From the aftermath of Helen of Troy's return home in Bloodsport to a contemporary African-Caribbean take on Tartuffe (Remixed), these productions are proving that the classics still have plenty to say - especially with so much star power amongst the cast lists!

With Michelle Dockery and Laura Aikman starring in Bloodsport and Mark Rylance leading the cast of Tartuffe (Remixed), these two shows have certainly got London critics buzzing. But did they do the originals justice? Let's find out...

Tartuffe (Remixed) Critic Reviews

"Engaging and likable performances include Usifu Jalloh as the bride's father Oga and Nakeba Buchanan as stepmother Elmire, the characters who remain closest to Molire's naming. As bride and groom, Sara Mokonen and Ivandro Da Cruz Leite sparkle together and apart." - The Guardian

"Tartuffe (Remixed) tries to be farcical without fully believing in the power of farce. The near-final scene unexpectedly knocks over the board and twists the tone, which would be an incredible choice if the rest of the show had the same vibe. It comes as a positive surprise, but the piece winds back to its form immediately after. More cohesion and a stronger grip on the ultimate goal of the play would have helped to ensure its success." - Broadway World

"The ending brings the story to a resolution and describes a family united in God, if rather expositionally. However, Tartuffe (Remixed) is undoubtedly a glorious success. With relentless comedy, upbeat music and reggae beats from Duramaney Kamara, Raymond has crafted a room full of sunshine that is ambitious and uniquely innovative." - Everything Theatre

"Tartuffe (Remixed) takes Molire's archaic mixtape and gives us a 2026 playlist with spice, edge and plenty of laughs. The adaptation is genuinely inspired and manages to breathe fresh life into a story that is more than 350 years old. What impressed me most is that Raymond has not simply modernised Tartuffe but he has completely reimagined it for a different audience and made the language, culture and humour feel rooted in contemporary Nigerian and Jamaican life." - All That Dazzles

"Marylebone Theatre is fortunate to attract this production to its theatre, which has only been open since 2022. But such is the appeal of Mark Rylance in anything, it must surely transfer into a larger West End theatre in 2027 and that would be a very big plus to widen the appeal of theatre to a more diverse audience while promoting and celebrating the work of the Intermission Youth and Ensemble." - West End Best Friend

Bloodsport: After Helen of Troy Critic Reviews

"Those versed in Greek myth and the rest of us who've watched Christopher Nolan's Odyssey will have their ideas of where the plot is heading, correct or not. The abruptness of the play's climax does leave us wondering what Pickett is really trying to say about free will Ethan Moorhouse's blisteringly poetic interludes as Messenger introduce a pantheon of external forces dressed as gods, while a naked tree reaches across Polly Sullivan's set like a malevolent hand. But both comedy and drama are deftly paced and balanced in the production by Stratford East's new artistic director Lisa Spirling, amplified by Nicola T Chang's bone-shaking score and sound." - The Guardian

"In the wake of a Christopher Nolan Odyssey-fuelled summer, Ava Pickett's new play inspired by Helen of Troy couldn't come at a better time. It's the women who take centre stage in this fierce contemporary adaptation, told with laugh-out-loud humour and gut-wrenching poignancy." - London Theatre

"Ava Pickett's Essex-set update of Greek myth, starring Michelle Dockery in the title role, is electrifyingly vital" - The Stage

"Really, though, the playwright is the star. With 1536 set to be adapted for TV and Pickett also working on a Joan of Arc film with Baz Luhrman (it would be funny if that was set in Essex too) you can't help but wonder if her furious burst of theatrical energy four plays in two years is going to last. She's on the fast track to national treasure status: let's enjoy the theatre bit for as long as it lasts." - TimeOut

"Pickett's flair for rich, heightened dialogue, and for puncturing high drama with sudden humour, are already thrillingly present. Like 1536, Bloodsport is built around three strong and complex female roles, embraced with relish in Lisa Spirling's punchy production by Downton's Michelle Dockery, Gavin and Stacy star Laura Aikman and the always-watchable Maimuna Memon" - The Standard