Louise Penn

Stephen Schwartz's 70s musical Pippin makes a triumphant return with a note perfect casting at Drury Lane's concert version, with Fosse-inspired choreography and costumes given a disco pride vibe. Alex Newell's vocals do not disappoint, Jac Yarrow is a fine lead, while Patricia Hodge is a poignant Berthe.

The Velveteen Rabbit is a story which needs little introduction, and which retains wide appeal. This retelling by Ben Crompton for balletLORENT pops with life as a man reacquaints himself with childhood toys, notably a beloved rabbit. Aimed at a family audience, this is a delightful way to while away an afternoon.

Eugene O'Neill's classic play of family strife has had regular revivals in London (most recently in 2018 and 2012). Set in 1912 and published posthumously in 1956, it remains one of the great American plays. Brian Cox returns to the London stage as James Tyrone, actor, family colossus, and flawed man, in a mesmerising performance.

The book showcases a variety of venues worldwide, from ancient to modern, from the smallest travelling theatre in Rome to one of the largest in New York. Paul Tracey's paintings capture the spirit of the playhouse in all its grandeur and mystery. It is all about the images, with the briefest of textual accompaniment.

Hide and Seek is not an easy watch, although it starts off in a light vein, almost sweet, when one schoolboy is exploring a cave and finds the hideout of his missing classmate.. Despite being distant out in the real world, here they develop a friendship which grows and flourishes despite themselves.

Returning to Stratford East after two decades, the vibrant ska musical The Big Life mixes the plot of Love's Labour's Lost with the arrival of the Windrush generation to London. With a big heart and a sense of fun, it takes an original approach to highlighting the plight of the new migrants who see their dreams collapse.

With ghostly lighting and flourishes of laughter, Tiny Tim's Christmas Carol can be highly recommended for its target audience of children under ten and for adults who may be looking for a break from their festive planning. A tasty plum pudding of a show with just enough holly on top.

With a potent and varied score from Thomas Adès, vibrant choreography from Wayne McGregor, and intruguing design from Tacita Dean, The Dante Project captures the attention despite the assumption audiences know who's who in this revered Italian narrative poem. The Dante Project is fierce yet tender, and the technical aspects are superb.

As the most widely seen modern dance work in the world, Alvin Ailey's Revelations has become part of the DNA of contemporary and popular dance, and it is a privilege to finally experience it on a live stage, alongside its more modern yet complementary 21st century cousins from Kyle Abraham and Robert Battle.

Marking the Proms debut of the Berlin Radio Symphony Orchestra (Rundfunk-Sinfonieorchester Berlin), their artistic director Vladimir Jurowski conducted a lively and varied programme of works by Weill, Adès and Rachmaninov to a Royal Albert Hall high in anticipation.

In this musical, Franklin Shepard's pursuit of fame and money unbalances his personal and professional life, and those around him. No one is happy in this harsh expose of the backstage reality behind 'putting on a show', which makes closing number 'Our Time' the most devastating moment of the production.

This is a piece of folk storytelling at its best. Das Paradies und die Peri is an exciting piece of music which has everything you might want in an evening: moments of battle evoked by complex orchestrations; true love brought to life by the emotional power of song; and eventual redemption.

This Prom showcased the best of the avant garde in contemporary classical music: entertaining, bold, radical and full of drama. The London Philharmonic Orchestra were conducted by Edward Gardner with aplomb and determination, while the three choirs and two soloists left the capacity audience in delighted appreciation.

The process of bringing the works of the Bard to a modern stage is full of challenges, as director Bill Alexander explains in his new book, Exploring Shakespeare. A Director's Notes from the Rehearsal Room. In an absorbing glimpse into the rehearsal room, we are introduced to the choices which face both cast and crew when developing a production, from time and pace to backstory and design.

A pub theatre in Earl's Court turns into a Quaker Meeting House for Naomi Wallace and Marcus Rediker's intriguing play The Return of Benjamin Lay, which takes the true story of a farmer, sailor, and abolitionist who stands just 4 feet tall and makes his passion for equality universal.

Mary (Brid Brennan) is coming home to Yorkshire after a six-month prison sentence. As her daughters and granddaughter try to make her welcome, we slowly find out what dark secrets are being hidden within the paper-thin, gauzed walls of this ordinary house. Deborah Bruce's script is frank, funny, and sad.

Raw, brutal, twisted, and full of rich wordplay, this play makes its political points and highlights a relationship which uses regret, mistakes, and teasing to hide what is really happening at its core. It is less the star-crossed young lovers of Shakespeare than the smack-stained children of a modern wasteland. 

John Haidar’s production of Hamlet ... is a briskly modern piece which fizzes with primal urges, adding a new lens to a a familiar text. Very accessible to those new to the play, and a thoughtful treatment for those who know the plot well, this Hamlet is a 'palpable hit'.

Creature is a fascinating experiment, but requires a familiarity with both pieces of source material and a constant attention to what is going on in the story. This may ultimately isolate the audience from full enjoyment. It has much to say on experimentation and torture, but doesn’t quite make the connection we need to feel involved and engaged.

Returning to London with their double bill, Pioneers, Ballet Black continue to enhance their reputation as Britain’s most diverse and daring ballet company.