Halfway through 2017, here’s my top 10 shows so far…

It’s 1st July. We’re halfway through 2017 already. Shit. It’s an opportunity, though, to do a quick round-up of theatre highlights so far. So I’ll do just that..

I’ve been fortunate enough to see 98 shows over the last six months (list here), with FOUR from my top 10 still going strong. I whole-heartedly encourage you to see them before they close, and I’ll keep an eye on whether any of the others announce future runs.

My top 10 (so far…)

Gloria / Hampstead Theatre
(still playing until 29th July: https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2017/gloria/)

All 10 of these shows absolutely stunned me, but if you only make it to the theatre once this year, make it this. It’s slippery, it’s slick. The writing is extraordinary, the performances are outstanding. It’s dark as hell and uncharacteristically excellent for the Hampstead. I can’t recommend it more.(And if you’ve heard of all the hype around ‘An Octoroon’, which I unfortunately didn’t get to see, this is by the same writer).

The Glass Menagerie / Duke of York’s
(run ended, no future dates or tours in the pipeline to the best of my knowledge)

Kate O’Flynn was/is a goddess. Cherry too. The set and staging was stunning, and all these various components, together, made it an utterly electric experience. I saw it twice, but could have watched it twenty-two times and still consistently had my mind blown.

Wish List / Jerwood Upstairs, Royal Court
(run ended, no future dates or tours in the pipeline to the best of my knowledge)

One of the few shows to make my top 10 (strangely) that I actually attended in a proper reviewing capacity (find it here). A timely, impassioned remonstrance against reductionism, and one of those evenings that properly sticks with you (for all the right reasons). As quietly devastating as LOVE, Beyond Caring and I, Daniel Blake.

Press Go / various locations in walking distance from the Almeida
(run ended, no future dates or tours in the pipeline to the best of my knowledge)

Really special. A free, and incredbile, interactive theatre game that the Almeida developed alongside individuals from their Young Producers outreach programme. I was sent off onto the streets of Islington to investigate a murder, and my quest led me into MEATliquor, Lucky Voice and other incredible partners. It was logistically impressive and ambitious, and all of the actors (younger than me, most of them) did an incredible job of it. Had so much fun.

42nd Street / Theatre Royal Drury Lane
(ongoing, http://www.42ndstreetmusical.co.uk/)

An extraordinary spectacle from the moment the curtain comes up. The sheer number of people onstage is overwhelming and (whenever they’ve got their tap shoes on) stunning, and as adamant as I am that musicals need to be pushing boundaries and evolving to keep up with the times, there’s something incredibly charming about how much this is the antithesis of that. It’s pretty much as old-school as you can get, but it doesn’t pretend to be anything else.

impulse (2nd Year Devised Show) / National Centre for Circus Arts
(run ended, no future dates or tours in the pipeline to the best of my knowledge)

These are consistently a highlight of my year. Last year’s SOHO was difficult to beat (and I actually enjoyed the development version with students more than the professional version which later opened at the Peacock), but impulse was possibly even better. Beautifully crafted (and lit), playful and sassy. As usual, the performers have an infectious energy and thoroughly deserved the standing ovation.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / Palace Theatre
(ongoing obvs, got tickets via the Friday Forty so IT IS ACTUALLY POSSIBLE: https://www.harrypottertheplay.com/)

Went in sort of wanting to hate it but couldn’t. It’s fully deserving of all its praise and hype; astonishingly ambitious in its commitment to real stage wizardry, but more importantly a real celebration of just how ‘magic’ theatre (intrinsically) is. There’s moments with ridiculous stage effects, but it’s often the quieter, less showy-offy ones when you really realise the power of the theatre.

Slightly Fat Features / Spiegeltent, Underbelly Southbank
(returning to London with a new show this Christmas, https://leicestersquaretheatre.ticketsolve.com/shows/873572740)

Another I reviewed (here). The best introduction to the electric world of cabaret that I think families and parents could ever hope for. Imaginative pretty much beyond comprehension.

The Color Purple (Charity Performance) / Cadogan Hall
(a one-off performance, but you can sometimes catch Marisha Wallace on as Effie in Dreamgirls on Monday nights: http://www.dreamgirlswestend.com/)

A staggeringly talented of exclusively black West End performers (Marisha Wallace of Dreamgirls, Rachel John of Bodyguard and soon-to-be Hamilton, Tyrone Huntley, Wendy Mae Brown, etc), presenting a concert version of The Color Purple. The whole thing was even better than it sounds.

Rotterdam / Arts Theatre
(still playing until 15th July, https://artstheatrewestend.co.uk/whats-on/rotterdam/)

The most respectful, and genuinely captivating and funny, presentation of a trans story I’ve ever seen on stage. Bold, tender and expertly written.

I’d love to hear what yours are, or if you violently disagree with anything! Go for it below.