Author: Tim Baros

THEATRE REVIEW | & Juliet, London

★★★★★ | & Juliet, Shaftsbury Theatre, London

A new musical loosely, very loosely, based on the classic Romeo & Juliet is raising the roof down (not literally) at the Shaftsbury Theatre.

& Juliet is the hottest and most unique musical to hit town this year. It takes bits and pieces from Romeo & Juliet and reshapes the story line, with excellent twists along the way, to give us a modern day, very modern day, love story that is unique, timely, explosive, and lots of fun.

Based around the songs of Max Martin (you might not know his name but you sure know his songs, pop classics such as ‘Baby One More Time,’ ‘I Kissed a Girl,’ ‘Roar,’ the list goes on and on – songs that were sung by superstars such as Brittany Spears, N’Sync, Jessie J, Ed Sheehan, the list goes on and on) are reinterpreted here in & Juliet.

There is lots going on in this show, but thanks to the music and lyrics by Martin and Friends (this is what the program states) and cleverly intertwined with a book by David West Read, and excellent direction by Luke Sheppard, we get William Shakespeare (a natural Oliver Tompsett) and his love Anne Hathaway (an extremely talented Cassidy Johnson) writing the plot of the show while we watch the show (clever!).

And the show within the show has Juliet Miriam-Teak Lee newly single after the death of Romeo. She also finds out Romeo had many many lovers.

But she is still not deterred in her quest to find romance and quickly meets Francois (Tim Mahendran), the son of very rich playboy Lance (a brilliant David Badella who steals every scene he is in). Lance is very keen to have his son marry the beautiful Juliet. But Francois has never really ever been with anyone before and at the same time meets the dashing May (Arun Blair-Mangat), a man who likes the friendship of women but romance with men. So it all gets a bit complicated, especially when Romeo (Jordan Luke Gage) shows up! What a mess!

From beginning to end & Juliet is high energy throughout, thanks to a cast who work very hard in scenes that are superbly choreographed to the nth degree (Jennifer Weber). And most of the songs in the show were major hits so you find yourself humming along – it’s like welcoming a new friend back into your life. But besides the music, it’s the cast who really bring this to life. Tompsett and Janson work so well together on stage, they really complement each other. Teak-Lee as Juliet can really belt out numbers, but it’s Badella as the dashing Lance so willing to give up his son in marriage to anyone who steals the show. His French accent, his facial expressions, and also his dance moves are just all so brilliant.

Give this man an Olivier now!

& Juliet will be the most fun you’ll have at the theatre this year. And with a potpourri of hit songs in the show, & Juliet is sure to last a long time.

& Juilet plays at the Shaftersbury Theatre until 30th May 2020, book tickets

6th December 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | PF Changs, London

★★★★ | PF Changs, Central London

There are two words that I would use to describe PF Changs Asian Table restaurant – absolutely delicious.

Serving authentic pan-Asian food, and it is, no doubt, one of the best of these types of restaurants in town. Let’s get right to talking about the food. My main course – Grilled Asian Marinated (for 24 hours) Rib Eye was the star dish of the evening – and was great. Perfectly cooked, nicely-sized portion, uniquely sliced with a delicious side of wasabi mash, it was good enough to make a grown man cry – it was that good (and reasonably priced at £19). We were also given a mistake dish – a dish we didn’t order but somehow landed on our table – the Chinese BBQ Pork Ribs – and they were simply divine!

Four pork ribs – slow-braised, with a nice slather of savoury BBQ sauce, absolutely moist and tender and finger-lickin’ amazing! Sprinkled with sesame seeds and served with a side of garnish, they were succulent – an excellent mistake dish (a great deal at £11.25)!

My dining companion had the Grilled Asian Salmon – served on a bed of asparagus with red pepper slaw. It was a moderately-sized chunk of salmon, but a bit dry where the marinade did not come through in the flavour and served with a grilled lemon, (£14.25). To go with our main courses we had the Wok-Seared Tempura Cauliflower – slightly undercooked but still good and excellent value at only £4.25.

Our starters were quite amazing as well. I had to have The Original Dynamite Shrimp. There were ten or so tempura-battered shrimp in a spicy Sriracha aioli with a sprinkle of spring onions. The texture was amazing as they were crunchy and were nicely presented in a large cocktail glass – but were a bit too spicy for me – which the menu nor the waiter mentioned. My friend opted for the Handmake Pork Dumplings (£8.50) – four which came with a drizzle of soy & chili mash. They were very good.

