LTW Plays

Get tickets for West End plays during London Theatre Week.

London Theatre Week Plays

LTW Plays - LON

Recommended for ages 12+. Children under the age of 16 must be accompanied by and sat next to a ticket holder who is at least 18 years old.

To Kill a Mockingbird Rush

Unlock Rush for a chance to purchase £25 tickets.

£25 Rush tickets

Promotional terms for participants in the UK (any person who resides elsewhere is not eligible to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion).

The promoter of the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion is TodayTix, Ltd (the "Promoter"). This sales promotion is neither endorsed by nor in any way associated with: (i) Apple Inc.; (ii) Google Inc.; (iii) Facebook Inc.; (iv) Twitter Inc.; (v) any owner/licensor of any musical or theatrical performance for which tickets are available to purchase under the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion and/or (vi) the theatre in which it is performed.

By participating in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion, a participant will be deemed to accept these promotional terms and the Promoter's UK Privacy Policy (which can be accessed here) and agrees that the decision of the Promoter is final and binding in all matters relating to the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion.

All references to "app" in these promotional terms refer to the "TodayTix – West End Tickets" mobile application which is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices and can be downloaded from Apple's App Store (either iPhone or iPad version) or Google Play (Android version). Each participant must open a registered account via the app in order to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion – please see here [insert hyperlink] to open a registered account via the app.

Please note that in order to unlock and access the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, you will on each occasion first be invited (but not required) to post content about it to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. Although such content will never involve your endorsement of a third party product or service (other than the then-current musical/theatrical performance featured on the locked screen of the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app) please do not proceed to post such content unless you agree with all of it. Your decision to post content will not affect the ticket(s) available to you in the 'Rush' section of the app and/or their price. Regardless of whether or not you post content, the app will display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay to secure them.

Please note that the discounted price tickets sold through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app are for the stated performance time of the featured musical/theatrical performance which will always be later on the same date. The discounted price tickets are very limited in quantity and subject to availability sold on a 'first come first served basis'. If either there is:

less that 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold for it, then the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app – either for the same or a different musical/theatrical performance.

PROMOTION PERIOD. You may purchase 2 discounted price tickets for the featured musical/theatrical performance from as soon as these are marketed within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app. The closing time/deadline for the purchase of such tickets is either: 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold. In either case the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app.

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If any part of these promotional terms is found to be unenforceable as a matter of law, all other parts of these promotional terms shall be unaffected and shall remain in force.

Any queries and comments concerning this sales promotion should be directed in writing to "TodayTix Rush", TodayTix Ltd, UK Limited, 5 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3TW United Kingdom

I purchased £25 Rush tickets for To Kill a Mockingbird on @TodayTixUK! #TodayTixRush https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/20130?share=unlock

To Kill A Mockingbird [20130] - LON

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To Kill A Mockingbird

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A time-honoured title, not least against expectation in the UK, gets a vigorous new lease on life in this West End reboot of [*To Kill A Mockingbird*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/20130-to-kill-a-mockingbird), a London transplant of the 2018 New York iteration that made headlines as the most commercially successful straight play in Broadway history. 

Judging by its visceral appeal to a British audience, Harper Lee’s story of racial injustice in 1930s Alabama should resonate no less galvanically here, not least as refashioned by playwright Aaron Sorkin and director Bartlett Sher, and with a tremendous performance from [Rafe Spall](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/rafe-spall) inheriting Gregory Peck’s screen role as Atticus Finch. (This novel has long been a stage mainstay in Britain, albeit in a separate adaptation that brought Robert Sean Leonard to London to play Atticus in 2013.)

Times have changed rather significantly since Jeff Daniels opened in this production Stateside, and Sorkin has cannily adjusted his script to capture the changing zeitgeist and a necessarily heightened awareness of racism and societal injustice. 

The result more amply foregrounds the widower Atticus’s relationship with the family housekeeper Calpurnia (Pamela Nomvete) and, on this occasion anyway, rather side lines the narrative potential of Atticus’s daughter Scout, not least because Gwyneth Keyworth is still finding her footing in the role that brought Celia Keenan-Bolger a Tony Award. 

Keyworth looks perfect for the child-woman required of an adult playing a young girl, but may perhaps be held back by accent issues that on this occasion are shared among one or two others in the cast. 

I very much exclude from that line-up the pitch-perfect Spall and Nomvete – and, for that matter, recent drama school graduate Harry Redding, here making an impressive stage debut as Scout’s older brother, Jem (short for Jeremy, just as Scout is short for Jean-Louise). 

And whereas Lee’s 1960 novel takes its sweet time getting to the trial, the courtroom exists at the thematic and physical centre of a production that shifts multiple locales with ease as Miriam Buether’s restless set slides this way and that to accommodate the domestic requirements of the material as well as its legal aspects. 

Scout sets the scene, landing us in the rape trial of Tom Robinson (Jude Owusu), a 25-year-old Black man with three children who is put on the stand with Atticus in his corner and a hunched Mayella Ewell (Poppy Lee Friar) as the accused. Mayella’s father, Bob, is a snarling bigot played with full-throttle fury by the excellent Patrick O’Kane who, it’s intriguing to note, is also the cover for Atticus – which here gives new meaning to playing both sides of the fence.

“Conscience can be exhausting,” says Atticus, in one of the play’s key takeaway lines, and Spall’s great achievement is to locate a rumpled, creased authority within a potentially saintly character who is rescued here from unimpeachable rectitude, not least in a faceoff with Calpurnia that exposes even this upstanding lawyer’s limitations. 

Speaking of “hasten(ing) the change,” Atticus here sounds at times like someone running for office, and it’s no surprise when mention is made near the start of a possible gubernatorial role for this character. I’m not sure Bob Ewell needs on this occasion to be classed as anti-Semitic amongst his other hateful characteristics: that feels in context like a step too far. 

But Spall handles moral outrage with an understated command that invites empathy for this man on all fronts: a small-c crusader who puts decency first whilst acknowledging that no one, himself included, is without flaw.
A cast the size of many a musical includes the award-winning David Moorst as Dill Harris, who fairly blatantly figures as comic relief, and the invaluable Jim Norton (himself a Tony and Olivier winner) in robust form as a notably keen-witted judge. 

That nearly 90 years have passed between the era in which the play is set and today, with arguably very little having fundamentally changed, may give sorrowful pause: how are we to achieve that change which Atticus so movingly anticipates? As a richly emotional evening closes on the rending hymn “Joy Cometh in the Morning,” all one can and must do is look toward a better tomorrow and to those new and more just mornings that, with any luck, lie in wait.

[*To Kill a Mockingbird* is at the Gielgud Theatre to Nov. 19. Book *To Kill a Mockingbird* tickets on London Theatre.](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/20130-to-kill-a-mockingbird)

*Rafe Spall in To Kill a Mockingbird. (Photo by Marc Brenner)*

'To Kill a Mockingbird' review: Rafe Spall shines in Aaron Sorkin's stage adaptation

*To Kill a Mockingbird* is at the Gielgud Theatre to 19 November. 

★★★★★ - Evening Standard
★★★★★ - Daily Telegraph

__Matthew Modine__ plays Atticus Finch in *To Kill a Mockingbird*, __Aaron Sorkin's__ new play based on __Harper Lee's__ Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, directed by __Bartlett Sher__, now open at the Gielgud Theatre.

Harper Lee's enduring story of racial injustice and childhood innocence has sold 45 million copies worldwide. In New York, the production has become the most successful American play in Broadway history.


The Gielgud Theatre opened on 27 Dec. 1906, and was built for Seymour Hicks. The Gielgud was built as a pair with the [Sondheim Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/sondheim-theatre).

The house was renamed the Globe Theatre in 1909 by its new manager, Charles Frohman from America. It was known as the Globe Theatre for the next 85 years until a 1994 name change to avoid confusion with [Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/shakespeares-globe-theatre) on the South Bank. It was then that the theatre received its current name, the Gielgud.

Hit shows at the Gielgud Theatre include Simon Stephens' [*The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/the-curious-incident-of-the-dog-in-the-night-time), Jez Butterworth's *The Ferryman* and a gender-swapped revival of Stephen Sondheim's *Company*.  Delfont Mackintosh Theatres own the Gielgud Theatre.

## Gielgud Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle.

The Stalls offers very good sightlines with each row being offset from the one in front. The overhang of the Dress Circle becomes apparent from Row R onwards.

The Dress Circle doesn’t have a strong rake. The stage is not obstructed by the overhang of the Upper Circle.

The Upper Circle seats offer good legroom. The seats curve inwards towards the stage.

## Where is *To Kill a Mockingbird* in the West End? 

*To Kill a Mockingbird* is at the Gielgud Theatre. The Gielgud Theatre is located on Shaftesbury Avenue, and is one of six theatres on the West End road.

Gielgud Theatre - LON

Gielgud Theatre

HP LON Lottery Settings

Enter the Friday Forty for your chance to purchase exclusive £40 tickets to Harry Potter and the Cursed Child.

£40 Friday Forty

Download the TodayTix app to purchase tickets!

No purchase required to enter. You can only win the Lottery for each performance once. Entrants are selected at random. By entering your phone number you are giving TodayTix permission to contact you via SMS Text, Email or Phone per our privacy policy.

Your participation in any of the lotteries in the series is subject to our standard terms and conditions, which you can view [here](https://www.todaytix.com/terms/uk). The Promoter of this series of lotteries is TodayTix, Ltd.

This is a series of promotional prize draws and the term 'lottery'/'lotteries' is only used in a brand sense. No gambling is involved.

