2026

“The Hunger Games: On Stage” at the Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre

Now entering its second year, this adaptation of Suzanne Collins’ phenomenal hit has the feel of a tourist attraction. The show has its own purpose-built venue, with plenty of merchandise and costumes on display. It might lack charm, but it is impressive; even some of the seats move (although I’m not sure what that adds). If you like your shows spectacular, then an in-the-round arena is a good place to start.

The setting and grandeur make sense for the story. This teen drama sees youngsters fighting to the death, their sacrifice serving as a form of political control as well as entertainment. The story, and its adaptation by none other than Conor McPherson, has a cynical edge with broad appeal. The villain, President Snow, is a good baddie. I’m just not sure videos of John Malkovich are worth sacrificing a live performance for.

The audience, who seem to have travelled from all over the world, clearly know what is coming, being stalwart fans of the franchise. Our brave heroine, Katniss, has romance to contend with, as well as fellow competitors trying to kill her. And that dastardly President Snow has it in for her, too. There is a nice line in presenting The Hunger Games as a twisted reality TV show, which provides some food for thought.

People do want to see on stage what they have already read and seen in the cinema. There is little point in asking McPherson for a more radical adaptation: his edits are good and the exposition is swift, all capably handled by director Matthew Dunster, with plenty of special effects. The music and choreography are highlights. This would have been exciting to explore more, but, ho hum. The important thing is to keep Collins’ dystopia dark, and that is achieved.

Character and emotion are sacrificed to the breakneck pace and the desire to include all the fan-favourite moments. The cast is capable. Vinnie Copeland and Nathan Stokes make strong leading men, competing for Katniss. There is also a trio of supporting performers who help things along, with varying degrees of success: Isabel Della-Porta and Theo Ogundipe manage to find some depth, while Neil McDermott is too indebted to the screen performance of his character.

Elizabeth Anderson, as Katniss, has little opportunity to establish much connection with the audience, although she can probably lay claim to being the hardest working actor around. She runs laps around the stage, climbs the scaffolding and is repeatedly lifted into the air. Much of it seems to be about being in the right spotlight at precisely the right time. But there are moments when she really moves, and it is a shame there aren’t more of them. Since the audience is already invested, this lack of emotional connection goes largely unnoticed. It’s all very impressive, an essential experience for fans, but unlikely to satisfy anyone who isn’t already interested.

Currently booking until 14 February 2027.

www.thehungergamesonstage.com 

Photo by Johan Persson

2026

Martin Guerre at the Old Vic Theatre

Billed as an exclusive first look at a new version of the musical by Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg, it is easy to see what director Matthew Warchus is aiming for here – and that is usually a good start. His audience is challenged by originality, bold staging, (very French) realism and a serious piece of musical theatre.

The story is simple and familiar: a wastrel steals the identity of a dead friend in the hope of securing a better life. The setting – 16th-century rural France – proves troublesome, with religion, superstition and an obsession with land and wives competing for attention. Possibly, Warchus’s emphasis on just how strange it all is, alongside his focus on patriarchy, is a mistake. At times, there’s an air of The Wicker Man.

For good or ill, a lot sounds familiar. Fans of Les Misérables – and who isn’t one? – will prick up their ears at a few numbers. But Boublil and Schönberg are trying to be adventurous, and the result is interesting. The folk-inspired score, with new lyrics by Annabel Mutale Reed and Paul Hodge, has a martial edge and wants to provoke. The cast have evidently been instructed to deliver power and emotion. They can certainly do that. Liv Andrusier and Shane O’Riordan are good as the leads, while the ensemble is suitably mobbish (pitchforks help).

The show is at its best when it comes to staging. A musical in the round is tricky, but when it works, it can be hugely impressive. Warchus’s use of the space is exemplary. The lighting (credited to Hugh Vanstone, Luca Panetta and Toby Ison) is superb, Lizzi Gee’s choreography is strong, and the restraint of Rob Howell’s design is appropriate. I vaguely remember a revolving stage in the original production (and Ian Glenn falling off it). Achieving similar dynamism, drama and energy with seeming simplicity shows great skill.

