“Into the Woods” at Bridge Theatre – 16/05/26

Posted on May 17, 2026 by katese11

Do you dare to go into the woods? As a general rule, no I don’t…though we used to take a very steep forest short cut when I walked Roo to swimming from school. I’m not a big fan of getting lost in nature and prefer my nature to be suitably contained and a short from the Jubilee Line. So this production of “Into the Woods” in the shadow of Tower Bridge seemed like something I could cope with.

Also, it had a ton of actors that VK and I are fans of (the wonderful Melanie La Barrie for one) so that was a big selling point.

First though, finding our way to the woods! As often happens, I had left way too much time to get there – there was a whole complicated thing with VK and the school uniform shop – so we got to London Bridge tube with over two hours before the show started. We got some Popeyes at the station and then walked very slowly through the light drizzle towards Tower Bridge. Along the way, we cut through Hay’s Galleria and found this, which VK described as “sick”:

She then requested a picture with HMS Belfast because “boats are cool”. I can’t argue with that.

Not a good sign when the battleship is the same colour as the sky though. We really needed to find the theatre and get inside but the problem was that I’d never been there before and it wasn’t quite where I expected. City Hall now being a skeleton was slightly disorientating too:

I knew I was looking for something very near Tower Bridge but standing on the side near the river, we just couldn’t find it and it didn’t appear to be on the handy map sign at the edge of the green space. So I checked on Google Maps and realised the red neon I’d thought was Vapiano was, in fact, our target. There was a tree in front, which slightly obscured the sign.

“Looks like we can’t see “Into the Woods” for the trees” I quipped, in what I thought was a very witty manner.

Tumbleweed. Honestly, these teenagers are a tough crowd. I felt sorry for the people who would be hoping to entertain them for the next two and a half hours or so.

We still had some time to kill so we hung out in this very pretty foyer:

Nathan had a beer and VK had a pink lemonade. They both had to finish their drinks before they went in as there was a sign saying that no drinks were allowed in Gallery 1 or 2. I wasn’t sure why that was but it became clear once we sat down – the gallery seats were high off the floor, with only a small bar to lean on and nowhere sensible to put an open drink without dropping it on the stalls below. There was also a bar at foot level so our feet weren’t dangling, Nemesis-style. We had one row in front of us and I was a bit paranoid that we might accidentally kick them in the head but luckily it all seemed designed to stop that happening.

So, onto the actual show. My knowledge of it before we went was sketchy at best, and based on half-remembered bits from the 2014 film. I’m not exactly a Sondheim loyalist (where do I hand in my theatre kid licence?) but I’d heard good things about this production and the cast was stacked with names that sold it to us. Melanie La Barrie as The Witch was the one that first drew my eye – VK has seen her twice in “Hadestown” and met her at a signing. We saw “The Book Thief” primarily because she was in it and she didn’t disappoint. And it was the same here – although the witch is evil, she is still somehow likeable in La Barrie’s pointy-fingered hands. I was also excited to see Rachel Tucker (The Baker’s Wife) again – another “Hadestown” graduate but also someone we’d seen as Myrtle in “The Great Gatsby” along with John Owen-Jones who is most famous for his Valjean but appeared as Wolfsheim in Gatsby and here played the Narrator/Mysterious Old Man. Add in yet another “Hadestown” alum – Bella Brown as Rapunzel – and you can see why this show is attracting scores of fans who like a bit of dark but timeless storytelling.

Not that these names were the only strengths in the cast, of course. I loved Chomisa Dornford-May as Cinderella, who does quite a lot of the narrative lifting in Act 2, as well as singing in a soprano befitting a Disney princess. Hughie O’Donnell as The Baker matches Rachel Tucker well as they sing powerfully of their longing for a child. Gracie McGonigal pulls off the tricky balance as Red Riding Hood, who starts off as a stereotypical annoying child but ends up as a hero. It would be easy to lean too far into the Act 1 persona of Riding Hood and not be able to be sympathetic as the Act 2 Wolf Hood (spoilers!) but they gave a nuanced performance that covered both of these sides to the Hood character.

And so many characters besides! This show is head-spinning in the number of different fairytales it packs in to the first act – it covers the full plots of “Cinderella”, “Rapunzel”, “Jack and the Beanstalk” and “Red Riding Hood” as well as the framing device of the baker, his wife and the witch. All of this plot is delivered in typical fast-paced Sondheim style, which is almost patter-song-like in parts and has multiple sections overlapping and clashing. Luckily everyone is pretty familiar with the stories so you can very quickly grasp what’s going on.

On the music front, I did enjoy it more than I thought I would. Some of the harmonies were unexpected but they weren’t discordant and the songs were more hummable than I expected. Again, I know I am committing heresy by even doubting the genius of Sondheim but yknow, I was brought up on Rodgers & Hammerstein. I like a predictable melody. But seeing all this musical spikiness come together on stage with such amazing singers was a thrilling experience and much more enjoyable than watching the film version.

Also, I have to give a massive shout out to the set design by Tom Scutt. I don’t think I’m giving too much away to say that it’s an incredible rendering of “the woods” and the depth is unlike anything I’ve seen on stage before. When the show starts, it’s a very basic black backdrop and a table representing both the baker’s house and Jack’s house. Then the backdrop parts to show the full stage and it creates what I believe is called a theatrical Moment. It is really quite special.

At the end of Act 1, the fairytales were all tied up neatly and none of us quite knew what to expect from Act 2. Luckily there was a caption onstage to say “To Be Continued” otherwise the audience might not come back from the interval. The three people sitting on VK’s other side didn’t come back but I’m not sure if that was why. I felt like Act 2 was slightly slower-paced than Act 1, mainly because there was just one plot thread rather than several. The characters from Act 1 all came together to face a new threat and while they went in different directions, it was the same plot arc. I mentioned earlier that there were a lot of characters and I think I counted around 16 actors at one point – so that’s a lot of people to recognise and care about when they’re all in the same place. But don’t worry, they get killed off quite rapidly in Act 2 so we end up with a core of just a few.

With such a large cast though, it’s inevitable that some get less attention than others. For example, I thought that Bella Brown was slightly underused, as Rapunzel seems to be something of a side character and this is an actress who was singing to Argyll Street just a few months ago. Still, we hear Rapunzel more than we see her and so she sang quite a lot during the show, just not necessarily onstage. Also John Owen-Jones only sings right at the end, which made me think that he was going to go the whole show without singing at all. Which would be criminal for a musical theatre actor of his pedigree. I guess it’s testament to the sheer volume of talent gathered here that they can have great actors and use them sparingly – there certainly was no lack of great vocals at any point.

The show was also funnier than I expected, with some real laugh-out-loud moments. My favourites were the princes (Rhys Whitfield and Taite Elliott-Drew) as they sing yearningly about their love for Rapunzel and Cinderella…but shift allegiance to Sleeping Beauty and Snow White by the start of the second act. Oh the “Agony” of toxic masculinity. As one of them notes “I was raised to be charming, not sincere”. Although there were some dark moments in the show, it all skipped along at a fairly merry pace which makes a welcome change from the Nazi-themed shows we’ve seen recently. We re-watched “Cabaret” two weeks ago so, along with “Copenhagen”, ““The Boy at the Back of the Class” and “The Wrong They Knew”, it’s all been quite racism/antisemitism/hate speech themed of late. I was very ready to see something fluffier and less…..errr….prescient. Not that the other shows aren’t important and worth seeing but sometimes you just need a fairytale ending.

In case you were wondering, I had a vegan coconut ice cream during the interval and they had fresh bread, which I got for VK. I think it’s on theme for the baker and his wife because the cocktails and other snacks were also themed (e.g. white/red/gold/yellow chocolate and cocktails such as “The Last Midnight” and “Milky White Russian”.

After the show, we did hang around at Stage Door a bit but no one was signing so we wandered off to get the 47, which has always proved itself to be a most unreliable bus. I completely understand the actors not signing when they’re in a show as exhausting as this. I’m guessing they might just need a lie down afterwards. Still, we got a lovely view of Tower Bridge at night:

If you fancy a bit of fairytale escapism, this is the show for you. Don’t worry too much about the logic of it all, just enjoy the magic.

