2024 was a year I wanted to push myself to see more shows that were new to me, or things I may not have chosen to see at first glance. I’ll always have my comfort shows – ones I go back to regularly, but it’s been really enriching to push my theatrical boundaries and open my world up; it’s given me some incredible experiences, memories and new performers to admire and follow beyond the show that first introduced them to me.

This won’t be as comprehensive a list as some of my peers will write (logistical, financial and seat availability gremlins rear their ugly heads as ever), so I thought I’d add “biggest surprises” to my selections alongside my favourites. It’s also not in any particular order either – I loved all of these shows so much in such distinct ways that it was impossible to rank them.

My favourites

Hadestown 

Anaïs Mitchell’s Hadestown weaves together my love of mythology and passion for stories with one of the things I love most in the world: musical theatre by fusing the myths of Orpheus and Eurydice and Hades and Persephone. I hadn’t been able to see it in the original London run at the National, so the buzz from friends and my commitment to see more shows that were new to me gave me the nudge to take a punt. 

I’m so glad – though it has been a part of my theatregoing life for only a short time in comparison to other shows that mean a lot to me, I feel so fortunate to have it in those ranks. I love that it makes me think about what’s important to me and the connections I have, as many of the shows I love do, it just so happens to use mythology to do that.

Musically, it’s really stayed with me and gotten under my skin too, and I swear it’s been the gift that keeps on giving: just in my four trips alone this year, I have a trio of amazing Orpheus (our original West End Dónal Finn, current West End Dylan Wood and 1st Cover Simon Oskarsson), a dreamy duo of Eurydice – Madeline Charlemagne and Bella Brown, given me the chance to see my “Cover King” Waylon Jacobs start and end my journey with Hadestown this year as Hermes, see Rachel Tucker work in the flesh for the first time, and see a favourite of mine Trevor Dion Nicholas take such care of the character I adore. It’s also given my life Melanie La Barrie and Zachary James, and there aren’t enough words to describe how grateful I am for that!

Production Photography: Marc Brenner

Fiddler on The Roof (Regent’s Park Open Air)

I don’t think I’ve ever talked about this here or on the podcast, so here’s an exclusive for you: Fiddler on the Roof is at the centre of one of my biggest theatrical regrets. As a disabled theatregoer, I often have a level of anxiety when it comes to visiting venues that are new to me, so I prefer to have a friend there, not only in terms of the fun of sharing a show with but also as an extra pair of eyes and hands to help – whether that be in and out of the lift, helping me with my coat, opening doors, all those things that can make navigating the theatre as a wheelchair user a bit tricky. When the Menier’s production of the show transferred to the Playhouse, try as I may, I just couldn’t make my diary align with when my friends were free, and eventually, those anxieties got the best of me, and I talked myself out of going; a decision I thought I had made peace with… until I stumbled across the production shots. I was absolutely devastated and as an Andy Nyman fan, have been kicking myself ever since!

Enter Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre – when they announced the show as their summer musical I snapped a ticket up as soon as I was able. I’ve said before how musically for me, West Side Story is about as close to perfection as I think you can get, but I’d also put  Fiddler on the Roof up there too, and I took such pleasure in hearing the songs in context with the arrangements they were given here. (It took a mere three lines into “Tradition” and I just had the biggest smile on my face).

The music may have been the main draw, but I loved everything about this production: the choreography and staging for Tevye’s Dream and the wedding ( a homage to the original) will stay with me always, the set was striking, and it boasted some incredible performances including Liv Andrusier as Tzietel, Hannah Bristow as Chava and Lara Pulver as Golde. 

My inner Broadway Baby was delighted as our Tevye was Adam Dannheiser, who I knew as Lazar Wolf from the 2016 Broadway Cast Recording with Danny Burstein! A New York friend told me later that Adam was also Danny’s understudy in that production, and I’m thrilled to call him my original Tevye: he brought such warmth, humour and humility to the role that he broke my heart and made it full to bursting in equal measure!

Production Photography: Marc Brenner

Giant (Royal Court Theatre)

The first of the plays that made my favourites this year: Mark Rosenblatt’s debut explores Roald Dahl’s antisemitism amidst the publication of The Witches in 1983. Blending fact and fiction, the piece is a provocative and powerful look at questions around whether we can or indeed should separate art from artists and the pedestals we put people on.

