SAMMY AND THE BEANSTALK (Opera Up Close)****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: https://www.operaupclose.com/sammy-and-the-beanstalk

Available until: 3^rd January 2021

 

THE PANTO THAT NEARLY NEVER WAS (Theatr Clwyd)***

 

By Aashiq

Link: The Panto That Nearly Never Was! Online | Theatr Clwyd

Available until: There are performances on 30^th and 31^st December and 2^nd and 3^rd January. Access is for 24 hours and begins at 12.01am. BSL signed, audio-described and captioned versions are available.

Seriously if you’re at primary school and you want to watch something a bit rude with good music but which your parents will totally give you permission to watch, you should definitely consider watching this pantomime. You don’t even need to get any money out of them (though if you want to look really virtuous, you can always ask them to donate) as it’s free for under-18s. There’s a lot to snigger at here and I should know.

SUNSET BOULEVARD (Curve Theatre, Leicester)****

 

By Emma

Link: https://www.curveonline.co.uk/whats-on/shows/sunset-boulevard-in-concert-at-home

Available until: Livestreams at various times on 31^st December and 2^nd, 3^rd, 4^th and 5^th January. The final livestream is on 4pm on Tuesday 5^th.

I haven’t seen Sunset Boulevard before and I was always under the impression it was a cold and nasty play about people who were out for themselves and didn’t care about anyone else.

It probably could be performed in that way but that wasn’t the case in this performance. I actually found it a very moving performance and different forms of love seem to be really important. There’s also a lot of tragedy in this play. If there is any coldness and nastiness in this musical, it comes from the world of theatre (not that it’s always like that) rather than the characters who all seem like victims of the theatre in different ways.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Guildford Shakespeare Company)*****

 

By Emma

Link: https://www.guildford-shakespeare-company.co.uk/a-christmas-carol £20

Available until: The final livestreams are on 30^th December at 3pm and 7.30pm

I really enjoyed this production of A Christmas Carol. It is a really good dramatization of the story by Naylah Ahmed and the performances are so good.

It’s done on Zoom so the characters aren’t actually together but the way the screens are pushed together kind of makes you forget that. Some of it is filmed in outside locations and it looks like there is real snow. If you watch it on Zoom you can either have your camera turned on or off but if yours is switched on, watch out! The Fezziwigs will get you on the main screen and make you dance! It’s great if you’re into that but not everyone is. Remember to mute yourself too and stay muted!

THE WOLVES OF WILLOUGHBY CHASE (Greenwich Theatre)*****

 

By Louise

Link: https://greenwichtheatre.org.uk/events/the-wolves-of-willoughby-chase-stream £5

Available until: 2^nd January at 2.30pm. When you book a ticket, the only option is to purchase a 2^nd January ticket, but this is just the date when the livestream expires. It will be available to view as soon as you purchase it.

There are a lot of good plays which can be watched online at the moment and it is impossible to watch them all. But one which it would be a great shame to miss is Greenwich Theatre’s exceptional production of The Wolves of Willoughby Chase. It is advertised as being for people aged six and above and I think it is probably suitable for any age above six. The adaption is very clever, the acting is of a very high standard and it seems a bit unfair to describe it as a great play for children because it is simply a great play.

THE ELF WHO WAS SCARED OF CHRISTMAS (Tarento Productions/Stream Theatre)****

 

By Megan

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/10 £13

Available until: This show is on at 11am and 2pm most days until January 4th, but New Year’s Day only has a 2pm show and 3^rd January has an additional 5pm show.

Anxiety is a big problem for a lot of people. It hasn’t always been an official medical diagnosis but it seems like people have had anxiety all through history. But even now, not everyone understands. A lot of people seem to think the person can snap out of it if they try but it is not that easy.

THEM’S THE RULES (Home MCR)*****

 

By Cal

Link: https://homemcr.org/production/thems-the-rules

Available until: Unknown

A man lies asleep on the sofa, not moving. We can also see part of his home. A lamp. A picture on the wall.

