Interview at Riverside Studios

I was lucky enough to be asked to press night to see Interview starring Robert Sean Leonard and Paten Hughes and I was genuinely excited - it's an interesting premise, has a strong pedigree from the creative team and a highly relevant topic, especially in today's climate of cancel culture and the battle between not just Boomers / Generation X and GenZ but also old vs new media and gives an insight into the world of a modern-day 'influencer'. 

Although there was much to like about the play: The set is great. I loved the visuals. The music maintained the tension and there were some great moments. However, the production overall didn't quite hang together for me. 

It's still worth a watch because the topic will give you pause for thought if you have even the slightest interest in culture, politics or media. And if I were to give it a star rating, it would be 3*. (Arguably, it will be better now that they're a bit further into the limited run.)

You can read my full review over on 1883 Magazine. I saw the show on 28 August 2025.

One of the best things about the night were the people I met there and got talking to. Not only were two good friends there who are also active theatre reviewers, but I also made two new friends. Gotta love the theatre for bringing people together. And thank you to the PR team for the complimentary ticket.

Till The Stars Come Down at Theatre Royal, Haymarket

I first saw Till The Stars Come Down by Beth Steel at The Dorfman. I watched it on the last weekend where I'd managed to buy a single ticket, in, possibly, one of the worst seats in the house! I'm usually better organised when buying tickets at The National Theatre but this one had slipped through my fingers.

Despite the frustration of having a head in front of me blocking my view half of the time, I was still totally rapt throughout. It's exciting writing, refreshing to hear new voices on stage and a poignant story. Therefore, I was absolutely delighted to be invited to see the show again and to review it on behalf of 1883 Magazine. 

It still hits the spot - hilarious and thought-provoking in equal measure. I missed the intimacy of the setting in The Dorfman, but that's a minor niggle rather than a complaint so if you do go and see it (and I recommend you do), then try to get one of the on-stage seats where you will get to experience that better than from a seat further away. 

Recommended. Booking until 27 September.

My full review is over on 1883 Magazine. Show seen on 11 July 2025. Thank you to the PR for the complimentary tickets.

Tending - Riverside Studios

Tending, written by and starring El Blackwood, staged at Riverside Studios this week and last week, is a piece of verbatim theatre drawn from 70 interviews with real NHS nurses. With just three actors - El Blackwood, Anjelica Serra and Ben Lynn - and a simple set consisting of three chairs, a striplight and a surgical-style curtain as a backdrop, the production lets the words do the work.

The nurses' testimonies chart their journeys into the profession, their day-to-day work in the NHS, and the challenges they faced - firstly as newly qualified nurses ('they told me I'd be crying every day for the first 6 months and they were right') and then as early and mid-career nurses. Their roles made all the more challenging by funding cuts, relentless demand, and the long shadow of COVID. Their stories are by turns funny, harrowing and deeply moving, and as someone who has been both a patient and a visitor in hospital, I found many of the images they conjured very familiar, some of them painfully so.

The acting was outstanding - honest, nuanced and emotional. This was as powerful as anything I’ve seen in the West End, despite having none of the budget. Through raw, direct storytelling, the cast revealed what it really means to be a nurse in Britain today and also how they witness the human condition in all its forms from the sublime to the ridiculous. There were moments that certainly brought a lump to my throat, especially around palliative care (something I know about from being my late mother's carer), but the piece was never heavy-handed. The writing allowed for light and shade, making space for hope and humour alongside sorrow.

That said, the way the play ended felt strangely unresolved. Given the strength of the voices we’d just heard, I was left wondering what we were meant to do with it all. It felt like a missed opportunity—an ending that offered no direction. Instead, my friends and I came away feeling a bit despairing and helpless. 

Still, this was poignant, urgent, and vital theatre and shares more insight into the realities of the NHS than any episode of Casualty or Holby City. Tending is a moving reminder of the human faces behind the hospital scrubs and how critical the NHS is to our society here in the UK. 

You can still catch it until Sunday 4th May.

