At Sea - Polka Theatre

I was invited down to the Polka Theatre earlier this week to catch At Sea, a wordless puppet show aimed at children aged 6 to 12. It's written, directed and produced by William Steele and it is a charming, hour-long piece with a lot of heart. 

Visually, there is a serious amount of attention to detail on display. The puppet design is gorgeous, and the skill of the three puppeteers is obvious from the off. Chloe Rodham’s illustration and animation work gives the piece a distinct visual flavour, and I thought using tarot-card style projections to signal chapter breaks was an attractive, if surprising choice for a young audience. The best moments come when the performers step out in front of the set and fly the puppets right over the heads of the front rows. That felt properly immersive and went down a treat with the young audience.

Unfortunately, the lighting design let it down for me a little bit. That might be partially my age and as we get older, many of us struggle to see well in the dark. I could see the three puppeteers behind the backdrop which ended up obscuring the fine detail on the puppets themselves and much of the detail of the set as the contrast wasn't great enough. At other points, it was simply too dark to catch exactly what was happening. The hero puppet is quite small, so unless you are sitting right near the front, or have much better eyes than me, you miss half the detail. Sitting near the back, I really struggled to take it all in. Bigger puppets or sharper lighting at key moments might solve that problem. 

The story itself, about a sailor who loses his heart compass and faces some harsh challenges whilst looking for it was an interesting one and wasn't afraid to show a range of emotions and experiences to the young audience. Unfortunately, although I got the general gist, I lost some of the finer details of the plot along the way. To be fair, my focus was broken early on by a large group near me who took a while to settle down so I may well have missed a crucial setup at the start. Still, the story felt a bit hazy in places. At the very end, some text projected onto the screen helped tie things together and I wondered if more of that could have been integrated into the show to help guide the audience.

The sound work, however, is a real highlight. Luke Thomas handles the music and sound design, building a lovely atmospheric score which is a great match for both the story and the visuals. While there is no dialogue, the puppeteers use clever vocalizations (gasping, sighing, expressing horror or resignation, for example) to convey emotion without speaking a word. Being non-verbal makes it accessible to more young people. In fact, there was a young deaf boy in the audience who had been worried he wouldn't be able to  keep up with the storyline. There were no worries on that score.

Pacing-wise, it feels a touch slow in places. That said, I'm not expert in children's theatre and maybe this is just the right pace for the age-group it's aimed at. The central theme revolves around the feeling of being 'at sea', and while the ending gives real pause for thought, the emotional payoff would have landed much harder if the story had been easier to follow throughout.

Overall, it’s a solid 3-star effort. A sweet, well-crafted hour that shows real promise, even if it does not quite yet hit the heights of the storytelling and craft you see at the annual London International Mime Festival - but with a few tweaks, perhaps it could.

At Sea is by Life and Limb Puppets. Their tour is now finished but there are plans for another tour in the spring. More information about this show and others of their work available on their website (where you can also find films of their productions). https://www.lifeandlimbpuppets.co.uk/general-5

[PR/Invite]

Long After The Labyrinth - Upstairs at the Gatehouse

The premise of the play Long After the Labyrinth at Highgate’s Upstairs at The Gatehouse is a compelling one. Writer Jonathan D’Young, director Ramon Ayres with Professor Alice König tackle a lesser-known chapter of World War II: the Nazi invasion of Crete in May 1941 and its devastating impact on the island’s Romaniote Jewish community. The production follows Rena, a young Jewish girl hidden during the roundups who loses her family to deportation and tracking her life across decades and how she lives through the trauma she experienced.

It is certainly an ambitious narrative, perhaps overly ambitious. It attempts to weave ancient Cretan mythology - specifically the legend of the Minotaur - into a 20th-century story of survival against the odds. Where the play succeeds best is in its dynamic performances and creative staging, even if the script struggles under the weight of its own scope.

Genevieve Dunne delivers a strong lead performance as Rena bringing emotional range and versatility to the role. Among the supporting cast, Leonie Hill is particularly strong, tackling multiple roles with sharp definition and presence. The two male actors, Harry Lukakis and Noah Young, offer solid support, though their varied characters suffer slightly as they were not as well drawn as some of the female roles. A lovely part of the production is the use of choreography. It is tightly executed, adding a fluid physical rhythm that helps the flow of the piece as we move between decades.

For a fringe production operating on a modest budget, the creative team makes clever use of space and design elements. The set is simple but evocative, anchored by a central rope tree and hanging street lamps on either side or a curtain. The lighting design builds a solid atmosphere, but the real highlight is the sound design. The choice of music and sound effects gives the production a distinctly filmic quality. While these atmospheric audio moments occasionally slow the theatrical momentum, they are carefully chosen and well-timed.

The production also incorporates shadow work to portray key narrative moments. The team's background with the acclaimed theatre company 1927 is evident in these visual choices. While these shadow sequences lack the absolute polish needed to land with full impact, the intention is clear and the technique adds an interesting visual layer to the storytelling.

