Neil Dowden
@nfd63.bsky.social
My review of Sheridan Smith in Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind at Duke of York's Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/woman-in-min...
Sheridan Smith in “Woman in Mind” at Duke of York’s Theatre
Neil Dowden in the West End ★★★☆☆ 9 January 2026 When Alan Ayckbourn’s dark comedy Woman in Mind was first staged in 1985 it
playsinternational.org.uk
January 9, 2026 at 4:38 PM
My review of Sheridan Smith in Alan Ayckbourn's Woman in Mind at Duke of York's Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/woman-in-min...
My review of J.B. Priestley's When We Are Married at Donmar Warehouse: playsinternational.org.uk/when-we-are-...
“When We Are Married” at Donmar Warehouse
Neil Dowden in the West End ★★★★☆ 21 December 2025 J.B. Priestley’s 1938 play When We Are Married is a
playsinternational.org.uk
December 22, 2025 at 12:01 AM
My review of J.B. Priestley's When We Are Married at Donmar Warehouse: playsinternational.org.uk/when-we-are-...
My review of Black Grape and Dodgy live at Electric Brixton: www.musicomh.com/reviews/live...
Black Grape @ Electric Brixton, London review - "entertaining and enjoyably shambolic" | Live Music + Gig Reviews | musicOMH
Live Music + Gig Reviews: Black Grape @ Electric Brixton, London review - "entertaining and enjoyably shambolic"
www.musicomh.com
December 18, 2025 at 2:22 PM
My review of Black Grape and Dodgy live at Electric Brixton: www.musicomh.com/reviews/live...
My review of J.M. Synge's The Playboy of the Western World at the National Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-playboy-...
“The Playboy of the Western World” National Theatre
Caitriona McLoughlin production of J.M. Synge's Playboy of the Western World starring Éanna Hardwicke known for The Sixth Commandment.
playsinternational.org.uk
December 15, 2025 at 3:07 PM
My review of J.M. Synge's The Playboy of the Western World at the National Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-playboy-...
My review of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse: playsinternational.org.uk/a-midsummer-...
“A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
Neil Dowden on the South Bank ★★★★☆ 1 December 2025 A co-production by Shakespeare’s Globe and Headlong (with Bristol Old
playsinternational.org.uk
December 1, 2025 at 8:17 PM
My review of A Midsummer Night's Dream at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse: playsinternational.org.uk/a-midsummer-...
My review of David Eldridge's End starring Clive Owen and Saskia Reeves at the National Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/end-dorfman-...
“End” at the Dorfman, National Theatre
David Eldridge’s End directed by Rachel O’Riordan is the last part of a trilogy examining the challenges of being in love for three couples.
playsinternational.org.uk
November 24, 2025 at 11:57 AM
My review of David Eldridge's End starring Clive Owen and Saskia Reeves at the National Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/end-dorfman-...
My review of Tanika Gupta's Hedda at the Orange Tree Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/hedda-orange...
“Hedda” at Orange Tree Theatre
Neil Dowden in South-West London ★★★★☆ 31 October 2025 As part of a growing trend of revitalizing/modernizing classics, this year
playsinternational.org.uk
October 31, 2025 at 3:44 PM
My review of Tanika Gupta's Hedda at the Orange Tree Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/hedda-orange...
My review of Nick Payne's new play The Unbelievers at the Royal Court, directed by Marianne Elliott and starring Nicola Walker: playsinternational.org.uk/the-unbeliev...
“The Unbelievers” at Royal Court Theatre Downstairs
Neil Dowden in West London ★★★★☆ 27 October 2025 Nick Payne – best-known for his award-winning, multiverse romantic drama Constellations
playsinternational.org.uk
October 27, 2025 at 10:09 AM
My review of Nick Payne's new play The Unbelievers at the Royal Court, directed by Marianne Elliott and starring Nicola Walker: playsinternational.org.uk/the-unbeliev...
My review of Katherine Moar's new play Ragdoll about Patty Hearst at Jermyn Street Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/ragdoll-jerm...
