A funny Calippo night out in the office straight through the fourth wall: Karen at The Other Palace

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

It is exciting to return to a venue you have not been to for years, and even more to discover a new space within: The Other Theatre is currently loudly celebrating the new 90s musical based on the generation-defining film hit Cruel Intentions (look for the bench dedicated for audience pics in the foyer) but the smaller, … Continue reading A funny Calippo night out in the office straight through the fourth wall: Karen at The Other Palace

Forgive your stylist – Sleeping Beauty as a West End drag panto at the Harold Pinter Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

Heading to a drag panto is almost a logical action between Christmas and New Year celebration, embracing both glam, silliness and good spirits: Everyone can be in drag, everyone can be a panto dame, non-binary and cis performers alike - drag is no longer a boys-only club. And everyone is welcome who can embrace smutty scurrilous jokes adult (age guidance 16+) about … Continue reading Forgive your stylist – Sleeping Beauty as a West End drag panto at the Harold Pinter Theatre

Croydon is London’s Borough Of Culture 2023: Aladdin at Fairfield Halls

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

On arrival from the vaults of its car park, the massive multilevel foyer of the Fairfield Halls in London's Borough Of Culture 2023 Croydon is breathtakingly busy. People in Christmas hats and jumpers take family pictures on almost every corner, in front of fairy light curtains, on stairs and the funky Christmas trees crowned with disco balls, … Continue reading Croydon is London’s Borough Of Culture 2023: Aladdin at Fairfield Halls

The girls have spoken: Five stars for The Snow Queen at the Polka Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

As a lifelong Hans-Christian Andersen listener and reader, I am keen to join as many stage interpretations of my favourite fairy tale as I can, and am therefore very excited to visit Wimbledon's Polka Theatre for the first time. It is a venue dedicated to productions for children which has been based here since 1979. … Continue reading The girls have spoken: Five stars for The Snow Queen at the Polka Theatre

The Silence of Snow: the Life of Patrick Hamilton written and performed by Mark Farrelly

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

Nine years ago The Silence of Snow: The life of Patrick Hamilton had its premiere at the world-famous  Edinburgh Fringe Festival, performed by its author Mark Farrelly. Since then numerous stagings followed in various places, and tonight is the 100st performance (congratulations!) at Brockley's Jack Studio Theatre, one of London's finest pub theatres and worth travelling … Continue reading The Silence of Snow: the Life of Patrick Hamilton written and performed by Mark Farrelly

Caryl Churchill’s debut Owners at the Jermyn Street Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

Always been curious about the oevre of playwright Caryl Churchill, it is a great opportunity to start with her debut play, Owners, which is being performed this autumn at the Jermyn Street Theatre. I wanted to visit this intimate seventy seat venue for years,  just around the corner from the noisy, glaring buzz of Piccadilly Circus. … Continue reading Caryl Churchill’s debut Owners at the Jermyn Street Theatre

The Choir Of Man at the Arts Theatre – happy first West End anniversary

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

Of course I am in support of a first anniversary celebration dedicated to the suicide prevention Campaign Against Living Miserably who have crossed my stagy paths more than once before - the jukebox musical Choir Of Man is sharing some limelight with CALM, now having completed their first year in the West End. After all, the day correlates with … Continue reading The Choir Of Man at the Arts Theatre – happy first West End anniversary

Trying out London’s theatre roulette: Seeing Jersey Boys at the Trafalgar Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

It is not easy to pick and agree on a show with visitors who are musically far more trained than oneself - but luckily, this summer I had two visitors from Hamburg who were crazy enough to try out London's relatively new theatre roulette, apparently a successful concept from New York where a show is … Continue reading Trying out London’s theatre roulette: Seeing Jersey Boys at the Trafalgar Theatre

Halloween is near, very near: Shock Horror at the Churchill Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

"Please take your seats, the performance is starting in ten minutes" is a sentence I have not heard shouted through a theatre foyer before on arrival - at tonight's return to the Churchill Theatre this is a first one. It turns out this is not uttered to the general public but the college kids occupying … Continue reading Halloween is near, very near: Shock Horror at the Churchill Theatre

Magic reimagined: Unbelievable has arrived at the Criterion Theatre

~ Sadie takes the Stage ~ Leave a comment

A first visit to the Criterion Theatre, nestled below the centre of Piccadilly Circus and its glaring world-famous lights and silhouettes, is like entering a hidden Italian music hall palazzo in the West End: Painted tiles, vast mirrors, detailed glass art and red seats promise an unforgettable visit. First opened in 1874, this classic but nevertheless unique London theatre has … Continue reading Magic reimagined: Unbelievable has arrived at the Criterion Theatre