All stories by Michael Davis on BroadwayStars

Wednesday, April 26, 2023

’It’s grand in its scope, telling stories within stories’: Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead – Touring by Michael Davis

In Complicité Theatre’s Drive Your Plow Over The Bones Of The Dead, Kathryn Hunter keeps the audience engaged as her confidante and our gateway into shining a light on the anti-ecological…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Friday, April 21, 2023

‘Cooper gets under the skin of Joplin’s doubts’: TOMORROW MAY BE MY LAST – Old Red Lion Theatre ★★★★★ by Michael Davis

Written and performed by Collette Cooper, Tomorrow May Be My Last is an unabashed love letter to Joplin, and her legacy as a performer and human being. Anyone who knows anything about Joplin…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Sunday, March 5, 2023

‘The physical damage & emotional destruction is vividly conveyed’: FOUR POEMS FROM UKRAINE – Finborough Theatre by Michael Davis

Using examples from the past 180 years, Four Poems From Ukraine oscillates between poems performed in English (by actors in London and Toronto), and Ukrainian actors performing in their nati…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Wednesday, February 15, 2023

‘Showcasing the human spirit in the face of adversity’: GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY – Touring ★★★★★ by Michael Davis

The years following the 1929 Wall Street Crash left many Americans (and the rest of the world) facing economic hardship – a state of affairs that lasted right up until the Second World War…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Friday, October 14, 2022

‘When family history & personal convictions become inextricably linked’: GUINEA PIGS – The Space (Online show) ★★★★★ by Michael Davis

If you could meet your 15-year-old-self, what would you say? Would your point of view be any different from theirs? Or perhaps the only deviation would be time has honed your views with grea…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Wednesday, October 5, 2022

‘At the core of this play is the importance of a patient’s quality of life’: THE QUALITY OF MERCY – Courtyard Theatre ★★★★★ by Michael Davis

Given the nature of the show and its subject matter, The Quality of Mercy is an ‘understated’ affair. However, this is not a criticism or back-handed compliment. Quite the opposite. Flay…

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

‘Lean, taut production’: DOCTOR FAUSTUS – Southwark Playhouse by Michael Davis

Lazarus Theatre Company’s latest production of Doctor Faustus (which is directed by Ricky Dukes), takes place with modern dress, but retains Christopher Marlowe’s original words (albeit …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Thursday, May 26, 2022

‘Empathy & connections appear in the most unexpected places’: FRAGMENTS – Brighton Fringe (Online Show) ★★★★ by Michael Davis

Developed by Broken Silence Theatre for the digital segment of the Brighton Fringe Festival, Fragments is a triple bill of short audio plays celebrating playwrights from Sussex and the South…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, April 12, 2022

‘Nothing in the play is ever about the surface of things’: seven methods of killing kylie jenner – Royal Court Theatre (Online show) by Michael Davis

While the title of Jasmine Lee-Jones’ play is provocative by anyone’s standards, there is more to it than meets the eye.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, March 15, 2022

‘Why does it make certain people uncomfortable to think of disabled people having sexual desires?’: KERBS – Touring by Michael Davis

Ask anybody about the rights of disabled people, and most would say in principle that they should be given every opportunity to live life to the fullest. But given this assumption, why is it…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 08:00AM
Sunday, January 30, 2022

‘Shereen Roushbaiani is effervescent’: SAVING BRITNEY – Touring ★★★★ by Michael Davis

During one’s formative years, it’s not uncommon to ‘fall in love’ with a pastime or something that inspires a lifelong ‘passion’. For some, it is Britney Spears.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, November 30, 2021

‘All parents have embarrassing stories to tell’: THE GOOD ENOUGH MUMS CLUB – Touring by Michael Davis

Female-led theatre covers every topic imaginable, but one subject that you would expect to be insightful is what’s motherhood REALLY like. The inception of The Good Enough Mums Club began …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Saturday, October 30, 2021

‘Listen in a darkened room’: BLIND – London Horror Festival (Online review) ★★★★ by Michael Davis

Halloween season is once more upon us and the London Horror Festival has plenty of macabre productions to satisfy the most dedicated aficionado. One show that stands out from the rest online…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 12:00PM
Monday, October 4, 2021

‘A tonic for these troubled times’: NOT: LADY CHATTERLEY’S LOVE — The Core by Michael Davis

Parodies of familiar tales are a well-loved staple of comedic storytelling. Everyone from the Carry On films to Spike Milligan and Mel Brooks have successfully employed this strategy, often …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Wednesday, September 29, 2021

‘Immediately relatable’: THE GLAD GAME – Touring (Online review) ★★★★★ by Michael Davis

Every person who has ever been diagnosed with cancer asks at some point “What do I do now?” and “How can I carry on?” While the ‘tropes’ of behaviour post-diagnosis are familiar …

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

‘Layers of meaning’: LOVE BEYOND THE ZOO — BBC Sounds (Online review) by Michael Davis

