Chris Selman

6 days ago | gaytimes.com | Chris Selman

Where to begin with Here We Are? It’s the final show from Stephen Sondheim – an absolute titan of musical theatre, who wrote the lyrics, or lyrics and music, for West Side Story, Gypsy, Sweeney Todd and countless more – and it’s making its European premiere in London at the National Theatre, following a short off-Broadway run in 2023. This production has Tony-winning director Joe Mantello at the helm, and features a hugely impressive cast.

1 week ago | gaytimes.com | Chris Selman

My Master Builder has arrived on London’s West End to considerable fanfare and it’s easy to see why – this is Ewan McGregor’s first time on stage for some 17 years, and his co-stars include Kate Fleetwood (Big Mood) and Elizabeth Debicki (The Crown).  The play is a re-imagining of Henrik Ibsen’s The Master Builder – it’s now set in the present day, in The Hamptons, with our titular builder now a celebrity architect – or ‘starchitect’ – hosting a 4th of July party.

2 weeks ago | gaytimes.com | Chris Selman

The Great Gatsby has arrived with some fanfare from Broadway, rocking up in London’s huge Coliseum for a limited run, with some big name talent attached. First impressions are strong: we have a full orchestra, the art deco set is opulent, there are literal on-stage fireworks within the first few minutes of the show. So how does it fare? To be honest we were disappointed – there are some impressive vocal performances from the cast, but beyond that there’s not a lot to enjoy.

2 weeks ago | gaytimes.com | Chris Selman

The Brightening Air completely caught us off guard – we weren’t expecting Conor McPherson’s family drama to be one of the funniest plays we’ve seen in a long time, but it really made us laugh a lot. The subject matter doesn’t lend itself to comedy – the focus is on siblings squabbling over the inheritance of a property in rural Ireland in the 1980s – and yet it has a brilliantly naturalistic, conversational humour which we immediately warmed to.

1 month ago | gaytimes.com | Chris Selman

It’s been quite a season for the London Gay Men’s Chorus, who are taking their new show London Legends from one royal palace to another. Hot on the heels of a headline performance at Windsor Castle, where the Chorus sang for His Majesty King Charles III at a special celebration of community music, the UK’s biggest male chorus now heads from one palace to another: Alexandra Palace, to be precise. This time, it’s not about royal receptions – it’s about a full-blown pop spectacle.