Where Long After the Labyrinth encounters friction is in its writing. The script contains some brilliant individual scenes. A quiet encounter between an older Rena and a Rabbi is deeply poignant, and a party scene featuring a feisty Rena clashing with an upper-class British woman is sharply observed and witty and the scene with Rena and her children felt true, although someone needs to show the actors how to use a rotary phone!

The play attempts to pack an entire lifetime into a standard running time which means there are some jumps between years and a lot of scenes. These  leaps create plot gaps and limit the character development. The narrative tries to cover so much ground that the audience is left tracking transitions rather than settling into the emotional arc.

The thematic threads are similarly mixed. While the production aims to explore peacebuilding, the emotional resonance leans far more heavily toward rage. The Minotaur functions effectively as a metaphor for Rena’s internal anger and unhealed trauma, but the actual motif of the labyrinth feels underdeveloped and gets lost along the way.

Long After the Labyrinth is an engaging evening of fringe theatre supported by a dedicated cast, inventive physical work, and strong atmospheric design. Genevieve Dunne’s performance alone makes it worth a look. Ultimately, the narrative scope feels almost too expansive for the stage; the story's depth might have found fuller expression in a novel or a feature length film. With a tighter focus on fewer, more fully realised scenes, this important and little known moment in history could reach more people.

Play seen on Friday 23 October 2026 and playing until 8 November 2026. Tickets and more information available here

Toto at The Polka Theatre, Wimbledon

Toto at the Polka Theatre in Wimbledon is a proper joy. Aimed squarely at 3–8 year olds, this fun-filled hour delivers strong storytelling, catchy tunes, and an abundance of heart. In the realm of children's theatre, this is easily a four-star production.

Adapted by Harry Blake from Ximo Abadia’s charming book, the show follows Toto, a fantastical young donkey with big dreams of going to space. Guided by the wisdom of their idol, astronaut donkey Luna Lopez (Mya Fox-Scott), and supported by their mum, Fernanda (Alice Keedwell), Toto believes anything is possible. Reality soon interrupts when Toto has to help keep the lights on by shifting boxes at the local factory with their Mum. What follows is a spirited rescue mission of the imagination, as Toto escapes to the city to try for Space School and reach the stars.

Director Jennifer Tang keeps the narrative moving at a cracking pace. Inès Mazdon Delas is flat-out adorable as Toto, leading the piece with warmth and charm. The small cast of four multi-roles seamlessly, giving the production a lively energy. Ricardo Castro is the absolute standout as factory boss Mucho Dinero. He is hilarious, gets some of the best lines, and works the room like a seasoned pro. Castro uses the full breadth of the auditorium as his factory floor, drawing the young crowd (and some of the grown ups with them) directly into the action.

The audience interaction starts straight away and sets a brilliant tone. About two-thirds of the way in, when a few of the younger audience members were starting to flag, Tang and choreographer Jennifer Fletcher drop in a well-timed sequence of movement and call-and-response. It pulls the room right back in without ever feeling forced. Fletcher’s choreography works wonders with a cast of four. The movement actively drives the narrative forward, with a sleek city scene featuring umbrellas standing out as a real visual highlight.

Musically, Blake’s score is a triumph. The themes are clear, every song is catchy, and the cast’s vocal delivery is stellar. Diction is crisp, dialogue is never rushed, and there is no frantic gabbling - a bonus when performing for little ears. When Alice Keedwell’s microphone briefly failed, she did not miss a beat, effortlessly shifting to her beautiful unamplified soprano until the mic was swapped between scenes. Playing one of the main themes over the speakers as the crowd exited was a masterstroke; it is one of the rare times I have walked out of a show actually humming the tune and remembering the actual words.

The design elements, led by set and costume designer Charlotte Henery, are simple, smart, and versatile. A central set of stairs effortlessly morphs from a bedroom to a factory floor to a city scene without cluttering the stage. Benny Goodman’s lighting design adds a wonderful touch, with painted 'glow' effects on the set that shift color as the mood changes. Costume shifts are distinct and consistent, keeping young viewers oriented at every turn. The style reflects the book's original artwork well enough, although with perhaps more budget, it could get even closer to the original.

The delight in the room was palpable. The applause was enthusiastic, and hearing the chatter from the kids on the way out was a total joy. If you are looking for an accessible, high-quality piece to introduce young children to the magic of live performance, Toto is a stellar place to start.

Now playing until 1 November. Booking and information here: https://polkatheatre.com/event/toto/

Cast:
Toto -  Inès Mazdon Delas
Luna Lopez  - Mya Fox-Scott
Mucho Dinero  - Ricardo Castro
Fernanda -  Alice Keedwell

Creatives:
Writer: Ximo Abadia
Adaptor, Composer, and Arranger: Harry Blake
Director: Jennifer Tang
Choreographer: Jennifer Fletcher
Set & Costume Designer: Charlotte Henery
Lighting Designer:  BennyGoodman
Sound Designer Dan Balfour
Casting Consultant: Chloe Blake
Associate Choreographer: Cathy Waller
Assistant Set & Costume Designer: Eizo Zhao
Intimacy Coordinator: Chi-San Howard.

