My picks for this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe, plus reviews of We Had a World, Under the Shadow, Kiss of the Spider Woman, and more
OHMYGOD HEY!
Welcome back to my weekly collation of the various reviews, opinion pieces and theatre news updates I’ve shared across multiple social media platforms.
The first thing to tell you about this week is that I have somehow, without travelling, afforded myself jetlag. The enduring impact of staying awake for the duration of the Tony Awards from thousands of miles away has been felt daily, and the surprisingly lasting toll it took can be heard in many of my most recently shared videos (check out the Stranger Things closure coverage to hear what I’d sound like as a husky jazz singer).
The week in theatre trips has been a reasonably straightforward one, with visits to press night performances of We Had a World at the Hampstead (a play I first enjoyed stateside) and Under the Shadow at the Almeida (a rare horror for me, a wimp). I also had the privilege to sit down with Jordan Luke Gage and Andrew Exeter after a performance of Redcliffe at Southwark Playhouse to discuss the show’s aesthetic journey and lasting emotional impact. I should also let you know that I finally caught Thepsians, the first fully fledged musical from Mischief Theatre, another gala night at Cabaret, and a workshop of The Danish Girl (a musical I can’t currently tell you anything about).
As I’ve been reviewing London-centric theatre, my focus had also begun to shift northwards, towards the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, and now that the full programme for 2026 has been revealed, I have finally shared my recommendations and fascinations among this year’s roster. From fairytale reworkings to political skewerings and a return run of the indescribably brilliant Hole!, there remains plenty for Fringe audiences to wade through this August. As I begin to compile my own schedule, I find myself eagerly anticipating a return to the dizzying pace of it all, a week of cider in plastic cups, hasty meals from food trucks and largely sleepless nights spent editing atop a bunk bed. There are some weeks to go yet, but I can hardly wait.
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The best shows at the Edinburgh Fringe? My 2026 recommendations for plays and musical theatre!
The arrival of Summer means that the start of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is looming, and after multiple requests I’m finally sharing my biggest guide to this year’s plays and musicals ever!
As well as sharing every production that caught me eye, and letting you know when and where you can find it, I’m affording a Mickey-Jo seal of approval both to shows I can already vouch for, and those I’m most confidently anticipating.
Check out my picks for this year’s Festival Fringe, stay tuned for my coverage, and share your own recommendations in the comments!
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
The real reason STRANGER THINGS: THE FIRST SHADOW is ending on Broadway and in the West End…
It was announced earlier last week that Stranger Things: The First Shadow would close both on Broadway and in the West End at the end of this year.
The production, which has enjoyed inconsistent box office success amidst the release of the final season, is to be released via Netflix as a professional recording, and may never be subsequently seen on stage.
Check out this theatre news recap to find out the real reasons why the play is ending both of its productions almost simultaneously…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
Jordan Luke Gage & Andrew Exeter on REDCLIFFE and the evolution of its design at Southwark Playhouse
I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Jordan Luke Gage, the writer and star of the new musical Redcliffe, and Andrew Exeter, the show’s set designer, to discuss its evolution.
The original musical, based on a true, queer story, recently opened for a limited run at Southwark Playhouse Borough and is hosting unique Q+As after many of its Tuesday matinee performances.
Check out what these brilliant creatives had to say about the show’s development and its potential future…
Available on Spotify and Apple Podcasts
This Week’s Reviews
We Had A World at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs, London
★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Under the Shadow at Almeida Theatre, London
★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Kiss of the Spider Woman at Mayflower Studios, Southampton (UK Tour)
★★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
Chitty Chitty Bang Bang at Watermill Theatre, Newbury
★★★★ Review available YouTube / Spotify / Apple Podcasts
The shows we saw before the Tonys | Theatre vlog ft High Society, War Horse, regional shows & more
Check out another week in our life of seeing theatre in the UK!
This week was a countdown to the Tony Awards, which we celebrated with themed dishes from across the Atlantic. Before that, though, we caught the opening night of War Horse‘s National Theatre return, High Society, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Kiss of the Spider Woman on its final day of performances at Southampton Mayflower Studios.
Join us vicariously in this brand new vlog to find out what a week in our lives looks like!
What’s coming up this week?
The week to come begins with a calm tour of some regional UK Theatres, to see the touring cast of Operation Mincemeat as well as Nell Gwynn at Shakespeare North Playhouse. It will end with a West End extravaganza, one which represents some of my more ambitious planning as we combine West End Live weekend with a first for us: a midnight matinee performance at Shakespeare’s Globe.
You can look forward to my thoughts on the new cast of Cabaret in the West End as well as Mischief Theatre’s musical, Thespians, plus reports on some very exciting theatre news on either side of the Atlantic, as yet unannounced…
Until next week, I hope that everyone is staying safe and that you have a stagey… week! – Mickey-Jo
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