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“Bones” at the Park Theatre

Lewis Aaron Wood’s well-intentioned play is elevated by the work of director Daniel Blake. If this examination of the mental health problems of a rugby player – Ed – is not as insightful as might be hoped, Blake’s staging is strong, and his cast’s performances are impressive.

Aaron Wood has focus, and Bones is neatly written. While the dialogue is occasionally stilted, this reflects the play’s characters, who are believable, if not compelling. Ed says surprisingly little about his depression and anxiety, or even his recently dead mother. Of course, reticence is part of the point. But interactions with family and friends show his problems are a poorly kept secret, so tension in the piece doesn’t work dramatically.

Ed cannot manage an “injury that doesn’t heal”, and the connection between physical and mental health, highlighted through sport, shouldn’t be a revelation to anyone. Moreover, the machismo of the rugby team is well-trodden ground. Instead, it is when Aaron Wood writes about the game itself that the script takes off. Presenting rugby as a “safe space” is a smart irony.

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Ronan Cullen

While the play is better on sport than on mental health, there are plenty of secure performances to be proud of, especially in Ronan Cullen, who takes the lead and complements the script. Cullen does not stress his character’s pain – Ed wouldn’t do that – but he brings an intensity to the role that is commanding. Ed’s friends make strong roles for Ainsley Fannen and Samuel Hoult. Fannen brings out some laddish humour well (another strong point of the script), while showing us a silly but sensitive young man. Hoult’s character also convinces, but it’s a shame the dynamic of his being slightly older isn’t explored more. Last but by no means least is the hardworking James Mackay, who takes on multiple roles including Ed’s father, another character who could easily be developed.

The talented cast excels when it comes to Blake’s ambitious direction of scenes on the rugby pitch. The physicality is hugely impressive, with everyone throwing, catching, forming scrums and tackling one another. These scenes, enhanced by Eliza Willmott’s sound design, are hugely effective and almost frightening in such a small theatre! While this is an uneven show, the games and training are brilliantly depicted and match Aaron Wood’s most inspired moments.

Until 22 July 2023

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Photo by Charles Flint

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“Crazy for You” at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

Billed as a ‘new’ Ira and George Gershwin show when it premiered in 1992, based on the musical Girl Crazy but with extra songs, Crazy for You is as solid a piece of theatre as you could wish for. Ken Ludwig’s book uses a neat plot that provides plenty of comedy as well as room for gorgeous tunes and great dance numbers. In short, it’s a safe bet, but add a star like Charlie Stemp and this production becomes special.

Stemp plays Bobby Child, desperate to break out of banking and into a dance career, pointing out how great theatre is along the way (always nice to hear). This involves Bobby putting on his own show – literally saving a theatre – while masquerading as a producer for comic effect. And there’s romance, with Bobby falling in love with (guess) the show-within-a-show’s leading lady. Simple? Remember, Stemp must be a comic and romantic lead, while singing and dancing… and he really can do it all.

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Charlie Stemp and Tom Edden

Make no mistake – this whole cast is strong. Carly Anderson is leading lady Polly, sounding sweet and graceful with every move (she wears slacks like a ball gown). Polly has independence, but you can’t escape that the role is there to provide swoon and Anderson delivers. Natalie Kassanga’s Irene has her eye on Bobby, with fun results – her voice is so strong you really want the role expanded. And there’s a great comic turn from Tom Edden as a theatre impresario Bobby impersonates. The humour throughout is old-fashioned (bolstered by strong cameos from Sam Harrison and Rina Fatania as two restaurant reviewers), but thoroughly entertaining.

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Rina Fatania and Sam Harrison

Susan Stroman, the show’s original choreographer, adds director to her credits for this revival (which began at the Chichester Festival Theatre) and paces the action with confidence. Excitingly, Stroman’s knowledge of the piece results in some risks: the dancing is a bit bonkers! Occasionally fevered, full of wit as well as plenty of acrobatics, it is value-for-money stuff. There are new orchestrations, too (from Doug Besterman and Mark Cumberland), which emphasise percussion to a bold degree.

