TRADGE THE THEATRE GEEK

Temperatures have been rising (and how), and it seems that summer isn't just on the horizon, it's come charging onto the scene like a bull in a china shop. There is no shortage of terrific, exciting productions coming up in the next few months, so here are my picks for both London and regional productions set to open over the summer... ----- LONDON Glengarry Glen Ross - David Mamet Old Vic: 04/06 - 18/07 Tickets: book here "‘But what should I tell them?’ ‘The truth, George. A

On the back of the west end launch of "Beetlejuice", I thought it would be apt to, this month, explore those musicals that have most successfully adapted a story from the big screen onto the stage, whether these be Hollywood blockbusters or cult classics, any screen-stage adaptation will be eligible, even if the film was itself adapted from prior source material. Here are my picks for the top 10 musicals adapted from movies... ----- 10. HEATHERS ("Heathers" - 1988) "Heathers"

You can't have a great story without a solid antagonist, right? Well these notorious baddies are about as dastardly and ruthless as they come, but like many of the most compelling villains, it isn't just about how "bad" they are, rather how successfully they compel an audience to be drawn in by them, even begin to root for them at times. Here are my picks for the top 10 best muscal theatre villains; oh, and major plot points will be being discussed, so a courtesy SPOILER ALER

Winter has at long last melted into spring, and the world has come back to life, so what better way to mark this rebirth than to go through my picks for the top 10 songs from musical theatre that sing about, celebrate, or even just reference the spring time in all its verdant beauty... ----- 10. "Daffodils" - BIG FISH " Big Fish " on broadway We start with a romantic duet, sung between principal protagonist Edward Bloom and his lover Sandra, representing the very height of hi

PREMIERED: 2019 (Claire Tow Theater, New York) MUSIC/LYRICS/BOOK: Grace McLean As we enter the spring season, and plant life begins to reinvigorate, how about a one-act musical from broadway favourite Grace McLean to get you feeling the warmth. Best known for her roles in musicals " Suffs ", " Alice By Heart " and " Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812 ", McLean is also a highly accomplished writer and composer, and this musical tribute to saint Hildegard von Bingen t

Winter is melting into spring, and so we have another opportunity to check out what is coming up in the world of theatre across the country, with plenty of exciting new shows opening their doors to audiences over the coming months. Here are my picks for what's coming up in London and beyond during the spring months. ----- LONDON Inter Alia - Suzie Miller Wyndham's Theatre: 17/03 - 20/06 Tickets : book here " Jessica Parks is a maverick London Crown Court Judge; sharp, compa

With the focus of Valentine's Day, much of February is often spent talking about love in all its guises, and whilst romantic love tends to be the focus, it is also a wonderful opportunity to celebrate those beautiful platonic relationships in theatre that make us believe in real love. Along with guest writer, quality human being and close friend of mine Megan O'Neill , here are our picks for the top ten unbreakable musical theatre friendships. And since we will be discussing

PREMIERED: 2019 (Stables Theatre, Sydney) PLAYWRIGHT: Suzie Miller ----- Official artwork of " Prima Facie " This week we feature a play that has astounded audiences all over the world, since its initial premiere in Australia 7 years ago. Though initially performed by Australian actor Sheridan Harbridge , it was the performance of Liverpool-born Jodie Comer that launched this solo play to gargantuan global success, first performing the play at the Harold Pinter Theatre in t

We are back with another top 10, and to help you shake the January blues, we have a selection of songs from musicals that can help you feel like you can take on the world, so here is my selection of up-beat songs to get you in the right mood for the new year. Oh and there will be major plot points discussed here, so a SPOILER ALERT is in place before we begin... (Click each photo to be taken to each respective song) ----- 10. "Put Your Mind To It" - Back To The Future Hugh C

A terrific year of theatre finished strongly with some of my favourite productions I’d seen during 2025, including 4 of my top 5 musicals for the year, and a flurry of broadway and off-broadway shows to finish off strong... ----- 10. WYLD WOMAN: THE LEGEND OF SHY GIRL Southwark Playhouse Borough Isabel Renner As someone who is a pretty major introvert at the best of times, this new play by Isabel Renner struck a pretty major chord with me. " Wyld Woman " is one severely socia

Summer into autumn saw concerts, fringe shows and more than one form of theatre magic, as we celebrated half a century of the world's most beloved duo of magicians. Here are my top 10 picks for the third quarter of 2025. ----- 10. TILL THE STARS COME DOWN Theatre Royal, Haymarket The first entry is a play that provided me with my first appearance on a west end stage, as this Beth Steel play, a transfer from the National Theatre , took the west end by storm during the summer.

Spring into summer this year saw plays and fringe theatre dominate the scene, and a healthy mix of west end, off-west end and regional theatre feature in part 2 of this 4 part annual roundup. This is the 10 best shows I saw during the second quarter of the year. ----- 10. TICK, TICK...BOOM! Theatr Clwyd, Mold After a major refurbishment funded in part by the Welsh government and the Arts Council of Wales, Theatr Clwyd finally reopened its doors in June this year after over 4

We are reaching that time where we say goodbye to the concluding year, and begin ringing in the next, so given that we have made it to almost 150 shows for the year, once again we are doing this quarterly. Here are my top 10 shows for the first three months of the year. ----- 10. KENREX Southwark Playhouse, London We start with not only a solo show, but one of the most gripping pieces of one-man theatre you're ever likely to see. Gripping, intense, and jam packed with terrifi

The bitter cold has begun to sting and nip at our noses, and there's arguably no better way to warm ourselves up that to spend the winter season enjoying some terrific theatre. Here are my picks for shows opening over the coming months that have presented plenty of cause for intrigue. ----- LONDON Into The Woods (Stephen Sondheim/James Lapine) Bridge Theatre: opening 02/12 Tickets : book here " Why would you go into the woods? To sell the cow, To visit mother, To see the ki

Whilst it is always a marvellous joy to see new theatre being showcased on the biggest stages, I feel it is also important to remember the various shows that have been forgotten, neglected, or just not given their due care or attention over the years, and there will invariably be plays, musicals, even ballets and operas, that sadly will go unperformed for years on end. So with this in mind, here are a few of my picks for stage shows for which a revival is long overdue... ----

Lizzi Gee (director/choreographer) Earlier this week I had the chance to attend a press event for upcoming European premiere of “Ride The Cyclone” at Southwark Playhouse Elephant, during which I managed to sit down and chat with Lizzi Gee , director and choreographer for the production. Prior to this, the room was treated. to three sneak peek performances from the show, all of which can be viewed on my TikTok page . Additionally you can view rehearsal photos from Lyric Hammer

Winter's nigh, and summers oer, so to keep us occupied during the inevitable shift from warm summer days to long winter nights, we have a wonderful range of musicals, plays and more set to open this autumn around the UK, here are some of the highlight of what's coming up! ----- LONDON The Importance of Being Earnest (Oscar Wilde) Noël Coward Theatre - opening 17/09 Tickets : book here "The National Theatre’ s sold-out production of The Importance of Being Earnest transfers

As the Edinburgh Festival Fringe approaches, whilst there will always be far too many shows for one to be able to see everything, with an average of 3700 - 3800 different productions playing over the course of late July and through the entirety of August every year, so here is a roundup of just a taster of the various plays, musicals and more that are catching the eye so far for the 2025 festival. HOT MESS, 30.07 - 25.08 Pleasance Two at Pleasance Courtyard We kick things of