Chris Abbott
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chrisabbott.bsky.social
Chris Abbott
@chrisabbott.bsky.social
260 followers 270 following 52 posts
Theatre writer, reviewer for West End Best Friend. Pantomime enthusiast. Emeritus Reader, King's College London
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chrisabbott.bsky.social
Joyful and beautifully designed

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Review: WENDY AND PETER PAN, RSC Barbican | West End Best Friend
The Royal Shakespeare Company have presented Peter Pan before, but in a production which followed closely J. M. Barrie’s original play but added a Storyteller. This revival of Ella Hickson’s 2013 ad...
www.westendbestfriend.co.uk
October 29, 2025 at 1:14 PM
Reposted by Chris Abbott
adamharrison1956.bsky.social
European Theatre Day was celebrated at Victoria & Albert Museum London UK by Mark Fox for the Frank Matcham Society.
October 26, 2025 at 8:12 AM
Reposted by Chris Abbott
adamharrison1956.bsky.social
Wonderful exhibits at House of Houdini Budapest. Anniversary of his death soon on Halloween.
October 26, 2025 at 10:00 AM
Reposted by Chris Abbott
adamharrison1956.bsky.social
As anniversary of Houdini’s death approaches on Halloween ~ here are props on a great display at House of Houdini Budapest.
October 26, 2025 at 9:58 AM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Fascinating account of a staggering life event

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Review: AN ACCIDENT / A LIFE, Marc Brew/Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui - Sadler’s Wells East | West End Best Friend
Marc Brew and world renowned choreographer Sidi Larbi Cherkaoui bring their stunning collaboration to London for the first time.
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September 26, 2025 at 10:18 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Thoughtful approach and some great acting

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Review: ENTERTAINING MR SLOANE, Young Vic | West End Best Friend
Nadia Fall launches her first season as Young Vic Artistic Director with Entertaining Mr Sloane, Joe Orton’s 1964 cult classic brimming with manipulation, seduction, and a devilish wit.
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September 25, 2025 at 10:29 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Fun update of Austen’s Emma - we enjoyed it as did the youngish packed house

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Review: EMMA, Rose Theatre Kingston | West End Best Friend
Jane Austen’s classic romantic comedy, Emma, is joyously reimagined for the 21st century at Rose Theatre Kingston.
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September 23, 2025 at 2:09 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Another fascinating discovery from @finboroughtheatre.bsky.social

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Review: THE TRUTH ABOUT BLAYDS, Finborough Theatre | West End Best Friend
Currently playing at London's Finborough Theatre is the 1921 rediscovered modern classic, The Truth About Blayds.
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September 14, 2025 at 7:38 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Amazing precision movement and a surprising- and very enjoyable - encore. Not to be missed!

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Review: MURMURATION LEVEL 2, Sadeck Berrabah - Peacock Theatre | West End Best Friend
After a sold-out tour of France’s biggest venues, attracting over 300,000 spectators since its premiere, Sadeck Berrabah presents Murmuration Level 2 at London's Peacock Theatre.
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September 11, 2025 at 7:01 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Always a joy to see the quality of work produced by BYMT, and Eden Tredwell’s musical is impressively suited to its young cast

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Review: THE GLAMIFICATION OF LOKI, Southwark Playhouse | West End Best Friend
Presented by BYMT, The Glamification of Loki is a wildly entertaining new musical that combines Norse mythology with the dazzling world of beauty, glamour, and cosmic chaos.
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September 1, 2025 at 1:32 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Excellent physical theatre piece from Akimbo at Southwark Playhouse

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Review: THE ANIMATOR, Southwark Playhouse | West End Best Friend
Akimbo Theatre presents high energy physical theatre biopic, The Animator, at Southwark Playhouse Borough this month.
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August 24, 2025 at 11:40 AM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Excellent, pacey adaptation for this youth company with some surprisingly good verse speaking and superb fight scenes

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Review: ROMEO AND JULIET, Theatre Royal Stratford East | West End Best Friend
Weaving together Shakespeare's timeless words with music and dance, set against the east London skyline, Romeo and Juliet is currently playing at Theatre Royal Stratford East.
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August 9, 2025 at 5:39 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
And some fascinating playbills…
eilidhdaisy.bsky.social Dr Eilidh Innes @eilidhdaisy.bsky.social · Aug 7
Great event at the Lambeth Archives with the British Music Hall Society. Always excited to see anything on The Grecian Saloon in Shoreditch. #BritishMusicHallSociety #LambethArchives
August 7, 2025 at 9:35 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Phenomenal leading performance and a new playwright is discovered

