About

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

What is LouReviews? 

It is a website which reviews live theatre in London, films, books, DVDs and digital theatre worldwide.

It is run and managed by Louise Penn, who currently produces all the content on the website and its associated social media channels. 

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

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.

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 tweet 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? 

As of October 2022, we are trying this on a trial basis. We have always been happy to provide a rating on request and do so for festivals, where we have been an Offies assessor since 2020. 

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.

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

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 as of 2022.  Check out past book reviews.

Do you have additional social media channels? 

Yes – most active on Twitter and Instagram but we also have Pinterest and a YouTube channel (which will be expanding in 2023).

We maintain a presence on Facebook and LinkedIn too.

You are welcome to follow us on any/all platforms. 

Do you contribute to other theatre-related websites? 

Yes. Louise is also a team reviewer at Broadway World UK and North West End UK.

LouReviews is also a member of and syndicated on MyTheatreMates. 

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 2022 was close to 7,000 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.