The screen is silent and the man is still, but it’s enough to intrigue me. This gives the man the opportunity to wake up slowly… and realises someone is trying to speak to him online.

DAMIAN’S POP UP PANTO (Crucible Theatre/Sheffield Theatres)****

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/events/damians-pop-up-panto-on-demand

Available until: A viewing pass lasts for 3 days, ending at 11.59pm. This event is available until 3^rd January 2021.

SHIELDERS (Traverse Theatre)****

 

By Cal

Link: Shielders | Traverse Theatre  (I had trouble seeing the full video on the Traverse Theatre site, but there’s an option to watch it on youtube and that was fine)

Available until: 31^st January 2020

This play opens with a striking image. Like watching fireworks when you’re on drugs.

Or… so I would imagine.

In many ways, Shielders, by Matilda Ibini, is the play I’ve been wanting to see for most of the year. A play set during the pandemic, where the pandemic is very relevant because it’s happening, but it’s not really the central focus. People wearing masks and social distancing as they talk about something else. People who are shielding, but don’t spend the whole time thinking about the fact they’re shielding. Upsetting as it can be to be shut away from everyone for so long, shielders do have other interests. It’s very possible to be at home all the time and still have fun. Without baking even one loaf of banana bread.

THE GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER (Moscow Ballet/Stream Theatre)***

 

By Emma

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/11 £23

Available until: Livestreams at 5pm every day until 1^st January 2021.

I did enjoy this really. There are lots of things about this production which are really great.

Firstly, the music. How could you not love the music? There are so many great tunes and the orchestra plays them brilliantly, it’s a really full sound and it’s like the music swells with emotion.

DAME FLOSSIE’S PANTO AT HOME (Five Star Theatre/Stream Theatre)****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/8 £18

Available until: Livestreams at 6.30pm every day until 31^st January 2020.

 

THE ROYAL OPERA CHRISTMAS CONCERT (Royal Opera)*****

By Louise

Link: The Royal Opera Christmas Concert - Royal Opera House Stream (roh.org.uk)

Available until: 17^th January 2021

The Royal Opera hoped to perform their concert to a live audience. Unfortunately, that wasn’t possible, but they still performed and recorded the concert. It is very beautiful and uplifting. The Christmas tree from the Royal Ballet’s Nutcracker towers over the singers and sets a festive scene. I have seen it lots of times, but it is still awe-inspiring!

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Lawrence Batley Theatre/Front Room Productions/David Bunting Animation)****

 

By Dave

Link: https://www.thelbt.org/shows/a-christmas-carol

Available until: Thursday 31^st December. Your booking becomes active at a specific time but you have 48 hours so you don’t need to watch it live.

This enjoyable production of A Christmas Carol is probably more aimed at children than adults but as Megan has already reviewed one production of A Christmas Carol, Alba reviewed something yesterday, and Lottie and Ricky reviewed something today, I thought I’d write the review. My daughter assures me I am very immature, even though I am ‘old’ so maybe I am the right person to review it!

POTTED PANTO (Nimax Theatres/Stream Theatre)****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/20

Available until: Livestreams from 27^th December to 10^th January at all kinds of random times.

 

THE LEGEND OF MOBY DICK WHITTINGTON (Sleeping Trees)****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: THE LEGEND OF MOBY DICK WHITTINGTON (ticketco.events) £5-£25

Available until: 31^st January 2021 or 31 days after you start watching it.

 

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Bristol Old Vic)*****

 

By Arran

Link: https://bristololdvic.org.uk/whats-on/a-christmas-carol £4.50 for A Christmas Carol or £12.99 for a season pass (5 productions)

Available until: You have 48 hours’ access to the play.

There are lots of good productions of A Christmas Carol and this one is right up there. Everything about it worked really well and it is very enjoyable even when it is your fourth Christmas Carol in a couple of weeks.