I grew up around Dahl’s books (Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Danny, Champion of The World are my favourites). I wasn’t aware of the comments he made initially, so to come to this play with the knowledge I had, as well as in the current climate made it incredibly challenging and uncomfortable to at times, but by contrast, Dahl as Rosenblatt writes him was also very sharp and witty. I thoroughly enjoyed being kept on my toes and challenged like that as an audience member. John Lithgow as Roald Dahl was astonishing, embodying all those facets with gusto, and the speed and ease with which he could totally change the tone of a scene just with the subtlest change in body language or inflection was so brilliant to watch, as were the rest of the cast, including another favourite of mine: Elliot Levey.

Production Photography: Manuel Harlan

My first attempt to see the play didn’t go to plan with the news that the lift wasn’t working, so imagine my relief that I had a second outing already set; it was so worth the angst and wait and I cannot wait for the West End transfer next year. 

Nye (National Theatre)

I could have put this production down purely for what a massive bucket tick off my theatrical bucket list it gave me for watching Michael Sheen work in person, but I was delighted to have taken so much more from Tim Price’s play. An incredibly moving look at the founding of the NHS, this play boasted some of the most striking and characterful design choices I remember seeing, as well as warmth and wit I hadn’t been expecting!

Production Photography: Johan Persson

Biggest Surprises

Now we’ve had my outright favourites of the year, I thought I’d add to the mix my honourable mentions – those productions that surprised me!

A Child of Science (Bristol Old Vic)

I couldn’t let a year round-up like this go by without a mention for my beloved home theatre, the Bristol Old Vic! Nye wasn’t the only play I saw this year with a moment of medical history as its basis—there was also Gareth Farr’s A Child of Science, chronicling the story behind the groundbreaking breakthrough of Patrick Steptoe, Robert Edwards, and Jean Purdy: IVF.

Though it is very much a play about this pivotal scientific discovery, what struck me most was how Farr’s writing tempers the science with the human story: the hope, the disappointment, the frustration. That narrative grounding in the play being about the people and their experience is never lost, and it is all the richer for it. It’s quietly compelling, shot through with warmth and wit, with strong central turns from Jamie Glover, Tom Felton & Meg Bellamy.

I was humbled (as I ever am) to have be invited to Press Night for this one, and to my great amusement found myself sitting behind Jamie’s parents – I have also seen his father in Shakespeare at this theatre, and it took all my resolve to not get his attention and be all: “excuse me, Mr Glover? I think your son is a marvel – I’m a big fan, but of course it runs in his family!”

Production Photography: Helen Murray

Opening Night

When I was putting this together, this is one production that I kept coming back to, so it felt right to include it here. I was advised a ways back when casting was announced for this show to watch the film first. A wise decision to know what I’d be getting into…

A 1977 film by John Cassavetes, Opening Night follows an actress, Myrtle Gordon, who, after witnessing a harrowing event following a performance of the play she’s starring in starts to feel insecure about her age. As her mental state continues to deteriorate through excessive drinking, Myrtle’s behaviour threatens the opening of the play on Broadway and the relationships with the cast and creative team. Though I can’t say hand on heart with any certainty that I “liked” the film, there was something I found really compelling and engaging about it, in a somewhat strange sense. 

I had a very similar reaction to Rufus Wainwright’s musical: I don’t think it worked as a cohesive whole in terms of some of the direction and design choices, and I enjoyed it miles more musically than lyrically. Yet there was something I enjoyed more in the change of medium, and I thought the cast had some standout performances, especially Nicola Hughes, Shira Hass, and Hadley Fraser.

The show, for me was a reminder of the value of making your own mind up, and not taking critical reception to heart if something draws you to want to see it.

Production Photography: Jan Versweyveld

Power of Sail (Menier Chocolate Factory)

My long-awaited return to the Menier after my love affair with The Bridges of Madison County in 2019, Power of Sail set the trend that Giant would pick up: uncomfortable given the climate and themes it’s exploring, but still a really compelling ride. Paul Grellong’s play is subtitled “A Moral Thriller”, following Charles Nichols, an esteemed Harvard Professor who finds himself disconcerted by the intensity of the reaction to his decision to invite a white supremacist to speak at his annual symposium. 

Playing with the nonlinear narrative, it’s full of twists and turns. I was never quite sure who I could trust, and I adore trying to put the pieces together in that way. As a wheelchair user, the Menier is one of my favourite venues (although it is stressful as hell trying to book tickets as they only have a single space) because you get to sit right up front: it just heightens everything about the experience!

Production Photography: Manuel Harlan

There we have it, my Theatrical Favourites for 2024! Did you see any of these, or are there shows you’d add? Let me know! X/Instagram @wheeliestagey

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I’ll be back tomorrow with a few of the shows I’m looking forward to in 2025….