To enter the Lottery you must either reside in United Kingdom and/or be able to attend the relevant scheduled performance in London and be aged 18 years or older. Any entries made from outside the UK will be subject to UK law.

No purchase is required to enter but if you win you will need to pay for each ticket.

You can earn one extra entry into the same lottery that you have entered if you share the auto-filled post on Facebook, another if you share the auto-filled post on Twitter, and another if you share the auto-filled post on Instagram.

All winners are drawn at random by a computerised process. There are a limited number of discounted price tickets available as prizes for each lottery in the series, which are always drawn in two stages.

All tickets available are drawn at random and assigned to winners. If a winner declines or fails to claim their tickets within thirty minutes, these tickets will be re-assigned at random to another entrant. Choosing to enter for either 1 or 2 tickets holds no bearing on your chances of being drawn as a winner.

When the winners are drawn for each Friday Forty in the series, the same computer process will be used to randomly select "reserve" winners. If you are a "reserve" winner and the original winner does not claim the tickets, you will be sent an email to let you know that you’ve been assigned as a winner. All replacement winners are selected from the drawn "reserve" at random.
TodayTix takes no responsibility for undelivered ‘winner’ emails or push notifications.

Please note that your entry into a Friday Forty for the chance to purchase 2 tickets for a particular performance will not be rolled-over to any Friday Forty for another performance.

__Tickets cannot be exchanged, refunded or resold.__

Employees and their immediate families of the Promoter, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the Promoter are not able to enter.

It is also possible to enter by emailing lotteryentries@todaytixgroup.com with your name, e-mail address, phone number, post-code, number of tickets required (1 or 2 tickets) and desired performance dates/times. You can only enter for performance dates that feature within the ongoing Friday Forty draw, no advance entries into future draws will be accepted. 


I entered the Friday Forty for £40 tickets on @TodayTix! Tap here to enter: https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/21176?share=enter

Harry Potter and The Cursed Child: Both Parts [21176] - LON 

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Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Parts One & Two

Harry Potter LTW

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Just as <a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/hamilton">Hamilton</a> has been all-pervasive on Broadway since it opened there last summer, there's been little talk of anything but Harry Potter's official stage debut over here since the first announcement was made revealing that it was on its way over a year ago. (There was previously a small two-man fringe show called Potted Potter that raced through all the books to date in 70 minutes that transferred from the Trafalgar Studios small house to the Garrick where it was Olivier nominated in 2012, and then off-Broadway).When tickets finally went on sale for the initial run at the 1,400 seater neo-gothic pile that is the <a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/palace-theatre">Palace Theatre</a>, they sold out almost instantly, long before the show had even gone into rehearsal. (A new batch is set to be released imminently).There's been a drip-feed of news ever since that, through to the casting and J.K Rowling tweeting drawings of the show's swords, and the revelation of the front house displays, each fuelling the air of anticipation around it. So now that it is finally here, does it deliver?   The first and most important thing to say is: And how! This is absolutely tremendous family entertainment that brilliantly and evocatively brings Harry Potter from the page to the stage -- but instead of adapting an existing story, does even better and continues the story, 19 years from where we left it at the end of the 7th book, to take it further forward in all sorts of spellbinding (in every sense) directions.Theatregoers are being urged to #KeepTheSecrets -- we're even given a badge to remind us! -- but this much I can say: some of our favourrite -- and a few of our less favourite -- characters are all here. Harry Potter is now 37 and a father of three, and Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley now married with children of their own. Albus Potter, Harry and Ginny Potter's middle child, is leaving for his first term at Hogwart's, along with Hemione and Ron's daughter Rose. One of the first people they meet on the train is Scorpius, son of Draco Malfoy.We are immediately plunged into another of J.K Rowling's ingeniously plotted rabbit holes of collisions between the natural and supernatural worlds, Muggles and mystery, Wizards and wonderment, and good and evil. An overriding theme here is parenting, with Harry Potter wrestling with being a good father to his son Albus when he, an orphan, has no model to follow.Some of this is deeply poignant: it reminded me at times of the great Sondheim musical Into the Woods (itself being revived in London at the moment at the Menier Chocolate Factory), which is also about parents and curses and outside forces threatening the world. But of course this isn't a musical, though there's an attractive electronic soundscape and propulsive movement from Steven Hoggett.If you're not quite a Potter-head, the programme has a helpful summary of the first seven stories. But you don't really need it, either: the story stands on its own feet (though you may miss some of the references that cause the audience at points to collectively and loudly catch their breaths with surprise).It's a show rich in theatrical magic as well as evoking magical powers, but also deeply human, too, with fantastic performances from a brilliant ensemble cast, led by Jamie Parker as Harry Potter, Sam Clemmett as his son Albus, Noma Dumezweni as Hermione, Paul Thornley as Ron, Alex Price as Draco Malfoy and Anthony Boyle as Draco's son Scorpius.A group of theatre makers at the very top of their game bring it all to impressive 3D life, from the brilliant designs of Christine Jones (cleverly using the auditorium of <a href="/theatres/palace-theatre">Palace Theatre</a>&nbsp;itself in one scene), evocatively lit with architectural splendour by Neil Austin, to Steven Hoggett's propulsive movement.The result is a work that will thrill new audiences as well as regular theatregoers alike -- some 50% of the audience is reported to be first-timers -- and could inspire and encourage a whole new generation to make theatre part of their lives.<a href="https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-parts-i-ii">Buy Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Tickets</a><hr /><h3>What the Press Said...</h3>"It's a spectacle for the theatre, one that is filled to the brim with fan service and magical imagery that will amaze. For any Potterhead who can get their hands on a ticket, it will no doubt be a fantastic experience..." Jack Shepherd for the Independent"This is a production that thrills at the aura of possibility lurking in the Victorian splendour of the theatre itself, a bygone age of smoke and mirrors." Dominic Cavendish for The Telegraph"It's convoluted, but the latest expansion of the Potter universe is thrillingly staged, with time travel and age-old quests given a dash of post-Freudian guilt." Michael Billington for The Guardian"For once the so-called theatrical event of the year really is just that...a feast for fans, packed with pathos, dazzling choreography and moments of pure enchantment." Henry Hitchings for The Evening Standard<hr /> External links to full reviews from popular press <a href="http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/tv/reviews/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-review-palace-theatre-a-magical-experience-tailor-made-for-the-a7155381.html">Independent</a> - <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/theatre/what-to-see/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-is-pure-magic---review/" target="Top">The Telegraph </a> - <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2016/jul/26/harry-potter-cursed-child-review-palace-theatre-london" target="Top">The Guardian</a>

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, review of Harry Potter play at London's Palace Theatre

There’s magic in every moment at Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, the most awarded play in history and “one of the most defining pop culture events of the decade” (Forbes). And now, the 8th Harry Potter story is bringing the magic back to London’s West End.

The Palace Theatre opened in 1891. It was first known as the Royal English Opera House, intended to stage operatic productions. After the closure of its first production, the theatre was sold to Sir Augustus Harris, who changed the name to The Palace Theatre of Varieties. 

From 1921, Charles B. Cochrane took over the reins and ran the theatre as a cinema. The 1930s saw Fred Astaire grace the London stage for the final time in Cole Porter’s *Gay Divorce* before making his move to Hollywood.

In 1968, Judi Dench played Sally Bowles in *Cabaret.* Long-running musicals include *Jesus Christ Superstar* and 7,602 performances of *[Les Misérables](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/les-miserables)* from 1985 – 2004.

A host of musicals have followed, but the theatre’s latest tenant is the world premiere of *[Harry Potter and the Cursed Child](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/harry-potter-and-the-cursed-child-parts-i-ii)*, which officially opened in July 2016.

## Palace Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has four levels - Stalls, Dress Circle, Grand Circle, Balcony. The seats in the Stalls are lightly raked, and most notably from Row N onwards.

In the Dress Circle, the view is impaired in Row H onwards by the overhang of the Grand Circle. 

In the Grand Circle there isn't as much legroom as in the lower levels of the theatre, and this level is considered to be quite high. 

The seats in the Balcony are extremely high.

## Where is *Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* in London?

*Harry Potter and the Cursed Child* is at the Palace Theatre in London. The Palace Theatre is located on Cambridge Circus. It's close to West End theatres including the Phoenix Theatre and the Prince Edward Theatre.

Palace Theatre - LON

Palace Theatre

Punchdrunk creates genre-defying experiences for audiences around the world. They blend classic texts, physical performance, dance and award-winning design installation to bring to life unique sensory worlds. 

Inspired by Greek tragedies Agamemnon by Aeschylus and Hecuba by Euripides, The Burnt City is a sprawling metropolis filled with chance encounters and each visit is unique. Be brave. Follow your instincts. If you find yourself somewhere curious explore it, and if someone catches your eye follow them. 


The age requirement for this performance is 16yrs+. Anyone aged 16 or 17 must be accompanied by an adult. Photo ID will be required on entry.

Punchdrunk Lottery/Rush

Enter for a chance to purchase £25 Punchdrunk tickets.

£25 Lottery tickets

If selected, you will have strictly 30 minutes to claim and purchase £25 Punchdrunk tickets.

You can enter the Punchdrunk £25 Lottery through the TodayTix mobile app. Download the TodayTix app on your iOS or Android device and enter weekly to win the chance to purchase £25 Lottery tickets.

No purchase required to enter. You can only win the Lottery for each performance once. Entrants are selected at random. By entering your phone number you are giving TodayTix permission to contact you via SMS Text, Email or Phone per our privacy policy.

