Despite having MacKenzies on my mother's side and family ties to Waternish on Skye, where winter ceilidhs remain a cherished tradition, my own dancing experience is limited to schooldays and a few riotous evenings at the Gay Gordons in Islington. Ceilidh at Shoreditch Town Hall is joyful, funny and unexpectedly moving, with superb musicians and a wonderfully inclusive spirit. I left wanting to sign up for dancing classes myself.

An outstanding, deeply moving musical, The Pianist tells the extraordinary true story of Polish-Jewish pianist Władysław Szpilman and his fight for survival during the Holocaust. With powerful performances, live music and intimate staging, this London world premiere celebrates the resilience of the human spirit and the enduring power of music to survive even the darkest of times.

Laura Grillo’s What Would Jarvis Do? is a brave, unsettling black comedy that blends fandom, grief and lockdown-induced psychosis into a fever-dream journey through the human psyche. At its best, it offers moments of real emotional insight, particularly in its exploration of loss and isolation. While its surrealism and familiar horror tropes sometimes hinder audience engagement, the production’s ambition, dark humour and pulsing Pulp soundtrack leave a memorable impression.

A brilliantly written and superbly acted two-hander, What the Animals Say turns a chance ferry crossing into a sharp, funny and increasingly unsettling confrontation. David Ireland's debut play combines razor-sharp dialogue, surprising twists and outstanding performances, while imaginative direction and inventive staging make this an exhilarating example of fringe theatre at its best.

Set within the atmospheric surroundings of Wilton's Music Hall, Incendiary breathes new life into the words of Samuel Pepys. Edward Bennett is superb, bringing warmth, humour and humanity to the famous diarist with a wonderfully expressive voice. Blending history, music and storytelling, this fascinating production reveals not only the events Pepys witnessed, but also the man behind the diary.

At one of my favourite London venues, Wilton's Music Hall, Arthur Hull turns musical theatre's biggest disasters into a hugely entertaining evening. Blending impressive vocals, sharp humour and fascinating backstage stories, FLOP! celebrates the shows that missed the mark but somehow left behind memorable songs. A joyful reminder that failure can sometimes be every bit as entertaining as success.

★★★½ Three-and-a-half stars Written and performed by Jamie Noski, Getting Rekt is an ambitious, brave and sharply observed debut. With infectious energy and real stage presence, Noski explores trauma, identity and an unlikely intergenerational friendship against the chaotic backdrop of London. Tender, funny and occasionally heartbreaking, the play leaves you cheering for Rek and Zofia—and their mission to find sunflowers in winter.

Thick as Thieves Theatre Company’s Sense & Sensibility is a fizzing, fast-paced and wonderfully inventive production. Five versatile actors bring Austen’s world vividly to life, switching between characters and costumes with impressive speed and comic timing. The adaptation retains the romance, gossip and misunderstandings of the original while giving the story a fresh, playful energy. Audience participation adds an irresistible sense of spontaneity.

A delightfully chaotic clowning adventure for children aged three to six, On Your Bike, Baffo follows one man's hilarious attempts to build and ride a bicycle. Packed with audience participation, slapstick mishaps and live music, this energetic family show keeps young audiences laughing from start to finish.

Woody Guthrie’s songs inspired generations of musicians, and this heartfelt production celebrates both his music and extraordinary life. Performed without amplification by four multi-talented musician-actors, the show combines around 25 songs with Guthrie’s own words, charting his journey from the Dust Bowl to folk legend. Rich harmonies, outstanding musicianship and powerful storytelling make this an uplifting tribute to a voice that challenged injustice and spoke for ordina

Night City is a bold and visually inventive look at London’s gig economy, driven by outstanding performances from Jack Ambrose and Bex Smith and exceptional movement direction. While Max Wilkinson’s play powerfully captures the human cost of insecure work, an unconvincing late plot development weakens its emotional impact. Ambitious and thought-provoking, it remains an engaging evening despite not fully delivering on all its ideas.

Oil & Whiskey is a heartfelt country-rock musical that far exceeds its fringe roots. Dax Wiley's witty script and Kit Nolan's superb score blend seamlessly, while Juliet Perel delivers a phenomenal lead performance alongside an excellent cast and live band. Yuval Benit's intimate staging transforms the Old Red Lion into a convincing Nashville bar. An absolute joy with genuine West End potential.

James Kenworth’s Three Ghosts of Silvertown combines drama, music, movement and local history to explore Silvertown’s industrial past. The fascinating history, particularly the 1889 strike and Eleanor Marx, often proves more compelling than the drama. The community cast brings energy and commitment, while the Tate Institute provides an atmospheric setting. Ambitious and admirable, but narratively uneven.

A gentle, laugh-out-loud journey into the world of P.G. Wodehouse, with Sam Harrison delivering a masterclass in comic physicality as he plays Jeeves, Bertie and a wonderfully eccentric cast of characters.

Hit Machine is an intelligent and entertaining new play that blends family drama with the realities of the music industry. Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin impress, but it's Khalil Madovi who completely owns the stage, delivering a magnetic performance that captures every aspect of his superstar status. A compelling world premiere with heart, humour and plenty to say.

A fascinating celebration of Jonathan Larson's lesser-known work, The Jonathan Larson Project showcases a superb cast delivering every song with commitment and flair. While it feels more like a theatrical revue than a fully-fledged musical, Imelda Warren-Green steals the show with a brilliantly hilarious turn as a deranged housewife, providing the evening's biggest laughs.

A lively, colourful night at The Mill at Sonning, Shear Madness thrives on audience mischief. With Alex Marker’s vibrant salon set, Natalie Titchener’s spot‑on costumes and Daniel Cane’s quick‑witted detective working the room, the fun ramps up as you help solve the crime. Expect surprises — and go ready to vote on whodunnit.

Step into the atmospheric surroundings of Wilton’s Music Hall for The Signalman, a blend of Victorian-inspired magic and Charles Dickens’ chilling ghost story. David Alnwick’s engaging mentalism delivers genuine moments of astonishment, perfectly suited to this historic venue. While the final dramatic reading is less compelling than the magic that precedes it, the show’s first two-thirds offer an entertaining and memorable evening.

RON is certainly unlike anything else currently on the London stage. Its greatest strength lies in its visual design, with a breathtaking reveal of a real car in a woodland clearing creating the evening's most memorable image. Ted Walliker delivers a committed physical performance, but despite the production's ambition and striking visuals, the abstract script feels overly obscure, emotionally distant and ultimately unable to fully realise its intriguing ideas.

An ambitious and thought‑provoking play, Reformed explores radicalisation, identity and political division with strong performances throughout—particularly Elliot Drummond’s emotionally rich turn as Mark. While compelling, its writing can feel unbalanced, with some characters serving more as vehicles for ideas than fully realised individuals, slightly undermining its otherwise engaging impact.