Best of all, Stroman uses her star for all he’s worth – and that is a lot. Aside from being one of the best singers and dancers around, with that prized skill of making it all look easy, Stemp can get a laugh and make emotions genuine. Crazy for You isn’t Shakespeare (despite a touch of Twelfth Night with its wooing in disguise), but the love affair convinces. Maybe Stemp appeals because he seems to be having so much fun? That enjoyment makes him perfect casting for a role that focuses on a love of theatre and gives the whole production an infectious joy.

Until 20 January 2024

www.crazyforyoumusical.com

Photos by Johan Persson

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“A Strange Loop” at the Barbican Theatre

Michael R Jackson’s Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning musical is one of the most anticipated pieces of theatre this year. First produced off-Broadway in 2019, it has arrived in London relatively quickly along with rhapsodic reviews. With an exciting score, it is riotously funny, provocative and extremely clever. Although you might say that A Strange Loop is extreme all-round.

If you’ve heard about the show already, it will probably be about its meta-theatricality, which we’ve seen before, but maybe not to this extent. A Strange Loop is a musical about writing not one but two musicals. Usher (our hero goes by his job title) is a young, impoverished composer, who has taken on ghost-writing a Tyler Perry-style show for cash while also working on a personal project about… himself.

Here’s where the big theme of identity comes in. The show’s title comes from cognitive science and a theory about our conception of the ‘I’ – that our construction of ‘self’ is illusory. Yet there’s plenty of reality for Usher, who sings about being black, gay, feminine, poor and plus-size, plus the size of his penis. A lot of this is amusing and, when it comes to his troubled sex and family life, also moving. But if it sounds like a lot… well, it is.

Plenty in A Strange Loop is close to the bone. There is a rawness to the observations about race and sex that makes the writing and central performance from Kyle Ramar Freeman hugely impressive. As well as sounding fantastic while singing the complex, dense songs, Ramar Freeman’s acting is incredible. And the part is huge – he’s only offstage for the quickest of costume changes.

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Kyle Ramar Freeman

Usher is joined by his ’thoughts’ – six more performers are needed to do justice to the complexity of this character! But they are more than a great-sounding chorus for an internal dialogue, taking on the roles of imaginary characters and people in Usher’s life. And note, the ‘thoughts’ don’t just play Usher’s family – they play the stereotyped versions of them in Usher’s head. This can be confusing, so credit to director Stephen Brackett for making the show as clear as can be, but those layers are part of the point. Jackson is ruthless when it comes to stereotypes. The fact that A Strange Loop is very rude isn’t the only thing that makes it uncomfortable.

Thinking of complaining? There are some genuinely shocking lyrics and situations. So much so that the humour is a tough call at times. Does it all go too far (even some of the characters ask for it to stop)? But Jackson uses upsetting instances of homophobia and racism intelligently. Whatever criticism you think about the music or attitude – Jackson has it covered, not least in a brilliant scene where the ‘thoughts’ transform into the ‘Second Coming of Sondheim Society’ to criticise his work.

Jackson’s is a harsh look at gay and black culture, neither of which seem to offer Usher any kind of support. Lyrics are often sung to tunes whose jauntiness seems cruel, but the beef can’t be said to be superficial. The arguments, as well as the jokes, are detailed, flooding out from the script in a way that is astonishingly accomplished. Praise again to all the performers for managing so well – not a single number is easy to perform. Yes, Jackson is way ahead of us, but it seems that is a lonely place to be. A vein of sorrow, alongside anger, runs through the piece.

So how much of the show’s appeal comes from extremes? Aside from the fact that we seldom see characters like Usher represented on stage, the frankness with which issues are tackled is remarkable. A Strange Loop is a show you want to start again as soon as it has finished. But is that just because it is so complex? Time will tell. It’s hard to get over the surprise of hearing lyrics like “the second wave feminist in me is at war with the dick-sucking black gay man”, let alone finding yourself humming it on the way home.

Until 9 September 2023

www.barbican.org

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“42nd Street” at Sadler’s Wells

Here is a revival that is happy with its source material. First seen in 1980, based on the 1933 film, and using the hits of Harry Warren (with lyrics from Al Dubin and Johnny Mercer), 42nd Street has always been an exercise in nostalgia. That doesn’t make it better or worse than current productions such as Guys & Dolls or Oklahoma! ,which feature memorable innovations. The show is a comfortable one and hugely entertaining. You know what to expect and director Jonathan Church delivers.

