Chris Abbott

Review: Charles Court Opera's IOLANTHE, Wilton's Music Hall | West End Best Friend Off West End award-winning Charles Court Opera return to Wilton’s Music Hall to present their enchanting production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s sharp satire of power, privilege and parliamentary democracy...

Always a great combination: Charles Court Opera, G&S and Wilton’s:

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Review: I'M SORRY, PRIME MINISTER, Apollo Theatre | West End Best Friend From the BAFTA Award-winning co-creator of Yes, Minister and Yes, Prime Minister, Jonathan Lynn, comes the long-awaited final chapter of British political satire I’M SORRY, PRIME MINISTER at the Apoll...

Some misjudged moment but mostly amusing and a comic tour-de-force from Clive Francis

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Review: MAN AND BOY, National Theatre | West End Best Friend In his National Theatre debut, director Anthony Lau brings a sharp, contemporary edge to Terence Rattigan’s tale of paternity and corruption, Man and Boy.

Good to see this minor Rattigan, well-acted though in a production that will divide audiences

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Review: THE CONSTANT WIFE, Richmond Theatre - Tour | West End Best Friend Adapted by Olivier Award-winner Laura Wade from Somerset Maugham’s glittering comedy, The Constant Wife originally opened in Stratford upon Avon and is now touring the UK.

Intelligent adaptation of a classic text

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Review: DANCE OF DEATH, Orange Tree Theatre | West End Best Friend Currently playing at London's Orange Tree Theatre, August Strindberg’s masterpiece Dance of Death is a darkly comic portrait of psychological warfare.

Impeccably acted and an excellent adaptation

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Review: MY LIFE WITH KENNETH WILLIAMS, Circle & Star Theatre | West End Best Friend To Hampstead Besties, and the Circle and Star Theatre above the Horseshoe Pub, a comfortable fringe venue well suited to the latest incarnation of David Benson’s homage to Kenneth Williams.

David Benson’s portrayal of Kenneth Williams is as uncanny as ever

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Join Us | British Music Hall Society If you are interested in entertainment past and present, why not join our Society?

The Winter edition of The Call Boy will be arriving with members this week...if you want to receive your own copy of our journal (published 4 times a year) then JOIN US! Membership details HERE - britishmusichallsociety.com/join-us

A music hall classic for #songsheetsaturday - Two Lovely Black Eyes - first published in 1886 with lyrics by Charles Coborn. Coborn reckoned he performed this number more than 250,000 times throughout his long career. 'Two lovely black eyes, Oh what a surprise, Only for telling a man he was wrong.'

A plump Woodpigeon stands confidently at a bird bath, chest puffed out, looking slightly smug. Beside it, a glossy Starling with shimmering green and purple feathers sits lower down, tilting its head up as if deep in conversation. The two birds appear to be mid-chat, giving off the vibe of scheming pals casually plotting how to dodge being counted in the Big Garden Birdwatch.

'Alright pal, got plans for the #BigGardenBirdwatch?'

'Nah, just the usual... hang out of sight whilst she's doing the count, then touch down once the hour's over. You?'

'Classic. Planning some fly-bys with a few of the boys, but we'll only land one at a time.'

'Niiice.'

Happy New Year from the British Music Hall Society. Thank you for all the support you gave us in 2025 - here's to 2026. Check out what we have on offer on our website
britishmusichallsociety.com #MusicHall #Variety #History #Archive

Very impressive!

Review: WHEN WE ARE MARRIED, The Donmar Warehouse | West End Best Friend First seen in 1938, and set thirty years earlier, When we Are Married is a remarkable survivor from the age of the well-made play. It reappears every ten years or so in the West End, perhaps because...

Excellent production and brings back memories of directing the same play two years ago

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Review: AUSTENTATIOUS, Vaudeville Theatre | West End Best Friend Award-winning West End smash-hit comedy Austentatious saw Stephen Mangan join the cast for one performance only last night.

