‘Vincent You’re my brother, You’ll never need To doubt me. Since our childhood promise, You are in my soul’   Did you know that Vincent van Gogh had a younger brother? And that they were extremely close, corresponding in letters with Theo, a successful art dealer, proving determined to both publicise Vincent’s artwork and support his brother through his mental health struggles?   Vagabond Skies, the van Gogh Musical, makes its Edinburgh Fringe debut this summer, condensed dow

Originally published in two volumes in 1868 and 1869, Louisa May Alcott’s ‘Little Women’ has been enchanting and captivating readers and audiences of both stage and screen for many years (the first film adaptation came in silent form in 1917, five short years after it first came to the stage on Broadway). It is a story of four sisters, Meg, Jo, Beth and Amy March, and their journey from childhood to adulthood, balancing poverty, love, loss and personal growth as they each try

After proving a massive hit for a number of years in London’s West End, and enjoying a previous UK Tour, it was well celebrated news when it was announced that ‘Kinky Boots’ would once again be strutting its way up and down the country with a new ‘Made at Curve’ production. And the excitement only grew and grew when the news that Strictly Come Dancing favourite, pro dancer Johannes Radebe, would be making their musical theatre debut in the role of Lola.   And, long story shor

It’s all just a matter of time, it’s all just a, it’s all just a matter of…’   Meet Benjamin Button, the extraordinary case of a gentleman born as an old man. He lives like no other, against the ebb and flow of the tide, in a world where tide and time wait for no man, and all he wants to do is life a little life.   Based on a short story by F Scott Fitzgerald, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button the musical is taking London by storm. Having premiered back in 2019 at the South

Since premiering at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017, The Choir of Man has gone from strength to strength, gaining success and accolades across the globe. With an all-male cast of vocalists and musicians, and a roughly 90 minute no interval running time, The Choir of Man opens its arms and brings the audience into The Jungle, their local pub where they are each a member of the pub choir.   In this ensemble piece that balances, music, song, comedy and poetry, we are guided through

The Orient Express, the train described as ‘Poetry on Wheels’ is stuck in a snow drift, trapping its passengers in a cold, dark claustrophobic warren of narrow corridors and sliding doors. The conductor is trying to contact a rescue team, the train company manager is trying to keep spirits high, and a world-famous detective is trying his best to keep his head down and get to London in a hurried response to an emergency telegram. But when a passenger is found brutally murdered

20 years ago, Alan Bennett’s ‘The History Boys’ opened at the National Theatre, and a classic was born. The show become a launch pad to stardom for many of its original cast members including Dominic Cooper, James Cordon, Sacha Dharwan, Russell Tovey, Jamie Parker, Andrew Knott and Samuel Barnett, whilst, in its own right, became famous for being a stark look at the education system through the positives and negatives of examinations and knowledge for knowledge’s sake.   20 y

Picture the scene. It’s a murder mystery play. Written by Agatha Christie. Already a recipe for success, just look at the mega power that is ‘The Mousetrap’. But wait, it’s a courtroom drama, and it’s being performed in London County Hall’s Council Chamber, giving the sense of a real court room. Ladies and gentlemen, I think that we are on to a winner here. This is ‘Witness For The Prosecution’.   Christie herself named ‘Witness for the Prosecution’ as her favourite play and

Back in London for the first time since 2015, Patrick Barlow’s hit comedy The 39 Steps has recently taken up residence at the Trafalgar Theatre where it continues to delight with its small cast, low budget tale of espionage.   This adaptation of John Buchan’s spy novel along with Alfred Hitchcock’s 1935 film adaptation tells the tale of Richard Hannay (played by Tom Byrne), a civilian left bored at home who finds himself drawn into the world of spies after meeting a beautiful

Things move very quickly at the Fringe, and the action is thick and fast with shows coming and going all over the place. Of course, you do have some shows that return to the festival on a yearly basis, but I think that it may be a rather difficult job to find one that has a history as vast of News Revue.   Now in its 45th year, News Revue is a current affairs parody show that sees a cast of four, accompanied by a talented musician, play a multitude of well-known figures from