Martin Guerre still doesn’t work, though. The emoting becomes grating, the menace fails to convince and the lack of humour makes it hard work. Perhaps the biggest problem is the characters. It’s hard to be interested in the OG Martin, while those in charge of the village are flat. Then there’s the thoroughly unconvincing baddie Guillaume. Barney Wilkinson’s performance yields diminishing returns the more violent the character becomes. Finally, there’s Benoit, the village idiot, surely one of the worst roles in musical theatre. No offence to Colin Ryan, who plays him, but the refrain – and accompanying scary puppet – is irritating and pointless.

This isn’t the first time major changes have been made to Martin Guerre. Warchus deserves admiration for his ambition, and there are some genuinely exciting moments. But I’d be surprised if this version changes many minds about the show, or becomes the big hit everyone once expected. It’s a shame, isn’t it?

Until 31 October 2026

www.oldvictheatre.com

Photo by Helen Maybanks

2026

“The Halo Effect” at the Bread & Roses Theatre

Tackling a big topic with a short play can be impressive. David Edward Keenan’s take on contemporary masculinity has a narrow focus that makes it effective. A smart script, tight direction and two strong performances ensure success.

Keenan’s focus is ‘looksmaxxing’, a part of the ‘manosphere’ popular with ‘incels’ looking to improve their ‘UMax’. And yes, it is helpful that there’s a glossary for the audience beforehand. With its many neologisms, the dialogue is often clunky. To be fair, that might be the way the characters speak. One character, anyway.

The really smart move here is to present two very different sides of the story. Zak Rosen plays Carter, an online influencer who is convincingly manic (do they all have an evangelical streak?). The performance is appropriately scary and steers clear of inviting sympathy for this troubled man.

Far better, we get to see the life of an Irish housewife – no, I didn’t see that coming either. This woman, Dee, has left an abusive marriage, while her son’s teenage rebellion draws him to Carter’s brand of misogyny. But Keenan isn’t heavy-handed, never forcing links and acknowledging differences. Although Julie Coleman, who takes the role, is too young (and I wonder if her wardrobe should be reconsidered), she gives a commanding performance.

Both characters are well written, rather than simply being there to investigate issues. But it is the subject that interests most. The Halo Effect feels well researched, and the insight offered is intelligent (I’d like to know more about Carter’s role as a kind of older brother to his teenage fan). In his conclusion, Keenan can’t quite resist upping the drama. Sticking with a little restraint would have been better. Nevertheless, the piece is strong and ripe for further development.

Until 22 October 2026

www.breadandrosestheatre.co.uk

2026

“Pretty Ugly” at Camden People’s Theatre

Theo Chen’s heartfelt solo cabaret talks us through his young life and search for romance alongside a love of musical theatre. Exploring questions surrounding the nature of beauty, with a raw honesty about feelings of inadequacy, Chen brings plenty of thought to his enjoyable performances of well-known songs. Pretty Ugly is sincere, funny, sentimental and very entertaining.

This is a quick tour through Chen’s school days in Singapore, and his time in Canada and Cambridge, all the while highlighting how songs have helped him through difficult times. It’s a bit of a rush, and director Lim Shien Hian might slow things down. With so many facts, the central question of what attraction means and might be worth gets a little lost. But if the show has a flaw, it’s that I could listen to more. While Chen is under no obligation to educate the audience, a bit more background on Singapore might help, perhaps alongside some exploration of how notions of beauty differ across cultures.

Chen and his musical director and accompanist, George Jackson, do a good job of weaving famous numbers into his story. The singing reveals a performer with a clear knowledge of his ability and a love for the songs that is winning. I think I disagree with Chen about Sondheim’s ‘The Ladies Who Lunch’, although the rendition is strong. But the use of ‘Another Hundred People’, which acts as a refrain to stories about dating and cruising, is quite brilliant.

A word of warning is needed for those who, like me, are opposed to audience participation. To be clear, Chen is very good at this: engaging and never threatening. A bit of a singalong is bearable (anyone can mumble). But getting the whole audience onto the stage is quite a task. If Chen wants an accolade, joining a slow dance on stage is a first for me. And I’ve been in more theatres than he’s seen YouTube clips of Company (and that’s a lot).

