Theatre review: The Time Traveller's Wife at the Apollo Theatre

Based on the book of the same name by Audrey Niffenegger, The Time Traveller's Wife at its core is the love story between Henry and Clare. The twist? Henry is a time traveller and Clare first meets him when she's still a child. In his own chronological timeline, however, Henry doesn't meet Clare until they're both in their 20s. Are you confused yet? Not only that, but Henry cannot control when he travels – making it very hard for him to live his life as he doesn't know when – and for how long – he is gone.  

Theatre review: Death Note: The Musical in Concert at the London Palladium

Death Note is a popular manga series by writer Tsugumi Ohba and illustrator Takeshi Obata, which has garnered a steady fan base throughout its 20-year history and countless adaptations, from anime to a live action Netflix movie. A musical version was inevitable to bring this epic story to the stage – and it's finally made it to the London stage! 

Theatre review: Aspects of Love at the Lyric Theatre

Aspects of Love is a sung-through Andrew Lloyd Webber musical that is not quite as well-known as his classics Evita, Jesus Christ Superstar, and Phantom of the Opera. But he wrote it immediately after the latter and there are recurring themes of unrequited love, the dramatics of the theatre, and obsession running throughout both. The show was first staged in the West End in the late 1980s with Michael Ball taking on the role of the young Alex. Nearly 35 years later, the actor returns to the show as George, Alex's uncle who gets entangled in an affair with his nephew's lover.  

Theatre review: Disney's Beauty and the Beast at The London Palladium

My first "big" theatre experience was Disney's Beauty and the Beast on Broadway back in 2006. As a big fan of the movie, and it being my first Broadway show, it didn't take much to impress me. And impress me it did. From the lavish musical numbers through to Donny Osmond's surprising comic turn as Gaston, the more-muscles-than-brains bully wanting to marry Belle. Fast-forward 16 years and the Disney classic has made a return to London's West End, for a short stint as part of a wider UK tour. Is the show still impressive, or has some of the glitz and glamour worn off? I had the chance to find out earlier this week.

Theatre review: Six at the Vaudeville Theatre

"Divorced, beheaded, died. Divorced, beheaded, survived." If you grew up in the UK you probably learned all about the wives of Henry VIII in this way in school. But how much do you truly know about these women, their lives before marrying the king, and what made them unique individuals rather than one of the wives? The musical Six lifts the curtain on these incredible women at last, empowering them by giving each one a chance to sparkle in the spotlight and rewrite their history, so it becomes her story.

Mary Poppins at The Prince Edward Theatre

Who doesn't know the story of Mary Poppins? The nanny who quite literally flies into the lives of the Banks' at Cherry Tree Lane, showing children and parents alike that all that truly matters is family (all while dancing on rooftops and with penguins)? The stage adaptation of the classic P.L. Travers stories has 'chim chim cher-eed' onto the London stage for the first time in 15 years, taking over from fellow Disney-alumni Aladdin at the Prince Edward Theatre.

School of Rock at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

[AD – gifted] School of Rock is what you get when you cross the headbanging music of Rock of Ages with a talented young cast like in Matilda. Preppy children in school uniforms turn into rock stars in this super fun show with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Glenn Slater and a book by Julian Fellows. Nearly three years on from its West End debut it's still rockin' night after night, and I had the joy last week to see the show again for the first time in a few years.

Everybody's Talking About Jamie at the Apollo Theatre

[AD – gifted] Everybody's been talking about Jamie. Inspired by the BBC documentary Jamie: Drag Queen at 16, the musical with a book and lyrics by Tom MacRae and music by The Feeling frontman Dan Gillespie Sells has been a West End hit since transferring to London from Sheffield in 2017, winning a slew of WhatsOnStage Awards and being nominated for five prestigious Olivier Awards too. And this week I finally had a chance to see for myself what all the buzz was about.

Come From Away at the Phoenix Theatre

Have you ever had goosebumps watching a piece of theatre come alive on stage? I experienced this for the first time during the electrifying 25th anniversary performance of Miss Saigon quite a few years ago now – reuniting the original West End leads alongside the then London ones – and again this week when I had the immense pleasure of watching one of the first preview performances of Broadway hit musical Come From Away in its brand-new London home; the Phoenix Theatre.

The Band at Theatre Royal Haymarket

Five teenage girls win a competition to see their favourite band live on stage, but the night changes the course of their lives in unexpected ways. 25 years later they come back together for the first time as once more they win tickets to see The Band. During their reunion they look back on their childhoods, regrets and accomplishments, trying to reconnect with their childhood selves. Set to the backdrop of the music of 90s heart-throbs Take That performed by a quintet of performers that won their spot in the musical through TV-show Let it Shine, Tim Firth's new musical is less the story of boy band and more that of five women's life anchored through friendship, loss, reconciliation – and their love for The Band.  