We started the night off with cocktails. My Asian Mojito was refreshing as it contained a mix of pineapple juice, honey, lemon and sparkling green tea – ah – a very very nice combination (£7), and it came with a never seen shisole leaf. They, unfortunately, didn’t have my first choice – the Pink Paradise Cooler. My friend had the Tom Collins – an old-style drink with Gin, Lemon Juice, Sugar Syrup, Soda and Lemon Oil (£10). Lots of other drinks on the menu that I will try next time I visit (yes, I will definitely go again). And I will go back not just for the main courses or starters but also for the desserts – they were amazing!

The Kaya French Toast was absolutely stunning! Brioche bread topped with caramelised pineapple, maple syrup, kaya jam and whipped coconut cream – it’s better than it sounds! We were so full but we managed to finish most it! Dare I say it is a bit better than the American version of french toast – there I said it. Also pretty amazing were the Banana Spring Rolls. A bit hard to describe – they were four puff pastries with vanilla sauce and a smattering of berries along the edges with caramel drizzled on top, with ice cream (or sorbet) smack dab in the centre. The presentation on this was gorgeous and the taste even more so. Both desserts get five stars from me.

It really helps in deciding what to eat or drink as the menu comes with pictures. I wish every restaurant would adopt this idea.
The location of PF Changs couldn’t be more central – a minute’s walk from Leicester Square and the tube station. It’s not a massive restaurant – and the night we went (on a Sunday), the place was packed all the time. Even after ten p.m., people were still coming in – on a Sunday night! A mostly youngish Asian crowd all seemed to be very much enjoying their meals and their time there. I have to say it’s a fun place to be at and the hostess was absolutely lovely and cheerful. I highly recommend a visit.

ADDRESS:
10 Great Newport Street

London

WC2H 7JA

OPENING TIMES:
Sunday – Wednesday : 11am – 11pm

Thurs – Saturday : 11am – midnight

https://www.pfchangs.co.uk/

30th November 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | Circolo Popolare, London

★★★★ | Circolo Popolare, Central London

Circolo Popolare is one of the hottest newest restaurants in town, with people without a reservation queuing outside in the hopes of getting a table. If they ever get inside, they’ll be enveloped in a room full of warmth and colours so alive they’ll feel like they’ve stepped into a restaurant in the Mediterranean.

Walking into Circolo Popolare is a wow moment. Hundreds of liquor bottles line both sides of the walls in the main room – which is very vivid and bright. Tea lights and greenery hang from the ceiling, while past the kitchen towards the back there is another beautiful room to explore – with an olive tree in the centre. Circolo Popolare has to be one of the most beautiful restaurants in London. But how’s the food?

Me and my dining companion had a very hard time choosing what to eat, and while it’s not a huge menu, we just didn’t know what we fancied. The cocktails were an easy choice – we could’ve ordered several but stuck to just one each. The Lemoncello Spritz was absolutely divine. With just the right amount of Absolut vodka, a couple dashes of Limoncello Amalfi, Prosecco Cinzano, maracuja, and peach, with lemons aligned on the sides of a large wine glass – it was stunning and delicious, and I highly recommend it (£7). My friend had Look Me in The Eyes – a drink served in a cheeky novelty mug and held a blend of three rums, almond hibiscus syrup, Triple Sec, lime, and maracuja. It had a kick thanks to the rum but it also had a sweet fruity flavour (£9).

Of the 8 antipasti starters on the menu, we ordered two. We thoroughly enjoyed the Crudo Crocante – 3 small lettuce cups with Cornish sea bass, confit tomatoes, dehydrated olives, lemon, baby herbs. The menu states they are a must – and they are. Nice and chilled – with a delicious vinaigrette dressing sprinkled over – it was a nice combination of food in a dish that’s not too filling and a bargain at £7. We also tried the Pizza Fritta Montanara – a smallish dough bread stuffed with tomato sauce with Parmigiano sprinkled on top. Delicious and moist, and it complemented the Crudo. The Frittatina (Mac and cheese bites) looked interesting – but seemed too cheesy, The Sam Daniele Ham and the Magic Mushroom Bruschetta looked like other very good choices.

