Arifa Akbar

Sharleen Cooper Cohen’s play Who Killed Marilyn? revisits Marilyn Monroe’s relationships, troubled life and theories surrounding her 1962 death, with Pixie Lott in the title role. The production is criticized for relying on familiar conspiracy theories, clichéd tortured-starlet psychology and an excessive focus on Monroe’s sex life, while giving little attention to Norma Jeane’s early life or psychological complexity. The performances and direction are also judged underwhelming, leaving the play’s answer to the titular mystery less significant than its failure to illuminate who Monroe really was.

Tamzin Outhwaite’s portrayal of Beverly in Nadia Fall’s production of Mike Leigh’s Abigail’s Party is praised as a triumphant reinvention of a role long associated with Alison Steadman. Outhwaite combines comic physicality with Beverly’s underlying rage, marital frustration and boredom. The production refreshes the play’s treatment of class mobility by presenting Tony and Angela as being of Pakistani origin, bringing racial diversity and contemporary political tensions into its suburban Essex setting. The review criticizes the initially weak chemistry between Beverly and Laurence, while praising the sharper tensions in Angela and Tony’s marriage, the ensemble performances and the use of music and period design. Despite its considerable comic success, the production’s tragic ending is judged less convincing.

The Edinburgh Fringe remains a home for radical, unconventional theatre, but soaring accommodation, production and funding costs are pushing artists toward commercial ambitions and prearranged transfers. Arifa Akbar searches smaller venues and finds participatory, horror, drag, queer and autobiographical productions that retain the festival’s experimental spirit, including Truthmachine, Succubus, Bunny!, Moth And Dog Are Dying to Get Out and QFWFQ. The strongest work, she concludes, is often hidden in modest spaces rather than on the festival’s biggest stages.

Flabbergast Theatre’s Edinburgh production of Samuel Beckett’s Endgame uses exaggerated clowning and slapstick to portray the grotesque loneliness of Hamm, Clov, Nagg and Nell. The approach makes the play amusing and highlights how storytelling helps the survivors endure a desolate, possibly climate-ravaged world, but it also softens the tragedy, emotional impact and menace of the master-slave relationship. Henry Maynard, Simon Gleave, Derek Elwood and Annabel Arden give energetic performances in a production that offers fresh insight without fully capturing Beckett’s searing threat.

Christie Spessard’s darkly comic play follows four teenage figure skaters who idolise Michelle Kwan while training for a holiday show and becoming trapped by a blizzard. The production captures adolescent intensity, competitive cruelty and grief with energetic direction, humorous writing and convincing skating movement. However, its thin plot and underdeveloped relationships leave potentially rich themes—including same-sex longing, family trauma and the pressures of teenhood—largely unexplored. Strong performances and the characters’ charm ultimately make it enjoyable despite its unrealised potential.

Letícia Rodrigues’s autobiographical production follows a Brazilian woman attempting to lose 116 grams during each performance, transforming exercise, weigh-ins and partial nudity into a fierce satire of body policing. Directed by Rodrigues and João Pedro Ribeiro, the Portuguese-language show explores shame, trauma, rage and the surveillance of female bodies, drawing on Rodrigues’s experiences of discrimination in Brazilian casting. Its blend of absurdism, Britney Spears songs, Swan Lake and experimental movement becomes increasingly abstract but emotionally potent, ending in a poignant ballet sequence. The production is presented as commentary rather than body reclamation, questioning which bodies are permitted on stage.

Morna Young and Alex Fthenakis’s After Party follows Vivienne, an 80-year-old terminally ill grandmother who hosts a family birthday party before planning to die. The first act is criticized as a tonally flat farce with broadly drawn characters and an underdeveloped treatment of assisted dying, whose legality in Scotland, England and Wales is left unexplained. The more emotionally convincing second act develops a moving relationship between Vivienne and her partner Carol, ultimately presenting Vivienne’s death as a humane one, but the review concludes that the play takes too long to reach its strongest ideas.