THE SNOW QUEEN (Cambridge Junction/Tobacco Factory Theatre)****

  

By Alba

Link: https://www.junction.co.uk/watch-snow-queen from £2.50

Available until: 3^rd January 2021

The Snow Queen is a good story. It is all about friends and sorting them out when they are being stupid. Kai gets some glass in his eye and then he’s rude to Gerda and then he goes off and she follows him but she has lots of problems like people wanting to eat her. I would of let him go. If my friends are idiots I get new friends.

DICK WHITTINGTON (National Theatre)*****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LkdSBlkwbU

Available until: Sunday 27^th December for free. You will be able to rent it from the National Theatre from 11^th January.

 

CHRISTMAS AT THE (SNOW) GLOBE (Globe Theatre)*****

 

By Megan

Link: Christmas at the (Snow) Globe | Shakespeare’s Globe (Audio described version available) £15 + £2.50 booking fee

Available until: Tuesday 5^th January 11.59pm GMT

Christmas at the (Snow) Globe is a really wonderful play set at the Globe Theatre. It is all about kindness but I don’t think it’s soppy at all. It has humour too and some really good music and the characters in it feel like real people. It was staged at the Globe last year but this is a new version without an audience which is based on the way the world is now.

LIVING NEWSPAPER: EDITION 2 (Royal Court)***

 

By Cal

Link: Living Newspaper: Edition 2 On Demand - Royal Court (cogplayer.com) £10

Available until: Sunday 27^th December 4pm

Living Newspaper is a great idea and it’s a very impressive undertaking. The writers and actors have so little time in which to do their jobs and the fact that they’re producing a new and really quite long film every week is remarkable.

There are several items of news, taking us through the pages of the newspaper and around the Royal Court Theatre. Most use the spoken word but there is also a lot of music and dancing.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS THEATRE (Thespie)****

 

By Imogen

Link: All I Want For Christmas Is Theatre - Thespie | Thespie

Available until: 14^th January if you booked the Extended Bundle or Christmas Day if you didn’t.

This is another great concert from some of West End’s biggest musical theatre stars. They all sing really well and they mostly take a lot of care with their appearance which I think is very important.

There are a lot of Christmas concerts with people from the West End singing Christmas songs and it is getting a bit repetitive now but this concert included a lot of songs I haven’t heard in any other concerts. And when they do sing one of the popular songs they always try to do something a bit different with it. It is mostly groups rather than solo singing so there are lots of harmony possibilities.

SHOWSTOPPER: THE IMPROVISED MUSICAL CHRISTMAS SPECIAL (The Showstoppers)****

 

By Megan

Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/showstopper-the-improvised-musical-livestream-christmas-special-tickets-130785299351?aff=SSWebsite

Available until: 29^th December 2020

The Showstoppers are so clever. I think if they were given all the ideas in advance and given a day to turn it all into a musical, I think that would be very clever. But they make it all up in the moment and their musicals are always good and interesting.

WE BEGIN AGAIN (National Theatre/Guardian)****

 

By Alan

Link: https://www.theguardian.com/stage/video/2020/dec/17/we-begin-again-a-musical-for-2020-video

Available until: Unknown

This is a short musical written by James Graham which looks back on 2020. It is about the difficult things we have faced and the things we hope will be able to happen in 2021.

THE NUTCRACKER (BIRMINGHAM ROYAL BALLET)*****

 

By Louise

Link: https://www.brb.org.uk/whats-on/event/the-nutcracker-at-the-rep-online#dates-and-times

Available until: 24th December, 11.59pm.

The Birmingham Royal Ballet’s production of The Nutcracker is really beautiful. It follows the story I know, but it makes many dramatic decisions which I wasn’t expecting but which work really well.

