Richard Maguire

“All the Catarinas are fully-formed characters, with João Vicente’s nascent capitalist Catarina a particular delight.”

“So, it’s good family fun, but the team should be aware that not every adult in the show is heterosexual.”

“When the spell is broken, we emerge refreshed and hopeful while a tug of the inevitable whispers in the undertow of sound waves.”

“Coming to London when many Reform councils across England have banned Pride celebrations, and with trans rights in danger under the current Labour Government, this musical is vital.”

“For all its daring, Are You Watching? lacks anger as each vicious scene impassively follows the other.”

“Radebe and Cardle knock this Kinky Boots out of the park.”

“His wish has come true in dazzling fashion.”

“Outrageous and iconoclastic, Oh Mary! is queer, delicious fun.”

“Owen and Reeves, at the top of their game, make the battle for a good death heartbreakingly poignant and fragile.”

“Mitchell has always pushed the boundaries of what theatre can be since The Waves in 2006, but Cow |Deer sees her chewing the cud with limited results.”

“And for those of us who declare that Marlowe was the better poet of the two men, Born With Teeth is very satisfying.”

“Under Justin Martin’s stellar direction, Inter Alia is a play for our time, with no easy answers.”

“If this production were too polished or too glitzy, it would somehow work against its representation of a grassroots movement.”

“It may not be the swan song we wanted, but it’s the end of an era for sure.”

“While definitely not a hagiography, Manhunt still suffers from a lack of nuance, but Edward- Cook’s towering, chilling performance makes up for some of the flaws.”

“Fortunately, everyone’s acting, especially that of Kene, fills the space with laughs, hopes and disappointments that aren’t too distant from our own age.”

“For the most part, Unicorn is lightweight froth but as jealousies and cancer scares emerge, Bartlett firmly places his story in the here-and-now to make a scathing attack on the recent Tory Government.”

“And despite this production’s flaws, the audience reacts kindly to Prospero’s adieu.”

“Despite the faithful attention to O’Casey’s lines, this version of Juno and the Paycock is more a vehicle for the comedy talents of Rylance, and it’s sure to please the legions of his fans.”

“The story enfolds incredibly before our eyes, the urban scenes the perfect environment for such loneliness.”

“Each scene is entertaining, but there is no overarching style to give the show a solid and coherent identity.”

“Just For One Day is a little too self-congratulatory. But the musical is also an electric beacon of hope that reverberates long into the night.”

“However, not all audiences will appreciate this hand on the back of their necks.”

“Powerful and brave, Vanya is a meditation on existence itself.”

“Moulin Rouge won’t change the world, but it’s diverting enough.”

“His performance is so spectacular, that next year’s Olivier award must be his.”