Your participation in any of the lotteries in the series is subject to our standard terms and conditions, which you can view [here](https://www.todaytix.com/terms/uk). The Promoter of this series of lotteries is TodayTix, Ltd.

This is a series of promotional prize draws and the term 'lottery'/'lotteries' is only used in a brand sense. No gambling is involved.

To enter the Lottery you must either reside in United Kingdom and/or be able to attend the relevant scheduled performance in London and be aged 18 years or older. Any entries made from outside the UK will be subject to UK law.

No purchase is required to enter but if you win you will need to pay for each ticket.

You can earn one extra entry into the same lottery that you have entered if you share the auto-filled post on Facebook, another if you share the auto-filled post on Twitter, and another if you share the auto-filled post on Instagram.

All winners are drawn at random by a computerised process. There are a limited number of discounted price tickets available as prizes for each lottery in the series, which are always drawn in two stages.

All tickets available are drawn at random and assigned to winners. If a winner declines or fails to claim their tickets within thirty minutes, these tickets will be re-assigned at random to another entrant. Choosing to enter for either 1 or 2 tickets holds no bearing on your chances of being drawn as a winner.

When the winners are drawn for each lottery in the series, the same computer process will be used to randomly select "reserve" winners. If you are a "reserve" winner and the original winner does not claim the tickets, you will be sent an email to let you know that you’ve been assigned as a winner. All replacement winners are selected from the drawn "reserve" at random.
TodayTix takes no responsibility for undelivered ‘winner’ emails or push notifications.

Please note that your entry into a lottery for the chance to purchase 1 or 2 tickets for a particular performance will not be rolled-over to any lottery for another performance.

__Tickets cannot be exchanged, refunded or resold.__

Employees and their immediate families of the Promoter, its agents or anyone professionally connected with the Promoter are not able to enter.

It is also possible to enter by emailing lotteryentries@todaytixgroup.com with your name, e-mail address, phone number, post-code, number of tickets required (1 or 2 tickets) and desired performance dates/times. You can only enter for performance dates that feature within the ongoing lottery draw, no advance entries into future draws will be accepted. 

I entered the Punchdrunk Lottery for £25 tickets on @TodayTix! Tap here to enter: https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/25388?share=enter

Download the TodayTix app and unlock Rush for a chance to access last-minute tickets at exclusive, great prices.

Company may offer programs whereby the Company would make available certain features of the Services when you share information about the Services through an SNS or click on the “Unlock without sharing” button in the Application. When you are considering purchasing a ticket for a specific show or after you purchase a ticket, if you select the “Share” button in the Application, Company will make available to you a personalized link to a Digital Property with text stating, for example, “Check out {show} on TodayTix! I’m thinking of going…” or something similar, which you may choose to share with your friends via SNS. Once you have shared the personalized link through an SNS using the Application or selected the “Unlock without sharing” button in the Application, Company will make available to you the RUSH feature, which will provide you with otherwise unavailable offers for tickets to live events occurring in the next week. The opportunity to take advantage of these offers is only available to users who share a personalized link to an SNS through the Application or select the “Unlock without sharing” button in the Application.

I unlocked £25 Rush tickets for Punchdrunk: The Burnt City on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/25388?share=unlock

Punchdrunk: The Burnt City - LON 

Punchdrunk s The Burnt City (Photo Julian Abrams. Performers Omagbitse Omagbeni Vinicius Salles) 0448 2 (002)

Punchdrunk: The Burnt City

Punchdrunk The Burnt City Poster LON

One Cartridge Place is the home of Punchdrunk, an immersive theatre company. On the banks of the Thames, the venue serves as a catalyst for an inventive regeneration for theatre. Punchdrunk currently present their show, *The Burnt City* at the Woolwich-based venue. One Cartridge Place opened in summer 2022. 

## Where is *Punchdrunk: The Burnt City* in London?

*Punchdrunk: The Burnt City* is at One Cartridge Place in London. One Cartridge Place is located in Woolwich. 

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One Cartridge Place

Recommended age: 7+. Children under school age will not be permitted entry. Under 16yo must be accompanied by an adult. All children must have their own ticket.

The Mousetrap Rush

I unlocked £25 Rush tickets for The Mousetrap on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/333?share=unlock

The Mousetrap [333] - LON

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Mousetrap

Mousetrap poster

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Agatha Christie's '<a href="/show/the-mousetrap">The Mousetrap</a>', opened in the West End on the 25th November 1952, which means it has been running for over 50 years making it the world's longest running play - an incredible achievement for any play and one that the producers are rightly proud of. In the course of the first 50 years, according to the programme notes, over 10 million people have seen the show and over 395 tons of ice cream have been sold!So what is the show's success? Part of it has to do with the fame of playwright Agatha Christie. In 1962 UNESCO announced that she was the most widely read British writer in the world, beating even Shakespeare, who came a miserable second. As the creator of such famous sleuths as Miss Jane Marple and the famous French, sorry Belgian, Detective Hercule Poirot, Agatha Christie is the most famous 'whodunnit' crime writer of all time. Who has not heard of "Death on the Nile" or "Murder on the Orient Express"?Agatha Christie's fame has surely played a part in this show's success. In the 1950's Christie's books were regularly in the top sellers list. It was hardly surprising that a play, which has never been published or turned into a movie or tv programme, should attract avid fans. Since that initial enthusiasm the show has now become one of the essential things to do on many a tourists schedule - go to Buckingham Palace, visit the Tower of London and see 'The Mousetrap'.The play is your regular 'whodunit' mystery. Eight people are snowed in at a guest house: Mollie and Giles Ralston, the owners; four invited guests, each with eccentric characteristics; the unexpected guest, who turns up out of the blue after his car overturns in the snow storm; and finally a skiing detective. Once everyone has arrived it is not long before a murder takes place and the detective assembles all the guests together and interrogates them one by one. Each avoid the truth, some by silence and others by lies? Can the murderer be caught before more deaths happen?The story, whilst sensational and full of silly coincidences, is actually quite good. The characters are, despite their histrionics, vivid and they interact amongst themselves with macabre amusement. There are enough false clues to keep you guessing and a few hidden ones that mean if you stay alert you will not be too surprised to discover that the murderer is ****. Just kidding! If you want the answer to that question then you will need to go and see this quintessentially English murder mystery for yourself.NOTE: The star rating was added to this review by the editor after original publication<a href="/show/the-mousetrap">The Mousetrap Tickets</a> are now on sale.&nbsp;

The Mousetrap Review

AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP is the world’s longest-running play. This thrilling West End production – which has become as much of a London icon as Big Ben or Buckingham Palace – is THE genre-defining murder mystery from the best-selling novelist of all time… case closed!

As news spreads of a murder in London, seven strangers find themselves snowed in at a stately countryside guesthouse. When a police sergeant arrives, the guests discover – to their horror – that a killer is in their midst! Which one is the murderer?  Can you solve the mystery before another “mouse” goes SNAP? 

For almost 70 years, AGATHA CHRISTIE’S THE MOUSETRAP has kept millions of people from every corner of the globe on the edge of their seats. HAVE YOUDUNNIT

The St Martin’s Theatre opened on 23 Nov. 1916. The building was designed as a pair with the [Ambassadors Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/ambassadors-theatre). 

Ricky Meyer was responsible for transferring the theatre’s current tenant, *The Mousetrap*, from the next-door Ambassadors Theatre to the larger St Martin’s, to continue its record-breaking run. The production began in 1952 and has been performed on the London stage ever since.

## St. Martin's Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels - Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle.

Although the Dress Circle overhangs the Stalls at Row J the obstruction does not block anything. All seats in the Stalls have a good view of the stage.

The overhang of the Upper Circle doesn’t affect the view from any seat in the Dress Circle. 

Whilst the Upper Circle does not feel far from the stage, the view from the first two rows is impaired by a safety bar running along the front. 

## Where is *The Mousetrap* in London?

*The Mousetrap* is at St. Martin's Theatre in London. St. Martin's Theatre is located on West Street. It's close to West End theatres including the Ambassadors Theatre.

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St. Martin's Theatre

Noises Off Rush

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Putting on Michael Frayn’s peerless [*Noises Off*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/26701-noises-off) – the backstage comedy guaranteed to make me cry with laughter, every time – does seem to tempt fate. And, sure enough, on opening night of this latest West End run, the theatre gods added a few more “circumstances beyond our control” in the audience: as the show began, someone accidentally blasted out Blondie from their phone, and an elderly gentleman next to me started a frantic search for his lost glasses.

All of which just added to the perfect chaos of [Frayn’s play](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/a-complete-guide-to-noises-off-in-the-west-end), which goes beyond slapstick to find a kind of existential panic in farce – the sense that we’re making it up as we go along, desperately trying to stay one step ahead of disaster. Certainly, the beleagured company of the play-within-a-play, creaky sex comedy *Nothing On*, are scrabbling for a foothold as they rehearse and then tour the regions with their dismal production.

They include Dotty Otley, a veteran TV soap actress who not only plays housekeeper Mrs Clackett in the show, but – god help her – is a principal investor; leading man Garry, who can’t form a coherent sentence unless it’s scripted; ingenue Brooke, who is perennially losing her contact lenses; the relatively competent Belinda, who knows everybody’s business; sensitive Freddie, who gets nosebleeds and faints; and elderly Selsdon, who has problems with both hearing and drink.

Marshalling that lot – in theory – is jaded director Lloyd. We meet them on the eve of their first preview, when they’re still staggering through a rehearsal. Poor exhausted stage manager Tim is also understudying and acting as general fixer (the personification of exploited theatre staff, and one of many elements in this period piece that still rings true), while his deputy Poppy is part of a messy love triangle.

