The Vaults, LondonKatie Arnstein’s captivating show about her mum’s treatment for cancer lies somewhere between storytelling and standupThe crowd carries you along in a marathon, says Katie Arnstein towards the end of this winning show about family and…
Continue ReadingHenry Naylor travelled to Afghanistan in 2003 to research his fringe farce Finding Bin Laden. His sobering new show takes stock of the country’s fate sinceWas Henry Naylor’s agent right when he warned the writer and comic, at the height of the “war on …
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonThis intergalactic show about sexuality and religious homophobia boasts a charismatic star in Willy Hudson but tips into chaosWilly Hudson’s “queer sci-fi epic” has an interstellar theme and rocket-fuelled energy, even if it ultimat…
Continue ReadingDanny Boyle’s Matrix-inspired spectacular opens in Manchester, Succession star Brian Cox returns to the stage and standups Maisie Adam, Guz Khan and Catherine Cohen are on tourMore from the 2023 culture preview Continue reading…
Continue ReadingThere’s nothing like a panto to banish the blues, especially if it stars Sir Ian McKellen as Mother Goose – the grande dame of seasonal fun and frolics The actor Sir Ian McKellen and the comedian John Bishop are stepping out on to the West End stage ov…
Continue ReadingLondon PalladiumDawn French, Julian Clary and Alexandra Burke join an animatronic giant with a vast beanstalk in an innuendo-heavy, story-light showPantos are usually cheap and cheerful, so it’s disorientating to see millions of pounds (I’m guessing) t…
Continue ReadingThe disruptive artist’s new show is a boisterous evening, with her brazen persona an exhilarating challenge for audiencesLucy McCormick’s half-naked body is covered in tomato puree. The floor is littered with confetti and broken glass. Everything is sl…
Continue ReadingMatthew Holness’s fictional horror author is on the road reading from his novel – prepare to be terrified at the tills while we dream of his full return to the stageWhen is a show not a show? When it’s a book tour, of course. Time was when book tours w…
Continue ReadingOnce an under-the-radar live comedy jewel, Mohammed’s alter-ego impresario is hogging the spotlight in two new stage shows. Is the character destined for TV?Any assessment of the best character acts of recent years – Colin Hoult’s Anna Mann, Zoë Coombs…
Continue ReadingSoho theatre, LondonEven when the grouchy wannabe game-show host’s set is buffering he still delivers a winning formula of hi-tech comedy and twisty jokesIn Danger Money, we find Mat Ewins hacked off that he can’t catch a telly break. The annoyance cou…
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