All stories by Debbie Gilpin on BroadwayStars

Saturday, February 11, 2023

‘This isn’t your typical murder mystery’: REBUS: A GAME CALLED MALICE – Hornchurch by Debbie Gilpin

DI John Rebus has retired, but his mind is never far from the job – even when he’s been invited as a plus one to a swanky dinner party. Rebus: A Game Called Malice takes the detective of…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, December 16, 2022

‘An unexpectedly brilliant retelling of the Victorian tale’: DOLLY PARTON’S SMOKY MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS CAROL – Southbank Centre ❄ ❄ ❄ ❄ by Debbie Gilpin

Though the title is a bit of a mouthful, Dolly Parton’s Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol is an unexpectedly brilliant retelling of the Victorian tale. With Robert Bathurst as Scrooge and a l…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Wednesday, December 14, 2022

‘Feelgood, festive escapism the classic musical theatre way’: WHITE CHRISTMAS – Touring ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Following a successful West End engagement at the Dominion back in 2019, White Christmas has been taken on the road for the 2022 festive season. This time round, the Irving Berlin classic mu…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, December 2, 2022

‘An intriguing show’: WE WERE PROMISED HONEY! – Soho Theatre ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

If you’re looking for a show with a happy ending, We Were Promised Honey! makes it clear from the outset that this isn’t something they’re going to provide. The audience will get to se…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Monday, October 31, 2022

Spooks & Sparklers: Mind the blog suggests some theatrical tricks & treats to keep audience on their toes by Debbie Gilpin

Too old for trick or treating? Local fireworks display cancelled? You could stay in and binge-watch a Netflix boxset, or plan a scary movie marathon – or you could try something a bit diff…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 12:00PM
Tuesday, October 18, 2022

‘A spooktacular treat’: THE CANTERVILLE GHOST – Southwark Playhouse ★★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Fear and laughter often go hand-in-hand (you only have to look at work from the likes of Steve Pemberton and Reece Shearsmith to see that), so Tall Stories’ approach to the Oscar Wilde nov…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, October 7, 2022

‘A fantastic double act’: SHERLOCK HOLMES: THE VALLEY OF FEAR – Greenwich Theatre & Touring ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

The game is afoot once more, as Blackeyed Theatre hase adapted the Sherlock Holmes story The Valley of Fear into a brand new stage show. This production is currently touring the country, and…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Monday, September 12, 2022

‘Gabriel Byrne is a magnetic presence’: WALKING WITH GHOSTS – Apollo Theatre ★★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Following in the footsteps of the likes of David Suchet and Ian McKellen, celebrated Irish actor Gabriel Byrne brings his memoir, Walking With Ghosts, to the stage. This brief West End run c…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Monday, September 5, 2022

‘It’s clear that this play is having an effect already’: I, JOAN – Shakespeare’s Globe ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Charlie Josephine’s play I, Joan at Shakespeare’s Globe does give Joan a feminist mantle; that is probably for the best, as the character would be pretty unbearable if focused solely on …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Sunday, August 28, 2022

‘A complete joy of a production’: THE TEMPEST – Shakespeare’s Globe ★★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

The Tempest at Shakespeare’s Globe is an unexpectedly hilarious production of a potentially tricky play, with vibrant direction from Sean Holmes – George Fouracres, Ralph Davis and Ciar�…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Tuesday, August 16, 2022

‘A well overdue production of an elusive play’: HENRY VIII – Shakespeare’s Globe ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Written in collaboration with John Fletcher, Henry VIII is quite possibly Shakespeare’s final play – but, despite this country’s continued obsession with all things Tudor, it remains a…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Wednesday, May 4, 2022

‘Absolutely worth investing your time in’: HENRY VI: WARS OF THE ROSES – Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford upon Avon ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Running in rep alongside Henry VI: Rebellion (a.k.a. Henry VI, part two), the Royal Shakespeare Company’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre is also currently home to Henry VI, part three. As with …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Tuesday, April 26, 2022

‘This exhilarating production makes you wonder why the play is often so overlooked’: HENRY VI: REBELLION – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) by Debbie Gilpin

The story begins with Henry welcoming his new bride, Margaret of Anjou, with a boisterous feast that isn’t exactly suited to his calm and reserved temperament – though Margaret immediate…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, April 1, 2022

‘The intimate moments are so credible it feels borderline voyeuristic sat in the audience’: COCK – West End by Debbie Gilpin

Watching Mike Bartlett’s play Cock today, it seems strange to think that it was actually written 13 years ago, as it covers themes that are so resonant with life in 2022.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, March 4, 2022

‘Sometimes you should just leave things alone’: MOULIN ROUGE! The Musical – West End ★★ by Debbie Gilpin

If you’ve seen Moulin Rouge! The Musical and loved it, I’d advise you to read no further – this is not going to be pleasant.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, February 22, 2022

‘An important show deservedly being shared with a wider audience’: RIOT ACT – Stream Theatre (Online review) ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

This is a piece of verbatim theatre, telling three stories of queer activism from the mid-20th century to the present day; Alexis Gregory conducted interviews with Michael-Anthony Nozzi (a s…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Thursday, February 10, 2022

