London
DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY
Book by Thomas Meehan & Peter Stone
Music & Lyrics by Maury Yeaston
Based on the play by Alberto Cassella
3Stars***

Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL to 4 March, 2017.
Mon - Sat 7.30pm. Mat Wed 2.30pm Sat 3pm.
Runs 2hr 20 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 08444 930650
www.CharingCrossTheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 23 January.

A chamber musical with charm

Birmingham
The Snowman:
5 Star *****

Birmingham Repertory Theatre to Sunday 15th January 2017.
Runs: 1hr 20 minutes, with one 20 minute interval.
Tickets: 0121 236 4455
Info: https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/about-us/how-to-book.html
Review: Nigel Bellingham, 11/01/2017

Guaranteed to melt even the iciest of hearts.

London.
ANYTHING GOES
Music and lyrics by Cole Porter.
Book by Guy Bolton, P.G. Wodehouse, Howard Lindsay & Russel Crouse.
4 Stars ****
Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village, London N6 4BD to 29 January 2017.

Tues - Sat 7.30pm Mat Sun 4pm and 3pm on 27, 28, 29, 30 & 31 December.
Runs 2hr 30 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 020 8340 3488.
www.upstairsatthegatehouse.com
Review: William Russell 16 December.

All aboard for a truly bon voyage (that won't break your bank!)

London
HOLDING THE MAN
by Tommy Murphy.
4Stars ****

The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 2DH to 4 February 2017.
Tues-Sat 7.45pm.
Runs 2hr 30 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 0333 666 3356
www.brockleyjack.co.uk

A time for loving, a time for dying

London
WISH LIST
By Katherine Soper
3 Stars ***

Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1W 8A to 11 February 2017
Mon – Sat 7.45pm Mat Thur & Sat 3pm.
Runs 1 hr 40 mins No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7565 5000
www.royalcourttheatre.com

Review: William Russell 13 January 2017.

Hard hitting piece about the zero hour contract world of work

London.
THE TWENTIETH CENTURY WAY
by Tom Jacobson.
5Stars *****

Jermyn Street Theatre to 28 January 2017.
1hr 40 mins (no interval).
Review: Tom Aitken 9 January 2017

Definitely a must see

London
THE KITE RUNNER
by Matthew Spangler
based on the novel by Khaled Hosseini
3Stars ***
Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London WC2H 0DA to 11 March 2017.
Mon - Sat 7.30pm Mat Thur & Sat 2.30pm.

Runs 2hr 40 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 0844 482 5120.
www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk
Review: William Russell 10 January.

Workmanlike but far from heart breaking or epic in scale.

London.
THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS
by C. S. Lewis
adapted by Max Mclean and Jeffrey Fiske.
4 Stars ****

The Park 200, Clifton Terrace, London N4 3 JP to 7 January 2017.
Tues-Sat 7.30pm Mat Thu & Sat 3pm.
Runs 1 hr 30 mins No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7870 6876.
www.parktheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 10 December.

Burning blissfully down below

London.
BU21
by Stuart Slade.
4Stars ****

Trafalgar Studios to 18 February 2017.
1hr 45 mins (no interval).

Review: Tom Aitken 11 January 2017

Serious, but far from gloomy

London.
A CHRISTMAS CAROL – THE MUSICAL
Music by Alan Menken, lyrics by Lynn Ahrens, book by Mike Okrent & Lynn Ahrens.
3Stars ***

The Lost Theatre, 208 Wandsworth Road, London SW8 2JU to 31 December 2016.
23, 28, 29, 30 December 7.30pm
22, 13, 29 December 3pm.
31 December 2pm.
Runs 2 hr One interval.

TICKETS: 020 7720 6897.
www.losttheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 21 December.

All singing and dancing Dickens

London
WINTER SOLSTICE, by Roland Schimmelpfennig
An Orange Tree Theatre and Actors Touring Company co-production
4Star****
Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond, until 11 February, 2017.

