The Constant Wife by Laura Wade is an adaption of W. Somerset Maugham’s text, first written in 1926. This RSC production, directed by Tamara Harvey, is currently on tour and I was invited to review it at Oxford Playhouse. The first thing I noticed when entering the theatre was the eye-catching set. Designed by Anna Fleischle, this was visually beautiful and instantly transported us to the 1920s. At the start of the play, we hear Constance’s sister and mother discussing wheth

Stephen Sondheim’s Company  may initially seem a strange choice for a student company to tackle, coming from a time before any of the cast had been thought of, let alone born. But Fennec Fox Productions have taken this piece and made it their own, showing how timeless some themes can actually be. The musical focuses on Bobby, turning 35 and single, as he celebrates his birthday among his friends, who are all either married or engaged. Back when Company was written, there wou

Dear England  is a fictionalised account of Gareth Southgate’s time managing the England football team. Based on research and interviews, the narrative is embellished by characters created by the author (James Graham). Directed by Rupert Goold, this National Theatre production is currently on tour and I was invited to review it at the New Theatre in Oxford. For complete clarity, I am not a football fan, but have watched enough England matches to have a sense of who some of th

Nowhere  is a biographical play written and performed by Khalid Abdalla (The Kite Runner, The Crown)  directed by Omar Elerian and produced by Fuel Theatre.  I was invited to review the show at Oxford Playhouse. Described as a ‘surprising journey into his own history, set against a cartography of seismic world events’, I was unsure what to expect and as it began, I remained so for a while. After an introduction about how the current location was a safe space to share, unlike