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Review: THE ESTATE, National Theatre | West End Best Friend
BAFTA winner Adeel Akhtar stars in The Estate at the National Theatre, a razor-sharp exploration of family, power and the lies we tell about ourselves.
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July 19, 2025 at 12:11 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
A good choice for a summer evening…

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Review: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR, Shakespeare's Globe | West End Best Friend
Discover what lies beneath the Elizabethan social order as Shakespeare’s raucous comedy The Merry Wives of Windsor reveals its wild, mythic and daring underbelly in the Globe Theatre this summer.
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July 10, 2025 at 9:59 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Ballet purists might have reservations but I found Gala de Danza to be diverse, engaging and accessible

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Review: GALA DE DANZA, Central Hall Westminster | West End Best Friend
Gala de Danza continues to create beautiful artistry in extraordinary places, going global with this year's production being held at Central Hall Westminster.
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June 27, 2025 at 9:00 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Yes, a fascinating talk bringing back memories of Billy Cotton and Sunday lunches past…
musichallsociety.bsky.social British Music Hall Society @musichallsociety.bsky.social · Jun 18
A fantastic talk by @ctackley.bsky.social last night at the Water Rats, Kings Cross. The history of dance bands beyond the hotel & ballroom. Catherine was a great speaker with incredible knowledge & the audience lapped it up. We look forward to publication of her book on the subject
June 18, 2025 at 9:28 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
I’ll be there (or online anyway)
seasidenetwork.bsky.social Seaside Heritage Network @seasidenetwork.bsky.social · Jun 13
If you like a #vintage #railway #poster - and frankly, who doesn't? - join us on 9 July for our seminar celebrating #railway200 when we'll be joined by poster expert Richard Furness. Tickets are £5 and come with the rosy glow of knowing that you are helping to keep the network going
June 14, 2025 at 10:29 PM
Reposted by Chris Abbott
musichallsociety.bsky.social
We're off to Eastbourne today for our Day by the Sea. Fancy a last-minute day out? Some tickets available at the Box Office.To get us in the mood for a seaside singalong, here's a tongue twister for #SongSheetSaturday - Wilkie Bard's 1908 hit 'She Sells Sea-shells'.Are you sure ? Oh yes we're sure.
June 14, 2025 at 6:45 AM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Great circus skills and a fun adult show

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Review: GODZ, Peacock Theatre | West End Best Friend
Head First Acrobats bring their unique mix of storytelling, circus and physical prowess to GODZ, currently playing at London's Peacock Theatre.
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June 12, 2025 at 1:07 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Looking forward to getting my copy
historymalc.bsky.social Malcolm Sinclair 💀✍️ @historymalc.bsky.social · Jun 10
Out in Marlborough for birthday lunch. Now back home with one eye on football and other on presentation for Salisbury & District Churches book launch on Thursday - how can I discuss 65 churches in just over 10 minutes? 😳
June 10, 2025 at 8:55 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Sondheim fans came out in force to see the sublime Georgia Blissett win this year’s award

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Review: STEPHEN SONDHEIM SOCIETY STUDENT PERFORMER OF THE YEAR 2025, Sondheim Theatre | West End Best Friend
The 17th annual Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year final was held appropriately at the Sondheim Theatre in London's West End yesterday.
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June 9, 2025 at 11:28 AM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Don’t miss this one - head for the Bush

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Review: MISS MYRTLE’S GARDEN, Bush Theatre | West End Best Friend
A world premiere production by Danny James King, Miss Myrtle’s Garden is now playing at London’s Bush Theatre.
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June 7, 2025 at 8:47 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Always good to see a Coward play and it’s an interesting idea to pair Red Peppers with a new piece set in the same dressing room

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Review: RED PEPPERS / AGED IN WOOD, Theatre at the Tabard | West End Best Friend
Noël Coward’s Red Peppers is paired at the Tabard with a new one-act play, Aged in Wood, set in the same dressing room ninety years later.
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June 5, 2025 at 3:25 PM
chrisabbott.bsky.social
Not perhaps the best of Rattigan but still worth seeing

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Review: IN PRAISE OF LOVE, Orange Tree Theatre | West End Best Friend
Rattigan’s penultimate play, In Praise of Love, loosely based on the relationship between actor Rex Harrison and his wife Kay Kendall, is currently playing at London's Orange Tree Theatre.
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June 4, 2025 at 12:06 PM