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John R
When We Are Married
A lovely evening’s entertainment with a great cast, including many favourites such as Siobhan Finneran, Sophie Thompson and Ron Cook. But I recognised the handsome John Hodgkinson from having taken over from SR Beale as Titus Andronicus earlier at Hampstead, earlier in the year. An actor with immense stage presence. New to us were Janice Connolly as the hilarious Mrs Northrop; her musical contributions put everyone into a merry mood. But the whole cast played together well – and at speed since the director, Tim Shead, kept things going at a fair old pace. Ron Cook is almost the star of the show, who can keep his comic timing and knockabout business with ease, can sometimes hint at sadness beneath the surface of his character. He is immaculate. The plot, of course, is as silly as was Fallen Angels, but who cares. It was the acting and direction that gave such pleasure. BUT do we believe that the couples will now remain happy ever after? I particularly doubt the future of poor Annie and the truly dreadful Albert, and the future of Herbert with the very funny but shrewish Clara. Will those who need to make amends for past behaviour change their spots so quickly?
Photos: Johan Persson
Tricia Collins
December 10, 2025
Fallen Angels
Christopher Luscome’s production of this Noel Coward play was perfectly set in an art deco 1920’s flat complete with baby grand piano. Julia and Jane, beautifully dressed for that period and the best of friends for many years, began to see the cracks in their marriages and lusted after a long lost beau, Maurice. Becoming increasingly inebriated over dinner, served by perfect in every way, Saunders (what couldn’t she do? Fluent French, pianist, singer, dancer), they imagined being with Maurice. It was a light hearted, entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable play with plenty to laugh about. Those who missed it, missed a treat! Great to see Fredo and Mike too, thank you both.
Garth
December 10, 2025
Fallen Angels
What an experience! At one stage, I was beginning to think that I was watching a foetal version of Waiting for Godot, but then the Godot turned up, bow tie and all, and that was that. The pleasures of the evening lay less in the tissue-thin story-line than in the stunning performances and the very smart Wodehouse-inspired production. Absolutely immaculate, from the handsome set, the entertaining costumes, to the actors’ energy, pitch-perfect timing and vivid characterisations. Not exactly cutting-edge British dramatic writing for today’s audiences perhaps, but a superb example of how to take comedy seriously.
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Andrew
November 26, 2025
The Spy who came in from the Cold
I have never read any books by John le Carr’e, and have never really been a fan of this genre. It always seemed a bit “Boy’s Own, ripping yarns” to me. I often wonder what sort of information spies pass on, and with all the “turning” and “double agent” stuff going on is the information worth all the trouble or would it all have “come out in the wash” anyway? My view of spies is the same as my view of politicians. What is the point of them?
However, pushing all of that cynicism to one side, I thoroughly enjoyed the production. Superb performances from the cast, with Rory Keenan’s portrayal as Alec Leamas verging on mesmerising. The minimal staging, and excellent mood lighting created quite a tense, almost sinister atmosphere.
People have described the first act as a little slow. Yes it was. But I felt that was right, as it served to give the audience time to absorb the farrago of lies and treachery that was unfolding.
The second act, by comparison, simply flew by, as theories and expectations formed during the first act were either confirmed or shattered.
Overall, an extremely enjoyable evening at a unique venue. I would describe the Soho Place as the Donmar Warehouse on steroids. Can’t give higher praise than that!
Thanks Fredo and Mike for another great night out. There was just something missing during the coach journeys. I can’t quite put my finger on what it was!
Photos: Johan Persson
Andrew M
November 11, 2025
The Maids
For once, with a Donmar Production, I found it very difficult to become totally immersed. The acting from the three cast members was superb, in what must have been a very difficult production to perform. It is probably unfair to single out an individual member for praise, however, I especially enjoyed the performance of Yerin Ha as the odious Madame, the employer of the two sisters.
The fact that the sisters were planning to murder their employer was hardly surprising, as she treated them both appallingly. The Sisters’ plotting and play acting as to how they would achieve their objective would have been a sufficiently enjoyable and interesting plot to follow. However, I felt that the much vaunted technology, together with the over loud music swallowed the play to the extent that towards the end I felt quite overwhelmed, and had begun to lose interest.
Innovation in the theatre is always very welcome and the innovators should be much admired. But style has to be balanced with substance. In this production the substance was in great danger of being completely subdued.
Thanks for the recommendation Fredo and Mike. Probably my least enjoyed visit to the Donmar, but an interesting talking point nevertheless.
Maureen
November 13, 2025
The Maids
I enjoyed it – I think! Still left wondering, The performers were excellent and I wondered what they thought when they first read the script. The modern technology with the mobile phones was interesting and clever but I hope we won’t be seeing too many productions using it I hadn’t understood how filters worked until it was explained to me later so I did learn something. Unfortunately I lost the last speech by Solonge because although she tried the music drowned her out but I guess younger people may have heard better. Thank you for taking us to something quite different. We do see a wide range of productions and we are very fortunate with your choices. Look forward to the next one.
Jill Illingworth
The Maids
Despite the good acting and imaginative staging, I did not enjoy this play. The first scene with the two maids went on for too long and became tedious. Things improved when Madam appeared, but by then I no longer cared.
An occasion where I was very glad of the final curtain, and a first, so I will write off the experience and look forward to next time. My thanks nevertheless to Mike and Fredo.
Photos: Marc Brenner
June
The Importance of Being Earnest
From watching the clips beforehand, I knew this production of The Importance of Being Ernest was going to be very quirky, and of course it was. The cast worked hard and were very enthusiastic in their telling of Oscar Wilde’s hilarious tale. I loved Stephen Fry’s performance as Lady Bracknell and was pleased to see his happy face when he received his applause. However, for me, the performances began to take on the feel of a pantomime – the actors making each other laugh seemed rather contrived. Don’t get me wrong, I really enjoyed it but prefer the earlier versions.
Jill
The Importance of Being Earnest
For me, a brilliant evening. I was just savouring one witticism and along came another, and another. The performance was a delight and much needed lift to the spirits. Wilde’s writing never ceases to impress me, even though I have seen this play many tines before, and I find it still has relevance . Stephen Fry of course was a bonus. Huge.
The finale did not get my vote, but did nothing to diminish my enjoyment of the play.
A big thank you to Fredo and Mike for arranging.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Fredo writes (due to few Comments)
October 28, 2025
Othello
It was a small group at the Haymarket for this performance of Tom Morris’s serviceable production. It turned out that many of the group didn’t know the play, and were gripped by the drama. Tension was generated in the great scenes when Othello’s self-assurance is undermined by Iago, but there was a slight loss of power in other scenes. Even so, it’s a great play, and it was great to introduce people to it.
Fredo
Photos: BRINKHOFF-MOEGENBURG (Except Mike’s photo of the set)
Sally and David
October 26, 2025
The Unbelievers
I enjoyed Unbelievers enormously, in spite of the difficult and often unsettling storyline. I’ve never seen Nicola Walker in such a role before — it was quite stunning to watch her transformation from a grieving mother to someone consumed by anger and confusion. Her performance was absolutely gripping, keeping us on the edge of our seats throughout.
Nicola Walker’s character also seemed to be struggling with underlying mental or emotional issues. Her moods were up and down — one moment calm and reflective, the next unpredictable or explosive — hinting at a deeper instability beneath her grief. The references to multiple relationships added to the sense of someone searching for meaning or connection while emotionally adrift.
