REVIEW: FROM THE HEART @ GARRICK THEATRE

🎭 From the Heart

📍 Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, London, WC2

🗓 Friday 9th October 2026

⭐️ 5 Stars

EIGHTY MINUTES OF ABSOLUTE PERFECTION

Let’s be entirely real for a second. There are West End revues that feel like a lazy, cash-grab trip down memory lane. And then there is FROM THE HEART at the Garrick Theatre. I entered the venue full of anticipation - and was honestly a little bit starstruck to see Don Black himself stood right inside the door - and I walked out floating on a cloud of pure, unadulterated musical theatre joy. Don Black, you absolute king.

So, what exactly is FROM THE HEART? It is a fast-paced, 80-minute theatrical cabaret revue with no interval, celebrating the legendary five-decade career of the Oscar-winning lyricist himself. But don't expect a dusty history lesson. While the classic anthems feature, the real twist here is that the bulk of the evening is actually dedicated to brand-new works and newly commissioned tracks written with the likes of Gary Barlow, Natasha Bedingfield, and David Arnold. It keeps the whole show feeling incredibly fresh, vital, and forward-looking, rather than just looking backward. It's essentially the ultimate Don Black love fest, wrapped up in a boutique concert style.

First of all, the vibe is chef’s kiss. Nick Winston has stripped the Garrick’s stage right back, giving us this ultra-slick, intimate, late-night New York speakeasy aesthetic. No massive, clunky sets, no gimmicks. Just a brilliant two-piece band, a microphone, and five of the finest voices currently working in British theatre. It forces you to listen to the lyrics, and when those lyrics belong to an absolute titan like Black, that is exactly where your attention should be.

Anyone who knows me will know just how much I love a good lighting design, and Ben Cracknell has done exceptional work here. Because of the style of this production, it would be very easy to opt for a basic design, but Cracknell manages to lift the quality of the production into the stratosphere. It's almost as if his design has a life of its own, becoming another character on the stage, and enhancing every emotion. I was mesmerised by what is possibly the strongest lighting design I've witnessed all year.

And this cast. I mean, come on. Clive Rowe and Michael D. Xavier are an absolute comedy masterclass. Their duet on a new track about two blokes forced into drinking water, and having to choose between fizzy or still, had me properly cackling. Then you’ve got Frances Mayli McCann and Shona McGarty just casually dropping vocal bomb after vocal bomb. Then there's the legendary Caroline O'Connor, whose theatrical authority radiating off that stage is enough to blow the roof off the theatre. Chills. Actual chills.

The power and control that the performers had was absolutely breathtaking. They had a complete understanding of the material, and rather than just belting out these numbers as others would have done, they completely lived them, displaying exquisite vocal control and storytelling. If I had to pick a standout - and trust me, it's no mean feat to do so - it would have to be Shona McGarty.

She completely blew me away with her sultry vocals, and I kept thinking how she reminded me of a young Shirley Bassey. Imagine how thrilled I was then when she performed Diamonds Are Forever during a medley of Black's Bond themes. Later in the evening, during a medley of his legendary pop hits, McGarty treated us to Anyone Can Fall In Love - the iconic EastEnders theme song lyrics - which was met with absolutely massive appreciation and a huge, affectionate roar from the audience.

Each evening, a different special guest is invited onto the stage to perform a Black classic. Last night we had musical theatre royalty Michael Ball, who performed Love Changes Everything. This was a real emotional moment for me because my love of musical theatre came from my mum, and her absolute favourite performer was Ball, and this was her favourite song. In that moment, she was sitting right beside me, and it was so powerful and moving.

What makes this show a total five-star triumph though, is how deeply personal it feels. Interspersed between the Bond themes and the classic musical theatre anthems, we get audio clips of Don himself chatting about his five-decade career and his late wife, Shirley. It grounds the whole evening in so much genuine heart and warmth. By the time the final, jaw-dropping mega-mix kicked in, the energy in the room was electric. When the man himself walked onto the stage at the end, the entire audience was on their feet, and the cheering was almost deafening.

This revue deserves a long run in the West End, but sadly it is only playing 15 performances, closing on Sunday 18th October. It is 80 minutes of absolute perfection. If you call yourself a theatre fan, do whatever you have to do to get a ticket. It is simply unmissable.

It's the Don Black love fest we all desperately needed!

Neill Kovacic-Clarke

All views are my own and I pride myself on being honest, fair and free from influence. Theatre is subjective and it is important to remember that all views expressed are just those of one person.

My ticket for this performance of From the Heart was gifted by Chloe Nelkin Consulting, who invited me to watch the show in exchange for my honest review. The fact that my ticket was gifted played no part in the content of my review or the star rating given.

CAST:

Caroline O'Connor; Frances Mayli McCann; Shona McGarty; Michael D. Xavier; Clive Rowe

CREATIVES:

Concept, Book and Lyrics - Don Black; Music - David Arnold, Gary Barlow, Mike Batt, Natasha Beddingfield, George Fenton, Alan Menkin, Geoff Morrow, Alexander Rudd, Fraser T Smith, Geoff Stevens, and Gay-Yee Westerhoff; Director and Choreographer - Nick Winston; Musical Supervisor and Arranger - Nick Barstow; Musical Director and Keyboards - Joseph Church; Bass - Oliver Copeland; Set and Costume Designer - Sophia Pardon; Lighting Designer - Ben Cracknell; Sound Designer - Richard Brooker; Lead Producer - Clive Black for Tornay House Productions

RUNNING TIME (approx):

1 hour 20 minutes, with no interval

AGE GUIDELINE:

8+

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