I have never seen James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim’s 1971 musical Follies ever before, until last night. It was only by chance that I was a subscriber to the National Theatre’s e-letters that I first heard about the date (July 18th) they were releasing tickets for the sensational show with leading actress Imelda Staunton. Her breathtaking performance at the Harold Pinter Theatre for Edward Albee’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf, this year, gave me a lasting impression of her stage work; it was a no-brainer to book a ticket and see her again. Yet Follies isn’t just about one performer. Other stars from the musical world are present here such as Janie Dee, Tracie Bennett, Dawn Hope and opera soprano Josephine Barstow, and most of them left the audience positively speechless. It comes as no surprise that they won the audience’s heart with the many rounds of applause they received after each solo number.

Follies is a celebratory and nostalgic work of musical theatre that unveils the happenings of a reunion of the Weisman (pseudo-Ziegfeld) Follies girls, that’s three decades after they first stepped into the revue theatre stage. Director Dominic Cooke, designer Vicki Mortimer and choreographer Bill Deamer are part of a creative team that pushes the boundaries with Sondheim’s imagining, which easily plucks our heartstrings. There’s a live orchestra of twenty musicians, conducted by Nigel Lilley, which are sadly hidden behind the main stage, yet they are masterful at their individual craft. Whether it was a harp, flute or brass instrument, the audience heard the sounds and admired Sondheim’s score. As previously pointed out, this is the first time I’ve seen Follies, yet, still, I found a strong emotional pull towards the musical performances that I had tears rolling down my cheeks, following numerous great numbers including ‘Beautiful Girls’, ‘Broadway Baby’, ‘Who’s that woman?’ and ‘One More Kiss’. I wasn’t sure if it was Sondheim I should be thanking, or the performers, or both. Either way, this was a brilliant performance that had me smiling endlessly.

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Summer warmth and longer days have finally arrived in London. This is the time to set up your calendar for an eventful summer filled with outdoor events. If you live in the Hounslow area, known for its all-week diverse and multicultural market stalls, why not take a seat at Bell Square (Hounslow High Street) for FREE to see amazing dance, theatre, acrobatic and circus-inspired performances?

Bell Square London launched in 2014 in the heart of Hounslow to bring performance art to the local community. Residents of Hounslow have returned each year to see exciting, international world-class acts which have toured at prime theatre venues. All first-timers to Bell Square London are welcome, and there is no age restriction. Whether you are a two-year-old or a ninety-year-old, there’s something for all audiences to enjoy!

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Open curtain: it’s an office of cubicles with Bach’s Mass in B minor (Gloria) playing in the background. It’s a 21st-century office heralding the presence of an intern and a copy assistant. What is hell is going on in Branden Jacobs-Jenkins play Gloria now showing at the Hampstead Theatre?

I have a lot of things to say about Gloria mostly because of its content, or at least the first half of it, which is something many writers and media-type workers have to face every day. US playwright Jacobs-Jenkins has given us a sneak preview of a New York-based magazine where editorial assistants grab Star Buck lattes, tweet fake news, swipe for real-time news on their smartphones, handle the puke of their editorial managers and desperately cling onto their dreams of becoming an influential writer one day.

For us audience members, Jacobs-Jenkins describes one out of the zillion office-based careers where climbing the ladder, making a name for yourself and starting off as a low paid, or barely paid, intern is the mainstay for most competitive industries. For Gloria, it’s the soullessness of the magazine industry and the playwright should know given his three years at The New Yorker.

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Two shows written by the same writer are minutes away from each other. There’s the one that is super gripping, superbly written and witty called Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (review here) and then there’s the other one that will have people flinching within the first few minutes and rolling their eyes after the first hour.

As many theatre lovers will know, the theatre is that special place where there are no rules. There are no expectations, guidelines or laws to govern how the storytelling should go. The stage is a blank space where great ideas are discussed, audiences learn something new and grapple with concepts and subjects they wouldn’t come across in their day-to-day; perhaps it would be too inappropriate for the workplace or even the family table. Edward Albee’s Goat is a fabulous example of that – the limitless possibilities of theatre, which may involve provoking and shocking audiences.