Frayn’s genius concept is to introduce us to all the players and the various pitfalls, and then reverse our view so we’re watching the action from backstage. The almost entirely silent Act II – which mirrors *Nothing On* by featuring farcical elements like dropped trousers and wild misunderstandings, but with added violence – remains the funniest set-piece you’ll ever see.

While the fictional company are easily confused by props and co-ordinating their movements, our real one put on an absolute tour-de-force team effort here with their lightning-fast mime, prop-swapping (flowers, whisky, sardines, a fire axe) and constant juxtaposition between backstage mayhem and somehow keeping the show going. It’s like watching an elite dance company in full flow.

Lindsay Posner’s production, which began at Bath last year to celebrate the play’s 40th anniversary, is well paced and has great fun with that weirdly English combination of sexual repression and property obsession (plus a running tax joke that Nadhim Zahawi might enjoy). However, it sometimes loses the spikiness of Frayn’s shrewdly observed characterisation. 

For example, [Felicity Kendal](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/felicity-kendal) is endearing during Dotty’s despairing moments, but doesn’t do much with the comic contrast between her charlady persona and the haughty grand dame behind it. Likewise, Alexander Hanson supplies the essential weariness of Lloyd, without quite conveying his colossal, privately educated ego, the cruelty of his sarcasm, or the shark-like ruthlessness of this serial seducer. 

I’ve seen funnier Brookes than Sasha Frost’s, but I did appreciate her lending dignity and tenacity to the underdressed character. Meanwhile Joseph Millson is magnificent as Garry, who switches from oily charm while in character to psychotic, jealousy-fuelled rage monster when he suspects infidelity. His commitment to the physical comedy is incredible – not just the big pratfalls, but bouncing up and down stairs while his shoelaces are tied together, like an unhinged pogo stick. 

Jonathan Coy is excellent too as the desperately insecure Freddie, whose entire body collapses in on itself when Lloyd delivers one of his lines with a different intonation. And Matthew Kelly’s twinkly-eyed but slow-moving Selsdon is a masterpiece of detailed clowning.

But the show-stealer is Tracy-Ann Oberman, on utterly majestic form as know-it-all pro Belinda. She has a pasted-on, pageant-queen smile and flamboyant armography while performing, and brings a similar ostentation to her backstage role as micromanager and gossipmonger – along with a creamy insincerity to her constant stream of sympathy. When the production descends into anarchy, she adds more layers of sensual pizzazz to cover it up, including a manic laugh with her head flung back. Just fabulous.

Thespy theatregoers will love the in-jokes here – the darlings and loves and fretting about motivation – but Frayn’s play has always been about more than just stagecraft. All of us sense that yawning abyss and focus on bits of business to avoid it: doors and sardines, bags and boxes becoming Netflix and Wordle. Yet anarchy has never seemed so sublime.

*Noises Off is at the Phoenix Theatre through 11 March. Book Noises Off tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=26701&content_product_id=26701&venue_id=126)

*Photo credit: Felicity Kendal (Dotty), Alexander Hanson (Lloyd) and Tracy-Ann Oberman (Belinda) in Noises Off (Photo credit: Nobby Clark)*

'Noises Off' review – Michael Frayn's enduring backstage farce is simply sublime comedy

Read our review of Noises Off starring Tracy-Ann Oberman on London Theatre.

Noises Off at the Phoenix Theatre Review | London Theatre

The Phoenix Theatre opened on 24 Sept. 1930. It was built on the site of the Alcazar Music Hall, a performance space that had fallen from grace into a casino.

Noël Coward’s *Private Lives* opened the Phoenix Theatre, starring Noel Coward and Laurence Olivier. On Coward's 70th birthday, the bar in the foyer of the theatre was given the name the Noël Coward Bar in his honour.

The theatre’s greatest success arrived in November 1991 in the form of *Blood Brothers*, Willy Russell’s musical. It ran for 21 years, finally closing on 10 Nov. 2012. The Phoenix Theatre was also home to the West End premiere of *Come From Away.*

## Phoenix Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Grand Circle.

The seats in the Stalls offer very good views of the stage, with a light rake in the seating helping seats further back. 

The view from the Dress Circle is generally very good, though the rake of the seating is not as noticeable as in other theatres. 

The Grand Circle is surprisingly close to the stage, which is great for feeling involved in the show.


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Phoenix Theatre

Do not miss the multi award-winning international smash hit THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG now the longest running comedy in the West End.

The Cornley Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong… does! As the accident prone thesps battle on against all the odds to reach their final curtain call, hilarious results ensue!

Hailed *“a gut-busting hit”* by the New York Times, Mischief’s THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG is stumbling through its eighth chaotic year at London’s Duchess Theatre, and has unexpectedly received a host of celebrity endorsements from the likes of Joanna Lumley *“We laughed until the tears ran down our faces, it has to be seen”* to Ant & Dec *“The funniest show we’ve seen! If you can get a ticket, go!”*

Don’t miss this brilliantly funny comedy, guaranteed to leave you aching with laughter.

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The theatre loves nothing more than itself, especially when things aren't going to plan: this kind of self-sustaining narcissism has made hits of everything from The Producers and <a href="/show/monty-pythons-spamalot">Spamalot </a>to Michael Frayn's Noises Off. And in The Play That Goes Wrong, we're here to prick the pomposities and artifice of theatre yet again in a bustling portrait of an amateur dramatic company from Cornley Polytechnic, as they attempt to put on a 1920s murder thriller called Murder at Haversham Manor.The result is far, far funnier than <a href="/show/the-mousetrap">The Mousetrap</a> ever was and that's now in its 62nd year, so I think that its creators Mischief Theatre - a group of graduates from LAMDA who began as an impro comedy troupe - may have a substantial little hit on their hands, built on the shifting sands of its own insubstantiality.It's a beautiful theatrical paradox, and that it should have now come all the way to the West End from humble beginnings in the upstairs room of the <a href="/theatres/old-red-lion-theatre">Old Red Lion pub theatre</a> the Christmas before last is also a genuine thrill. The underdog can triumph - even if their dog called Winston has gone missing (and instead has to be represented here only by his lead).Everything that can go wrong, it seems, does go wrong for this play, its players and particularly its wobbly, fragile set. But the more it does, of course, the funnier it becomes. It's divinely daft, gloriously preposterous and utterly silly. But it's also not for everyone: anyone with slightly more sophisticated comedy palettes may baulk at the relentlessness of it all.Yet I also think you cannot fail to admire the ceaseless energy of the cast or the wildly caricatured yet minutely detailed comedy performances they deliver. Just to watch co-author Henry Shields's face, crossing from bafflement to wide-eyed pleasure at how he's managed to cover yet another gaffe is priceless.He's one of a terrific ensemble of young actors who give it impeccable timing and daring physical energy. The stage mechanics are expertly choreographed by director Mark Bell, as is Nigel Hook's design which is unquestionably giving the best performance by a set in the West End at the moment.<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/5dY8E1z46jk?rel=0&amp;controls=0" width="560"></iframe>"This set is a bloody deathtrap," complains the stage manager at one point, and before the evening is out, it's hardly a spoiler to say that it will have collapsed almost entirely. It starts falling apart before the play even begins, so it's not much of a surprise. But the real surprise is just how well-sustained the joke is. When it first premiered it was seen in a one-act version that ran for not much more than an hour. Now it has been expanded into two acts that runs for double that time, including an interval. The pleasure may not quite have doubled - I was left wanting less, not more - but I was still impressed. <a href="/show/the-play-that-goes-wrong">The Play That Goes Wrong Tickets</a> are now on sale.<hr />"All in all, it's a great-looking, brilliantly performed piece ... My only qualm about The Play That Goes Wrong is that in getting their play so dreadfully wrong night after night, they are also getting it absolutely right." Tim Walker for The Telegraph"one of those breakneck exercises in idiocy that make you laugh till you cry, despite yourself." Ben Brantley, New York Times"It's not sophisticated and it's certainly over-extended; the show's one-act Fringe origins aren't hard to spot. Yet, along with the rest of the enthusiastic audience, I laughed continually. Director Mark Bell also offers some ingenious, not to mention precision-drilled, physical comedy." Fiona Mountford for The Evening StandardExternal links to full reviews from popular press <a href="http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/theatre/theatre-reviews/11106181/The-Play-That-Goes-Wrong-Duchess-Theatre-review-delightful.html" target="Top">Telegraph</a> - <a href="http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2015/02/01/london-theater-journal-laughing-wall-to-wall/?_r=0" target="Top">New York Times</a>

The Play That Goes Wrong Review

The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are putting on a 1920s murder mystery, but as the title suggests, everything that can go wrong... does! The accident-prone thespians battle against all odds to make it through to their final curtain call, with hilarious consequences!  

The Duchess Theatre opened in London in 1929. The following year, *The Intimate Revue* opened and closed at the Duchess Theatre on the same night!

Fortunately, the theatre’s luck turned around with long running productions such as Noel Coward’s *Blithe Spirit* in 1942, the musical *Oh! Calcutta!* in 1974 and Marc Camoletti’s *Don’t Dress For Dinner* in 1992. Many stars have appeared in shows at the Duchess Theatre including [David Suchet](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/david-suchet) and [Mark Rylance](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/actor-profile/mark-rylance).

## Duchess Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels – Stalls and Grand Circle.

In the Stalls, seats curve inwards towards the end of each row and the seats are not raked until Row G. The Grand Circle overhangs the Stalls from Row G onwards.