I’ve read in a couple of newspaper
reviews that the humour detracted from the play, but we felt quite the opposite — it added a relatable, very human touch amidst the tension. That said, Nancy’s boyfriend’s comedy was somewhat overdone, as was some of Lorraine’s behaviour, but these were minor distractions in what was otherwise a powerful and unforgettable production.
A thoroughly gripping, stunning play that will stay with me for a long time.
Jules
October 23,2025
The Unbelievers
I haven’t been to the theatre for quite some time, and today was a powerful reminder of what it means to be fully immersed in a story, to be taken on a journey by actors so skilled at their craft that you forget where you are. The play was intense, at times uncomfortable, but deeply satisfying. It reminded me that discomfort can be a vital part of what it means to be human and that the arts hold a rare space for us to feel, question, and be moved in that way.
Jennifer
October 24, 2025
The Unbelievers
As members of Fredo’s group we’re privileged to see a range of theatrical productions, some of which can be challenging and difficult to watch and some of which enable us to learn something new about life. The Unbelievers certainly fell into the former category. We’re plunged straight into the aftermath of the disappearance of Miriam and David’s teenage son and, as the action unfolds, witness the impact of this awful event on the family at different times but, confusingly, not in chronological order. Nicola Walker as Miriam gives an acting masterclass as she struggles to cope descending into the depths of grief, despair and mental instability. Walker is ably supported by the actors playing her family and we see how the disappearance affects each of them in different ways.
As impressed as I was by the acting, I found the tone varied oddly at times particularly in a scene of social embarrassment with David’s new girlfriend and prospective son in law that belonged in a different play. At this point, I began to wonder what purpose the play was serving. Was it to let us know that losing a child is unbearable, that it can drive a parent mad? Was it to put us in the position of the voyeur who follows these terrible stories in the media as they unfold and who, in some cases, posts vicious comments online about the family? I really wasn’t sure but I feel Nick Payne, the playwright, missed his opportunity to use this harrowing work to reveal something to us about what it means to be human. What a shame.
Photos: Brinkhoff / Moegenburg
Barbara and Dennis
Water for Chocolate
We were so excited to go back to the Opera House after all this time, we were not disappointed, says I tongue in cheek. The ballet was a tad strange to say the least, glad we knew the story beforehand otherwise we would’ve been totally lost. Having said that it did reveal itself by the end as it had drawn us the audience into the story! The dancers were an absolute joy to watch and the music really created the atmosphere needed to help the story along. So yes we’re actually pleased we saw it – would we rush back, probably not. Thanks Fredo and Mike for your continued help in showing us what’s out there in Theatreland.
Photos: Tristram Kenton
Garth
October 9, 2025
Born with Teeth
I confess that, accidentally on purpose, I read some media reviews of the play before seeing it, noting that several whimpered that it didn’t have a rationale or didn’t dig deep enough.
Such complaints surely betray a misunderstanding of the nature of the piece. What did Oscar say? – “It is only shallow people who do not judge by appearances. The true mystery of the world is the visible, not the invisible.” The play is a wonderful fictional romp, wonderfully realised by director and by the two performers alike, full of humour and whimsicality, bromanticism, athleticism, verbal and physical fisticuffs, Bardish/Marlovian quotations, and quick-fire timing. It is – I assume – not intended to be a sort of George Bernard Shaw-style bit of penetrating intellectual archaeology or an edition of Melvyn Bragg’s In Our Time. It broadly lives with the rather sketchy knowledge we already have about the two playwrights and didn’t reveal anything (much) that we didn’t know or suspect. But put such scraps together imaginatively, and you’ve got an exhilarating hour and a half. It’s a perfect fit for Wyndham’s and for a West End audience. It’s hard to imagine it being better done.
Nicole
Born with Teeth
I remember Richard McCabe’s cynical, world weary Marlowe worshipping Dog in Peter Whelan’s School of Night: what a contrast with the self-satisfied, larger than life version of Ncuti Gatwa! I liked his character development , from his sneering assessment of Shakespeare’s talent to grudging admiration and growing attachment. I found the relationship between the two believable and touching and much admired Edward Bluemel’s sensitive portrayal. I could have done without the overloud videoclips but enjoyed the production’s energy and found it irresistibly sexy!
Nick
Born with Teeth
It was a very stimulating afternoon at Wyndham’s yesterday with Marlowe and Shakespeare.
The play’s author had hit on a clever conceit to bring the two men together and although the play was a little repetitive in its themes, I was gripped by the production and believed the actors.
In particular Mr Bluemel caught my attention with his subtle, almost unobtrusive, take on Shakespeare’s rise to fame. I hope to see him again. Mr Gatwa is a showier performer of course and dare I say shallower as a result, but it was a brilliant idea of Daniel Evans’ to pair them together.
Photos: Johan Persson
John R
Entertaining Mr Sloane
I felt the period should have been more strongly presented; we had Kemp toasting his crumpet with a toasting fork (I did that too!) and an old gramophone, conventional furniture, so why not the kind of decor featured in many films and plays involving landladies and boarders – Room at the Top, the Birthday Party, Deep Blue Sea, Separate Tables, and films of Terence Davies? I saw no advantage of it being in the round, nor the tangle of chairs suspended above the set. I think it needed flowery wallpaper and busy carpets.
I found the first part over long and noticed that there was little in the way of laughter from the audience. It was establishing the characters but could have been done more briefly. Things certainly picked up after the interval and the performances were great. My favourite actor was Daniel Cerqueir, whose spivy dialogue and demeanour, was priceless. His threatening behaviour towards Mr Sloane, followed by quick forgiveness, was funny. Tamzin Outhwaite amusingly conveyed the thin veneer of polite respectability, while desperate to hang onto Mr. Sloane, no matter what. Poor Kemp was truly left out of the action (apart from being killed). Jordan Stephens played Mr Sloane as a cheerful amoral man, always aware of where the main chance lay. His initial garb of nice suit and sleeveless pully (for Kath) and his leathers elsewhere was a nice touch. Of course, the lie of Kemp falling down the stairs would have been quickly exposed, even in those earlier days of forensic science. BUT all in all it was a very enjoyable afternoon, and I liked the symbolism of the 3 characters being bound up together, with nobody getting exactly what they really want.
Photos: © Ellie Kurttz
The drama affects us in sundry and unpredictable ways. An elderly lady sitting next to me at the matinee on Thursday 25th muttered as she picked up her walking stick after the curtain fell: “My weapon of mass destruction.….” During the interval she had turned to me and said: “I’ve been trying to remember in which play two of the characters get cooked in a pie.” I was able to tell her the name of the play……. And then I asked her what she was intending to have for supper. She said in a dry firm tone: “Omelette.”
I couldn’t find quite such a succinct reaction for myself. My first thought was that the production acknowledged that the play may not be as cathartic as some of the Bard’s other tragedies. It’s not easy to empathise with any of the characters beyond the unfortunate Lavinia. Titus himself is little better than those around him. One’s tempted to think that the sheer barbarity of the action is beyond belief – until one reflects on what the world witnessed in the 20th century and what we are witnessing today.
Rather cleverly, this production presents the play as a vicious power struggle with fantasy knobs on – wild demonic dances, long-distance lethal zapping and callisthenic movements that would not disgrace a Bruce Lee movie. I felt that it worked pretty well, despite teetering on the brink of comedy at moments. Distancing the horrific events from “reality” may be a way of protecting the tender audience, but what goes on gets painfully close to the contemporary world. We’re familiar with raw political rivalries and ambitions (the opening scene, for example – who can we think of today who declares that he hates his opponents?) and with the undisguised racism in the text in its demonisation of the (admittedly villainous) Aaron the Moor (and those naughty Goths too).