I love a murder mystery. I’ve seen a fair few on stage, ‘The Mousetrap’, ‘And Then There Were None’, ‘Witness For the Prosecution’ and yes, I do call ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ a murder mystery. I am that person who delights in shows such as ‘Midsummer Murders'’, ‘Vera’ and I will admit to watching ‘Death in Paradise’ on repeat. Safe to say, I’m a fan, and that is what brought to a show that I saw last year at the Fringe ‘It’s a Mystery’, a celebration of all things Murder My

Charlie thought that he had done everything right with his life; he’d found a girl and gotten married, he had a good job, and he thought that everything was going to plan. But when his marriage breaks down, and he’s let go from his job, he is forced to sit back and re-evaluate his life. A simple text ‘Anyone fancy a pint’ in the group chat leads Charlie down a different and unexpected path in ‘Did You Mean To Fall Like That’, a one-man show written by Stephanie Martin, direct

What do Titanic, Pretty Women, Dirty Dancing, Beaches, Legally Blonde and The Notebook all have in common? Well, they all fall into the genre of movies that have come to known as Chick Flicks and you may think that there is not much more to them than being crowd pleasing entertainment for a girl’s night, but that is where you are mistaken.   Enter KK Apple and Kerry Ipema, the double act behind ‘Six Chick Flicks’, (...or a Legally Blonde Pretty Woman Dirty Danced on the Beach

If there is anywhere that is constantly evolving and growing, it’s London. New buildings here, a new train line there, people coming and going in a constant hustle and bustle, one day into the next. There isn’t much that stays the same, there isn’t much that withstands the test of time. Away from the monuments, away from anything protected by some law, it is easy to say that most of London’s past is hidden away under the sheen and shine of new modern adaptations to the ever d

During its run at the Edinburgh Fringe in 2023, Gunter by Dirty Hare, was awarded the Scotsman Fringe First Award alongside Playbill's pick of the Fringe and Lyn Gardner's Pick of the Fringe. The company was also named one of the Stage's Top Breakthrough Theatre Makers. The show, which is based on the true story of a witch hunt in 1604, now transfers to the Royal Court Theatre. It uses live music and spectacle to tell a story of forgotten history, turning it upside down, expl

Agatha Christie. A mere mention of the name is enough to draw images of mystery, deception, distrust, and puzzles. To be able to construct a mystery in such a way as Christie is perhaps the dream of many a writer now, for not many could piece together a puzzle so intricate and clever that it keeps you guessing until the dying moments of the story itself. Her classic tale ‘The Mousetrap’ is the longest running play in West End history, but that, of course, isn’t her only hit.

Kylie. Bananarama. Donna Summer. Rick Astley. It’s a throwback of mammoth proportions, hit after hit, a dance party here and a dance party there. That’s Stock, Aitken and Waterman, the song writing record producing machine that brought us such hits, and now combined with a brand-new tale from writer/director Debbie Isitt (the brains behind Christmas hit Nativity and its sequels, admit it you love them all), there’s a new jukebox musical in town, and it’s one that is a guarant

With shows like Midsomer Murders, Death in Paradise, Endeavour, and Vera still proving as popular as ever on television, it’s no wonder that murder mystery seemed to be a popular choice at this year’s Edinburgh Fringe. After all, everyone loves a mystery, a puzzle, the question of who done it, but with A Highly Suspect Murder: Murder at the Movies, this wasn’t your average sit back and enjoy theatre production. No, here the audience themselves become the detective and you ar

Politics. A hot topic, but perhaps not a popular one, especially at the moment but let’s take a step away from the current political situation and instead look at the past. After all, they do say that hindsight is a fine thing, and even in politics, time changes things and can even open the door for comedy, or to be more precise, satire. Penned by Harry Hill, with music by Steve Brown, Tony! The Tony Blair Rock Opera rips up the rule book, recounting the early life and politi

Raise your hand if you love musicals, and a cry of me, me, me is heard. Whether you aspire of being on the stage yourself, or just love the feeling of taking your seat in the auditorium and witnessing something wonderful, there will be something in Alexander S. Bermange’s ‘I Wish My Life Were Like A Musical’ that will feel like it was written and it is being performed just for you. In this exploration of musical theatre, from the viewpoints of both the performer and the fan,