I can forgive the (dreaded) A.P. because Chen is gentle with it. And the key to his successful show, possibly, is that he recognises how that gentleness is a strength. Chen’s personality is so strong that criticism comes close to becoming just praise for the performer. He is humble, but smart, studied, yet casual. His communication with the audience makes you feel as if you’re spending time with a friend. And, yes, that’s a beautiful thing.

Until 16 October 2026

www.cptheatre.co.uk

Photo by *SCAPE

2026

“The Hungry Ghost” at the Bush Theatre

Mei Leng Yew’s new play covers a lot of ground with great success. As well as the promised scares, rooted in Chinese folklore, it is a romance, with a young couple moving in together at the very moment one of them becomes possessed. Best of all, alongside its intriguing premise, it is funny.

One twist is that actor Mei Mac takes on the roles of the ‘Girl’ and her lover, creating sweet, gentle moments. Mei also plays her mother, brother and, well, just about everyone in the show. Switching roles during conversations, never losing focus or sacrificing clarity, she gives an awe-inspiring performance, with so many accents I lost count.

Mac is joined by Isabella Wei as the Ghost. This is a different kind of supernatural creature – a spook it’s possible to like! The spectre has sensible ideas about British bread and working for a living. Driven only by desire – sex and food – Wei embodies these passions marvellously. The role develops from scary to sympathetic, creating a powerful dynamic and some surprises.

There’s plenty of drama as the Ghost becomes dangerous. Cheng Keng and Carla Ng’s lighting and sound design are particularly effective. Director Ailin Conant keeps the pace swift, but allows moments of reflection when romance comes to the fore, giving the audience time to increase their affection for the characters.

The Hungry Ghost comes into conflict with modern life, allowing Yew to make observations about the diaspora, parenting, mental health, youth and gay life. The satire around the girl’s partner being a therapist could be expanded. And if some issues are resolved too quickly, that only makes the show sweeter. Yew’s themes are handled lightly. Comedy is the key, producing a piece with a gentle touch that leaves the audience feeling full. Even the ghost ends up satisfied (kind of) and I, for one, am happy for her.

Until 31 October 2026

www.bushtheatre.com

Photos by Corrine Cumming

2026

“Affluenza” at the Riverside Studios

Andy Sandberg’s drama is a think piece, directed by the author himself and well-acted. Covering plenty of topical concerns, it follows Dillon, a privileged teenager who causes an awful accident while driving drunk. There’s a lot to discuss but, ultimately, the piece says very little.

Sandberg is good at starting a debate, providing numerous perspectives that lead to fine performances. Affluenza is enjoyable enough. Dillon’s awful parents, the mother of one victim, and the father of another, are all worth watching. And there’s the lawyer, played by a convincing Rupert Young, who comes up with the defence that gives the play its title: Dillon is so privileged, his moral compass so warped, that he cannot be held responsible for his actions.

'Affluenza' at Riverside Studios 2 Photo credit Danny Kaan
Noah Schnapp

If the legal case – or the psychology behind the titular condition – doesn’t convince, you’re allowed to be sceptical. We can all join the outrage and scoff. The problem is that not much is done with the idea dramatically. Too many of the characters are flat, present just to put a point of view forward. Dillon, played by Stranger Things star Noah Schnapp, isn’t given much to work with. Donald Sage Mackay has a strong scene at a press conference, where we hear what he is thinking alongside what he says. But it is only Juliet Cowan who manages to eke out both satire and emotion, taking on two roles with the greatest skill.

After the interval, the play improves. The action is, surely, deliberately disorientating, so a plot spoiler seems unfair: let’s just say we fast-forward to see Dillon possess a new kind of privilege with a new set of problems. Young and Wallis Currie-Wood have more to do here and take on the task valiantly. Cowan is great again. But how the situations connect isn’t clear. Is Dillon’s later life supposed to be a punishment? The fate of Dillon’s son, while providing another character for Schnapp to explore, is again underdeveloped.

Showing that money can influence justice isn’t much of an exposé. While the predictable outcome of the trial could easily be the point, it isn’t a great surprise. By making both the accident and what happens to Dillon when he grows up so extreme, Sandberg distances us from the events as well as characters. It becomes too easy to dismiss what is happening rather than engage with it.

Until 21 November 2026

www.riversidestudios.co.uk

Photo by Danny Kaan

2026

“Conflict of Interest” at the Hen and Chickens Theatre

There’s a good idea behind Thomas Carruthers’ play: a legal drama that focuses on the lawyers’ office rather than the courtroom. Professional rivalry, sordid secrets and three glamorous women give it a strangely old-fashioned feel. Overall, it’s an entertaining piece of work.

Carruthers packs in an excess of detail, but his effort reaps rewards. The slow build adds charisma to his part in the piece as successful criminal defence lawyer Art Carmichael. We hear plenty about his colleague and his neuroses, and William Leggetter makes this role interesting. As for the women, three strong performances from Maeve-Anne Allen, Amy Cash and Rhian Holmes help to disguise weaker characterisation. Allen’s chemistry is great, Holmes’ Southern belle is effective and Cash brings a pleasing subtlety to her role.

Art’s wife is a former client who may have killed her father; his new client admits she murdered her husband; and we are left to wonder whether men’s ambitious intern really be as sweet as she seems. The women aren’t far from femme fatales. Carruthers attempts to solve this by bringing in modern considerations about abuse, which raises the stakes considerably. The performances become passionate, but the dialogue isn’t always convincing.

The mix of hard-boiled drama and sleaze is a touch too much. It’s as if the 1950s got very rude – interesting, if odd. Although the play is set in the 1980s, Carruthers clearly doesn’t care much for the decade (I don’t blame him), and some of his ideas about the period’s social mores are surely off. That said, there’s plenty of atmosphere, some humour, and a cast that clearly enjoys its roles.

A bigger problem is the lack of intrigue. The show is too much of a slow burn. The script needs cuts, and director Jazz Sewsanker needs to speed things up. The added music also needs dropping, especially when characters are speaking. As the men in the show grow increasingly paranoid, Conflict of Interest becomes a competition for victimhood. Who you are meant to feel for might be a little obvious – and sympathy for Art is a bit too hard to find. But as a study in delusion and victimisation, the play offers interesting twists, capably handled.

Until 3 October 2026

For tickets click here

2026, Uncategorised

“Darkling” at the Bush Theatre

Titas Halder’s play tells the story of the Bhopal chemical disaster through the experience of one nameless character. Giving this woman, from one of India’s lowest castes, a potent voice and focusing on her in such detail is stirring. At first, the poetry used to describe her difficult life includes moments of childhood joy and chances for a better future. The vivid descriptions are strong on colour and the sense of touch.

This is a huge role for one performer, not least as 90 minutes is a very long monologue. Taking on the challenge, Linnea Berthelsen secures respect but, unfortunately, there are moments when she does not do the script justice. The delivery is sometimes rushed, repetitious and, perhaps, nervous. Performing as a wide-eyed child, the naivety comes close to grating. And some of the script, especially at the end of a thought, is hard to hear, which is frustrating.

Berthelsen gets a lot of help. Matthew Xia’s direction is unflinching, embracing the brutal realities of the piece. The minimal set and lighting design, from Simon Kenny and Rajiv Pattani, are strangely beautiful, and the use of dry ice is particularly effective. Berthelsen also improves as her character grows up. Scenes of the disaster are done well, while her life afterwards – difficult to comprehend let alone perform – is depicted with a passion and skill the actor should be proud of.

The aftermath of the chemical spill gets relatively little time, but is uncomfortably intense. After a miscarriage, there is also a stillborn baby. The question arises: is that the depth of the cruelty here? It isn’t just what happens to this woman or her fears for the future we are asked to face. It is the destruction of hope. It’s a bold move for a playwright. And while it risks being simply bleak, Darkling carries that danger proudly.