The uncluttered thrust stage worked well as a setting, even though mopping up so much spilt blood looked to be hard work. The sinister chainsaw and those menacing hooks and chains descending from the flies did their stuff. And the players too were energetic and fully into their roles. John Hodgkinson as Titus towered above most of the rest of the cast in clarity of speech, even though he did not offer much by way of depth in characterisation. Emma Fielding as Titus’s sibling (see Mike’s remarks) was effective in her consolation of poor mutilated Lavinia (Letty Thomas). Wendy Kweh was suitably vicious as Tamora, a good match for Saturninus (Max Bennett). As Aaron, who does so much to drive the play along, Ken Nwosu exuded force and guile – nothing became him more than his descent into that dreaded hole in the centre of the stage.
A final thought. A lorra, lorra people got killed and otherwise damaged in the play……among the wounded, alas, was the iambic pentameter. As a crusty old wrinkly, I can remember a time when the RSC prided itself on its command in the speaking of blank verse. Today, perhaps, not so much.
Jill Illingworth
Juniper Blood
I enjoyed this play immensely, totally absorbed from start to finish. The acting was superb, not a weak link in sight. I especially enjoyed Lip ( Sam Troughton) who managed to command the stage by saying very little .. and in the beginning .. nothing at all. Mesmerising performance.
There was so much truth in this play, often delivered with humour, but the tragic side drew me back, and I found myself conflicted. And involved.
Outstanding evening of theatre.
Carina, Paul and Gina
Juniper Blood
A poignant play for our times, each character challenging each other’s views on the rights and wrongs on how we live and love in our lifetime – hoping to survive but also hoping the world survives for future generations to enjoy.
The Donmar always lends itself well to these thought provoking plays, you feel as if you’re a silent bystander (sometimes sitting at the table with them) deciding which way to turn.
Strong performances as mentioned in previous comments with powerful pauses between dialogue.
Thank you Fredo and Mike, we all thoroughly enjoyed the performance and the evening.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Edwina
Stereophonic
It is largely acknowledged that this “fictionalised show” is really about the making of the Fleetwood Mac album Rumours.
It starts with the band wrapping up their recording session…..only to discover that they have suddenly become famous following a hit with their previous album – their production company give them unlimited time and lots of money to continue their musical journey…
Well the long journey that followed was tortuous and toxic to say the least. Drugs, alcohol, coercive controlling relationships, chauvinism, insecurities and ever expanding egos….what a cocktail!
A really talented cast of singers and musicians took us through all of the above with some good music to support, although at times it was very repetitive and it did drag slightly – that is how these musicians achieved their musical magic.
Thank goodness for the two sound engineers who were at times the only voice of reason….
Thank you Fredo and Mike once again.
Lesley and James Fleming
Stereophonic
A super production of Stereophonics in our opinion. The attention to details was great and transported us back to that era. The timings used by the actors were spot on. This was particularly noted in the pauses during conversations and particularly during the arguments between the characters. It was so natural. To then experience such brilliant musicianship from the same actors was quite remarkable and came as a surprise. We both thoroughly enjoyed the afternoon and have been telling others about it. So thank you Fred for this recommendation.
Maggie &John
Stereophonic
We didn’t know what to expect but we weren’t disappointed . The theme was based on Fleetwood Mac and their breakup following their number one hit .The influence of drugs and alcohol having an affect on their relationships also the ego of the front man. The recording producer and mixer Grover ( excellently played by the understudy Sam Denia) who lied his way into being hired became a major contributor to band’s success.The only slight disappointment was that excellent music and vocals was restricted to the first half but the story had to be told in sequence.
Thank you for a super afternoon at the theatre.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Jean
Hercules
Very vibrant, fabulous costumes and superb voices, but too loud and I had absolutely no idea what was going on!!!!!! I agreed with Fredo that it was like a pantomime and that I’m getting too old for this! Another evening, another experience. But it has to be said the cast were very enthusiastic.
Photos: Johan Persson
Maggie & John
Till The Stars Come Down
We both found this play totally absorbing . The first half was probably very true of pre wedding preparations at home on the morning of the wedding. This was amusing but doubts of a family get together going smoothly did not bode well as there were longstanding family animosities. This escalated into chaos and violence at the reception which is not uncommon between families at gatherings such as these.The once close relationship of the three sisters one of whom was the bride married a Pole just added fuel to the fire .I know some find regional accents and dialogue difficult which is understandable but wouldn’t it be sad if they disappeared.
We appreciated the synopsis as always and appreciate your dedicated research.
We enjoy our theatre trips with Theatreguys , not always enthusiastic about a few productions but it’s the occasion of being with a unique group of theatregoers .Long may it continue.
We enjoyed this play
Denise
Till the Stars Come Down
The play was tremendous and very good cast, thanks very much as ever.
Martin
August 29, 2025
Till the stars come down…
Unfortunately it wasn’t for me, the accents were difficult to translate and I found it generally boring. I dozed off in the first half and wish I had in the second.
Can’t win ’em all !
Thanks Fredo n Mike
Simon & Stewart
August 29, 2025
Till the Stars Come Down
What a stinker! It felt so dated. One cliche after another.
We were not alone leaving at the interval. The up side was we were able to get to the Palladium just in time to see Eva on the balcony.
jeanbirch19
Till the Stars Come Down
Oh dear!! It’s not often I totally dislike a production, but you can’t win ‘em all. I couldn’t understand all the dialogue when regional accents were at their strongest and I absolutely hated all the constant shouting. However I persevered because I was a captive audience and waited to have a better acceptance of proceedings. It didn’t happen!!! And in the second half I took out my hearing aids and had a nap!! Hoping for better luck next time……..
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Mike and Margaret
August 20, 2025
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
I love this play, know it very well and, like many of us ,have seen it on stage several times. However, never like last nights performance which was a totally new and invigorating production. The versatility of the cast was amazing. The staging was so precise it was breathtaking. What checks they must do before each performance to keep the actors and even the audience on the stage safe. The stage hands are so slick in moving the crowd about. In this bolshy age it is a wonder no one objects. I ,like many of you loved Puck, who really gave off not only mischief but at times something darker. On a lighter note I particularly liked Helena who has some great lines but conveyed all the highs and lows of her lot so amusingly. The catfight with Hermia is always great fun. My one gripe was my dislike of the swapping of Titania with Oberon. I know others disagree but I love Titania awaking to find her “angel” Bottom in her flowery bower. Bottom by the way was great. I wonder what further Shakespeare is up the sleeve of The Bridge. Many thanks again Mike and Fredo.
wwindett
August 20, 2025
A Midsummer Night`s Dream
One of the best plays I have seen. Such a wonderful production with excellent actors all with terrific diction. The fairies on their trapezes and the amazing `scenery` movements were spectacular. The Mechanicals were especially so amusing. A great treat.
John R
August 20, 2025
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
WELL I hadn’t quite expected that! A huge OTT production with dare-devil antics on the trapeses . One’s jaw dropped to see the physical skills on show. And although I didn’t catch some of the words, for once it didn’t matter. In a theatre this size and shape a more subtle production would have been difficult. Having said that, the skilled direction and the actors ensured that the most important lines got through. Hilarious performances from all the actors; I particularly liked the irresistible Puck who even managed to deliver the more tender final farewells to the audience while hanging upside down on his trapese. His cheeky personality was endearing throughout. I also particularly enjoyed the spat between Helena and Hermia, and the performance of Mrs Quince (was it?) the director of P&T. I have seen productions where the Pyramus and Thisbe managed to be touching as well as funny, but this version was played broadly. I loved the borrowing of an audience member’s phone for selfies, and the hissed reminder from Bottom that “we are in the round”. Great fun.
