Tag: New Writing

★★★The Trouble With Men

Simon Ward reviews Monologues of Men at the Old Red Lion Theatre Long time collaborators Francis Saunders and Dean Stalham have teamed up again, this time with Saunders writing and performing, and Stalham directing. I have long been an admirer of Stalham’s work (see Waiting for God and […]

★★★★Poppy Power

Simon Ward reviews Poppies at the Camden People’s Theatre Running as part of this year’s SPRINT Festival for new work at the Camden People’s Theatre, Poppies is an intensely personal piece written by the cast, Jim Spencer Broadbent and Johnjoe Irwin. They play versions of themselves ‘Jim’ who […]

On the left, in open-necked check shirt Gary (played by Charlie Jennings), on the right, looking at sceptically, dressed in red crocheted top and blue dungarees, Sam (played by Gaby Coleman).

★★★Dystopia Revisited

Simon Ward reviews Two Strangers and a Clipboard at the Etcetera Theatre Written and directed by Maria Speight, this is a piece presented as workshop preview prior to a planned summer festival run. Set in a universe that has some overlaps with ours – Celine Dion, cassette tapes, […]

Night scene, dimly lit. In front on the left is Ffion (played by Lucy Havard) looking up; on the right at the back is Ben (played by Andy Sellers) in a light blue cagoule, also looking up.

★★★★Howling At The Moon

Simon Ward reviews Werewolf Sighted In Port Talbot at the Old Red Lion Theatre Following a successful run as part of GrimFest in October last year, Andy Sellers’s debut dark comedy returns to the Old Red Lion. The multi-talented Mr Sellers, whose performance I thoroughly enjoyed in last […]

Her (played by Toyin Ayedun-Alase)

★★★★Family Matters

Simon Ward reviews Mother.Dad at the Omnibus Theatre This two-hander comprises the narration of two, apparently unrelated, stories by ‘Him’ (Andy Sellers) and ‘Her’ (Toyin Ayedun-Alase), and is performed with utter conviction. Playwright Doug Deans’ writing manages to convey a panoramic overview of life in Britain today, but, […]

In blue light, four surgeons in white hazmat suits and with head torchs shining surround a suspended surgery bed. A projection of blue dividing cells hangs above the bed.

★★★Who Wants To Live Forever?

Simon Ward reviews Continuity at The Cockpit Theatre As a technology entrepreneur, we can take it that the insights that David Sear shares in this dystopian satirical black comedy are based on concepts being seriously considered in the world of the tech bros. Set in 2034, the world […]

Three actors peeping through the backstage curtain to look at the audience. Top to bottom - Nathaniel (played by Jake O'Hare), Olivia (played by Lucy Blunt) and Sadie (played by Rebekah Nicol).

★★★★Murder By The Stage Door

Simon Ward reviews Kill For The Part at the Canal Cafe Theatre Written and directed by Lucy Blunt, who also plays Olivia/Eleanor Deluse, this is a witty and beguiling romp which interleaves a classic cosy murder mystery with the back-stage shenanigans that arise when the cast believe themselves […]

Olly Hawes, standing up holding a microphone, bloodied arms, blood-stained grey sweatshirt

★★Dead End Street

Simon Ward reviews Old Fat F**k Up at the Riverside Studios Olly Hawes has set up camp at the Riverside Studios – as well as this show, in a week or so, he will be alternating performances with his previous play F**king Legend so he must be doing […]

Two men seated at a restaurant table. On the left, Ben, played by Sam Danson, in a dark shirt and beige cords; on the right Tim, played by Dior Clarke, in a midriff-revealing turquoise T-shirt and cargo pants. They are toasting each other with wine glasses.

★★★Grindr’s Not A Dating App

Simon Ward reviews Daddy’s First Gay Date at the Seven Dials Playhouse Rather touchingly listed on the venue’s website as ‘Writer, Producer and Ben’ this show is clearly Sam Danson’s baby. Billed as a romantic comedy, much humour is found in the culture clash between the straight world […]