835 stories by "Paul Vale"
Union, London: While the writer/composer team of Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein II may have been responsible for some of the greatest musicals of the 20th century, there are a few of …
Crazy Coqs, London: In song, dramatic monologue and referencing recollections from friends and acquaintances, Stefan Bednarczyk presents his personal perspective on the life and times of Noe…
Bloomsbury Ballroom, London: The Spotlight Showcase has now become a much anticipated part of the theatrical calendar with the cream of the major theatre schools in the UK competing for the …
Theatre in the Park, Chichester: With so many productions originating at the Chichester Festival Theatre and then transferring to the West End, it's no wonder that this current revival …
Courtyard, London: This amiable farce originally ran in 2004 prompted by the immediacy of gay dating websites. Nearly 10 years later the introduction of GPS and the smartphone may have speed…
Union, London: Although labelled a comedy, Measure for Measure is often considered one of Shakespeare's problem plays in that its focus and mood tend toward much darker fare. The elemen…
Criterion, London: One of the joys of this student showcase is the skill with which it has been directed by Caroline Eves. While not under scrutiny herself, it is evident that the structure …
St Paul's Church, London: As the crowd gather in the marketplace near the steps of the temple, it suddenly becomes clear as to why the gentility of the environs of the Actors' Church is…
Landor, London: Dan Goggin's comedy of life in a convent became something of an institution off-Broadway, running for over 3,000 performances. After spin-off productions the formula was…
White Bear, London: It has been said that it's never a good idea to meet your heroes and according to playwright Charles Marowitz, this was probably the case with Bertolt Brecht. Taking…
Southwark Playhouse, London: Written just after the Second World War and inspired by the summary treatment of both Philippe Petain and Pierre Laval, this play attempts to question the nature…
Crazy Coqs, London: The Kid From Paris is Jean Brassard's tribute to one of France's most original talents, Yves Montand. Born Ivo Livi, the singer rose from the ashes of Nazi-occu…
John Lyon Theatre, London: The graduates of the final Advanced Performance Diploma 2013 at City Lit take to the stage offering an exciting and diverse range of songs and dramatic scenes dire…
Riverside Studios, London: In this new musical by Paul Rayfield, the government has resolved to privatise the settlement of all paternity claims to a television show called Payback - a cross…
Rose, Bankside, London: A metronome marks time ominously amid the chaos of scattered papers filled with mysterious symbols. There is a definite hint of necromancy at work in the dusky candle…
Garrick Theatre, London: This competition, now in its seventh year, was created to give musical theatre students a platform to showcase their work before graduation. At this year's even…
Criterion Theatre, London: In an inordinately large graduating year of 54 musical theatre students it is rewarding to see that GSA does not cut any corners on quality.
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Riverside Studios, London: Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, Grenada-born Leslie Hutchinson was the toast of the cabaret circuit. He was a friend of Cole Porter's while living in Paris an…
Vaudeville, London: The untimely exit of Great Expectations from the West End has left a gaping hole in the scheduling for the Vaudeville which, for one week at least, is being filled by Aus…
Crazy Coqs, London: It takes a lot of chutzpah for an American soprano to perform a cabaret about the life and work of Julie Andrews in the UK. The great singer holds such a fond place in ou…
New Wolsey, Ipswich: Miss Nightingale is an intimate, original musical set in the nightclubs of Forties London with an equally original score by composer and lyricist Matthew Bugg.
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Theatre Royal Stratford East, London: Told with shocking clarity but a keen sense of compassion, one of the remarkable things about this new drama is its eloqence.
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Harold Pinter Theatre, London: Once again the <a href="https://www.menierchocolatefactory.com/">Menier Chocolate Factory</a>, a tiny theatre in Southwark, proves itself…
Shadow Lounge, London: Burlexe attempts to bring a sense of social history to the art of striptease by interspersing the acts with pertinent dramatic monologues. The venue is a subterranean …
Landor, London: Judging by the amount of popular chick lit foisted onto the public every summer, it was only a matter of time before some enterprising composer attempted a musical adaptation…