Pat Bladon
August 20, 2025
A Midsummer Nights Dream
Absolutely fantastic. Off the wall adaptation which really worked and having the standing audience made it even better. Puck was outstanding. Thank you Fredo and Mike and so glad we had your introduction Fredo.
Phots: Manuel Harlan
Gillian
Titanique
An energetic, loud, hilarious send-up of the film with a similar name. The lead actors, especially ‘Celine’, with her spot-on impersonation, were brilliant and the songs were delivered with power from all the singers. Rip-roaring entertainment with its fair share of naughtiness, innuendos, and campness which all added to the hilarity and quick-fire humour, some of which went over my head, with some references and words, but that didn’t detract at all.
For me one of the highlights was ‘Tina Turner’ strutting her stuff and belting out her lyrics.
I really enjoyed this highly entertaining show but it is not for the fainthearted or easily offended such were some of the scenes. The cast got rapturous applause at the end and I came out feeling energised and smiling.
Thank you Fredo and Mike for another successful theatre trip.
JANET Harbidge
Peaky Blinders
As someone who can struggle getting out of the bath or up steep steps I was in awe of the dancers in this production.
They were fluid and flexible, like liquid streaming across the stage. Terrifying in the fight scenes, full of romance in the relationship between Tommy and Grace.
It starts on the battlefield and ends with Tommy’s fate.
The leads for both Tommy and Grace were just outstanding. Conveying their love, yearning and passion in moves my body can only dream about.
Polly, as the matriarch, was a force to be reckoned with, her dancing, her acting, were just spectacular.
The soundtrack was pounding (I loved the loudness) and only emphasised the scenes and the characters as they moved through the story.
The Red Right Hand dance was mesmerising.
I don’t think it mattered if you have not seen the show, it stands on it’s own.
It was loud, bold, full of life (and death)
I just loved it, and for me, the best thing I have seen this year, by far.
Tony & Victoria
Peaky Blinders
The Peaky Blinders Show was a relentless display of spectacular acrobatic ballet cameos, completely spoilt by the brain splattering ,voice distorting, visual disturbing Mega Disco noise. The echo of an anvil being struck every now and then tried to remind the audience of the television wonder of Peaky Blinders.
Was it worth the trip. Yes of course, a trip to the theatre always has benefits, in particular the scene of the long, quiet shadows of the set of the First World War which were gentle and memorial and continued to remind us of the effect of these terrible trenches were the birthplace of the Peaky Blinders.
Edwina
Edit
Peaky Blinders
I thought the whole production was incredible -the ability of the dancers to project both terror and tenderness was skilfully done.
I am not sure if someone who had not watched the series would have been able to follow the story line but even if they had not, the performance stands alone, as a masterclass in dance.
Thank you Fredo and Mike for taking us to yet another memorable evening at the theatre.
Photos from various venues: Beatrice Livet and others
EVITA
Your comments are on our Group visits on 22 & 29 July plus 26 August
Penny
Evita
I was lucky enough to take my 3 daughters to the last night of Evita – a show we all love.
It was such an amazing evening from arriving to a very excited audience, and when the orchestra started to play the whole theatre erupted.
I absolutely loved every minute – the superb orchestra, the energetic dancers and naturally the outstanding Eva Peron. I was a bit dubious about the balcony scene, but with hundreds outside watching it really felt she was addressing her descamisados. It was also lovely to see her face up close.
One of my all time favourite theatre experiences and my arms are still aching from the 7-8 minute ovation.
Jean
Evita
Never, ever in my 60 years of theatre have I before experienced an entire audience give an instant standing ovation, whooping and clapping while the cast took bows for ever! I tried to have an open mind and not make comparisons with the original, but at the start it seemed to lack a time line, but the show grew on me as it progressed. If I hadn’t seen the original I would have had no idea what was going on, but, as Mike commented, a new audience would just accept it at face value. The singing and dancing were superb – and I sang along in my head, remembering so many lyrics from way back when! What a truly powerful production.
Thank you, Fredo and Mike, for offering us over the years such a wonderful variety of theatre experiences. It’s been a great journey with you both.
Rosemary and Tony
Evita
Not what we were expecting but better than anything we could have hoped for.
A powerful reimagined production in which the whole cast gave their all to produce an outstanding and memorable performance.
Fredo’s pre show synopsis was interesting and helpful.
Ann and Vanessa
Evita
Sensational! Minimal set with maximum thrill and movement. Talking of movement – how do they do it? Choreographical precision was the order of the day, boosted by incredible talent and timing all round. All lead roles absolutely marvellous.
Fredo’s informative pre-show talk was a great help in keeping up with the events that gave rise to this incomparable show.
The balcony scene simply added to the innovative and contemporary direction of this show of long-standing. This is the way to go. See it again anyone?
Thank you Fredo (and Mike) you’re a bit of a star yourself! There have been so may opportunities to see top notch London productions.
Andrew
Evita
I wanted to use a less common exclamation or interjection (call it what you will) as wow. But all of the alternatives either sounded horribly American, or were unfit for a family website, so wow it must be. WOW!!! What an extraordinary show. An almost overwhelming explosion of energy, enthusiasm, and pure unadulterated talent.
Fredo’s pre-performance talk about the history of Eva Peron, and Jamie Lloyd’s new interpretation of “Evita”, was extremely interesting and very helpful in following the “plot”. This production took the form of a “Rock Opera” with such mesmerising energetic choreography, brilliant character portrayals, imaginative staging, and LOUD music, one could be easily distracted from the actual storyline. However, the much covered “balcony scene” was superbly done and shown on a huge screen, with Evita turning back from the crowd to the theatre audience giving a feeling of intimacy that she had not shared with the crowd outside. The symbolism towards the end involving Che Guevara, depicting the death of Evita’s Argentina was clever and original.
Surprisingly, having been metaphorically battered about the head by the aggressive energy of the first three quarters of the show, and my internal organs vibrated from the volume of the excellent music and singing, I found the last quarter, which was concerned with Evita’s gradual loss of influence together with failure of her health surprisingly emotional. In fact I found myself “welling up”!
For those members of the group fortunate enough to have tickets for the third trip you are in for a real theatrical experience, because love it or loathe it, you certainly won’t forget it.
Thanks again Fredo & Mike for a highly enjoyable and exhausting evening.
Barbara and Dennis
Evita
Well we walked in having our doubts and already not liking it because of the reviews , we walked out with a smile on our face thinking we’d like to see it again. Such an amazing powerful musical really pulled you into the story. Can’t really say much more other than thank you Fredo and Mike.
Here are the published pictures. Click to enlarge –
Photos: Marc Brenner and others
JANET Harbidge
Intimate Apparel
I’ve long admired Samira Wiley in her roles in Orange is the New Black and especially The Handmaids Tale, so it was a pleasure to see her in the flesh in the role as Esther, the woman who sews beautiful lingerie for women. Ester was feisty and independant, with her own dreams but also longs for love and marriage. Her friends, Mayme, the good time girl, the posh lady Mrs Van Buren and her landlady all offer advice on Esther’s pursuit of her romance with the poetic George Armstrong. The sets were minimal which did not distract from the powerhouse performances of all of the actors. Especially touching was the fledgling attraction between Mr Marks and Esther, both knowing it could never blossom into anything.
