The Good Scout, Above The Stag Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until November 2, 2019


Betrayal comes in many forms including betrayal of one's self. The good scout comes to terms with the complicated realities of the political and sexual world when he and his best friend host some young Germans from Hitler Youth in a curious "Peace and Friendship" exchange scheme developed by Boy Scout founder, Lord Baden-Powell and Nazi ambassador to the UK, Joachim von Ribbentrop. This is a fascinating pre-war story based on a real programme. It has more twists and turns than your average labyrinth, and the whole cast do an excellent job of drawing us into them. Daniel Cornish gets it just right as well-meaning Will, and Charlie Mackay is completely credible as easily led Jacob. Clemente Lohr is quite mesmerising as Hitler's true believer, and Simon Stache is suitably sympathetic as his countryman, Friedrich. Amanda Bailey as Mrs. Parrish hits just the right note as the sympathetic, moral centre of the piece, and as her counterpart, Lewis Allcock radiates the mystery and moral ambiguity of a spy master. All in all, this is a terrific night of theatre which will hold your attention throughout. Glenn Chandler spins a great tale which has all the mystery and adventure of an erotically charged Boys Own story. It's your duty to see The Good Scout!

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆☆ 

 Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until November 2, 2019
Tue - Sat: 7 pm, Sun: 5:30 pm
Above The Stag Theatre
Nearest tube: Vauxhall
http://www.abovethestag.com/vxl/whatson/the-good-scout/
Map & Location: 72 Albert Embankment, Vauxhall, London SE1 7TP, UK

Most Popular

The Divine Mrs S ★★★ Hampstead Theatre | Mar 22 - Apr 27, 2024

Image
Sarah Siddons was the most influential actress of her day. She was famed for her portrayal of Lady Macbeth and has been credited with the creation of the modern notion of celebrity. Borrowing an epithet most often associated with Sarah Bernhardt, playwright April De Angelis contrasts how Mrs Siddons is celebrated on stage but is confined by both her gender and her marital status when off. She is patronised by her actor/manager brother and her money is taken by her estranged and philandering husband. In the theatre, Siddons may experience power over her audience, but in real life she is subject to the patriarchal hierarchy of her time. This point is made obviously and repeatedly throughout the play which presents the great tragedienne's life in an almost farcical style. While the show exists in a historical context it is not bound, linguistically or factually, by that reality. The plot and characters recall a Regency comedy. They are representations of types, bearing little relation...
Full Details »

ABBA Voyage ★★★★★ ABBA Arena, Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park | Extended Run

Image
When great music from the past meets mind boggling technology from the future, the result is ABBA Voyage . This is a concert like no other. In a purpose built arena designed specifically for the show, massive high resolution LED screens, advanced lighting, and surround sound are used to create a fully immersive ABBA concert experience. Although the group’s last appearance in London was at Wembley Arena in 1979, they return technologically in this extraordinary production. These are not holograms or AI generated performances. This is a meticulously animated concert based on real performances by the band themselves. To achieve this effect, the group came together and re-performed their music using motion capture technology. They partnered with top visual effects experts to digitally recreate their younger selves. While the show includes a live band and backup singers, the Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid seen on stage appear every bit as real as their original counterparts. One quick...
Full Details »

Summer Exhibition 2026 ★★★★ Royal Academy of Arts | Jun 16 - Aug 23, 2026

Image
The theme of the 258th Summer Exhibition, “Interconnectedness,” makes tracing links between the works on display both a fascinating and at times overwhelming experience. While this year’s works on view appear to contain less overt political commentary and fewer instances of humour than is often typical of such events, both are still present in striking moments. Tim Shaw’s powerful portrayal of Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin in Pin It On Them (Associated Artwork From the Installation: Shut It Piggy) (555) can be juxtaposed with the playful absurdity of Joey Rutherford’s Pickle With a Pearl Earring (1110) , reminding viewers of the range of tones running through the exhibition. Alongside these, there are the usual charming animal representations, including our favourite, the highly realistic cat in Thus Regard Palmerston (793) , as well as the standard attempts to shock and provoke, such as Tracey Emin’s There Is An End To Everything (674) . The collection continues to move between cur...
Full Details »

St. Martin in-the-fields: Lunchtime Concerts ★★★★ FREE

Image
Maybe the best musical value in London. The lunchtime concerts at St. Martin's are always a wonderful way to escape the hustle and bustle that is London and the sensory overload that is Trafalgar Square. This is a beautiful setting with great acoustics, and a church pew hard enough to make sure you don't nod off. Reviewed by J.C.  Our score:    ☆☆☆☆  WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE: Mon & Fri: 1 pm - 1:45 pm ( occasionally Tues & Thurs)  St. Martin in-the-fields, Trafalgar Square Nearest tube: Charing Cross https://www.stmartin-in-the-fields.org/whats-on
Full Details »

Here Comes J. Edgar! A Comedy Musical ★★★★ King's Head Theatre | Jul 10 - Aug 16, 2026

