Review: Mrs Henderson Presents (Noel Coward Theatre)

© Dewynters

SheSeesStars: ★★★☆☆

It’s always exciting when a major new musical arrives in the West End – high hopes and trepidation abound, with cast, creatives and audience alike wondering how things will turn out. I was keen to get in early* to see the newest addition, Mrs Henderson Presents, which arrives in London after a run at Bath’s Theatre Royal last year. Having never seen the 2005 film starring Dame Judi and Bob ‘Oskins, I was only vaguely aware of the storyline and content, so I approached this one with a very fresh pair of eyes – one of my favourite ways to see a show.

Curtain Up exhibition (V&A Museum)

© SheSeesShows

The Victoria and Albert (V&A) Museum in South Kensington is one of my favourite places to visit in London. The museum is home to a huge variety of galleries full of gorgeous stuff, from furniture to fashion and sculptures to silverware. Since I enjoy going there anyway, I was excited to learn last year that the Theatre & Performance galleries were going to host a new exhibition in 2016, timed to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the Olivier Awards.

Review: Trainspotting (King’s Head Theatre)

© In Your Face Theatre

SheSeesStars: ★★★★☆

I wanted to get tickets for this show at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival last August, but was too slow off the mark (it sold out). I’d also missed it during a run at the King’s Head last year, so I was happy to hear it was returning to the Islington venue. Whilst I was under no illusion this would be a ‘pleasant’ night at the theatre, I was sure it would be an experience…

Review: The Pianist of Willesden Lane (St James Theatre)

© Alastair Muir

SheSeesStars: ★★★★☆

A couple of friends spotted this show, which is currently playing at the St James Theatre near Victoria, and invited me to go along with them. I hadn’t seen or heard anything about it, but reading the blurb on the theatre website it sounded an interesting prospect. I’m so glad I took a chance on it and joined my friends – it was a beautiful and very emotional night at the theatre.

Review: The Lorax (Old Vic)

© SheSeesShows

SheSeesStars: ★★★★★

Near the South Bank of town where the river Thames flows
and commuters pass by in monotonous rows
and sometimes I go to see theatre shows,
is the Old Vic. Now playing: The Lorax!

Review: Bull (Young Vic)

© Young Vic

SheSeesStars: ★★★★☆

I missed Mike Bartlett’s Bull when it was at the Young Vic early this year. It won the award for Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre at the 2015 Oliviers, so I was glad to see it make a return and took the opportunity to grab a ticket (and to satisfyingly cross off the one missing theatrical Olivier winner from my list, having seen all the West End winners during my stint on the theatre judging panel from March 2014-February 2015*).

Review: wonder.land (National Theatre)

SheSeesStars: ★★★☆☆

© National Theatre

wonder.land is a modern-day reworking of Lewis Carroll’s children’s classic Alice in Wonderland for the internet generation (hence the . in the title). The show debuted at this year’s Manchester International Festival and has music by Blur’s Damon Albarn, book and lyrics by Moira Buffini whose Handbagged was a triumph, and direction by Rufus Norris. With such a strong pedigree, I was expecting something pretty spectacular. In the event, whilst I wasn’t entirely disappointed, I wasn’t entirely convinced either.

Review: Funny Girl (Menier Chocolate Factory)

SheSeesStars: ★★★★☆

© Marc Brenner

I stayed up until midnight several months ago to grab tickets for Funny Girl at the Menier Chocolate Factory for several reasons. Firstly, of course, there’s Sheridan Smith, who smashes everything she’s in these days, be it on the small screen or on stage. Secondly, I love the Menier as a venue – it’s intimate and has a remarkable strike rate for great shows. And finally, I’ll admit to loving the satisfaction of getting tickets to a show that’s bound to be a sell out!

Review (ish): You Me Bum Bum Train (former Foyles bookshop, London)

SheSeesStars: ★★★★★

I’ve been aware of You Me Bum Bum Train since its first London incarnation in 2012, which was both wildly popular and totally impossible to get a ticket for. I somehow missed the news that the show was returning to London, but happened upon a tweet a couple of weeks ago saying the show was extending through November and was operating a ballot for tickets. Thinking ‘there’s no harm in trying’ but never for a minute imagining my name would be drawn (apparently 80,000 people tried to get tickets for the 2012 production), I entered my details and then pretty much forgot about it. That is until I received an email entitled ‘Congratulations’…

Inaugural WhatsOnStage Theatre Quiz (Theatre Café)

© WhatsOnStage

The evening of Thursday 2 July saw the inaugural edition of the WhatsOnStage Theatre Quiz, held at the Theatre Café on Shaftesbury Avenue in the heart of London’s glittering West End. Six teams of four or five people entered the event, including my team of keen theatre-going friends. But how was the quiz? And, more importantly, did we win…?