There was a brilliant saucy song in the middle of the play which lifted the mood, but as the play progressed you could feel the pain and anguish that was coming down the line.
Samira hardly left the stage and she was mesmerising, in one moment showing her self worth and determination, then the next , full of pain and sorrow. My friend had her tissue ready and clutched my hand in sympathy.
All of the actors were magnificent. No words were wasted.
What I particularly liked was the way the words from the letters were played across the walls and stage. Just perfect.
Go see it, you will not be disappointed.
Photos: Helen Murray
Margaret and Mike
Mrs Warren’s Profession
It was so helpful to get Fredo’s background on G B Shaw as well as the play. I know quite a bit about the man and his ideas but Fredo fleshed this out and made an interesting buildup to this play and its views on women.
As to the performance we enjoyed it in part but found some aspects less successful The mother daughter relationship was of course central. Imelda Staunton’s performance totally convinced me but I did find Bessie Carter at times too strident. Robert Glenisters George Croft was excellent as was Kevin Doyle as the overwrought Reverend Gardener. I thought the chorus of stagehands/ prostitutes looked too clean and virginal be the latter but it was a pleasing device. The set looked gorgeous on arrival in our seats but was gradually stripped away by the “ladies” as all secrets were revealed. A very absorbing play and a lovely evening in all. Many thanks Fredo and Mike.
Photos: Johan Persson
Sally and David
The Fifth Step
The Fifth Step is a dark, gripping two-hander that dives into the raw heart of the AA process — specifically Step Five: admitting the truth to another. Performed in the round with minimal props, it’s a tense, unrelenting exchange between a recovering alcoholic (Lowden) and his sponsor (Freeman), both slowly exposing uncomfortable truths.
What starts as sharp, darkly comic dialogue shifts into something far more confronting. Humour gives way to confessions involving sex, faith, and trauma, with strong language and themes that proved too much for a few early leavers.
Lowden is electric, Freeman quietly devastating. Together, they hold the space with staggering intensity. The spiritual undertone — initially mocked — lands with surprising weight in the final moment, symbolised by the haunting drop of a paper cup.
Unflinching, uncomfortable, and unforgettable.
Photos: Johan Persson
Harriet Marks
Fiddler on the Roof.
As ever, the show was wonderful. I’ve seen it soo many times and been in four different productions of it and have never seen it done badly. That said, much as I enjoyed it, I preferred the Menier Chocolate Factory production.
For the show to work well, Tevye MUST engage with the audience and good as he was, I didn’t feel he did.
I loved some of the changes in the orchestration. The music is so completely fabulous it is hard spoil it.
Golda had a great voice. I never understood how that woman got the part in the film, with her harsh, gravelly voice.
I did wonder why we had a Scottish Russian and a Welsh innkeeper. I’m a bit of a traditionalist and I like my whites white, my blacks black, my men men and Russians to sound Russian.
The choreography and dancing was really good.
Interesting to have Chava playing the clarinet in two scenes, most notably the final scene which is usually played out by the Fiddler. Was she demonstrating that her heart was still Jewish despite marrying a Russian, maybe?
All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed. I can’t imagine ever not. It really is a wonderful show.
Oh, a quick shout out to the fires burning after the pogroms. Very convincing.
How poignant was this now that such awful things are happening in Ukraine?
4 stars.
Thanks Fredo and Mike for this and all the many, many trips over the years.
John R
Fiddler on the Roof
I was a Fiddler newby when I saw the wonderful production at the Menier Chocolate Factory a few years ago, never even having seen the film . I was deeply impressed by that production, directed by Trevor Nunn. This new production is equally impressive but in different ways. The principal difference is scale. The Barbican stage is vast as was the entire scene at RP Open air, but still one was able to appreciate the family closeness within their small community. All the performers were superb, especially Adam Dannheisser as Tevye, and Lara Pulver certainly is his equal in her role. The dance routines were thrilling and the band wonderful. I have always rather liked Beverly Klein so was happy to see her again.
I see that there are two understudies for Adam Dannheisser so as he presumably will not be doing the upcoming tour, they will share the role on the road. My family will see it at Norwich so I will find out who they got.
In the end I slightly preferred the Menier production. The final departures of the family is deeply moving, but somehow even more so at the Menier, where the people were wrapped up in winter clothing, trudging along in the dark, with the snow falling.
Excellent seats, so thanks again, Fredo for doing so well.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Pauline
The Deep Blue Sea
The beginning of the play I thought ,watching the acting of landlady and the couple from upstairs , seemed very “am dram” . Miller also seemed very wooden .However once the main characters took centre stage the acting was excellent. The story was engaging and left one, at the interval, wondering how it would end .
Interesting to see a play like this after the recent theatre more modern ones. It was a pity that the Theatre Royal didn’t allocate us seats nearer the stage so we could have felt more engaged.
John R
Deep Blue Sea
This was an absorbing afternoon with a packed house intensely absorbed and silent. The star attraction was Tamsin Grieg whose Hester was movingly portrayed, sharp, rueful, self deprecating, and sad. Hadley Fraser as Freddie was selfish and weak, and I felt lacking in the charm that might have kept Hester glued to him. It is perhaps even sadder this way as it is conveyed quite early on that sex is the main attraction, and which has been missing in her marriage. In the first scene between Hester and Bill (subtle Nicholas Farrell) their actual affection was clear below the surface, and his plea to Hester to come back to him was most touching. Very intriguing was “Dr Miller” from upstairs, eccentric yet not unsympathetic in his concern for Hester. The mystery of his past misdemeanours reminded me of the character of the Major in Separate Tables, who has been arrested in a cinema for interfering with little girls. Rattigan frequently transferred homosexual issues behind straight ones though nowadays assaulting little girls would hardly be considered the lesser misdemeanour. Pauline references am dram in relation to the landlady and certainly many plays set in ordinary domestic settings has them, but I did enjoy Selina Cadell’s performance. But little can be made of the other couple surely? The drab setting was perfectly in period. Billie Holiday’s recording of Stormy Weather can never fail to involve. I haven’t intended to underplay my admiration for Tamsin G by addressing other performers – she is superb and subtle and moving. A question: do we have any idea of what will happen to her afterwards beyond perhaps studying painting once more?
Ann and Vanessa
Just For One Day
Where were you on Live Aid Day? If you’re old enough you remember. If you’re not you missed a massive shift in popular music. What a triumph that day was then ; and what a triumph the current Live Aid Musical is today. A great concept, great staging and enormous talent. Live Aid gave pleasure to millions and hope to starving people in 1985 and this show (we’ve seen it twice now) is a fitting tribute to the 1985 participants and a jolt of awareness of the state of the world today. Thanks Fredo. We shed a tear too.
Royston Keeble
Just For One Day
Great tribute performance from a talented cast, wonderful memories rekindled of Live Aid 1985 and the reasons, sadly despite their heartfelt efforts still being with us today. This show however is first class in telling the story in great style, wonderful singing and acting their respective roles superbly.
Thoroughly deserved standing ovation.
Photos: Manuel Harlan (Click to enlarge)
Andrew
Edit
Dealer’s Choice
This was a wonderfully written and brilliantly acted production. The banter amongst the restaurant staff as they prepared for their weekly after hours poker game contained both sharp, and sometimes cruel humour, together with some seriously emotional pathos.
The cast were all extraordinarily good, making it more than usually difficult to single an individual member out for praise, but Hammed Animashaun, an actor of whom I had never heard before, was outstanding as the ever optimistic “Mugsy”, stealing almost every scene in which he appeared. His efforts to obtain investment to convert an abandoned public convenience into a restaurant, were quite hilarious.