Austentatious- always a hoot

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WEBF Panto Profile: Performer and scenic artist STEVE ARNOTT | West End Best Friend For our second Panto Profile this year, we spoke to veteran performer – and scenic artist – Steve Arnott, currently appearing as Sheriff of Nottingham at New Wimbledon Theatre’s Robin Hood.

I greatly enjoyed talking to Steve!

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WEBF Panto Profile: Writer, director and actor ANDREW POLLARD | West End Best Friend Besties, we’ve been talking to some of the most experienced panto performers and writers in the UK, and we started with writer, director and panto dame Andrew Pollard, appearing at the Victoria Theatr...

Andrew Pollard is my first Panto Profile for WEBF

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Review: MAMA GOOSE, Stratford East | West End Best Friend Join local lass Mama Goose and her magical golden-egg-laying goose in Stratford this holiday season!

First Panto of the year - and a stunner, not to be missed.

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Review: WENDY AND PETER PAN, RSC Barbican | West End Best Friend The Royal Shakespeare Company have presented Peter Pan before, but in a production which followed closely J. M. Barrie’s original play but added a Storyteller. This revival of Ella Hickson’s 2013 ad...

Joyful and beautifully designed

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European Theatre Day was celebrated at Victoria & Albert Museum London UK by Mark Fox for the Frank Matcham Society.

Wonderful exhibits at House of Houdini Budapest. Anniversary of his death soon on Halloween.

As anniversary of Houdini’s death approaches on Halloween ~ here are props on a great display at House of Houdini Budapest.

Review: AN ACCIDENT / A LIFE, Marc Brew/Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - Sadler’s Wells East | West End Best Friend Marc Brew and world renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui bring their stunning collaboration to London for the first time.

Fascinating account of a staggering life event

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Review: ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE, Young Vic | West End Best Friend Nadia Fall launches her first season as Young Vic Artistic Director with Entertaining Mr Sloane, Joe Orton’s 1964 cult classic brimming with manipulation, seduction, and a devilish wit.

Thoughtful approach and some great acting

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Review: EMMA, Rose Theatre Kingston | West End Best Friend Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy, Emma, is joyously reimagined for the 21st century at Rose Theatre Kingston.

Fun update of Austen’s Emma - we enjoyed it as did the youngish packed house

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Review: THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS, Finborough Theatre | West End Best Friend Currently playing at London's Finborough Theatre is the 1921 rediscovered modern classic, The Truth About Blayds.

Another fascinating discovery from @finboroughtheatre.bsky.social

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Review: MURMURATION LEVEL 2, Sadeck Berrabah - Peacock Theatre | West End Best Friend After a sold-out tour of France’s biggest venues, attracting over 300,000 spectators since its premiere, Sadeck Berrabah presents Murmuration Level 2 at London's Peacock Theatre.

Amazing precision movement and a surprising- and very enjoyable - encore. Not to be missed!

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Review: THE GLAMIFICATION OF LOKI, Southwark Playhouse | West End Best Friend Presented by BYMT, The Glamification of Loki is a wildly entertaining new musical that combines Norse mythology with the dazzling world of beauty, glamour, and cosmic chaos.

Always a joy to see the quality of work produced by BYMT, and Eden Tredwell’s musical is impressively suited to its young cast

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Review: THE ANIMATOR, Southwark Playhouse | West End Best Friend Akimbo Theatre presents high energy physical theatre biopic, The Animator, at Southwark Playhouse Borough this month.

Excellent physical theatre piece from Akimbo at Southwark Playhouse

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Review: ROMEO AND JULIET, Theatre Royal Stratford East | West End Best Friend Weaving together Shakespeare's timeless words with music and dance, set against the east London skyline, Romeo and Juliet is currently playing at Theatre Royal Stratford East.

Excellent, pacey adaptation for this youth company with some surprisingly good verse speaking and superb fight scenes

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And some fascinating playbills…

Review: THE ESTATE, National Theatre | West End Best Friend BAFTA winner Adeel Akhtar stars in The Estate at the National Theatre, a razor-sharp exploration of family, power and the lies we tell about ourselves.

Phenomenal leading performance and a new playwright is discovered

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