The Silver Cord, Finborough Theatre review - Sophie Ward is compellingly repellent by Gary Naylor

★★★★ THE SILVER CORD, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Narcissism up-close and disturbingly relevant  Beautifully staged and acted revival of Sidney Howard's century-old blac…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:36pm on September 6, 2024[SHARE]

Art, Theatre Royal Bath review - Yasmina Reza's smash hit back on tour 30 years after Paris premiere by Gary Naylor

★★★★ ART, THEATRE ROYAL BATH Three men fall out over a painting in a very French comedy Male friendships buckle as egos clash, with a resonance for today's culture…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:32pm on September 5, 2024[SHARE]

Shifters, Duke of York's Theatre review - star-crossed lovers shine in intelligent rom-com by Gary Naylor

★★★★ SHIFTERS, THE DUKE OF YORK'S THEATRE Winning and witty 21st century love story Only the third West End written play by a black woman will not be the last Pete…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 12:42am on August 23, 2024[SHARE]

The Fabulist, Charing Cross Theatre review - fine singing cannot rescue an incoherent production by Gary Naylor

★★ THE FABULIST, CHARING CROSS THEATRE Plenty of ambition, but achieves very little Beautiful music, but curious decisions in scripting and staging sink the show On opening ni…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:18pm on August 20, 2024[SHARE]

The Birthday Party, Ustinov Studio, Theatre Royal Bath review - Pinter still packs a punch by Gary Naylor

★★★★ THE BIRTHDAY PARTY, USTINOV STUDIO, THEATRE ROYAL BATH Landmark play revived to shock and surprise all over again Jane Horrocks garners the laughs in a very d…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:06am on August 16, 2024[SHARE]

Fiddler on the Roof, Regent's Park Open Air Theatre - dazzling gem of a production marks its diamond anniversary by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, REGENT'S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE As entertaining and poignant as ever, 60 years on Unique venue adds a new dimension to canonical mu…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:00pm on August 7, 2024[SHARE]

Frankie Goes To Bollywood, Southbank Centre review - Lots of lights, but a dull show by Gary Naylor

★★ FRANKIE GOES TO BOLLYWOOD, SOUTHBANK CENTRE Small town girl makes good in Bollywood, then takes on the patriarchy Bhangra-inspired musical let down by storyline and singing…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:00pm on August 4, 2024[SHARE]

Next to Normal, Wyndham's Theatre review - Rock musical on the trauma of mental illness by Gary Naylor

★★★ NEXT TO NORMAL, WYNDHAM'S THEATRE Technically superb show gets ovation and tears  Award-winning comes to West End - bring your handkerchiefs We open on one of tho…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:02pm on July 4, 2024[SHARE]

Miss Julie, Park Theatre review - Strindberg's kitchen drama still packs a punch by Gary Naylor

★★★★ MISS JULIE, PARK THEATRE Sparks fly across class and gender divides that persist today Much adapted play gets a traditional staging fuelled by electric leads …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:06pm on June 12, 2024[SHARE]

Marie Curie, Charing Cross Theatre review - like polonium, best left undiscovered by Gary Naylor

★ MARIE CURIE, CHARING CROSS THEATRE Korean musical makes elementary mistakes Celebrated scientist is ill-served by confused and dull show imported from Seoul There are many women w…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 3:36am on June 11, 2024[SHARE]

Multiple Casualty Incident, The Yard Theatre review - NGO medics in training have problems of their own by Gary Naylor

★★ MULTIPLE CASUALTY INCIDENT, THE YARD THEATRE Too many tricks from the writer and the director dissipates the drama  Sami Ibrahim's play examines ethics in a war zone, bu…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:12pm on May 9, 2024[SHARE]

Spirited Away, London Coliseum review - spectacular re-imagining of beloved film by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ SPIRITED AWAY, LONDON COLISEUM Faithful adaptation will delight Studio Ghibli fans  Growing up with Chihiro/Sen is overwhelming, enlightening and be…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:48pm on May 8, 2024[SHARE]

Testmatch, The Orange Tree Theatre review - Raj rage, old and new, flares in cricket dramedy by Gary Naylor

★★★ TESTMATCH, THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE Kate Attwell packs too much into her kitbag as India challenges England   Winning performances cannot overcome a scattergun …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:06pm on April 26, 2024[SHARE]

