From New York to London and across the US, the past month has seen plenty of exciting new productions and musical theatre hits take to the stage. But what did the critics make of them? We've rounded up some of the latest reviews from theatre critics around the world, giving you a snapshot of the shows audiences are talking about. From New York's The Whoopi Monologues', to London's Trainspotting' - take a read below to see what hit, and what missed.

The Whoopi Monologues - New York, USA

New York Times

"And really, it's this enduring legacy that is the biggest takeaway from "The Whoopi Monologues." Sure, this retelling is markedly shinier than what preceded it. (It dresses up a show created by a woman whose ingenuity was more often found in simplicity.) But it's a sincere gift nonetheless, a loving call for human compassion and a singing homage to its titular architect."

Cititour

"Whitney White's staging is filled with only occasional bits of stage business (aided in part by Hana S. Kim's projections) that add some theatricality to the proceedings; I especially enjoyed watching the five women onstage together doing The Hustle. But being one of our smartest directors, White clearly knows that, in these ultra-capable hands, Whoopi's words speak for themselves."

The Beauty and The Beast - Austin, USA (US Tour)

CTX Live Theatre, Austin

"The costumes, wig work, choreography, and stage design are very nearly eclipsed by the excellent special effects. Every aspect of the production is designed as fan-service, and I'm sure none of them disappoints. Many shows try to straddle the line between being kid-friendly while also entertaining the adults, but this production does not bother with that. It knows its adoring audience and is geared directly towards them. It's not trying to tell the story anew or add any twists. Since the story is an age-old conflict, it has little dramatic conflict. It's as comforting as fresh baked chocolate chip cookies"

Music City Review, Nashville

"This show gives the audience spectacle and a captivating performance of a familiar musical. I highly recommend it to all, no matter what your age."

The Jonathan Larson Project - London, UK

The Guardian

"A lesser-known selection from the composer and lyricist's archive is full of heart and humour, swinging between cabaret blues and pop bangers."

"When the world is falling apart, playing the piano can "save my soul", writes a 23-year-old Larson. Not only does he get away with such a sentiment but there's an equivalent effect from hearing the night's best songs. A revelation."

London Theatre

"Here, Larson is presented in fragments, and while we might not get a complete picture of his musicals or of the man himself, his glorious, scrappy songs are more than enough to feed our souls."

The Notebook - US Tour

LA Times (Los Angeles)

"The authors have structured the work as a triple helix, and some of the most powerful moments occur when all three incarnations of the characters are on stage at the same time. The Notebook on screen injected new life into a formulaic love story. Brunstetter and Michaelson refocus the work to be more about time. The bond between Noah and Allie is a prism through which to experience both the transience and the permanence of what matters most to us in life. In the face of disappearance, something mysterious endures."

Talkin' Broadway (Minneapolis)

"The Notebook is, though, a great example of how musical theatre can be entertaining and moving while in the service of a variety of stories and genres. Based on the enthusiastic reception it received from the audience at the Ordway, there are many theatregoers in agreement." - Talkin' Broadway, Minneapolis

Trainspotting - London, UK

The Guardian

"Choose being in the moment," says the disembodied voice that asks us to switch off our mobile phones before the show has begun (with, one imagines, a self-satisfied glint at the joke). "Choose life," repeats Renton (Lewis Kidd), trying so hard, it seems, to capture the dangerous energy of that moment in the 1990s when Ewan McGregor, Jonny Lee Miller and co depicted heroin addiction as a protest against the grunting conventions of ordinary life. Sadly, the drug-addled escapades and illegal highs here look about as dangerous as a double-dose of Gaviscon."

WhatsOnStage

"Cringe and boredom in one misconceived package that's only shocking in all the wrong ways. Welcome to Trainspotting The Musical, which looks about as at home in the gilt and plush surroundings of its current Theatre Royal Haymarket home as a vegan in a steak house."