Olivier Rannou’s wordless, family-friendly performance Hostile follows a lone cowboy battling thirst, a rattlesnake, shootouts and other desert dangers through mime, clowning and visual trickery. The review praises Rannou’s physicality, Émilie Rougier’s atmospheric electronic score, the lighting, and the transforming wooden set, including a horse constructed onstage. Despite its comic and inventive appeal, the show’s abstract, unexplained narrative leaves its ultimate meaning somewhat bemusing.

Christiane Jatahy, Wagner Moura and Lucas Paraizo transform Henrik Ibsen’s 1882 play into a contemporary, fourth-wall-breaking trial set in Brazil. Moura plays Thomas Stockmann, a doctor who exposes contaminated water threatening a spa town’s tourism, while audience members serve as a jury and onstage and filmed family conflicts complicate the case. The production strongly resonates with modern environmental scandals, including investigations into forever chemicals, and Moura’s performance and the family drama are highly praised. However, the review finds the moral debate underdeveloped because the justification for concealing mass water poisoning is too weak, despite the production’s originality and gripping execution.

Drew McOnie’s revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cats at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre benefits from its lush outdoor setting, glittering design, balletic movement and energetic cast. However, the production leans so heavily into dance, acrobatics and variety-show spectacle that the already thin, vignette-based narrative becomes even more disjointed. Jaydon Vijn’s charismatic Rum Tum Tugger and Taziva-Faye Katsande’s powerful rendition of “Memory” are standouts, while several other characters lack depth. The production runs in London until 19 September before touring the UK and Ireland through June 2027.

Rebecca Frecknall’s staging of Sarah Kane’s notoriously difficult 1998 play succeeds in balancing graphic torture, war imagery and sexual violence with love, beauty and human vulnerability. The production’s references to Bosnia, Guantánamo, Abu Ghraib and Gaza give its depiction of cruelty renewed contemporary resonance, while its choreography, design, intimacy direction and sound create a forceful blend of realism and poetic theatricality. Although the prolonged cruelty can become draining, the production ultimately argues that the human need for love and beauty persists even amid systemic violence.

Joe Haddad’s solo show explores his experience as a Palestinian south Londoner, his Arab Christian family background, prejudice, comedy career and connections to Jerusalem, while also touching on Chelsea FC and the Gaza war. The review praises Haddad’s warmth, humour and stage presence but finds the production too slight and unfocused, shifting awkwardly between family comedy, cultural identity, football and political trauma without fully developing any of them.

A Malmö Dockteater production at London’s Yard theatre adapts Jackie Collins’ first novel into an explicitly sexual puppet show performed mainly with modified Barbie dolls in miniature 1960s settings. Directed and designed by Erik Holmström, the production combines puppetry, human performers, live video and elaborate sound effects to portray Linda’s stifling marriage, her husband David’s infidelity and the ambitions of women navigating a patriarchal film industry. Despite its outrageous comic treatment, the show finds continuing relevance in its depiction of sexual inequality and relationships, earning strong praise for its craftsmanship, originality and eccentricity.

The Guardian’s review finds Trainspotting the Musical a weak and overly commercial imitation of Danny Boyle’s celebrated film. Its fragmented storytelling, flat characterizations and rushed treatment of emotionally significant events fail to recreate the original’s shock, entertainment or poignancy. Covers of Iggy Pop’s “Lust for Life” and Lou Reed’s “Perfect Day” provide rare highlights, while the new songs by Stephen McGuinness and Irvine Welsh are largely forgettable. The production runs at Theatre Royal Haymarket until 5 September before touring the UK.

