All stories by Anya Ryan on BroadwayStars

Thursday, October 3, 2024

A Tupperware of Ashes review – wrenching drama of a family hit by Alzheimer’s by Anya Ryan

Dorfman theatre, London In Tanika Gupta’s play, Meera Syal is a steely south Asian matriarch whose Lear-like decline into dementia upends her family There are quibbles with Tanika Gupta’…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:02AM
Thursday, September 19, 2024

Please Do Not Touch review – disputed artefact triggers a tragic chain reaction by Anya Ryan

Belgrade theatre, CoventryContested heritage, inequity and the criminal justice system are explored in poet Casey Bailey’s one-man play ‘Please do not touch” reads a sign in front of a…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:32AM
Tuesday, September 10, 2024

23.5 Hours review – Lisa Dwan drives striking story of a shattered marriage by Anya Ryan

Park theatre, LondonCarey Crim asks a series of moral questions in her play about a woman facing the aftermath of her teacher husband’s conviction for sexual misconduct Tom, a beloved dram…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:54AM
Sunday, August 18, 2024

Edinburgh fringe comedy 2024 week two roundup: I’ve seen 50 shows but am I laughing? by Anya Ryan

Debuts rich in neurodiversity and self-analysis jostle for attention at this year’s festival with a beloved grandma, the Russian elite and a misguided attempt at an apology We’ve reached…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:00AM
Wednesday, August 14, 2024

‘I feel a rising anxiety ...’ My odyssey through Edinburgh’s intense, unsettling one-to-one shows by Anya Ryan

What is it like to be the solo audience member at a fringe performance? I found out at a range of shows designed to give the viewer exactly this experience I’m standing on an Edinburgh str…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:00AM
Sunday, August 4, 2024

My English Persian Kitchen review – a theatrical feast by Anya Ryan

Traverse, EdinburghThe real story of food writer Atoosa Sepehr, who fled her abusive husband in Iran, is retold with the warm familiarity of a friend – while cooking up a fragrant dish liv…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 05:00PM

I Really Do Think This Could Change Your Life review – sharp-witted girlboss satire by Anya Ryan

Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh A fallen queen bee turns to a social media pyramid scheme in a technological whirlwind of a production, grounded by Emma-Louise Howell’s darkly comic, rhythmic sc…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:35AM
Friday, August 2, 2024

Comedy couple Jessie Cave and Alfie Brown: ‘We don’t know how to function as adults’ by Anya Ryan

Their on, then off, then on-again relationship has given the standup couple plenty of material. They discuss oversharing on stage, comedy after cancellation, and explaining monogamy to their…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:00AM
Friday, July 12, 2024

The musical that shows the true side of One Direction fans by Anya Ryan

Fangirl celebrates the obsessive followers of a band closely resembling One Direction. ‘It really does question where the boundaries are,’ says its creator It’s March 2015 and a bombsh…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 09:48AM
Sunday, June 23, 2024

My Father’s Fable review – a slick delve into identity and complicated family relationships by Anya Ryan

Bush theatre, LondonAfter her father’s death, Peace unexpectedly discovers the existence of a half-brother in Nigeria. Who is he? And why did her father never mention him? On the surface, …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:36AM
Friday, June 21, 2024

Sitting in Limbo review – a rallying cry for the Windrush outrage by Anya Ryan

Watford Palace theatrePhilip J Morris’s stage adaptation of the Bafta-winning film tells it straight as Anthony Bryan’s life is ripped apart The voice of Theresa May opens this stage ver…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:24AM
Tuesday, June 18, 2024

Some Demon review – secrets and cynicism in an adult eating disorder unit by Anya Ryan

Arcola theatre, LondonSet in a chronically understaffed treatment centre, Laura Waldren’s searing play homes in on the hellish cycles and contradictions caused by the condition For anyone …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:42AM
Thursday, May 23, 2024

Swim, Aunty, Swim! review – powerful tale of women healed by water in an empty pool by Anya Ryan

Belgrade theatre, CoventrySiana Bangura’s play follows three west African women in Coventry who are cajoled into the water – and find themselves surfacing from grief They say water has t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:02PM
Thursday, April 18, 2024

Cheeky Little Brown review – raucous solo show about a splintering friendship by Anya Ryan

Theatre Royal Stratford East, London Nkenna Akunna’s monologue follows a young woman as she crashes her oldest friend’s 25th birthday party At its core, Nkenna Akunna’s monologue is a …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 08:06AM
Friday, April 12, 2024

An Actor Convalescing in Devon review – long, lacklustre ride through life, loss and actorly love by Anya Ryan

Hampstead theatre, LondonRichard’s Nelson’s elegiac monologue feels like Paul Jesson is live-reading a novel and results in a sense of stagnation Richard’s Nelson’s monologue, writte…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:54AM
Sunday, April 7, 2024

Love Steps review – a poetic guide to negotiating modern love by Anya Ryan

Omnibus theatre, LondonAnastasia Osei-Kuffour’s stylish debut gives an honest appraisal of the tricky world of apps and expectations, yet offers a note of hope for those on the long road t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM
Wednesday, March 27, 2024