Don Quixote at the Garrick Theatre

Who hasn't seen the classic novel with a knight pictured on the front in the middle of a duel, his lance strangely pointing in the direction of a windmill as if the inanimate object were his opponent in battle? Don Quixote de la Mancha, the novel's titular character is an infamous protagonist in the literary world, and on his legendary adventures he has now journeyed to the stage; the Garrick Theatre in London's West End to be exact.

42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane

As a musical theatre lover I've seen pretty much every show in the West End (most of them more than once) but somehow I hadn't been to see 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until this week, despite it playing in London since early last year already. I'm clearly a fake fan! It has been through a few cast iterations since threading the boards here in the UK, and the most recent addition that I got to enjoy included none other than Bonnie Langford in the role of show-stealing diva Dorothy Brock.

The King and I at the London Palladium

It's been a fairly light year for high-profile openings and Broadway transfers in London. There are some fringe venues getting great musicals in, like Southwark Playhouse with Bring it On and The Other Palace with the return of its geeky space comedy Eugenius!, but the bigger theatres mostly have some solid long runners in them right now. Which is great for them as it means the shows are clearly doing very well, but for someone who's seen most of what's out by now, new additions always excite me very much. And none more so this year than Rodgers and Hammerstein's The King and I.

Strictly Ballroom at the Piccadilly Theatre

As someone who grew up in the nineties I will always associate Baz Luhrmann with Romeo + Juliet (teenage me had a very big crush on Leonardo DiCaprio's Romeo!), but the Australian writer, director and producer's work also includes Moulin Rouge and Strictly Ballroom in his trio of outstanding musical films that have gained popularity far beyond its Australian roots. Though the first of the three – Strictly Ballroom – is perhaps the least known here in the UK, but with the dazzling theatrical adaptation opening in the West End that won't be the case for much longer.

Bat Out Of Hell at the Dominion Theatre

The Dominion Theatre has a theatrical rock legacy, with Queen musical We Will Rock You playing sold out shows for many years at this location and the golden statue of Freddy Mercury at the entrance of the theatre reigning over that iconic corner on Tottenham Court Road in London like true royalty. So it's only apt that the transfer of Meat Loaf musical Bat out of Hell, with music from the concept albums of the same name, takes up residence in the West End home of rock 'n' roll.

LMTO's A Christmas Carol at the Lyceum Theatre

A Christmas Carol is a staple this time of year. After reading Mr. Dickens and His Carol and seeing The Man Who Invented Christmas (based on the similar premise of Charles Dickens writing his famous festive tale) in cinema recently, you might think I'd be all Dickensed out, but you'd be wrong. When the London Musical Theatre Orchestra announced that they'd be reviving their concert staging of the musical adaptation this year I added it to my calendar before you could say 'bah humbug'!

Aladdin at The Prince Edward Theatre

I was eight years old when Disney released Aladdin and I fell utterly in love with it; from Aladdin's cheeky antics to the glittering Cave of Wonders and from his adorable animal side-kick Abu to the Genie's impressive dance skills. It being a much-loved classic from my childhood I wasn't too sure how much I'd enjoy a theatrical adaptation and whether it'd live up to my memories. However, I needn't have worried as the musical version currently threading the boards in London takes some of the best elements from the animation, and turns it into its own dazzling spectacle.

Annie the Musical at Piccadilly Theatre

When I went on holiday to New York City a few years ago, my friend and I ended up seeing more shows during our stay than days we were actually in the city – and one of them was Annie the Musical. It's a film I always loved growing up and I was excited to see it on stage. A few years down the line, however, that was probably the least memorable musical we saw that holiday and so when it made a comeback in London I was keen to check it out, hoping the UK production would dazzle me more than the US one had done.

Ink at The Duke of York's Theatre

Despite having a degree in print journalism, with digital having taken the world by storm this century I am painfully ignorant when it comes to the history of the print press, especially the British one as I grew up in the Netherlands. However, I am fascinated by the origins of Fleet Street and so Ink, detailing the history of one of the UK's biggest and most popular newspapers, was the perfect opportunity to learn more. What I didn't expect though, was quite how gripped I'd be by this fast-paced drama, which was as brilliant in its writing as it was in its execution.

Kinky Boots at the Adelphi Theatre

I had the pleasure of seeing Kinky Boots for the first time on Broadway among an audience of its creatives such as Harvey Fierstein and Cyndi Lauper in the week before it swept the Tony's by winning six of the thirteen categories it was nominated in, including Best Musical – it was a memorable experience. The show strutted into the West End in 2015 and while it's taken a little while to find its feet (I wasn't as blown away by the original West End cast back then as I was by the Broadway one), it has really managed to carve out a 'kinky' niche for itself in London.