Tamara Harvey’s Royal Shakespeare Company production of Laura Wade’s adaptation of Anton Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard features Helen Hunt, Kenneth Branagh and Bill Pullman but fails to generate the play’s emotional and political force. The review finds the updated language and contrasting accents unclear, the tone overly benign, and the ensemble lacking a compelling centre. Branagh’s Lopakhin briefly gains power and intensity after acquiring the estate, while Pullman, Michael Elwyn and the storyline involving Esther Smith’s Varya provide the strongest moments. Despite attractive faded-grandeur design and effective sound, the production does not sufficiently convey the social discontent, class rage or ennui underlying Chekhov’s drama.

A camp, satirical musical staged in London reimagines J Edgar Hoover’s life as a show‑tune‑filled journey through his abuses of power and secret relationship with Clyde Tolson. Strong performances, especially from Bryan Batt and Hugo Bolton, mix humour with moments of genuine emotional depth, while musical numbers parody and celebrate Broadway styles. Despite some unevenness in the second half, the production is praised as imaginative, entertaining and poised for a potential transfer to a larger venue.

Christine Lahti’s autobiographical one-woman show explores her Midwestern childhood, a violent and emotionally pressured family, her emergence as an actor, second-wave feminism and sexual exploitation in showbusiness. The production uses a younger actor, sparse staging and archival images, but the review finds that its 90-minute chronology moves too quickly across trauma, rape, mental illness, death and career anecdotes. Although the material is described as shocking and potentially powerful, the show’s overly broad focus limits its dramatic intensity.

Rachel Kavanaugh’s Chichester Festival Theatre production of My Fair Lady initially appears to offer safe, nostalgic entertainment, but gains emotional depth as the relationship between Eliza Doolittle and Henry Higgins develops into an unexpectedly tender friendship. Keziah Ibe gives an impressive professional debut opposite Hadley Fraser, while the mobile set, choreography and ensemble performances bring fresh energy to the familiar musical. The production also clarifies the work’s themes of class, social hypocrisy and self-respect, presenting Eliza’s transformation as the revelation of qualities she always possessed rather than a simple change of status.

Simon Stone’s modernized The Oresteia transposes Aeschylus’s cycle of familial violence into the world of a wealthy British family whose technology company is implicated in selling military equipment. The production rearranges the chronology, incorporates elements of other Greek tragedies and moves between pre-Brexit Britain, the pandemic and the present. Mary-Louise Parker delivers a powerful performance, while David Morrissey is sympathetically effective, and Lizzie Clachan’s revolving glass-box set is striking. However, the review finds the characters psychologically underdeveloped, the motivations inconsistent and the abundance of political and tragic references increasingly thoughtless and draining, despite the production’s sustained tension and originality.

A review of Eleanor Tindall’s surreal horror romance Tender at London’s Bush Theatre, starring Francesca Amewudah-Rivers and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi. The two-hander explores queer desire, haunting, coercive control, abuse and deteriorating mental health through visceral imagery and ambiguous metaphors. Amewudah-Rivers and Emily Aboud’s production are strongly praised, but the play’s unexplained violence, unclear symbolism and unresolved supernatural elements leave its meanings confused. Despite these shortcomings, the 90-minute production is judged gripping, lyrical and full of memorable moments.

A contemporary adaptation of Karel Čapek’s RUR blends discussions of AI, consciousness, and human‑robot relationships with modern humour in a Headlong and Schwarzman Centre production informed by Oxford University research. A slow, debate‑heavy first half gives way to sharper turns and comic highlights, including a rebellious robot assistant, though the overall tone remains more playful than unsettling.

Katie Đỗ’s debut play follows a Vietnamese-American family across decades, blending naturalism with fantasy and afterlife sequences. Focused on the strained relationship between a mother and daughter, the production touches on migration, infidelity, religion and artistic ambition but is weakened by short scenes, diffuse storytelling and thin characterisation. Despite moments of emotional clarity toward the end, the play’s conceptual inventiveness is undercut by its limited depth and uneven structure.

