theatre
Simon Stephens' layered play about the events of July 2005 transfers to the Tricycle.
Ghosts Ghosts
5 stars
Arcola Theatre
Rebecca Lenkiewicz's raw adaptation of Ibsen's morally knotty play.
Mad Forest Mad Forest
4 stars
BAC
A revival of Caryl Churchill's play about the Romanian Revolution by JMK Award winning director, Caroline Steinbeis.
Stockwell Stockwell
3 stars
Landor Theatre
Kieron Barry's verbatim play based on the inquest into the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes.
Wrong Sleep The Wrong Sleep
2 stars
Cock Tavern
Mary Mazzili's surreal two-hander about insomnia and terrorism.
Pirates The Pirates of Penzance
4 stars
Union Theatre
Sasha Regan directs an all-male version of Gilbert and Sullivan's operetta.
Death of the Long Pig Death of Long Pig
2 stars
Finborough Theatre
Nigel Planer's new play about the lives - and deaths - of Robert Louis Stevenson and Paul Gauguin.
Korczak Dr Korczak's Example
3 stars
Arcola Theatre
David Greig's play about an orphanage for Jewish children during the Second World War.
Mincemeat Mincemeat
4 stars
Cordy House
Cardboard Citizens' captivating promenade production about identity and secret missions.
The Case The Case
3 stars
Oubliette
Donkeywork's First World War-set play is based on a true story and staged in a Waterloo squat.
Jim Bailey Observe the Sons of Ulster...
4 stars
Hampstead Theatre
John Dove directs a powerful revival of the play by Frank McGuinness.
Apologia Apologia
3 stars
Bush Theatre
Alexi Kaye Campell's second play concerns the relationship between an art historian and her two sons.
The Mountaintop The Mountaintop
2 stars
Theatre 503
David Harewood stars in a play about the last hours in the life of Martin Luther King.
Jim Bailey Jim Bailey as Judy Garland
4 stars
Leicester Square Theatre
Jim Bailey performs as Judy Garland in a 40th anniversary concert.
I am Montana I am Montana
2 stars
Arcola Theatre
Yaller Skunk's production of Samuel D. Hunter’s play about the employees of an American mega-mart.
Naked Boys Naked Boys Singing
4 stars
King's Head Theatre
Phil Willmott directs a review celebrating the pleasures of the male form.
Sandra Bernhard Sandra Bernhard
3 stars
Leicester Square Theatre
The incomparable Sandra Bernhard returns to the London stage.
Amongst Friends Amongst Friends
1 stars
Hampstead Theatre
Helen Baxendale stars in April de Angelis' new play of middle class fears.
Company Company
4 stars
Union Theatre
Sparkling staging of Sondheim's musical at the tiny Union Theatre.
Painting a Walls Painting a Wall
3 stars
Finborough Theatre
A revival of David Lan's play about life under apartheid in 1970s Cape Town.
England England
4 stars
Whitechapel Gallery
Tim Crouch's play is staged at the newly reopened east London gallery.
Monsters Monsters
4 stars
Arcola Theatre
Swedish writer Niklas Radstrom's play about the killing of James Bulger.
Contingency Plan The Contingency Plan
4 stars
Bush Theatre
Steve Waters' urgent, gripping double bill of plays about climate change.
Peer Gynt Peer Gynt
5 stars
Barbican Theatre
Dominic Hill's acclaimed National Theatre of Scotland production of Ibsen's poetic masterpiece.
Wuthering Heights Wuthering Heights
1-5 stars
Lyric Hammersmith
Tamasha's musical Bollywood-style staging of Emily Bronte's classic novel.
Nocturnal Nocturnal
3 stars
Gate Theatre
Amanda Lawrence stars in the UK premiere of Juan Mayorga's teasing play about isolated lives.
Andromaque Andromaque
4 stars
Barbican Silk Street Theatre
Declan Donnellan directs a passionate staging of Racine by Cheek by Jowl - in French.
Interiors Interiors
4 stars
Lyric Studio
Captivating new production from Vanishing Point, inspired by Maurice Maeterlinck's play.
Void Story Void Story
4 stars
Soho Theatre
Forced Entertainment mark their 25th year with an unsettling new production.
Alphabetical Order Alphabetical Order
4 stars
Hampstead Theatre
Imogen Stubbs stars in Christopher Luscombe's revival of Michael Frayn's comedy.
The Woodsman The Woodsman
3 stars
Old Red Lion
Steven Fechter's play, on which the 2004 Kevin Bacon film was based, receives its European premiere.
Panic Panic
3 stars
Barbican Pit Theatre
Phelim McDermott plays the Greek god Pan in the new production from Improbable.
Country Magic Country Magic
3 stars
Finborough Theatre
Phil Willmott stages Arthur Wing Pinero's forgotten fable of the First World War and its aftermath.
Jan Fabre: Orgy of Tolerance Jan Fabre: Orgy of Tolerance
2 stars
Queen Elizabeth Hall
Belgian theatre maker Jan Fabre bombards his audience at the Southbank Centre.
Don John Don John
2 stars
BAC
The latest show from Kneehigh Theatre stars Gisli Orn Gardarsson as the notorious seducer.
Candide Candide
3 stars
Greenwich Playhouse
Greenwich Playhouse stages Prentis Hancock's one man take on Voltaire.
Once and For All Once and For All...
4 stars
BAC
Thirteen teenagers take to the stage in the latest show from Flemish company Ontroerend Goed.
About Tommy About Tommy
3 stars
Southwark Playhouse
Thor Bjorn Krebs' play about a young Danish soldier posted to the former Yugoslavia.
Edward Gant Edward Gant's Amazing Feats of Loneliness
