The reviews are in for Deep-Heat Rivalry, the musical parody of the ice-hockey romance Heated Rivalry, running at The Other Palace Studio until 11 October. Written and directed by Trevor Ashley with Phil Scott, it sends two rival players into a locker-room romance by way of pantomime, pop parody and a great deal of innuendo. Critics have largely surrendered to it — Diana Vickers’s Diva and Ross Chisari’s Puck draw the loudest praise, with Sario Solomon and Jason Leigh Winter as the leads — though one dissenter finds nothing underneath the fishnets.
The verdict: nine notices so far — three five-star, four four-star, one two-star and one outlet that publishes no rating — averaging 4.1 out of 5 across the eight that score it. The cast is what unites them: Diana Vickers and Ross Chisari are singled out in almost every review, and only North West End is unmoved, finding the whole thing thin beneath the innuendo.
What are critics saying about Deep-Heat Rivalry?
The Reviews Hub
Reviewer: Harry Mayes
“None of this self-aware send-up aims for subtlety, nor does it need to. Deep-Heat Rivalry commits to its stupidity admirably and, beneath all the bare flesh and denigration of British and American icons, contains considerably more wit than its trashy exterior might suggest. A puckishly filthy delight.”
West End Best Friend
Reviewer: Anna Nichols
“The cast may be small, but the audience laughter is absolutely not. This multi-talented, multi-roling cast are true comedic geniuses. Diana Vickers provides side splitting humour in characters ranging from high kicking undercover Russian spy Svetlana to Schitt’s Creek’s Moira Rose kitted out in full liturgical dress. Not only a talented comedian, she serenades the audience with truly breathtaking musical numbers (all rewritten of course to exalt Shane and Ilya’s infamous ‘hockey sticks’).”
London Theatre Reviews
“Gay fantasy is turned into a hilarious parody”
“We need more divas and less dames in panto, because Vickers is a real superstar in this show. She takes on many personas, including parodies of Celine Dion, Claudia Winkleman, and Moira Rose from Schitt’s Creek. Her best moments on stage are when she transports you to the West End with songs from the shows with new comical lyrics, including Sunset Boulevard and Anything Goes. The tongue-in-cheek jokes about needing a better agent to get bigger gigs work well because she brings so much talent to her role.”
LondonTheatre.co.uk
“this no-holds-barred romp of a parody musical is a total joy”
Reviewer: Emily Godwin
“Heated Rivalry allusions barely scratch the surface of the quick-witted writing from Olivier-nominated Trevor Ashley (currently starring in The Producers in the West End) and Phil Scott, who unleash a barrage of musical theatre and irreverent queer culture references, including replacing the chorus of Cher’s “Strong Enough” with “Stroganoff”. No joke is deemed too far, with wide-ranging jabs aimed at Sheridan Smith, Graham “Moron” Norton, and Titanique.”
Theatre Weekly
Reviewer: Pely Carney
“But oh honey, the true scene-stealer is diva extraordinaire Diana Vickers. Her impressions of beloved pop icons are an exemplar of camp, charisma, and vocal chops (no spoilers, but trust me: every entrance is a delight). Diana’s presence is so magnetic she brings even more camp than the two leading men locking lips – and that’s saying something.”
The Spy in the Stalls
Reviewer: Hannah Bothelton
“The show’s greatest asset is its superb cast. This fierce foursome (wink) attack every gag, lyric and dance break with infectious energy, razor-sharp comic timing and impressive precision. Sario Solomon brings just the right mix of angst and devotion to Shane, while Jason Leigh Winter nails Ilya’s brooding, laconic cool before gleefully unleashing his camp side. Diana Vickers is a comic chameleon as The Diva, switching effortlessly between characters while showing off a powerhouse vocal range. Though the glue of the show is Ross Chisari’s Puck, a mischievous master of ceremonies who keeps the audience firmly in the palm of his hand with boundless energy throughout. A fabulous ensemble.”
Read Hannah Bothelton’s full review at The Spy in the Stalls
All That Dazzles
Reviewer: Sam Woodward
“The other three performers are just as strong as Vickers, and together the four are truly riotous in the best possible way. Ross Chisari has the difficult job of narrating and keeping the show on track. Sitting somewhere between Shakespeare’s Puck from A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a fabulously camp MC, he brings a powerhouse voice and wicked humour to the stage. Frequently engaging with the audience, dragging spectators onto the stage and even passionately kissing one lucky audience member, Chisari pulls the production back from unrestrained chaos towards a semblance of order. His Shakespearean monologues are surprisingly strong, while his silliness is a pleasure to watch.”
North West End
Reviewer: Paul Ackroyd
“There was no plot worth talking about and the production had a feeling of self-indulgence. Much of the humour was adolescent and although it was billed as raunchy, and there were plenty of naked male chests and bottoms on display, there was no full-frontal nudity. It had the feeling of an undergraduate production wanting to be outrageous but lacking any original ideas. It did not need to be two hours long; cutting it back to a single act would have at least relieved some of the repetition. In his programme notes Trevor Ashley says it “makes you wonder whether someone should have intervened much earlier”. I tend to agree.”
British Theatre Guide
Reviewer: Rebecca Clifton
“Deep-Heat Rivalry is the Bongo’s Bingo of the stage. It’s pumped with energy and full of joy. The earlier you submit to the whims of melodrama and expertly hammy acting, the more fun you will have.”
Production photographs by Mark Senior.
More opening-night verdicts in our recent review roundups, and the rest of the week’s stories across Best of Theatre News.
Deep-Heat Rivalry plays at The Other Palace Studio until 11 October 2026.