"Ragdoll" at Jermyn Street Theatre
Neil Dowden in the West End ★★★☆½ 20 October 2025 Jermyn Street Theatre deservedly had a big hit in 2023
playsinternational.org.uk
October 20, 2025 at 1:21 PM
My review of Katherine Moar's new play Ragdoll about Patty Hearst at Jermyn Street Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/ragdoll-jerm...
My review of The Harder They Come at Theatre Royal Stratford East: playsinternational.org.uk/the-harder-t...
“The Harder They Come” Jamaican reggae musical
Stage musical of The Harder They Come by Suzan-Lori Parks with direction by Matthew Xia at Theatre Royal Stratford East.
playsinternational.org.uk
September 28, 2025 at 8:19 PM
My review of The Harder They Come at Theatre Royal Stratford East: playsinternational.org.uk/the-harder-t...
My review of the RSC's Titus Andronicus at Hampstead Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/titus-andron...
“Titus Andronicus” at Hampstead Theatre
Modern dress RSC revival of Shakespeare history play in which John Hodgkinson replaces Simon Russell Beale. Direction is by Max Webster,
playsinternational.org.uk
September 26, 2025 at 9:51 AM
My review of the RSC's Titus Andronicus at Hampstead Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/titus-andron...
My review of Mark O'Rowe's Reunion at Kiln Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/reunion-kiln...
"Reunion" at Kiln Theatre
Neil Dowden in North London 22 September 2025 ★★★ The title of Irish theatre and film writer/director Mark O’Rowe’s play
playsinternational.org.uk
September 22, 2025 at 9:17 AM
My review of Mark O'Rowe's Reunion at Kiln Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/reunion-kiln...
My review of Liz Duffy Adams's Born with Teeth at Wyndham's Theatre starring Ncuti Gatwa as Marlowe and Edward Bluemel as Shakespeare: playsinternational.org.uk/born-with-te...
“Born with Teeth” at Wyndham’s Theatre
Neil Dowden in the West End 6 September 2025 **** Already staged several times in the States, it seems fitting
playsinternational.org.uk
September 6, 2025 at 9:15 AM
My review of Liz Duffy Adams's Born with Teeth at Wyndham's Theatre starring Ncuti Gatwa as Marlowe and Edward Bluemel as Shakespeare: playsinternational.org.uk/born-with-te...
My review of Mike Bartlett's new play Juniper Blood at Donmar Warehouse:
playsinternational.org.uk/juniper-bloo...
playsinternational.org.uk/juniper-bloo...
"Juniper Blood", Donmar Warehouse
Neil Dowden in Covent Garden 31 August 2025 * * * Juniper Blood at the Donmar Warehouse is Mike Bartlett’s
playsinternational.org.uk
August 31, 2025 at 9:45 AM
My review of Mike Bartlett's new play Juniper Blood at Donmar Warehouse:
playsinternational.org.uk/juniper-bloo...
playsinternational.org.uk/juniper-bloo...
My review of Twelfth Night at the Globe: playsinternational.org.uk/twelfth-nigh...
"Twelfth Night" at the Globe Theatre
Gender changed Shakespeare at Globe Theatre directed by Robin Belfield starring Ronkẹ Adékoluẹjo and Pearce Quigley.
playsinternational.org.uk
August 24, 2025 at 9:28 AM
My review of Twelfth Night at the Globe: playsinternational.org.uk/twelfth-nigh...
My review of Kaiser Chiefs live at Alexandra Palace Park: www.musicomh.com/reviews/live...
Kaiser Chiefs @ Alexandra Palace Park, London | Live Music + Gig Reviews | musicOMH
Live Music + Gig Reviews: Kaiser Chiefs @ Alexandra Palace Park, London
www.musicomh.com
July 21, 2025 at 12:58 PM
My review of Kaiser Chiefs live at Alexandra Palace Park: www.musicomh.com/reviews/live...
My review of The Estate at the Dorfman Theatre starring Adeel Akhtar: playsinternational.org.uk/the-estate-d...
