19 Cleveland Street

Cleveland Street: The Musical, a new show written by Glenn Chandler (of Taggart fame) with music by Matt Devereaux, is a curate’s egg of a production. At its best, during the first act, it’s an enjoyable pastiche of music hall traditions that gives a postmodern wink to the audience without coming across … Continue Reading 19 Cleveland Street

My top LGBT film: Shortbus

If you haven’t seen my choice of LGBT film, it’s probably best if you don’t watch it with your grandmother first time around. Written and directed by John Cameron Mitchell, Shortbus opens on James (Paul Dawson) filming himself as he masturbates with grim determination in the bath. The camera doesn’t spare the audience’s blushes. … Continue Reading My top LGBT film: Shortbus

La Ronde

All of life can be found in a gay bar. At least, that’s the message of Peter Scott-Presland’s enjoyably exuberant, if over-long, musical, (very) loosely based on Arthur Schnitzler’s tale of sexual morals, Reigen, with a score provided by long-time collaborator David Harrod. The show opens at the end of … Continue Reading La Ronde

Loving the ‘Oaks

Hollyoaks, a Channel 4 soap set in a fictional suburb of Chester, is a strange beast.  Aimed at teenagers, on one level it’s like an economy-value Dynasty, with similarly overblown and contrived storylines; but instead of champagne-drenched catfights the inhabitants of the ‘Oaks settle their differences by glassing each other or … Continue Reading Loving the ‘Oaks

The Overcoat

When staging a play about the oppressive monotony of daily life it’s important that your production doesn’t become a monotonous experience for your audience. Unfortunately, Eero Suojanen’s version of Nikolai Gogol’s short story, adapted by Howard Colyer, treads this fine dividing line with awkward steps. Akaky Akakievich Bashmachkin (Chris Bearne) … Continue Reading The Overcoat

The Painter

On 12 January The Arcola opened the doors of its new home, the Colourworks building, to the public. In its heyday the factory supplied colour blocks to artists throughout England. So what better way of marking the theatre’s move here than premiering a play about one of its most famous … Continue Reading The Painter

Fabrication

Pier Paolo Pasolini’s Fabrication (Affabulazione), translated by Gillian Hannah and adapted by Jamie McKendrick, has never before been performed in the UK – and it launches The Print Room, the new not-for-profit Notting Hill theatre that is the brainchild of director Lucy Bailey and designer Anda Winters. As a declaration … Continue Reading Fabrication

Blue/Orange

There is something comforting about doctors. Even if they are unable to reassure you that nothing is wrong, they can provide you with answers; they can name your problem and in doing so bring welcome definition to the shapeless fear of the unknown that has been nagging away at you. … Continue Reading Blue/Orange

The Irish Curse

Does size really matter? That’s the question at the heart of Martin Casella’s play, which has just opened at the Above the Stag Theatre following an off-Broadway run earlier this year. The play takes place during a self-help session hosted by Father Kevin Shaunessey for four Irish- American New Yorkers … Continue Reading The Irish Curse