All stories by Jonathan Baz on BroadwayStars

Tuesday, December 12, 2017

A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

This year's seasonal offering in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is a grand affair as David Edgar (it was he who famously adapted Dickens’ Nicholas Nickleby for the company back in 1980) tac…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Thursday, December 7, 2017

ANIMUS – Laban Theatre ★★★ by Jonathan Baz

In what is the second collaboration from British writing team Webborn and Finn, Animus delivers a cleverly constructed plot including complex characters and a chilling mystery that keeps one…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Sunday, December 3, 2017

INTERVIEW: Spotlight On… West End Producer by Jonathan Baz

Many years ago Winston Churchill famously described the Russians as "a riddle wrapped in an enigma". Well, London's theatre scene has a similar riddle.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, November 29, 2017

ALBUM REVIEW: A Christmas Carol (narrated by Simon Callow) ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Much like a luxuriously fruited and brandy drenched Christmas pudding, Simon Callow’s voice (surely a national treasure in itself) serves up the festive fable in a recording that lasts a t…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, November 28, 2017

‘One of the finest night’s entertainment on London’s fringe’ – PRIVATES ON PARADE – Union Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

With the festive panto season finally on the horizon, why not consider skipping the traditional fairy-tale dames and instead head towards the Union Theatre for a snatch of Simon Green's take…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Sunday, November 26, 2017

SCROOGE THE MUSICAL – Leicester ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

It all makes for classic festive fayre with Leslie Bricusse’s original work, last seen some 15 years ago, being subtly re-engineered for this revival. Jasper Britton heads the cast in the …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Friday, November 24, 2017

THE SECONDARY VICTIM – Park Theatre ★★ by Jonathan Baz

In what seems a lengthy two and a half hours, Campling takes us through not only Ali’s own marital strains with husband Victor (Gary Webster), but also her counselling of another client wh…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Wednesday, November 22, 2017

THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST – Jack Studio Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

As one of Oscar Wilde’s most famous plays, one wonders if The Importance of Being Earnest's aged humour and possibly outdated social values will stand the test of time. Thankfully, here, i…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Sunday, November 19, 2017

CORIOLANUS – Barbican Theatre (RSC) ★★★ by Jonathan Baz

The evening’s star performance comes from Haydn Gwynne who brings a strength and elegance to Volumnia. Playing the ever loving yet overbearing mother of Coriolanus, she dreams of success a…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 12:00PM
Friday, November 10, 2017

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS – West End ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Camel coated Christian Slater (who bears more than a hint of Tony Blair in his appearance) is Ricky Roma, the alpha-male of the pack. Canny and mercenary, Roma’s senses and reflexes are ra…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:15AM
Thursday, November 9, 2017

MOTHER COURAGE & HER CHILDREN – Southwark Playhouse ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Josie Lawrence is an absolute triumph, embracing the audience on her journey from cocky tradeswoman to a woman that Mother Courage would be ashamed of, so downtrodden is her outlook and situ…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Tuesday, October 31, 2017

#HappyHalloween: Clare Louise Connolly talks about playing Regan in The Exorcist by Jonathan Baz

We worked a few scenes during the audition run, including the iconic movie moment where Regan spins her head around. I made sure I told our director Sean Mathias that my neck was extremely f…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Monday, October 30, 2017

IMAGINE THIS – Union Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Harry Blumenau’s production at the Union manages to shed the show’s previous blunders, succeeding in telling a harrowing and touching story with tenderness and care in a production that …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, October 25, 2017

TRYST – Tabard Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

The script is beautifully crafted, moving at a pace that flits between thundering forward to reflect the fast passage of time and pulling back to uncover a multitude of truths.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:00AM
Friday, October 20, 2017

YOUNG FRANKENSTEIN – West End ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Like The Producers before it, Young Frankenstein hails from a Brooks movie of some 40 years earlier with the veteran writer/director reframing the comedy-horror flick around his own composit…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, October 18, 2017

KING LEAR – Chichester ★★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

King Lear is the jewel in the crown of Daniel Evans’ opening year as Chichester’s Artistic Director. Ian McKellen is every inch a king in Jonathan Munby’s production that is currently …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM

LUCKY STIFF – Union Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

There’s a charming treatment of Ahrens and Flaherty’s Lucky Stiff, currently playing at the Union Theatre. The musical is a short slight piece, set in a minimalist stage design, but with…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Tuesday, October 17, 2017

