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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

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“Patriots” at the Noël Coward Theatre

Peter Morgan, of Frost/Nixon and The Crown fame, is an expert at dramatising modern history. This hit transfer from the Almeida Theatre takes the story of Boris Berezovsky, looking at oligarchs and recent transformations in Russia, to make a smart, entertaining show.

The play has ambition and covers a lot of ground. It isn’t just Berezovsky’s life and death but a whole country we are asked to consider. And you might like to think Patriots is about political systems; even why the world is how it is right now.

How successful this balance of big and small is can be debated. You learn a lot about Berezovksy, some about Russia, but not so much about oligarchy and democracy. No matter how deftly produced – and it is well done – Patriots gets sketchy.

Taking the biography first, Morgan rattles through Berezovsky’s life and gives us a portrait of a clever and charismatic man who is hard to like but easy to watch. The lead performance from Tom Hollander is stunning, highlighting the demons that drive the character and making the most of some devilishly good lines.

If Berezovsky seems heroic at times – his talk of patriotism might appeal and grows in conviction – he doesn’t have much competition. Those around him, politicians and business leaders, are, of course, quite the crew. But none is gifted anything like the same level of detail. Vladimir Putin and Boris Yeltsin are victims of too many jokes, fun to be sure, but slim. Alexander Litvinenko is too much the saint. Roman Abramovich becomes an intriguing figure – much better.

Any conflict between having the characters represent ideas and being three dimensional may struggle on the page but not the stage because of the performances. Director Rupert Goold’s work with a crack cast is fantastic. Will Keen’s Putin and Josef Davies’ Litvinenko have some chunky speeches they make trip off the tongue. The much smaller role for Paul Kynman as Yeltsin is also fantastic, while Luke Thallon gives Abromovitch tremendous focus and charisma. Combined with Goold’s fast paced direction – remarkably clear at every moment – you couldn’t possibly be bored.

There’s a lot of conviction in Patriots. The play is at its best with questions about how sincere its characters are. The disconnect between lofty talk and people’s actions might be explored more. For instance, the relation between theory and practice exemplified by Berezovsky’s academic background is poorly used. It’s easy to imagine Morgan rubbing his hands about the idea that Berezovsky undertook mathematical research in decision making, but it isn’t explained enough and leads to some unhappy interactions with an old professor that stand out as poor.

The thrill of bringing versions of the rich and famous to the stage is exploited throughout, alongside Morgan’s witty script, which makes the most of key moments and hindsight. Berezovsky’s sorry end comes quickly. There are more interesting stories to be told around the time of his demise and a strong sense that Morgan knows it. It is Goold who brings the show to a successful conclusion and ensures the pace doesn’t flag.

Until 19 August 2023

www.patriotstheplay.com

Photo by Marc Brenner

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“Recognition” at Talawa Studios, Fairfield Halls

The Black British 19th-century composer Samuel Coleridge-Taylor was a huge success in his day but has since been neglected. Playwright Amanda Wilkin uses his fascinating history, driven by the desire to give the man the recognition of her play’s title, to great effect.

First, the history, because I’ll admit that’s what attracted me. The story is super – the fact that Coleridge-Taylor lived in Croydon is a boon to the borough during its Year of Culture. Recognition could have more detail. But if it feels some opportunities are lost (especially around Coleridge-Taylor’s family), what we do see is well done. The storytelling is aided by a talented cast headed by a superb performance from Paul Adeyefa as the composer.

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Kibong Tajni

Now for a bigger project, Wilkin has a clever move that is admirably, imminently, theatrical. Alongside the history runs the story of a young music student called Song played by Kibong Tanji. It is through her research that we learn about Coleridge-Taylor. But Song’s story is just as important – it is through the inspiration he offers her that recognition will come. And it is with this vital, living, concern that Wilkin hopes to inspire the audience.

Showing the stories in parallel leads to praise for director and choreographer Rachael Nanyonjo, credited as co-creator of the show. The achievement isn’t just in keeping the stories clear, but in having them complement each other. Both lives are weaved together by the cast taking on a clever mix of roles, but also by movement and the use of music, including a new composition by Cassie Kinoshi.

The sense of support Song obtains from the past is palpable. All of this is reflected in a strong performance from Tanji, who shows the tension provided by Song’s “inner critic” as well as a powerful sense of conviction that brings events in the play right up to date. Tanji also provides a sense of excitement about music that is essential and might otherwise have been lacking throughout much of the piece. The interactions between Song and Coleridge-Taylor make for a stirring finale and the strongest moment theatrically.

Until 24 June 2023

www.talawa.com/productions/recognition

Photos by Gifty Dzenyo

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“Re-Member Me” at the Hampstead Theatre

Lip-syncing to Hamlet surely counts as one of those has-to-be-seen-to-be-believed ideas. Creator and performer Dickie Beau brings such skill to miming the words of others he might change your opinion about lip-syncing itself. But Re-Member Me has far more to recommend it – the show is original, startling and stirring theatre.

Beau uses recordings of previous performances as well as interviews with those who have worked on productions of Hamlet (big names include Ian McKellen and Richard Eyre). All are expertly edited, and the generous contributors come off very well. What they have to say is interesting and smart, but it is also funny and humble. Beau is generous, too. He even allows the opinions of a critic – what a wonderful, clever man he is!