MJ the Musical review – sterilised moonwalk through the King of Pop’s life by Anya Ryan

Prince Edward theatre, LondonThe jukebox musical has gravity defying dancing and all the megahits, but it’s hard to ignore the glaringly unpleasant biographical absence ‘I want to keep …

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:06PM
Friday, March 8, 2024

Red Pitch playwright Tyrell Williams: ‘Young men have a lot of anger that they don’t know what to do with’ by Anya Ryan

The writer has gone from creating viral comedy to a play about football and friendship between a group of teens amid the gentrification of south London. ‘I’m never as nervous as when I p…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:54AM
Friday, February 23, 2024

Out of Season review – bangers and brawls as happy hour turns sour in Ibiza by Anya Ryan

Hampstead theatre, LondonNeil D’Souza’s sharp script is packed with regret and affection as old bandmates get together to relive the glory days on holiday Grab the beer and sunglasses an…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 11:02AM
Friday, February 16, 2024

Samuel Takes a Break review – a stomach-churning tourist trip around an old slave castle by Anya Ryan

Yard theatre, LondonA Ghanaian tour guide struggles to maintain his composure in the face of historical ignorance and requests for selfies, in Rhianna Ilube’s poignant critique of colonial…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36AM
Tuesday, January 23, 2024

‘I felt deep rage’: Sarah Grochala on her prize-winning play about snubbed computer genius Ada Lovelace by Anya Ryan

It took her eight years to write Intelligence, an era-hopping epic about the pioneer’s battle for recognition. Now that it’s won the Women’s prize for playwriting, will Grochala stop t…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 10:54AM
Wednesday, November 8, 2023

Brenda’s Got a Baby review – pregnancy deadline drama doesn’t quite deliver by Anya Ryan

New Diorama theatre, LondonAma wants a baby before her 30th birthday in this unstructured play from Jessica Hagan that doesn’t know if it is serious or trying to make us laugh I’m all up…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 07:36PM
Wednesday, August 30, 2023

‘I need to have a big party and show off!’ Edinburgh comedy award-winners reveal what’s next by Anya Ryan

For the first time ever, both the ‘Oscars of comedy’ have gone to standups with South Asian heritage. So what do the two performers who set the fringe alight have planned? Lots of boasti…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:13PM
Saturday, August 19, 2023

Lena review – stilted account of child star Zavaroni’s tragedy by Anya Ryan

Assembly, EdinburghErin Armstrong performs well as the 70s Scottish singer Lena Zavaroni but the show’s structure distracts from her anguish She had everything: fame, fortune and barrels o…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:43AM
Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Meat review – a frenzied roar of pain by Anya Ryan

Pleasance Courtyard, EdinburghElle Dillon-Reams’ solo show is a stream of consciousness about sexual assault and womanhood ‘Writing about this has been confusing,” says Elle Dillon-Rea…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 04:07AM
Monday, August 14, 2023

One Way Out review – haunting Windrush drama beneath teenage banter by Anya Ryan

Underbelly Cowgate, EdinburghMontel Douglas writes four males leads who are on the brink of becoming men, but their jokes and dancing belie a darker story We might not all remember our schoo…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 02:13PM
Sunday, August 13, 2023

Hysterical review – feminist performance poets air their grievances by Anya Ryan

Summerhall, EdinburghCarrie Rudzinski and Olivia Hall’s poems are sincerely performed and loaded with justified anger at unfairness but they grow monotonous I’m a part of the target audi…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:37PM
Friday, June 30, 2023

The Swell review – a gasp-inducing love-triangle mystery by Anya Ryan

Orange Tree theatre, LondonThe intricately tangled lives of three women, and their explosive secret, are revealed in this complicated picture of queer love across the decades The wonder of I…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 03:49PM
Thursday, June 29, 2023

Theatre at Glastonbury - so big and wild a hallucination, you're always left wanting more by Anya Ryan

We take a journey through the magical land of Glastonbury's theatre, circus and comedy And that’s it again for another year. Oh Glastonbury. A fever dream where the time of reality stops …

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 02:13AM
Sunday, June 25, 2023

Tambo & Bones review – provocative and witty Black fable of rags to hip-hop riches by Anya Ryan

Theatre Royal Stratford East, LondonRhashan Stone and Daniel Ward jump in time from a shabby minstrel show to modern stardom to a violent future in poet David Harris’s controversial satire…

SOURCE: The Guardian at 06:37AM
Tuesday, June 13, 2023

We Will Rock You, London Coliseum review - the Queen musical returns, as ludicrous, dense and dreadful as before by Anya Ryan

Ben Elton’s script is back in the West End, and this time he stars, too Twenty-one years ago, critics were alarmed by Ben Elton’s deranged musical We Will Rock You. But, despite the "sta…

SOURCE: theartsdesk.com at 06:04AM

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
TBA: Titanic