Notes From Row H

Theatre Reviews

Flyology the Musical – Review

07/05/2026

The Union Theatre (PR/Gifted)

We all know about the rising popularity of AI and how easy it tries to make our lives – but what happens when a predictive system goes wrong and instead spits out three historical women?

Flyology is a riotous new musical written by Tamiko Dooley and Cathy Farmer and directed by Craig McKenzie. Packed full of feminist songs and power ballads, it is a literal Rage Against The Machine – think Six meets Doctor Who. The cast’s strong vocals are beautifully accompanied by Tamiko Dooley on the piano, and it perfectly sets the tone for a tale of female empowerment and uprising.

When tech genius Callum is showing his newest AI venture to a group of investors, unfortunately for him, it malfunctions and three women suddenly appear – each a revolutionary and a pioneer: Ada Lovelace, Emmeline Pankhurst, and Ethel Symth. Will the women make it out of their future and back to their own time? Or will they be… deleted?

One of my many highlights include Ethel Smyth’s introduction, which took the form of a mini cabaret style stand up set – and Ashleigh Cassidy delivers a masterful performance with quick wit and a mischievous glint in her eye. Ada Lovelace is Callum’s intellectual equal, and she wants to go home so she can finish her book – Flyology. Meg Abbott does a fabulous job in making her come to life. Emmeline Pankhurst wants to be known for something other than a revolutionary, and Aishling Jones completely embodies her drive and strength. Charlie Renwick as Callum is a perfect mixture of melodramatic comedian and exasperated genius –providing a brilliant antagonist.

Flyology uses the Union Theatre’s intimate space to its advantage. The set is simple yet effective and consists of the central stage area and a raised walkway, that doubles as both a corridor and stage. This helps to separate the characters at times in the show and give the characters space to feel divided both emotionally and physically.

The lighting design by Adam Gregory adds a lot to the atmosphere without becoming overwhelming. The use of bright beam lights when the AI is talking helps to bring the AI to life and almost makes it a fifth character. The deep red lighting towards the end heightens the story’s tension too. Sometimes however, the characters were left in the dark because the lights were not picking them up.

The combination of AI and history in a musical is such a quirky and unique idea – and it really works. Toward the end though, the reveal of the AI’s true nature did seem a bit sudden and was maybe unneeded, because the character arcs and storylines were coming to their end.

After workshops and concerts at The Other Palace, The Space, Omnibus Theatre, Markson Pianos, and Camden People’s Theatre, I am looking forward to seeing where Flyology goes next – and I am sure it will have a long life. It has such a strong premise and has a fascinating plot and brilliant songs – it is a very enjoyable night out!

Flyology is playing at The Union Theatre from 5^th until 8^th May 2026

Buy your tickets here: https://uniontheatre.biz/show/flyology/

Written by Helena Featherstone
Three Grown Ups Sitting Round a Table!

01/05/2026

Off West End theatre review – Hoopla! (PR/Gifted)

Three Grown Ups Sitting Round a Table is an improv show featuring three seasoned and very talented improvisers, which made its debut at Hoopla on Tuesday 28^th April as part of Hoopla’s 20^th Anniversary Improv Festival.

Made up of Ruth Bratt (from Showstopper! The Improvised Musical), Lee Simpson (from The Comedy Store Players) and Lauren Shearing (also from Showstopper! The Improvised Musical), this show was entirely improvised and supported by props that were picked out by a random audience member.

The plot of this particular show centred around a couple and their struggling relationship. Add to that their surrogate, numerous cups of tea, and a real miniature bottle of rum, and you get an hilarious evening.

All three performers are accomplished improvisers, so the dialogue was everything you would expect it to be – quick, clever, and of course, extremely entertaining. Also, to avoid the show becoming too static, they introduced an interesting concept of characters sometimes leaving the room so the actors could not hear what was being said on stage, and this obviously only made the show even funnier.

This was my first visit to Hoopla, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will definitely be going back to watch more of their improv and comedy shows!

Written by Helena Featherstone
One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

23/04/2026

Off West End theatre review – The Old Vic

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest is playing at The Old Vic from 1^st April 2026 until 23^rd May 2026.

This adaptation of Ken Kesey’s novel tries to be a bold reimagining of the original, and whilst there are points of strength in this production (namely the talent of the cast and it’s design), there remains several features of the play that do not quite make the production a complete success.

Based on the book by Ken Kesey, One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest was adapted for the stage by Dale Wasserman in 1963 – and over 60 years later it is being staged by Clint Dyer at the Old Vic. This production was always going to be interesting due to its subject matter, and because in this modern time, its themes we could be a cultural hot potato.