For tickets and more info, click here

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“Copenhagen” at Hampstead Theatre – 09/04/26

Posted on April 25, 2026 by katese11

It’s taken me a while to review this show not for any one reason but just because we went to Winchester the day afterwards for Passover and then it was the start of term and it’s rushed by ever since. I booked this ages ago and didn’t really think through the logistics of being out late on a work night on the other side of North London with a slightly broken teen. But it turned out that VK got a better offer – a sleepover with Bunny – and abandoned us anyway. Which made the travelling for Roo and I a lot easier.

So easy in fact that we were at Swiss Cottage around an hour and a half before the show started. We went a bit of a long way round – Vic line to Green Park and then Jubilee back up – but it was quick. Nathan was coming directly from the office so we found a Subway on Finchley Road for dinner and hung out there as long as we could.

Handily, it had a way of finding your teenager if they start blending into the background:

By the way, I already mentioned how beautiful Swiss Cottage tube was in The LWAT Best-Dressed List so I won’t harp on about it again…but it’s definitely worth a visit if you’re ever in the area.

And the Hampstead Theatre is also striking looking – it’s very modern, with a giant metal capsule in the middle that forms the audience seating:

There were two main reasons for booking this show and neither was enough to tempt VK from her sleepover. But the first reason is that Roo is doing A Level Physics and so a play about two physicists seemed like just his kind of thing. The second reason was that Roo is on a long term mission to see Dr Who actors in theatre and this one starred Alex Kingston, AKA River Song. So he could add to his total, having seen Ncuti Gatwa in “Born With Teeth” and David Tennant in “Macbeth” ….as I mentioned in the “Oh Mary!” review, he may soon be able to add Catherine Tate to that list. But I’m waiting read the reviews before booking….

The draw for me was seeing Richard Schiff, who was just marvellous as Toby in “The West Wing”. When Trump took over and we were watching in horror at the comms coming out of the White House, our constant refrain was “Toby would never have let that go out”. So the combination of two great names was enough to make me book as soon as I could, even if I was pretty sure that it would be a bit highbrow for my tastes. At least Roo would be able to follow the Physics chat.

The set was very simple – a round stage with a revolving part on the outside, and trays of water on either side. There was no curtain and the actors entered or left the stage by an invisible door at the back. I’m not sure whether this is the permanent stage set up but it was very striking with the lightbulbs on warped mirrors forming a backdrop as well as changing to reflect the mood.

I was right about it being quite highbrow – this is a distinct shift of mood compared to the frivolous musicals we often watch. The whole show is a three-hander – Richard Schiff is physicist Niels Bohr, Alex Kingston is his wife Margrethe and Damien Molony is Bohr’s protégé Heisenberg. The plot revolves around Heisenberg’s visit to Bohr in 1941, when Denmark was under occupation and Germans wouldn’t necessarily have been welcomed in Copenhagen.

I feel like we’ve watched a fair few WW2 era shows lately so I feel relatively well versed in the era and, of course, the rising tide of IRL attacks against Jews so close to where we were sitting added an extra edge to the tension. In the opening scene, Heisenberg attempts to defuse that tension with some light-hearted queries about leisure activities – forgetting that sailing in wartime was a risky business and skiing would require international travel. “Perhaps Margrethe would be so kind as to sew a yellow star onto my ski jacket” Bohr observes dryly. There are moments of humour like this but it’s of the socially awkward kind, which does nothing to relax either the characters or the audience. As the key question is posed – “Why did Heisenberg come to Copenhagen?” – the background is filled in. As colleagues in the 1920s, the two scientists delved deep into the inner workings of the atom and in 1941 they both found themselves wondering whether their discoveries could put an end to the war or possibly escalate it to mutual destruction.

If that sounds intense, it is a bit. The play is 2 hours 45 including an interval and there is quite complex dialogue all the way through. It requires a bit of concentration, which is why I probably shouldn’t have booked it for a day when I was working and had to work the next day. It wasn’t the most chill theatrical experience ever.

But it was enjoyable – the three actors spark off each other and there is a sense of deep relational foundations rocked by a new mistrust. The narrative flits between the main setting of 1941, their shared past in the 20s and 30s and occasionally forward to their next meeting in 1947. It covers issues of national identity and patriotism, moral dilemmas and yes, a fair dollop of antisemitism. The questions asked felt very relevant, given the conflict between Iran and America…the potential for one side of a war to wipe out the other was not just a theoretical posed by actors. It was and is a very real worry. Physics did indeed change the course of WW2 but that put a burden on the shoulders of just a few individuals, who were the only ones with the knowledge to create the nuclear reaction….so that meant that they also had to make the decision on whether to use and share that knowledge with either the Allies or the Nazis. Bohr and Heisenberg stood on either side of that decision making process in 1941 and the play feeds off that nervous energy throughout.

Along the way, we also learn more of Bohr’s backstory, including the drowning death of his son Christian – which is where the water off the sides of the stage comes into its own. Having been to Copenhagen, it is very much built around the water and there is a sense that the sea is a constant reminder for the Bohrs of what they lost. And the physical trays of water in the space, along with occasional dry ice, represent that reminder that must always be on the edge of their minds. Feeling responsible for the loss of one life while contemplating being responsible for so many others places a gravity on Bohr that Richard Schiff is well placed to play. His “West Wing” character always had the weight of the world on his shoulders and there’s a similar feel here.

Damien Molony, as the junior partner in the relationship, has a different feel. He is more naïve, energetic and optimistic and seems almost surprised to have such a responsibility thrust upon him. His well-meaning questions about skiing and sailing illustrate his ignorance of what life is like for Jewish people under occupation and he enjoys a certain amount of privilege by working for the Reich. His dialogue is very technical and rapid – chatting to him briefly afterwards, he said that he never really studied Physics so had to learn all of the detail from the script and sound convincing saying it. Reuben was certainly convinced.

Alex Kingston is really the warmth and heart of the show. Cutting through some of the social awkwardness, she shows an obvious affection for the nervy Heisenberg while also being extremely guarded. It’s a delicate balance and she gives a very nuanced performance. We did get to meet her briefly afterwards as well, which greatly delighted Roo, and she signed our programme. One word on that though – the Hampstead theatre doesn’t appear to have a Stage Door and the actors come out through the foyer. We only learnt that after a very chilly 20 minutes staring at a door that turned out to be a bin cupboard. Don’t be like us.

So, an intense and thought provoking piece which sticks with you long after you leave. There is a quite literally brilliant moment of lighting design towards the end which shifts the tone and makes for a memorable ending. I won’t say too much more than that for fear of spoilers but it was dazzling in many ways. No, not a Mincemeat-style glitzy finale but a spiritual cousin maybe.

It helps to be really interested in Physics, as Roo is and Nathan is to a lesser extent. But an interest in philosophy (another one of Roo’s A-Levels) and history will also help you to keep pace with what’s going on. I definitely didn’t follow all the technical detail but I kept up with the plot apart from that, which was an achievement in the middle of a busy week. Roo thought it was brilliant, which is good seeing as he’s the one I booked it for. Next week we’re going to see “Cabaret” again for VK’s birthday, so more antisemitism on the cards… maybe we’ll also go see something a touch lighter at some point….

“Copenhagen” is on until 2nd May – for tickets and more info, click here

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The LWAT Best-Dressed List

Posted on April 24, 2026 by katese11

I feel like there has been a lot of theatre on the blog recently. I’m not sure I’ve blogged about anything non-theatre related this year and for that, I kinda apologise. It’s almost like I have a part-broken teen who will happily leave the house for theatre and not much else. So there have not been a lot of blogging opportunities. I do have a post I need to write about our Christmas mini-break to Bournemouth but that was like *hours* before the breaking occurred so it’s a bit challenging to think too much about. I also have another theatre review to write but that can continue to wait while I present you with….something slightly different.

Yes, it’s the London With a Teenager Best Dressed List! I don’t think I’ve ever forayed into style blogging before but there’s a first time for everything so here we goes. I’m not going to rank my best-dressed picks because they are all beautiful in different ways but here we go….