Succubus at The Courtyard Theatre

You can tell when a performer comes from the world of burlesque. There is a specific kind of physical confidence, a command of the stage, and an absolute commitment to making the audience look where you want them to look. Georgina Collins, aka comedy burlesque artist Strawberry Duvall, has that presence in spades.

In Succubus at The Courtyard Theatre, Collins writes and stars as a literal female maneater. With more than a nod to Little Shop of Horrors, Succubus is a gory, clever, and often deeply funny piece of theatre that engages you from the very first moment. The writing flows easily, packed with cracking one-liners and sharp storytelling. Along the way, we meet a gallery of well-observed male victims and a female ally. Collins uses the premise to offer some keen insight into dating, men, and society. It elevates the show beyond a simple schlock horror stunt, leaning into a wider social commentary on misogyny and feminism.

Technically, the production punches well above its weight. Production designers Toby & Dan Silver give us a simple but highly versatile set. Clear lighting cues transition the action smoothly between various settings. The costume changes mirror our protagonist’s descent as she fully embraces her cannibalistic era. Impeccable sound design pairs gruesome, stomach-churning effects with perfectly timed voiceovers.

Collins gives a brilliant performance. She owns the entire space with solid comic timing. Even though I knew it was all stage craft, the scenes where she greedily devours her prey made me feel genuinely queasy. (I am not usually one for horror, so this tested my mettle!)

Is she a succubus in the traditional folklore sense? Not quite. While she lures men with the promise of sex, her actual gratification comes from the feast itself. She feels more like a woman demonised by the sheer weight of her experiences with men upon reaching adulthood combined with a naive social awkwardness.

Where the show stumbles a little is the final stretch. Just as the commentary on misogyny builds momentum, the narrative engine runs out of steam and didn’t quite bring the thematic ideas from earlier in the piece to a satisfying conclusion. Despite that, Succubus is an entertaining, sharp, and bold show. Collins is a magnetic performer, and there is more than enough wit and craft here to make it well worth a watch. The writing is fresh and it’s good to support emerging writers and performers and here, Collins does both well. 

Plus The Courtyard Theatre is an interesting venue with a cosy, reasonably priced bar to hangout in before the show. Succubus is now booking until 28 October. Get your halloween gore in early and book tickets here https://thecourtyardtheatre.seetickets.com/tour/succubus

Cast & Creatives

Performer / Writer: Georgina Collins (aka Strawberry Duvall)
Director: Grainne Robson
Production Design: Toby & Dan Silver
Production Company: Halfway Productions

The Seafarer at Greenwich Theatre

Conor McPherson’s The Seafarer is a masterclass in dark, comic Irish storytelling and the Putney Arts Theatre transfer their production to Greenwich Theatre with total confidence. The result is an authentic, engaging, and atmospheric evening which does total justice to the original script.

Set in a slightly run-down North Dublin home just before Christmas, the play follows two brothers and their friends in their slightly chaotic, alcohol-fuelled lives. It explores the relationship and loyalty between them as well as their struggles and secrets. Darker moments from their past re-emerge amongst the banter and ribaldry. And then there’s an unexpected visitor who disrupts their status quo.

From the moment the show opens, the environment feels completely real with the set design showing great attention to detail. Occupied and visited entirely by men, the room looks appropriately worn and lived-in without ever feeling claustrophobic on Greenwich’s wide stage. Subtle touches, such as the flickering candle beneath the Sacred Heart image on the stairs, the light in the window, and the glowing fire grate, all add depth to the space. The use of the off-stage areas was well done too so although we could only see one room, it did feel like a whole house. Well-observed costumes, solid sound effects, and simple, effective lighting round out the production seamlessly. 

The cast handles McPherson’s natural, fluid dialogue with precise comic timing. Physical and verbal comedy balance the play’s darker and more supernatural elements effectively. This is a play that reveals secrets and the fallibility of the human condition with both a dose of reality and of the supernatural.

Eugene Duffy leads the company as James ‘Sharky’ Harkin. Duffy delivers a grounded, multi-layered performance, capturing Sharky's struggles and dark past intertwined with the reality of living with and caring for his older brother. Ian Cooke is equally strong as Sharky’s blind, ruffian brother, Richard. Playing sightless is a difficult technical challenge, but Cooke delivers it well. James Ross Turner stands out as Ivan Curry, serving as a brilliant foil to the two brothers yet has his own struggles and secrets which are revealed as the play progresses. Turner also brings some fantastic physical comedy to the role, making the hapless Ivan endearing and easy to root for.

The supporting cast completes this tight ensemble. Nick Thomas injects fresh energy and humor into the room as Nicky Giblin. Matthew Flexman brings gravitas to Mr. Lockhart. Flexman executes his late-play monologue with poetic precision, landing its full emotional weight. Throughout the night, the cast uses every inch of the stage, and the space offstage, to build a vivid world.

This is a rich, beautifully acted production that stays true to its North Dublin roots. This Go see it! Playing at Greenwich Theatre until 24 October 2026 with tickets for around £25. A bargain for a play of this quality. Book here https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/the-seafarer/

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.