reviews

Cosi fan tutte | Layer Marney Tower & UK tour 2022

★★★★ ‘engaging energy and some superb singing…outstanding…all done with a knowing, cheeky sense of humour, while never detracting from Mozart’s delectable score… a refreshing production’ The Guardian

Cells | Youtube & Facebook 2021/22

‘The best theatre to stream this month’ The Guardian
★★★★★ ‘Cells is a delightful watch with two well fleshed out characters…I couldn’t recommend it higher. Sequel, please!’ Beyond the Curtain
★★★★ ‘…a beautifully complex interplay between music and lyrics: both are jumpy and eddying, and pull each other along in unexpected directions.” The Stage
★★★★ ‘…lyrics are quite conversational and naturalistic…a neat set of songs that are sharply functional yet fully enjoyable…” Musical Theatre Review
★★★★ ‘great performances’ West End Best Friend
★★★★ ‘…the balance between emphasizing certain points and giving the audience fresh detail is practically perfect…beautifully shot,’ London Theatre 1

In The Willows | Exeter Northcott and UK tour 2019

‘Seeing productions like this prove how powerful a medium theatre is. The collective energy and reaction in an auditorium is electric…It is an incredibly moving show…One of the best pieces of theatre I’ve seen in a long time…Worthy of the standing ovation; it is not a show to be missed.’ ★★★★★ Camilla Joyce

‘In The Willows is theatre at its best…Provides the widest of possible audiences with high entertainment; joy, emotion and thrills!..You cannot ask for more. Drop everything and go and see it!’ ★★★★★ Reviews Gate

★★★★★ ‘nothing short of absolute brilliance’ Reviews Hub

★★★★★ ‘energetic, uplifting and inspiring’ Little Vikings

★★★★ ‘Kenneth Grahame meets Hamilton…brilliantly original and delightfully funny… irresistible’ Daily Mail

★★★★ ‘a terrific new musical’ Mail on Sunday

★★★★ ‘cheeky, exuberant, marvelous, wonderful’ Libby Purves

★★★★ ‘clever and humorous…pure West End musical’ The List

★★★★ ‘hilarious, sharp choreography, a truly all-encompassing production.’ Musical Theatre Review

★★★★ ‘highly engaging, vibrant energy, fantastic’ Fairy powered productions

★★★★ ‘a hilarious script, politically current and strikingly subtle’ The Wee Review

★★★★ ‘An exciting new musical with great songs…superb.’ Southside Advertiser

★★★★ ‘lively, very witty and topical… excellent’ Sardines Magazine

‘an intelligent, witty and hugely exhilarating production’ British Theatre Guide

Little Mermaid | Theatre By The Lake and UK tour 2018

‘The multi talented Metta Theatre team use their circus skills to push the boundaries of story-telling into what is becoming an exciting new genre, the circus musical. … stunning…genuine wow-factor.’ ★★★★ Manchester Theatre Awards

‘This beautiful reinvention of the popular tale presents the perfect mixture of expression through movement and vocals… This spellbinding production of Little Mermaid is the perfect blend of circus and musical theatre and is the perfect showcase for the talents of the cast.’ ★★★★ Upstaged Manchester  

‘an extraordinary and unique adaptation of the Little Mermaid from the award-winning Metta Theatre. On the surface, this stays true to the typical mermaid meets mortal and the ‘love at first sight’ essence however this production presents many spellbinding diverse layers under that initial surface. Metta’s Little Mermaid was imaginative beyond belief and ultimately a bold, daring experiment within the theatrical styling. The production was executed with finesse and exuberance by all members of the ensemble. Metta Theatre have created a powerfully potent piece of theatre that is filled with spectacular visuals and creativity… This piece of theatre is not to be missed’ ★★★★ North West End (Manchester)

‘An acrobatic fantasia of delights awaits those lucky enough to sample this inspiring production of the classic fable. Not a carbon copy of the Walt Disney film, but a rollicking performance akin to Cirque du Soleil. Children (particularly young girls) will be enraptured, adults will be mesmerised; if this is a young person’s first experience of the theatre, it will not be a wasted one. Overall, this production is a work of magical magnificence for all the family. I cannot recommend it warmly enough.’ ★★★★

‘With a headstrong heroine swinging across the boundary between land and sea, Metta Theatre prove how brilliantly underwater myths and circus acts can combine in this fresh adaptation of The Little Mermaid. The sea is almost too irresistible to leave, making the adapted ending all the more magical… Metta Theatre use their circus prowess to combine acrobatic flair with the transformative sequences within the show…This is a world where fantastic feats happen before our eyes: if performers can fly through the air, a fin can be cleft into legs. Anything is possible, a powerful feeling of achievement hangs in the air.’ Exeunt