Photos: Helen Murray
The first act was used to introduce the individual cast members together with their thoughts and ambitions. The second act was taken up by the poker game itself. The sinister Ash, a professional poker player, and the only member of the card school not employed at the restaurant, joined the group and began to “clean up”. He had lent money to the restaurant owner’s son who, unable to pay him back, had invited him to the game , convincing him that he would easily win sufficient money to cover the debt. Needless to say this did not work as planned.
It was interesting, if unsurprising to note, that the tone and intensity of the banter changed with the pressure of the game. As fortunes ebbed and flowed, mostly ebbed, one by one players left the game in varying degrees of frustration. Sweeney, the head chef, was due to meet his estranged daughter the following day so he had not intended to join the game as he needed his money for “treats“. But he eventually succumbed to the pressure and inevitably stormed away from the game. This elicited a viciously cruel comment from Stephen, the restaurant owner which drew audible gasps from the audience.
As the production came to a close three players were left – the inevitable “Mugsy”, thrilled with his winnings, departed in triumph, leaving Ash and Stephen. Ash, who had lost a large amount to Stephen, demanded that Stephen gave him the money back that was owed to him by Stephen’s son.
But the final scene was an highly emotional argument between Stephen and his son, as the son had promised to try to break his gambling habit. As the actors came forward to take their bows, I was sitting in the front row right by Daniel Lapaine, who played Stephen. I could see that the tears from the argument with his son were still running down his face.
I would have hugely enjoyed watching this production at home on TV. But feeling actually part of it in the wonderful immersive environment of the Donmar was a real privilege.
Again many thanks Fredo and Mike. This is one that will live in the memory.
Jan Harbidge
My Master Builder
There was a lot of chatter about Ewan Mcgregor in this role, but I found him engaging, believable and powerful. The first act set up nicely the second act. Not a word was wasted. Kate Fleetwood was a stand out, to me, for her carefully crafted route to put a fire under her marriage. She was spiky, truthful, occasionally cruel but ultimately showing a woman who was just tired of being overlooked, sidelined and forever in the long shadow of her husband.
Elizabeth Debicki was fragile, ethereal and the pawn in this dinner party from hell. The much commented upon height difference between the builder and his student made no difference to their relationship.
Tall and short people can love each other!
To watch and listen to a beautifully crafted play was a joy. I could hear every single word.
Photos: Johan Persson
My my…how that little word makes a difference! This play has caused much discussion among different viewpoints, those wanting Ibsen and those happy to go along with this Ibsen rewrite, “a brand new play inspired by Ibsen”. My first reaction was Why? Why would Lila Raicek (writer of tv’s ‘Gossip Girl’) want to set themselves up as an Aunt Sally to experienced theatregoers by rewriting Ibsen, an Ibsen-lite version of his play for audiences finding the original too heavy-going? If you want to write a Netflix-type glossy drama of sex and the moneyed class, either plagiarise a playwright of your own populist standing or preferably think up a drama for yourself. I suppose the answer is Money, Popularity, and the kudos earned by having a play in the West End. Then Broadway?
And similar questions might be asked of director Michael Grandage. Well, a reasonable answer to that is he wanted to work with Ewan McGregor again, after his very fine production of ‘Othello’ 18 years ago at the Donmar. The role of the master builder, an attractive man of ability and stature, suited McGregor, but did this part in this play suit him? As much as I appreciated his performance, I thought he seemed to be in a different play to the others. He pulled out all the stops by the end, but until then looked…erm…smaller than the other characterisations.
Ibsen is sometimes admired for his feminist credentials, giving credence to a woman’s point of view as he did with Nora in ‘A Doll’s House’, and so another reason for ‘My Master Builder’ I assume was to place its female characters centre stage. Ms Raicek certainly did that, with the wife, assistant and girlfriend firing on all cylinders – super up-front performances from all three. But feminist? The wife was an outright bitch that any man could do without, and the other two equalled their men’s questionable behaviour. Is that what equality means these days? This was a feminist slant to help sell tickets to those who knew nothing of Ibsen.
And sell tickets it has! The house was full, even with a top price of £164 from one agency, for seats just along the row from my £67 discounted group-price ticket. I couldn’t bring myself to stand for the ovation, but despite what I have said here, I did enjoy the experience…on the level it was intended, the level of a glossy entertainment, exceedingly well presented by a top rated production team and respected actors.
Edwina
The Brightening Air
An acknowledged nod to Chekhov…The first half has a slow burn feel to it; bringing together in the run down family home, and introducing to us the members of a 1980’s dysfunctional family each of whom has their own troubles and woes.
The 3 siblings – Dermot who is in a mid life crisis, Stephen angry at not having found love and resenting his loss of opportunity, instead, having to look after his vulnerable younger sister Billie, who is on the Autistic spectrum. Introduce Uncle Pierre, a blind, discredited priest…who preaches his radical, dark religious theories with fervour. Lydia, Dermot’s long suffering wife and Freya, Dermot’s latest and indecently young, love interest. What could go right?
Well, the second half allows each of the characters to develop and deliver and between them they expose the family tensions around the balance of power.
The harshness of rural Irish life is revealed with dark humour, and then there is the reliance on the myths and legends around the potential of magical waters – even with muck in it!
It is very obvious that no member of the family is happy – although Uncle Pierre does regain his sight…but for me, the play didn’t resolve. I believe that Connor McPherson acknowledges that his latest work was rushed at the end and that perhaps he should not have directed it too.
However, that does not detract from the outstanding performances of all the cast but especially in my view Rosie Sheehy who played Billie.
Thank you Fredo & Mike for expanding our theatrical horizons once again. Much appreciated.
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Pauline
Carlos Acosta Ballet Celebration
A wonderful medley of excerpts from Daghliev ballet . The young dancers from Birmingham Royal Ballet performed with such grace,stamina and enthusiasm they deserved the three curtain calls. A beautiful, moving tableau. The evening ended with a private escort via the stage to the stage door exit arranged by Mike. Thank you Fredo and Mike for a lovely evening.
Monica and Robin
Manhunt
This was drama at its best. Samuel Edward Cook playing Raoul Moat was outstanding and deserved to have taken a bow on his own though the supporting actors all deserve a mention. A thoroughly absorbing play. Though one could have an understanding (almost sympathy?) for Moat from the background he came from, the pent up frustration and the fact he was asking or rather demanding for help but Fredo did point out he was a villain, destroying families.
We’ve certainly seen some powerful dramas all adding to our theatre experience so thank you again Fredo and Mike for giving us the opportunity.
Yes, we were one of those who wanted to see Nicola Walker and Stephen Manghan in a play together and weren’t disappointed with their superb performances and the obvious chemistry between them. An added bonus was finding out that Erin Doherty (recently seen in Adolescence) was the other actor. Not realising what Unicorn stood for we weren’t totally prepared for the subject matter and Fredo had warned about the ‘strong’ language but this didn’t spoilt our enjoyment of this production. A thought-provoking play; punchy, explicit, with love and death intertwined, quick, witty dialogue, with lots of ‘effin’ and ’jeffin’ for sure, so not for the faint-hearted maybe, but we laughed and thoroughly enjoyed the play. We liked the simplicity of the sets too which didn’t distract from the actors and their performances.