Review: The Inseparables at Finborough Theatre

There’s a lot to admire in The Inseparables, a new play by Grace Joy Howarth based on Simone de Beauvoir’s novella of the same name (you can read about that here), now playing at the Finborough Theatre. It’s an ambitious project to take on a reworking of this recently found novella. The story shines a light on the early life and friendships that helped shape one of the 20th century’s most radical thinkers. And whilst the production has flashes of beauty, particularly in its visuals and performances, it doesn’t quite land emotionally, mainly due to issues in the writing.

The source material is loosely autobiographical: Sylvie represents de Beauvoir and Andrée is based on her real-life best friend and confidante, Elizabeth 'Zaza' Lacoin. These two young women were pioneers in thought, pushing against social norms and having the kind of formative conversations that would later feed into de Beauvoir’s feminist philosophy. On paper, it’s fascinating. But on stage, the depth of their connection doesn’t fully come through. I didn’t quite feel their inseparable-ness, which seems like a bit of a problem when that’s the central premise. Teenage girl friendships can be some of the deepest, passionate bonds around, as intense as any romantic crush and I needed more of that emotional weight to make sense of the story.

The play unfolds in a series of short, fast-moving chronological scenes, jumping from childhood into their twenties. That structure might work on the page, but here it felt a little rushed and fragmented. It was hard to settle into any particular moment before we’d moved on again. It was also hard work as an audience member to keep up with what was going on and where we were in place and time. This also meant there wasn't time to get to any emotional depth between the two girls. We got glimpses of their radical spirit, but not enough of the raw, thought-provoking conversations that maybe fuelled de Beauvoir’s work.

That said, the production design is full of clever touches. Hazel Poole Zane’s set is minimal but effective: a simple window with lace curtains, a chaise longue, a dresser-turned-anything, and a couple of prop shelves - nothing flashy, but enough to give each scene a clear sense of place. The stage is small, but it never feels cramped, and the transitions are smooth and purposeful.

The standout design element, though, is the video projection by newcomer Jessica Brauner. These projections add real texture to the world of the play, transporting us from school chapels to rural idylls to domestic interiors. The stained glass effect is especially striking—there’s one moment in Act 2 where it’s used in combination with shadow dancers to contrast Andrée’s faith with Sylvie’s rebellion, and it’s genuinely beautiful.

Costume-wise, everything feels grounded in period—give or take the odd zip (a small detail, but zips weren’t really a thing until the 1930s!). Overall, though, the look and feel of the show is cohesive and well thought-out.

Performance-wise, the cast of four is strong. Lara Manela as Andrée is a real highlight—graceful, expressive, and consistently engaging. She brings a subtle wildness to the role that hints at something deeper beneath the surface. Ayesha Ostler as Sylvie is solid too, although I didn’t always feel the fire of Sylvie’s emotional or ideological journey. I think that's down to the writing as much as anything. Alexandre Costet-Barmada and Caroline Trowbridge both provide excellent support, juggling multiple roles with ease and nuance.

The real treats come in the movement sequences, choreographed by Daniela Poch. Andrée’s love of music, especially the violin, is beautifully rendered through dance. These moments could have veered into interpretive-dance cliché, but they don’t. They’re elegant, clear, and a lovely way of deepening the character. The music choices (by Flick Isaac Chilton) are also pitch-perfect, helping to break up the linear storytelling and evoke mood and time really effectively.

There’s also something genuinely exciting about the fresh talent involved in this production. Three of the cast are new graduates, two are French (which feels fitting, given the source material), and the video designer is also just starting out. It’s fantastic to see new artists being given this kind of platform, and I really hope we see more from them in future. Kudos to the Finborough Theatre for providing a platform for them to showcase their talents.

Am I glad I saw it? Absolutely. Despite its flaws, it’s made me want to read the novella and dig deeper into both de Beauvoir and Lacoin’s lives so in many respects, the purpose of the exercise has been achieved. It's also important to support new work to maintain the health of our theatre ecosystem.