‘you might expect this circus/musical version of Hans Christian Andersen’s nautical fable to be a children’s show, but adults will enjoy it just as much, if not more… a tale for our times, one that chimes with the spirit of Guillermo del Toro’s Oscar-winning The Shape Of Water, but Metta’s trademark female perspective does not weigh heavy on their subversive, gloriously visual storytelling… The ultimately uplifting story interweaves with the circus choreography smoothly and spectacularly, with the aerial feats and the ring work drawing bursts of applause, and the storyline tugging at the heartstrings.After this wonderful water-world of a Theatre Royal debut for Metta Theatre, their return to York will surely be on the cards.’ York Press

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan’s new musical version of this popular Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale brings a haunting undercurrent to meet an uplifting overall message… absorbing, lulling piece of theatre rich with layers of dance, circus, physical theatre and song.’ Arts York

Roles | V&A

‘Brave and brilliant, running the gamut of emotions from frivolity to cold fury… spectacular costumes, like artworks…provocative’. The Stage

Wondr | Edinburgh Festival 2017

‘gut-wrenching…cleverly brings into focus issues of authorship, race and identity…An initially utopian view of the internet as an amplifier for connection is complicated and problematised… brimming with ideas and genre-mashing gusto…A surprising, impressive debut play.’ The Stage

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan’s pacy verse monologue is beautifully performed by Simone James… insightful observations come thick and fast. A strong idea…Clever.’ The Scotsman

‘thrilling, and unpredictable… incredibly gripping.’ Broadway Baby

Comedy of Errors | Exeter Northcott Theatre 2017

‘the fooling is fantastic….The pace rockets along throughout…This is a slick, supportive ensemble piece with no weak links…Burton Morgan knows exactly how to use the space to keep each scene feeling fresh and different even when Shakespeare starts to repeat himself…a bold, bright, and boisterous show that goes above and beyond the demands of the script… fast, physical, and very funny.’ Exeunt

‘Energy, exuberance and a welcome confidence in the verse are all hallmarks of this Exeter Northcott production…the revelations and reunions of the final scene are so beautifully done they’ll lift the hairs on the back of your neck. Even if the weather is looking a bit out-of-season autumnal, this will warm your heart.’ Devon Live

‘Inventive, irreverent, fun… a gently anarchic evening, full of wild, unchoreographed chases through the audience and comedy pratfalls, in which the cast display an extraordinary range of skills… the audience are sent home grinning from ear to ear… a joyous evening.’ Reviews Hub

Jungle Book | Theatre Royal Windsor & UK tour 2016

‘Visually stunning…From the very start the audience knew we were in for something a bit special…This is a superb production from a highly-skilled and talented company who have created a refreshing new slant on this endearing tale.’ ★★★★★ Express and Echo

‘this sparkling production…Hip-hop, break-dance, rap verses, gymnastics and startling trapeze skills combine in a display of subtle agility and style…thrilling’ ★★★★ Irish Times 

‘Stunning…a remarkable experience …deeply moving…eloquently presented…effective staging…extraordinary.’ ★★★★ Remote Goat

‘’For all its astonishing choreography, the show feels like it has been created with the public in mind – it is for everyone. It speaks unashamedly of the poverty, gangs and fear in urban life, while welcoming its whole audience into the bonds of friendship uniting Mowgli with her jungle family.’ ★★★★ Reviews Hub

‘Vibrant, colourful and joyous…a glorious fusion of dance, storytelling, circus and hip hop theatre…Director Poppy Burton-Morgan’s assured inventive direction is a delight and keeps the pace flowing throughout.’ British Theatre Guide

‘The real beauty of this piece is the political and moral edge Burton-Morgan has pulled out of this story. Metta Theatre have guts to challenge not only the literary history of this classic story, but also make some huge political statements at the same time. ‘ ★★★★ Female Arts

‘Using the still under-appreciated art form of street dance, Metta Theatre is certainly a force to be reckoned with, positively bursting with imagination, talent and creativity.’ ★★★★ West End Wilma

Mouthful | Trafalgar Studios 2015

‘stirring and moving…one of the most riveting conversations I have ever had the privilege of seeing unravel on stage… mesmerising…a masterclass in collaboration, positively stretching the boundaries of what theatre can achieve’ ★★★★★ London Theatre1

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan’s punchy production pulls out all the stops…William Reynold’s slick, textured design… a knock-out, five-star dystopia… Heartbreaking… has to be seen to be believed. Make sure you do.’ ★★★★ The Times