When Randle P. McMurphy arrives in a psychiatric hospital in Oregon in 1963, he is confronted by Nurse Ratched and her iron grip on the wards’ residents. Seeing this challenge, he immediately starts causing mayhem and disrupts the tortuous lives of the other patients with his witty charm and mischievous character – much to Ratched’s vexation.

An obvious metaphor for institutional oppression, Dyer has taken it one step further and has tried to make the play an allegory for white control over black people – Ratched being white and the patients being black. I feel that this does not really land, because apart from preshow projections that tell the audience about slavery and Congo Square, it is not in the text – so it just feels disconnected from the story itself. That is not to say the ambition is not strong, but it feels like it is slightly lost.

There is also a subtle throughline of misogyny throughout the play. Despite Dyer trying to shine a light on the racism in 1960s America and give the play a new lease of life, the misogyny in the text remains unchanged. The patient backstories include an unsatisfied wife and a dominative mother, Nurse Ratched is seen as coercive and controlling, and other female characters are called prostitutes. So, there are elements of the play that feel progressive in one sense but the same and compounding in the other – and it could have gone a lot further in modernisation.

Its treatment of disability and mental illness was outdated and an uncomfortable viewing. Sometimes it felt like both were being used as a spectacle rather than a narrative tool.

All that being said though, the cast are superb. Aaron Pierre as McMurphy is suitably cheeky and rebellious, but also balances that out with flashes of anger and violence that bring the character to life. Olivia Williams (who took over the role from Michelle Gomez in rehearsals) as Nurse Ratched is commanding and oozes cold control. Giles Terera as Dale Harding is wittedly suave and provides much needed of the comedic relief. Arthur Boan as Chief Bromden narrates and grounds the play and helps to give the narrative a touch of humanity.

Being in the round, and especially with the Old Vic’s decorative features and architecture, it really makes the entire atmosphere very immersive. Add to that Ben Stones’ set and costume design with checkered green and white tiles, white walls and green jumpsuits, and the ward comes to life. The most impressive and visually striking aspect though is Chris Davey’s lighting design, which flickers between the ward and its dark undertones and helps to layer the narrative and build tension.

Despite the talented cast and the incredible production, I feel that it is the attempted modernisation of the text that brings this play down. I can see the ambition and the attempt to make it a bold reimagination – but its depiction of mental illness and disability, its vein of misogyny and its attempt to make the text about racism and control, makes this adaptation a slight miss for me.

Written by Helena Featherstone
Avenue Q

16/04/2026

West End Theatre review – The Shaftesbury Theatre

Avenue Q is playing at the Shaftesbury Theatre from 20^th March 2026 to 29^th August 2026.

Often described as the adult version of Sesame Street, Avenue Q (directed by Jason Moore) is back on the West End after 16 years away, and it explodes onto the stage – bringing with it a chaos and a boldness that is hysterical. I went into the Shaftesbury Theatre completely blind and unaware of the show’s legacy, and I am very glad I did!

With the cast a mix of humans and puppets, this is a truly unique show (suitably adapted for a 2026 audience) – and its special quality does not stop there. Theatre norms are considered merely an inconvenience and edgy humour takes centre stage: with outrageous songs, adult topics, and an unashamed vibrant energy.

Avenue Q follows Princeton (a recent graduate with a useless English Lit degree) as he moves to the infamously shabby ‘Avenue Q’ in New York and gets to know his eccentric neighbours: Kate Monster, Rod, Trekkie Monster, Nicky, Gary, Brian, and Christmas Eve – with an appearance from the iconic Lucy the Slut. With his new found friends, he tries to navigate a maze of adult problems like love, poverty, and racism, whilst also trying to find his ‘Purpose’ in life.

The set design by Anna Louizos brings the street Avenue Q to life and forms a 2D set that is reminiscent of those typical children’s TV shows. The different sets are also cleverly designed to allow the human puppeteers to easily manoeuvre puppets in a way that does not detract from the scenes– and it really helps with the immersion. You really feel as if you are watching an old school TV show, and this feeling is helped by the occasional use of video on screens that unfolded from the sides of the stage – which was greeted with plenty of laughs!

The highlight of the entire show of course, were the puppets (which were conceived and masterfully designed) by Rick Lyon. All of them were incredible and were so lifelike and they seemed to come alive in such a magical way that it was impossible to believe that they were being operated. The performers themselves are extraordinary – some even playing and operating two characters each! They performed the iconic soundtrack and book with such ease and joy – and I have had it all on repeat since I watched the show.

I absolutely loved this show and its laugh out loud moments, heartfelt moments, and just pure outrageous energy. I cannot recommend it highly enough and cannot wait to see it again!

And remember – THE INTERNET IS FOR… reading the rest of my reviews!