First up, Swiss Cottage. This one may or may not be related to the blog post I haven’t yet written but I was pleasantly surprised by how well dressed this little Jubilee Line stunner was. I’m a complete sucker for a bonus roundel so having both “Way Out” and “To Trains” roundels is A-game accessorising. And look at this tiling! If only the “G” was a bit more centred, it would be perfection.

Let’s go for something a little more modern next and this is not a tube station I would ever have put on any style lists a few years back. But the Elizabeth Line has given Paddington a real nifty facelift and I’m always wowed by the results:

Not to everyone’s tastes – I get that. But oh so airy and industrial at the same time. And this underground bit is giving “Jetsons” vibez:

From one extreme to the other and this is what I love about these stations – there is something for everyone. So let’s take a moment to drink in the cottagecore of tiny little Roding Valley, all the way up in the elbow of the Hainault loop:

It’s like the place that time forgot and you might feel like you’ve been forgotten if you ever try to catch a train there. But vintage chic never goes out of fashion, right?

And now to the opposite corner of London for another vintage-style treat. This one makes the list for that timepiece alone. But where Roding Valley is rural, Richmond is posh suburban. If RV was Cath Kidston, Richmond would be Coco Chanel. I think I took this photo when we stopped to use the loos on the way down to Winchester so that explains why I only have the one:

Let’s go just round the corner for our next style guru and this is one I thought I’d hallucinated until I checked back. Palm trees have an interesting relationship with fashion and most of the time, Hawaiian shirts are not an indicator of style…but Kew Garden somehow pulls it off:

I think it’s the cocktail umbrella accessory that really pulls the outfit together on this one and makes it pop.

Time for something a bit more sombre? Well, just around the corner from Parliament I give you the sombre businesswear of St James Park:

I don’t know why I loved this one. I caught a train there for the first time last year and the Art Deco solidness of the lines caught my eye. St James is not a party person but he has style.

A little more light wouldn’t go astray in this outfit but he certainly knows how to make a statement.

Another guy with a gloomy but classically styled outlook is Baker Street. Having not been there since we first moved to London, I’ve found myself there several times over the last few weeks. I regret not getting a picture of Baker’s signature print – the tiny Sherlock Holmeses – but there’s something I love about this accessory:

It doesn’t serve any function but it’s got that classic Johnston Sans font and a short list of random destinations. Much like those “I Love NY” t-shirts that were in vogue in the early 2000s.

While we’re in Central London, it’s probably worth nipping round the Met, Circle or Hammersmith and City Lines to Liverpool Street, which has had such a Lizzy Line glow up of late. I’m not keen on his choice of perfume – ngl, that musty smell is an unusual choice – but the polka dot detail throughout the outfit make for a stunning effect:

I feel like I’ve sung this guy’s praises before but wow, I am amazed every single time I pass through.

Back up the Central line for a candidate that’s much more subtle than you’d expect from the land of TOWIE. It’s her delicate lacy bridge that does it for me – such a pretty touch and really compliments the rose-pink brickwork. It was a toss up between Epping and Amersham cause their outfits are similar but Amersham has let her bridge get a bit tattered so Epping had the upper hand.

Quite a contrast to our next model, who comes from gritty South London. Another Lizzy Line addition and more bold looks to be found in Woolwich:

While the bottom half of the outfit is undoubtedly gorge, there’s a bit more of a “don’t know why I like it but I do” with the top half. Striking yes, but this look will not suit everyone:

So it’s just about time to come in to land on this couture runway. And anyone who’s read the blog for a while will be totally unsurprised by who I’ve picked to wrap this up. She’s classy, she’s cosmic, she’s famed for her looks. It can only be Southgate:

Everything about this look is just so on point, from the tiny hat to the retro roundel. And who can forget these beautiful escalator accessories:

Oh yes, it’s Find the Snap all the way home for this gal!

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“The Boy at the Back of the Class” at Queen Elizabeth Hall – 07/04/26

Posted on April 7, 2026 by katese11

Welp, it’s been quite a news day hasn’t it? I was sitting perilously close to the news channels at work and all day, the gruesome twosome of Don and Ye were in my peripheral vision, with headlines that bounced between extremism and apocalypse (again). So what better to restore my faith in humanity than a piece of theatre about children accepting and helping a refugee boy? Roo had read the book in primary school but couldn’t quite remember what happened and I’d never read it so was going in with totally fresh eyes. Still, the 7+ age rating made me confident that it would probably land on the life-affirming side of theatre, rather than feeding into the “we’re all doomed” narrative of the BBC today.

I wasn’t sure we’d ever been to the Queen Elizabeth Hall before and definitely not for a show. A quick flick back through the blog suggests that Roo and I visited on a soggy day in April 2012 when the Royal Festival Hall was booked out for a corporate event. Weirdly enough, Roo doesn’t remember that day and the blog post from back then makes it sound like I was a bit grouchy (which I probably was, given I was overdue with VK and it was raining). So def time to give this building another chance. It’s a nice, sun-filled foyer space and a pretty big auditorium:

Plus really comfortable seats, which I appreciate after some not-so-comfy shows recently.

If, like me, you’re not familiar with the plot, here’s the basics – a new boy called Ahmet joins a class of 9-year-olds and they slowly discover his story as a Syrian refugee. It’s told through the eyes of Alexa, Ahmet’s classmate, and takes in the usual classroom archetypes – the bully, the jock, the nerd and how they each interact with this newcomer.

It’s a simple enough concept but gosh darn, did it pull at the heartstrings. I wasn’t the only one dabbing my eyes at the end and I’m sure if VK had been there, she would have joined me in the weeping. Even Roo described it as “emotional”. But I’m getting ahead of myself.

First, a word for the set. It seems very simple – a standard-issue piece of PE apparatus – but it transforms into everything from a double decker bus to Buckingham Palace. There’s great use of lighting to accentuate the changes in scene, with the palace lit in red, white and blue and red lighting to signify intensity or danger.

Photo by Manuel Harlan (@manuelharlanphotography)

The costumes are mainly school uniforms but they’re effective to turn the (I assume) adult cast into small children. All the child characters have costume details to make them stand out from each other tho – an abundance of hairbows for the spoilt Clarissa or trainers, knee socks and a plaster for the sporty Josie. There are also some impressive Queen’s Guards outfits later on.

Alexa is played by Sasha Desouza-Willock, who brings pathos to the role of a child struggling with loss and trying to find meaning by helping a friend. Ahmet is played by Serkan Avlik, who is of Kurdish heritage and so delivers the Kurdish lines with authenticity. He’s described by Alexa as having eyes like a lion and you can kind of see what she means….but his eyes are also haunted by what he’s been through. I can see why these roles were not played by actual 9-year-olds – it must be harrowing to relive Ahmet’s story every night and it needs a certain maturity to be able to deal with that.

Photo by Manuel Harlan (@manuelharlanphotography)

Rounding off the gang are Abdul-Malik Janneh as Michael, Petra Joan-Athene as Josie and Jonny Warr as Tom. It’s kudos to all these actors that they can effectively play children and get that balance of being kids-at-the-edge-of-growing-up just right. When Alexa and Tom are exploring London without their parents, a cab driver raises his eyebrows slightly at them being unaccompanied but they’re not so childlike that it would be outrageous and that’s a fine distinction to pull off. I remember Roo at that age being involved in a piece of theatre at Stratford East called, simply, “Nine” and that looked at what a pivotal age the end of primary school was….when you’re starting to walk home alone but are still very much a child.

And the lead actors reflect this well – all five of them have the energy of 9-year-olds – running around the stage to the “Mission Impossible” music – but are also starting to question what’s truly important in life and reflecting on their different levels of privilege. It has a lot of depth for a piece of children’s theatre.

