Phil Willmott
24 Dec
Reviews 
Review: TREASURE ISLAND at the National Theatre
By Phil Willmott Wednesday, December 24 2014, 09:52
An annually revived stage version of Robert Louis Stevenson's pirate adventure at the now defunct Mermaid Theatre used to be a London Christmas tradition. But, like the Mermaid Theatre itself, it's long gone so it's lovely that the National Theatre are breathing new life into the story in a new version by Bryony Lavery directed by the fashionable and much admired Polly Findlay.
09 Dec
Reviews
Review of Assassins at the Menier Chocolate Factory
By Phil Willmott Tuesday, December 9 2014, 11:30
Not all musicals are glitz and glamour or romantic epics sweeping us up in tragic love from the barricades to Saigon. Take the latest top notch and star lead production at the Menier Chocolate Factory which seems certain to be West End bound when it finishes its run there in March.
In 1990 the composer Stephen Sondheim, having bored Broadway with a show about imperialism in South China (Pacific Overtures) and captivated audiences with a psychopathic cut throat, (Sweeney Todd) turned his attention to another dark subject.
10 Nov
Reviews
Review of Dance 'til Dawn
By Phil Willmott Monday, November 10 2014, 07:49
If you’re looking for an undemanding night of fun and glamour this is the show for you. It hasn’t had a lot of press attention, a victim of snobbery from both theatre critics and dance critics who’ve largely ignored it’s arrival in town but don’t let that put you off, it’s their loss.
Vincent and Flavia are two former stars of the TV show STRICTLY COME DANCING, they’re so popular that canny producer Adam Spiegel has spotted they could fill big theatres and got them together with the award winning choreographer and director, Karen Bruce to fashion a fun show that showcases their talent. They don’t sing or act but boy, do they dance!
31 Oct
Reviews
Review of The Scottsboro Boys at the Garrick Theatre
By Phil Willmott Friday, October 31 2014, 11:27
This is the second brilliant musical dealing with past American racism to open in the West End this autumn and London is enriched as a result. Not just because of the issues raised but because MEMPHIS and now SCOTTSBORO BOYS are examples of how skilled writers, creatives and actors are proving beyond a doubt that great musical theatre can be intelligent, original and provocative yet also be very, very entertaining.
29 Oct
Reviews
Review of Memphis at the Shaftesbury Theatre
By Phil Willmott Wednesday, October 29 2014, 08:22
This Broadway export of the Tony Award winning musical MEMPHIS to the West End, is very good news indeed for London theatregoers.
Although it has an original score that the majority of the audience didn’t know, it had everyone leaping to their feet and roaring their approval on the night I saw it. The likelyhood is you'll feel the same way.
The show tells the story of how Huey, a geeky, white Memphis DJ won't take no for an answer when he sets out to convince the mainstream record buying public that they should be listening to music from the black community, specifically as sung by his girlfriend, Felicia.
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