3 stars
Soho Theatre
Revival of Anthony Neilson's play about a travelling Victorian showman.
Parlour Song Parlour Song
4 stars
Almeida Theatre
Toby Jones and Andrew Lincoln star in a new play by Jez Butterworth.
Twelfth Night Twelfth Night
2 stars
Barbican Theatre
Unique staging of Shakespeare's comedy by Shochiku Grand Kabuki.
Trying Trying
3 stars
Jermyn Street Theatre
Michael Craig stars in a new play by Joanna McClelland Glass.
Billy Twinkle Billy Twinkle
4 stars
Barbican Silk Street Theatre
New production from the acclaimed Ronnie Burkett's Theatre of Marionettes.
Trumbo Trumbo
3 stars
Jermyn Street Theatre
Corin Redgrave plays Dalton Trumbo, one of the 'Hollywood Ten'
The Backroom The Backroom
3 stars
Cock Tavern
Revival of Adrian Pagan's lively comedy set in a gay brothel.
Deep Cut Deep Cut
4 stars
Tricycle Theatre
Philip Ralph's powerful verbatim play exploring the deaths of four young cadets at the Deepcut barracks.
Berlin Hanover Express Berlin Hanover Express
2 stars
Hampstead Theatre
Ian Kennedy Martin's play about Irish neutrality in the Second World War.
Stovepipe Stovepipe
4 stars
West 12 Shopping Centre
Potent promenade production in a west London shopping centre.
New Electric Ballroom The New Electric Ballroom
4 stars
Riverside Studios
Galway's Druid Theatre stage Enda Walsh's meditation on the power of story-telling.
Obama on my Mind Obama on my Mind
3 stars
Hen and Chickens
It had to happen sooner or later: the inevitable Obama Musical.
Hippolytus Hippolytus
2 stars
Riverside Studios
Temple Theatre present Euripides in modern dress in a new adaptation by Timberlake Wertenbaker.
Isfahan Calling Isfahan Calling
4 stars
Old Red Lion
Philip de Gouveia's new play about British journalists in Iran.
How It Ended How It Ended
4 stars
Arcola Theatre
Moving account of a war time romance, directed by Emily Watson Howes.
Wrecks Wrecks
2 stars
Bush Theatre
Josie Rourke directs a Neil LaBute play with a typical twist in its tail.
Saturday Night Saturday Night
4 stars
Jermyn Street Theatre
Rare staging of Stephen Sondheim's first musical, written in 1954.
Greenwash Greenwash
3 stars
Orange Tree Theatre
Sam Walters' directs David Lewis' eco themed farce.
Othello Othello
3 stars
Hackney Empire
Kathryn Hunter directs Patrice Naiambana in a touring production for the RSC.
When Do We Start Fighting? When Do We Start Fighting?
2 stars
Courtyard Theatre
Charlie Shand's play about the militant protest groups of the 1970s.
Untitled Untitled
3 stars
Finborough Theatre
Lena Farugia's poignant play about the twilight years of Wallis Simpson.
Shun-kin Shun-kin
3 stars
Barbican
Visually inventive collaboration between Complicite and Tokyo's Setagaya Public Theatre.
Resident Alien Resident Alien
4 stars
New End Theatre
Bette Bourne reprises his role as Quentin Crisp in Tim Fountain's play.
Spring Awakening Spring Awakening
4 stars
Lyric Hammersmith
The UK production of the Broadway musical based on Frank Wedekind's 1891 play.
Duet For One Duet For One
4 stars
Almeida Theatre
Juliet Stevenson and Henry Goodman star in Tom Kempinski's two-hander.
Why I Don't Hate White People Why I Don't Hate White People
3 stars
Lyric Studio
Poet and performer Lemn Sissay's autobiographical solo show.
Private Lives Private Lives
4 stars
Hampstead Theatre
To mark Hampstead Theatre's 50th Anniversary, Lucy Bailey directs Noel Coward's comedy.
Circus Klezmer Circus Klezmer
4 stars
Purcell Room, Southbank Centre
Delightful circus show set in an Eastern European village.
Simpatico Simpatico
3 stars
Old Red Lion Theatre
Hannah Eidinow directs a revival of Sam Shephard's play.
Hit Me! Hit Me! The Life and Rhymes of Ian Dury
3 stars
Leicester Square Theatre
Adrian Schiller plays the distinctive singer in Jeff Merrifield's play about his life.
Roaring Trade Roaring Trade
3 stars
Soho Theatre
Steve Thompson's new comedy about the cut-throat world of big City banking.
Dorian Gray Dorian Gray
2 stars
Leicester Square Theatre
New staging of Oscar Wilde's novel about age, beauty and the dark side of Victorian London.
In Blood In Blood: The Bacchae
3 stars
Arcola Theatre
Greg Hicks stars in Frances Viner's play set in 1920s Brazil.
Studies for a Portrait Studies for a Portrait
4 stars
White Bear Theatre
Daniel Reitz's new play about a terminally ill artist offers insight into the art world.
now in theatre
OFF WEST END: This Much is True examines the killing of Jean Charles de Menezes

NEW YORK: A revival of Neil Simon's Brighton Beach Memoirs on Broadway

GREATER BOSTON: Punchdrunk's Hitchcock- and Macbeth-inspired show, Sleep No More

INTERVIEW: Theatre director turned opera director Daniel Kramer talks about Duke Bluebeard's Castle

OFF WEST END: A revival of Bryony Lavery's Origin of the Species at the Arcola

BOSTON: The Boston premiere of Sarah Ruhl's Dead Man's Cell Phone at Lyric Stage

OFF WEST END: Clare Higgins plays psychoanalyst Melanie Klein at the Almeida

off west end/fringe reviews archive
current OWE/fringe reviews
OWE/fringe reviews from 2008
OWE/fringe reviews from 2007




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