Photo by Manuel Harlan (@manuelharlanphotography)

Where this play truly packs a punch is dealing with the issue of immigration and small boats. The book was published in 2018 – when Reuben was, in fact nine, and I think it’s probably set around then as well, given a reference to the Queen being 92. So the era directly after the Brexit referendum, with talk of a “hostile environment” and “stopping the boats”. I think the timeline is slightly fictionalised as there’s a hard deadline at the end of the month where the borders will be closed and this provides the momentum for the second half of the play. But the sentiment is very familiar, and remains so today. Brendan the Bully and his father (both played by Max Jordan) give voice to the aggressive nationalism – calling Ahmet “filthy” and “smelly”. At times, this is visceral and shocking, especially when a scene turns from joy to violence so quickly. It’s a powerful statement to make when the political landscape is more divided than ever and it’s just a pity that the people who watch this piece will largely be the ones who already embrace diversity and inclusion. But hopefully it will sow a few seeds of hope in a pretty bleak looking landscape.

While there are adults in this play who voice the aggression, there is also a lot of counterpoint, particularly in the warm hearted portrayal by Natasha Lewis of both the teacher Mrs Khan and Alexa’s mum. Her compassion and patience towards Ahmet is truly transformative and even bully Brendan is thawing by the end. Eleanor Patel, Evie Weldon and Fedrat Sadat round out the cast as Alexa’s classmates and other characters she encounters through the story, such as the magical Mr Musa and the aforementioned Clarissa.

Photo by Manuel Harlan (@manuelharlanphotography)

The age rating I would say is about right – it’s definitely not one for tiny children as there are some really quite intense emotional moments and it’s two hours long, including the interval. But for children who are that little bit older, it’s a relatable tale of friendship and wild ideas (“Let’s visit the Queen!”). My giant child enjoyed it and, even though he’s already made his mind up on all things political, I think he enjoyed the thought-provoking nature of the piece. There are a lot of laughs alongside the more sombre moments and a great deal of heart. If you’re anything like me, you will leave the theatre misty-eyed but that’s more of a recommendation than anything. Just remember to pack some tissues…

“The Boy at the Back of the Class” runs until 12th April at the Southbank Centre and then resumes touring. For tickets and more info, click here.

Disclaimer: I received Press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own.

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“Oh Mary!” at Trafalgar Theatre – 30/03/26

Posted on April 3, 2026 by katese11

You may recall that we’ve been to see a play about Mary Todd Lincoln recently and it wasn’t this one. I’m not quite sure which strings MTL posthumously pulled to get herself a West End double bill but I feel like the “Oh Mary!” version of her would be delighted. After all, her dream is to be a cabaret star.

If you think that sounds frivolous for a play about a woman whose main characteristic is “grieving” then you’d be right….this is indeed frivolous. But the weird thing is that, in some ways, it is every bit as intense as “Mrs President”. Neither play about MTL is a relaxing experience.

And they’re similar in some ways – both near Charing Cross, both one act plays with no interval, both with a small cast and very little in the way of scenery changes. That’s probably where the similarities end though.

I’ll get into a bit more detail about the actual play in a moment but first, for anyone who is confused – the Trafalgar Theatre is a proper theatre auditorium on the same footprint as the Trafalgar Studios where I saw “Julie Madly Deeply” all those years ago. I don’t know what I was thinking when I booked the tickets but even when we arrived at the theatre, I somehow thought it was still a studio set up….so I was quite surprised to be in a full-on auditorium. Apparently it was refurbished in 2020 but hey, that was not a great theatre year for us.

I was also surprised when we stopped at the Trafalgar Square Waterstones on the way. I’ve only ever been to the ground floor and cafe and thought it was tiny…but VK found a lift down to the basement and it’s huge.

Of course VK went straight to the GCSE revision guides and was very scornful of the cover of “Lord of the Flies”. Teens know how to have fun, hey? She also wanted to buy yet another copy of Les Mis to celebrate its birthday but we negotiated and I was pleased to get away with only buying a small amount of art supplies. No one wants to take an unnecessary Victor Hugo novel to the theatre, do they?

So, onto the show itself! The main pull of this production for us was seeing Mason Alexander Park in a lead role after their supporting-but-scene-stealing turns in “The Tempest” and “Much Ado About Nothing”. With Catherine Tate taking over the role soon, time was ticking so I booked as soon into the Easter holidays as I could, just for VK and I. Roo is on a bit of a mission to see Doctor Who actors in theatre, so he and Nathan may well go and see the show once she takes over. Mason is a total star, with a phenomenal singing voice but I wonder just what they could do with a character that is a bit more likeable than this version of MTL. It was a stellar performance, don’t get me wrong, but a friend described this show as “weird” and she wasn’t entirely wrong.

The story is set in the last days of “her husband”‘s life. Mary is a drunk and a thorn in the side of all around her. Her bubbly companion Louise (Kate O’Donnell) is keeping her distance after being pushed down the stairs and the husband (Scott Karim) is busy lusting after his assistant (Oliver Stockley). Meanwhile, John Wilkes Booth (Dino Fetscher) is swinging by to give Mary acting lessons. Chaos ensues.

I mentioned already that this show is intense and it is, albeit in a more upbeat way than “Mrs President”. Lines are shouted, there’s a lot of physical humour and more than a little gross-out comedy. Mary is a livewire whose next move is highly unpredictable and so the characters and audience are both constantly on edge. There’s a distinct panto feel to the whole thing, though I think the inspiration is Victorian melodramas – the blackout at the end of each film feels like the gaps in a silent film. And despite some of the more uncomfortable moments – the bucket scene, for example – each of those gaps was filled with rapturous applause.

The cast are excellent and the lines are delivered with a zing, which helps move the show along at a pace. None of the main characters are exactly likeable, especially Mary herself, but somehow they become almost sympathetic by the end. The husband is an especially nasty piece of work but yknow, he had the weight of the free world on his shoulders whereas Mary doesn’t seem to care about the war (“the South of what?” she says repeatedly). There are some great set pieces, like Mary trying to lever open the desk drawer to find whisky or the bit where she’s spinning atop the walnut desk. I also enjoyed the lengthy “Tempest” interlude, given Mason’s previous performance. And although it’s right at the end, we do eventually get to hear their singing voice through one of Mary’s “Madcap Medleys”.

Was it enjoyable overall though? I think so and VK certainly did, judging by her guaffawing. It was often uncomfortable watching and my nerves were jangled quite a lot….but there were a lot of laughs along the way. It was certainly jauntier than the other MTL play but it was not the most soothing of productions. In Mason Alexander Park, there is a true talent but I feel like I’ve yet to see them in the perfect role. Maybe someone will do a “Hedwig” revival in the West End…

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“The Wrong They Knew” at Chickenshed – 06/03/26

Posted on March 7, 2026 by katese11
Copyright Chickenshed

In the midst of a crazy busy choir week, it’s good to escape to another time and place for a while and let someone else worry about providing the entertainment. So taking in a brand new show at Chickenshed seemed just the thing to take my mind off my responsibilities for a while.

The weather was not exactly on our side and neither were the Chase Side buses. So VK and I hopped in an uber for the last mile or so, which might be my Chickenshed hack going forward. VK is still on crutches but seems to be a bit more motivated when theatre is involved. As she proudly told me, she’s been to the theatre four times since breaking her ankle. I thought we’d had a slow theatre year so far but when you say it like that, it’s not so bad. This was the fifth time. More theatre trips than French lessons apparently.

Quelle histoire!

She’s also been thinking about 1950s racism this week, thanks to an unexpected word usage from her favourite character in “Lord of the Flies”. I had no idea that word was in that book and it turned out that it had been censored in the edition she’s reading…but it sparked a discussion about historical context, which chimed with the disclaimer for this show. It’s about racial tensions between the black and white communities of the 50s and the trigger warning mentions that the play uses attitudes of the time. It also gives a few spoilers for the plot so yknow, don’t study it closely.

The world of the play is an almost-historical one. It’s set in Forest Hills, which may bear some resemblance to Notting Hill, and there’s a character called Osmos Floozeley…you can guess who that’s based on. So it’s not strictly based on a true story, like “The Washing Line” was but it is based on some things that might have happened within that context.

