Milk and Gall, Theatre 503 review - motherhood in the age of Trump by Gary Naylor

★★★★ MILK AND GALL, Baby turns New Yorkers' lives upside down, while Trump has a tantrum or two  No holds barred comedy lays bare the unsentimental side of pare…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 10:32pm on November 10, 2021☆⚑

The Choir Of Man, Arts Theatre review - old school hits in an old school pub by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE CHOIR OF MAN, Decent blokes sing old school hits in an old school pub Lots of songs and lots of sugary sentimentality Like a previous occupant of this venue, Six…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:12pm on November 9, 2021☆⚑

The Magician's Elephant, Royal Shakespeare Theatre review - family musical doesn't fully deliver by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE MAGICIAN'S ELEPHANT, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE THEATRE A musical about trust and hope, and an unexpected elephant An elephant awakens an emotionally shattered town Trig…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:42pm on October 29, 2021☆⚑

Vanara, Hackney Empire review - fine singing, but a plodding book and one-pitch score in this new musical by Gary Naylor

★★ VANARA, HACKNEY EMPIRE Falls well short of its West Side Story inspired ambition Two tribes feud over fire in a post-apocalyptic world's last surviving forest Two tribes, …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 11:32am on October 26, 2021☆⚑

What If If Only, Royal Court review - short if not sweet by Gary Naylor

★★★★ WHAT IF IF ONLY Caryl Churchill's short play considers the despair of grief and the optimism of hope A beautifully staged reflection on the pain of confronting l…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:42am on October 5, 2021☆⚑

Back to the Future: The Musical, Adelphi Theatre review - a spectacular West End show to delight fans old and new by Gary Naylor

★★★★ BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL, ADELPHI THEATRE A spectacular West End show to delight fans old and new Whether you've seen the movie ten times or never, thi…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:48am on September 28, 2021☆⚑

The Last Five Years, Garrick Theatre review - bittersweet musical treat gets West End upgrade by Gary Naylor

★★★★ THE LAST FIVE YEARS, GARRICK THEATRE Jason Robert Brown's semi-autobiographical show gets a West End upgrade  Flaws remain, but audiences will lap up the g…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 7:06am on September 25, 2021☆⚑

Blithe Spirit, Harold Pinter Theatre review - an amusing, if dated, revival of the Coward classic by Gary Naylor

★★★ BLITHE SPIRIT, HAROLD PINTER THEATRE Jennifer Saunders delights her fans in classic comedy Jennifer Saunders delivers a fine turn as the celebrated Madame Arcati in …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:03am on September 22, 2021☆⚑

Statements After an Arrest Under the Immorality Act, Orange Tree Theatre review - a blast from the past with lessons for today by Gary Naylor

★★★ STATEMENTS AFTER AN ARREST UNDER THE IMMORALITY ACT, ORANGE TREE THEATRE Timely revival of Athol Fugard's searing indictment of Apartheid Forty-nine years on, Fugard…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:54am on September 7, 2021☆⚑

Bedknobs and Broomsticks, Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury review - dazzling Disney rewrite by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ BEDKNOBS AND BROOMSTICKS, MARLOWE THEATRE, CANTERBURY Dazzling Disney rewrite Beloved Angela Lansbury film is in sure, safe theatrical hands Bedknobs …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 3:54am on August 30, 2021☆⚑

Cinderella, Gillian Lynne Theatre review - a spectacular show that hits and misses by Gary Naylor

★★★ CINDERELLA, GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE A spectacular show that hits and misses A good night out, but with unrealised ambition to be rather more than that Belleville has l…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:36am on August 19, 2021☆⚑

2:22 A Ghost Story, Noël Coward Theatre review - unconvincing, sporadically amusing, genre play by Gary Naylor

★★ 2:22 A GHOST STORY, NOËL COWARD THEATRE A big name cast wring all they can from a flawed script A few shocks and laughs but lacking in character-led credibility Danny Rob…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:06am on August 14, 2021☆⚑

Big Big Sky, Hampstead Downstairs review - a perfectly realised character study by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ BIG BIG SKY, HAMPSTEAD DOWNSTAIRS A wonderful play about decent people This poignant, uplifting play is just what we need right now Get to Swiss Cott…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:06pm on August 6, 2021☆⚑

South Pacific, Chichester Festival Theatre review - gloriously revived and also refreshed by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ SOUTH PACIFIC, CHICHESTER FESTIVAL THEATRE Rodgers and Hammerstein classic given renewed relevance  Rodgers and Hammerstein classic is given renewed…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 2:54am on July 17, 2021☆⚑

Pippin, Charing Cross Theatre review - happy-clappy vibe by Gary Naylor

Light up a joss stick for this pared-back version of Stephen Schwartz 's 1972 musical If Time Magazine's Man of the Year in 1966 was anyone under the age of 25, why couldn't a teenage s…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:48pm on July 6, 2021☆⚑

Raya, Hampstead Downstairs review - a richly fraught reunion by Gary Naylor

Deborah Bruce's play puts multiple topics on the table Thirty years on, Alex and Jason meet at a university reunion and cab it back to Jason's old student house where Alex is thinking "prob…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 11:03am on June 23, 2021☆⚑

BWW Review: VENICE PRESERVED, Swan Theatre, Stratford Upon Avon by Gary Naylor

Prasanna Puwanarajah's revival of Venice Preserved brings the look of the show right up to date - its narrative is very 21st century, so needed nothing.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 5:06am on May 31, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: TOSCA, Royal Opera House by Gary Naylor

Gorgeous and gruesome, this revival of Jonathan Kent's production fills the Royal Opera House with emotion and passion - and a warning of what chaos can ensue in a failing state.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 5:50am on May 28, 2019☆⚑

BWW Interview: Tom Brennan Talks EDUCATION, EDUCATION, EDUCATION at Trafalgar Studios by Gary Naylor

Tom Brennan explains that what you want, what you really, really want, is a comedy set in a school in May 1997.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 6:15am on May 24, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: USER NOT FOUND, The CoffeeWorks Project, Battersea Power Station by Gary Naylor

USER NOT FOUND plunges us into the very contemporary and very real issues concerning one's digital legacy. Do you hit the big red button and kill that person again Or do you let them live on…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 5:06am on May 23, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: VINCENT RIVER, Trafalgar Studios by Gary Naylor

When Davey musters the courage to go speak to Anita instead of merely stalking her, both have to confront psychological trauma that can no longer be denied.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 6:06pm on May 21, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: ANDREA CHENIER, Royal Opera House by Gary Naylor

Andrea Chenier is a feast for eyes and ears with Roberto Alagna, Sondra Radvanovsky and Dimitri Platanias magnificent in the tale of the poet who stays true to love as the world descends int…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 6:44am on May 21, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: HAPPY JACK, Jack Studio Theatre by Gary Naylor

Happy Jack is an early play by John Godber full of working class warmth tempered with a hard edge of social criticism.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 5:32am on May 17, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: UTE LEMPER: RENDEZVOUS WITH MARLENE, Arcola Theatre by Gary Naylor

Ute Lemper Rendezvous with Marlene sees a living legend portraying a now lost legend - up close and personal and a privilege to see.

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 7:16am on May 16, 2019☆⚑

BWW Review: THE LAST TEMPTATION OF BORIS JOHNSON, Park Theatre by Gary Naylor

Jonathan Maitland delivers a satirical take on Brexit in general and Boris Johnson in particular, that lacks the insight and the jokes required to do justice to its source material's rich po…

SOURCE: BroadwayWorld at 7:24pm on May 13, 2019☆⚑