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Jaja's African Hair Braiding Review: a warm and quietly powerful salon comedy
Zainab Jah and the cast of Jaja's African Hair Braiding (Manuel Harlan) 27 March 2026 I 19:00 I Lyric Hammersmith, London ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite Set within a bustling Harlem hair salon, Jaja's African Hair Braiding arrives at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre for its UK premiere, following a hugely successful, Tony Award-winning Broadway run. Written by Jocelyn Bioh and directed by Monique Touko, the play immerses audiences into a vibrant community of West African immigrant

Emma Knott
1 day ago3 min read


The Secret Garden Review: rare revival blossoms in one-act wonder
Estella Evans and the cast of The Secret Garden (Marc Brenner) 19 March 2026 I 19:00 I York Theatre Royal ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite Many of us will recognise The Secret Garden as a novel, originally written by Frances Hodgson Burnett, which we may have grown up with or studied through school. Although the musical, written by Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman, tends to get lost in British theatre history. After his position as York Theatre Royal's artistic director from 1993-1997,

Jack Davey
Mar 203 min read


Punch Review: flashes of brilliance, though far from a knockout
Jack James Ryan and the cast of Punch (Pamela Raith) 18 March 2026 I 19:00 I Nottingham Playhouse (UK Tour) ⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite In 2011, Nottingham-born Jacob Dunne was sentenced to a young offenders institution for manslaughter, after delivering a fatal one-punch blow to paramedic James Hodgkinson. Debuting at Nottingham Playhouse two years prior, and subsequently transferring to the West End and Broadway, playwright James Graham frames Punch around Dunne's memoir Right

Jack Davey
Mar 193 min read


Yentl Review: gender fluidity and societal expectation transcend history
Amy Hack as Yentl (Manuel Harlan) 11 March 2026 I 19:00 I Marylebone Theatre, London ⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite Based on the original short story by Isaac Bashevis Singer, and made famous across the world by the musical film starring Barbra Streisand, Yentl transfers to London's Marylebone Theatre until 21st April. This marks the first significant production since the '83 film, following acclaimed seasons in Melbourne and Sydney. Kadimah Yiddish Theatre' production arrives at a

Emma Knott
Mar 123 min read


Noughts & Crosses Review: fashionable theatrics confront racial injustice
Lewis Tidy and Brianna Douglas (Von Fox Productions) 10 March 2026 I 19:00 I Derby Theatre ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite While preparing for my Drama GCSE in 2019, I visited Derby Theatre on a very special school trip to see Pilot Theatre's Noughts & Crosses, one of the first shows I'd ever seen. I often accredit this production with igniting my initial love for theatre! Returning with a UK Tour seven years later, Malorie Blackman's dystopian tale of racial segregation remains for

Jack Davey
Mar 113 min read


The Ladies Football Club Review: an empowering debut scores big in Sheffield
Chanel Waddock (Penelope) & members of the company (Johan Persson) 05 March 2026 I 19:00 I Crucible Theatre, Sheffield ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite The beautiful game has been well-acquainted with the stage in recent years, including James Graham's Dear England and Tyrell Williams' Red Pitch . But rarely do we see these stories told through an all-female cast. Elizabeth Newman (asst. Flo Gill) directs a stylish debut at the Crucible Theatre, grounding the importance of ensemble

Jack Davey
Mar 63 min read


Inside American Pie Review: musical docu-concert is too formulaic to engage
Mike Ross in Inside American Pie (Manuel Harlan) 03 March 2026 I 19:45 I Curve Theatre (Studio), Leicester ⭐⭐ I PR - Invite Probing the mysteries and intentions behind Don McLean's celebrated song, Inside American Pie transfers from Prince Edward Island to Leicester's Curve Theatre in this acclaimed production. Five live musicians honour 'the day that music died' through American Pie's lyrical mourning of those lost in the 1959 plane crash, including Buddy Holly, Ritchi

Jack Davey
Mar 43 min read


A Little Night Music Review: Sondheim's romantic frolics astound in studio theatre
Alexandra Mather as Anne & Jason Weightman as Fredrik (Dan Crawfurd-Porter) 24 February 2026 I 19:30 I Theatre@41 Monkgate, York ⭐⭐⭐⭐ I PR - Invite I fondly remember my first experience of Sondheim with the Menier Chocolate Factory's staging of Pacific Overtures , the venue's c.180 seating capacity befitting the intricate nature of his work. Tonight's A Little Night Music, presented by Wharfemede Productions, benefits from the same modesty performed in Theatre@41's Stud

Jack Davey
Feb 253 min read
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