House of Ife, Bush Theatre review - an Ethiopian-British family struggle to decide where 'home' is by Helen Hawkins

Playwright Beru Tessema makes a striking stage debut We are in a room in a simply decorated house in northwest London, where an Ethiopian-British family is gathering for a funeral "tea" for…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 4:33am on May 9, 2022[SHARE]

Oklahoma!, Young Vic review - a stunning, stripped-down version of the classic musical by Helen Hawkins

Rodgers and Hammerstein revival goes to the dark heart of the story No surreys, fringes or corny chap-slapping: the Rodgers and Hammerstein revival that has arrived at the Young Vic from New…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 1:18pm on May 7, 2022[SHARE]

Wolf Cub, Hampstead Downstairs review - haunting solo play about the American nightmare by Helen Hawkins

Ché Walker directs his savage play, with a stellar turn from Clare Latham Ché Walker claims he wrote Wolf Cub, now in the Hampstead Downstairs studio space, in a two-day blitz prompted …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:06am on April 14, 2022[SHARE]

Clybourne Park, Park Theatre review - excellent revival of Bruce Norris's award-winner by Helen Hawkins

The 2010 satire about race and the realities of real estate remains blistering Bruce Norris's Clybourne Park arrived at London's Royal Court like a blazing comet in 2010, a bold kind of sati…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:36am on March 26, 2022[SHARE]

Our Generation, National Theatre review - Alecky Blythe captures the world of teenagers today by Helen Hawkins

An epic undertaking about British teenage life, beautifully performed Do you happily binge four hours of mind-candy TV in one sitting? Alecky Blythe's latest verbatim play, Our Generation " …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:33pm on March 11, 2022[SHARE]

Never Not Once, Park Theatre review - disappointing UK debut for a feminist award-winner by Helen Hawkins

Carey Crim's play leaves the issues it raises sadly undramatic Carey Crim's 2017 play arrives from the US at north London's Park Theatre trailing a feminist playwriting award for its dissect…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 5:33am on February 22, 2022[SHARE]

The Forest, Hampstead Theatre review - puzzling world premiere from Florian Zeller by Helen Hawkins

The author of 'The Father' plays unsatisfying games with the audience If Florian Zeller isn't a Wordle fan, I'd be very surprised. As with the hit online game, the French playwright likes t…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 1:18am on February 16, 2022[SHARE]

Folk, Hampstead Downstairs review - thoughtful play about folklorist Cecil Sharp by Helen Hawkins

Nell Leyshon's play-with-music asks questions of a legacy Cecil Sharp, heritage hero or imperialist appropriator? If you attended school in the first half of the 19th century, you would have…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 7:18am on January 6, 2022[SHARE]

Spring Awakening, Almeida Theatre review - must-see revival for Tony-winning musical by Helen Hawkins

A triumphant musical about teenage angst When Berliners sat down to watch Franz Wedekind's debut play Fruhlings Erwachen " Spring Awakening " in 1906, they had little inkling of the kind of…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 1:06pm on December 20, 2021[SHARE]

Habeas Corpus, Menier Chocolate Factory review - grappling with Alan Bennett's anti-farce by Helen Hawkins

Has director Patrick Marber boobed this time? In his 1973 play Habeas Corpus, now revived at the Menier Chocolate Factory under the direction of Patrick Marber, Alan Bennett had his way with…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 5:03am on December 18, 2021[SHARE]

Straight White Men, Southwark Playhouse review - an exciting Korean-American playwright arrives in the UK by Helen Hawkins

Hilarious and probing satire from Young Jean Lee The Korean-American writer Young Jean Lee's Straight White Men, currently enjoying its UK debut at Southwark Playhouse, is presented wi…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:54am on November 18, 2021[SHARE]

little scratch, Hampstead Downstairs review - a maverick director surpasses herself by Helen Hawkins

Katie Mitchell hits a new career high Katie Mitchell's desire to bust the boundaries of theatre has taken a brilliant turn. Over her long and distinguished career as a director she has been…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 1:03pm on November 15, 2021[SHARE]

Brian and Roger: A Highly Offensive Play, Menier Chocolate Factory review - not for the squeamish by Helen Hawkins

The Menier opens its new second stage with this podcast-turned-play What counts as offensive in these days of cancel culture? Ham-fisted pronoun usage? Culturally appropriated hairstyles? To…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 7:24am on November 3, 2021[SHARE]

The Beauty Queen of Leenane, Lyric Hammersmith review - matchless revival of a contemporary classic by Helen Hawkins

Martin McDonagh's breakthrough play dazzles anew "You can't kick a cow in Leenane without some bastard holding a grudge for 20 years," sighs Pato Dooley (Adam Best) prophetically; he has alr…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 3:12am on October 18, 2021[SHARE]

curious, Soho Theatre review - a young playwright puts herself centre-stage by Helen Hawkins

Can a runaway slave help a black actress love the theatre more? Jasmine Lee-Jones has a hard act to follow - namely, herself. Her award-winning 2019 debut play, seven methods of killing kyli…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 11:36pm on October 3, 2021[SHARE]

Lava, Bush Theatre review - poetic writing, mesmerically performed by Helen Hawkins

Debut work from Benedict Lombe is a red-hot poem of protest What's in a name? In Benedict Lombe's incendiary debut play at the Bush Theatre, the answer to this question encompasses a whol…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 6:32am on July 22, 2021[SHARE]

After Life, National Theatre review - thanks for the memories by Helen Hawkins

Intriguing, inventive play from Jack Thorne and Headlong Limbo, in Jack Thorne's latest play, is a room lined ceiling-high with drawers, a sort of morgue rebooted as a vast filing system. It…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 4:24am on June 14, 2021[SHARE]