Éireann by A Taste of Ireland has some five-star moments, but the show's concept is too broad and unfocused. The result is a bit of a hotchpotch. Mythic and political references are thrown in, and there is even a contrived and rather superfluous hurling sequence. There is no clear narrative arc or any perspective, and the show fails to provide much meaningful insight into Ireland, its history and its culture. The strength of this production is its Irish dancing, and while the synchronisation in the group work is not always perfect, the general quality and athleticism are superb.The solos of Gavin Shevlin are beautifully executed, and the troupe is at its best during the step dance sequences. The balletic and modern dance interludes are less successful, and some of the lifts and floor work seem laboured. Despite some issues with the sound system, the musical moments provided by Aaron O'Grady, Eamonn O'Sullivan and Megan McGinley are strong. Unfortunately on the night we att...

He's an old-school journalist - rumpled, jaded, and unmistakably world-weary. She's an influencer - meticulously polished, relentlessly self-promoting, and unapologetically self-absorbed. In the past he has numbed himself with alcohol; she deflects any challenge by calling it misogyny. Both are familiar stereotypes, but when he's sent to interview her, we might expect a clash that will shed light on the generational and ideological divide that exists within their shared profession. Perhaps, the encounter will offer some insight into society's current approaches to information acquisition or its obsession with celebrity. Instead however, Interview delivers a slightly unsettling romcom wrapped in a somewhat predictable game of cat and mouse. Paten Hughes does what she can with the one-dimensional role of Katya, though the part leaves little room for a real display of her acting skills. Robert Sean Leonard, as Pierre, is somewhat luckier. His character has more shading, a...

In Juniper Blood , Mike Bartlett explores a profound moral conundrum. By humanising this dilemma through the story of a couple's attempt to return to the land, he makes it both dramatic and comprehensible. It is a feat worthy of George Bernard Shaw at his best, and it beautifully illuminates the current human situation. Present agricultural methods are killing the planet, but at the same time they are necessary if we are to sustain Earth's present human population. The challenge is starkly exposed and the hard choices become obvious. This is theatre with a thesis, but it does not indulge in the kind of mindless didacticism that we are too often subjected to. There is no simple solution, and Bartlett's characters illustrate the various responses to this quandary. Dilettantish Ruth, convincingly played by Hattie Morahan, wants to create a sustainable "organic" farm, but in reality this is only an option for the few, very much representing the notions of a liberal ec...

It is unusual for us to revisit a production for a second review, but Every Brilliant Thing warrants the exception. This one-person show, running at Soho Place, features five different actors taking turns in the lead role over its run. The chance to observe how distinct approaches can be brought to the same material is rare and revealing. Currently in the role is Jonny Donahoe, who also co-authored the play. He portrays a child grappling with a parent's bipolar disorder and suicide attempts, but his performance contrasts significantly with that of his predecessor, Lenny Henry. While Henry excelled at immersing the audience in the boy’s emotional journey, he seemed less sure of his role during the interactive segments of the piece. Striking a balance between inhabiting the character and directly engaging with the audience is perhaps this production’s greatest challenge. By contrast, Donahoe delivers a self-aware performance that keeps him anchored in the audience's reality. Rat...

Andrew Keatley's The Gathered Leaves opens with two boys playing a game in which they are re-enacting a scene from an episode of Doctor Who, 'The Edge of Destruction.' The scene is about the need to apologise, and the value of thinking before acting. Thus, the theme of the play is set and the game motif, which continues throughout, is introduced. During the course of the Pennington family's Easter reunion, which is also the celebration of the patriarch William's birthday, they will play Trivial Pursuit, Backgammon, and Uno. All of these diversions reflect the fierce competition, arbitrary rules and need for survival strategies which characterise life among the three generations of Penningtons and which are on display throughout. However, as the squabbles and secrets that define this family are gradually exposed, interestingly it turns out that the game the boys have chosen to play also serves as a refuge from the realities of their family life. This latest producti...