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At the Savoy Theatre, director-choreographer Michael Bennett sees his 1981 Tony award-winning hit get a UK premiere. Anyone who loves musicals and strong vocals shouldn’t hesitate to see Dreamgirls. It is without question that lovers of Motown and soul music will also be more than satisfied with what Dreamgirls has to offer.

Loosely based on The Supremes, Dreamgirls is a reminder of the struggles of the music industry during 1960’s America – a time when blues and jazz music were once described as ‘race music’, and only then had the uprising of the African-American Civil Rights movement just begun.

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‘Better late than never’, as some may say or in my case, better to find out for yourself than depend on two-star reviews. The time came to see Ivo van Hove‘s production of Obsession with its lead protagonist performed by film and stage actor Jude Law, and one would think that given Hove’s international reputation and Law’s virtuoso acting the show would be a big hit, yet instead this is perhaps one production that meets a degree of anti-climax.

At the main stage of the Barbican Centre, theatrical technicalities and marvellous acting are worth the bite, yet the writing is basic, dry and stale. Yet, what creative device or person(s) do we blame for the production’s flaws?

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Last time I hit the Bush Theatre was back in 2015. (I know, bad!) I recall the reception area being cosy, yet in some need of an update, pronto. Nevertheless, the theatrical space was a decent one. It was a good enough space for new writing and stage worthy performances, even if they were brand new and off the fringe. I had seen tweets about #GuardsattheTaj on my twitter feed and many positive reviews had been released, though I never read them in depth. When I spoke to my colleagues at work about Bush Theatre, some of them already knew that it been newly developed.

To my surprise, it had been completely revamped. A new signpost, a brand new cafe, a welcoming reception with seats outside for those sunny days. In fact, it was a place for people to chill even if they weren’t there for the theatre.

As far as theatre engagement goes, the cafe, named ‘The Library Bar‘, was quite an adventure for those seeking caffeine fuel and possibly, or unintentionally, coming across the theatre posters and seeing what was currently showing. A Saturday morning latte at The Library may mean a curious visit to the Bush in the evening and seeing the wonders of the newly renovated theatre.

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Totally last minute! I got word from Fran (@Crosseyedpiano) about 7 Star Arts’s concert taking place not too far from me. It was their Sweet Harmony concert which focused on the genius of Shakespeare through music, words and art. The event took place at Chiswick’s quaint St Michael’s Church with a small and intimate audience, yet the performers and artists were far from amateur. This was an special occasion to get up close with accomplished, talented and professional artists who had graced the stages of The National Theatre, performed with the London Philharmonic Orchestra and released classical music albums.

The evening was a feast for the senses. Shakespeare’s writings, from his diverse plays, and romantic sonnets were confidently and passionately narrated by Susan Porrett. After each reading, it was an immediate escape for the eyes and the ears.

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Shakespeare wrote many plays – 38 to be exact – and only now can I confess that I’ve seen his psychological, semi-comedic drama, The Winter’s Tale. That may sound pretty shocking for a theatre enthusiast, but I am glad I waited for Cheek by Jowl’s production, presented at the Silk Street Theatre of The Barbican, for a brilliant and insightful undertaking.

Declan Donnellan has directed Shakespeare’s imagined world of jealous kings, angry gods and unconditional love at the kingdoms of Sicily and Bohemia and transferred them onto a contemporary platform. Cleverly done, I managed to understand the threads of each plot without having studied the sophisticated dialogues, previously. It is to the masterful cast, too, that brought their characters to life and made every moment engaging and entertaining.

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Brace yourself for a dialogue of quick-wit and verbal interrogation. Imelda Staunton and Conleth Hill go at it full of guts and poise in Edward Albee’s 1962 play, ‘Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? I mean, that’s what I saw when I sat in the front row of the Harold Pinter Theatre.

Hill and Staunton are accompanied by Luke Treadaway and Imogen Poots for a sweeping display of word wars and mockery, set in the living room of a home in New England. Both leads perform as married couple George and Matha in what appears to be a life consumed of fickle domestic fights which get louder as the hour moves on.

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