Independent theatre reviews

It’s hard to believe the original film version of Dirty Dancing turns 40 in 2027. There remains a huge fanbase for the show which makes it obvious why the staged version is currently touring to packed theatres both in the UK and elsewhere. I was pleased to be invited to review the current tour at the New Theatre in Oxford. The moment the music began the energy level in the auditorium rose, and not just on the stage. The majority of the audience appeared to be anticipating e

During the second half of my holiday in Scotland, I noticed the tour of Annie was at Edinburgh Playhouse, and thought it would be a good opportunity to review it. I went along to a matinee performance. The first thing to note about the Edinburgh Playhouse is, it is a huge theatre, but incredibly well organised. The announcement that “this is a musical not a singalong” made me smile. Most people even seemed to take note of it, although there were people keeping the ushers bu

Charming! The Musical is one of four shows by Grownup Playhouse currently playing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe. I went to review it at Just The Fancy Room at Just the Tonic at the Caves. Tom Rolph plays the prince, who simply can’t understand why he’s not being offered a show (or film, or theme park) when all the princesses get these deals. In front of all of us “peasants”, he laments the fact that the princes always seem to be a support character in Disney shows. Through

GIRLZ is currently playing at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and after reading the description, I was keen to review it. There have been shows on TV and stage about the formation of bands before, but would this one follow similar lines? There was only one way to find out. In the queue we were handed information on when you can video or take photographs (oh, how I wish every show I saw gave such clarity!). With a flyer and a wristband to take away, it’s a fun concept. The en

Bliss the Musical has been brought to the stage by producers Susan Edelstein, ATG and Gavin Kalin, and is showing at Edinburgh Festival Fringe until 31 August. Four princesses, (Akshara Gunda, Alexandra Emmerson-Kirby, Miriam Nyarko and Matilda Shapland) have been living locked in a castle tower by their father who is making them study in every waking moment. The song that opens the show and introduces us to their predicament, Inside These Castle Walls, evokes memories of S

Spraywatch: A Beautiful Rescue is a musical from Low Fat Productions. The protagonist is based on a character from Baywatch, but this is not a retelling of any episode of that series. The show’s Instagram account made it obvious Spraywatch was going to be light hearted and not take itself too seriously. I was keen to review it during my visit to Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A relentlessly upbeat Santa Monica lifeguard (Izabella Webb) has a disastrous day at work when her col

Amy Ambrose’s musical rom-com Dogmum made its debut at Ventnor Fringe and I was pleased to be able to review it. Billed as 'a musical rom-com for anyone whose Prince Charming turned out to be a cockapoo', Amy not only wrote the show but also starred in it herself. As the show was introduced, Amy let us know that she was filming the show to pitch it to a film director, and that most of her band members (who also doubled as actors) “missed their ferry” so she was stuck with s

When I received an invite from Cross Keys Productions to review a new musical, I was thrilled. It’s no secret that I love musicals but seeing one that is still in development is a treat in itself. Going along to Michael Pilch Studio for the first time was an added bonus. On Some Far Shore has been written by Louis Benneyworth, currently a final year student. The fact I got to see it while the city was full of other students celebrating the end of their exams, is something I

I was invited to see The Karate Kid – The Musical at New Theatre Oxford. Directed by Amon Miyamoto, this was of interest to me due to the fact that it raised the question, why has this been reimagined as a musical. I went along to find out. Now is probably the time to admit, in the past, musicals based on earlier films have often not tended to be my favourites to watch. However, what this show does differently to many I have seen in the past, is keep enough of the original

Frankie Goes to Bollywood is a production by Rifco Theatre Company, which platforms British South Asian stories. Currently on tour, I went along to review the show at Oxford Playhouse. Frankie works with her friend Goldy in a theatre in Huddersfield, and is obsessed with Bollywood films. Goldy has always dreamt of being an actress, so when she goes to an audition, Frankie goes along for moral support and somehow Frankie lands the role. From there we are transported to Mu

Redcliffe is a new musical by Jordan Luke Gage who is responsible for writing the book, music and lyrics and playing the lead role in the show. Directed by Paul Foster, the narrative was inspired by two men who lived in Redcliffe in the 1700s. This is a story of community, family, fear, and forbidden love. The theatre space was set with seats on 3 sides, a wooden stage with a water along the end of it and a striking wooden fitting above the perimeter of the stage (Andrew Ex

Our House is a musical, written by Tim Firth, with music and lyrics by Madness. This production is by Cross Keys Productions, a University of Oxford theatre company. I was interested to see it at Oxford Playhouse, and went along to review on opening night. The show opens with a medley of Madness music. This was a good chance to hear the band playing without distraction, and the musicians were superb. It was also good to see the musicians onstage when the curtain rose. I per

Evangeline is a new musical by Nia Williams, produced by Three Chairs and a Hat, which was at the Burton Taylor Studio in Oxford for three nights earlier this month. I went along to review the show on the sold out first night of the run. The show is about Evangeline, a showbiz survivor, and in an hour manages to cover her experiences from being abandoned in a cardboard box, to a career peak on a West End stage, followed by self-sabotage and eventually her “late youth” as sh

I was interested in Apparently Ugly as soon as I saw an Instagram post about it, so I was delighted when I was invited to review it. Billed as a family show, and produced by Era Productions, I was keen to see what we had in store. The first thing I noticed as we walked into the theatre space was a clear sign with content warnings and clarity on photos being allowed at curtain call. As someone who loves snapping curtain calls when allowed, this was very much appreciated, eve

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is currently showing at Oxford Playhouse, and as it’s a musical I was keen to go and see it. A Musical Youth Company of Oxford production, this was timed perfectly for the start of the Easter holiday, and the opening night looked as if it was sold out. I’m sure I must have watched the film this musical was based on in the past, but the story all felt quite vague in my memory, apart from the fact there was a pretty special car in it. Indeed there was

Here and Now is a new jukebox musical based on the music by Steps. Currently on tour, I was invited to see it at New Theatre Oxford. I hadn’t read much about this show in advance, and I can’t claim to know the entire Steps back catalogue, so I went in with few expectations. The instant view of a storefront on stage set the scene for the evening, and on sight of this I did wonder how you could create a show set in a supermarket of all places. Later this set (Tom Rogers) expand

Sunny Afternoon is a jukebox musical about 60s band The Kinks. The musical is now on tour and I was invited to review it at the New Theatre in Oxford. At first view of the stage it was obvious the show was music based, most of the set (Miriam Buether) comprising of speaker units, with a window into a recording studio part of the backdrop. I was pleased to see instruments on stage as I love being able to see the musicians during a musical. For me it was a huge bonus to discove

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 would

Having seen a few OXOPS productions in the past, I was excited to visit the New Theatre in Oxford to see their production of The Sound of Music. In the almost sold-out performance I attended, the atmosphere of anticipation before the show started was palpable. I should, for full clarity, say that this particular show is not one I know as well as previous musicals I have seen OXOPS present. However, I did go with someone who is a huge fan of the film, so our discussions in the

I was invited to review the premier of Project: Walter, and the information I was sent about the show gripped me instantly, so it was an exciting journey to Bridewell Theatre for this event. I had a feeling that it was going to be a fun evening, but I really did not know what to expect from the show. I just had a sense it was going to be something quite different. On entering the auditorium, a pre-show was already in motion, characters with torches in haze seemingly searchin