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REVIEW: Choir of Man

Published on March 19, 2026March 19, 2026 by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

Community, crisps and a cracking feel-good time

Do you know someone who would rather go to a pub than a musical? This is the one for them! Nic Doodson and Andrew Kay’s Choir of Man is a feel-good jukebox musical with a heartfelt throughline of monologue about the individual regulars at “The Jungle” pub. Discussing themes of home, community and belonging this piece of theatre really aims for everybody to join them from the audience from the get go. The stage is dressed like a traditional pub, stained glass backdrop behind alcohol, familiar patterned wallpaper and a huge bar complete with pub tables.

The audience participation element was a great way to get everybody involved as if in an authentic pub, encouraging the original title “public house” meaning all would be welcome. Audiences were invited to join the cast onstage as a pre-show, and then again during the interval. This could get chaotic and busy with so many attendees, so a massive well done to the ushers and staff at the New Wimbledon Theatre.

The cast members of the show demonstrated their individuality and insane amount of talent from accessing those high falsetto notes, tap dancing at the bar and storytelling with heart and soul through words or song. The friendship displayed was moving, clearly the cast got along both onstage and backstage based on their chemistry as a team of nine. A shoutout to Freddie Huddleston for his movement and choreography skills, especially since he originated the role of “Handyman”, since the orchestration of space and bonds between members echoed through his work.

The nature of the musical being that of a “jukebox” style, this opened up the floor to those who know British classic community sing-alongs, contemporary ballads and nostalgic songs from pop music past. Jukebox musicals are notorious for trying to bring a contemporary audience in, however this felt more purposeful due to the pub setting and playing songs most likely to feature in that environment for the choir to sing. This also brings a shared knowledge and understanding for audience members, removing the barrier of being a hardcore theatre fanatic and allowing space for those who wouldn’t usually attend musicals.

This was a particularly special night for two community choirs as well, who attended the gala night. They were given the opportunity to sing an acapella rendition of Sia’s “Chandelier” with the cast from the stalls. Experiencing this live was a special moment for all as this was the first of many on tour they were sharing, making the performance even more unique and breaking the fourth wall again to offer up a community in house.

Overall, the amazing talent shone through from cast and creatives and was a fun and relaxing watch. Cheers!

Follow the tour dates here

REVIEW: Yentl at Marylebone Theatre

Published on March 13, 2026March 13, 2026 by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

A captivating anecdote for exploring self and queer identity through religion and breaking gender norms.

Yentl is a compelling ode to those who wish to defy odds whilst maintaining a sense of belief and exploring the boundaries of their religion. Traditionally, Jewish girls were highly restricted by formal religion (Torah/Talmud) to study for centuries, primarily from the Talmudic era until the early 20th century. Yentl craves to defy her gender expectations as a woman just to be married off and serve a man for the rest of her life. Now, she must navigate grief whilst approaching the alien realm of masculinity to achieve further study and learn about the world around her. She possesses a unique perspective on knowledge as a cisgender woman and introduces this to a man she meets on her travels, Avigdor. The play is reminiscent of Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night, without a set of twins, and provides more specific references and themes surrounding the Jewish faith.

The set depicted a rural minimalistic grassland using woodchips and a couple of scattered large rocks. We were also met with a grey separation curtain which revealed a large wooden set piece to act as a multi-rolling backdrop. A particular detail that really stood out was the use of carvings in the backdrop of small squares or windows that lit up. Metaphorically it created this idea of “windows of opportunity” for not just Yentl but the story to unfold, some out of reach with a ladder still makes the highest box unobtainable.

The play was linguistically plentiful, using traditional Yiddish and providing a projection of English subtitles for those who did not speak the language. This provided a space to remain true to the language, since movement alone helped convey emotions of the dialogue that audience members could cast their attention away from subtitles and still be enveloped with emotion and storytelling.

Yentl explores themes of sexuality, gender, queer identity and religion, with a poignant commentary for those who identify as non-binary. Yentl expresses feelings of being both genders but neither and that she may have a woman’s body but she feels so much more than how she appears. Whilst this remains a historical commentary on a religion that previously restricted gender roles, contemporary audiences may relate or find allyship within the story within its queerness. It also acts as a signpost for those who aren’t as informed on the topic, providing an opportunity for them to understand deeper what it feels like to identify as queer or nonbinary. Religious themes were also prevalent with the use of the apple as knowledge for a character in reference to genesis, and a goat headpiece wielded by The Figure. The symbolism of a goat may generally symbolize sin, rebellion, stubbornness, and separation from God which mirrors themes in the story.