‘There is quite a bit going on but it balances perfectly’: HAMLET – Sam Wanamaker Playhouse by Debbie Gilpin

As soon as Hamlet was announced as part of the 2021-22 winter season my eyes rolled so hard I nearly saw the inside of my eye sockets. I was desperately disappointed. But then something magi…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Sunday, February 6, 2022

‘Elizabeth McGovern is excellent as Ava through the ages’: AVA: THE SECRET CONVERSATIONS – Riverside Studios by Debbie Gilpin

On the anniversary of Hollywood legend Ava Gardner’s death, she lived again in the form of Elizabeth McGovern, whose play AVA: The Secret Conversations has now opened at Hammersmith’s Ri…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Saturday, February 5, 2022

It’s going to be epic: What are you most looking forward to at the Globe this summer? by Debbie Gilpin

It seems like we’ve been made to wait an inordinately long time for this announcement, but it was definitely worth it as far as I’m concerned.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Sunday, January 23, 2022

Year in review: My favourite digital shows 2021 by Debbie Gilpin

Despite the fact that theatres were once again up and running for about half the year (varying from place to place), there was still a massive appetite for digital productions going into 202…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Monday, January 17, 2022

Year in review: My favourite in-person shows 2021 by Debbie Gilpin

When I had a look through my list of shows, it wasn’t too hard to choose a top 10 – the hardest thing was getting them in the right order

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, December 21, 2021

‘A theatrical experience that you will never forget’: CABARET – West End ★★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

A theatrical experience that you will never forget – Eddie Redmayne revels in the role of the Emcee, but Jessie Buckley steals the show in Cabaret.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, December 15, 2021

‘It is a real achievement to come up with such an original spin’: A CHRISTMAS CAROL – Old Royal Naval College ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Once you reach December, you don’t have to look far to find several adaptations of a certain Charles Dickens novella – the key is finding an original take on the story.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM

‘It’s thrilling to see working-class Bob given some agency’: CRATCHIT – Park Theatre ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Marley was dead to begin with – and what of it? There’s still work to be done, and Bob Cratchit has to bear the brunt of his remaining master’s foul moods whilst remaining industrious.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Monday, November 22, 2021

‘Hopeful & joyful without being sickly sweet’: THE MAGICIAN’S ELEPHANT – Stratford-upon-Avon (RSC) ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

My first time back in Stratford-upon-Avon since February 2019, and roughly three years since I’d last stepped foot in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre – and after seeing some rehearsal foot…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Wednesday, November 10, 2021

‘A reasonable introduction to the wider themes of DH Lawrence’s book’: LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVER (Online review) by Debbie Gilpin

This GBM Productions musical version of DH Lawrence’s Lady Chatterley’s Lover originally had a limited run at the Shaftesbury Theatre but has now been given a digital revival by Stream.T…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Monday, October 25, 2021

‘Surprisingly hilarious about a not-so-hilarious subject’: YELLOWFIN – Southwark Playhouse ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

What would you do if all the fish suddenly vanished? It’s a question that would have sounded faintly ridiculous a few years ago, but as climate change grips the world, a mass extinction ev…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, October 22, 2021

Puppetry, top casting & other reasons you should see The Magician’s Elephant by Debbie Gilpin

The RSC's brand-new musical, an adaptation of The Magician's Elephant, started performances this week at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Earlier this month, the company…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Monday, October 18, 2021

‘Shines a disquieting light on a truly terrifying period in history’: THE WITCHFINDER’S SISTER – Queen’s Theatre Hornchurch ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Beth Underdown's debut novel The Witchfinder’s Sister, now adapted for the stage by Vickie Donoghue, gives a voice to a possible sister of Witchfinder General Matthew Hopkins and interroga…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Saturday, July 17, 2021

‘An interesting take on the Oscar Wilde classic’: DORIAN: A ROCK MUSICAL – Stream.Theatre (Online review) by Debbie Gilpin

Dorian: A Rock Musical is an interesting take on the Oscar Wilde classic, probably better suited to live & in-person shows – Bart Lambert gives an arresting performance as Dorian Gray.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Sunday, July 11, 2021

‘This is not about romance, it’s about escape’: Romeo & Juliet – Shakespeare’s Globe ★★★★ by Debbie Gilpin

Romeo & Juliet at Shakespeare’s Globe is a new and vital take on the classic Verona tale, contextualising the characters’ motives – this is not about romance, it’s about escape.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM

All that Chat

2023-2024 BROADWAY SEASON
May 30, 2023: Grey House - Lyceum Theatre
Jun 26, 2023: Just For Us - Hudson Theatre
Jul 24, 2023: The Cottage - Hayes Theater
Nov 16, 2023: Spamalot - St. James Theatre
Dec 18, 2023: Appropriate - Hayes Theater
Mar 07, 2024: Doubt - Todd Haimes Theatre
Apr 14, 2024: Lempicka - Longacre Theatre
Apr 17, 2024: The Wiz - Marquis Theatre
Apr 18, 2024: Suffs - Music Box Theatre
Apr 25, 2024: Mother Play - Hayes Theater
Jun 10, 2024: The Drama Desk Awards