Playing until 10 May at Finborough Theatre (5 minutes walk from Earls Court tube, Warwick Road exit) https://finboroughtheatre.co.uk/production/the-inseparables/

The Inseparables - by Grace Joy Howarth, based on the novella by Simone de Beauvoir translated by Lauren Elkin

Cast & Creatives:

Cast: Alexandre Costet-Barmada, Lara Manela (Andree), Ayesha Ostler (Sylvie) and Caroline Trowbridge

Director: Anastasia Bunce / Set Designer: Hazel Poole Zane

Lighting Designer : Abraham Walkling-Lea / Sound designer: Flick Isaac Chilton

Movement Director; Daniela Poch / Video Designer: Jessica Brauner

Intimacy Coordinator: Justin Stirewalt / Stage Manager: Kiara Atkinson

Elektra - a Review

Performance seen: Thursday 27 March 3pm. Stalls K19. Duke of York's Theatre.

This is a high concept, experimental piece of theatre breathing new life into the centuries old storyfrom Sophocles. In that respect, it was successful. I enjoyed the drastically different approach to the story telling. The Greek Chorus's singing and sound effects were a highlight, although they were perhaps overplayed in the final third of the piece. Brie Larson's performance was good. She's essentially doing a monologue interspersed with some Greek Chorus and the odd bit of dialogue. At times, the delivery was a bit one tone but it wasn't as shouty as expected from the reviews I'd read.

Stockard Channing was fabulous and it would have been great to have seen more of her on stage. The whole thing would have benefitted from more dialogue too to maintain the energy and to provide variation.

The set effects (very limited - bare stage, white backdrop, a blimp, some chairs and some microphones) and staging were good but were probably not needed inasmuch the words and sounds were the focus here. What the blimp added is anyone's guess. Ditto the spray paint. The wardrobe department are clearly kept busy removing that from the elegant silky gold and white faux fur costumes worn by all but Elektra. She's in jeans, sneakers, shaved head and a Bikini Kill t-shirt.

Overall, the poetry of Brie's (Elektra) words and the opera meets plainchant of the chorus were enjoyable and an interesting way to tell the story. As such, it was more an auditory experience than a visual one for me and that's not a bad thing.

This style of theatre won't be for everyone, but I'm glad to have seen it and I'm glad that experimental, high concept theatre is available in the West End. 

Worth noting that after the performance, there was a queue at the stage door waiting for the cast to come out. I'm guessing these were mostly for Ms Larson but I expect Ms Channing also has her fans.

The run ends in a couple of weeks so if you want to catch it, you'll need to be quick. If you shop around, you'll find discounted tickets.

Cast:

Elektra - Brie Larson

Clytemnestra - Stockard Channing

Chrystothemis - Marieme Diouf

Aegisthus - Greg Hicks

Orestes - Patrick Vaill

Chorus: Hannah Bristow, Wallis Currie-Wood, Jo Goldsmith-Eteson, Nardia Ruth, Rebecca Thorn, Adeola Yemitan, 

Understudy - Arthur Boan

Creatives:

Writer - Anne Carson

Director - Daniel Fish

Choreographer - Annie-B Parson

Designer - Jeremy Herbert

Costume Design - Doey Luthi

Lighting Designer - Adam Silverman

Sound Design - Max & Ben Ringham

Composer - Ted Hearne

Dear Octopus at The National Theatre. Lyttelton Stage

Dear Octopus is a play by Dodie Smith who also wrote 'I Capture the Castle' and more famously, co-wrote '101 Dalmatians'. It's a gentle comedy with melancholic undertones highlighting one family's life just before World War 2. I watched it at The National Theatre on Thursday 7 March 2024.

The family is gathered for the Golden Wedding Anniversary of the matriarch Dora (Lindsay Duncan) and her long-suffering, but long-loving husband, Charles. Dora is overseeing every detail of the anniversary weekend, and in doing so, we meet her staff (nanny, maid and companion), children and their progeny (it was refreshing to see young children playing a prominent role in a play). Their characters and personal stories unfold at a gentle pace as the weekend progresses and as each family member arrives. 

