Once On This Island (Regent's Park Open Air Theatre) London Reviews and Tickets
Member Reviews (36)
See it if You want to see a musical with great songs and book
Don't see it if You want a novel interpretation of the source material, there’s no reason for any of this staging
See it if you want to see exquisitely sung musical, I was consistently in awe of the vocals from the whole cast, if only this were a concert.
Don't see it if you have an eye or ear for detail. The staging was lacklustre to say the least and the story is confusing and drowned out due to poor sound. Read more
See it if The singing was incredible and the staging was good, the style of music is very different to other shows on the stage at the moment.
Don't see it if The story was a little bit confusing and as with all productions at this theatre the sound quality isn’t the best.
See it if You like myths, fairytales or folklore and are interested in stories and music from the Caribbean.
Don't see it if You prefer a more typical 2 act shows and/ or a more developed storyline and characters.
See it if you want a night out in a lovely venue with some great singing and gorgeous costumes, and to support and incredible, diverse cast.
Don't see it if you want a coherent story or particularly interesting staging. Read more
See it if You enjoy great singing performances and mythology and folklore
Don't see it if You want a happy ending or clear easy to follow story
See it if You are a big fan of the score. It's gorgeous.
Don't see it if You want a story that resonates more in 2023. The virtuous values of the protagonist just don't land like the maybe used to.
See it if The story telling through the music was amazing. It was colourful and engaging to watch. It was done very well. A great cast great show.
Don't see it if You don't like musicals
Critic Reviews (12)
"This production is full to the brim with splendid touches...A live band at the back led by musical director Chris Poon on keys gives the ever-vivacious singing a fine platform to reach the sky."
Read more
" 'Once On This Island' is a brisk, energising piece of theatre. It’ll be even better on a hot night."
Read more
"For all its charms, ‘Once on This Island’ feels caught between a Disney-ish over-simplicity and a desire to say something a bit more profound about class and race...But the score is glorious, and the talent on display here is undeniable."
Read more
"If this brisk, 90-minute show has a flaw it’s that much of the simple tale is told through the lyrics. Given the outdoor acoustics it’s possible to miss details."
Read more
"The band give us a vibrant rendering of the calypso, soca and reggae-packed score...So, a slightly uneven opening to the Park’s 2023 summer season, moodier in both tone and weather than might be expected, but it’s still well worth a trip to this thought-provoking island."
Read more
"The entire ensemble is exemplary, generating enough heat and energy to keep proceedings afloat. But everything, from the characters to the plotting, feels surface-skimming; it leaves you intermittently beguiled, but longing for more depth."
Read more
"It’s not a massive musical in terms of scale and ambition, and this may not be the staging that admirers of the work thought they were getting, but it still packs a shattering double-punch of joy and raw emotion. Definitely one to see."
Read more
"With stunning songs and a remarkable cast, wonderfully led by Gabrielle Brooks, this is a great start for this years season at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre and has me excited for what the rest has in store."
Read more