Image
In 1994, writer Harry Shearer, best known for The Simpsons and This Is Spinal Tap , joined forces with Tom Leopold of Cheers and Seinfeld to create a radio satire about J. Edgar Hoover, the controversial director of the FBI for almost fifty years. Hoover became notorious for allegedly blackmailing successive presidents to secure his position, refusing to investigate organised crime in the United States, and relentlessly cultivating his own public image. Behind the façade of the fearless crime-fighting anti-communist crusader, however, lay a secret life, including a long-term relationship with fellow FBI agent Clyde Tolson and the enduring stories surrounding the famous photograph of Hoover in drag. Hoover was also a gambler associated with various mobsters. This is material ripe for satire, and Shearer and Leopold have the impeccable comic credentials to tackle it. For Here Comes J. Edgar! A Comedy Musical  they are joined by the award-winning composer Peter Matz, whose score pl...
Full Details »

Hit Machine ★★★★★ Soho Theatre | Jul 8 - Aug 15, 2026

Image
Jonathan Caren's Hit Machine lives up to its title. Funny, moving and unexpectedly profound, it delivers both laughs and emotional punch while asking searching questions about family, memory and the price of turning pain into art. The play centres on two brothers bound together by childhood trauma and an enduring love of music, yet divided by the radically different ways they have learned to survive. Wes (Josh Radnor) is a high-powered music executive who has repressed the trauma of his upbringing beneath the polished armour of professional success in an industry famed for its ruthless politics. His younger brother Alex (Noah Galvin), by contrast, wears every wound on the surface. Unable to make peace with the past, he has drifted through life, his talent overshadowed by unresolved grief. When the brothers reunite, old resentments, shared memories and long-buried truths erupt with wit, tenderness and devastating honesty. Caren writes sibling relationships with remarkable precision...
Full Details »

HOLE! ★★★ Soho Theatre, London: Jul 17 - Aug 1, 2026 | Underbelly Cowgate, Edinburgh: Aug 5 - Aug 30, 2026

Image
The delightfully absurd premise of HOLE! centres on a bizarre sect of American Christians who believe that, to be saved at the apocalypse, they must wear a butt plug at all times. Against all expectations, they turn out to be right. The "Great Sucking" removes almost everyone else from Earth, leaving only the cult members and, from their perspective, a handful of questionable additional survivors. After an act of decidedly inappropriate behaviour, the prophet's son Luke and his best friend Connor are dispatched on a quest to rid the world of the butt plug wearers whose reasons for sporting the devices appear to be anything but religious. It is all gleefully outrageous fun, but the premise begins to wear thin and the jokes become increasingly predictable. However, Jake Brasch and Nadja Leonhard-Hooper are excellent as the two friends and the show's gallery of eccentric characters. They slip effortlessly between multiple roles while giving each character a distinct per...
Full Details »

Now You See Me Live ★★★★ London Coliseum | Jul 31 - Sep 6, 2026

Image
Now You See Me , the 2013 heist thriller about four illusionists known as the Four Horsemen, combined magic, mystery and action as its central characters staged elaborate robberies under the cover of spectacular live performances. The film has now inspired a stage show that brings together some of the world's leading magicians. They include French illusionist Enzo Weyne, who specialises in large-scale illusions, Italian escape artist Andrew Basso, inspired by Harry Houdini, Canadian magician Gabriella Lester, whose act combines sleight of hand and escapes, and British mentalist Matthew Pomeroy, known for mind reading and interactive performances. In a production showcasing the breadth of modern magic, this world-class quartet is joined by Britain's Got Talent performers Eden Choi and Rafferty Coope, alongside hypnotist Fraser Penman. Aimed at audiences aged five and above, Now You See Me makes for a thoroughly enjoyable family outing, while delivering enough skill, spectacle ...
Full Details »

Midnight at the Never Get ★★★★ Menier Chocolate Factory | Until September 12, 2026

Image
Midnight at the Never Get is set in 1960s New York and tells the story of a singer and composer who fall in love and create a cabaret act together. It is a time when homosexuality is criminalised and gay bars are routinely raided by the police. When Trevor (Ben Platt) and Arthur (Gregor Milne) decide not to alter the pronouns in their love songs, they effectively consign themselves to performing in back-room venues such as Greenwich Village's The Never Get rather than pursuing mainstream success. Mark Sonnenblick has written a show that captures this dark chapter in LGBTQ+ history with sensitivity and warmth, accompanied by a score that is steeped in the traditions of the Great American Songbook. The ballads are deeply affecting; the comic numbers are clever and catchy. The melodies are memorable, and the lyrics are literate. The book is full of heart, and at its centre is a love story that feels entirely convincing. Equally compelling is the show's exploration of the politica...
Full Details »

To Kill a Mockingbird ★★★★★ Wyndham’s Theatre | Jun 25 - Sep 12, 2026

Image
Many readers first encountered To Kill a Mockingbird in the classroom, where Harper Lee's novel has long been a staple of English literature courses. Its exploration of racism, morality and the loss of childhood innocence has become familiar territory for generations of students. The story also lives on through Robert Mulligan's celebrated 1962 film adaptation, in which Gregory Peck delivered his Academy Award-winning performance as Atticus Finch. His portrayal of the principled lawyer and widowed father who defends a Black man falsely accused of raping a white woman in 1930s Alabama remains one of cinema's defining performances. That legacy presents a formidable challenge for Aaron Sorkin's stage adaptation, as well as for Richard Coyle in the iconic role of Atticus. Happily, both rise to the occasion. Sorkin's adaptation remains faithful to the moral force of Lee's novel while giving the drama a powerful sense of urgency and theatrical momentum. Rather than f...
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings