Stuart King
20 May
Reviews 
Review: THE FIFTH STEP at @sohoplace
By Stuart King Tuesday, May 20 2025, 12:29
A young man is having difficulties with alcohol, finding a job, and exercising control over his time-filler addiction to porn. Well, we were all young once! Part redemptive exorcism of his earlier life, THE FIFTH STEP marks David Ireland as one of our most consistently sensitive writers of roles for modern misfits in black comedy settings.
Martin Freeman in rehearsals for The Fifth Step. Photo by Johan Persson
16 May
Reviews
Review: DIAGNOSIS at Finborough
By Stuart King Friday, May 16 2025, 17:20
Whilst mainstream theatre relies on large budgets, established names and huge West End venues to draw the big crowds, most of the capillary contributors to the theatre industry’s lifeblood are small scale. It is at venues like The Finborough at Earl’s Court where new material and new talents are afforded opportunities to develop.
Athena Stevens and Ché Walker in Diagnosis at the Finborough. © Alex Walton
15 May
Reviews
Review: MJ THE MUSICAL at Prince Edward Theatre
By Stuart King Thursday, May 15 2025, 16:07
A cut above the usual Michael Jackson retrospective nostalgia-trip, MJ THE MUSICAL offers a glimpse of the King of Pop’s music, moves and mania for perfection, as he develops ideas and routines for a world tour. But unlike many other homage stage shows, this isn’t simply a chronological surf through past hits and phases.
The cast of MJ The Musical at the Prince Edward Theatre in London
14 May
Reviews
Review: 1536 at Almeida
By Stuart King Wednesday, May 14 2025, 15:48
The Almeida has never shied from presenting challenging, revisionist work. In Ava Picket’s 1536 the strongly female-centric Tudor tale, packs a punchy modern parallel.
Siena Kelly, Tanya Reynolds and Liv Hill in 1536 at the Almeida Theatre. Credit Helen Murray.
13 May
Reviews
Review: HOUSE OF GAMES at Hampstead Theatre
By Stuart King Tuesday, May 13 2025, 10:00
Certainly on paper, HOUSE OF GAMES has everything going for it. Penned originally by David Mamet as a film screenplay, the stage version was created for the Almeida back in 2010 by Richard Bean who recently dazzled at this very theatre with the sharply observed Reykjavik.
Robin Soans (Joey) Siôn Tudor Owen (George) Andrew Whipp (Bobby) Richard Harrington (Mike) Lisa Dillon (Margaret) in House of Games. Photo by Manuel Harlan
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