Thank you Fredo and Mike for another great evening.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Wake
at the Peacock Theatre
Jean Birch
03/04/25
Well that was a surprise!! I liked most of the production once I got into it. It was vibrant and amusing, but sadly slowed down on occasions by dreary music and by a presenter in a blue dress who I couldn’t understand at all!! But the cast carried their enthusiasm over to the audience who were more than willing to join in with appreciation. The stars of the show were, without doubt, the male dancer with tassels (!!!) and the pole dancer who twisted and twirled and appeared not to have any joints – amazing!
Mike
05/04/25
THISISPOPBABY – The name of the group in CAPS sets the tone, and then the show’s title “Wake” suggests this may be something a little more serious, even funereal. No it’s not. Despite some over aggressive monologues about life, death and politics, this is mainly a variety show of the type I saw as a child at the end of piers. There’s a gay male comic striptease with tassels on his bare buttocks to get us in the mood; there’s clowning with large balloons; ladies lithely writhing on trapezes; a muscled woman in a G-string gamely cavorting up a pole; some basic group dances; and a butch guy step-dancing in a gold lamé jockstrap. That’s the fun side. There are also soulful songs and folk music interludes to add gravitas – I guess that at one of those (in)famous Irish wakes, this is all rather more interesting if you are downing glasses of Guinness and feeling emotional. For those of us sober, in the West End, it’s baptism by a party-piece onslaught. And the finger-wagging monologues tell us in direct language that this troupe take their fun very seriously – laugh certainly, but nevertheless this is a woke wake. The audience did laugh, raucously, and cheer, and stand to wave their arms about to the throbbing soundtrack, so this obviously pleased the young regular Peacock audience. I just wished I was younger and still at an end-of-the-pier show.
Richard II
By William Shakespeare, at the Bridge Theatre
Photos: Manuel Harlan
Jennifer
Call me shallow, but the chance to see the ridiculously handsome Jonathan Bailey in the relatively close proximity of the Bridge Theatre was too good an opportunity to miss. Of course, another attraction is that the production is directed by Nicholas Hytner, surely one of our foremost interpreters of Shakespeare (I remember vividly his production of Othello at the National in – gasp – 2013 in which Bailey played Cassio to Adrian Lester’s Othello).
The fast moving, modern dress staging in which the cast speak the verse clearly and with assurance was gripping from the start. The story is well told and Hytner helps us understand how Richard’s petulance, caprices and sense of entitlement set him on the road to ruin. The excellent Royce Pierreson as Bolingbroke is the yin to Richard’s yang: calm, steady and focussed on doing what’s right for the country. Their scenes together are electrifying. I was also moved by Michael Simkins and Amanda Root as the Duke and Duchess of York struggling to cope with the impact of Richard’s regime on their family.
Others have said how lucky the group was to see this production and I suspect we’ll all be able to say before too long that we saw Jonathan Bailey on stage just before he became a bona fide movie star. Let’s hope he comes back to the London stage at some point after the Jurassic Park movie.
Anthony Slee
The Bridge Theatre with the stage set for Richard the Second was a bit like a magnified Donmar but with very comfortable seats. Three rows from the stage couldn’t have been bettered, thank you Fredo. At the start the stage moved from the dark to a brightly lit, commanding figure and we were locked in. The reactions between the conflicting characters were captivating. The music of the word play and sounds of the English language at its best was displayed to the full. The sets and lighting were minimal but essential to the story. The anti tank gun, the change of the entrance from glass to cell bars wound up the tension. Humour relieved the tension just enough to wind it up another notch.
Brilliant cast , wonderful night, one of the best productions in town.
Just an aside, when watching TV we are frequently warned of flashing images. Last night the astounding light and sound effects when all hell broke loose were shattering. I presume those of a nervous disposition were quietly tidied away after we left.
Andrew M
Backstroke
Tamsin Greig as the daughter Bo, and Celia Imrie as the mother, Beth. Both deliver superb performances in this, at times, brutally raw portrayal of a daughter’s struggle to cope, and ultimately come to terms with, her mother’s mental decline and death due to a combination of strokes and dementia. Possibly not a preamble that is going to have punters scrambling for tickets. But this production was so brilliantly written….
Through a series of the daughter’s memory flashbacks, during which the mother leaves her bed, and enacts scenes from their past life, we learn to understand the daughter’s ordeal….
The mother styled herself as a trendy hippie type, adored by all men, admired by other women. A trendsetter who had little time for any of the trivialities of parenting which may interfere with her own selfish lifestyle. The daughter had clearly been driven to distraction by her mother’s needy self obsession, but as the mother’s condition deteriorated, the daughter began to remember that as well as the rage and resentment that her mother had caused her, there were also happy fond times. Maybe she had never really liked her mother, but she now realised that she had truly loved her.
Still not convinced? Time to refer back to the brilliant writing. Celia Imrie must have thought Christmas had come early when she first read her script. Sharp, witty, laugh out loud humour, which remained funny even as her dementia progressed. The bickering interactions with Tamsin Greig were masterful.
When the mother finally passed away, her daughter cradled her head in her hands telling her to just let go, which were some of the words the mother had used in one of the rare parenting moments in her life whilst teaching her daughter to swim.
That scene was followed by the daughter reading out the funeral speech which consisted of a long list of things her mother had taught her, again very humorous, and also very sad.
We were privileged to be joined after the performance by the writer and director, Anna Mackmin. We learnt that the production was basically the account of her own mother’s death, and the story of their relationship. She had written the play immediately after the event, but it had not seen the light of day for eight years. It was very evident that she was still quite emotional about the subject, but nevertheless gave a very interesting insight into the background of writing and direction.
Again huge thanks Fredo and Mike. I would never have considered coming to this production which I very much enjoyed, without your many years of theatrical tutelage
Slideshow Photos: Johan Persson
Helen
Punch
This was a terrific show – very fast moving through the first half and reflective in the second. The set was functional and clever and the direction meant that the cast used its opportunities. All the actors were superb and the doubling of roles was probably the best I have ever seen. David Shields was outstanding in his role as the disturbed, violent and addicted young man who causes the tragedy and then begins to deal with its aftermath, thanks largely to the parents of his victim. All of us found it a moving theatrical experience. Thank you Fredo and Mike. Thank you, too, for the extra information on the real people and their story which you circulated this morning.
Photos: Marc Brenner
Margaret F
The Years
I went with high expectations of The Years as the reviews had been so glowing and those expectations were exceeded throughout. Each section of the main character’s memories flowed flawlessly together and there was not the slightest moment of doubt that this was one person’s story. The five performers were stars, each contributing a different focus and mood showing the highs and lows of one woman’s life. Romala Garai stood out for her brave and poignant performance of the abortion scene and Deborah Findlay for her wise, accepting stance as her life reached its last stage.
The music was well-matched to highlight time passing, and the spare set made very effective use of the central table and bedsheets which proclaimed time-specific slogans commenting on different perceptions of women at certain points in history. In the final moments of the play, images of the five actors’ faces were projected onto the sheets which were now hoisted above the stage and rotating. This was a powerful image reinforcing the interchangeability of each performer as they told one woman’s story.
This was a strikingly original play and the audience’s engagement was almost palpable. The resounding applause was barely an adequate way to honour the skills and sensitivity displayed by all five performers. I felt privileged and fortunate to see The Years especially in my seventies as I can reflect back on my own experiences with the sharpened insight presented by this play. This was theatre at its finest.
Photos: Ali Wright
Sue W
The Producers
What a happily memorable time on a grey and wet Sunday afternoon. I had no previous experience of The Producers and was delighted by a cheerfully exuberant production. I enjoyed and admired the work of the contrasting lead actors but also very much appreciated the dance and singing talents of the entire cast who performed so well in their beautiful costumes. There was much else to enjoy too – the pigeons, the Zimmer frames ,and Leo’s comfort blanket being exchanged for the hat he eventually deserved.