An Actor Convalescing in Devon, Hampstead Theatre review - old school actor tells old school stories in warm bath of nostalgia by Gary Naylor

★★★★ AN ACTOR CONVALESCING IN DEVON, HAMPSTEAD THEATRE Paul Jesson finds considerable poignancy in Richard Nelson's bespoke play Fact lightly repackaged as fiction…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 12:54pm on April 16, 2024[SHARE]

Cassie and the Lights, Southwark Playhouse review - powerful, affecting, beautifully acted tale of three sisters in care by Gary Naylor

★★★★ CASSIE AND THE LIGHTS, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE Warm, funny and moving ensemble play about three sisters finding a way to live Heart-rending chronicle of difficult, d…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:18pm on April 10, 2024[SHARE]

Foam, Finborough Theatre review - fascism and f*cking in a Gentlemen's Lavatory that proves short of gentlemen by Gary Naylor

★★★★ FOAM, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Skinhead finds his feet (in a pair of DMs) then leads double life as street thug and gay cruiser Infamous neo-Nazi brought to life in co…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 10:18pm on March 27, 2024[SHARE]

Cruel Intentions, The Other Palace review - Uneasy vibes, but hit tunes and sparkling staging makes a super show by Gary Naylor

★★★ CRUEL INTENTIONS, THE OTHER PALACE Bad people do bad things, but bangers from Britney and co save the day  Jukebox musical gets toes tapping, even if the thrill of t…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 10:12pm on February 29, 2024[SHARE]

Nachtland, Young Vic review - German black comedy brings uneasy humour and discomfiting relevance by Gary Naylor

★★★ NACHTLAND, YOUNG VIC Patrick Marber directs flawed but fascinating disquisition on the past's relevance to the present in art, politics and morality Something to laugh …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:02pm on February 28, 2024[SHARE]

The Big Life, Stratford East review - big-hearted musical brings the joy and honours the past by Gary Naylor

Revived 20 years on, this Windrush musical lands differently, but is still wonderfully entertaining Is there a healthier sound than that of laughter ringing round a theatre?  There are p…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 10:02pm on February 23, 2024[SHARE]

Samuel Takes a Break... in Male Dungeon No. 5 after a long but generally successful day of tours, The Yard Theatre review - funny and thought-provokin by Gary Naylor

'We don't use the word slave round here' - 21st century tourism skewered You do not need to be Einstein to feel it. If the only dimension missing is time, 75% of a place's being can invade …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 10:03pm on February 22, 2024[SHARE]

Just For One Day, The Old Vic - Live Aid musical interpolates clunky scenes and self-conscious exposition between great songs by Gary Naylor

★★★ JUST FOR ONE DAY, THE OLD VIC Nostalgia fest becomes a little uncomfortable when addressing a 21st century audience Saint Bob, Mrs T and a whole lot of feelgood. Oh,…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:24pm on February 14, 2024[SHARE]

Othello, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse review - 21st century interpretation delivers food for thought by Gary Naylor

★★★★ OTHELLO, SAM WANAMAKER PLAYHOUSE Ola Ince makes compromises but gains much in return with her terrifyingly relevant production An Othello for our times, our c…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 1:36am on February 8, 2024[SHARE]

Bronco Billy, Charing Cross Theatre - schmaltzy musical brings the feelgood factor just when it's needed by Gary Naylor

★★★★ BRONCO BILLY THE MUSICAL, CHARING CROSS THEATRE Accept the show's unambitious intentions and you'll have a wonderful ride With additional musical numbers, the…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 8:24pm on February 4, 2024[SHARE]

The Most Precious of Goods, Marylebone Theatre review - old-fashioned storytelling of an all-too relevant tale by Gary Naylor

★★★★ THE MOST PRECIOUS OF GOODS, MARYLEBONE THEATRE A story of love's triumph in an ocean of hate An account of one family's near-destruction in the Holocaust give…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 9:12pm on January 29, 2024[SHARE]

Kin, National Theatre review - heartfelt show makes its demands, but yields its rewards by Gary Naylor

★★★★ KIN, NATIONAL THEATRE The power of physical theatre to tell the story of migration Unconventional and thrilling, this Gecko Theatre project will live long in …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 7:12am on January 17, 2024[SHARE]