All stories by Gary Naylor on BroadwayStars

Friday, August 16, 2024

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 08:06AM[SHARE]
Wednesday, August 7, 2024

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 08:00PM[SHARE]
Sunday, August 4, 2024

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 08:00PM[SHARE]
Thursday, July 4, 2024

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 09:02PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, June 12, 2024

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 08:06PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, June 11, 2024

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 03:36AM[SHARE]
Thursday, May 9, 2024

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 09:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, May 8, 2024

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 09:48PM[SHARE]
Friday, April 26, 2024

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 09:06PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, April 16, 2024

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[SHARE]
Wednesday, April 10, 2024

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 09:18PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, March 27, 2024

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[SHARE]
Thursday, February 29, 2024

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[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 28, 2024

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 09:02PM[SHARE]
Friday, February 23, 2024

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[SHARE]
Thursday, February 22, 2024

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[SHARE]
Wednesday, February 14, 2024

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 09:24PM[SHARE]
Thursday, February 8, 2024

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 01:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, February 4, 2024

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 08:24PM[SHARE]
Monday, January 29, 2024

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 09:12PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, January 17, 2024

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 07:12AM[SHARE]
Friday, January 12, 2024

The Good John Proctor, Jermyn Street Theatre review - Salem-set drama loses some of its power in London by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE GOOD JOHN PROCTOR, JERMYN STREET THEATRE Witch Hunt play fails to fly An overdue response to 'The Crucible', but very much rooted in its place, if not its time I…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:42PM[SHARE]
Friday, January 5, 2024

1979, Finborough Theatre review - niche subject matter finds a strong resonance by Gary Naylor

★★★★ 1979, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Comedy-drama set in 1970s Canadian politics proves much more interesting than it sounds! There's fun and profundity in the thick of Otta…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 09:18PM[SHARE]
Wednesday, December 13, 2023

A Woman Walks into a Bank, Theatre 503 review - prize-winning play delivers on its promise by Gary Naylor

★★★★ A WOMAN WALKS INTO A BANK, THEATRE503 Russian tale resonates far beyond Moscow Roxy Cook's dramedy has echoes of Chekhov in its melding of comedy and tragedy We'…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:48PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, December 12, 2023

Pandemonium, Soho Theatre review - satire needs a shot of Pfizer's finest to revive tired storylines by Gary Naylor

★★★ PANDEMONIUM, SOHO THEATRE Armando Iannucci finds some laughs but nothing fresh If you're ready for more gags about Boris Johnson's House of Horrors administration, t…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:36AM[SHARE]
Sunday, December 3, 2023

£1 Thursdays, Finborough Theatre review - dazzling new play is as funny and smart as its two heroines by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ £1 THURSDAYS, FINBOROUGH THEATRE Beautifully delivered by two sensational leads  Seldom does one see a writer's vision so perfectly realised on stag…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:42PM[SHARE]
Friday, December 1, 2023

Macbeth, The Depot, Liverpool review - Ralph Fiennes leads a conventional production in an unconventional space by Gary Naylor

★★★★ MACBETH, THE DEPOT War in a warehouse scores on its beautiful line readings and spectacle Touring show lands first in Liverpool with a terrifying relevance Next …

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 06:18AM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 26, 2023

Oh What A Lovely War, Southwark Playhouse review - 60 years on, the old warhorse can still bare its teeth by Gary Naylor

★★★ OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR, SOUTHWARK PLAYHOUSE Joan Littlewood invents devised theatre with satirical wit and righteous anger centre stage Blackeyed Theatre's touring produc…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:48PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 21, 2023

The Mongol Khan, London Coliseum review - unique operatic spectacle utterly overwhelms flaws in pacing and story by Gary Naylor

★★★★★ THE MONGOL KHAN, LONDON COLISEUM Cirque du Soleil meets Game of Thrones Take its limitations on trust and this Mongolian epic proves the best value in tow…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 08:36PM[SHARE]
Tuesday, November 14, 2023

Shakespeare: Rise of a Genius, BBC Two review - the Bard's soul bared in hybrid drama-documentary by Gary Naylor

  Speculation and facts woven into a compelling portrait of a singular man Four centuries on from the publication of the First Folio, is there anything new to be said about William Shake…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 02:32PM[SHARE]
Sunday, November 12, 2023

The Time Traveller's Wife review - blockbuster 2003 novel does not quite land as blockbuster 2023 musical by Gary Naylor

★★★ THE TIME TRAVELLER'S WIFE, APOLLO THEATRE If Doctor Who did musical romcoms... Powerhouse performances and visual effects let down by unambitious book and lacklustre so…

SOURCE: The Arts Desk at 09:12PM[SHARE]

All that Chat