The Circle offers good views throughout, and it is a very intimate theatre so does not feel removed from the action.

## Where is *The Play That Goes Wrong* in London?

*The Play That Goes Wrong* is at the Duchess Theatre in London. The Duchess Theatre is located on Catherine Street. It's close to West End theatres including the Novello Theatre and the Aldwych Theatre.

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Duchess Theatre

Parental guidance. Babes in arms are not permitted.

Witness for the Prosecution Rush

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YOU HAVE BEEN SUMMONED FOR JURY SERVICE...

Step inside the magnificent surroundings of London County Hall and experience the intensity and drama of Agatha Christie’s gripping story of justice, passion and betrayal in a unique courtroom setting.

County Hall was officially opened by King George V and Queen Mary on 17 Jul. 1922. 
For 64 years, County Hall served as the headquarters of local government for London, initially the London County Council and later the Greater London Council. The octagonal Council Chamber sits at the centre of County Hall, and provided seating for over 200 council members and four galleries overlooking the Chamber for the public and members of the press. 

## Where is *Witness for the Prosecution* in London?

*Witness for the Prosecution* is at London County Hall. The Agatha Christie play takes place at the site-specific location.

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London County Hall

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The uber-talented Australian writer/director Simon Stone, who brought us a shattering modernised *Yerma* with [Billie Piper](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/billie-piper) in 2016, is back with another gripping contemporary reworking (and another glass box set). This time he’s wrestled the story of [*Phaedra*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27667-phaedra) from Euripides, Seneca and Racine, and changed the title character from monstrous antiheroine to fascinatingly flawed modern woman – creating a blistering showcase for Janet McTeer in the process.

The seeds of the original story are still there, but instead of Phaedra falling in love with her stepson, Hippolytus, and then falsely accusing him of rape, this version is a British politician called Helen who has far more agency. And yet she’s still felled by desire, and with complicated feelings bound up in her past – including just a hint of incest. Or, as one character memorably puts it: “some pretty fucking kinky Lazarus shit.”

The bombshell that explodes her comfortable middle-class family life is the surprise appearance of Sofiane, son of Helen’s Moroccan lover Achraf, who left his family for her and then tragically died in a car crash. Immediately, the articulate, composed Helen is tongue-tied and flustered: Sofiane looks so much like his father. It’s confusing for him, too: Helen was part of his sexual awakening, yet he resents her for tempting his artist, activist father into a hard-partying, decadent lifestyle.

Not only that, but Helen’s daughter Isolde looks very like a young Helen. “I’m older than you, but I look at you and feel like a child,” Sofiane confesses. As for Isolde, she sees a passionate possibility in Sofiane that’s lacking in her marriage to the nice-to-a-fault Eric (in a great running gag, her family all seem to like Eric more than her), while for Helen, it’s a chance to get back in touch with her liberated younger self, or to have a second chance at inhabiting that powerful sexual being. 

Stone and McTeer have spoken about wanting to address how society renders women invisible post-menopause (and that’s referenced in the script, amusingly, with Helen snapping that she’s not interested in being a *Guardian* headline). But her headlong rush into self-destructive behaviour, her blinding by desire, feels pretty universal here, and I'm not sure the play's attitudes to youth and gender are really all that enlightened.

Additionally, the set roles of this privileged clan are rather too schematic. Isolde, the most embarrassed by their status, works for an NGO, and possibly punishes herself by staying in a dull marriage in which they can’t conceive children. Helen’s husband, the self-effacing, eternal peacemaker Hugo, is – of course – a diplomat. Sofiane is a principled journalist who had to flee Morocco after criticising the government. And Helen has a Black politician friend who is basically only there to call her out on her blinkered self-pity (although Akiya Henry does that with relish).

But Stone brilliantly captures the way that families behave: the lightning-fast cross-talk, the mixture of love and needling, the well-worn references and in-jokes, the festering resentments. Of the latter, Isolde is still angry that her parents never let them be children; her teenage brother (a very funny Archie Barnes) is indeed wildly precocious, and had to sort out his own school fees when his dad forgot to pay them. Is it selfish of Helen to further abandon them, as she becomes consumed by her feelings for Sofiane? Or does she have a right to reclaim her lost self?

McTeer’s committed performance gives us all the shades of Helen, including the unflattering ones: from her fierce intelligence and extraordinary sexual rebirth to her ruthless egotism and occasional pure savagery. She leads an excellent company: Paul Chahidi’s tragic clown Hugo, finally pushed to his breaking point; Mackenzie Davis’s Isolde, terrified by ungovernable feelings that don’t match her principles; Assaad Bouab’s traumatised, elusive Sofiane, who is in turn exoticised and used; and John MacMillan’s poor, sweet, crumpled Eric.

Chloe Lamford’s slowly rotating glass box adds to the painfully tense claustrophobia of the situation, but there are sightline issues with its black bars, and although the actors are miked, we feel too distanced from them (it would work better if this was staged in the round). But different locations are brilliantly evoked: the family’s luxurious London pad, complete with requisite kitchen island; the Suffolk reed beds, so tall they swallow up the actors; and an achingly hip restaurant for an excruciating birthday dinner. 

That latter scene perfectly mixes big, bold emotions with sizzling black comedy; it reminded me of that similarly fraught dinner in [Mike Bartlett](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/news/mike-bartlett-plays)’s *Doctor Foster*, and some of Stone’s delicious skewering of the elite (along with a lingering threat of violence) recalls *The White Lotus*. But he sometimes loses that crucial balance – particularly in the final scenes, which, frustratingly, hurl too much previously withheld information at us and sink into clichéd melodrama. 

Ultimately, there’s too much going on here: stabs at a fate versus personal responsibility argument; multiple languages, nations and causes; conflicting political, moral and religious stances; plus a thriller element egged on by the use of tapes left by Achraf (which we hear in voiceover). But this is meaty, pugilistic, wrenching drama, anchored by an unmissable performance by McTeer.

*Phaedra is at the Lyttelton Theatre through 8 April. Book Phaedra tickets on London Theatre.*

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27667&content_product_id=27667&venue_id=154)

*Photo credit: Janet McTeer and Assaad Bouab in Phaedra (Photo by Johan Persson)*

'Phaedra' review – Janet McTeer gives a unmissable performance in this blistering modern update

Read our four-star review of Janet McTeer in *Phaedra*, now playing at the National Theatre through 8 April.

The Lyttelton Theatre takes its name from the first board chairman of the National Theatre, Oliver Lyttelton. It is one of three auditoriums in the [National Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/national-theatre):  the [Olivier Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/olivier-theatre-national) and the [Dorfman Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/dorfman-theatre-national). The 890-seat theatre is smaller than most West End houses, and offers a very intimate theatrical experience.

The theatre was designed with a traditional proscenium arch. The proscenium arch may be adjusted to create different stage spaces, as well as accommodating an orchestra pit. 

## Lyttelton Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels, Stalls and Circle, both of which are raked, offering exceptional views from all seats. The space offers exceptional acoustics and sightlines for the audience — there are no restricted view seats.

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Lyttelton Theatre

Vardy v Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial Rush

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Welcome to the theatre of dreams. No, it’s not Old Trafford. It’s the [Ambassadors Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/ambassadors-theatre), home to a re-enactment of the “Wagatha Christie” court case that took over Britain. 

Coleen Rooney, the wife of ex-England football captain Wayne Rooney, uploaded an Instagram post accusing Rebekah Vardy, wife of Leicester City and England player Jamie Vardy, of submitting false stories to The Sun. A seven-day libel court case in 2022 concluded that Vardy and her agent Caroline Watt were guilty of selling fake news to the British tabloids. 

A year later, Liv Hennessy’s faithful adaptation puts the wives back in the spotlight, as Hennessy condenses the week-long trial into 90 minutes (and injury time) of back-and-forth action.

But, just because the case is so ingrained in popular culture — the court case birthed the “Wagatha Christie” moniker, a combination of “WAG” (a wife and girlfriend of a football player) and Agatha Christie” — does it need to be retold in dramatic form? 

Hennessy’s courtroom drama magnifies the whipped-up media frenzy around the two women into “The Scousetrap,” a twist on London’s longest-running play that happens to be at the theatre next door. But relying on verbatim transcripts doesn’t add anything to what the general public already knows. 

The court events are so inherently theatrical that rehashing the exact dialogue takes away from the drama. We laugh at the phrases we’re already familiar with. We gasp at the revelations. We walk in knowing the result. Everyone already watched this trial happen, and simply staging the transcripts dilutes their impact.

If you’re after a dramatic reading of the culturally significant Instagram post, then you’ll be easily pleased. Laura Dos Santos (as Rooney) kicks off the show with a jester-like performance of the Notes app declaration. Two ensemble actors step into pundit roles, breaking the action and forcing every football pun imaginable into describing the court case. Halema Hussain and Nathan McMulle confidently steer the proceedings in the narrator roles, but every time they interrupt the court events, any built-up tension is lost — their own goal.

When Vardy and Rooney walk into the courtroom for the first time, they’re cheered by the audience as if they’re athletes. Once the court case begins, any cheering is quickly shushed, as there’s a lot of talking without any breaks. As lawyers make a confident summation of the events, they pretend to score a goal, with all those in court freezing in a football “laddish” manner. While funny on occasion, it’s the only method used to break up the storytelling, and infantialises the events to a series of cheap scores. 

Lucy May Barker doesn’t break a sweat playing Rebekah Vardy. She plays the sourpuss WAG with minimal inflections, so we all laugh when she finally breaks out of character as she recounts the shocking Whatsapp messages. Dos Santos plays an understated Coleen Rooney, capturing the emotion of a heartbroken woman. 

