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 »
News The Last Five Years (London Palladium) 28 March 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 28th March 2026) Almost ten years ago, the monkey wrote of Samantha Barks and Jonathan Bailey in a production at the St James’s (now The Other Palace) Theatre, “Based purely on vocal performances, this is a five-star show. Samantha Barks (Cathy) and Jonathan Bailey (Jamie) connect wonderfully with the […] Read more »
News Disney On Ice Presents Into The Magic (Wembley Arena) and touring 26 March 2026 (seen at the 5.30pm performance on 25th March 2026) Laura and Ian are our peppy hosts for this simple run through Disney’s more recent catalogue. Greeting the audience in a little pre-show routine, the lights then go up on a “High School Musical” style company skate, before Goofy, Donald, Mickey and Minnie arrive to confirm […] Read more »
News Yentl (Marylebone Theatre) 16 March 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 15th March 2026) Sadly, “Yiddish Theatre” in the UK now exists only in the memories of a very few elders of the Jewish Community, plus a single 1987 television documentary, “Wandering Stars.” This Australian Kadimah Yiddish Theatre Production is a highly successful attempt to bring back a little of […] Read more »
News Broken Glass (Young Vic Theatre) 12 March 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 11th March 2026) Just like “Shadowlands” last week, another play which premiered during the monkey’s youth is revived. First encountered at the Lyttelton Theatre in 1994, the monkey once again gets the opportunity to consider a work as a (“mature” – note inverted commas) adult. First time around, audiences […] Read more »
News Disney In Concert – The Sound of Magic (Eventim Apollo Hammersmith) and touring 28 February 2026 (seen at the afternoon performance on 28th February 2026) The Novello Orchestra under leader David Mahoney played carefully orchestrated symphonic arrangements of music from Disney movies from the past 100 years. Above, a large screen showed well-edited clips from various animated features, along with a surprising number of sketched outline sequences and two clips of […] Read more »