There is quite a complex set of characters to get to know but all the threads come together nicely in the second half. There are the kids (Zeeko and Romy, tonight played by Kayla James and Karl Leyens), the teens and their parents. Then there are the nationalists, led by Rob Awol (Jimmy Adamou) who abuses black people in public and beats his daughter Madeline (Tilly Morton) in private. As you can tell, there are some intense themes in this play but there is plenty of lightness too – out of the tension, creativity flourishes and Carnival is born. Using the children and their artwork as a framing device works well to give the situation an air of innocence. They are tasked to collect stories and scenes from the neighbourhood, so act almost as narrators and comic-book style illustrations appear on the screens throughout the piece, showing key scenes as they’re happening. The two child leads did a great job of juggling their spoken and sung lines as well as being on the stage for a large part of the action.

The teens represent the bridge between different groups, with white Jackson (Felix Figgis) and black Theo Junior (Ajani Onaolapo) trying to rearrange their classroom seating plan so they can sit together, along with support from their mixed-race friend Diello (Kailee Fisher). However, this is the 1950s and Theo is forced to sit at the back and Jackson at the front. It’s a stark illustration of what life was like for those trying to overcome divisions. That scene also had one of the biggest laugh-out-loud moments where the “Our School is English” song referenced Jesus being turned away for not having a British passport. VK certainly laughed out loud anyway.

The teens are also responsible for a teaching moment where they are lectured on respect by Jackson’s father Isaac (Jonny Morton) after harassing a shy disabled man. These teens might be groundbreaking in their racial equality but they still represent the idiocy that teens occasionally get up to.

The grown ups mainly focus around solicitor Isaac and his colleague Iris (Cara McInanny) as they strive for “Justice for All” as well as organising the carnival. At one point, Isaac is accused of being a “white saviour” which might be a bit of a modern concept but I’m sure the idea was there in the 50s, even if the exact phrase wasn’t. It is strange to see Jonny Morton playing a nice guy, after some notable villain stints, but he is very convincing in the role. Cara McInanny is a Chickenshed stalwart and her motherly role on stage probably reflects her mentoring role behind the scenes. She also wrote some of the songs I believe. Her voice is always impressive and she’s given a real chance to shine in the final song – “The Wrong They Knew”.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. There’s plenty that happens before that point. The first half of the play introduces the characters and the police oppression they live under (“Routine Check”) before moving on to the school scene and then Isaac and Iris setting up a Legal Aid stall. It’s interspersed with vintage newsreels as well as bits of narration from the children. There’s a lot going on but by the end of Act 1, the main conflict is being set up as the nationalist leader’s daughter Madeline develops an obsession with Theo’s dad (Theo Senior, played by Shiloh Maersk). As tensions grow, the company sing a sinister version of “There was an Old Lady Who Swallowed a Fly”. There are a few moments during the piece where nursery rhymes and folk songs are used as incidental music and this is the most striking example, taking a simple children’s rhyme and turning it into something much more threatening. Act 1 finishes on a cliffhanger, which threatens to destroy even the fragile peace that the residents of Forest Hills know.

Then we went for ice cream (Strawberry for VK, Mango and Passionfruit sorbet for me) and chatted about how we thought things might play out in Act 2. From the content warning, I was guessing it wouldn’t be great for Theo Senior.

Act 2 was intense but VK and I agreed it was even stronger than Act 1, which is unusual in theatre (cough Hamilton, cough). The tensions grew and boiled over into racist riots, with the nationalists trying to smoke black families out of their homes. This led to one of my favourite moments, which was the song “Weaponised”. The two groups are dancing on either side of the stage – the nationalists are doing rock n roll style moves on the right, while the black families and their friends are dancing to a more reggae-infused tune on the left. The song cuts between each group until they finally clash in the middle. This being Chickenshed, the dancing is top notch and although there are 200 people on stage at times, everyone knows where they’re meant to be and how their part contributes to the whole. It’s not surprising, after we’ve seen so many brilliant productions, but the effect is always dazzling. There’s always a lot of energy in these routines but increasingly sophistication too, with precision partner work and tricky lifts being held in place. The backflips from the nationalists were particularly impressive – I might not like their attitudes but gosh, they’ve got some good moves.

A quick word about the set too, which was also impressive. Some large wooden slatted pieces on either side of the stage convert to a courtroom, a classroom, a street scene and so much more. The walls are daubed with racist graffiti and there are so many little details that give it an authentic 50s feel. The costumes too are very authentic – all stiff petticoats and immaculate police uniforms. It really helps to immerse the audience in the world of Forest Hills.

I won’t give any spoilers about how the story turns out but I can say that it’s bittersweet. Although progress is made, and dances are danced at Carnival, there is loss and pain along the way and a feeling that this will never quite be resolved.

Well yes, look at the political landscape today and the rise of Reform. If we ever stopped worrying about this, it’s time to start worrying again.

So a timely, powerful piece with something important things to say about race and prejudice but also with a lot of joy and heart. It will make you think, it may make you cry but it will stay with you. At the end, VK was the first one her feet clapping and she said it was brilliant. What more recommendation do you need?

“The Wrong They Knew” is on at Chickenshed until 28th March. Click here for tickets and more info.

Disclaimer: I received press tickets in exchange for a review. All opinions remain honest and my own

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“Mrs President” at Charing Cross Theatre – 21/02/26

Posted on February 27, 2026 by katese11

So it’s been nearly a week since our exhausting “two shows and an ordination” day and I’ve only just found the time to write about the second show. I’ll pick up where I left off, which was us leaving Southwark Playhouse and considering our next move in the unglamourous surrounds of Elephant and Castle in the rain. My top priority was getting some dinner in before the evening show and VK suggested a trip to Honest Burger. So we waited for the 176 bus for a while to take us to Covent Garden but then I changed my mind and we instead hopped on a 68 to go to the branch in the Southbank Centre. My flawless logic was that it was bigger than the Covent Garden branch and so we were less likely to be queuing in the rain.

That logic did not logic. After briefly getting confused with people who might be gatecrashing the BAFTAs, we became people who were, in fact, queuing in the rain.

I did consider changing plan again and actually gatecrashing the BAFTAs but David Tennant wasn’t presenting this year, so it barely seemed worth it. Instead, we hung around for 15 minutes or so and were eventually admitted.

Honest Burger is always good food and quick so we know what to expect and it was exactly what we needed. We probably took it a bit too fast but we were painfully aware that other people were now waiting for our table and we had a show to get to.

Not that it would take long to get there. Part of the genius of the Southbank plan was that we could just walk straight over the Golden Jubilee Bridge afterwards and it would bring us out exactly where we needed to be. I remembered that there was only a lift on the northern side of the river for the bridge closest to the London Eye and so we went down the slope towards the carousel, found the lift and crossed the river that way. VK is still struggling with stairs, post injury so this seemed sensible. I forgot that she also struggles with bridges but hey, we’d cross that bridge when we came to it.

(I apologise, that was Reuben levels of groanability)

I maintain it was a good route, even in the drizzle. You can’t beat this view, can you?

It was such a good route that we were actually about 45 minutes early for the show. See, I told you we didn’t need to eat so fast. VK was exhausted after speeding over the bridge as fast as her crutch could manage so we sat down for a moment on these giant marbles on Villiers Street:

And with still quite a long time to go before the doors opened, we went to the Charing Cross Theatre bar and kinda hovered awkwardly with drinks and nowhere particular to put them down. I was glad when we could go through, even if it meant VK having to do a flight of stairs downwards. Apparently she can find the motivation when there’s theatre involved….not so much for her French lesson.

If you’re not familiar with this play, let me enlighten you. It’s a two-hander about Mary Lincoln and her photographer, Mathew Brady. It stars Keala Settle, Hal Fowler and…no one else. That’s what a two-hander is. It’s not to be confused with “Oh Mary”, which is the other Mary Lincoln play currently on in the West End. That other play is a touch more….frivolous than this one I think. There’s nothing frivolous about “Mrs President” and fans of Keala’s singing will be disappointed to know that it is strictly non-musical.

The play tracks the Lincoln/Brady interactions throughout her time in Washington, starting with Mrs President in a large pink dress and ending in her mourning black. I don’t think I need to worry about spoilers do I? Things don’t go well for the Lincoln family. Over the course of the play she loses first her son and then her husband and starts to feel as if she’s also losing her mind. It delves deep into the psychological trauma of so much loss so quickly (she also refers to another son who died before the play starts) and it feels intense, verging on harrowing. I had to keep reminding myself that this was entertainment.