But, due to court transcripts providing the story, there’s little opportunity for character development and any imaginative storytelling. What did the wives think of each other behind closed doors? It’s tricky to understand the pair’s longtime feud. It sizzles, but it doesn’t bang. 

Polly Sullivan’s set conceives the Old Bailey as a football pitch (who knew grass and granite could work so well together?), but the clear plastic chairs feel out of place for both surroundings. 

And there was ripe opportunity to use Sky Sports Saturday ticker tape projections to elevate the production and share side stories to add further context. Instead, we’re made to sit, listen, and take stock. 

When the Wagatha Christie trial played out in real-time, I followed the court case with bated breath. It’s hard to think of chipolatas, pigeons, or Davy Jones’s locker without thinking of Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney. It’s a shame that a pivotal moment in contemporary British popular culture now lends itself to a static, monotonous drama. 

“I think why on Earth are we here?” says lawyer David Sherbourne in his closing statement. I asked myself the same question. 

*Vardy v. Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial is at the Ambassadors Theatre. Book Vardy v. Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial tickets on London Theatre.*

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27479&content_product_id=27479&venue_id=12)

*Photo credit: Lucy May Barker and Laura Dos Santos (Photos by Pamela Raith Photography)*

'Vardy v. Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial' review — the football courtroom drama scores an own goal

Read our review of the courtroom drama between footballer's wives, Rebekah Vardy and Coleen Rooney, playing at the Ambassadors Theatre through 20 May.

The Ambassadors Theatre opened in 1913. It was built as a companion to [St Martin’s Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/st-martins-theatre), with the intention of housing smaller productions in a more intimate venue. 

The inaugural play *Panthea* lasted just 15 nights. Early plays included *Deburau* starring Ivor Novello, and Eugene O'Neill's *The Emperor Jones.* [*The Mousetrap*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/the-mousetrap)* premiered at the Ambassadors Theatre on 25 Nov. 1952, and later moved to St. Martin's Theatre in 1974.

Recent shows include a decade-long run of *Stomp,* as well as star-studded plays.

## Ambassadors Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has two levels – Stalls and Dress Circle. It is an intimate theatre.

In the Stalls, the rake of the seating becomes obvious from Row E and is quite a sharp rake, but the last two rows are set lower than those in front. The overhang of the Dress Circle affects the view from Row M.

The Dress Circle is not affected by an overhang, but the legroom on this level is not ideal.

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Ambassadors Theatre

The Unfriend Rush

I unlocked £25 Rush tickets for The Unfriend on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/26431?share=unlock

The Unfriend - LON [26431]

The Unfriend  Header - LON

The Unfriend

The title of Steven Moffat’s play makes a noun out of one of Facebook’s less delightful actions and it also represents a genuine theatrical rarity, especially these days: a comic thriller, and a truly funny one at that.

The result widens the remit of superstar TV scribe Moffat (*Sherlock*, *Doctor Who*) to enable him to add the stage to his CV in a transfer from Chichester that includes the playwright’s wife, Sue Vertue, amongst the producers. The creatives represent a cross-section of TV names long-steeped in theatre – director [Mark Gatiss](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/mark-gatiss), leading man [Reece Shearsmith](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/stars-on-stage/reece-shearsmith) – who overlap with Moffat’s previous credits, *Sherlock* especially, which must have made for some very jolly rehearsals indeed. 

His play is a cunning construct which you could resist on the grounds of plausibility but that nonetheless gets under the skin. I admit to chafing at the opening scene, gorgeously designed by Robert Jones though it is, which finds Frances Barber wielding an American accent so OTT that it’s like the aural equivalent of an axe. 

But by the time events move from a cruise ship to the domestic setting back in England that Barber’s blowsy American looks set to imperil, I was on board most of the rest of the way, and the shared brio amongst the cast reaches across the footlights as well.

Barber plays a throaty Trump supporter and election denier from Colorado who likes to muscle her way into people’s lives. Barely has she met a quiescent English couple, Peter (Shearsmith) and Debbie (Amanda Abbington), before she has imprinted herself upon them as a friend, going so far as to make contact live via Facebook — yes, that! — to announce that she, and a voluminous amount of luggage, are in fact ready and waiting for entry outside the pair’s front door.

As if that weren’t enough, a quick Google search reveals Elsa’s murderous past, which needless to say makes her English hosts more than a little skittish: might they be next for the serial killer chop, they rightly wonder as their alarm intensifies, though not sufficiently so for either spouse to muster the stamina to force Elsa from their home. English social embarrassment is seen to exert its vicelike grip. (I kept wondering why they don’t just snatch her keys away, but perhaps that’s too easy.)

The plot has a whiff of Alan Ayckbourn and hearkens back to a now-vanished time where the sheer mechanics of narrative construction were a pleasure in and of themselves. 

*The Unfriend* keeps you guessing and chuckling throughout. Cleverly subverting expectation, Elsa far from spreading fear through the familial ranks ends up endearing herself to the couple’s teenage children, who feel seen by this new arrival in their midst in a way their parents have never quite managed: “Murder Poppins”, indeed, becomes Elsa’s perhaps not-so-facetious moniker.

And there’s terrific use made of a nosy parker neighbour so boring that no one can ever remember his name. Popping in to query ever so passive-aggressively the couple’s drinking habits, Michael Simkins delivers a comic master class, nowhere more so than in a final scene that asks a lot – though to say more would give the game away.

There are hints of darker themes afoot, as the play toys with notions of fake news and disinformation, alongside the seductive powers of potential savagery – a phenomenon all too prevalent in the political world, and elsewhere, today. Are facts even relevant, Elsa asks the assemblage, not long after she has suggested the potential for murder within all of us: a thought that finds direct precedent in the closing sequence of *Sweeney Todd*. 

A gleeful enigma wrapped in finery or leisure wear as required, Barber is clearly having fabulous fun with one of those roles that might well become iconic over time, rather like the kneecapping Annie Wilkes in *Misery*. 

Playing the children who fall under Elsa’s sway, Maddie Holliday and Gabriel Howell shift from insolence to affection with ease, and Marcus Onilude, as a copper in search of fresh milk (good luck with that!), enlivens the second act with a long scene involving excrement that itself seems like a throwback to gross-out stage humour of old: the son Alex’s need constantly to fart is cut from the same malodorous cloth.

Still, with Shearsmith proving himself once again a peerless physical comedian, *The Unfriend* keeps you mirthfully on edge up to the final curtain. I haven’t checked out this show’s Facebook page but I would imagine it contains more than its share of likes.

*The Unfriend* is at the Criterion Theatre through 16 April. Book *The Unfriend* tickets on London Theatre.

[![LT - CTA - 250](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/1t6HRGmhlYl70k6PmR0mOZ/3caac861bc1d4233cd7844652c925623/LT-CTA-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=26431&content_product_id=26431&venue_id=132)

*Photo credit: Amanda Abbington as Debbie, Frances Barber as Elsa, Reece Shearsmith as Peter (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

'The Unfriend' review — Steven Moffat's debut play is an irresistible comic thriller

When the Criterion Theatre first opened in 1873, the space was designed as a concert hall. The Criterion Theatre is the only West End theatre to be situated almost entirely underground — even the Upper Circle is not at street level. 

The Criterion Theatre housed comic opera in its early years, including works by W. S. Gilbert and George Grossmith. A decade after opening, the theatre had to be renovated to meet the Metropolitan Board of Works standards for ventilation. This work also saw the installation of electricity to the theatre. The building surrounding the theatre was extensively rebuilt between 1989 and 1992, but the Victorian auditorium was well-preserved and still stands today. 

Notable shows at the Criterion Theatre include *The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged)* by the Reduced Shakespeare Company, the long-running play *The 39 Steps* and Mischief Theatre's *The Comedy About A Bank Robbery*.

## Criterion Theatre Seating Information

The auditorium has three levels – Stalls, Dress Circle and Upper Circle.

The front rows of the Stalls offers good views of the stage, though the seating is not raked steeply. 

The Dress Circle has specifically designated ‘restricted view’ seats due to the number of pillars supporting the Upper Circle in Row C.

The Upper Circle offers unrestricted theatre views.

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Criterion Theatre

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ANIMAL

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The Park Theatre is the brainchild of Artistic Director Jez Bond, who discovered a disused office in 2009. Realising its potential, Bond engaged David Hughes Architects, and the two embarked on a period of extensive research, visiting over 35 theatres across the country, both large and small, to garner inspiration and research what ingredients made for the perfect theatre space and functioning building for the public.

The Park Theatre is a two-auditorium venue, incorporating a 200-seat theatre (Park200), and a smaller flexible 90-seat space (Park90). 

Park Theatre - LON

Park Theatre

August in England Rush

Unlock Rush for a chance to purchase £15 tickets.

