At Home He Feels Like A Tourist

  • St George and the Dragon at the National Theatre review ***

    Saint George and the Dragon National Theatre, 31st October 2017 This must have looked a great idea on paper. A state of the nation play, with much to say about ill at ease contemporary Britain, told as allegory, in a format and staging that nods to a fairy tale. Writer…

  • Mother Courage and Her Children at the Southwark Playhouse review ***

    Mother Courage and Her Children Southwark Playhouse, 7th November 2017 Hmmm. I am torn. This was a mixed bag and no mistake. The good stuff first. Well it is Brecht so there will always be big issues to chew on, although here the anti-war appeal that lies at the heart…

  • Suzy Storck at the Gate Theatre review ****

    Suzy Storck Gate Theatre, 4th November 2017 The Gate under Ellen McDougall has found another blinding play, this time courtesy of French writer Magali Mougel (translated by Chris Campbell). Visceral only begins to describe it. Ms Mougel has created a modern-day Medea and invested it with an arresting, and bleak,…

  • Minefield at the Royal Court Theatre *****

    Minefield The Royal Court Theatre, 7th November 2017 Argentinian writer, Lola Arias, in her own words, explores the “overlap zones between reality and fiction”. Minefield though is all reality, in the rawest, most uncomfortable and, ultimately, moving way imaginable. She has devised a powerful piece of theatre, documenting the tragedy…

  • Heather at the Bush Theatre review *****

    Heather Bush Theatre, 8th November 2017 For me the best plays take a very few ideas, or even better one idea, and then explore those ideas from multiple perspectives. If the writer loads up the text with too many ideas and messages, usually because he/she can and “it would be…

  • My pick of London theatre – on now and booking ahead

    Right let me cut to the chase. Here is my latest attempt to distil the best of what is on now and what is coming up in the world of London theatre. There is a bunch of new stuff notably at the National Theatre, the Barbican, the Donmar Warehouse, the…

  • Beethoven and Shostakovich: LPO at the Royal Festival Hall review ***

    London Philharmonic Orchestra, Andres Orozco-Estrada, Inon Barnatan Royal Festival Hall, 27th October 2017 Beethoven – Piano Concerto No 5 “Emperor” Shostakovich – Symphony No 7 “Leningrad” Off to the Festival Hall for a couple of big beasts of the repertoire (or at least the repertoire I like). Yet I have…

  • Follies at the National Theatre review *****

    Follies National Theatre, 2nd November 2017 I now think I might be mistaken in my general aversion to musical theatre. I think the problem may be that I just haven’t seen enough Sondheim. You can see from all the proper reviews and audience feedback just how well this production has…

  • Young Marx at the Bridge Theatre review ****

    Young Marx Bridge Theatre, 1st November 2017 Let me add to the chorus of theatre lovers telling you how wonderful the new Bridge Theatre is. Cracking location by the river (Thames obvs) with a view of Tower Bridge. Wide open foyer space with a long bar for those who fancy…

  • Beginning at the National Theatre review ****

    Beginning National Theatre, 30th October 2017 No need for some unseemly outpouring of emotional sharing from the Tourist but let’s just say that the very rare occasions when he has been compelled to confess his regard for another human being have been excruciatingly painful. A handshake is unsettling. Hugging and…