During the 20th century, absurdism and surrealism surfaced in literature to make pertinent points about human nature and ‘the real world’. Prime examples include Franz Kafka’s The Meta…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Friday, August 13, 2021

‘A rich play which manages to sidestep clichés’: COLOUR – Edinburgh Fringe (Online review) by Michael Davis

In keeping with its nuanced writing, Colour shows how people of all backgrounds are susceptible to feigning civility, using acts of ‘kindness’, ‘politeness’ and even smiling to hide …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 05:00AM
Monday, May 17, 2021

‘The perfect marriage of concept, lyrics & music’: EVERYTHING IS ABSOLUTELY FINE – House of Blakewell (Online review) by Michael Davis

Originally conceived in 2018, the House of Blakewell’s Everything Is Absolutely Fine is a fitting show to usher in theatre for 2021 and prescient in the way it broaches mental health issue…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Tuesday, April 13, 2021

‘Nice moments of observation’: OBSCENITIES – Theatrical Niche (Online review) by Michael Davis

An anthology of female-led black comedy, Obscenities (which is written by Venetia Twigg and Will Nash) is evidence of theatre’s ability to adapt to our current Covid restrictions. Split in…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Wednesday, March 17, 2021

‘Emotional journeys’: Melancholy / They Also Serve / How To Kill Your Mother – Southwark Playhouse (Online review) by Michael Davis

At the start of 2020, Southwark Playhouse commissioned five playwrights to pen brand new short plays for performance by the Elders Company, its weekly drama group for anyone aged 65 and over.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Tuesday, February 16, 2021

‘Corinne Walker plays all the roles with aplomb’: ILLUSIONS OF LIBERTY – Applecart Arts (Online review) by Michael Davis

Written by Lorna Wells and directed by Aisling Gallagher, Illusions of Liberty focuses on Liberty Jones (Corinne Walker) – a young cellist who has just had test results from doctors regard…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Monday, February 15, 2021

‘The double-edged nature of liberty’: (FIRE) EMBERS (ASH) (Online review) by Michael Davis

First performed on stage in 2015, (Fire) Embers (Ash) – which is written and directed by Hailey Mashburn – has been reimagined as an audio play for 2021.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 09:00AM
Monday, February 8, 2021

‘Sound design & music play a major part in setting the scene’: Depths / If You Cry We Will Kill You / Read To Me – Living Record Festival (O by Michael Davis

As part of the digital Living Record Festival Covert Firmament’s contribution includes 40 separate plays and films, which are written and directed by Dan Horrigan. These include three audi…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Friday, December 18, 2020

’Has a ring of truth to it’: S-27 – Finborough Theatre (Online review) by Michael Davis

To all the artistic directors out there, let’s have more plays like S-27 at the Finborough Theatre that have something to say about the world today.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Friday, December 4, 2020

‘Unapologetic about its candour’: ALL OF ME – China Plate Theatre (Online review) by Michael Davis

Originally performed in Edinburgh in 2019, Caroline Horton’s All Of Me returns in two different formats – as an interactive digital version hosted on gaming platform Twine and as an audi…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Tuesday, November 24, 2020

‘There’s a Lorca-esque quality to the proceedings’: CAPERUCITA – The Actors Centre (Online review) by Michael Davis

While the play addresses the hopes and fears of those seeking to escape destitution (and achieve a better life), much like the fairy tale it mimics, Caperucita through its choreography and p…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Saturday, November 7, 2020

‘We get to know these women’: THE ABSENCE OF SILENCE – Chickenshed Theatre (Online review) by Michael Davis

The Absence of Silence is a frank examination of the impact of long-term physical and emotional abuse on women in relationships.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM
Sunday, October 18, 2020

‘Especially pertinent at present’: LAST DAY – People Show (Online review) by Michael Davis

Rather than veer down the road trod by films such as I, Daniel Blake, People Show’s Last Day addresses the ‘inconvenience’ of having a conscience if one is in middle management and the…

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 11:00AM
Wednesday, September 16, 2020

‘Taking stock of human connection’: LOVE SCREENS – Open Ealing (Online review) by Michael Davis

In OPEN Ealing’s Love Screens – three short plays that are written by Nicolas Ridley and directed by Anthony Shrubsall – relationships are placed under the microscope: those that have …

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 06:00AM
Saturday, August 1, 2020

‘Entertaining & engaging at an emotional level’: DON’T STOP THINKING ABOUT TOMORROW – Chickenshed Theatre (Online review) by Michael Davis

Combining music and choreography with the spoken word, Don’t Stop Thinking About Tomorrow is thoughtful in its conception and ambitious in its scope, looking at the ‘bigger picture’.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 07:00AM
Tuesday, July 14, 2020

‘Continues to explore the themes of racial identity & femininity’: BLUE BENEATH MY SKIN: Alchemist Theatre Company (Online review) by Michael Davis

The second entry in Alchemist Theatre’s ‘Writers On Hold’ series, Blue Beneath My Skin continues to explore the themes of racial identity and femininity.

SOURCE: mytheatremates.com at 10:00AM

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