REVIEW: The Pillowman at the Duke of York's Theatre

Martin McDonagh has written some extraordinary plays usually based around an Irish setting with dark comedy spoken by fascinating characters and gripping unexpected plots. His 2003 play The Pillowman which first starred David Tennant as Katurian is now revived by the wonderful Empire Street productions with Lily Allen returning to the West End in the central role. You know what to expect when you buy a ticket for one of his plays, a unique combination of brilliantly funny lines and grotesquely violent interactions. It's not for the faint-hearted or those easily offended by the language or very unpleasant stories and violence. 

This production engages us because of the stunning performances of the four central characters and impressive staging which brings it all to life. Lily Allen is the author Katurian K Katurian who has written 400 stories but only had 1 published. They are a modern collection in the style of the Brothers Grimm Tales, dark morality tales with sinister themes. When we meet her, she is being Interviewed by the lead detective, and good cop, Tupolski, a wonderfully nuanced performance by Steve Pemberton and his violent and impulsive bad cop sidekick Ariel, a frighteningly menacing Paul Kaye about a series of copycat murders based on her stories. Her brother Michal is played with convincingly emotional intensity by Matthew Tennyson, is also arrested and we are uncertain whether he is a fantasist, accomplice or acting out the stories. 

REVIEW: Mother Goose at the Duke of York's Theatre

This was my twenty-second pantomime of the 2022/23 season and you hope through the marathon set of visits to save the best to last. After six Jack and the Beanstalks, six Cinderellas, three Aladdins, two Goldilocks and three bears, a beauty and the beast, a sleeping beauty, and a Snow White, the second Mother Goose proved to be just that. What’s more, there are still ten venues to catch it again at until 16th April – so book now to see a real treat. 

Jonathan Harvey’s brilliant script does everything you want for a Pantomime, it makes sense of the Mother Goose Story, builds cleverly on the talents of the cast, and integrates the traditional Panto business into the tale so it makes a coherent whole. John Bishop tells the audience in his ten-minute warm-up before the curtain rises to forget what it's like outside and immerse themselves in the Panto experience and the whole cast works wonderfully together to make sure that happens.

REVIEW: Eric and Erin at the Duke of York's Theatre

For a whole generation, Morecambe and Wise were British comedy legends and we fell in love with their unique double act in the seventies and early eighties. Over thirty years after we were shocked by Eric Morecambe's death at 58 in 1984, the memory of their greatest sketches and routines continue to be celebrated on TV. On stage this latest West End show at the Duke of York Theatre is an affectionate tribute to many of their best-known gags. While the sketches show their age with references to the stars of the day like Des, Slade, Percy Edwards, Russ Conway and Marjorie Proops, it also celebrates their gentle humour and brilliant timing.

Ian Ashpitel wonderfully recreates the stage presence of Ernie Wise, the little one with short fat hairy legs and a pretend grey toupee. The straight man who feeds Eric and who bears the brunt of many of his putdowns, but he is also the anchor of the double act and constantly demonstrates his well-tuned music hall craft.