31 HOURS – Bunker Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Bleak statistics show that a person commits suicide on Britain’s rail network every 31 hours and, as we learn in the play, for every fatality there are another three people who attempt to …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Saturday, October 14, 2017

HAIR – The Vaults ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Transferring down from Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre, Jonathan O’Boyle’s production of Hair is an exciting revival of a show that was to define so much of the 1960s.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, October 13, 2017

Album Review: Broadway Melodies ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

It is a delight to review Dan Burton’s debut album Broadway Melodies. As choreographer Stephen Mear has long known, Burton is currently amongst the finest of musical theatre “triple thre…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Sunday, October 8, 2017

INTERVIEW: Spotlight On… The Toxic Avenger’s (& Bon Jovi’s) David Bryan by Jonathan Baz

As The Toxic Avenger returns to London's Arts Theatre, Jonathan Baz spoke with composer and Bon Jovi keyboards ace, David Bryan. David , what attracted you to write The Toxic Avenger...

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Wednesday, October 4, 2017

BILLIE & ME: PATTI BOULAYE LIVE – Zedel ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

It's nigh on forty years since this reviewer first clapped eyes on Patti Boulaye. Her braided hair in tight plaits, Boulaye lit up our TV screens on a Saturday evening.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 02:00PM

WHAT SHADOWS – Park Theatre ★★★ by Jonathan Baz

What Shadows from Chris Hannan is a well-researched fiction that weaves its narrative around the closing chapters of the real life of Enoch Powell.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM

THE TOXIC AVENGER – Arts Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

It’s no small tale they have to tell, as small-town nerd Melvin takes on the corrupt establishment of New Jersey (Who Will Save New Jersey) who are taking bribes from the Manhattan elite s…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Sunday, October 1, 2017

SUNSET BOULEVARD – Touring ★★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

There is a magic that pervades Nikolai Foster’s production of Sunset Boulevard, and it flows from leading lady Ria Jones. Twenty-six years after creating the role of Norma Desmond for Andr…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Tuesday, September 26, 2017

LE GRAND MORT – Trafalgar Studios ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Trafalgar Studios, London****Written by Stephen ClarkDirected by Christopher RenshawJulian ClaryIt is a rare treat these days to see a play written for its star. So it is with Le Grand Mort,…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:30AM
Monday, September 25, 2017

PIPPIN – Manchester ★★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Pippin closed this weekend at Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre with, yet again, this Northern powerhouse of fringe theatre delivering a stunning take on a Broadway Tony-winner.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 04:00AM
Sunday, September 24, 2017

LEGALLY BLONDE – Touring ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Lucie Jones is exquisite as Elle, seamlessly blending nods to Reese Witherspoon's film portrayal with her own flavour. This Elle comes with a level of self-awareness and sass that makes her …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, September 22, 2017

THE REVLON GIRL – Park Theatre ★★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

On a 1966 October morning in the small Welsh mining village of Aberfan, an estimated 150,000 tonnes of colliery waste suddenly began to move.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Tuesday, September 19, 2017

FIVE GUYS NAMED MOE – Marble Arch Theatre ★★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

Created thirty years ago by Clarke Peters and swiftly transferring from the Theatre Royal Stratford East across town to the West End and then to Broadway, it is a delight to see the show ret…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Monday, September 18, 2017

THE KNOWLEDGE – Charing Cross Theatre ★★★★ by Jonathan Baz

The titular knowledge is famously what is required to become a licensed London black-cab driver, a process so demanding that 70% of hopeful candidates fail to make the grade.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM

All that Chat

2024-2025 BROADWAY SEASON
Jun 05, 2024: Home - Todd Haimes Theatre
Jul 11, 2024: Oh, Mary! - Lyceum Theatre
Jul 30, 2024: Job - Hayes Theater
Sep 12, 2024: The Roommate - Booth Theatre
Nov 14, 2024: Tammy Faye - Palace Theatre
Dec 12, 2024: Cult of Love - Hayes Theater
Dec 19, 2024: Gypsy - Majestic Theatre
Mar 15, 2025: Purpose - Hayes Theater
Apr 01, 2025: Glengarry Glen Ross
Apr 10, 2025: Smash - Imperial Theatre
TBA: Titanic