The simple plot and corny jokes in Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble’s book are embraced. If it feels like you already know the story of ingénue Peggy Sawyer, catapulted to fame from her place in the chorus line, it’s still a giggle to watch. The performance here, from the hugely talented Nicole-Lily Baisden is superb. From audition, rehearsals and then taking the lead in the show within a show – Peggy’s is a triumph the whole audience gets behind.

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Nicole Lily Baisden

The backstage shenanigans, the imperious star Dorothy Brock (Ruthie Henshall) and tyrannical director Julian Marsh (Adam Garcia), are all three guilty pleasures. And there’s a lovely romance for Peggy – why wouldn’t there be? – with tenor Billy Lawlor (Sam Lips). The performances have a justified confidence. And, a personal favourite, there’s Josephina Gabrielle (as writer/producer Maggie Jones), who always manages to make a comic song that little bit funnier.

The songs are fantastic. It’s amazing how so many, written so long ago, are still recognised. The singing is, appropriately, old fashioned (the men often come close to crooning). Any opportunity to belt out a zinger is taken – as it should be. And the orchestra does it all proud. The show sounds great – fulsome and full of wit. There’s a lighthearted humour in the sound of the songs themselves that matches the silly goings-on.

Innovation does come, with the choreography from Bill Deamer and Rob Jones, which makes the show, originally from The Curve in Leicester, at home in Sadler’s Wells. The tap dancing is top notch. And alongside plenty of easy assurance, there are rigid movements that evoke exercise or even military precision. It’s a neat way to bring out the show’s preoccupation with effort behind the scenes. And a nice nudge that relaxed smiles belie huge effort – a good old-fashioned showbiz touch – to remind you that you really should applaud loudly.

Until 2July 2023

www.sadlerswells.com

Photo by Johan Persson

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“Dear England” at the National Theatre

Football is not my thing. But, like a lot of sports, the beautiful game (that’s what people who like it call it, don’t you know) makes good theatre. Director Rupert Goold’s production of James Graham’s new play has a lot of energy and brings out the drama on the field and behind the scenes. Even if sports psychology and penalty shootouts don’t excite you, they work well on stage.

Tracking the England team’s recent history, there’s a neat theatrical parallel as our hero, manager Gareth Southgate, talks of “storytelling”. Using a psychologist, Pippa Grange, and building team spirit has long-term aims to create a new narrative. The duo, by far the main protagonists, prove inspirational, with excellent performances from Joseph Fiennes and Gina McKee that make them easy to root for.

It seems that the team’s problem is expectation and what’s needed is “learning how to lose”. The reasoning is presented clearly and leads to moving moments. Time is spent over Southgate’s own personal trauma from missing a penalty. And emphasis on the players’ youth is smart. If issues of racism and sexism might be explored more, seeing the people behind the players is a sound move.

The football team parallels a theatrical ensemble and here close-knit performances of multiple roles are consistently strong. Such praise comes despite my not appreciating the show’s humour. Nearly every character is a famous face. If, like me, you don’t know them, the audience reaction is baffling. Let’s just report that the loose impersonations go down very well indeed. Will Close’s Harry Kane is a particular standout.

Graham is a political playwright and obviously wants his work to be about more than football. Beneath the team’s problem is the idea of English exceptionalism – thinking we will win despite evidence to the contrary. Hinting at a connection to wider political events does not always convince, and brief appearances from prime ministers seem wasted. But the wish to question what it is to be English, as you are about to represent England, seems sensible enough. Staging the play at the nation’s theatre is fitting.

Like Southgate it seems, Graham wants to raise questions. The play grows in power as a result. A letter by Southgate, which inspires the play’s title and is judiciously quoted, makes big claims – compassion and change are highlighted. The focus is on optimism (which makes a nice change nowadays). Goold’s expansive energy complements this perfectly. Despite not winning the World Cup, the play ends on sense of hope that is bigger than football. And that’s a great goal.

