And I looked at The Sky

And I Looked at the Sky brought to the stage by husband and wife team Tim Stubbs-Hughes (writer) and Julia Stubbs (director) brings a thoughtful premise to the Omnibus Theatre. We meet Betty and John, an aging artistic couple navigating a decades-old pact to end their lives once their creative days finish. The play opens with Betty's 86th birthday and as she reflects on her age and her inability to create art any more we discover more about both their lives.

Unfortunately, at least for me, the writing itself feels wrong for a stage play. The dialogue lacks a natural flow, and lengthy monologues to no-one in particular drift into poetic prose. As such, this piece feels much better suited to a novella or book. 

The set works reasonably well in a large space. It could possibly benefit for more art, shelves and clutter to feel more like a house inhabited by two creatives for decades. In terms of design choice, Betty’s costume jarred a little. She wears paint-spattered working overalls despite no longer making art, followed by a surprisingly muted frock that fails to capture the spirit of an aging former art wunderkind. On a positive note, the sound design and music choices are strong, adding a welcome filmic quality to the mood.

The real highlight is the cast. The duo, John Rayment and Mary Tillett, give solid performances, but Tillett stands out as Betty with direct, grounded delivery. Tillett came to acting later in life and studied it as a mature student. Directors should take note: giving new, older actors real stage opportunities is vital, and Tillett proves she has the talent and skill to back it up.

The core concept has clear potential and exploring the nature of a creative spirit, a long marriage and long life and having the agency on how to manage your life and your death are worthy themes to explore. And if you like your stories languid and poetic, this may well appeal.

The core concept has real potential. Exploring creative spirit, long marriage, and agency over one's own life and death are rich, worthy themes. Whilst the stage pacing felt too slow for my taste, if you enjoy languid, deeply poetic storytelling, you may still find plenty to appreciate in this 90 minute play. And it's always a pleasure to visit the Omnibus Theatre with it's cozy bar and outdoor terrace.

And I Looked At The Sky is playing at the Omnibus Theatre 15 September to 3 October 2026. Tickets available here.

Pericles (Kind Of) at The Union Theatre, London

Pericles (Kind Of) is a joy from start to finish. This 60-minute musical from newly formed Nevermind Company is fast-paced, funny, and irreverent. It retells the ancient story of Pericles from the perspective of its female characters which brings new insight into what may or may not have happened in this mythical tale from ancient history. The music is fantastic, the vocals are strong, and the lyrics are both clever and funny. 

This young creative team shows real promise - Hollie Hurrell, James Hancock-Evans (who is also on keyboard throughout), and director Rafael Solimeno Harris wrote the book together. They created the piece as part of a Bristol Old Vic Theatre School project and were given permission to continue developing the material further. And they've done a brilliant job with it. The piece is almost entirely sung through but is still pacy and succinct. Every song moves the story forward well and every moment has earned its place and keeps the audience engaged. The piece is also cleverly composed, with recurring musical motifs that come together beautifully in the finale.

The cast delivers wonderfully energetic performances. Nathan Golo plays Pericles with swagger, aristocratic entitlement and strong comedic timing. Anna McAuley is a vocal highlight as Jane. She commands the stage from her first note. Zara Stokes-Neustadt brings great comic skill and strong vocals to Marina and despite her small stature, she is a powerhouse of energy and charisma. She leads the opening and closing scenes with skill and charm. D’Angelo Poskitt shows great vocal and comedic talent across multiple roles with some great unexpected moments. Cari Griffiths brings style and humour as the spoilt queen. Hollie Hurrell demonstrates sharp comedic skills as she switches between characters. Each ensemble member had a distinctive musical voice and yet they also came together well as an ensemble delivering some lovely harmonies and a unified sound in ensemble moments.

Miranda Cattermole designed the costumes. Her design is consistent and thoughtful using a style that combines Tudor elements (as a nod to Shakey-P) with Greek details. Pericles wears gold-embellished Tudor attire (minus the cod-piece). The rest of the cast wears cream linen trousers, ruffs, and corsets but each had some unique details. Gold sandals give a nod to the Greek origins of the play. The quality and styling of the costumes was stronger than usually seen at a fringe production.

Pericles (Kind Of) is a delightful production. This young team has created a sharp, modern musical and it's a lot of fun. I'm looking forward to seeing how far they can take this show and what they might come up with next.

Catch this show while you can. There's just one more performance at The cosy Union Theatre in Southwark and you can follow the show over on instagram.