A high-volume, visually glittering revival of Jesus Christ Superstar at the London Palladium features standout vocals from Sam Ryder and Tyrone Huntley but is weakened by unclear characterisation and a lack of contextual depth. Despite strong musical moments and energetic choreography, the production’s overwhelming sound, abstract staging, and nostalgic hippy aesthetic limit its dramatic impact, leaving the spectacle overshadowing the story.

Ten standout Edinburgh festival productions are highlighted, spanning theatre, comedy, circus and storytelling. The selections include Bryony Kimmings’s climate-focused solo work, David Elms’s minimalist improv, a documentary performance exposing failures at HMP Woodhill, and Alaa Shehada’s life-spanning narrative set in Jenin. Other featured shows include high-skill circus, a parody musical centred on Andrew Lloyd Webber, absurdist clowning, relationship-driven theatre, an intimate piece exploring HIV stigma and Sam Nicoresti’s comedic take on transgender experiences.

Helen Hunt reflects on her Royal Shakespeare Company debut in The Cherry Orchard, describing the role’s emotional and thematic depth and her admiration for Kenneth Branagh. She discusses the challenges of finding substantial parts for women, the impact of audience behaviour in modern theatre, and her lifelong commitment to acting and storytelling. Hunt revisits key moments in her film career, including her Oscar win, and comments on the difficult social and political atmosphere in the United States. The production runs at the Swan theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon from 10 July to 29 August.

A visually dazzling but uneven production of Hideki Noda’s futuristic fantasy −320°F blends satire, choreography and elaborate stagecraft in a story spanning time travel, biotech ethics and mythic figures. Despite inventive scenes and striking design elements, the high-energy whimsy becomes overextended over its two-hour running time, ultimately giving way to a more earnest tone that clashes with earlier anarchic comedy.

A tense 70‑minute stage adaptation of the Danish film Den Skyldige follows lone police officer Joe as he becomes entangled in a disturbing emergency call, with Russell Tovey delivering an intense and commanding performance. Chloë Moss’s script deepens the character’s personal turmoil while adding subtle commentary on mental distress and systemic abandonment, and Felix Barrett’s precise direction heightens the unrelenting suspense. Strong design elements support the narrative’s emotional peaks, though a final ideological reveal feels less convincing. The production remains a gripping, visceral experience driven by its lead performance and technical finesse.

A music-driven staging of A Midsummer Night’s Dream blends rock elements with folk-inspired melodies and contemporary styling, highlighted by Titania’s ensemble and a standout comedic performance from Bottom. While the production offers inventive sound design and modern humour, some storytelling lacks cohesion, certain innovations feel derivative, and emotional depth in the verse falls short, leading to a visually appealing but only partially immersive experience.

A black comedy by Ben Ockrent follows four siblings who clash over a possibly stolen Pissarro painting inherited from their grandfather, sparking moral disputes and escalating physical comedy. Initially subdued under Michael Longhurst’s direction, the production grows into a chaotic and funny portrayal of family dysfunction, though its resolution feels contrived. Despite its shortcomings, the play delivers energetic humour while exposing resentments amplified by grief.

A new National Theatre musical adaptation of Pride revisits the 1980s alliance between LGBTQ+ activists and striking Welsh miners, celebrating solidarity against prejudice with joyful theatricality, emotional musical numbers, and a strong ensemble cast. Themes of community, discrimination, and resilience are highlighted alongside contemporary relevance as the show is praised as a moving and significant piece of social history.

A new wave of musical theatre uses humour, cabaret, and uplifting storytelling to explore the climate crisis, with works such as Hot Mess and Acid’s Reign integrating environmental themes into accessible and emotionally engaging narratives. Creators emphasize hopeful futures, inclusivity, and audience connection rather than dystopian messaging, while organizations like Climate Spring aim to support climate‑focused theatre that can influence social attitudes and collective awareness.

