Stuart King

“Go if you must, but don't say you weren't warned.”

“In all, ALLEGRA proves a pleasant and frequently amusing piece of froth and besides, it’s always a joy to see 80 year old national treasures on stage reminding us how they’ve built their considerable reputations.”

“In all, a terrific effort, albeit once again over amplified.”

“In the age of #BlackLivesMatter TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD still serves as a salutary reminder of the wrongs of the past and how much further things need to improve if the American dream of “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness” is to have meaning for ALL its citizens.”

“I for one, thought it thoroughly inventive and weirdly delightful — largely due to the cast’s insistence on embodying their utterly warped and engaging characters to full effect.”

“Among the other notable turns in an altogether terrific cast is diminutive scene stealer Gwen played by Gillian Elisa who can make answering a telephone funny and Samuel Barnett who manages a fourth wall-breaking, spotlight moment as un-dimmable Jonathan.”

“The team have doubled down on the heartbreak of politesse in the face of a cautiously held but unrequited love, creating perhaps one of the most moving endings to a production of Cyrano ever staged.”

“Watching Mangan attempt to unfrazzle himself, is an absolute joy.”

“Sinatra maintains a lively pace from the outset with Joel Harper-Jackson in the title role onstage virtually throughout.”

“After that promising start, we’re introduced to Alice’s lover, the self-absorbed actor Stefan (Tom Mison) whose former problems with drinking and a professional need to be the centre of attention at all times, make him charmingly unbearable and equally unreliable.”

“In the main however, I found too many jarring incongruities to make it plausible.”

“Instead, the play's content and themes will undoubtedly trigger a multitude of tantalising (and possibly heated) conversations, as patrons make their way home.”

“The show stands as a rip-roaring and astounding achievement in theatre and (bizarrely) looks fresher and more vibrant than it did nearly 20 years ago.”

“The end result, is something between an absolute blast and a non-stop, total riot.”

“David Hare’s musings on actors and acting — and in particular the personal and professional relationship which developed between two of the greatest exponents of stage craft, provides an interesting biographical insight, albeit not the playwright's best work.”

“Is it a rallying call to individuality and the exercising of free will to speak up and challenge those in authority?”

“The answer wasn't altogether clear to me.”

“Princeton (Noah Harrison) arrives at AVENUE Q bemoaning the worthlessness of his English degree and looking for a cheap place to live while searching for his life's purpose.”

“THE AUTHENTICATOR directed by Miranda Cromwell, shines a light on Britain’s colonial, slave-owning past, while also managing to instil a creepy air to proceedings resulting in a gently amusing caper imbued with serious social and historic undertones.”

“She delivers a multi-faceted central performance with vigour and élan which has already won for her the coveted Best Actress gongs.”

“Everyone gives their absolute all to ensure the audience have a jolly good time.”

“It also makes for a fascinating and thoroughly entertaining evening of theatre and I would encourage everyone to try and secure a ticket.”

“Whilst it is widely lauded as a frenetic ensemble piece, there are key characters who will always need to make an impression if the whole is to have been deemed successful.”

“Both actors deliver with light brushstrokes, serving to illuminate their characters' backstories with a playful sensitivity while successfully avoiding any sense of clunking caricature.”

“Unfortunately, the stage production I’M SORRY PRIME MINISTER (penned and directed by Lynn himself) proves something of a flabby, self-flagellating foot-note.”

“Stony-hearted curmudgeons may manage to remain unmoved by an average Joe’s need to do something meaningful in his ordinary and dull life, but the overwhelming majority of audience members will be captivated and enthralled by this show, which has magic at its very core.”

“Rattigan’s MAN AND BOY isn’t considered among his finest plays.”

“There is an unbridled joy in hearing Stoppard’s intelligence and wordcraft delivered by a troupe of universally accomplished players, so it is perhaps surprising that this is the first London revival of ARCADIA since 2009.”

“What a shame then that the idea to have the play deliver its story in real time, falls flat and ultimately proves more mule, than stallion.”

“The most contentious elements in the show are also the ones which cause the greatest surprise and loudest laughs.”

“The creative team have deployed their combined skills and talents to realise some genuinely creepy and unnerving moments which will surprise and please any fans of the horror genre.”

“Paddington the Musical is undoubtedly a very welcome new addition to the London theatre scene.”

“As directed by Patrick Marber, the party scene where our devious pair attempt to cajole a pseud-director Roger Debris (Trevor Ashley) and his largely pointless camp side-kick, is particularly lacking in sophistication and resorts too often to slap-stick and lewd kitsch.”

“It’s an updating which doesn’t always land the right historical tone, (Christian Dior would certainly raise an eyebrow) but as a piece of modern entertainment, it ticks far too many modern boxes to fail.”

“This is sharply structured and finely honed playwriting at its best”

“London’s West End has a new and fripperous, flouncy, fun-fest, just in time for Christmas, and it would take the stoniest of Yuletide curmudgeons not to enjoy an evening in the company of this most colourful of kaleidoscopic concoctions.”

“If you’re looking for a thoughtful meditation on the arts, this may not be the show for you.”

“Ultimately, tonight's effort felt like a scruffy work in progress which hasn't yet decided what it is aiming to be, rather than a hugely successful and much-anticipated Broadway transfer.”

“Beautiful, frivolous and hugely entertaining”

“The issue here is that in adapting it for a stage environment, there is occasionally a tendency to play too heavily on some of the graver elements, particularly in the second half.”

“I'm happy to report that the moment remains as vibrant and intensely thrilling as I remember from all those years ago.”

“If an energised mix of catchy repartee, tight choreography, ballads and pop playfulness wrapped in an untaxing history lesson is your thing, you will have an absolute blast.”

“There is real danger, real excitement and delicious malicious jeopardy in spades.”

“Fortunately, for the most part, it also happens to be bloody marvellous.”

“Each band and crew member contributes to the musical numbers with aplomb, but there is little time to develop their individual personas in the scenes between songs, resulting in mere outlandish and laddish stereotypes and a lack of depth to their characters.”