Until 11 August 2023

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“The Third Man” at the Menier Chocolate Factory

The creative crew for this new musical thriller, based on Graham Greene’s spy classic, cannot fail to impress. The book and lyrics are by the renowned Don Black and Christopher Hampton. The music is from none other than George Fenton. And Trevor Nunn himself directs. The experience behind the show is almost intimidating and the result of all this consummate skill makes it hard to find flaws. With one caveat.

Black and Hampton do their strong source material proud. The story of old friends Holly Martins and Harry Lime in post-war Vienna is well known but thrilling. Greene’s themes of innocence and corruption become vivid, the moral dilemmas vital. There are strong moments of absurdity and cruel humour while exposing villainy. The lyrics may not excite, but they are a model of clarity. Best of all, the characters are fantastic.

Martins describes himself as a “hack writer who drinks too much”. But he is much more and, as Sam Underwood’s fraught performance in this enormous role reveals, he intrigues. Is he a hapless figure who finds the desperation on the streets of Vienna contagious? Or is he troubled on arrival? There’s something unnerving as well as innocent about the laugh Underwood employs. And, as the night goes on, he genuinely looks ill.

Lime appears late in the story, but the criminal mastermind looms large over everything. Simon Bailey’s charisma in the role – and a jaunty entrance number – make the wait for his arrival worth it. The stage is electric whenever Bailey occupies it. Meanwhile, the bigger winner in making the story a musical is the love interest, Anna. Performed with skill by Natalie Dunne, the character has a satisfying agency. And as a cabaret singer she provides some humour. The big idea is to emphasis the romance in The Third Man.

The love songs are some of the score’s finest moments, though Fenton’s music is accomplished throughout. If there aren’t enough memorable tunes for all tastes, this is an erudite score to study. Full of references and interest, it sets time and place with intelligence. The theme tune of the film (by Anton Karan) does appear – oh, so, very well placed – but its inclusion is the least of Fenton’s achievements.

Final praise is for Nunn’s direction – big and ambitious, despite the small venue. Nunn is too enthralled by the famous film – it was by Carol Reed, after all! Which cannot apply to Rebecca Howell’s choreography, at its best in more manic moments. Paul Farnsworth’s set and costumes are appropriate studies in shades of grey. Add Emma Chapman’s lighting design and it all looks very stylish. If the action is followed too faithfully, the amount packed on to the stage is fantastic.

With all this undoubted ability, where is my reservation? This crew knows what it’s doing and has created a grown-up musical that is credible. Nor can you question the amount of work behind the show or on stage from a committed ensemble. Not only does everyone run around (a lot), it is clear that every decision is considered. But – it is a strange flaw to find – that becomes the problem. There’s no spark, no adventure. Everything runs so very well that there is nothing unexpected. So, while The Third Man is a musical to admire, it is not, theatrically, a thriller.

Until 9 September 2023

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Photo by Manuel Harlan

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“School Girls; Or, The African Mean Girls Play” at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

Jocelyn Bioh’s play soars above the average high school drama because of its brilliant comedy and its Ghanaian setting. The plot is deceptively simple and playfully predictable, as well as remarkably effective and hugely entertaining. For this UK première, the play is, also, brilliantly performed.

With its subtitle nodding at a Hollywood film (American culture looms large over these children’s lives), the schoolgirls of the title have the kind of cliques you find the world over. Bioh has written fantastic characters led by Paulina (Tara Tijani), who is the school Queen Bee and nasty with it. But from the start, none of her followers are that meek, which leads to a lot of humour. Ama may be the first to answer back, but Gifty and Mercy have minds of their own, and Nana rebels quickly. It is the entrance of new girl, Ericka, that sets up the drama, and more great jokes follow.

The performances are accomplished. Led by Tijani, Heather Agyepong, Francesca Amewudah-Rivers, Bola Akeju and Jadesola Odunjo (a cracking stage debut) convince as a clique full of tension and discontent. Anna Shaffer is also superb as the new arrival, carefully revealing her character’s life story.

Every line is made the most of, but that’s only half the fun – reactions to the insults or slights are brilliant. Pay attention and keep your eyes peeled. Director Monique Touko has engendered detailed performances that are a delight.