And what does Beau do with this impressive material? Through an intelligent engagement with Shakespeare’s play, the concern here is mortality. Much of the piece focuses on Ian Charleson, the actor who performed in Eyre’s Hamlet just before he died. And John Gielgud features, with recordings from late in life. Re-Member Me can be thought of as a tribute show.

The action is paced perfectly by director Jan Willem Van Den Bosch. There’s a lot going on, but big ideas are given time to breath. One concern might be that the audience needs to know a lot about Hamlet and its performance history to enjoy all this. But, while appealing to lovers of the theatre, the craziness of the idea itself – that lip-synching – proves a great strength.

The technique adds humour (its mostly used for comedy, after all), which Beau embraces with mischievous touches. There’s a fantastic thrill from not knowing what’s going to happen next, especially when it comes to the songs woven in. Meanwhile, cleverly using mannequins point us towards the uncanny. The dummies are redressed and reassembled with an obsessive intensity. By mouthing the words of others, some of them deceased, Re-Member Me is a reminder of the impermanence that theatre and life share. The results are moving and profound.

Until 17 June 2023

www.hampsteadtheatre.com

Photo by Tristram Kenton

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“Once On This Island” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre

Summer theatre is off to a great, if chilly, start with this intriguing show for children. A 1990 piece with book and lyrics by Lynn Ahrens and music from Stephen Flaherty there are problems with Once On This Island. But the ambition is stirring, this production strong, and the lead performance superb.

The story is a fable set on a Caribbean Island with a peasant girl called Ti Moune falling in love and sacrificing herself for the much richer, and paler, Daniel. Once On This Island is very much her story, which is welcome. And it hopes to address serious issues as Colourism, stemming from Colonialism, is the prejudice that prevents romance.

Behind the edifying aims though, Ahrens work is frustrating. Admittedly, the accents in this production don’t help – it’s a struggle to work out what is being said. But the action, while simple, is confused: a group of tourists as a framing device is a distraction, a potted history of the Island comes too late, and Daniel’s life (and his actual fiancé) are thinly sketched.

In fact, all the characters are slim. Ti Moune’s adoptive parents have little to say or do (a shame given strong performances from Chris Jarman and Natasha Magigi). Even the Gods Ti Moune makes a wager with are pedestrian. Ti Moune herself is only appealing because of a star performance from Gabrielle Brooks. Worst of all is Daniel (despite another great performance from Stephenson Ardern-Sodje) whose only  big number surely offends all women including the one he is wooing! Daniel accepts his fate without question – which is original I suppose, maybe even realistic. But it is a mystery why Ti Moune is bothering with him.

The score is much better and very easy on the ear. It’s the music, rather than the lyrics, that provide all the emotion – romance, tension, and humour. And the music makes sure the show is entertaining. The cast responds with gusto.

Director Ola Ince has clear ideas making sure the action holds attention. Georgia Lowe’s design has surprises that belie its simplicity while Melissa Simon-Hartman costumes are a highlight. Brooks is the secret though – with a fantastically powerful voice that commands the whole auditorium her singing gives the show the sense of gravitas that it really wants.

Until 11 June 2023

www.openairtheatre.com

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“Brokeback Mountain” at the Soho Place Theatre

Annie Proulx’s short story is about atmosphere rather than action. The troubled love affair between cowboys Ennis and Jack is a powerful tale of repression and loss, but part of what makes it special is that not that much really happens. Bringing the story to the stage is a tough call that Ashley Robinson’s adaptation and Jonathan Butterell’s direction handle intelligently. It is a shame that the results are mixed.

Butterell has secured fine performances from the show’s exciting casting. Here are two West End stage debuts to take note of. Stars from the States, Mike Faist and Lucas Hedges, are strong as Jack and Ennis respectively. Hedges makes the taciturn Ennis a strong figure whose torment over his sexuality bubbles under the surface. Faist’s Jack is charismatic, full of energy and humour, but the audience can still see his pain. As for that all-important chemistry, Butterell takes advantage of the venue’s intimacy to create quiet, moving moments.

Despite the enjoyable performances, with Faist and Hedges easily holding the stage and showing impressive confidence, the pace overall feels regrettably rushed. A sense of time passing and opportunities lost isn’t conveyed and the show comes close to being cold. Jack’s statement that “we could have had a good life together” comes as something of a shock – it seems we are near the end of the show too soon. The meditative quality of the source material is lost.

There is little sense of menace in the piece. The men’s employer is aware of the affair and simply disapproves, while in the final scene Jack’s mother seems sympathetic. As part of a lack of threat, Jack’s wife is reduced to a slim figure (despite Emily Fairn’s commendable efforts in the role). It becomes hard to remember the risks being run by the couple’s romantic getaways and why the two cannot live together. Meanwhile, there is the device of an ‘older’ Ennis watching the action. It’s not a bad idea, and adds some melancholy moments, but having him continually on stage means that the role blends into the background, despite Paul Hickey’s commitment.

Eddie Reader in Brokeback Mountain
Eddi Reader

Firmer ground come with the show’s most innovative move – the music. Described as a play with songs, rather than a musical, it’s the compositions by Dan Gillespie Sells that add most to seeing the story on stage. Eddi Reader performs with an excellent band – it all sounds wonderful. What we hear, with the aid of Christopher Shutt’s impressive sound design, provides romance, tension, humour and, above all, atmosphere. The pace that the show needs is clearest here – more music might have led to more emotion.

Until 12 August 2023

www.sohoplace.org

Photo by Manuel Harlan