First of all Clara is centre stage as the main female character. This seems right as it is more her story than the Sugar Plum Fairy’s. The rivalry between the Nutcracker and the Rat King becomes a running theme which gives the story more continuity. When Clara is given the Nutcracker doll, Fritz is given a Rat King doll. The two toys have a play fight as one of Clara and Fritz’s games. That sets the scene for the fight later and it’s possible that isn’t the last we see of the Rat King.

THE RAILWAY CHILDREN (National Railway Museum/York Theatre Royal/The Shows Must Go On)*****

 

By Angel

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d6JS1RfMf4w

Available until: 23^rd December

The Railway Children is my favourite play. Between 2014 and 2017, it was shown at King’s Cross Theatre on a real train track, though it’s not part of the King’s Cross Station. It is a theatre with a set. I think it was only on at Christmas but perhaps that is something my parents told me so they wouldn’t have to take me too often.

WE NEED A LITTLE CHRISTMAS (Stream Theatre)****

 

 By Imogen

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/6 £23

Available until: Livestreams every night at 7.30pm until 1^st January 2021, plus 2.30pm matinee on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays

Christmas concerts are a great opportunity to see some of your favourite West End singers. It’s not as good as seeing them live. There is a good selection of singers and actors here so there’s a good chance of seeing someone you like. They sing most of the same Christmas songs as in the other concerts but it’s not their fault there are only a limited number of good Christmas songs.

DRACULA (UK Actors Support Network/Tread the Boards Theatre Company)*****

 

By Dave

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vpAxjbNpWsA

Available until: Unknown

Everyone talks about Twilight and various other modern vampire stories but I’ve never found a vampire novel to beat Bram Stoker’s Dracula. It’s a really brilliant book and it’s difficult to imagine a better stage adaption than this one.

DECEMBER – A NEW PLAY FOR CHRISTMAS (Bag of Beard Theatre/Old Red Lion Theatre)***

 

By Cal

Link: https://www.bagofbeard.co.uk/december £10

Available until: 6^th January 9am EST (2pm UK)

A number of theatre companies have chosen to adapt A Christmas Carol this year and this makes me very happy. I studied it for GCSE English when I was still quite anti-literature and it was the first classic work I enjoyed. (But it definitely wasn’t the last.)

ALADDIN – A MAGICAL MYSTERY PANTOMIME ADVENTURE (McMillan Theatre)*****

 

By Lottie and Ricky

Link: https://www.native.fm/search?filter=Aladdin £16.50

Available until: Further livestreams on 23^rd December at 6.30pm, 26^th December at 2pm and 28^th December at 2pm.

 

KIPPER’S SNOWY DAY (Applecart Arts/Slot Machine Theatre)***

 

By Lottie and Ricky

Link: https://applecartarts.ticketsolve.com/shows/1173606210

Available until: 24^th December 2020

 

IAN DOESCHER’S A CHRISTMAS CAROL (The Show Must Go Online)*****

 

By Megan

Link: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/ian-doeschers-a-christmas-carol-catch-up-tickets-133548891329?aff=

Available until: January 1st 0.00 GMT

It’s a sad day today but I’m sure watching A Christmas Carol made a lot of people feel better, even if it was only for two and a half hours. It is a really brilliant adaption of A Christmas Carol with a Shakespearean twist and I really hope it will be possible for more people to watch it before it disappears offline forever.

COVIDELLA AND THE MASKED BALL (Musical Theatre Academy/Stream Theatre)****

 

By Alba

Link: www.stream.theatre/season/5

Available until: 7^th January 2021

You’re sposed to shout lots at pantomimes so I did. I shouted “Social distance you idiots” and “no touching” and “put your masks on AT ONCE” like I do at school. But it was a bit different because at school most people listen to me. My teacher called me a covid moniter and I said if she’s going to give me a job she got to pay me. I didn’t get payed but I did get to tell lots of people off.

