Tag: Play

British children’s books have a long tradition of subjecting their young characters to varying degrees of neglect, abuse, or outright peril. From Harry Potter crammed under the stairs to the nightmarish lessons handed out in Willy Wonka’s factory, no child is safe when a British author picks up a pen.

A play about football sounds as good an idea as staging Macbeth in a penalty box. Yet, Dear England turned out to be good—unlike, one might say, the actual England team. Just kidding—Gareth Southgate and his boys are great both on the pitch and as characters in this show.

Apparently, I have a thing for Agatha Christie’s plays. After The Mousetrap, I ventured further into her repertoire and saw Witness for the Prosecution. While it’s undeniably gripping, I’d say this one has aged less gracefully—especially the overly melodramatic ending. Christie’s sharpness is still there, but the twists feel more suited to an old radio drama than a modern stage.

I recently saw To Kill a Mockingbird on the West End with Matthew Modine as Atticus Finch. The acting was excellent—Modine brought a quiet strength to the role, and the cast delivered across the board.

Best of Enemies was one of the most memorable plays I’ve seen. David Harewood and Zachary Quinto were fantastic—two leads I’d admired on TV, and seeing them live was everything I’d hoped for. They delivered spectacular performances as ideological opposites. It felt like watching the very foundation of the modern liberal vs conservative divide being built before your eyes.

For my first London play, I had to go with a classic. The Mousetrap. It’s been running for 70 years or something—had to be good, right? And it was. The original true crime, inspired by real events, it weaves a story of suspense, secrets, and misdirection.