London Off West End and Fringe Theatre Reviews

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off west end and fringe theatre reviews

		Stockholm Hampstead Theatre, London Playwright Bryony Lavery and Frantic Assembly join forces to create a captivating study of a volatile relationship.

		Celia New Players Theatre, London Set in the American South, Richard Nyeila’s new play tells the story of a slave who murders her master.

more off west end / fringe reviews

		The Birthday Party Lyric Hammersmith, London Sheila Hancock stars in the Lyric's 50th anniversary staging of Pinter's sinister classic.

		Beau Jest Hackney Empire, London Lara Pulver stars in James Sherman's affectionate portrayal of Jewish family life.

		In Spitting Distance Barbican Pit, London Khalifa Natour stars in a one man show about Palestinian struggle and identity.

		Richard III Roundhouse, London Jonathan Slinger stars in the concluding production of Michael Boyd's series of RSC history plays.

		Henry VI, Parts 1, 2 and 3 Roundhouse, London Michael Boyd's ambitous season of Shakespeare's histories for the RSC continues.

		The Lady From The Sea Arcola Theatre, London Lia Williams stars in the Arcola's staging of Ibsen's fable, in a new translation by Frank McGuinness.

		De Monfort Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond Justin Avoth stars in the Orange Tree's revival of Joanna Baillie's tragedy of hatred.

		Tinderbox Bush Theatre, London Sheridan Smith stars in Lucy Kirkwood's new play, a dystopian comedy set in a Bradford butcher's shop.

		Henry V Roundhouse, London Geoffrey Streatfeild plays the ambitious king in Michael Boyd's production for the RSC.

		Henry IV, Parts 1 and 2 Roundhouse, London The next installments of Michael Boyd's RSC Histories come to the Roundhouse.

		Richard II Roundhouse, London After a successful run at Stratford, the first of Michael Boyd's RSC History plays arrives in London.

		War And Peace Hampstead Theatre, London Shared Experience bring their two-part staging of Tolstoy's epic novel to Hampstead.

		The Internationalist Gate Theatre, London Elliot Cown stars as an American abroad in Anne Washburn's 'foreign' comedy.

		John Moran And His Neighbour Saori Soho Theatre, London An unclassifiable collision of theatre, music and dance from Philip Glass protege Moran.

		An Enemy Of The People Arcola Theatre, London Greg Hicks stars in Mehmet Ergen's striking staging of Ibsen's potent drama.

		Cotton Wool Theatre 503, London Ali Taylor's lyrical play about two Scottish brothers mourning the death of their mother.

		Contains Violence Lyric Hammersmith, London Shunt's David Rosenberg presents a site-sympathetic exercise in voyeurism.

		Instructions For Modern Living Barbican Pit, London Inventive multimedia piece, mixing music and video imagery, by Duncan Sarkies and Nic McGowan.

		In My Name Old Red Lion, London James Alexandrou stars in a volatile odd couple play set in the aftermath of the July 7 bombings.

		Jingo Finborough Theatre, London Susannah Harker stars in the Finborough's revival of Charles Wood's farce of war.

		Days Of Significance Tricycle Theatre, London The RSC production of Roy Williams' latest, politically charged play transfers from Stratford to London.

		Chains Of Dew Orange Tree, Richmond A rare revival of Susan Glaspell's neglected 1922 comedy of cultural collision.

		The Harder They Come Barbican, London The Theatre Royal Stratford East production of the cult Jamaican film transfers.

		A Couple Of Poor, Polish-Speaking Romanians Soho Theatre, London A wild ride of a debut play from award-winning Polish author Dorota Maslowska.

		Sarajevo Story Lyric Studio, London Lightwork's new multimedia production explores failures in communication.

		Plague Over England Finborough Theatre, London Theatre critic Nicholas de Jongh turns his hand to playwriting with the story of John Gielgud's near career-ending arrest.

		Shadow Language Theatre 503, London American playwright Kelly Stuart's new work examines the plight of the Kurdish people in Turkey.

		Artefacts Bush Theatre, London A young girl recieves an unusual gift from her estranged father in Mike Bartlett's new play.

		Thin Toes Pleasance Theatre, London Laura Stevens' new play at the Pleasance explores anorexia and the art world.

		The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui Lyric Hammersmith, London Lucian Msamati stars in David Farr's transposition of Brecht's Nazi satire to an African setting.

