Theatre shows of the year 2015

Counting up, I have been to 100 theatre performances in 2015 (so far – there are still a couple of days left!). Many of those were under my own steam, but I’m also a frequent reviewer for both Musical Theatre Review and The Reviews Hub (formerly The Public Reviews). Those professional reviews come with star ratings; ones I went to for myself, or as a guest without a commitment to review, do not.

Below is a chronological list of those theatre, cabaret and comedy shows that gained a four star rating or above from me (up to a maximum of 5 stars; TRH allows us to allocate half stars, whereas MTR does not). I’m also including shows I also went to that would have merited such a rating had I been reviewing them professionally.

January 2015

• Treasure Island: Curse of the Pearl Necklace, Above the Stag
• Whistle Down The Wind, Union Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]

February 2015

• She Loves Me, Landor Theatre
• Beautiful, Aldwych Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]

March 2015

• Cynthia Erivo in Concert, King’s Place
• The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time, Aylesbury Waterside ★★★★★ [TRH]

April 2015

• Panti Bliss, Soho Theatre ★★★★★ [TRH]

May 2015

• Scott Alan & Cynthia Erivo, St James Studio ★★★★★ [MTR]
• Avenue Q, Aylesbury Waterside ★★★★½ [TRH]
• Carrie, Southwark Playhouse ★★★★ [MTR]
• Jerry’s Girls, Jermyn Street Theatre ★★★★★ [MTR]
• Peter Pan, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
• Julian Glover’s Beowulf, Sam Wanamaker Playhouse, Shakespeare’s Globe ★★★★★ [TRH]
• Jason Robert Brown in Concert, Royal Festival Hall ★★★★ [MTR]
• Elegies for Punks, Angels and Raging Queens, Criterion Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]

June 2015

• Fun Home, Circle in the Square Theatre, Broadway
• 1984, Playhouse Theatre
• Bugsy Malone, Lyric Hammersmith
• East is East, Aylesbury Waterside ★★★★½ [TRH]

July 2015

• I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change, Above the Arts ★★★★★ [MTR]
• The World Goes Round: The Songs of Kander & Ebb, Pizza Express Pheasantry ★★★★★ [TRH]
• Derren Brown: Miracle, Aylesbury Waterside
• Rhythm of Life: Cy Coleman – A Celebration in Song, St James Studio ★★★★ [MTR]
• Bette Midler, O2 Arena
• The Car Man, Sadler’s Wells

August 2015

• The Supreme Fabulettes, Leicester Square Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]
• Briefs, London Wonderground ★★★★ [TRH]
• Goddess, Tristan Bates Theatre^[1]
• You Won’t Succeed on Broadway if You Don’t Have Any Jews, St James Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]

September 2015

• The Christians, Gate Theatre ★★★★★ [TRH]
• Kinky Boots, Adelphi Theatre
• Vincent and Flavia: The Last Tango, Aylesbury Waterside

October 2015

• Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, New Wimbledon Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]
• In the Heights, King’s Cross Theatre
• Sam Bailey in Concert, Lyric Theatre ★★★★ [MTR]
• Thriller: Live, Aylesbury Waterside ★★★★½ [TRH]
• Stiles and Drewe’s Peter Pan – A Musical Adventure in Concert, Adelphi Theatre ★★★★★ [MTR]
• Cats, London Palladium ★★★★ [MTR]
• The Screenwriter’s Daughter, Leicester Square Lounge ★★★★ [TRH]

November 2015

• Xanadu, Southwark Playhouse ★★★★★ [MTR]
• Rise and Fall, St Saviour’s Church, Knightsbridge ★★★★ [TRH]
• Rachael Ofori – Portrait, Bush Theatre ★★★★ [TRH]
• Come Together: Barb Jungr & John McDaniel, St James Studio ★★★★★ [MTR]
• Funny Girl, Menier Chocolate Factory

December 2015

• All On Her Own/Harlequinade, Garrick Theatre
• Lee Mead in Concert, Garrick Theatre
• Tinderella: Cinders Slips It In, Above the Stag
• Dick Whittington, Aylesbury Waterside ★★★★ [TRH]