‘astonishing… affecting…slick’ ★★★★ Londonist

‘hard-hitting enough to strike the audience into stillness, played with a beauty and sensitivity to match…tense, exciting and, at times, heart-warming… horrifically mesmerising… triumphant acting…’ A Younger Theatre

Cosi fan tutte | New Theatre Oxford 2015
‘captivating… a triumph… genuinely heart-warming’ Oxford Times

‘an uplifting and refreshing performance…wonderfully strong, with wit injected into every syllable’ Oxford Culture Review

Alice | Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds & UK tour 2014
‘transforming the ordinary to the remarkable…poignant and bewitchingly magical.’ ★★★★ Mary Halton in Exeunt

‘Extraordinary…both magical and a little disturbing…this brief hour will stay with me for a long time, the sadness and strangeness echoing.’ ★★★★ Libby Purves

‘Almost unbearably moving…Poppy Burton-Morgan has made something very special in this Alice.’ Howard Loxton in British Theatre Guide

‘a production which confidently straddles light and dark, innocence and experience…sophisticated and intelligent storytelling…imaginatively re-defining what conventional puppetry looks like…Metta Theatre are experts at storytelling, carefully constructing an atmosphere in which shifts in tone can glide into one another, taking the audience on a journey which feels bespoke.’
Tutku Barbaros in The F-Word

Well | Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds 2013

‘three dancers, haunting sounds and heart stopping acrobatic feats created a stunning and poignant piece of theatre…mesmerizing…amazing. Poppy Burton-Morgan, director, has not only produced a piece of work that is artistically stunning, it is also relevant to today and reminds us that even the best placed motives can unleash a disaster.’ The Bury Free Press

‘a triumph…the unique production, which featured spectacular acrobatics using a rope, a dangling hoop and flowing red cloth, was portrayed by Leyla Rees, Lindsey Butcher and choreographer Shreya Kumar, with skill, dexterity and poise…dazzling… fantastic…poignant.’ East Anglia Daily Times

Monkey & Crocodile | UK tour 2013

‘utterly irresistible …an enchanting mix of music, circus skills, story-telling and apples…brilliant physicality…genuinely touching. You’d have to be a right old grumpy crocodile not to leave with a smile on your face.’ ★★★★ Stewart Pringle in Exeunt

Arab Nights | Soho Theatre & UK tour

‘exquisite…impressive… the physical wit and economical elegance carry you on into empathy, beyond the daily horror of the headlines.’ ★★★★ Libby Purves in The Times

‘Visually inventive… immensely striking… Poppy Burton-Morgan’s production skilfully uses everything from puppetry to hi tech’ Michael Billington in The Guardian

‘an exceptional melding of myth and modern protest…Arab Nights is an unequivocal achievement. With its exciting treatment of current events, its ingenious use of The Arabian Nights’ original qualities and its beautiful acting, it offers an experience at once magical and profound.’ Spoonfed

Gotcha | Riverside Studios 2011

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan’s superb revival of Gotcha by Barrie Keeffe… seems almost to have found its natural home at Riverside Studio 3…you feel his predicament and miss none of the subtle, tense detail in newcomer Jake Roche’s performance.’ ★★★★ Dominic Cavendish in The Telegraph

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan directs a taut production, which refuses to shirk from the multiple moral dilemmas raised by the Kid’s actions. Already holding an established reputation for excellent work on more impressionistic productions of Lorca, Pirandello and earlier European drama, it is exciting to see Burton-Morgan tackle a modern naturalistic play with such detail and skill.’ ★★★★ Stewart Pringle in Whats On Stage

Coalition (The Prophets and the Puppets) | Theatre 503 2010

‘a unique take upon the evenings theme, and ultimately takes the notion of puppetry to a political level. It also offers the only real connection to emotion of the evening… captivating’
Jake Orr in A Younger Theatre

The Man With the Flower in His Mouth | Greenwich Theatre/The London Particular 2010

‘Metta Theatre is a company I’ve admired for a few years now, and this delightful production is another reminder that this is a company to watch…Weafer and Collings breathe life into every snatch of text, thanks in part to the rich yet subtle symbolic vocabulary of gesture created under Burton-Morgan’s direction.’
Kate Maltby in The Spectator

‘Samuel Collings possesses the intensity and charisma to grasp the audience from his first moments, and with the aid of Burton-Morgan’s appropriately detailed direction, he gives a performance in which his slightest movement is filled with interest and import.The choice of venue is inspired…with stunning performances and a setting which blends convincing immersion with a disjunctive theatricality, it’s an enthralling hour in New Cross.’ ★★★★
Stewart Pringle in Whats On Stage