The kids LOVED it by the way. Maybe misery and trauma appeal to dramatic youths. That’s what happens when you let them read Victor Hugo.

There are certainly some powerful performances. Keala’s descent into torment is sensitively done and she visibly strives to hold on to her sanity while also carrying burdens that would break even the strongest person. Hal Fowler is unlikeable as Brady and, again, that’s a testament to his acting ability. Both the kids commented how great an actor someone must be when they get you to really hate a character. Brady tortures and gaslights Mary in the name of his art and Hal Fowler really gave the character a spiteful, narcissistic edge that ramped up the tension immeasurably. However, it’s not like Mary is always a likeable character – she too has hints of narcissism and self-centeredness and it’s sometimes hard to know who to root for.

Was this a relaxing experience? No. After the heartbreak of “Ballad Lines” we possibly should have gone for something fun and fluffy in the evening but, as I explained in the last post, that is not how the booking process worked. This was visceral at times and there were some jump scares that made VK physically flinch in the seat next to me. Something bad happens to a bird, although I think it was dead to start with, to be fair. And there are references to child death, executions, slavery and insanity. It is not a light watch.

But was it enjoyable? Yeah, I think so, kinda. The kids thought so. I felt on edge the whole time but was drawn into the story so wanted to know how it would all resolve. The lighting and set design were great – I spent quite some time wondering how a solid panel of scenery could become transparent and I never did work it out. The costumes were fabulous and, I’d hope, era-accurate. I might have to check in with a colleague on that one. So there were many positive elements but the script needs to work hard when it’s 90 minutes of two people talking and there were times when it felt a little repetitive. As in, we had been over these themes or stories already and how ,much more was there to say?

A dance number would have helped.

I think though, that I probably have quite low brow tastes and don’t often engage with the more challenging end of theatre. So this was that more challenging, dark piece that I know some theatre goers would love. Others might be triggered by the constant trauma and grief. It’s lacking in warmth and while the two leads spark off each other, there isn’t a lot of dialogue that feels like the way humans normally talk to each other. I think I just find it hard to watch psychological torture…but I think I’m OK with that.

The piece could do with being a touch shorter, just to take out some of the repetition and up the pace but there’s no faulting the talent on show here. Both leads are remarkable – Keala’s deep well of emotions is so raw and, towards the end, it absolutely just rips out of her. Hal Fowler is nimble and switches character to impersonate his photographed subjects, as well as playing the photographer himself. He never steps into pantomime villain but has the audience constantly tense, waiting to see what his next move will be.

In conclusion then, not a comforting watch but an interesting one. If you enjoy having your pulse and blood pressure raised, go check it out. In such a small space, it is a very intense experience as well – we were in the second row and it was remarkable to be so close to the action. But if you’re after something heartwarming, maybe try and get seats to “Paddington” instead.

“Mrs President” runs until 8th March. For tickets and more info, click here

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“Ballad Lines” at Southwark Playhouse – 21/02/26

Posted on February 22, 2026 by katese11

Saturday was a complicated day. You might wonder why I’ve not blogged in a while but the answer lies in the last post I wrote… that ol’ crutched teenager. So we’ve been having some very boring weekends at home while her ankle heals but my birthday is coming up and so we decided to attempt a day out. It just got a lot more complicated as it went along.

The planning started with booking “Mrs President”. Nathan knew that I was sad to have missed Keala Settle at “Dracapella” so this might make up for it. Also, I’d mentioned that I fancied seeing “Oh Mary” with Mason Alexander Park and aren’t all Mary Todd Lincoln plays created equal?

Well no, but more on that in another post. Because you might notice that this isn’t a review of anything MTL related. It’s a review of “Ballad Lines”. Because we had to go to Colindale first, obviously.

If this is still making no sense, let me step you through my thought process.  “Mrs President” was booked first, for a 7:30pm show. Then we got an invitation to a dear friend’s ordination in far-off Colindale at 11am. It didn’t seem worth going home between the two events so what better way to fill in time than with a matinée? And that’s where “Ballad Lines” comes in. It was affordable and I knew Southwark Playhouse had a lift so it seemed doable with the crutch. All make sense so far?

Yes? Good!

More sense than my chosen route to Colindale which saw us kicked off the Mildmay line (not for bad behaviour) and then stuck in traffic on Edgware Road for hours? Probably.

Still, we made it to the ordination only slightly late and VK managed to hobble the 15 minutes back to Colindale tube afterwards. She had to sit down briefly in Colindale Park but it was just when Reuben decided to scale a giant rock so that all worked out well.

Travelling most of the length of the Northern Line in between ordination and matinée proved to be slightly challenging, time wise but we scooted into our seats at the Playhouse with a full 6 minutes to spare. 

I knew almost nothing about the show before we saw it except that the music was folky and the story followed the lives of three different women, who were all related. And that’s pretty much the basis of it, except it’s four women really – Sarah is our main protagonist, in modern day New York. Betty is her recently-deceased auntie from West Virginia. Jean is a distant ancestor from Ulster and Cait is an even more distant ancestor from Scotland. They each lead very different lives but all know the same songs – the ballads – which are passed down from generation to generation. One of the songs is called “The Four Marys”, which was appropriate given the play we were going to be seeing later on. Maybe we need another two MTL shows to make up the full four?

The cast was nearly all female, with just one male actor. The music director and band were also female so it was very much a woman’s perspective on history. It would make a great outing for International Women’s Day. Maybe less so for Mother’s Day….but I’ll get to that.

The narrative device is a series of tapes that Aunt Betty has left for Sarah talking about the family history of ballads. Some of the early tapes feature a baby Sarah herself while the  last one is recorded just before Betty’s death. If we can get over the unlikelihood of a Millenial instantly knowing how to work a tape deck, then it’s a great framing device.

(Yes, i know that I myself am a millennial but I’m at the very oldest end and Sarah is at the tequila swigging end so….)

I won’t say too much more about the plot, for fear of spoilers, but the tapes pull Sarah into her bloodlines in a way that is both revelationary but also destructive. When Sarah’s partner Alix wryly refers to it as Pandora’s Box, she’s not wrong. 

The music is really central to this story and the characters from the different eras often sing together, resulting in some beautifully rich harmonies. Although there is a small band (piano, guitar and violin), the songs aren’t over-orchestrated and the vocals are given a lot of space to resonate around the space, as they would have done on a Scottish Moor. When the instruments do get the spotlight – as in a lively dance scene – they are superb but it’s the arrangement and the balance of the songs that really  makes this work.

So to the performances. Frances McNamee is Sarah, playing her as traumatised but optimistic, building a new life for herself with Alix. She is a very flawed character and makes some bad decisions but is still likeable and has some great chemistry with Sydney Sainté, who plays Alix. Alix is a very sympathetic character, despite ending up as something of an antagonist to Sarah and Sydney Sainté’s performance captures all of that complexity. Their voices blend well together as they duet and their decluttering sequence is one of the lighter moments of the show, which is played lightly and deftly.

Kirsty Findlay plays Cait, the 17th century Scottish ancestor, who is the wife of enthusiastic minister Jamie (played by Ally Kennard). Cait is another complex character, who loves Jamie but doesn’t want his baby. In fact, she sings a song about a baby being an unwelcome visitor. I’ll try to remember it for next time the kids are annoying me. The theme of motherhood being a burden is woven throughout, as the plight of women in history is contrasted with the choice we have today. It’s not that the show condemns motherhood entirely, but it certainly highlights the privilege of being able to marry who we like, or not marry at all and to have children when and how we want to….or not at all.

As I said at the beginning, possibly not one to go to for Mother’s Day. Although I was there with my own kids and they didn’t take offence at it. In fact, after hearing Alix’s rant about bringing kids into such a messed-up world, I felt the need to apologise to them. Listen, it was a different time in 2008 when we decided to have children. It was a touch less…..fascisty.