And choice is the keyword for the main course options. Pizza, pasta and hot skewers of meat or fish (Dalla Griglia) are there. The pizza selection is not super sexy – I opted for the Animal Lover pizza which happened to be cheeseless. It was moist and had a healthy topping of aubergines, mushrooms, red peppers, vegan pesto, and taggiasche olives, but there was nothing really special about it. My friend had the Straccetti di Vitello Dalla Griglia – one very large skewer loaded with veal, sweet potato and mushrooms served over nicely browned potatoes and grilled courgettes – at £17 it’s definitely worth its weight and was very good though the veal could’ve been cooked a bit more. My friend did not finish it which I took as a bad sign. Pasta choices on the menu include lots (perhaps too much) creamy and cheesy dishes, but I hear the Crab me by the Paccheri is the best one (Thick-cut home-made paccheri pasta with crab, red gurnard, mussels and tarragon – £20).

For dessert almost everyone seemed to be having the Circolo Sundae – a huge sundae with XXL gelato, cookie chunks, churros, brownies and home-made whipped cream – and it is large and comes adorned with a sparkler on top – it better with a £16 price tag!

I opted for something a bit more simple – the You Make Me Crumble – basically apple crumble – but it was served cold which I wasn’t expecting. Was is pre-made and had been scooped right out of the refrigerator? It was not worth £7. My friend had the Banoffee Pie which was a much better choice. The mascarpone whipped cream on top was luscious – a divine dessert at £8.

The dishes are served in beautifully coloured plates full of different patterns, while the staff are as nice as they can be, managing the crowds who are constant on the weekends, and some people come in just specifically to take pictures – though not many are able to sneak past the two (!!) check-in counters.

The menu is quite colourful as well, and special attention must be paid to the Big Boy French Toast on the breakfast menu. It sounds absolutely wonderful (fluffy brioche, raspberries and raspberry coulis with mascarpone whipped cream) and a steal at £9 – which I am very much looking forward to eating later in the year. The French Toast is also served on their brunch menu, along with their other breakfast items Eggs Alla Fiorentina and Ricotta Pancakes.

Circolo Popolare, which can be rightly described as a sunny Sicilian trattoria, is a lovely place to while away the time pretending you’re in sunny climes (not many windows in the restaurant help with this fantasy), but main dishes could be a bit more tasty and fulfilling.

Circolo is open 7 days a week for breakfast, lunch with friends, and dinners under the starry ceiling.

https://www.bigmammagroup.com/en/trattorias/circolo-popolare

24th November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | La Clique, London

★★★★ | La Clique, Leicester Square Spiegeltent, London

It’s getting cold outside but La Clique is back in town to steam things up!

Back in London after a ten-year absence and now performing in the Christmassy Leicester Square Spiegeltent – La Clique brings with it a potpourri of sexy performances compered by naughty woman Bernie Dieter (Little Death Club). In cosy environs we are treated to performances that are both fun and hot! The sexy Steven Williams shows us what he can do in a bathtub, while not so innocent David Pereira shaves his body on stage – au natural. Charlie Wheeler then twirls his sexy body on a large hoola hoop.

Then there’s Ursula Martinez who seems to find a red handkerchief in almost every part of her body. Plus we’re treated to the gorgeous singing of Kelly Wolfgramm who, along with the La Clique Palace Orchestra, bring the house down with her beautiful voice and their smashing music.

Don’t go once or twice, go to La Clique a few times as the performers are not the same at every performance. We missed the fire breathing Heather Holliday but we’ll definitely catch her at another performance.

La Clique is a must must must for you and your friends. It’s on until January 4th, 2020.

http://www.christmasinleicestersquare.com/whats-on/la-clique

21st November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Red Palace, London

★★★★ | Red Palace, The Vaults, London

The Vaults underneath Waterloo train station have been turned into a palace – Red Palace.

And it’s the Prince who reigns over this kingdom. Follow him and his court as they help guide you through various rooms and alleys that will surprise and hypnotize you – they are scenes right out of Alice in Wonderland.

The Vaults have been turned into a labyrinth where you get snippets of his story and are guests at his masquerade party. Enjoy the show in the redecorated Vaults where you are led to various rooms including a room where a Mermaid will tell you her deepest darkest secrets – and she’ll ask for yours! Baba Yaga predicts the future and tells fortunes in her harem, while in the swamp you will more than likely get lost!

The whole adventure is eerie and scary but really cool! Be really immersive and go for the dinner before the show, while a bit rushed, immerses you immediately in the evening where you get to meet the Prince and his guests to the party.