Until 24 October 2026

www.bushtheatre.co.uk

Photo by Alex Brenner

2026

“Kimberly Akimbo” at the Hampstead Theatre

The heroine’s full name in this Tony Award-winning show is an anagram of “cleverly akimbo”. And that pretty much sums up what’s going on. David Lindsay-Abaire’s intelligent take on the high-school musical, which brings a different perspective to the genre, with music by Jeanine Tesori, is close to fantastic.

There are some excellent songs: for the school choir quartet, a budding romance and a fantastic finale to the first act. The lyrics are smart and, like the score, always interesting. Michael Longhurst’s direction is assured; the set, by Soutra Gilmour, is superb, and every performance deserves praise. So why any reservations?

The show’s big twist is that an older performer plays the sixteen-year-old lead. This isn’t blind casting: Maria Friedman takes the titular role because the character has a genetic disease that ages her. It’s the antidote to shows where kids’ problems are just problems for kids. Kimberly’s limited life expectancy is real; we know this is going to get grim. Friedman embraces the challenge, sounds great and is a true star. She is joined by the school’s “good boy” Seth, a fantastic performance from Gilli Jones, and the exploration of their tentative romance is as smart as it is sweet.

It should be enough. But Lindsay-Abaire adds more. Kimberly’s parents are troubled, not just by their child’s condition but by a criminal subplot that the kids are drawn into, and a family divide that is dismissed too awkwardly. It makes uncomfortable roles for Alice Fearn, Peter Hannah and Niamh Perry, who try hard but never seem to know how useless and nasty they are supposed to be (my answer would be very). There’s a similar issue with the choir. These are strong performances – from Sara Hajizadeh, Ronav Jaim, Robin Simões da Silva and Aviva Tulley – but it isn’t quite clear how interested we are supposed to be in these thin characters.

The distractions still manage to be fun. Fearn deserves special praise for bringing some restraint to her role. They make sure the tragic heroine isn’t the only surprise in Kimberly Akimbo. Dark humour and bleak moments meet sincerity and sentimental touches. There are simple lessons alongside an acknowledgment of how messy life can be. If credulity is pushed too far for some tastes, Kimberly has no choice but to grow up fast. Her tragedy brings the show to a strong conclusion: not great or grand, bittersweet, of course, but very special in its own way.

Until 7 November 2026

www.hampsteadtheatre.co.uk

Photo by Marc Brenner

2026

“Bigfoot Ripped My Dog In Half I Saw It” at the Soho Theatre

It is impossible to deny the energy in this fringe hit. It’s written and devised by its performers, Xhloe Rice and Natasha Roland, who bound around the stage with impressive gymnastics and embody numerous roles. Their hard work is clear, their physical skill admirable and their efforts contagious. The duo command their stage, and the show is packed with moments and a soundtrack that’s sure to prove memorable. It is a real shame that the problems in the piece cannot be disguised by such antics. Despite the clear talent involved, we never break out of a sketchy treatment.

The story is not easy to follow. Two teenage friends claim that the cause of a road accident is a Sasquatch, and their little lie rapidly expands. Hysteria hits their “three-traffic-light town”, there are more sightings and people become scared. A lot of this is well done, especially the quick switches between characters. Some excellent lighting and sound design reflect the mania. But there’s a thinness to the characters – even in our lead protagonists, who talk a lot about Dairy Queens – while a sheriff with a backstory feels like a missed opportunity. It all ends up just a little too puzzling.

The sense of place is vague (to me, anyway), with a flood having rendered the town’s water supply dangerous. The treatment of its inhabitants borders on caricature, and the attempts at humour through this are unsuccessful. Thankfully, there is more going on than simply mocking the locals, who join in with the lie, each with their own motivations in mind.

The show’s strengths come in sections showing political pressure and the involvement of a government agency called the Crisis Response Team. The idea that the truth is being played with, and that fear is being enjoyed and manipulated, is interesting. A final suggestion that Bigfoot might be real – or at least real now that the stories have created it – could be explored more. The show comes close to moments that are both sensible and sinister. That combination intrigues, but too much gets in the way.

Until 26 September 2026

www.sohotheatre.com

Photo by Jennifer Forward Hayter