A modernised National Theatre staging of Molière’s The Misanthrope, rewritten by Martin Crimp and led by Sandra Oh as Alice, blends human drama with satire but struggles under the weight of numerous contemporary issues. Oh’s performance is highlighted for its emotional depth and comic precision, while the production’s thematic sprawl creates unevenness between its serious moments and its satirical elements. Strong direction and striking design support an ambitious interpretation that questions sincerity, love and digital-age toxicity, though cohesion falters as it shifts between realism and surrealism.

A vibrant Shakespeare’s Globe staging of Much Ado About Nothing highlights music, dance and comic energy while softening the play’s darker themes. Strong performances, especially from Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwosu, drive a charming, crowd-pleasing production that avoids fully confronting issues around Hero’s humiliation and the story’s more troubling elements. The result is visually rich, entertaining and warmly received, though lighter in emotional intensity and thematic depth.

A stage adaptation of 45 Years at Chichester’s Minerva Theatre portrays a couple confronting resurfaced memories of a past love days before their 45th anniversary. Gabriel Byrne brings an irascible edge to Geoff, while Geraldine James offers a controlled, reflective Kate. Hannah Patterson’s economical adaptation and Prasanna Puwanarajah’s atmospheric direction introduce symbolic and surreal elements, supported by Beth Duke’s evocative sound design. The production delivers a delicate, thought‑provoking chamber piece exploring the tensions between enduring love and the idealised past.

Patrick Marber’s all-female revival of David Mamet’s Glengarry Glen Ross at the Old Vic emphasizes amplified masculinity and heightened comedy, but loses the play’s darker undertones. Performances highlight Rosa Salazar’s portrayal of Roma, while Indira Varma’s Levene is energetic yet lacks tragic depth. Other characters remain underdeveloped, and the production’s focus on gender-swapping feels unresolved, offering limited insight into capitalism, patriarchy, or the era it depicts.

Christine Bacon’s play A Fine Idea critiques the ethics and unintended consequences of international development but is hampered by an overreliance on statistics and exposition. The production blends historical and contemporary settings, following characters who confront inequality and the limitations of development models, yet its symbolic devices and fragmented plotting weaken dramatic impact. Strong performances and moments of satire appear, but inconsistent tone and heavy-handed data delivery diminish the play’s potential power.

Willem Dafoe’s second year directing the Venice theatre biennale expands into a culturally diverse programme focused on marginalised voices and experimental forms, spanning works from Europe to Asia. Highlights include Davide Iodice’s immersive Promemoria set in a Venice care home, Satoshi Miyagi’s reimagining of Othello centred on Desdemona’s ghost, and Dorcy Rugamba’s Letter to the Absent reclaiming narratives of Rwanda’s genocide victims. Additional standout works include Mario Banushi’s intimate Ragada and a six-hour staging of Beckett’s How It Is. The festival emphasises hybridity, immersive storytelling and the resurrection of overlooked perspectives, signalling Dafoe’s growing strength in the role.

More than 80 writers created an immersive activist theatre project responding to the Epstein files, filling multiple rooms with performances, installations and texts expressing anger, trauma and the persistence of male abuse. The works highlight experiences of sexual violence, institutional complicity and parallels to the early #MeToo era, while also offering a sense of collective resistance and empowerment through shared testimony.

A stage adaptation of Ian McEwan’s Atonement at Chichester Festival Theatre delivers strong design and capable performances but fails to achieve the emotional depth of the novel or the 2007 film. While early scenes capture class tensions and youthful misunderstanding effectively, the production struggles to convey the broader passage of time and the trauma of war, leaving depictions of guilt, penance and psychological complexity underpowered. Despite striking visuals and adept acting, the overall effect is a polished but emotionally muted retelling.

A polished Barbican revival of High Society delivers impeccable vocals and striking choreography but lacks emotional depth and romantic tension. Despite strong supporting performances and lavish staging, the production fails to capture the charm and dramatic richness of the film and original play, resulting in a visually pleasing yet emotionally flat musical experience.