KINKY BOOTS (The Shows Must Go Online)*****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hExrHHLTMf8

Available until: 20^th December, probably 7pm

There’s a lot of talk about feelgood musicals. What people usually mean by that is that they didn’t think it was that good really, but they loved it and they have to justify it in some way so they make up a new word. But this really is a feelgood musical because it’s the type of musical that can make you feel it’s okay to be you.

STAY AWAKE, JAKE (Pearson Theatre Productions/Southwark Playhouse)***

By Dave

Link: https://southwarkplayhouse.co.uk/show/stay-awake-jake

Available until: Livestreams on 19^th December at 3.15pm (captioned) and 7.45pm.

The current situation is a great opportunity for people to explore the idea of one-person musicals. Until now they haven’t really been an option as one-person musicals tend to be a bit short for a full evening at a theatre but they work online. Six (while obviously not being a one-person musical) is an obvious exception to the rule about short musicals, I think it’s only 70 minutes and yet people are very happy to pay the highest prices in the West End. But you really need to have a hit on your hands before you think about asking people to go all the way to London just for an hour.

FATHER CHRISTMAS (Lyric Hammersmith)*****

 

By Lottie & Ricky

Link: Online: Raymond Briggs' Father Christmas - Lyric Hammersmith

Available until: 24^th December 2020

 

THE HAUNTING OF ALICE BOWLES (Original Theatre)***

 

By Cal

Link: https://originaltheatreonline.com/productions/8/the-haunting-of-alice-bowles £15, £17.50 with digital programme

Available until: 28^th February 2021

The Haunting of Alice Bowles is based on The Experiment, a short story by M. R. James. Not to be confused with P. D. James or E. L. James. M. R. James was an author of classic ghost stories which were published in the early twentieth century. P. D. James wrote modern detective stories in the second half of the twentieth century and early twenty-first. E. L. James… we don’t need to go into that now.

GIRL POWER (Thespie)*****

 

By Imogen

Link: Girl Power – Thespie | Thespie

Available until: Monday 21^st December

Boys are so important to my life and it’s so rubbish that I haven’t been out with one since March. It’s really unfair and I don’t know why they can’t sort it out. There are some boys who said they would kiss me but I could never go out with anyone with such a terrible disregard for my health. It’s a vicious circle.

But girls are very important to me too as confidantes and I have my little group and I have my role models. Seven of my biggest role models are the girls in this concert, the Queens from Six. Jarneia Richard-Noel (Jaye’J) plays Aragon, Millie O’Connell used to play Boleyn, Natalie Paris plays Seymour, Alexia McIntosh (Lexi) plays Cleves, Aimie Atkinson used to play Howard, Maiya Quansah-Breed used to play Parr, and Grace Mouat used to cover all six roles. She’s not one of those understudies who’s not good enough to play a leading role, she’s an understudy who’s too versatile to play just one. (It can be a curse being versatile, I should know.) All the other girls from Six are obviously my role models too but they’re not in this concert.

CINDERELLA: A SOCIALLY DISTANCED BALL (Turbine Theatre/Theatre Café)****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.thetheatrecafe.co.uk/shop/cinderella-a-socially-distanced-ball-online £12.50

Available until: 1^st January 2021

Age guidance: 18+ Language, content which could offend or disgust.

I’m quite offended I was asked to review this. I mean, how do they know I’m not under eighteen? I have a fake ID and everything. My fake ID actually says I’m twenty, but nobody’s ever asked to see it. Which is just rude. I do get asked my age sometimes by charity workers who are only allowed to sign up under-25s, but everyone knows they’re just after my money.

THE LIFESTREAM (Short Play Submission Sunday/Greenwich Theatre***

 

By Cal

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WwbremgDNtg

Available until: Unknown

An actor is preparing to go on for the second half of a play. The first half maybe hasn’t gone terribly well and the director isn’t the happiest she’s ever been. But the show must go on.