I highly recommend the dinner as you get to meet, over a meal of three courses, your fellow attendees. The delicious meal consists of homemade soda bread with dips, delicious lentil and roasted beetrood salad and baked camembert, wth the main course being a delicious slow cooked lamb, with squash, potatoes, cabbage – and to top it off you are treated to a candy apple for dessert. It throws you immediately into the show! Or if you prefer to arrive a bit later for the ball- it’s a masquerade ball so masks and elaborate costumes, while not mandatory, are recommended – it’s ok!

There is also a bar open all night during the show to get you lubricated with drinks that are unlike any you’d ever had before.

The evening as a whole is a bit complicated as there are no clear cut instructions. My friend and I must’ve missed a couple of the interactive rooms because we just didn’t know who to follow or where to go. And going into the evening not knowing what it was all about left us more confused as the characters finished off the evening in a joust/fight and the main room opened up and became a dance floor.

I’m thinking I might have to go back just to re-live, and to understand, what I was supposed to be a part of, and what this show was all about.

https://www.thevaults.london/red-palace

20th November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Desiree’s Coming Early, London

★★★★ | Desiree’s Coming Early, Soho Theatre, London

90 minutes of non-stop comedy is what you’ll get when you see Desiree Burch.

American comedian Burch, now at the Soho Theatre until Saturday November 23rd in a show called Desiree’s Coming Early – rapid fires her tale of her experience at the Burning Man Festival – a festival held every year in the Nevada desert where people are free to be naked – she was! The show is also about her quest for dick there (and not a man named Dick) after the breakup of a long relationship.

Desiree recounts the moment of her being the only woman of colour in a sauna in the desert there, where it’s mostly white people. She also doesn’t hold back on jokes about Bill Crosby, Harvey Weinstein, and more specifically Michael Jackson.

Burch is rude, crude and honest! And her American-style comedy will leave you gasping for air, because she doesn’t! But she’s forthright and honest about a law in California where it was illegal to administer IQ tests to black students. Discrimination?

You decide. It’s the background theme of the show, and a clever one at that.

Desiree Burch, who is about to take this show to New York – is fast, funny, and brutally honest.

https://sohotheatre.com/whats-on/#this-week

19th November 2019
BAR REVIEW | The Lost Alhambra, London

★★★★ | The Lost Alhambra, London

Step into place – a place worlds away but right in the heart of very very busy Leicester Square. Step right into The Lost Alhambra.

The Lost Alhambra is a basement cocktail bar right between a pub (The Moon Under Water) and TGIFridays. Once you go downstairs it’s like another world – a space very unique, dark, and a but forbidden. Beautiful yet futuristic interior, succulent lighting to set the mood, and a cocktail menu that will knock your socks off.

Open for only one month, The Lost Alhambra is setting new heights in the cocktail world. Part of the Adventure Group (which also owns themed bars The Escapologist and Blame Gloria, among others), this venue was literally lost, when known as The Alhambra Theatre, and 100 years since it closed its doors, the space has been revived into one of the most progressive bars in London. And the cocktails – all very different and unique on their own merit.

A multi-page cocktail menu will make it very hard to make a decision. But try the Razzle Dazzle. It’s literally sparkling (thanks to the glitter) and is very sweet thanks to the ingredients of passion fruit liqueur, peach schnapps, triple sec, and also includes lemon juice, vodka, and fresh egg white. And it’s a beautiful looking drink. Another sweet one is the Pisco Inferno. Made with pisco, passion fruit, peach liqueur, vanilla, ginger ale, the catch here is that it’s served in a disco ball – Disco Inferno time! The blend is delicious (though I wish the disco ball would’ve been bigger!).

If you want something fiery – go for the Flaming Zombie – because it literally arrives to your table on fire! With two types of Bacardi Rum, with triple sec, mango, fresh lemon juice, and pineapple juice, it’s got quite a kick to it – and while it’s a strong drink, the pineapple soothes the flavour.

How can you miss with the Porn Star Martini? It’s everything you always wanted in a drink – and The Lost Alhambra knows how to make it! The apple juice and passion fruit blended with the vodka makes it a passionate and tasty drink – and there’s the requisite shot of Prosecco to go with it – your choice to mix it in or drink separate – my companion preferred it separate – but it’s up to you!