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Deborah Alli and Alison A Addo

The teens are funny in their naivety (the 1986 setting adds here) but competing in an international beauty contest becomes a big deal for Paulina. She isn’t the only one taking it seriously. A recruiter, a former pupil at the school and Miss Ghana 1966 herself, turns up. Alongside the school’s admirable headmistress, these are two strong roles for Deborah Alli and Alison A Addo, who anchor the show and provide the potential for debate – the contest can change lives, but at what cost?

The highlight of the show is a trial pageant. Given the 1980s fashion, costume designer Kinnetia Isidore is the real winner here but, after a singing section (that reduced me to tears), we get a twist that emphasises the racism and colourism these characters face.

Paulina is revealed as “crazy and desperate” – the lies we’ve been laughing at are truly pathetic. And, sadly, Paulina knows it. When she tells the fairer-skinned Ericka: “the world has already decided you are better than me”, it is heart breaking. The end of the show is bravely downbeat and the energy Touko has kept so electric plummets, but it serves to illustrate how perfectly controlled the whole production has been – top marks all around.

Until 15 July 2023

www.lyric.co.uk

Photos by Manuel Harlan

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“The Mikado” at Wilton’s Music Hall

Fans of genius director Sasha Regan (there’s a clue there about how I feel) will be thrilled that her 2017 version of the Gilbert and Sullivan operetta is back. This show is as smart and witty as it is charming and tender. If you haven’t seen one of her all-male productions yet, they really are a fantastic night out.

With The Mikado, Regan has changed a little more than usual. There are lots of very good new lyrics, as the original Japanese setting has been abandoned. Instead, a group of youngsters on a camping trip – putting on a show – decide on an “undefined” location for their fictional romps. Don’t worry, it’s still the same topsy-turvy world where sweethearts Declan Egan’s Nanki-Poo, renamed Bertie Hugh, and Sam Kipling’s Yum-Yum, now Miss Violet Plum, are threatened by all manner of dotty laws.

As for the telling of the silly story, the troop of boys say they are trying their best, using their imagination… how sweet! Those taking female roles roll up their shorts and grab some flowers for their hair, there are cricket bats and tennis rackets and a lot of fun with a tent that moves around the stage.

The make-do-and-mend aesthetic belies designer Ryan Dawson Laight’s clever work, which raises smiles and is full of invention. The cut-out forest background – cue shadowy figures running around – and skilful lighting all add to a dreamy summer night feel.

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Christopher Hewitt

There’s so much detail, and so much of it leads to laughs. Lewis Kennedy’s Geordie Mikado and David McKechnie’s Harold Steptoe-inspired Mr Cocoa are accomplished performers who are a delight to watch closely. Christopher Hewitt has a brilliant turn as Kitty Shaw (formerly Katisha) complete with a bicycle. As for getting Hewitt to sing while pumping a deflated wheel… what a great idea!

It’s all hugely entertaining. But Regan wants to make sure heart strings are still pulled in the way Gilbert and Sullivan intended. Maybe that’s one reason Hewitt is such a highlight – hilarious but leaving room for us to have sympathy for Kitty. The show is, magically, romantic through the superb work of musical director and pianist Anto Buckley who, along with Egan and Kipling, makes the show sound swoon worthy.

Regan knows Gilbert and Sullivan so well and respects each and all of their creations, so no character is ignored. Note how Owen Clayton and Richard Russell Edwards stand out as Violet’s friends. Rivals at any opportunity, both are very funny and magnetic whenever they are on stage. Regan creates a kind of generosity that her cast responds to appropriately so that an infectious atmosphere of enjoyment radiates from the stage. These are happy campers – on stage – and in the audience.

Until 1 July 2023

www.wiltons.org.uk

Photos by Mark Senior

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“Paper Cut” at the Park Theatre

Andrew Rosendorf’s story of Kyle, a badly injured soldier, is a big play about an awful lot of pain. The piece might explain more about the particulars of its 2011 setting – the U.S. war on terror and the ‘don’t ask don’t tell’ policy for LGBTQ military. And it might go into more detail about post-traumatic stress. But Paper Cut impresses in the effort to broaden concerns into the topic of identity. Examinations of trauma, family, and masculinity all play a part.

