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Review of ‘Flush’: “Loo-ny narrative is way out of tune”
The title left little to the imagination. So did the toilet stamp they put on my hand, which has haunted me all weekend. Not in a good way, though. It’s an excruciatingly bland, boring play. The kind that makes you look at your watch over and over again, only to find out it’s been only…
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Review of ‘Let The Right One In’: “Jack Thorne’s adaptation sucks all the blood out of fluttering vampire tale”
I was caught off guard despite its title. I should have known better. The name didn’t smell garlicky, but the reference should have been obvious. Fortunately enough, there’s more to this tale about two teenagers- one of them, a mortal; the other one, a so-called demon of the night -than the brainless prepubescent wet dream…
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Review of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ (2026, The Globe): “Interactive production doesn’t take pains, but it’s almost perfect”
This is not the groundbreaking tour de force that The Globe blessed us with at the end of last year, but it’s not that far from that level of excellence. There’s nothing technically new about it. Unlike the venue’s most recent predecessor, this one is back to drollery, liveliness, and, of course, summer. And that…
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Review of ‘Heart Wall’: “Self-examining narrative has the mindset but not the soul”
This is a coming-home story. And like every story about somebody returning to the place that watched them grow but didn’t allow them to, the outcome is never pretty. At least, not entirely. Things haven’t been going great for Franky, whose glamorous London life might not be as ideal as she wants people to think.…
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Review of ‘26.2 Reasons To Stay Alive’: “Galloping monologue delivers a marathon of instropection”
Alright — there’s no need to panic. I know what you’re thinking after reading that title. And I want you to take a deep breath and say to yourself that everything will be fine. Yes, it’s called 26.2 Reasons. Yes, that’s a reference to the London Marathon’s distance. And yes, its average running time is…
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Review of ‘Grace Pervades’: “Ralph Fiennes shines as Irving’s dullest stage appearance”
It’s funny, if not ironic, that the story of a frustrated, perfectionist actor trying to deliver the finest theatre has been told by somebody who doesn’t seem to know the basics of proper storytelling. There is only one reason to come see this show, and after a glimpse of it, you don’t need to stay…
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Review of ‘The Price’ (2026, Marylebone Theatre): “High-value revival spares no expense despite slightly austere plot”
We know what to expect when we’re talking about an Arthur Miller play. For starters, don’t expect an ending where justice is served. At least not in a smooth way, without the necessary sacrifices. It comes as no surprise that a narrative involving two estranged brothers reunited to sell their late father’s old clutter has…
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Review of ‘Chat Noir!’: “Bohemian Paris dining experience is pure crème de la crème”
C’est magnifique! It has a few flaws, but it is formidable nonetheless. We wouldn’t expect otherwise when we’re referring to The Lost Estate, whose extraordinary production of Dickens’s classic, A Christmas Carol, has become a staple of London’s holiday traditions. Understandably, the anticipation for their new creation was as high as the legendary venue it’s…
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Review of ‘Two Halves of Guinness’: “Star-driven subject creates great expectations, but the force isn’t with the script”
What I like the most about this actor- the one portrayed, that is -is that he made an annoying little kid cry with class and politeness. For the record, the child was just a fan who asked him to deliver his most famous (and apparently, misquoted) line. Nothing wrong with that, but I’m a critic.…
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Review of ‘Masquerade’: “Cold, unfeeling narrative has twisted every way for the classic’s reboot”
Anyone reading this review remembers the strange affair of the Phantom of the Opera. And the reason for its success is no mystery needing to be fully explained. That is, perhaps, with the exception of those behind its New York City resurrection, which, despite the hype it’s gathered over the past few months since its…