£15 Rush tickets

Promotional terms for participants in the UK (any person who resides elsewhere is not eligible to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion).
The promoter of the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion is TodayTix, Ltd (the "Promoter"). This sales promotion is neither endorsed by nor in any way associated with: (i) Apple Inc.; (ii) Google Inc.; (iii) Facebook Inc.; (iv) Twitter Inc.; (v) any owner/licensor of any musical or theatrical performance for which tickets are available to purchase under the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion and/or (vi) the theatre in which it is performed.
By participating in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion, a participant will be deemed to accept these promotional terms and the Promoter's UK Privacy Policy (which can be accessed here) and agrees that the decision of the Promoter is final and binding in all matters relating to the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion.
All references to "app" in these promotional terms refer to the "TodayTix – West End Tickets" mobile application which is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices and can be downloaded from Apple's App Store (either iPhone or iPad version) or Google Play (Android version). Each participant must open a registered account via the app in order to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion – please see here [insert hyperlink] to open a registered account via the app.
Please note that in order to unlock and access the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, you will on each occasion first be invited (but not required) to post content about it to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. Although such content will never involve your endorsement of a third party product or service (other than the then-current musical/theatrical performance featured on the locked screen of the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app) please do not proceed to post such content unless you agree with all of it. Your decision to post content will not affect the ticket(s) available to you in the 'Rush' section of the app and/or their price. Regardless of whether or not you post content, the app will display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay to secure them.
Please note that the discounted price tickets sold through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app are for the stated performance time of the featured musical/theatrical performance which will always be later on the same date. The discounted price tickets are very limited in quantity and subject to availability sold on a 'first come first served basis'. If either there is:
less that 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold for it, then the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app – either for the same or a different musical/theatrical performance.
PROMOTION PERIOD. You may purchase 2 discounted price tickets for the featured musical/theatrical performance from as soon as these are marketed within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app. The closing time/deadline for the purchase of such tickets is either: 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold. In either case the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app.
Only 2 tickets may be purchased for any particular performance per person.
ELIGIBILITY. This sales promotion is open to anyone aged 18 years or over resident in the UK only, who selects the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, excluding employees of the Promoter and their families, the Promoter's service providers, agents and anyone professionally associated with this sales promotion.
HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SALES PROMOTION. To participate, please select the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app and post the proposed content about this sales promotion to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. If you decide to proceed and post such content then the app will then display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay and always within 1 hour of the relevant performance to secure them (otherwise you will lose the opportunity to purchase them).
All instructions within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app will form part of these promotional terms.
THE PROMOTER'S LIABILITY. Except that the Promoter does not exclude or limit its liability for personal injury or death caused by its negligence or for fraudulent misrepresentation or any other liability that may not, by law, be limited or excluded, the Promoter accepts no liability in relation to a participant's participation (or inability to participate) in this sales promotion, including without limitation any use made by a participant of (or inability to use) the purchased ticket(s).
If this sales promotion cannot be executed as planned due to technical problems or circumstances beyond the Promoter's control, the Promoter shall not incur any liability and no payment or ticket(s) of any kind will be awarded.
The Promoter's determination and decision on all matters will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Any dispute or situation not covered by these promotional terms will be resolved by the Promoter's management in a manner it deems to be the fairest to all concerned and, subject to the following section, that decision will be binding on all participants.
APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION. This sales promotion and these promotional terms shall be governed by English law, and a participant agrees that any dispute between him/her and the Promoter regarding this sales promotion or these promotional terms will only be dealt with by the English courts, provided that, if a participant lives in a part of the United Kingdom other than England, the applicable law of that part of the United Kingdom will govern and any dispute will only be dealt with by the courts there.
If any part of these promotional terms is found to be unenforceable as a matter of law, all other parts of these promotional terms shall be unaffected and shall remain in force.
Any queries and comments concerning this sales promotion should be directed in writing to "TodayTix Rush", TodayTix Ltd, UK Limited, 5 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3TW United Kingdom

I unlocked £15 Rush tickets for August in England on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/26430?share=unlock

August in England - LON  

August in England - Bush LON - Header 

August in England

august in england Poster

The Bush Theatre was established in 1972, but was relocated to a new home at the old Library in Shepherd’s Bush in 2011.

The Bush Theatre typically houses new plays by writers from around the world. Often, the Bush Theatre is home to works by new playwrights, sharing contemporary stories that are provocative and entertaining. Since 1972, the Bush Theatre has won over 100 awards and produced hundreds of original plays. 

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Bush Theatre

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Brilliant Jerks

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Southwark Playhouse aims to inspire the next generation of theatregoers, creatives and stories. It aims to facilitate the work of new and emerging theatre practitioners at the start of their careers.

The theatre programme at Southwark Playhouse is shown in two venues, the Large and the Little.

In 2023, there will be two Southwark Playhouse theatres. Southwark Playhouse Borough will be located at 77-85 Newington Causeway, and Southwark Playhouse Elephant will be located at Dante Place. 

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Southwark Playhouse Borough

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F**king Men Header Image

F**king Men

480x720

Waterloo East Theatre

Marjorie Prime Rush

Promotional terms for participants in the UK (any person who resides elsewhere is not eligible to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion).

The promoter of the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion is TodayTix, Ltd (the "Promoter"). This sales promotion is neither endorsed by nor in any way associated with: (i) Apple Inc.; (ii) Google Inc.; (iii) Facebook Inc.; (iv) Twitter Inc.; (v) any owner/licensor of any musical or theatrical performance for which tickets are available to purchase under the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion and/or (vi) the theatre in which it is performed.

By participating in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion, a participant will be deemed to accept these promotional terms and the Promoter's UK Privacy Policy (which can be accessed here) and agrees that the decision of the Promoter is final and binding in all matters relating to the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion.

All references to "app" in these promotional terms refer to the "TodayTix – West End Tickets" mobile application which is compatible with iPhone, iPad and Android devices and can be downloaded from Apple's App Store (either iPhone or iPad version) or Google Play (Android version). Each participant must open a registered account via the app in order to participate in the 'TodayTix Rush' sales promotion – please see here [insert hyperlink] to open a registered account via the app.

Please note that in order to unlock and access the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, you will on each occasion first be invited (but not required) to post content about it to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. Although such content will never involve your endorsement of a third party product or service (other than the then-current musical/theatrical performance featured on the locked screen of the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app) please do not proceed to post such content unless you agree with all of it. Your decision to post content will not affect the ticket(s) available to you in the 'Rush' section of the app and/or their price. Regardless of whether or not you post content, the app will display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay to secure them.

Please note that the discounted price tickets sold through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app are for the stated performance time of the featured musical/theatrical performance which will always be later on the same date. The discounted price tickets are very limited in quantity and subject to availability sold on a 'first come first served basis'. If either there is:

less that 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold for it, then the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app – either for the same or a different musical/theatrical performance.

PROMOTION PERIOD. You may purchase up 2 discounted price tickets for the featured musical/theatrical performance from as soon as these are marketed within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app. The closing time/deadline for the purchase of such tickets is either: 1 hour until the featured musical/theatrical performance; or all the discounted price tickets have been sold. In either case the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app shall not be able to be unlocked from such point until the following date on which discounted price tickets are available for purchase through the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app.

Only 2 tickets may be purchased for any particular performance per person.

ELIGIBILITY. This sales promotion is open to anyone aged 18 years or over resident in the UK only, who selects the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app, excluding employees of the Promoter and their families, the Promoter's service providers, agents and anyone professionally associated with this sales promotion.

HOW TO PARTICIPATE IN THIS SALES PROMOTION. To participate, please select the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app and post the proposed content about this sales promotion to your registered account with Twitter or Facebook from within the app. If you decide to proceed and post such content then the app will then display a payment page to pay for the discounted price ticket(s). You must then pay for the ticket(s) without delay and always within 1 hour of the relevant performance to secure them (otherwise you will lose the opportunity to purchase them).

All instructions within the 'TodayTix Rush' section of the app will form part of these promotional terms.

THE PROMOTER'S LIABILITY. Except that the Promoter does not exclude or limit its liability for personal injury or death caused by its negligence or for fraudulent misrepresentation or any other liability that may not, by law, be limited or excluded, the Promoter accepts no liability in relation to a participant's participation (or inability to participate) in this sales promotion, including without limitation any use made by a participant of (or inability to use) the purchased ticket(s).

If this sales promotion cannot be executed as planned due to technical problems or circumstances beyond the Promoter's control, the Promoter shall not incur any liability and no payment or ticket(s) of any kind will be awarded.

The Promoter's determination and decision on all matters will be final and no correspondence will be entered into. Any dispute or situation not covered by these promotional terms will be resolved by the Promoter's management in a manner it deems to be the fairest to all concerned and, subject to the following section, that decision will be binding on all participants.

APPLICABLE LAWS AND JURISDICTION. This sales promotion and these promotional terms shall be governed by English law, and a participant agrees that any dispute between him/her and the Promoter regarding this sales promotion or these promotional terms will only be dealt with by the English courts, provided that, if a participant lives in a part of the United Kingdom other than England, the applicable law of that part of the United Kingdom will govern and any dispute will only be dealt with by the courts there.

If any part of these promotional terms is found to be unenforceable as a matter of law, all other parts of these promotional terms shall be unaffected and shall remain in force.

Any queries and comments concerning this sales promotion should be directed in writing to "TodayTix Rush", TodayTix Ltd, UK Limited, 5 New Street Square, London, EC4A 3TW United Kingdom

I unlocked £20 Rush tickets for Marjorie Prime on @TodayTixUK! https://www.todaytix.com/london/shows/27454?share=unlock

Marjorie Prime - LON

Richard Fleeshman (Walter), Anne Reid (Marjorie) - credit Manuel Harlan (2)

Marjorie Prime

Marjorie Prime Poster

New 1

The [Menier Chocolate Factory](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/menier-chocolate-factory) is on something of an American roll these days. Hot on the heels of their transfer to London of solo performer [Alex Edelman’s Off-Broadway hit *Just for Us*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/reviews/alex-edelman-just-for-us-review-menier-chocolate-factory), along comes a second Off-Broadway success: Jordan Harrison’s futuristic *[Marjorie Prime](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27454-marjorie-prime "Marjorie Prime tickets")*, which was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize in 2015. A film version, starring Lois Smith and Jon Hamm, was released in 2017.