1hr 50 mins, without interval.

Review: Tom Aitken 18 January

Christmas play with a host of raised, then contradicted expectations.

London.
THE LOWER DEPTHS
by Maxim Gorky.
Translated by Jeremy Brooks & Kitty Hunter-Blair.
4 Stars ****

The Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, Dalston, London E8 3DL to 11 February 2017.

Mon-Sat 7.30pm. Mat Sat 3pm.
Runs 3 hr One interval.

TICKETS: 020 7503 1646
www.arcolatheatrecom
Review: William Russell 16 January.

A fine revival of a masterpiece

London.
THREE SISTERS
by Anton Chekhov.
A new version by Tracy Letts.
4Stars ****

The Union Theatre, Old Union Arches, 229 Union Street, London SE1 0LR to 4 February 2017.
Tues- Sat 7.30pm/
Runs 2hr 30 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 020 7261 9676.
www.uniontheatre.biz
Review: William Russell 6 January.

An enchanting staging of a much performed play.

London
THE DOPPEL GANG
by Dominic Hedges.
3 Stars ***

Tristan Bates Theatre, 1a Tower Street, London WC2H 9NP to 11 February 2017.
Tues-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sun 3pm.
Runs 1 hr 40 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 020 3841 6611.
www.tristanbatestheatre.co.uk

Full marks for trying but can do better

London
LOVE’S LABOURS LOST
4Star****

Theatre Royal, Haymarket, London in repertoire with Much Ado About Nothing until 25 March, 2017.
2hr 30 mins with one interval.

TICKETS: 020 7930 8800
www.trh.co.uk
www.rschaymarket.com

Review: Tom Aitken 17 December

Witty production, and first class performances

London
DIRTY GREAT LOVE STORY
by Richard Marsh and Katie Bonna.
4 Stars ****

The Arts Theatre, 6-7 Great Newport Street, London WC2H 7JB to 18 March 2017.
Mon – Sat 7.30pm. Mat Thur & Sat 2.30pm.
Runs 80 mins No interval.

TICKETS: 020 7836 8463.
www.artstheatrewestend.co.uk
Review: William Russell 25 January.

Unmissable, hilarious tale of a couple of losers in love

London.
O COME ALL YE DIVAS
4Stars ****

Charing Cross Theatre, The Arches, Villiers Street, London WC2N 6NL to 7 January 2017.
Tues-Sat 7.30pm No performances 25-27 December & 2-3 January.
Runs 2hr 15 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 08444 930650.
www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk

Where to have a merry little Christmas

London
THE HOUND OF THE BASKERVILLES
By Sir Arthur Conan Doyle.
Adapted by Steven Canny and John Nicholson.
4Stars ****

The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 418 Brockley Road, London SE4 2DH to 7 January 2017.
Tues-Sat 7.45pm
Runs 1hr 30 mins One interval.

TICKETS: 0333 666 3366.
www.brockleyjack.co.uk
Review: William Russell 17 December,

Dire, delightful and daft goings on.

London.
THE TRACKERS OF OXYRHYNCHUS
by Tony Harrison
5Stars *****

The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 9ED to 28 January 2017.

Tues-Sat 7.30pm Mat Sat & Sun 3pm.
Runs 75 mins No interval.

TICKETS: 0844 847 1652
www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk
Review: William Russell 5 January.

A stunningly good resurrection

London.
PROMISES, PROMISES
Book by Neil Simon, Music by Burt Bacharach, Lyrics by Hal David.
Based on the screenplay for The Apartment by Billy Wilder & I.A.L. Diamond.
Two stars **

Southwark Playhouse, The Large, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6 BD to 18 February.
Mon-Sat 7.30pm Mat Tues & Sat 3pm.
Runs 2hr 50 mins One interval.

TICKETS:
www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk
Review: William Russell 18 January.

Promises unfulfilled in overlong dated musical