Also up to you is whether to have a non-alcoholic choice – and The Lost Alhambra has many choices. The aforementioned The Matinee Porn Star has all the same flavours as the one above but without the Prosecco and vodka; while the Matinee Espresso Martini also has no vodka (it’s got a nice foam top to make it go down easy), while the Matinee Bellini strawberry and rhubarb with non-alcoholic Prosecco was yummy!

When you go to The Lost Alhambra (and trust me you’ll definitely want to go) – seek out Zsofia the Assistant Manager. She knows all the drinks very very well and if you can’t make a decision she’ll guide you! Or if not her than any other member of the international staff.

I definitely can see this place become the new go-to cocktail bar in the west end. And while the drinks are at West End prices (£10 to £11.50 for the alcohol drinks while £6 each for the non-alcoholic drinks and beer and cider), the venue is great (there’s even a lighted ceiling), and more importantly the drinks are superb. Go on….get lost in The Lost Alhambra.

http://www.thelostalhambra.co.uk

18th November 2019
RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Hunters Moon, London

★★★★ | The Hunters Moon, London

A restaurant and pub that immediately makes you feel at home is The Hunter’s Moon in Fulham.

With its rustic and inviting front pub and the warm and cozy restaurant in the back, The Hunters Moon has comforting food and good drinks to match its vibe. Founded by Oliver ‘Ollie’ Marlowe and Hubert Beatson-Hird, and only open for over a month, the word is out and The Hunters Moon is filling up on sundays because of its very delicious and very affordable Sunday roast. It’s excellent value for the money because the roasts (Butter Roast Cornfed Chicken, Stuffed Gloucester Old Spot Pork Belly, and the Treacle Cured Sirloin of Beef) come with a sizeable helping of roast potatoes, a massive Yorkshire pudding, green beans and gravy. The Pork Belly was plentiful, nesting and curled up on the plate waiting to be eaten. The Beef was cooked to perfection and was very good – with a dollop of carrot purée and horseradish, with cabbage – and at £18.50 and £21.00 respectively great value for the money. Visually and tastefully impressive.

We tried a couple of the starters because they sounded very unique – and they were! The scallops were simple divine. Sitting on ponzu dressing (very citrusy), with radish and ginger and whipped avocado, it was the dish of the evening – a beautiful lush color and a perfect blend of ingredients – served cold – and unique and absolutely delicious! And at £10.50 worth every penny. Also treat yourself to the oysters (6 for £16.00). Mouth watering, taste of the sea, and very good. Both starters were very light and were perfect for the big meal ahead.

There are four sides you can order if you’re really hungry, I would recommend the stuffing – sage, onion and chicken liver – was just divine – and complemented the roast (£7.00). Also good was the smoked bacon and cabbage – a great combination and not too heavy (£7.50). The carrots were wonderful as well, nice and soft and the sprinkled with thyme on top to make them extra special.

And for dessert, if you have any wits about you you’d order the Lemon Tart. It’s wonderfully tasty and thankfully not big in size – but every bite of it is ecstasy. Highly highly recommended.

We decided to try something different to drink with our meal. We had the Digby brand of their lavender pink Brut. I have never seen this on any menu before and it was sweet and not too bubbly – excellent quality – all for £11.50 a glass.

People are raving about The Hunters Moons Roasts – but there are other items on their other menus, where they geniusly keep it simple, with Cod, Grilled Plaice, and Beef Wellington and Veal Chop (to share), and of course burgees at lunchtime. The meat here is of the finest quality and comes from the local source of Macken Brothers Butchers of Chiswick. But must importantly, and besides the food, you feel like you’re at a home when at The Hunters Moon – it’s just so cozy and warm, and the food so delicious, and the staff very very friendly, and if you meet Ollie you’ll instantly like his boyish charm and personality.

Whether you’re brunching, lunching, dining a deux or hanging out with friends over after-work drinks, The Hunter’s Moon is the place to be and to be seen this autumn.

86 Fulham Rd
South Kensington, London
SW3 6HR

02039042270
info@huntersmoonlondon.co.uk

14th November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Death of a Salesman, London

★★★★ | Death of a Salesman, Piccadilly Theatre, London

Wendell Pierce and Sharon D. Clarke are amazing in the new production of Death of a Salesman.

Though it’s Pierce who shines a bit more. The show belongs to him in which he plays the character made famous by playwright Arthur Miller – Willie Loman. Transferring from the Young Vic where it played to packed houses, the show has not lost its impact, and in its new home – the Piccadilly Theatre – more people will now be able to see these actors at the top of their game.