At first, it seems like a situation most actors have been in, or thought they were in, or at least had nightmares about being in. Sometimes it doesn’t just feel right.

LOOKING A LOT LIKE CHRISTMAS (Donmar Warehouse/St Paul’s Church)*****

 

By Tommy

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4sQeAw4PZ58

Available until: Tuesday 5^th January 2021

Captions: None at present, but they’re working on adding them as soon as possible.

Christmas will be different this year. We all know that, and have done for a while. There have been many enjoyable Christmas concerts on offer online, but perhaps this one, more than any other, really feels like Christmas (though, of course, this will vary according to each individual’s view of Christmas). Although I don’t doubt that social distancing was practised, it wasn’t something I was aware of. The distances always seem natural and unforced. There is no slight awkwardness; no care taken not to get too close. It seems to be set up so that getting close wouldn’t be easy.

LOVE’S LABOUR’S LOST (Shake-Scene Theatre Company)****

 

By Louise

Link: https://www.patreon.com/shakesceneshakespeare

Available until: Unknown

Love’s Labour’s Lost is supposed to be the first of two plays, but ironically it was the other one that was lost. Some people think Much Ado About Nothing is the sequel, but the characters are different and the set-up is different so that would be very surprising unless Shakespeare started off writing it one way, only for it to go in a completely different direction.

PUSH YOURSELF, SLIGHTLY (The Covid-19 Monologues/Elysium TC****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F-OmR3-_TIQ

Available until: Unknown

Jane is a de-motivational speaker, a wellness consultant. She used to invent things, but they weren’t successful. She always got told that her ideas were crap.

So now, Jane tells other people they’re crap. And gets paid for it. (Isn’t that just the best idea? Maybe I could do that. I’ll change his review to a one-star and say it’s complete crap. It wouldn’t be true, but it’s an idea.)

ORANGES & LEMONS (Coronavirus Theatre Club)***

 

By Emma

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iIszjjX6Lec

Available until: Unknown

The woman in this monologue seems to be in a state of intoxication. She seems drunk and she talks about drinking. She rambles, sometimes making no sense, other times making perfect sense.

Most people know someone who gets like this when they’re drunk. Though a lot of them are exactly the same when they’re sober.

LIVING NEWSPAPER EDITION 1 (Royal Court Theatre)****

 

By Cal

Link: Living Newspaper: Edition 1 On Demand - Royal Court (cogplayer.com)

Available until: Sunday 20^th December 4pm

Living Newspaper is the Royal Court’s latest lockdown project. There will be one a week for six weeks and judging from this first one, they’ll last about ninety minutes.

There was a lot in this first episode. It features the work of twelve writers, performed by a company of thirteen actors. The cameras go to different locations in the Royal Court and in each location, there’s a performance.

A KING AND NO KING (Red Bull Theater)**

 

By Dave

Link: https://www.redbulltheater.com/a-king-and-no-king

Available until: Friday 18^th December, 7pm EST/Saturday 19^th December 12.30am UK

It’s really hard to know what to say about this one. If you can watch it through to the end, everything does make a bit more sense and it turns out that there is a point to it after all.

But sitting through this play is not easy. It’s a dark, nasty and immoral play and a very uncomfortable watch.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL (Old Vic)****

 

By Louise

Link: A Christmas Carol | The Old Vic (oldvictheatre.com) £10, £20, £30, £40, £55, £65 (pay what you can)

Available until: Livestreams available Monday-Saturday until Thursday 24^th December. Times vary.

There are a lot of productions of A Christmas Carol which will be available online this month. I’ve only watched this one so far so I can’t say which one is the best, and that probably wouldn’t be fair, anyway. All I can say that if you want to choose just one, this will be a good one to choose. I’m sure there will be other good productions too, but this one is definitely good.