So Cait’s story is challenging but still relevant for today. She’s played as initially feisty but eventually defeated, after a struggle to assert her autonomy. Kirsty Findlay has a lovely voice and you can well believe that she is channelling the spirit of a 17th century woman. Gracie Lai plays the other woman from this era – Morna – and while it’s a smaller part, she imbues it with all the drama that the scene requires (again, with the lack of spoilers). Gracie Lai is also a vital supporting player as one of the ensemble voices along with the other main characters.

I mentioned Ally Kennard earlier as Jamie but, as the sole male actor, he is the only one to appear across all three eras. He plays Sarah’s brother Ronan and an Irish doctor as well as Jamie. All three characters have a similar feel – put-upon and accepting of the story moving around them – but they are all played very sympathetically for the most part. Jamie has some moments that are less than ideal but make sense in the context and you can see the passion that’s put behind the delivery of those lines. There was also one moment where he starts singing offstage and VK and I both thought it was Reuben suddenly piping up from the row behind. I don’t know what made us both think that but it must have been a similar baritone quality to the one we hear so often singing Les Mis when he’s meant to be revising. Anyway, it was not Reuben singing, thankfully, but it’s strange that we both had the same thought.

The main Irish characters were played by Yna Tresvalles as pregnant teenager Jean and Siân Louise Dowdalls as her sister Shona. They have a great sisterly energy, teasing each other at first but then clinging together as the situation turns more grave. They sing beautifully together and the affection between them is evident. They are also responsible for one of the most heartbreaking scenes, which was responsible for a general shuffling sound around the room as multiple audience members fished around their bags for tissues.

This happened again during the ending, with an excerpt from the final tape. Rebecca Trehearn as Betty acts as a narrator for the most part but the ending reveals a deeper emotional level to her and we all joined Sarah in weeping as she explained why she behaved as she did. It’s a credit to the writers – Finn Anderson and Tania Azevedo – that all these characters have such depth to them and they are well cast. Rebecca Trehearn is convincingly maternal as Betty but with a hard edge to her and, as you might have guessed by now, she is also a wonderful singer.

I think all four of us enjoyed it, even with the implication that marriage and children ruined your life. The songs were catchy and the music was heavenly. Although some of the plot was harrowing, it was still ultimately a positive story about connecting to your past and going on a journey of self-discovery. Considering I knew nothing about the plot before we saw it, it was a very easy show to get immersed into and to still be thinking about long after we left. Not that we had much time to think before we went to the next show but still, that’s another post….

“Ballad Lines” is on at Southwark Playhouse until 21st March. For tickets and more information click here

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“The Producers” at Garrick Theatre – 10/01/26

Posted on January 11, 2026 by katese11

Now, I think I mentioned before that I was worried about how “The Producers” would go down with a woke, GenZ audience. The awkward silence at Musical Con only confirmed my theory that the show might just be a tad too politically incorrect for London in the 2020s. So was it? Well, we’ll get on to that.

Cause it turned out I had bigger things to worry about with this trip. Is this a crutch I see before me?

Why yes, it is and it belongs to VK. Not because she’s cosplaying Tiny Tim, although that is plausible, but because she took a tumble on New Year’s Eve and fractured her ankle. As I was quick to point out to anyone who would listen, no drink had been taken. Just a typical hypermobile dyspraxident gone bad.

So how to get a child to the West End on crutches? And how to get them up 88 stairs to a Grand Circle? Well, that was the question for last week, when we had tickets to “Christmas Carol Goes Wrong” at the Apollo Theatre. I emailed the accessibility team at Nimax Theatres as soon as we had confirmation from A&E that it was broken and their response was….nothing. I heard nothing. So Nathan and Reuben went without it and took some friends from church to use the extra tickets. And I promised VK I would work out a solution for the next booked show, which was “The Producers” at the Garrick Theatre, another Nimax venue.

I got back on the horse and emailed the accessibility team again. If dealing with schools and local authorities has taught me nothing else, it’s persistence. This time I got a response – they had seats free in the Dress Circle, which was on street level. All I had to do was pay £50 per person to upgrade.

Essentially, that reply was “you really should have bought better seats to start with, you tight wad”. 

Now, don’t get me wrong. I never expect freebies. I’ve seen a number of shows on press tickets and I am always grateful every time I’m given one. The majority of West End shows we’ve seen have been ones we’ve paid for. So I’m not a grabby person. At the same time though, this was a genuine accessibility problem and when I looked back, I realised we had visited Nimax theatres six times over the last year (it helps that they have the Lyric, where “Hadestown” is). If I was a customer service rep, looking at my order history and situation, I might have  been tempted to at least discount those seats a tad rather than use a child’s ankle breakage as an upselling opportunity.

Anyway, I thought on it a little. Our seats were in the Grand Circle, which was only 33 steps up…so a lot easier than the 88 at the Apollo. But she’s only just mastering the steps in our own house and that’s without crowds of people tutting behind her. So I paid £100 to upgrade my seat and VK’s, let Nathan and Roo sit in the original Gods seats and mentally offset the cost by eating at home first instead of grabbing a Five Guys before the show.

Still, it didn’t sit well.

I will get on to talking about the actual show, I promise. But first the next challenge – getting there. And before I launch into my complicated plans, I want to acknowledge that this is only temporary and that many people have to navigate this world with a disability every day. I know theatres have restrictions on changing their buildings so I don’t think there’s an easy solution but it is sad that so much of the West End is inaccessible. 

As is the tube! So our usual route of Weaver-Vic-Pic was not going to work. Instead, we drove to Essex Road where we parked up and got the 38 as far as Cambridge Circus. Then we hopped (quite literally in VK’s case) a 29 to right outside the theatre. It wasn’t the fastest way to get into town and the drive both ways was a little stressful, with Saturday night traffic and eventual fog, but it worked. The other option I was considering involved the Mildmay Line from Hackney Central to Camden Road and then the 29 but that would depend on coming in on Platform 1 at Hackney Downs, which isn’t guaranteed. So a bit of driving and a bit of public transport seemed like the way to go. It took about one hour 20 each way, which is about twice as long as usual and there was a woman on the 38 who looked like she might stab us at one point.

She didn’t. It’s all fine. Still, I was relieved to be in our expensive seats:

Finally, onto the show! I love “The Producers” and the film soundtrack is on constant rotation in the car, which means that the kids and I did know some of the jokes before they happened. I don’t think that matters though, and there were some sight gags that were unexpected, along with a couple of songs that aren’t in the 2005 film. I have seen the live show before but that was also in 2005ish so there were definitely bits I’d forgotten.

I mentioned earlier that this show might not be GenZ-friendly and I stand by that, even though my own GenZ and Gen Alpha both enjoyed it. It makes fun of gay people, old people, Swedish people, German people, accountants, theatre people, Jewish people, Irish people and well, most people really. The female characters are objectified and there is a lot of innuendo. You might wonder why I, as a lefty liberal feminist Jewish Millennial, am not offended by any of this and the answer is in that list really – if everyone comes in for a swipe, then it’s not especially offensive to anyone. It’s dialogue that originates from the 60s and is set in (I think) the 50s so the humour is a reflection of that time. Also, it’s a very affectionate swipe on the most part. You can choose to be offended by “Keep it Gay” but it’s a celebration of the contribution that the gay community have made to theatre. Even if they don’t actually all live in the same house and go to fabulous fancy dress balls every night. Similarly, the song “King of Broadway”, which wasn’t in the film, gets into some very caricatured Jewishness at one point, including a routine that I think is a nod to “Fiddler on the Roof”. But again, it’s not a harmful stereotype when the writer of the original film was Jewish, the stars of the film were Jewish and the characters are Jewish. Jews have always been good at self-depreciating humour and even in these most challenging times, we still reserve to laugh at ourselves. If “Springtime for Hitler” had come from a pen that wasn’t Jewish, it would be problematic but as it is, it’s just satire.

On that note, I’m going to go off on another brief tangent before refocusing. Just this week, Walthamstow was in the news after refusing to let the Town Hall be decked in swastikas for a WWII era film. Instinctively, I think LBWF made the right decision on this one, as there are so many real-life neo-Nazis around at the moment and it would be a bad look for the Town Hall to display flags which might be seen as sympathising. However, we must be able to separate art from reality and we have seen several musicals lately which use swastikas as part of the narrative (“Cabaret”, “The Book Thief” and “Operation Mincemeat”). In some cases, they are used to shocking dramatic effect and in others they are used to mock the Nazis. The latter is definitely true here and honestly, I have no problem with either use, which is just as well when the swastika is picked out in giant flowers at the back of the stage. It’s the appearance of them scratched into school furniture or on stickers on lamposts that perturbs me. But that’s a whole other post.