The wonderful Amy Hack brilliantly portrayed the titular character of Yentl, who skillfully developed her from naive to gaining a strong maturity and achieving a fulfilling sense of self. Evelyn Krape as ‘The figure’ conveyed the character with a cheeky warmth, utilising both masculine and feminine traits within the performance. Genevieve Kingsford gave a gorgeously elevated performance as ‘Hodes’, portraying both her young feminine traits and harrowing desperation to be a mother. Last, but by no means least, Ashley Margolis as Avigdor. Margolis gave such depth and complexity within the character, portraying the sexually-driven and romantic sides to the scholar.

The emotional gravity of this play was carried with such care by these four individuals, audience members often forgot there are only four people performing. A huge congratulations to them and it was a privilege to get to see their opening night performance.

For tickets and listing, please go https://tickets.marylebonetheatre.com/shop/tickets/series/Yentl

REVIEW: Sunny Afternoon

Published on January 19, 2026January 19, 2026 by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

“INCREDIBLE talent and story with fantastic music!”

INCREDIBLE talent and story with fantastic music! You’ll be transported back to the 60s with this incredibly well-written and immersive musical.

Sunny Afternoon, based off the life of the 60s smash-hit band The Kinks, was one of the most joyous experiences I’ve ever had at a musical. It really captured the soul of the band through the brilliantly written script and a beautiful set to play with.

The set itself deserves merit since speakers occupied the entire 3 walls of the stage space, almost metaphorically referring to the band’s new “louder” or displaying the musical world they found themselves trapped in constantly, for better or for worse. The venue was a perfect choice being so close to where the band originated and also allowing gorgeous acoustics yet remaining intimate enough even for the back rows. Scene changes were smooth, intentional and playful.

It is so difficult to turn an entire person, let alone a group of people’s lives into 2 hours and 40 minutes, yet the writers managed to do so very successfully. The direction of the musical allowed every actor to occupy the space in a way that felt natural and never forced, with the actors’ interactions feeling organic and reflective of their individual personalities. The pacing of the events also reflected the wild and sometimes fast-paced journey to fame and back that the band went on without feeling too rushed.

Stellar performances from all cast members, such an actor-musician inclusive performance which worked perfectly not just for the nature of the band but displaying the way they communicate with each other through music. Every song felt intentional within the story, which can sometimes get lost in a jukebox musical, with subtle references that hinted at the band’s potential inspiration for songs on their journey.

A moment that really stood out to me was the song “Days” that brought tears to my eyes from the way the harmonies blended in their acapella rendition. With such a full mix of songs in the entire musical it just brought a sense of bittersweetness, like the eye in the hurricane of events happening around the band.

From brilliant casting of all of the members ,to clean and concise transitions that never left a dip in the atmosphere in the room, this was a complete triumph. It transported the audience to their Madison Square performance in particular, immersing every individual. It added a bit of joy back into the world when it can seem so overwhelming. However it never forgot the through line of family, both born and chosen.

REVIEW: Pippin

Published on December 18, 2025December 18, 2025 by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

“Whimsical, immersive, bohemian. This highly talented cast, team of creatives and crew excellently capture the mystical world of Hirson and Schwartz’s Pippin. “

Hirson and Schwartz’s Pippin follows a young prince in search of passion and adventure in his life. To prove that he is a valuable player in his father’s jumbled chess set (King Charles), he goes to war. However, when the Leading Player convinces him to strike back against tyranny, Pippin kills his father and takes over the throne. He soon realises being a great ruler is not as easy as he had thought, so continues his quest where he meets widow Catherine and her son Theo along the way. Pippin must make a difficult choice of whether to settle down or to keep making magic with the symphony of players who promised him success in finding a purpose.

Amanda Nor’s revival magically captured the world of the players through a mystical lens, immediately immersing audience members with the selection of Pippin from amongst the spectator seating, alluding to the message that he is one of us from the start and allowing further empathy towards his character. The entire piece was well directed from the get-go, with not a creative choice out of place, allowing each member of the cast to shine with their individual talents.