I think most people know the story of A Christmas Carol, but in case you don’t, it’s based on a novel by Charles Dickens and it’s about a man called Ebenezer Scrooge. He hates Christmas and everything it stands for. All he cares about is money. But one night he has a visitor who tells him there is still time for him to change. He will receive three more visitors. They will help him decide what to do.

ALL MY SONS (Apollo Theatre/Digital Theatre)*****

 

By Cal

Link: All My Sons | Stanhope Productions | Digital Theatre Rent for £7.99 or subscribe to Digital Theatre for £9.99 a month.

Available until: Unknown

It would have been more fitting to review a lockdown production on the day it was announced that London was entering Tier 3 and the theatres would close, but I’d already started watching this one. But Louise is reviewing the Old Vic’s A Christmas Carol, someone will be reviewing Red Bull Theatre’s A King and No King and we have bought a lot of tickets for livestream productions over the next few weeks.

CINDERELLA (Nottingham Playhouse)*****

 

By Lottie and Ricky

Link: https://nottinghamplayhouse.co.uk/watch-cinderella-on-demand £20

Available until: I think it’s available till 19^th December and you can rent it for 5 days.

Age: 6+

 

THE CEREMONY (Stream Theatre/Leeds City Varieties Music Hall)**

 

By Cal

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/3 £14

Available until: Livestreams on Monday 14^th, Tuesday 15^th, Wednesday 15^th, Thursday 17^th, Friday 18^th, Saturday 19^th and Saturday 20^th December at 7.30pm, with matinées on Thursday and Saturday at 2.30pm.

The Ceremony is the first play written (or at least the first to be performed) by Catherine Tyldesley, who is best-known for playing Eva in Coronation Street and for her performance on Strictly Come Dancing. 

The play focuses on Donna, a successful life coach who decides to hold a séance. The idea seems to be that her guests can contact ghosts and lay their own ghosts to rest at the same time. To begin with, it’s a comedy with fast dialogue and quips. Later, there are some quite emotional moments as the characters reveal the source of their pain.

LA BOHEME (Royal Opera)*****

 

By Aashiq

Link: https://stream.roh.org.uk/products/la-boheme-2020 £3

Available until: 10^th January 2021

La bohѐme used to be my favourite opera. It was my first ever trip to the Royal Opera House. I couldn’t believe how posh it was, I was almost scared of going on those red carpets which was weird as I always thought I was born for the red carpet. But the Royal Opera House was so beautiful and so was La bohѐme.

HUDDLE (Unicorn Theatre)*****

 

By Lottie and Ricky

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fWaD9LSUZLA

Available until: Unknown

 

FIDELIO (Opera North/Leeds Town Hall)****

 

By Tommy

Link: https://ondemand.operanorth.co.uk/productions/fidelio-2020 £15

Available until: On demand till Saturday 19^th December at midnight.

Fidelio might seem like a surprising choice of opera for the Christmas season, but it could be considered extremely apt for the times in which we are currently living. A husband and wife, Leonore and Florestan, are enduring a long separation. Florestan is in almost complete isolation from the world, with limited contact with his jailers. Leonore, disguised as a boy named Fidelio, is taking on another role which is completely alien to her in order to survive a difficult time.

ROMEO & JULIET (Sofa Shakespeare)*****

 

By Megan

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qNLurIlYAsw

Available until: Unknown

This is one of my favourite plays even though it is very sad. There are lots of really good performances and ideas that stood out in this production but I noticed two things which I hadn’t really thought about before.

Prince Escalus is a brilliant character. I have always focused more on Romeo, Juliet and the people closer to them but the Sofa Shakespeare actors have made me into a Prince Escalus fan. I like him because he always tries to be fair.

PRESENT: THE SHOCKING TRUTH (Future Voices/Southwark Playhouse)

By Aashiq

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=niM7VCUePus

Available until: Unknown

This is another really incredible play from a young writer. It’s hard to know what to say about it. It feels like writer Kieran Anderson has taken away my ability to speak and nobody does that. Plenty of people wish they could, but not many people manage it.