I saw the play in New York, as well as the film, and can report that the director Dominic Dromgoole’s current iteration constitutes the eeriest yet. To be fair, that may have to do not only with the assured minimalism on view, but with a world that seems to have caught up with, or possibly even overtaken, the discomfiting scenario proposed by the play. 

We begin in the designer Jonathan Fensom’s wide, wood-panelled set. The view beyond is of a seemingly limitless ocean periodically obscured by the lowering of blinds that seem to mark out various movements in the emotionally discordant chamber music of this four-person play: the show runs a transfixing 75 minutes, no break.

Look properly at the fixed gaze of Richard Fleeshman’s excellently played Walter, and something seems deliberately to be off. Indeed, it isn’t long into his conversation with the superlative Anne Reid, inheriting Smith’s stage and screen role as the Marjorie of the title, before we realise that he is a youthful, strapping AI version of Marjorie’s late husband. In the language of the play, he’s a “prime”.

Marjorie was born in 1977, but is now 85 — which locates the action in 2062. The flesh-and-blood Walter died decades ago, but exists holographically anew to support an increasingly infirm widow, whose memory is as enfeebled as her bladder control. Walter, in turn, only knows what he is told, which rather limits his conversation if not, in Fleeshman’s take on the role, his confidence. 

It’s giving little away to reveal that the dead don’t just walk amongst the living in Harrison’s play but come to displace them (or should I say us) in an android-filled version of what lies ahead that could well be the present-day reality.

Harrison’s play chronicles the cross-over of its quartet — well, three of them anyway — from one realm to another, accompanied by markedly still moments that allow us to absorb the disturbing scenario before us. Dromgoole, to his credit, makes every silence count.

So, too, does a terrific cast in which characters rage against the dying of the light only to find a shivery peace of sorts in the fascinatingly open-ended final scene. Those wanting a drama that ties things up in a neat bow will encounter, instead, a play that traffics in the elliptical and that owes more to Caryl Churchill and even, dare one say, Sartre than to the navel-gazing that often sets American drama apart. 

You’re aware, for instance, of memories tearing at the living that don’t matter to these characters’ AI selves, who possess no back story or awareness beyond what they have been programmed to know. Reid skilfully communicates a dreamy, musically-minded widow in the process of outliving her own body and beset with a tearful daughter, Tess (Nancy Carroll, as emotionally translucent as ever), who at one point remarks “science fiction is here” – and she’s not kidding.

Tess has three children and a college sweetheart (a likeable Tony Jayawardena) for a husband. But no degree of family can deny the feeling, as the husband Jon puts it, that living may well just be “a distraction from death”, a possibility contained within the prevailing hum of David Gregory’s cunning sound design: “the white noise” referenced in the text given aural due. 

Some may find the play, or this production of it, too clinical, notwithstanding snatches of Vivaldi at his most plaintive or nods in the direction of Beyoncé and Julia Roberts to leaven the mood. In fact, I was reminded of the comparably brooding work of the English writer Robert Holman, a defining collaborator of Dromgoole, as Harrison’s play snaps ever more bleakly into focus. 

I mean it as a compliment to *Marjorie Prime* to point out that the questions it poses change dramatically along the way. You start by asking how it might be possible to re-boot life, only to realise that the play’s fuller engagement is with the unnerving half-smiles that signal the play’s acquaintanceship with the unknowable landscape that lies beyond death.  

*Marjorie Prime is at the Menier Chocolate Factory through 6 May. Book Marjorie Prime tickets on London Theatre.*

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27454&content_product_id=27454&venue_id=192)

*Photo credit: Richard Fleeshman and Anne Reid (Photo by Manuel Harlan)*

'Marjorie Prime' review — an eerie look at AI's future potential

Read our four-star review of the Pulitzer-winning play starring Anne Reid at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Get *Marjorie Prime* tickets on London Theatre.

The Menier Chocolate Factory Theatre opened in 2004. It is located in a former 1870s chocolate factory and is made up of a theatre, a rehearsal space, as well as an on-site restaurant and bar. UK premieres at the Menier Chocolate Factory include *Tick, Tick... Boom!*, *The Color Purple* and *The Last Five Years*. Many musicals staged at the Menier Chocolate Factory transfer to the West End, including *Sunday in the Park with George* and *[Fiddler on the Roof](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/fiddler-on-the-roof)*. 

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Menier Chocolate Factory

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Retrograde - LON [27673]

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Ryan Calais Cameron, whose extraordinary play [*For Blacks Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27460-for-black-boys-who-have-considered-suicide-when-the-hue-gets-too-heavy) has become a rare new-writing West End hit, now returns with a new work at the [Kiln Theatre](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatres/kiln-theatre). [*Retrograde*](https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/show/27673-retrograde) dramatises a fascinating, little-known piece of history concerning the trailblazing African-American actor Sidney Poitier.

In this 90-minute, real-time piece set in the 1950s, Sidney is on the verge of his big break. He’d won praise for his role as a student in movie *Blackboard Jungle*, but since then the only parts he’s been offered are servants or thugs. Now he has the opportunity to star in a big network TV movie, playing a proper meaty role — but there’s a terrible catch.

Sidney thinks he’s just come into the office of NBC lawyer Mr. Parks to sign his contract. Instead, he’s questioned about his affiliation with campaigning figures like Martin Luther King and Harry Belafonte (who, coincidentally, passed away this week). There’s a dawning horror for Sidney as he realises he’s been spied on, or that the FBI have an informant close to him.

Parks demands that he sign a loyalty oath and publicly denounce the popular Black entertainer Paul Robeson, whose political activism has put him in the crosshairs of Senator McCarthy and his Red Scare witch hunt. If Sidney refuses, he will be blacklisted. Or, as the hideous Parks has it, he’ll be “Black-blacklisted” — condemned twice, for his race and his supposed communist sympathies. No matter the hypocrisy that his constitutional rights are being violated in the name of beating the anti-democratic Soviet Union.

Cameron powerfully conveys how much this weighs on Sidney. On the one hand, there’s his long struggle to succeed in the industry, and to support his family (he has two children and another on the way); on the other, Robeson has inspired him and countless others, so it would be a monstrous betrayal to his community. Could he live with himself if he sold out?

The third player in this fraught game is the squirrelly screenwriter Bobby. He too is on the verge of a much-needed career break with this movie, and he’s proud to have cast and championed Sidney. He also proclaims his allyship in cringey proclamations like “I am the blackest white guy you know”. But his trumpeted white liberal values waver in the face of Parks’s threats. 

The opening of the play features just Parks and Bobby, and is by far the weakest section, full of sub-Mamet macho bluster and power games. More interesting is how designer Frankie Bradshaw signals their ultimate white-male alliance via their matching striped ties and slicked-back hair. Bobby might think he’s the progressive one, his own man, but he’s about to discover his limitations. 

However, the most riveting figure is of course Sidney himself, brilliantly played by Ivanno Jeremiah. Initially, he behaves with a cautious politeness, all too aware that he’s being held to an unfair higher standard, even as Parks patronises, bullies, and goads him. Not that he’s a pushover: there’s always a sharp intelligence, a cool dignity in Jeremiah’s nuanced performance. 

He’s tremendous, too, in the more emotional latter stages — physically shaking, tears forming as he faces an impossible choice. We can feel the burden he always carries, having to act differently in America because he’s expected to “remember” his lower status, as opposed to his upbringing in the Bahamas where he could just be a man, not a Black man. And now must he surrender his soul, all in the name of “American values”?

There’s a massive cathartic release — for us and for him — when Sidney finally allows himself to get angry, and the passionate intensity of Jeremiah’s delivery makes a didactic speech feel authentic and personal. Elsewhere, though, Cameron’s script is simply too blunt, and he weakens the dramatic tension by making Parks such a cartoonish villain: not just racist and misogynist, but a totally soulless opportunist.

Despite a strong effort from Daniel Lapaine, by the end he ceases to be believable altogether; he is more a foul-mouthed vehicle for vile, cynical thought than a person, so he unbalances the drama. But Ian Bonar has better luck with the well-meaning if fainthearted Bobby, who vacillates between self-interest and sacrifice. 

Bradshaw provides an effective retro office set for Amit Sharma’s taut production, complete with an Abbott and Costello poster and a starburst clock — whose ticking fills those tense silent passages where time is running out for Sidney to decide. And, ironically, the bigoted Parks puts on jazz records when he wants to celebrate. 

That in itself encapsulates Cameron’s provocative ideas around the intersection of politics, culture, and race, in a blistering piece that finds plenty of contemporary parallels in a potent historical tale.

*Retrograde is at the Kiln Theatre through 27 May. Book Retrograde tickets on London Theatre.*

[![Book Tickets CTA - LT/NYTG](//images.ctfassets.net/6pezt69ih962/3qAtGOdQq9x3k1WcHlaJnw/90ece91bbe47ed07e142c2e43c7a7a3f/BookTickets-250.png)](https://ticket.londontheatre.co.uk/booking/calendar?product_id=27673&content_product_id=27673&venue_id=1029)

*Photo credit: Retrograde at the Kiln Theatre (Photo by Marc Brenner)*

'Retrograde' review – Ivanno Jeremiah is riveting as a conflicted Sidney Poitier

Read our four-star review of Ryan Calais Cameron's *Retrograde*, a play about Hollywood actor Sidney Poitier, currently running at the Kiln Theatre through 27 May.

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