Tag: New Writing

Seated on the left, Jack (played by Christopher Wollaton) wearing an England football top and shorts; seated on the right Suzie (played by Lucy Farrar). Between them on the wall is a large England flag.

★★★Too Many Years of Hurt

Simon Ward reviews Coming Home at The Hope Theatre As we enter the soundtrack swells with the now-familiar England football anthems – Three Lions, of course, along with Vindaloo and Sweet Caroline – all bound to get the heart pumping and the crowd singing along. There is nervous […]

Blake Stratso seated on a bar stool in open-necked white shirt, tan chinos and white trainers. There is an Indian rug on the floor.

★★★★Soft Underbelly

Simon Ward reviews TURTLE: A Story About Christ, Cancer, Kinks, and Christmas at the Aces & Eights Theatre Although the bread-and-butter review circuit consists of rooms above pubs, there are a few venues where things are not quite that simple. Aces & Eights is one such example. It […]

Olivia (played by Beth Birss) in the background, looking towards Viola in the foreground (played by Tanieth Kerr) in sweatshirt and denim, wearing a blue beanie hat. She is crying as she looks at something in her hand.

★★★Love in Shakespeare

Simon Ward reviews LIV:Sapphic Shakespeare at the Old Red Lion Theatre Showing as part of the Camden Fringe, which is running at various venues around London until 24th August, this is clearly a labour of love for writer/producer/actor Tanieth Kerr. Directed by Katy Livsey, it is a re-imagining […]

★★★★Climb Every Mountain

Simon Ward reviews in defence of adventurous mothers at The Glitch As we descend into the underground world of the Glitch we find ourselves in a climbing centre – two large pillars with the tell-tale brightly coloured mouldings on which the intrepid can make their ascent. This is […]

Simon Parkes (played by Max Runham) arms spread, wearing a bomber jacket, T-shirt and jeans, looking defiantly towards the viewer.

★★★★Call of the Wild

Simon Ward reviews Brixton Calling at the Southwark Playhouse Borough Just over ten years ago, Simon Parkes wrote his memoir Live At The Brixton Academy describing the incredible true story of how he acquired the lease on the building that would become the Brixton Academy for £1, before […]

On the left, standing, Roni (played by Eileen Duffy) in black shorts and T-shirt; on the right, sitting on a messy bed, Katie (played by Catherine Ashdown), wearing a horizontal stripy blue and white top and jeans.

★★★★Friendship, Interrupted

Simon Ward reviews 1.17am, or Until The Words Run Out at Theatre503 Running as part of the Summer Shorts season currently playing at Theatre503, Zoe Hunter Gordon’s new play is an utterly compelling portrait of a friendship placed under seemingly unbearable strain. Katie (Catherine Ashdown) and Roni (Eileen […]

Helen (played by Vis Eliot Safavi) looking off camera, with dark curly hair and wearing a smart off-pink jacket and a white shirt.

★★★Edge of Reason

Simon Ward reviews Outside Voice at the Soho Poly Theatre Tucked away in the West End side streets, and just around the corner from the BBC, this location has been a hub for arts activities since at least the late 1960s. In recent years it has been restored […]

On the left Malcolm (played by Gabriel Fogarty-Graveson); in the middle Harriet (played by Laurel Marks); on the right Regina (played by Gabrielle Nellis-Pain). They are all wearing dark undertaker-style clothes and looking quizzically at something off camera to their right.

★★★Dead Funny

Simon Ward reviews Grave Mistake at the Hope Theatre Matthew Ballantyne and Toby Hampton’s new play is a Joe Orton-esque farce set in a funeral home. Burke and Sons has been a family business for generations and is now in the hands of sisters Regina (Gabrielle Nellis-Pain) and […]

On the left Paddy (played by Eoin Sweeney), seated cross-legged in school uniform of white shirt, black trousers, purple blazer with crest and purple and yellow striped tie. He is gesticulating wildly with his right arm raised. On the right is Mick (played by Matthew Blaney) also cross-legged and wearing the same school uniform. He is wearing glasses and looking terrified.

★★★★Oh Boy!

Simon Ward reviews Derry Boys at Theatre503 This piece comes closest to my own personal experience of anything I have reviewed in all my years writing for The Peg. Though I wasn’t born there, I was raised in Derry, so I would almost certainly qualify for entry to […]