Our Head Reviewer Stuart King looks back over a dynamic and impressive year for London’s theatreland.
The Tales of Hoffmann at Royal Opera House.
2024 proved another dazzler for London theatre, with plays, musicals, dance and opera all featuring in my varied and oft-frenetic reviewing schedule. Below, is a reflective snapshot of the past 12 months. It is an unashamedly biased and wholly personal view of those productions which for whatever reason, pleasantly surprised, impressed and excited my theatrical juices. It includes only those productions where in my capacity as Head Reviewer at London Box Office and as a Member of the Critics’ Circle, I have been invited to attend the production’s press night.
Firstly, OPERA
By a clear margin, my top production this year was Damiano Michieletto’s stylish THE TALES OF HOFFMANN at Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Honourable mention goes to Harry Fehr’s ELIXIR OF LOVE at ENO, which benefitted immensely from the casting of New Zealand’s stunning lyric tenor Thomas Atkins’ as Nemorino.
Next up, DANCE
Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake. Nicole Kabera (The Queen) and Company. Photo Johan Persson.
My top spot goes to ASSEMBLY HALL at Sadler’s Wells. Yet another extraordinarily inventive and accomplished piece of story-telling from the Vancouver-based Kidd Pivot dance/theatre company, headed by choreographer Crystal Pite.
Honourably mention goes to R B Dance Company’s STORIES - THE TAP DANCE SENSATION which, following a European tour, briefly wowed audiences at the Peacock Theatre in the autumn.
Matthew Bourne’s SWAN LAKE has recently returned to Sadler’s Wells for a welcome revival and is as fresh, vibrant, witty and playful as ever.
On to MUSICALS
The cast of The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at the Ambassadors Theatre. Photography by Marc Brenner
Difficult to pick, but my top 5 in no particular order would be;
THE CURIOUS CASE OF BENJAMIN BUTTON,
STANDING AT THE SKY’S EDGE,
and FANGIRLS.
Honourable mention goes to:
TWO STRANGERS (CARRY A CAKE ACROSS NEW YORK),
PASSING STRANGE,
KATHY AND STELLA SOLVE A MURDER,
A CHORUS LINE,
YOUR LIE IN APRIL,
HELLO DOLLY and
And finally, PLAYS
Oedipus at Wyndham's Theatre production image. Photo by Manuel Harlan.
A breathtaking year for plays, with both thought-provoking new work and inventive revivals featuring strongly in the West End and around London’s fringe theatre venues.
My Top 5 in no particular order:
THE YEARS
PEOPLE, PLACES AND THINGS,
TILL THE STARS COME DOWN
and SLAVE PLAY.
With honourable mention going to a whole raft of productions which demonstrated the sheer, unadulterated range of theatre on offer in the capital:
A RAISIN IN THE SUN,
HARRY CLARKE,
FOR BLACK BOYS,
THE CORD,
BRACE BRACE,
WOLVES ON ROAD,
DEATH OF ENGLAND,
THE COMEUPPANCE,
REYKJAVIK,
A TUPPERWARE OF ASHES,
ABIGAIL’S PARTY,
UNDERDOG: THE OTHER BRONTË,
DEAR OCTOPUS,
WAITING FOR GODOT,
CORIOLANUS,
ROOTS
and ALL’S WELL THAT ENDS WELL.
My Top 5 London venues in no particular order this year:
SADLER’S WELLS, HAMPSTEAD THEATRE, LYRIC HAMMERSMITH, SOHO PLACE and GARRICK THEATRE.
2025 offers the prospect of another bumper year of diverse work by truly exceptional voices, showcasing the breadth of talent which continues to entertain and challenge the world in which we live.
Enjoy the holiday season and see you at the theatre in 2025.