Written by Helena Featherstone
In Some Dark Valley

05/04/2026

Off West End theatre review – The White Bear Theatre, Kennington (PR/Gifted)

A very fitting subject matter for Easter Saturday, I went to see the last performance of the London transfer of In Some Dark Valley – a one man show written and performed by Robert Bailey, who has also just won the Best Solo Performance at the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle 2025 for this role.

Reverend Brand, a fiery post-civil war Appalachian preacher, tells his life story – and guided by his faith in God, he suffers the consequences of his harsh and blind will. Poverty, death, and famine shape him into a man who, at the end of his life, is alone and potentially mad. Adding a depth to story, the intense narrative is interspersed with haunting Appalachian songs and music from a harmonica that Bailey plays.

Bailey’s performance throughout was outstandingly powerful. He seamlessly transitioned between the various characters in Reverend Brand’s story – some humorous, some tragic, some tender: he adopted their physicality and voices perfectly. His storytelling was thoroughly engaging and easily conjured the world of Reverend Brand.

There were a few times when I lost track of the story though because it was so imagination heavy and the pace was a little fast, but that is easily fixed and did not have a significant effect on the wonderfully crafted story.

It being staged in a small space above a pub made it feel very intimate, and the simple set (only two blocks) made the story and Brand’s character even more intense. Clever use of minimal lighting also helped to signal when time jumped or his mood changed.

Robert Bailey was absolutely brilliant in this play and I cannot wait to see what life it continues to have after its run at the White Bear Theatre Kennington.

This was my first time at this theatre and I will definitely be going again!

Written by Helena Featherstone
Kinky Boots – The Musical

03/04/2026

West End theatre review – The London Coliseum

Fresh off a successful UK tour and 7 years since it was last on the West End, Kinky Boots is strutting back on to stage for a limited run at the London Coliseum – from 17^th March until 11^th July 2026.

Starring Strictly pro Johannes Radebe as Lola and Matt Cardle as Charlie Price, this show has everything that could be wanted from a musical about drag queens and fabulous red boots. Add to that songs written by Cyndi Lauper, a script written by Harvey Fierstein, and direction by Nikolai Foster, and you have a show that is full of fun, heart, and warmth.

Based on the true story of Steve Pateman and his family’s Northampton shoe factory in the 1990s, Kinky Boots tells the story of Charlie Price and how, in his desperation to save his shoe factory from closure, he turns to the only market that he can think of – high heeled boots for drag queens. His salvation comes in the form of Lola – a drag queen with bright ideas and who, with the help of the other factory workers, help design and make the iconic red boots – with the aim of showing them in Milan. But will they make it there?

Along with the bright colours and dazzling costumes, Lola’s presence is met with undercurrents of bigotry and a touch of reluctance – but in the end everyone works together and learns to accept people for who they are. This is such a clear and powerful message that cannot be understated. It also explains why this musical has meant so much to everyone that it touches and continues to be as popular as it is – especially in the current climate where sexuality and gender are so politically charged.

Johannes Radebe as Lola is a stroke of genius. He brings a fabulous energy to the character and despite not normally being an actor or singer, his performance wows – and his Lola is fierce, powerful, and magnetic. He is also given chances to show off his strong dancing talents too which are, of course, incredible. Matt Cardle as Charlie Price performed well – and was note perfect – especially during ‘Soul of a Man’, which received a well-deserved lengthy applause after the final note. I did find that Radebe did slightly overshadow Cardie at times, and when Lola and Charlie spoke to each other, it did sometimes feel a bit stilted.

The standout performance for me though was Courtney Bowman as Lauren. Her performance of ‘A History of Wrong Guys’ was incredible. Her vocals and comedic timing were perfect – and she had such a tangible warmth to her. Scott Paige too was hilarious as George. His natural comedic timing garnered so many laughs from the audience that it was such a pleasure to watch him.

All of this would be nothing without Leah Hill’s superb choreography – from Lola’s first entrance on a rising platform to group dances and the Act 2 Finale, the choreography perfectly captures the sentiments of the show. It is complimented by the beautifully designed costumes by Robert Jones (also the set designer) and Tom Rogers. All these elements combine to make Kinky Boots a visually stunning musical – and also help the narrative to become richer.

This show is an explosion of colour, music, and queer energy, whilst at its heart being a story of acceptance and hope – all of which is becoming increasingly needed in this time we are living in. Despite a couple of incredibly minor issues, this show is a beautiful reminder of what happens when people work together and accept who people are. It has a charming warmth, and people will definitely be falling head over heels with it for years to come.

Written by Helena Featherstone

Flyology the Musical – Review

Three Grown Ups Sitting Round a Table!

One Flew Over The Cuckoo’s Nest

Avenue Q

In Some Dark Valley

Kinky Boots – The Musical