While I’m on the subject of the set though, I did worry that this was going to be a “bare bones” kinda production and I didn’t know how that would work. Something the cast said at Musical Con about how their set was more basic than the previous production made me think it would be Edinburgh-fringe-style one chair and a brick wall. It wasn’t. While I see what they meant about the smaller scale of the set, there was still everything that was needed to set the scene, including the iconic office door, the “Opening Night” revolving sign and the aforementioned giant flowery swastikas.

Also, the costumes were more than elaborate enough to offset any lack of detail elsewhere. Roger deBris did indeed resemble the Grand Duchess Anastasia and the show outfits in Act 2 were almost blinding in their sparkliness. And I don’t want to give any spoilers but there’s a very special outfit that appears in the Franz Liebkind rooftop sequence. It’s all very over-the-top and gloriously indulgent, so my concerns about it being too basic were entirely unfounded. The performances are over the top, with some great physical comedy between Bialystock (Andy Nyman) and Bloom (Marc Antolin). They never try to exactly replicate the performances that have gone before but they have exactly the right kind of threadbare charisma (Bialystock) and nervous energy (Bloom) that the characters demand.

The supporting cast are also great. Trevor Ashley seems to be thoroughly enjoying himself as Roger, with many winks to the audience and Kate Parr nails both the look and the belt of Ulla. And that’s a theatrical belt, not a cardboard one like Max wears. She even manages to sing while hanging upside down at one point, which is quite the achievement. Raj Ghatak is deliciously bitchy as Carmen while Michael Franks is perfectly unhinged as Liebkind. I’ve taken the casting from the screen in the foyer, by the way, as we I think we had a couple of understudies on….but I apologise if I’ve got anyone’s name wrong.

The ensemble rapidly change characters, from Max’s gang of old ladies to Irish coppers via the De Bris household. I enjoyed the tap dancing usherettes and the zimmer-frame routine, both of which have great vocals to match. Which leads me to one slight nitpick – during “That Face”, Ulla and Leo dance on a plinth towards the back of the stage but it’s covered in a kind of plastic sheeting so makes a weird muffled sound. I’m not sure whether that’s an intentional creative choice but it jarred in a routine where everything else seemed to be very precisely choreographed.

That’s just a tiny nitpick though. There is much to love about this production – the meta jokes work so much better on the stage than they did on the screen and VK howled during one particular moment in “Betrayed”. There’s a brief reference to “Chicago” which she also very much enjoyed. The chemistry between Bialystock and Bloom is both affectionate and tense and the whole cast seem to be having a great time. Their enthusiasm is truly catching.

The theatre itself feels like the perfect place to stage this – the heavy red velvet feels very trad-Broadway and immerses you straight away into Bialystock’s world. In case you’re keeping tabs, I went for Jude’s Vegan Vanilla interval ice cream and VK had Haagen Dazs because they had something other than Jude’s for once. She also scammed me for popcorn, raspberry lemonade, a pigeon-duck and this very sparkly bottle of water. I’m not sure I made that £100 back really.

In conclusion, this is not the most PC show but it’s thoroughly enjoyable and will raise your spirits even on a foggy, gloomy January night. We may take a break from theatre trips for a while until VK’s ankle is healed up but I’m glad we made this work.

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“Dracapella” at Park Theatre – 03/01/26

Posted on January 9, 2026 by katese11

Shortly before Christmas, Nathan and I were meeting up with old friends in Kennington. We passed the White Bear theatre pub and Nathan mentioned the time we saw a musical version of “Dracula” there. I blithely said that it had been too long since we last saw an acapella vampire production, knowing full well that tickets to “Dracapella” were waiting for him inside a Christmas present card. Luckily he likes that kind of thing. He even dressed for the occasion:


We’d never been to Park Theatre before, although I kept meaning to book tickets for the whodunnits. It’s super handy for us as it’s a quick pop down the the Vic line and then two minutes’ walk from the station. It’s a new-ish build, so has plenty of toilets and is DDA-compliant, which a lot of the older theatres are not. More on that at a later point.

I booked this show on a bit of a whim, not realising that the phenomenal Keala Settle was in it. To be honest, the name that sold it for me was Dan Patterson as I am a kid of the 90s and remember that name being said every week on “Whose Line is It Anyway?” by whichever comedian had won the show. So I thought it would be fast-paced, silly humour and I was right. This show had one-liners, bad puns and pop culture references in abundance.

What it didn’t have, on the night that we were there, was Keala Settle. She’d been taken ill and her character (Lucy) was being played by the musical co-ordinator Awsa Bergstrøm with the script in front of her. I was a bit disappointed to not see Keala, especially as we’d been watching her turn in “Wicked” earlier that day, but we seem to have a bit of bad luck with listed cast members at the moment. I should say though that Awsa Bergstrøm did an incredible job and her vocals blended perfectly with the rest of the cast, despite the lack of rehearsal time.

What to expect of an acapella version of Dracula? Well, it starts out as a fairly faithful adaptation of the book, 80s pop hits and other anachronisms aside. The mysterious Count (Ako Mitchell) lives in his castle in Transylvania and is visited by trainee solicitor Jonathan Harker (Stephen Ashfield), who soon begins to suspect this isn’t a normal property transaction. Yes, he might have taken the rail replacement bus to Dover but, other than that, the plot is the one you already know. The ending is where it all deviates a bit and it’s a lot happier than you might imagine, but isn’t that just the magic of theatre?

Every sound in the show is made through the voice alone (aided by microphones) so ABH Beatbox is on hand to provide sound effects and backing tracks. It’s impressive because some of those 80s songs are quite musically complex and the ensemble is only eight people in total. There’s Lorna Want as Mina Harker, Monique Ashe-Palmer as Dracula’s servant Pustula, Ciarán Dowd as her husband Sinister and Philip Pope as….just about everyone else. There’s a lot of changing hats, Mincemeat style, as characters duck in and out of the story. The turnaround near the end between Sinister and Van Helsing is, if not slick, still remarkable.

The two leads are both strong – Ako Mitchell is suitably dramatic as Dracula and Stephen Ashfield plays it very straight as Harker, despite all the madness going on around him. If anything, Dracula himself is slightly underused but I guess that’s the nature of the book, as it’s from Harker’s perspective. It’s the other actors who really have fun with the show, I think – from Ciarán Dowd’s bantering with the audience to Lorna Want donning a mullet wig and bouncing around on a spacehopper. I did mention the anachronisms a few times already, right? The puns range from the “cracker-standard” to the cracking (“I just can’t see myself living somewhere with no mirrors”.) It feels like Tim Vine was involved in the script writing and I’ll let you decide whether that’s a compliment or not.

So, the songs are well-crafted, the jokes hit and the dramatic stakes couldn’t be higher, even if Van Helsing himself was wielding them. What’s not to love? The set and costumes are fairly basic but that works well with the frenetic nature of the piece. Some reviews commented that the songs seemed shoehorned in and I can’t argue with that but neither do I see it as a problem. You know right from the start that this is going to be an unorthodox version of the story – it’s Dracula scrolling through Tinder that gives it away. From there it’s just a hop, skip and bite to superman-infused Bonnie Tyler cover versions. If this doesn’t sound like your thing, then you probably won’t enjoy it. But if you like something a little bit unhinged, then lean right into it.

Incidentally, Jeremy Corbyn was there. I’m not sure what he made of it as I couldn’t make out his face once the lights went down. It’s a pity cause I’m sure some of the jokes about the current government might have made him smirk. But it was a nicely surreal touch to an already surreal evening. It would have been marvellous to hear the power of Keala Settle in a small venue but we still left the place grinning stupidly. And that’s what you want from an acapella vampire show, isn’t it?

“Dracapella” runs until 17th Jan – click here for tickets and more info.

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