835 stories by "Paul Vale"
Connaught, Worthing: There are quite a few nice touches to Paul Holman Associates' script for Aladdin, but not enough to lift this production above the ordinary. The sets too, designed …
Shaw, London: There are few major pantomimes so central to London as this Aladdin and yet Plummer Wood Productions' has an agreeable, parochial feel to it. The classic Arabian Nights ta…
New Victoria, Woking: Aladdin is usually the most opulent pantomime in terms of costume and set, and First Family Entertainment rallies to the call with this sumptuous production, bursting w…
Hawth, Crawley: The year in which Disney managed to convolute the story of Sleeping Beauty with Maleficent, it's good to see that the original fairy tale - performed live - still manage…
Leicester Square Theatre, London: Following on from the seasonal successes of circus/cabaret fusions such as La Clique and La Soiree, producer Mike Perrin, in collaboration with award winnin…
Harlequin, Redhill: The fusing together of Beauty and the Beast and a traditional pantomime format is not always successful. There is no obvious dame or comedian featured in the story, altho…
Orchard, Dartford: There is plenty of magic in the original Peter Pan although this adaptation from pantomime giant Qdos Entertainment tends to cherry-pick the highlights. There is, however,…
Towngate, Basildon: This production marks Simon Fielding's eighth pantomime at the Towngate as director, choreographer and co-producer. With the additional credit of performer - he also…
Theatre Royal, Windsor: Written by Steven Blakeley, this adaptation of the much-loved tale mixes all the usual comedy ingredients with a rather eloquent core central story. The production ma…
Theatre Royal Stratford East, London: You can always rely on the Stratford team to deliver a strong contemporary adaptation of a classic children's story, and this year is no exception.…
Ashcroft Theatre, Fairfield Halls, Croydon: For its fourth year at the Ashcroft, Evolution Pantomimes tackles the dark tale of Snow White, diluting the more frightening elements of the story…
London Theatre Workshop, London: This new musical written by Ray Rackham and Tom Lees is the first tangible product to emanate from the newly-opened London Theatre Workshop in west London. O…
Broadway, Barking: There have been many versions of Peter Pan on stage and screen and this account attempts to fuse the classic story with typical pantomime hijinks. To an extent it works we…
Thameside, Grays: Although not one of the traditional pantomimes, Snow White has become a regular and much-loved addition to the canon in recent years. Polka Dot Pantomimes brings the story …
Wilton's Music Hall, London: For its first specially commissioned Christmas show, Wilton's has scored a palpable hit by collaborating with internationally acclaimed comedy troupe Spymon…
Above the Stag, London: To celebrate its first year under the arches in Vauxhall, the team at Above the Stag takes to the high seas for a tale of piracy and perversion. Forget any trace of t…
Park, London: After a selection of traditional Christmas songs in the house music, the lights dim and the audience members witness an opening scene from Hamlet. It is, of course, all a big m…
Charing Cross Theatre, London: On paper, The Mikado is an excellent choice for the Charing Cross at Christmas and Thom Southerland, fresh from a slew of fringe theatre musical triumphs is an…
Rosemary Branch Theatre, London: The Charles Court Opera may have developed a loyal following for its staging of comic opera on a small scale but Billy the Kid marks the company's eight…
White Bear, London: Simon Stephens' play originally opened at the Bush in 2004 and brings a characteristically dark timbre to the festive season. The Punk Rock and Curious Incident of t…
Jermyn Street Theatre, London: Written between the wars, this intriguing play was considered hugely controversial when it was produced in 1933. Today, while many of the references may seem a…
Leicester Square, London: Now in its third year, the Leicester Square adult pantomime has become something of an institution and to mark this evolution, producers Martin Witts and Lesley Ack…
Arcola, London: One of Samuel Beckett's earlier novellas, First Love was originally written in 1946 but remained unpublished until 1973. A distinctive example of the author's black…
Cockpit Theatre, London: To coincide with the 25th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin wall, the North Carolina-based theatre company Burning Coal undertake the mammoth task of mounting Da…
Palladium, London: If you are playing by numbers then this is the 86th Royal Variety Performance, the 39th time at the London Palladium and the second time hosting for Michael McIntyre. The …