We are left in the capable hands of Emily Friberg (Leading Player), who effortlessly shone with her powerhouse voice and captivating storytelling and expression. Emily demonstrated the puppeteer role of the Leading Player, manipulating Pippin throughout the piece and showing an impressive range of emotion and musicality, a triple threat indeed. Our protagonist, Lewis Edgar as Pippin, demonstrated his incredible tenor voice and huge range of acting skills as he unpicks Pippin’s character as if living the role. Lewis continued to portray a truth and humbleness to the character, married with a powerful belt in songs reflecting Pippin’s struggle and triumph. Mia Quimpo as the wonderful Catherine also elegantly showed her talents in her beautiful, powerful voice and inviting narration, with great comedic timing as she breaks the narrative and releases new life into the performance much to the Leading Player’s chagrin.

Clare Brice (Berthe) had a warm, wonderful stage presence with brilliant comedic elements, fluid and flexible dancing with noticeable musicality and offered a safe space for audience interaction during her big number. Oliver Wood (Charles) gave an impressive offering of skill during a patter song with his great diction and comedy skills whilst also showing vulnerability in his final moments after his tyrannical reign. Helena Caldas (Fastrada) had such wonderful technique in her dancing and beautiful singing voice as she exudes a charming yet commanding role using the band to her advantage to have Charles (and the audience) in the palm of her hand.

Daniel North (Louis) gave a wonderful range of character and fluidity in movements. I wish I had more opportunities to hear him sing since I heard some powerful notes towards the finale, such a strong voice. Similarly with Imogen Amos and George Kipa, however the two showcase their individualism with Imogen’s excellent Dance Captain abilities with Fosse influences and George’s great strength and dance technique with captivating facial expressions.

Musical choices were excellently carried out by Harry Style and Manuel Gageiro alongside Martin T. Hart as Magic Consultant to really sell the travelling magic show. Set and costume by Hannah Danson also added to the whimsical aesthetic with contemporary influences and astrological ones – so much detail! Simon Jackson’s lighting design further personified the Leading Player’s actions in particular.

Overall this revival demonstrated how our great purpose in life is just to love and allow yourself to be loved through a wonderfully talented team of cast, creatives and crew.

REVIEW: I [Redacted] You at The Playground Theatre

Published on November 14, 2025November 13, 2025 by sophieelizabethmorrisonLeave a comment

A compelling concept, warning viewers about the introduction of AI that could expose your innermost secrets.

I [Redacted] You focuses on themes of connection, perception, honesty and trust. The presenter duo (Cassia Rose and Liv Hopkins) introduce the 3rd player in their pitch to potential investors, “O”. “O” is a new AI tool at connex, designed to help humans potentially assist us in discovering more about ourselves or each other.

The two presenters created an immersive experience for audience members as we were welcomed into their conference-like setup to pitch “O”. Audience interaction was also embraced with the presenters asking how we heard about the product and who referred us to come and invest.

They both showed an impressive range of their acting and movement skills, alongside Cassia’s innovative direction and writing. The use of lighting and sound also played a key role in world-building for the audience, using warm hues for comforting scenes and harsh spotlights for “O”‘s more interrogative side.

The play explored the functions of “O” (and a mysterious backstory of secrets, and a falling out) using mixed media with the AI as a voiceover and projection on the back curtain. This was then made even more interesting when introducing movement, comedically interacting with the presentation to “potential clients” and interaction of AI as it creeps in through the cracks in the presenters’ pasts. The AI itself is abnormal, so the movement married well with this idea of abnormality, whilst exploring the meaning of “truth” to humans and AI.

There was a through-line of undiscovered truth hidden in diaries and unsent text messages between the two as we are given insight into “the day everything changed”. However, audience members were left with a sense of loose ends – the story isn’t revealed as to why the two fell out, but is foreshadowed at the start with tension over how to start the presentation.

I loved the concept, but invite them to go into more detail to reveal just a bit more to the audience of the backstory of the characters to avoid any confusion, even potentially having the AI as a chip implanted to secure the idea of a warped reality that “O” can create.

That being said, myself and other audience members thoroughly enjoyed the comedic timing, interaction with lighting choices and overall message with beautiful language of “the truth about truth”. The title ,upon reflection of the piece, reveals a foreshadowed element of “O” and its power since the characters wrestle with truthful communication, and “[redacted]” encapsulates how “O” won’t allow their emotional voices to be heard, even in the title of the play.