		Tough Time, Nice Time Barbican Pit, London Ridiculusmus return to the Barbican with a two-hander set in a Bangkok bath house.

		Dad's Army Hackney Empire, London Leslie Grantham stars in a stage version of the classic sitcom's lost episodes.

		The Merchant Of Venice Greenwich Playhouse, London Galleon Theatre stage a well balanced production of Shakespeare's difficult drama.

		The Homecoming Almeida Theatre, London A family of gangsters and pimps get used to having a woman around the house in Pinter's 1964 play.

		The Death of Margaret Thatcher Courtyard Theatre, London Tom Green's controversy-courting new play about the death of the Iron Lady.

		Counterfeit Skin Courtyard Theatre, London Jason Charles' exploration of the ins and outs of modern homosexual relationships.

		Mad Funny Just Theatre 503, London An inventive devised piece, staged in conjunction with Old Vic, New Voices.

		White Boy Soho Theatre, London Tanika Gupta's schoolyard drama returns for a second stint at Soho Theatre.

		Let There Be Love Tricycle Theatre, London The Tricyle stages Kwame Kwei Armah's latest, a tender play of cultural collision.

		The Arab And The Jew Lyric Studio, London The Arab Israeli conflict explored in a near-wordless work by two-man theatre compnay Gecko.

		Helter Skelter/Land Of The Dead Bush Theatre, London Powerful, punchy double bill of new work from the reliably controversial Neil LaBute.

		My Sister In This House Greenwich Playhouse, London Drama based on the true story of a brutal murder of a mother and daughter by their servants.

		The Conservatory Old Red Lion, London Life, death and home improvements explored in a new play by Mark Dooley.

		Metamorphosis Lyric Hammersmith, London David Farr and Gisli Orn Gardarsson's acrobatic take on Kafka returns to the Lyric.

		La Cage Aux Folles Menier Chocolate Factory, London Douglas Hodge and Philip Quast star in the Menier's revival of the Broadway hit.

		Anansi Trades Places Shaw Theatre, London A retelling of the Anansi myths provides the basis for Talawa's alternative Christmas show.

		A Christmas Carol Greenwich Playhouse, London A staging of Charles Dickens ever-popular Christmas story by Flatpack Theatre.

		Beauty And The Beast Lyric Hammersmith, London The Lyric stages Told By An Idiot's family friendly retelling of the popular fairy tale.

		Jack And The Beanstalk Barbican, London Following on from Mark Ravenhill, this year it's Jonathan Harvey's turn to pen a panto for the Barb.

		God In Ruins Soho Theatre, London Anthony Neilson collaborates with the RSC on an alternative Christmas show.

		Dick Whittington And His Cat Hackney Empire, London Clive Rowe stars in the Empire's hugely entertaining annual pantomime.

		Limbo Arcola Theatre, London Declan Feenan's poignant monologue about a young woman's relationship with an older man

		The Six-Days World Finborough Theatre, London Long buried family secrets come to light at Christmas time in Elizabeth Kuti's new play.

		Crestfall Theatre 503, London Niamh Cusack stars in Mark O'Rowe's new play, a series of three visceral monologues.

		Cinderella Little Angel Theatre, London The Little Angel presents their version of the classic fairy story, told entirely with puppets.

		Doubt Tricycle Theatre, London John Patrick Shanley's contentious play set in a Catholic School in the Bronx.

		tHe dYsFUnCKshOnalZ! Bush Theatre, London A punk band reforms for one last gig in Mike Packer's raucous but soft-hearted comedy.

		They Have Oak Trees In North Carolina Tristan Bates Theatre, London A stranger claims to be a couple's missing son in Sarah Wooley's tense drama.

		Chains Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond The Orange Tree revives Elizabeth Barker's fascinating social drama, written in 1909.

		The Human Computer BAC, London Comic actor Will Adamsdale's latest inventive show celebrates technological ineptitude.

		Hedda Gabler Greenwich Playhouse, London Alice de Sousa takes the lead in a staging of Ibsen's biting indictment of the bourgeoisie.

		Songs Of Grace And Redemption Theatre 503, London Lonely lives collide in John Donnelly's darkly comic and intriguing new play.

		Being Norwegian Shunt Vaults, London A sweet, short play by David Greig, the first in Paines Plough's series of A Play, A Pie and A Pint events.

		Cloud Nine Almeida Theatre, London Thea Sharrock directs a revival of Caryl Churchill's ambiguous study of sexual politics.