It feels more filmic in style due to the slower pace, and I did find it dragged a bit in places. Others around me didn't seem to feel that way so that might just be me! The pace is likely a deliberate choice to contrast with our current fast-paced life vs how it might have been back then (although that may just be a nostalgia-tinted lens). 

The morals and themes in the story are still relevant today, despite it being a period piece in many respects. Emotions are revealed, some intense and some but not all resolved. The ties that bind are loose, perhaps strained but still evident. 

It's a solid, ensemble piece where everyone gets their chance to shine. The set is stunning and the costumes really evoke the style of the era perfectly. 

I found the lighting challenging, though. It's deliberately low-lit which evokes the period well but can be a strain on the viewer's eyes, especially when that's using LEDs (and there's no choice on that these days), Even a smidge more light might relieve that and I'd be interested in research about lighting levels in theatre and eyestrain but that's a conversation for another day. 

It's not the best thing I've seen at The National in the last few months, but it's definitely worth a watch. Think of it like a middle-class version of Brideshead Revisited, scaled down to a large family home on a single weekend rather than a stately home over a period of years. 

I came away feeling rather wistful but also sated having seen something completely different to my usual TV or theatre viewing.

More information about the production including cast and creatives and a photo gallery: https://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/dear-octopus/ 

The Snail House at Hampstead Theatre

I managed to bag a discounted ticket for press night for The Snail House at Hampstead Theatre. I'd heard good things about the play by Richard Eyre. It's about Sir Neil Marriott, a public health advisor who was knighted for his work during the pandemic. The setting is him hosting a birthday party for his family and staff. The celebration takes place in his son's former school, and we see intergenerational conflicts arise regarding politics, class and climate change. We also meet Florence, a member of the catering staff, who was previously wronged by Sir Neil, and this creates a powerful and unsettling dynamic within the family.

It's a good play and very realistically presented. The topical dialogue shows complex family relationships and a generation divide. The acting is strong, and I liked the style of the piece. However, it wasn't quite as dramatic as I thought it was going to be in the second act. I was still gripped throughout, so I recommend it as worth seeing.

A note about the theatre - Hampstead Theatre is a lovely theatre with a spacious cafe and two stages. The main house is on the ground and first floors and the studio is on the lower level. Worth noting that Row M at the back of the stalls is weird. The seat is not raised so you'll likely find a head blocking your view completely. The row behind (the very back row) has raised seating and gives a much better view.

Antigone at Regent's Park Theatre

Antigone by Inua Ellams at Regents Park Open Air Theatre was tremendous tonight. It was really powerful storytelling - modern, fresh, thrilling, poetic, topical and dramatic. The writer, Inua Ellams, takes the bones of  Sophocles' original play and sets Antigone and her siblings' story in modern-day England. In doing so, he shines a light on the plight of our minority communities, how our political system can be manipulated, and how power can corrupt. 

The play uses poetry, music and movement to tell the story in between powerful dialogue between the various characters who are often at loggerheads yet manage to avoid EastEnders style shoutiness. I found it both moving and thought-provoking. This one will stay with me for some time yet. There's a lot to process. 

Recommended. Find out more about the production here.

And we managed to dodge the rain too! (I can also recommend the veggie burger and chips which I enjoyed there before the show - tasty and a decent price.)

McQueen at Theatre Royal, Haymarket

This dark play by James Phillips is beautifully done and is an interesting mix of spectacle, drama and dance. I particularly loved the choreography and the setting in Theatre Royal, Haymarket is apposite and adds to the glitz of the piece and gives it a better setting than its previous iteration at the St James' Theatre. However, it's not without flaws.

The play itself is an homage to McQueen, perhaps one might call it a hagiography. We don't get much insight into how he worked or who he was as an individual and that's an oversight. Stephen Wight is great as McQueen but is not given enough to work with.  We also don't see nearly enough of his specific designs, which is a shame. And yes, it's style over substance but I enjoyed it nevertheless. Maybe this is one for the fashionistas.

More about the play on Wikipedia.