A wonderful theatre treat . Thank you so much Fredo and Mike.
The Little Foxes
By Lillian Hellman
Jennifer
4 February 2025
Little Foxes provided just what we needed on a damp Monday evening in February: a slice of Southern melodrama to shake us out of our winter torpor. Anne-Marie Duff on blazing form as the sister going toe to toe with her venal, grasping brothers to claim a share of the family fortune she believes is rightfully hers. And woe betide her sickly husband if he attempts to put a morally driven impediment in her way…..
Even if we haven’t seen the film with Bette Davis we know that the story isn’t going to end well. The pleasure is watching the twists and turns of the plot play out as the family’s secrets and the depths of their corruption are revealed. Mark Bonnar as the Machiavellian brother is a match for Ms Duff ably supported by an excellent cast.
One quibble: I was puzzled by the mid-century modern set for a play set so firmly in the early 1900s. Was the intention to suggest that the issues the play explores, such as greed, racism and treating women as chattels are timeless? Maybe so but, for me, it struck a false note in an otherwise high quality production.
Photos: Johann Persson
Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812
Music, lyrics, book and orchestrations by Dave Malloy
Andrew
What an extraordinary production.
The fact that someone, Dave Malloy, I was informed by Fredo, could have waded through Tolstoy’s 1,400 page doorstep, and had his imagination fired by 70 odd pages is quite remarkable. But I’m very pleased that Dave took the trouble, as the ultimate result was this utterly brilliant show, directed by Tim Sheader. The music was wonderful, the quality of the singing was amongst the best, if not the best I have experienced, and the choreography, was fabulous, being both imaginative, and at times almost “explosive”. The prologue, which I have just watched again on the website, was so good ( running out of adjectives here), that I felt quite sorry for Andrey that he missed it! That really set the standard for the rest of the evening. The show moved along at quite a pace, with soulful, emotional ballads, and really loud upbeat tunes. If the Cossacks had rock and roll in 1812, this is how they would have done it. All performed by a truly excellent and exuberant cast. It is nigh on impossible to single out any one performer for a special mention from such a talented group, but if pushed I felt “the hot” Anatole was outstanding. Once again the Donmar worked it’s magic. This unique little theatre, always provides an atmospheric, and immersive experience. This is due, of course, in no small part to the talents of the previously mentioned Tim Sheader. I very much enjoyed our q&a session after the show, and would like to take this opportunity to thank him for making the Donmar my favourite theatrical venue. How would Tolstoy have felt about this production? Affronted at the liberties taken with his famous tome? As a man who looked upon celibacy as a way of preserving his moral purity, and then went on to father 13 children, I imagine he would have been pretty open minded.
Many thanks again Fredo and Mike for another superb experience.
Photos by Johan Persson. Now click through the Slide Show below –
Wendy E
Starlight Express
What a great way to spend a Sunday afternoon.
Sheer entertainment with so many talented performers, particularly the young controller. He was good and will surely have a wonderful career ahead of him?
I did see the original in the eighties but can’t remember too much about it but the lighting, staging and special effects were very memorable in this performance.
Thank you to Fredo and Mike yet again for providing the means for us to create such memories.
Photos by Pamela Raith
The Invention of Love
by Tom Stoppard at the Hampstead Theatre
Helen
I wish I had found the whole play as entertaining as the first brief exchange between Housman and Charon. While the acting was excellent throughout and the prduction very good, I found the play definitely over-long and even tedious in parts. I do not believe I was the only member of the audience who felt this way.
There were some absolutely wonderful parts: I loved Jowett’s monologue on scribal error; some of the exchanges between the younger and older Houseman; the interesting debates on science versus classicism, on intelligence, aestheticism and the varieties of views and types of male to male love. In the end though, obviously the earlier cut version of this play was the one I should have seen! The croquet game was cleverly done but went on too long. The scene over the billiard table I could have dispensed with entirely. While I realise that Labouchere’s amendment criminalised male homosexuals in this country, it was not really that relevant to Housman whose problem was what appeared to be a life-long passion for a heterosexual man who did not return it. Without the legal aspect running through the play though, I would have had to miss the exchange between Wilde and Houseman at the end – contrasting life in and out of the closet at that period – which was thoughtful and entertaining.
For me the play displayed the issues that occur when dramatising a novel or biography. Unless the playwright chooses to concentrate on some dramatic moments of personal decision, conflict or similar, I find the structure has too many brief, episodic scenes which lack real drama.
Fredo – please don’t throw me out of your group for this. I think we are marvellously lucky in Southend to have you willing to run these trips to give us the fantastic experience of live theatre. I just like some evenings better than others.
Jennifer
The members of Fredo’s group who come to see a Stoppard production know what they’re going to get: cleverness, erudition, deep knowledge of the subject as well as some of the most carefully constructed prose in the English language. All these attributes were present in Invention of Love and, on reflection, it feels to me like a play of two halves (I’m not sure Sir Tom would appreciate the footballing analogy….).
First, and most affectingly, a heartbreaking story about one young man’s journey to adulthood as he discovers who he is and falls deeply and lastingly in love. The scene on the bench between the young and old Houseman has stayed in my memory and I’m sure there was something in my eye at the conclusion.
Second, Sir Tom being just too clever for his, and our, good. The long, long digressions into the weeds of politics and academia in Houseman’s time were mildly interesting but did they tell us anything other than that Sir Tom had done his homework and knows how to declaim an irregular Latin verb?
I also found, at times, that Simon Russell Beale’s delivery of his many, many lines was a little rushed but perhaps he was aware he had an evening performance to get through and wanted a rest in between performances?
On balance, I’m glad I saw the play and a talented group of actors carrying the burden of Stoppard’s legendary wit and intelligence as lightly as they could but I won’t feel the need to see any future production even if Paul Rhys returns as the older Houseman.
Photos by Helen Murray
Andrew M
Oliver!
By Lionel Bart at the Gielgud Theatre
I have always thought the Ron Moody/Oliver Reed/Shani Wallis, musical film of Oliver was one of the very best ever made. Therefore any subsequent productions, be they on screen or stage, would always struggle with the comparison to this masterpiece. However, l felt that this production stood up remarkably well. In fact the singing and choreography, the latter clearly benefitting from the influence of Matthew Bourne, were as good, if not better than the film. The children were absolutely superb. Tremendous performance from the Artful Dodger. I would have liked Fagin to have been a little more grotesque whilst still maintaining his same level of geniality. But this tiny shortcoming was quickly forgotten after his storming rendition of “Reviewing the Situation”. His standing ovation at the end of the show being thoroughly deserved. I thought Nancy was excellent, and what a voice! When she belted out the emotional “As long as he needs me”, I had a lump in my throat. For me, the only weakness in the production was the character of Bill Sykes. As a number of people on the coach mentioned, he simply did not have the physical stature for the part. I also felt that he exuded as much menace as a mildly irritated bank clerk. But he growled his lines effectively, and his disposal of poor Nancy was suitably dramatic. Overall this was a truly brilliant piece of musical theatre, which my wife and I thoroughly enjoyed. I understand from Fredo that the production is sold out for the next few months, so the group going to see the performance at the end of the month can consider themselves lucky not to have missed it. In fact they can “consider themselves well in” (oh dear!)
Fredo and Mike, another excellent outing. Thank you very much.
Photos from Chichester by Johan Persson
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