		Joe Guy Soho Theatre, London The rise and fall of a football star in Roy Williams' energetic play at Soho Theatre.

		Red Death Lates BAC, London The BAC stages the coolest after-show party in town following their masterful Masque.

		Meetings Arcola Theatre, London Food is at the heart of this staging of Mustapha Matura's Trindad set drama

		Dealer's Choice Menier Chocolate Factory, London Sam West directs a revival of Patrick Marber's first play at the Menier Chocolate Factory.

		The Masque Of The Red Death BAC, London Punchdrunk return with another sumptuous performance, this time of the stories of Edgar Allan Poe.

		Pure Gold Soho Theatre, London Money and male pride bring a family close to cracking in Michael Bhim's tense new play.

		Rough Crossings Lyric Hammersmith, London Rupert Goold directs the stage adaptation of Simon Schama's book about the abolition of the slave trade.

		Romeo And Juliet Greenwich Playhouse, London A staging of Shakespeare's love play set against a backdrop of Mussolini’s Race Law.

		Tom Waits For No Man Riverside Studios, London Stewart D'Arrietta presents his acclaimed cabaret celebrating the music of Tom Waits

		Life After Scandal Hampstead Theatre, London Caroline Quentin stars as Christine Hamilton in Robin Soans' latest verbatim play.

		Moonwalking in Chinatown Soho Theatre, London An ambitious and entertaining promenade piece through the busy streets of London's Chinatown.

		Flight Path Bush Theatre, London David Watson's well observed drama about A levels, older brothers and parental pressure.

		Subway Lyric Studio, London A seven-piece Kosovan band provide the music in Vanishing Point's dystopian two-hander.

		The Merchant Of Venice Arcola Theatre, London Julia Pascal's contemporary re-telling of Shakespeare's problematic play.

		A Disappearing Number Barbican Theatre, London Complicite bring their distinctive theatrical vision to the world of pure maths.

		When Midnight Strikes Finborough Theatre, London Charles Miller and Kevin Hammond’s new musical, set on the night of December 31st, 1999.

		The Years Between Orange Tree Theatre, Richmond The Orange Tree kicks off its new season with Daphne Du Maurier's Second World War drama.

		The Sexual Neuroses of Our Parents Gate Theatre, London Carrie Cracknell directs an unsettling study of the sexual awakening of a young woman with learning disabilities.

		Awake And Sing! Almeida Theatre, London Stockard Channing stars as a Bronx matriarch in Clifford Odets' family drama.

		The Bacchae Lyric Hammersmith, London Alan Cumming plays Dionysus in the National Theatre of Scotland's visually striking production.

		Venus As A Boy Soho Theatre, London Luke Sutherland's moving novella, brought to the stage by Tam Dean Burn.

		Yoga Bitch Theatre 503, London Suzanne Morrison's one-woman show about a yoga training camp in Bali.

		The Confidential Clerk Finborough Theatre, London T S Eliot's verse play is revived at the Finborough 50 years after its last London production.

		Get Happy! King's Head Theatre, London Debbie Saloman stars as Judy Garland in an entertaing one-woman show.

		Take Flight Menier Chocolate Factory, London The Menier stages a new musical about the early pioneers of aviation by David Shire and Richard Maltby Jr.

		Ours Finborough Theatre, London The Finborough stages a revival of TW Robertson’s play, performed for the first time since 1909.

		Glass Eels Hampstead Theatre, London A young girl deals with her burgeoning sexuality in Nell Leyshon’s new play.

		Baghdad Wedding Soho Theatre, London Three friends grapple with their sexual, cultural and political identity in Hassan Abdulrazzak's Baghdad-set drama.

		Longwave Lyric Studio, London Signal to Noise present a two-hander in which two scientists try to make sense of the world.

		Future Me Theatre 503, London Stephen Brown's unsettling new play explores issues of rehabilitation and forgiveness.

		From The Hart New End Theatre, London An entertaining musical journey through the life and work of Lorenz Hart.

		Men Without Shadows Finborough Theatre, London Jean Paul Sartre's infrequently performed existential Second World War thriller.

		Trance Bush Theatre, London Reality and identity become increasingly blurred in Shoji Kokami's intense three-hander.

		The Christ OF Coldharbour Lane Soho Theatre, London Oladipo Agboluaje's satirical comedy about a self-styled prophet spreading the word in Brixton.