Bite-Size Show Reviews

Since arriving in London, I have seen seven shows, five of which were straight plays, one was a musical, and one was comedy, and I have yet to really write about any of them. Regrettably some of these won't be useful, because the shows have already closed, but I'll talk about them anyway, but only two at a time. I'm lazy like that.

The first two:


Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, starring Imelda Staunton and Michael Ball.
(This show closed September 22nd)

One of the more popular works of Sondheim's oeuvre gets a nice facelift in Jonathan Kent's version of the chilling stage musical, complete with a new set design by Anthony Ward. Set in 1920's London, and featuring an onstage "overseer", if you will, the production felt very much inspired by the original Harold Prince incarnation, but the slightly industrial feel lent an air of scientific observation to the show that felt very appropriate. The new set also abandoned the rotating box in favor of different platforms that wheeled in and out, which felt effective, though very large scale. Imelda Staunton tripped up in the beginning, vocally, but quickly recovered to a fantastic performance through the rest of the show. Michael Ball's tenor was somewhat disappointingly thin, but his sneer and impeccable acting choices made up for it. Performances from the rest of the cast were solid, though I was unhappy with James McConville's Toby, both in acting and in song, as he remained off-pitch most of the night. Overall, however, a fantastic show, which left most of what worked in the original alone, and added some interesting new choices. 4.5 stars out of 5.

Our Boys, A Play by Jonathan Lewis, with Arthur Darvill, Laurence Fox, and Matthew Lewis.
(Tickets available until December 15th)

The West End debut of Our Boys is rather star-studded, but Jonathan Lewis' play is clearly shines in this production, which brings out touching performances from all its actors. I was particularly impressed by the work of Cian Barry and Lewis Reeves, who presented solid character and excellent emotional range. David Grindley directed a funny, occasionally touching, and altogether very firm production. It's certainly pleasant to watch, and I imagine it will attract many fans of Doctor Who, Harry Potter, and Lewis, who will probably go away pleased. 3 stars out of 5.


Other than seeing lots of theatre, I've also been exploring the fun of cooking for myself (not sarcasm, I swear), which includes making curries, oven roasting pears, fajitas, homemade guacamole, and stir-frying like it's my job. Every now and then I also go to class and do homework, as well, but hey, life of a student.