“The Estate” at Dorfman, National Theatre
Neil Dowden on the South Bank 19 July 2025 Shaan Sahota’s impressive debut play The Estate is an intoxicating cocktail
playsinternational.org.uk
July 19, 2025 at 10:58 PM
My review of The Estate at the Dorfman Theatre starring Adeel Akhtar: playsinternational.org.uk/the-estate-d...
My review of The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Globe Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-merry-wi...
"The Merry Wives of Windsor" at the Globe Theatre
Sean Holmes directs Shakespeare comedy starring Emma Pallant, Katherine Pearce, Adam Wadsworth and George Fouracres.
playsinternational.org.uk
July 15, 2025 at 9:50 PM
My review of The Merry Wives of Windsor at the Globe Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-merry-wi...
My review of Dominic Cooke's adaptation of Malorie Blackman's Noughts & Crosses at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/noughts-and-...
“Noughts & Crosses” at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
Malorie Blackman’s speculative fiction novel about race and discrimination at outdoor London theatre directed by Tinuke Craig.
playsinternational.org.uk
July 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM
My review of Dominic Cooke's adaptation of Malorie Blackman's Noughts & Crosses at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/noughts-and-...
My review of Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel at Donmar Warehouse starring Samira Wiley: playsinternational.org.uk/intimate-app...
"Intimate Apparel" at Donmar Warehouse
Lynn Nottage at the Donmar Warehouse for third time following Sweat and Clyde’s with Lynette Linton directing.
playsinternational.org.uk
July 1, 2025 at 10:22 PM
My review of Lynn Nottage's Intimate Apparel at Donmar Warehouse starring Samira Wiley: playsinternational.org.uk/intimate-app...
My review of Stereophonic in West End: playsinternational.org.uk/stereophonic...
Stereophonic at Duke of York’s Theatre
Neil Dowden in the West End 18 June 2025 David Adjmi’s Stereophonic premiered Off-Broadway in 2023 then transferred to Broadway
playsinternational.org.uk
June 18, 2025 at 8:15 AM
My review of Stereophonic in West End: playsinternational.org.uk/stereophonic...
National Theatre welcome back Rufus Norris's superb production of the groundbreaking verbatim musical London Road by Adam Cork and Alecky Blythe.
June 12, 2025 at 9:43 PM
National Theatre welcome back Rufus Norris's superb production of the groundbreaking verbatim musical London Road by Adam Cork and Alecky Blythe.
My review of Terence Rattigan's In Praise of Love at Orange Tree Theatre
://playsinternational.org.uk/in-praise-of-love-orange-tree-theatre/
://playsinternational.org.uk/in-praise-of-love-orange-tree-theatre/
"In Praise of Love" at Orange Tree Theatre
Neil Dowden in south-west London 6 June 2025 Following shortly after Theatre Royal Bath’s poignant production of Terence Rattigan’s The
playsinternational.org.uk
June 7, 2025 at 8:23 AM
My review of Terence Rattigan's In Praise of Love at Orange Tree Theatre
://playsinternational.org.uk/in-praise-of-love-orange-tree-theatre/
://playsinternational.org.uk/in-praise-of-love-orange-tree-theatre/
My review of Marriage Material at Lyric Hammersmith: playsinternational.org.uk/marriage-mat...
“Marriage Material” at Lyric Hammersmith - Plays International & Europe
Neil Dowden in the West End 30 May 2025 Sathnam Sanghera’s 2016 debut novel Marriage Material has been adapted for
playsinternational.org.uk
May 30, 2025 at 10:29 PM
My review of Marriage Material at Lyric Hammersmith: playsinternational.org.uk/marriage-mat...
My review of Arthur Miller's The Crucible at the Globe Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-crucible...
"The Crucible" at the Globe Theatre
Neil Dowden on the South Bank 28 May 2025 Shakespeare’s Globe has successfully staged a couple of classic modern dramas
playsinternational.org.uk
May 28, 2025 at 10:30 PM
My review of Arthur Miller's The Crucible at the Globe Theatre: playsinternational.org.uk/the-crucible...