RUTHLESS! (The Shows Must Go Online/Arts Theatre)***

By Cal

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RAswUa6_dbI

Available until: December 13^th, probably 7pm.

Content warning: Mentions of suicide, murder, drugs. Could cause offence.

Okay, so this was interesting.

If you want a moving story with likeable characters, deep emotions and at least a tiny bit of morality, I recommend you don’t watch this one.

If you’re happy with a slapstick comedy, upbeat music and a few nice dresses, you might enjoy this quite a lot.

THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA (Shake-Scene Shakespeare Company)****

 

By Dave

Link: https://www.patreon.com/shakesceneshakespeare

Available until: Unknown

The Two Gentlemen of Verona is one of the ‘problem plays’. It’s probably Shakespeare’s first play (it’s difficult to be completely sure about dates), though it might be his fourth. So it was probably his second or third, simply because that’s how life tends to work sometimes!

But as it was an early play, I think we can be understanding if things don’t quite work. After all, Shakespeare more than makes up for it later. It’s really interesting to see the aspects of this play which become such a feature of his other plays – two or more men in love with the same girl; rings being given to the wrong people; comedy characters who don’t strictly need to be there but the play wouldn’t be as good without them.

A LIVE STREAM WITH LEE MEAD AT CHRISTMAS (Crazy Coqs/Brasserie Zedel)*****

 

By Louise

Link: https://fane.vhx.tv/products/a-live-stream-with-lee-mead-10-dec-20-30

Available until: 12^th December, probably 8.30pm

Lee Mead did a Crazy Coqs concert a few weeks ago. It was wonderful and I enjoyed it very much so it was a really wonderful surprise to find out he was going to do another one. This concert has a Christmas theme and it’s really lovely. This was my second Christmas concert of the day and I saw another one the night before, but Mr Mead has a way of making every song feel new.

A WEST END CHRISTMAS (Make a Difference Trust/St Paul's Church****

 

By Alan

Link: https://www.stream.theatre/season/2

Available until: Livestreams on Friday 11^th, Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13^th December at 7.30pm and Saturday 12^th and Sunday 13^th at 2.30pm.

There are a lot of really good Christmas concerts on the internet. It is really nice that we get to see our favourite West End actors in so many concerts especially as there are a lot of events we are missing out on this year. It helps make everything feel a bit more Christmassy and when the same performers appear in different concerts they have always sung different songs so far.

This one has lots of different singers in and lots of different types of Christmas songs. There is also some dancing, Robin Windsor and Anya Garnis who used to be in Strictly dance to a version of a carol.

LES INDES GALANTES (Bayerische Staatsoper/OperaVision)***

 

By Cal

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDya671Jc3A

Available until: 2^nd January 2021

Some productions are difficult to review. There are many things about this production which are really good, but no matter how much you might enjoy aspects of a production – or even the production as a whole – all productions have a specific aim and if you feel they haven’t succeeded in this aim, I don’t really feel that’s something you can ignore.

OUT OF THE DARKNESS INTO THE SPOTLIGHT: A SPOTLIGHT ON CHRISTMAS (Theatre Café/Apollo Theatre)****

By Megan

Link: https://www.thetheatrecafe.co.uk/livestreams/out-of-the-spotlight-into-the-darkness-episode-3

Available until:

This is the last concert in the Out of the Darkness Into the Spotlight series but it was a really lovely and happy concert to end on. Hiba Elchikhe and Sejal Keshwala have organised a really brilliant and interesting series of concerts with so many singers I was really excited to watch.

Lots of musical theatre stars joined together to sing Christmas songs and there were even some Christmas poems! I feel even more excited about Christmas too even though I still feel a little bit sad because not everyone can enjoy Christmas in the way they want to. I am very lucky in lots of ways but my cousin is nearly seven months old and I haven’t met her yet. But that’s something I can look forward to in 2021.