‘The setting is inspired, blending theatre with everyday New Cross life in a disconcerting mix. Poppy Burton-Morgan directs and adapts, switching the male stranger in the original for a woman. Her version sensibly avoids completely modernisation, and creates a strong sense of unreality which lingers after the characters leave the café… imaginative staging.’
Tom Bolton in The Londonist

‘quietly exhilarating…a wonderfully immersive experience…through talented performances and experienced directing, it skilfully, although somewhat cautiously, manages to strike a sophisticated balance between Pirandello’s appreciation of the commonplace and simple with the genius of his emotive intensity – a wonderful achievement.’
Carmen Nasr for Extra Extra

Otieno | Southwark Playhouse 2010

‘There’s freshness and thrilling immediacy to this exciting, intelligent reworking of Shakespeare’s Othello by Trevor Michael Georges. Directed with verve by Poppy Burton-Morgan, it is much more than a concept production. The raw, rapid-fire dialogue is Georges’ own, though it riffs on the imagery and motifs of the original…Burton-Morgan’s staging immediately establishes hair-trigger tension and a disturbing sense that horrific violence has become routine… this is a highly effective, imaginative response to the classical play that both grips and stirs.’ ★★★★ Sam Marlowe in The Times

‘Poppy Burton-Morgan’s direction is skilled, particularly in the final scenes as the final elements of Ian’s plan are put into play around the bed of a sleeping Diana.’ ★★★★ Laura Norman in What’s on Stage

‘Director Poppy Burton-Morgan uses this cracking cast to great effect. The direction is smart and slick, playing with light and shadow to increase the dramatic tension… ’
Katty Pearce in Fringe Review

‘The whole piece, tightly directed by Poppy Burton-Morgan for Metta Theatre is fast-paced in its minimalist staging, clever use of torches and darkness and efficient controlled explosions…exciting, moving and a compelling theatrical experience.’ 
Church Times

‘Using a minimalist setting Poppy Burton-Morgan as director has created a powerful, believable tale of love, power and revenge…Shakespeare, I think, would have been delighted.’
Susan Rogers in Southwark News

Waiting | Southbank Centre 2010

‘The staging by Poppy Burton-Morgan is simple, with the stories cut into each other and variety introduced by Oliver Coates’s solo cello and the beautiful singing of Anna Dennis and Carole Wilson each telling further tales of womanly woe, both models of clarity as well as musical beauty. Waiting should be compulsory viewing for the politicians who have the power to invoke change. It is inevitably a chastening experience that should make every viewer reconsider their own values and those of a country that can act like this.’
Philip Fisher in British Theatre Guide

‘perfect staging…absolutely superb…this must be seen!’
Vanessa Redgrave

‘…unusual but strangely moving… the music and song lent depth of emotion and the repetition of the chorus: ‘This country I came to for refuge for peace’ was hauntingly effective. ‘
Harmit Athwal in Institute of Race Relations

Blood Wedding | Southwark Playhouse 2010

‘The whole set-up is terrifically relaxing…this interpretation of the story of a doubtful bride visited by her now-married ex on the eve of her wedding is persistent and watchable. It’s all spirited and hugely likeable, particularly a number of blood-chillingly beautiful laments that contrast elegantly with the joyful wedding songs.’
★★★★ Time Out

‘the hard-working cast (doubling up on roles and providing the music) imbue Lorca’s lines with an impressively casual chattiness; and the perplexing, surreal third act is helped by resonances of Caribbean folk tales… strong performances make this a relevant and powerful production.’ ★★★★ Siobhan Murphy in Metro

‘Strong Performances and a lively use of the audience add a visceral power to Poppy Burton-Morgan’s Caribbean-British production of Lorca’s sybolist family tragedy.’ ★★★★ Metro, Critic’s Choice

‘a text pared down to its passionate, primeval core, connects the violence of the play and its context with contemporary Britain…Director Poppy Burton-Morgan transports the action from rural Spain to a Caribbean black community and in doing so makes the tragedy compelling and immediate.’ Barbara Lewis in The Stage

The Elephant’s Child | Arcola Theatre 2008

‘…a production bubbling with creative energy. Metta’s strength lies in director Poppy Burton-Morgan’s eye for the most striking of visual games.’ Kate Maltby in newcultureforum.org.uk

‘The Elephants Child proved to be a delightful adaptation of Kipling’s classic fable, combining dance, song, puppetry and story telling into an effective drama to entrance both young and old.’
Serena Fenwick in musicalpointers.co.uk