John Nathan

Latest from John Nathan

Film

Just an Illusion review: ‘Are we French, Jewish or African?’★★★★

This story about growing up in a Sephardi family in the suburbs of Paris during the 1980s will speak to Jews everywhere

2 min read

Family in Paris: Simon Boublil, Louis Garrel, Alexi Rosenstiehl and Camille Cottin as the Dayans in Just an Illusion

Weary impatience: Sophie Okonedo's Natalya in Brian Friel's version of Turgenev's A Month in the Country

A Month in the Country review: Who cares about the fate of these privileged Russians? ★★★

1 min read

Painfully self-aware: Nichola McAulifee as Annie Wobbler

Annie Wobbler (Revisited) review: Arnold Wesker’s working-class women tread the boards again’ ★★★

1 min read

Talents wasted: Callum Turner and Monica Barbaro

One Night Only review: ‘a tick box of unlikely situations’ ★★

1 min read

Abigail’s Party review: ‘a toe-curlingly compelling watch’ ★★★★

Mike Leigh’s 1977 Bacardi and gin-fuelled party play is a suburban throwback through a snobbish lens

1 min read

September 4, 2026 16:04

Settee dramas: Lauren Patel and (right) Tamzin Outhwaite (Photo: Ellie Kurtz)

The Runner review: Gal Gadot pounds through Jewish London ★★★

The Israeli actor and a string of London locations are the stars of this breathless action thriller

1 min read

September 4, 2026 10:37

Run ragged: Gal Gadot on the Tube in The Runner

Einstein as you have never seen him before

John Nathan meets the writer and actor of a one-man play about the genius physicist

3 min read

September 4, 2026 09:48

Wunderkind: American actor Jack Fry as Einstein in his long-runnig play which makes its UK debut next week (Photo: Ze Castle)

Cleansed review: a gruesome horror that doesn’t need to be seen

No stars for this controversial play – although it does hold some powerful lessons, especially for Jews

1 min read

August 14, 2026 10:10

Sarah Kane's violent play is not for the faint of heart (Photo: Marc Brenner)

Trainspotting the Musical: an unnecessary trip down memory lane ★★★

Spirited performances and excellent direction aren’t enough to justify this adaptation of Irvine Welsh’s iconic book

2 min read

August 11, 2026 15:55

Bad trip: Trainspotting the Musical sadly falls short of the mark (Photo: Matt Crockett)

Spider-Man: Brand New Day review: Oh, what a very tangled web he weaves ★★★★

The movie has bucked the trend of diminishing returns at the box office

2 min read

August 4, 2026 18:40

Stringing them up: Tom Holland plays Peter Parker/Spider-Man in the latest instalment of the superhero movie franchise

Tao of Glass review: This love letter to the composer Philip Glass needs a good editor ★★★

Phelim McDermott’s highly personal show is packed with events and people that have formed a productive life in theatre, but it is self-indulgent for it

1 min read

August 4, 2026 16:31

Self-indulgent: Phelim McDermott on stage at Soho Place (Credit: Johan Persson)

Got a play script in your drawer? Fish it out now

The Jewish Literary Foundation is looking for eight budding Harold Pinters

4 min read

July 30, 2026 15:04

"If you’re Jewish the work is going to be Jewish": playwright Julia Pascal

Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin on playing brothers in a new comedy

The American stars are on stage at Soho Theatre

5 min read

July 30, 2026 14:28

Rivalries and royalties: Josh Radnor and (right) Noah Galvin (Credit: Bautista Araya)

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma review: ‘Schoenbrun’s most assured film yet’ ★★★★

As with the filmmaker’s previous works this one wallows pleasingly in 1980s schlock-horror and is also a love letter to the genre

2 min read

July 28, 2026 18:21

Hannah Einbinder and (right) Gillian Anderson

Midnight at The Never Get review: ‘the tender power of Benn Platt’ ★★★★

The potency of the show’s 90 uninterrupted minutes is derived from being up close in an intimate space with the Broadway star

2 min read

July 28, 2026 13:29

Piaf-like intensity: Ben Platt (Credit: Johan Persson)

The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan turns Homer’s epic poem into movie magic

The film’s three tense hours elapse with the speed of a riptide

2 min read

July 22, 2026 10:49

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John Nathan

Latest from John Nathan

Just an Illusion review: ‘Are we French, Jewish or African?’★★★★

A Month in the Country review: Who cares about the fate of these privileged Russians? ★★★

Annie Wobbler (Revisited) review: Arnold Wesker’s working-class women tread the boards again’ ★★★

One Night Only review: ‘a tick box of unlikely situations’ ★★

More from John Nathan

Abigail’s Party review: ‘a toe-curlingly compelling watch’ ★★★★

The Runner review: Gal Gadot pounds through Jewish London ★★★

Einstein as you have never seen him before

Cleansed review: a gruesome horror that doesn’t need to be seen

Trainspotting the Musical: an unnecessary trip down memory lane ★★★

Spider-Man: Brand New Day review: Oh, what a very tangled web he weaves ★★★★

Tao of Glass review: This love letter to the composer Philip Glass needs a good editor ★★★

Got a play script in your drawer? Fish it out now

Josh Radnor and Noah Galvin on playing brothers in a new comedy

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma review: ‘Schoenbrun’s most assured film yet’ ★★★★

Midnight at The Never Get review: ‘the tender power of Benn Platt’ ★★★★

The Odyssey review: Christopher Nolan turns Homer’s epic poem into movie magic