Olivier-nominated Pierce is so so so good – it’s an amazing performance where he plays a man who is unravelling – he’s no longer relevant at work, he has a bad relationship with his two sons (Sope Dirisu and Natey Jones – both very good), and to top it off he has suicidal tendencies. About the only thing that keeps him grounded is the love he has for his wife (Clarke), and the love she has for him. But with two jobless adult sons who have not amounted to much, and a job where his young boss (who is the son of the boss that originally hired him), who doesn’t recognise the years and years Willie has dedicated to the job, and practically shuns and doesn’t honour his request to work closer to home (don’t pick up a dropped pencil is the message here), Loman is close to his wits end.

Death of a Salesman is a long show (3 hours and 10 minutes including interval). But it’s riveting. As we watch scenes with Pierce and his sons, and the disappointment he sorely does not want to admit to – Pierce just owns it. And his scenes with Clarke are so tender and vivid it almost feels very realistic. Directors Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell, along with set designer Anna Fleischle, have very successfully re-jigged this show with a black cast to make it seem relevant and real more than 70 years after it was originally written.

A must see.

Death Of A Salesman plays at Piccadilly Theatre until 4th January 2020, book tickets here

12th November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Jerker, London

★★★★ | Jerker, Kings Head Theatre, London

(C) Nick Rutter

It is the mid-1980s in San Francisco and two men enjoy a sexual relationship on phone sex lines in Jerker at The Kings Head Theatre.

Originally shown in 1986 in Los Angeles, the show involves JR (Tom Joyner) and Bert (Tibu Fortes), chatting on a phone sex line, both lying on separate beds across the stage from each other, scantily dressed as if they were in their own bedrooms. And throughout this 100-minute production they talk dirty talk and bring each other to climax.

But it’s not just a one-off – they both are enjoying their conversations and soon it becomes more than just sexual – they’re developing feelings for each other, and they also reveal their deepest darkest secrets, as well as recent sexual encounters (Bert tells one so vividly it’s exciting not only for him and JR but also for the audience). But it’s at the height of the AIDS scare and both men are living in the city that was considered ‘ground zero.’

Their relationship, however, becomes intense, intimate and personal. However, it’s only a matter of time when AIDS strikes too close to home.

And it did strike too close to home as the the playwright – Robert Chesley – died in 1990 of complications from AIDS.

Jerker is a relic, a warning sign of that time – of things that were to come. It’s also a memento, and a very sad one at that.

The original title of this play was:
Jerker or the Helping Hand, A pornographic Elegy with Redeeming Social Value and a Hymn to the Queer Men of San Francisco in 20 Telephone Calls, Many of them Dirty

Jerker plays at The Kings Head Theatre until 23rd November Book here

6th November 2019
THEATRE REVIEW | Ghost Quartet, London

★★★★★ | Ghost Quartet, Boulevard Theatre, London

It’s not what I was expecting, but Ghost Quarter is simply superb.

The first show in the brand new Boulevard Theatre in the area of Soho that used to house porn shops, a gay cinema, and all things seedy (it’s Walkers Court), Ghost Quartet is a great and auspicious debut for the theatre. While I was expecting something a bit more risqué in keeping with the theme of the neighbourhood, Ghost Quartet is a musical experience I recommend you don’t miss!

The Boulevards circular two-level theatre is perfect for this, or any other kind of show. The musical quartet (Carly Bawden, Niccolo Curradi, Maimuna Memon, and Zubin Varla) all sing and perform many musical instruments in 23 songs in a 90-minute show. The thread of these songs relate to the telling stories of life, loss, ghosts and death. The shows interwoven songs are performed by the four musicians who each play four different characters, all reminiscing about a deceased woman named Rose. Memon has a blissful yet haunting voice while Bawden has the most poignant song to sing – ‘Midnight’ – with the final words ‘let the dead stay dead’ in the shows second to last song.

Varla is very good on the piano while Curradi excels on other instruments. But it’s the women’s vocal that stay with you – especially Memon’s.

Ghost Quartet has to be seen. It’s an excellent show in a fantastic new theatre that’s an amazing and radical addition to this neighbourhood.

Ghost Quartet plays at the Boulevard Theatre until the 4th January. Book Here

5th November 2019