News Care (Young Vic Theatre) 22 May 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 21st May 2026) In 1986, George Cole was at the height of “Minder” fame. He starred in a play at the Duchess Theatre, “A Month Of Sundays”… which ran about that long. There is a film adaptation which appears occasionally on late night nostalgia channels and is worth a […] Read more »
News Mayerling (Royal Opera House, Covent Garden) 19 May 2026 (seen at the performance on 18th May 2026) The monkey first encountered MacMillan’s choreography watching the press night of the National Theatre’s sublime “Carousel” in 1992. As it types this now, it is facing a cinema poster for the 2024 performance of his “Manon.” Osipova’s tattered rough dress reminds it once again that ballet is […] Read more »
News An Ideal Husband (Lyric Theatre, Hammersmith) 19 May 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 16th May 2026) Following the lead of the National Theatre, director Nicholai La Barrie re-interprets an Oscar Wilde classic through the prism (not Miss) of Black culture. The transposition is by turn amusing, confusing and unenlightening. In a strange feat of theatre, La Barrie manages to have the play […] Read more »
News The Karate Kid The Musical (New Wimbledon Theatre) and touring 2 May 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 2nd May 2026) For those of the monkey’s generation, cinema visits meant movies based on original writing or existing books, rather than endless franchise adaptations. We often got a warm teenage romance, with a bit of action to keep the male half of the date happy. “The Karate Kid” […] Read more »
News Please Please Me (Kiln Theatre) 25 April 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 25th April 2026) Plenty has been written about the Beatles – the final four and those who were not. Plenty too about George Martin, their impressive producer. Far less is available about Brian Epstein, the Gay son of a Jewish furniture store owner, who managed the Beatles from their […] Read more »
News The Price (Marylebone Theatre) 24 April 2026 (seen at the press night performance on 23rd April 2026, by invitation) A programme note states that the Guardian newspaper thinks the Marylebone Theatre has, “National Theatre-level production values.” They are wrong. Marylebone’s are currently higher. From casting, to Jon Bausor’s perfect cluttered attic apartment set, to Jonathan Munby’s lively – detailed yet unfinicky – […] Read more »
News The Holy Rosenbergs (Menier Chocolate Factory) 20 April 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 19th April 2026) The monkey can vouch for the absolute authenticity, as this is set in its stamping-ground. The estate on Honeypot Lane is real – and the catering unit is occupied by an Indian catering company. “Hair on Broadway” is now “HOB,” but set designer Tim Shortall’s home […] Read more »
News Single White Female (Richmond Theatre) and touring 16 April 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 15th April 2026) Almost nothing remains of the 1992 movie. As adaptor Rebecca Reid notes in the programme, today’s social media and economic situation would leave too many gaping holes in the backstory. So, the whole thing is transferred to one of those anonymous horrible cheap new-build apartments in […] Read more »
News A Doll’s House (Almeida Theatre) 14 April 2026 (seen at the performance on 13th April 2026) “First time I’ve ever really enjoyed ‘A Doll’s House’” the monkey remarked to its companion as the curtain fell, greatly amusing the gentleman sitting the other side of her. It meant it, though. Anya Reiss does an excellent job of stripping away Henrik Ibsen’s Scandinavian lugubriousness to […] Read more »
News New App books your Stage Door Meets! 1 April 2026 Show Star Fix App to help you meet your favourites after the show! Read more »