It has been 36 years since Lerner and Loewe's Brigadoon last appeared in London. Finally, the story of the Scottish village that only appears once every 100 years makes a lovely return to the Open Air Theatre in a new production adapted by Rona Munro. In this version, two WWII airmen stumble across the enchanted village on a very special wedding day. Brigadoon is an uplifting story designed to put current crises in a historical perspective and to celebrate the enduring quality of love. Its message is particularly apt to our present situation and its rich, melodic score soars with magic and optimism. As Tommy and Fiona, Louis Gaunt and Danielle Fiamanya, the lovers who come from different worlds, both bring extraordinary voices to their parts. Their duets, like "From This Day On," are absolutely thrilling and her voice soars with emotion. The pair's rendition of "There But For You Go I" is also unforgettable, but this outstanding moment is accompanied by cho...

To say Oscar Levant was a complex individual is probably the ultimate understatement. Possibly best remembered for his witticisms, the tortured comic and classical pianist who once said "There's a fine line between genius and insanity. I have erased this line" was a consummate actor, musician and raconteur who suffered from mental illness and drug addiction. It was Levant's ironic self-awareness, catchy turn of phrase and brutal honesty that made him a favourite guest on the 1950s late-night American talk show hosted by Jack Paar. As outrageous and neurotic as he was talented, Levant attracted an audience to Paar's show that he was happy to garner even if his guest made the corporate bosses nervous. As Levant, Sean Hayes simply commands the stage. This is a performance that is a theatrical tour de force . Indeed, Hayes brilliantly channels the pain of the serious artist always cast as a comic sidekick - the man haunted by the ghost of George Gershwin and whose ow...

Every Brilliant Thing tells the story of a youngster who must come to terms with a bipolar parent who first attempts suicide when the child is seven. While the boy's father retreats from this painful and confusing situation into a world of silence and music, the child responds by starting to list all the things that are good about life. It is an amusing and touching strategy which the boy continues as he grows older. This is a story about vulnerability and coping with pain, and Lenny Henry does a splendid job of conveying the emotions of the youngster growing up in a dysfunctional home. Indeed, when he is portraying the child, adolescent, and adult affected by this situation the characterisation is completely credible. The format of this drama, however, is interactive and the audience is called upon to participate by playing various roles in the boy's story. It is an experience which brings audience members into the child's world and, for all except the most extroverted, a...

For everyone who loved the television series, there is now an opportunity to see a dance version of Tommy Shelby's journey from the trenches of WWI to the criminal underground of Birmingham. Peaky Blinders , the TV production, stretched across six seasons and had thirty-six episodes, so this is certainly an epic tale. Wisely, Rambert Dance has decided to focus on what is billed as a prequel to that story. Nevertheless, it is the narrative aspect of this dance drama that is probably the least satisfying. The narration intoned by series regular Benjamin Zephaniah seems superfluous, and its introduction of so many characters who are underdeveloped will probably prove simply confusing for the uninitiated. Indeed, the personalities of Tommy's psycho brother, Arthur, and his pugnacious Aunt Polly never really manage to establish themselves, and the love story with Grace ultimately doesn't generate the necessary chemistry. The strongest part of the Rambert Dance version is its ev...

In this new musical the life of Mozart gets the Six treatment as the composer's biography becomes the thin thread on which to hang a number of pop songs. The young musical prodigy's issue with his overbearing father, Leopold, is referenced. Mozart's socially unacceptable marriage to his love Constanze and the rivalry with the composer Salieri, are also introduced, as is his chronic problem of indebtedness. The relationship with his talented sister, Nannerl, who is denied a career because of her gender, is apparently intended as a main plotline. However, all these complex issues get short shrift, as the emphasis of this show is on presenting the next pulsating production number and its club-style choreography. Indeed, apart from some pretty simplistic psychologising, there is no real attempt to unravel the mystery of Mozart's genius or his character. For the most part, this story has to be narrated rather than shown as there is a need to get on to the next song. The cos...