835 stories by "Paul Vale"
Above The Stag, London: Against a backdrop of Mafia-funded illegal gay bars, homophobic laws and police corruption, the habitue of the Stonewall Inn suddenly refused to accept another police…
Criterion, London: The Glasgow Academy Musical Theatre Arts produces an excellent showcase featuring interesting choices, and strong performances with an emphasis on triple-threat training. …
Crazy Coqs, London: It may be seven years since Jeff Harnar has performed in the UK, but this is a New York cabaret artist who knows instinctively how to charm a London audience. Harnar'…
New Wimbledon, London: A spiritual parent to the likes of High School Musical and Glee, Fame, which charts the highs and lows of life at the New York School of Performing Arts, has a grittie…
Churchill, Bromley: Arguably one of Britain's best loved comedies, Philip King's See How They Run premiered in London in 1945 offering something of a tonic to theatregoers at the t…
Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London: Following the success of Hiraeth's Titus Andronicus last year, the company take on one of Shakespeare's more controversial histories with Richard…
The Albany, Deptford: This new piece by London poet Kate Tempest tells the story of a modern family unit in crisis. Its bleak but sadly recognisable tale, lifted by Tempest's bold use o…
Criterion Theatre, London: In a preface reminiscent of the musical Once, members of the graduating students at East 15 Acting School treat the audience to some live music and singing, featur…
Above The Stag, London: Written by David Bell, The Gay Naked Play is a neatly crafted comedy that addresses issues of artistic integrity in small independent theatres.
Read the full review
Union Theatre, London: Arguably one of the most important musical theatre writing teams of the last 50 years, John Kander and Fred Ebb are responsible for hits such as Cabaret, Chicago and K…
Churchill Theatre, Bromley: Based on the popular sit-com from the 1970s, the musical version of Happy Days carries all the hallmarks of the original show. A rose-tinted window on life in mid…
Jermyn Street Theatre, London: It is said that Anton Chekhov, the author of classics such as Uncle Vanya, didn't like plays. More to the point, he didn't like long plays and with t…
St James Studio, London: One day in 1957 an envelope lands on the doormat of photographer Derek Eveleigh's rather seedy flat in Pimlico. It contains details of an unusual, fairly innocu…
Finborough Theatre, London: On the eve of battle in 1914 Captain George Llewellyn Davies, the inspiration for the character of Peter Pan, dreams of life after Neverland. Phil Willmott's…
Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London: As exquisitely crafted as Cole Porter's songs are, his tricksy rhymes, dated references and propensity to overplay a lyric pattern can become tiresome…
Towngate, Basildon: Of the Grimm brother's repertoire, Rapunzel is perhaps one of the least adapted fairy tales, but this pantomime version by Brad Fitt carries all the right ingredient…
Orchard, Dartford: Contrary to popular belief, the dynamics of a good pantomime don't rely on a star name, but on the company as a whole being able to deliver that all important mix of …
Landor Theatre, London: Against the backdrop of the 1904 World Fair, the Smith family busy themselves with the more immediate issues of romance, coming of age and sibling squabbles. A distin…
Lilian Baylis Studio, London: With its mixture of live performance and short film, Exposure sees the graduating costume designers of the MA Costume Design for Performance examining the relat…
Ashcroft, Croydon: Back for a third year at the Ashcroft, Evolution Pantomimes mounts an adaptation of JM Barrie's much-loved story of the boy who never grew up. It is always a controve…
Leicester Square Theatre Studio, London: The story of Dick Whittington is given a burlesque treatment here from a cast led by popular drag-queen, Miss Dusty 'O'. Stuart Saint'…
Theatre Royal Stratford East, London: Fairy Bow Bell arrives on the dot at seven o'clock to ring the changes over Stratford's unique take on the story of Dick Whittington. With an …
Above The Stag, London: For more than three years the theatre company above the Stag pub in Victoria developed a loyal audience providing a mix of comedy, musicals and contemporary drama, al…
Jermyn Street Theatre, London: Against the economic and political chaos of the Weimar Republic, Berlin became the playground for the sociosexual outcasts of the world. Amid the drug dens and…
Palladium, London: After last year's spectacular at the Royal Albert Hall, the Royal Variety Performance returns to the spiritual home of variety at the London Palladium for the 38th ti…
