About

FOR PRESS ENQUIRIES, NEWS, INTERVIEWS & REVIEW INVITES – louise@loureviews.blog  

What is LouReviews? 

It is a website that reviews live theatre in London, films, books, DVDs/CDs, concerts, exhibitions, and digital theatre worldwide, founded by Louise Penn.

Louise Penn is a highly eclectic, performance-centred critic whose work sits at the intersection of film, theatre, music and cultural history. Her distinctive quality is not formalist analysis but an unusually persistent curiosity about performers, forgotten works, adaptations, audiences and the historical circumstances in which popular culture is made and experienced.

Louise is a member of the Critics’ Circle and has previously had a long career publishing articles in academic journals.

Guest reviewers and contributors include Helen Cox, Elaine Chapman, and Cheryl Bird.

What kind of theatre does LouReviews cover? 

The door is open for any show, big or small. LouReviews covers female-led and queer-led content, children’s theatre, musicals, new writing and revivals of all types, and festivals.

We are happy to cover shows from the largest West End space to the tiniest fringe space – the only conditions are that we can get there easily by public transport and can find a slot in the diary! 

Daytime events are also welcome, including launches, press days and WIP previews.

Please note that, as a one-person site, the diary often gets filled quickly!

I am looking for the best shows on offer across the capital, so I will try to cover a good mix of venues, genres, and shows each month.

Do you produce theatre-related content other than reviews? 

Yes. Interviews and features (show- , performer-, or venue-specific) are something we are always looking for, and the net is cast wider than just London, with touring and ‘across the pond’ content produced and planned.

It isn’t just theatre, either. The door is open for anything that can be classed as entertainment. If it is made for an audience, it belongs on LouReviews.

Most interviews are Q&As by email but phone/Zoom are also available depending on availability. 

Do you review shows you pay to see? 

Not since 2021. We are happy to talk about them and share content, but reviews are reserved for where shows/PRs have requested them and invited us along.

This means some venues and shows are no longer represented, but we are always open to a conversation to start working with new PRs/companies and to include new spaces/theatres.  

Do you use star ratings? 

From October 2022, we started star ratings on a trial basis. This became our regular policy in 2024.

What about films and digital theatre? 

LouReviews is very happy to review films long and short, whether by a digital screener, DVD or by preview invite.

In terms of digital theatre, this has become a specialism since the pandemic, which we are keen to continue, and we actively seek out opportunities to include work across the UK, Ireland and the world.

LouReviews’ digital archive encompasses several overlapping phenomena: digital-native theatre, hybrid theatre, screen adaptations, filmed live performance, audio/telephone theatre, interactive/VR work, festival livestreams, and archival recordings.

We are also keen to include filmed plays from any time, including archive TV broadcasts and streams. 

Film shorts, documentaries, and animation are among the titles recently reviewed; another interest is in general archive television.

Do you cover music?

Yes – interviews, albums, film and book reviews all belong in this space. LouReviews covers classical, jazz, opera, rock/metal. soul, alternative, and legacy recordings.

Do you review books? 

Yes, and this area is a bit wider – generally anything related to the arts is welcomed. We review from printed or PDF copies.

Happy to consider biographies, genre studies, and some fiction. This is one of our growing areas from 2022 onwards.  Check out past book reviews.

Do you have additional social media channels? 

You are welcome to follow us on any/all platforms.  Use Linktree to keep up to date. LouReviews has a presence on Facebook, X, Instagram, Threads, Bluesky, Mastodon, YouTube, TikTok and LinkedIn. My work is collated on Muck Rack.

Do you contribute to other theatre-related websites? 

Yes. Louise is also a team reviewer at Broadway World UK and Plays International & Europe and was a contributor to MusicalsMag. She also reviews films as part of the team at The Reviews Hub.

LouReviews was also a member of and syndicated on MyTheatreMates until that platform closed in 2025. She reviewed for North West End UK from 2020-2026.

Louise was invited to join the Critics’ Circle in September 2025.

What are your average statistics? 

Since the 2019 relaunch of this blog, statistics have been increasing by 50% per year. A month’s average for 2026 is close to 15,000 hits.

How can I support the work of LouReviews? 

Without a regular income, we do welcome donations to help us maintain our website, domain name, and travel/admin expenses.

Feel free to visit our Ko-Fi page.