The acting in this production is strong. Callum Mardy takes the lead with a brave performance as Kyle. The character is pained and shocked by his injuries but also by his past. Dealing with his childhood as well as what happened in Iraq is overwhelming – for the audience as well as the character – but Mardy manages to show us the man behind the trauma alongside how events have shaped him. 

As a study of machismo, the title is a ridiculous downplaying of Kyle’s injuries, Paper Cut is discomforting. Emasculation here is literal and addressed frankly. Time is also spent on showing how work and patriotism shape identity and both prove, by turns, moving and frustrating. The way Kyle betrayed his brother, and in turn feels he was betrayed in Iraq, are both shocking moments that need unpacking.

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Prince Kundai

It seems an open question as to how much Kyle struggles with his sexuality, at least as an adult. An affair with his comrade Chuck, played by Prince Kundai, has flashback scenes that bristle with intimacy and tenderness. Kundai is a hugely exciting performer who gives an emotional portrayal with light touches. But the difficulties both men face when back home mean pursuing the romance is a step too far dramatically.

There’s also exceptionally strong support from Joe Bollard as Kyle’s estranged brother; a heartrending scene that explains their troubled background is matched by equally powerful, quieter, moments exploring how their relationship is changing. And there is a neat turn for Tobie Donovan who shows some strong comic skills as a gauche friend from High School.

Director Scott Hurran brings steely nerves and tight control to a script that sometimes overreaches. It would be easy to have everyone shouting and crying all the time…but it wouldn’t be convincing. You might say the approach is calm – for all the tragedy of events and high emotions – the pace is thoughtful and with so much going on that is smart. Hurran gives the play and his performers time to breathe so that the back and forth between events past and present has a bold rhythm. Paper Cut is sometimes difficult to watch but it is easy to recommend.

Until 1 July 2023

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Photos by Stefan Hanegraaf

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“The Curious Case of Benjamin Button” at the Southwark Playhouse

F. Scott Fitzgerald’s short story about a man who ages backwards is brought to the theatre with commendably little fuss. Nothing is unstageable, but the mind-boggling idea here is handled lightly by relying on the great skill of Jamie Parker who takes the title role. And the adaptation has another surprise – the story is now a musical.

The folk music, by Darren Clark, inspired by the Cornish setting of the story, is great. The sound is impressively large, and it isn’t too fanciful to say the sea is the inspiration: the music roars but also comforts, rages and lulls. The tunes have instant appeal and boast moments wistful and toe tapping. The songs do follow a formula that might prove repetitious on a soundtrack but works well live. As for the performances – they are very special.

The show uses a dozen actor musicians who all embrace the chance to show off a variety of characters while sounding fantastic. Such talent often impresses, but I lost count of how many times this lot changes instruments. And the choreography is ambitious too; Chi-San Howard should be proud. Everyone weaves around the stage beautifully in Jethro Compton’s assured direction, working with fluidity and confidence.

The technique of using the cast as narrators is overused, though. And there’s too much detail: telling us the date, or how much time has passed, or highlighting a “chain of events” – each is handled cleverly – but all feature too often. The show’s strong ideas end up tainted by being repeated.

As a contrast, you couldn’t get enough of Parker. Depicting Button getting younger with great skill is never overstated. It’s an emotional performance that aids the show immeasurably. And Parker is helped by his co-stars, especially the strong work from his character’s mother and wife, played by Philippa Hogg and Molly Osborne.

Hopefully it isn’t too much of a plot spoiler to reveal that Button’s mother ends up committing suicide – it’s important to know that the show has dark moments. It could be a problem for Compton’s book that the conclusion is a downer. Button has his unhappy end pointed out to him from the start – defying his father is part of the point. Efforts to show this “little life” as a kind of triumph don’t quite convince, the show’s energy runs down. After such strong work, with so much to recommend it, it is odd to leave the theatre deflated. But the piece is undoubtedly moving and the work here top notch.

Until 1 July 2023

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photo by Juan Coolio